BY RAY LAHOOD
Member of Congress, 18th Congressional District 1995-2009
Secretary of Transportation 2009-2013

I am writing my final column for Community Word after receiving an email from Clare Howard inviting me to comment on the passage of the much debated trillion dollar bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed Congress and was signed by President Biden. Obviously, I am thrilled with the passage of the infrastructure bill and happy to share my thoughts.

On Nov. 6, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This new transportation program is a once in a generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. President Biden campaigned on a pledge to work across the aisle to deliver results and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. Following through on his campaign pledge, President Biden put forward his plan and worked in a bipartisan fashion to get Congress to pass historic bipartisan legislation. The bipartisan infrastructure deal will rebuild roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean water, ensure every American has access to high speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. The legislation will help ease inflationary pressures and strengthen supply chains by making long overdue improvements for our nation’s ports, airports, rail and roads. It will drive the creation of good paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come.

This historic legislation will: Deliver clean water to all American families and eliminate the nation’s lead service lines; ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet; repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity and safety for all users; improve transportation options for millions of Americans and reduce greenhouse emissions through the largest investment in public transit in U.S. history; upgrade our nation’s airports and ports to strengthen our supply chains and prevent disruptions; create more and better jobs at these hubs and reduce emissions; make the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak; build a national network of electric vehicle chargers; upgrade our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy across the country and deploy cutting edge energy technology to achieve a zero emissions future; make our infrastructure resilient against the impacts of climate change, cyber attacks and extreme weather events; deliver the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history by cleaning up superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.

These investments represent the most historic dollars ever spent in the history of infrastructure in America. It represents a win-win for America.

Finally, a word of thanks to Clare for her lifetime commitment to professional journalism.

Blessings to all for a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and wonderful holiday.