Enactment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

 In an impressive display of bipartisan voting, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill finally passed this Tuesday after a 69-30 vote with 19 Republicans joining all 50 Democrats in voting in favor of the bill.  After many months of negotiations, the statement was discussed and modified by both political parties, and more Republicans became supportive of the plan than previously anticipated. The plan in question includes $550 billion dollar investment into improving various sectors of American infrastructure. This was effectively a scaled-down version of President Biden's $2.25 trillion "American Jobs Plan" that he had proposed back in March. With a focus on sustainability, the plan promised to provide new employment opportunities while simultaneously establishing infrastructure that could reform entire communities. Specifically, a focus on green energy, broadband connections, and improvements to lasting systems such as schools or other educational institutions that could continue to benefit citizens many years down the line. 

However, paying for this massive bill has remained a controversy during negotiations, and the exact plan has yet to be announced. While Biden had proposed a raise in taxes to those making over $400,000 a year, that proposition has not yet passed the scrutiny of the Republican representatives, and that tax money will not be available to contribute to the bill. The brunt of the money is actually expected to be a return on the investment, as economists have suggested that the bill will return nearly 40% of its cost over the next 10 years simply through economic growth. An additional $50 billion dollar contribution is expected to come from a rollback of pandemic unemployment benefits that are currently being implemented across 26 of the 50 states.  

While the bill awaits its final approval and presidential approval, small modifications can be expected, but the public support for the legislation remains relatively high.

Links : 

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/28/politics/infrastructure-bill-explained/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/12/politics/infrastructure-biden-plan-impact/index.html

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/10/1026081880/senate-passes-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill

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