Washington, D.C. — On Friday, November 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In response, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:
President Biden made a promise to the American people to never stop working to improve their lives, and to work with anyone who was willing to meet that same goal. Tonight, he delivered again by bringing Congress together to make historic upgrades to the nation’s physical infrastructure. Under the president’s leadership, we are poised to create millions of good-paying union jobs; build and repair roads, bridges, and other transportation projects; connect people to high-speed broadband; and ensure access to clean drinking water; among other measures. This package advances progress that has proven elusive for years and for presidents of both parties.
But for our economic growth to realize its full potential, we must ensure that families can afford their everyday living expenses for energy, child care, health care, and housing. These costs have put opportunities to build wealth and achieve a better standard of living out of reach for too many Americans. Climate change has made these challenges worse by increasing extreme weather that threatens household across America. The Build Back Better Act makes transformative investments that will invest in climate solutions and lower everyday costs, and they are paid for by making the wealthiest Americans and big corporations—that earn billions in profit while paying nothing in taxes—finally pay their fair share.
While today we take a significant step forward, no thriving 21st-century economy can sustain the social and economic injustices and inefficiencies of centuries past, nor can they look the other way in the face of fundamental threats like climate change. The only way for Congress to redress these wrongs is to send both of these bills to the president’s desk.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Colin Seeberger at [email protected] or 202-741-6292.