MADISON, Wis.—Today, President Joe Biden signed into law the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which passed the Senate on August 10 with support from all 50 Democrats and 19 Republicans and the U.S. Representatives on November 5. Two days after voting ‘no’ on the bill, Senator Ron Johnson shared on conservative talk radio that he “didn’t read the thing.”
Opportunity Wisconsin program director Meghan Roh issued the following statement in response to President Biden signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law:
“By signing the bipartisan infrastructure bill into law today, President Biden is fulfilling his promise to Wisconsinites to repair our roads and bridges, increase access to broadband, ensure clean drinking water for all communities, and so much more. We applaud the President for delivering on this critical piece of legislation and continue to strongly urge Senator Ron Johnson, who voted ‘no’ on the bill, to stop opposing legislation that benefits the people of Wisconsin.”
The IIJA invests in the Badger State by:
- Providing Wisconsin with $5.2 billion for highways and $225 million for bridges over 5 years; in Wisconsin there are 979 bridges and nearly 2,000 miles of highway in poor condition, costing the average Wisconsin driver $547 per year
- Providing $592 million over 5 years to improve public transportation
- Providing internet access to the 318,000 Wisconsinites who currently lack it, and establishing the Affordability Connectivity Benefit to help low-income families (22% of Wisconsinites) afford internet access
- Providing Wisconsin with $841 million over 5 years to improve water infrastructure to ensure clean, safe drinking water in all communities, including through the elimination of lead service lines and pipes and the dangerous chemical PFAS.
