BIF Includes Vital Investments in Our Future--But It's Not Enough

In response to President Biden signing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework today, Jennifer Epps Addison of the Center for Popular Democracy, issued the following statement:

"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework includes billions of dollars of investment in infrastructure that our communities need to thrive, including:

$55 billion to provide safe drinking water to millions of children at home and at school;

$90 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility for millions of US workers through a historic investment in public transit;

And $65 billion to update the nation's power grid, facilitating the expansion of a sustainable energy industry based on renewables.

"These provisions represent important victories for CPD/A Network members like Flint Rising, which has been fighting for serious federal action to protect children from lead poisoning for years.

"Still, this bill falls far short of the investment needed to meet the challenges we all face. A strong, equitable economy requires that we invest not just in roads and bridges but also in programs that ensure that the people who use them are able to live with dignity.

"As Veronica Coptis, Executive Director of the Center for Coalfield Justice explained,

"'For generations, our community has been dependent on the coal industry while simultaneously having our health compromised by the terrible environmental effects on our air and water. The bill passed in the House includes billions to begin to clean up some of this damage while also offering our communities much-needed jobs. But it doesn't change the system that left us so vulnerable in the first place. For that, we need more than clean-up -- we need significant investments in our health, our families and our children.'

"The Build Back Better bill provides this missing piece, strengthening communities like Veronica's through investments in healthcare, housing, climate change, paid leave, economic justice and immigration--which must come in the form of a pathway to citizenship.

"Congress must work to deliver on the promise of President Biden's full agenda, to begin to transform our society into one that values the health and vitality of communities over the profits of corporations.

"The millions of people who have been demanding change from our leaders are not done. We will continue to fight for transformational change and for the well-being and dignity of all of us. We will continue to press the power of the people against the power of corporate interests. And we will win."