A win for America
Last Friday night over 200 House Democrats and 13 House Republicans passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. This bill is a significant accomplishment for the Biden-Harris Administration, accomplishing in the first year what the previous administration could not do in four. But more importantly, this bipartisan infrastructure bill is a big win for America, including:
- Safer, more welcoming streets. States, cities, and towns will receive funds to reduce crashes and fatalities, with a particular focus on making it safer for people to walk and bicycle. There are also programs to replace leaking pipelines, cap idle wells and mines, clean up pollution, and improve the handling and transportation of hazardous materials so future generations can enjoy this divine creation.
- Stronger supply chains and well-paying jobs. Infrastructure, including improved air and seaports, rail, internet, and roads, is a necessary foundation for entrepreneurship and enabling more of us to achieve self-reliance. Moody’s found that combined with the Build Back Better Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act smooths out supply chain issues, adds an average 1.5 million jobs every year for the next ten years, and reduces long-term inflationary pressure through investments in rental housing, childcare, healthcare, eldercare, and education and curbs in prescription drug costs.
- Keeping our commitments to our neighbors. Provisions of this plan include making transit stations more accessible for older Americans and individuals with disabilities, reducing the risks from future flooding and wildfires, preventing cyberattacks, and improving the electric grid to limit power outages such as the deadly one experience last winter across Texas.
We note that many of the provisions that are the most focused on helping all families thrive and invest in the longterm stewardship of our shared world are in the Build Back Better Act, now in front of the House and soon to be in front of the Senate. We appreciate President Biden, Vice President Harris, and House and Senate Democrats leading out with values. We encourage all to work toward the swift passage of the Build Back Better Act so the full potential of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can be unlocked for America’s families.
We thank Senators Romney and Crapo for their support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and encourage them and their fellow Republicans Senator Lee and Representatives Biggs, Curtis, Moore, Owens, Simpson, and Stewart to drop their opposition to the Build Back Better Act, legislation that will provide a “hand up” to Latter-day Saint families in their respective communities and across the country.
Finally, we remind all that the Build Back Better Act and its individual provisions are popular, fulfilling President Biden’s pledge to be president “for all Americans,” and that there is a long history of the super-wealthy, the well-connected, and the entrenched demonizing policies that enable working and middle-class families to achieve self-reliance. We encourage everyone to be “anxiously engaged” citizens and voters and to measure the fruits of our legislators’ labors.
