On Monday, President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal into law, according to The Associated Press.
The bill represents decades of work and deferred priorities. It also marks a rare bipartisan gathering, which is proof that Republicans and Democrats can still work together to solve problems, Biden said at the signing ceremony. The ceremony comes at a time when Biden is struggling to keep his approval ratings up.
Americans are not content with the pandemic and the economic problems that exist as a result, according to an ABC-Washinton Post poll published over the weekend, which put the president at a 41% approval rating.
The bill earned the support of 19 Republicans in the Senate and 13 in the House. This legislation:
- Will invest $550 billion into America’s infrastructure — such as roads, bridges, mass transit, rail, airports, ports and waterways.
- Put $65 billion into improving the country’s broadband, electric grids and water systems.
- And $7.5 billion into building infrastructure for electric chargers, per CNN.
Earlier Monday, Biden signed an executive order establishing a task force to lead the implementation of the law, co-chaired by New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, according to a statement released by the White House.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is expected to bring the “Build Back Better” bill, a companion spending package, to a vote this week, a first step as Senate has not taken up the legislation yet, per Reuters.