MADISON, Wis. — With President Biden signing the Infrastructure and Investment Act into law, Wisconsin will see millions of federal dollars dedicated to rebuilding Wisconsin’s roads and bridges, delivering high-speed and reliable broadband across the state, and the creation of good-paying, union jobs. This infrastructure legislation is grounded in equity, as it works to bridge systemic divides and racial inequities in access to physical and digital infrastructure.
Across the state and country, Latino community activists have celebrated the law and the critical investments it will bring to Latino families:
Darryl Morin, Forward Latino National President: “Republican and Democratic-led administrations have attempted time and time again to pass legislation to repair or replace critical parts of our nation’s infrastructure. President Joe Biden, working with both Congressional Democrats and Republicans got it done.”
Representative Raul Ruiz M.D, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair: “I am proud that the House of Representatives took the first step to advance President Biden’s agenda by passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is now headed to the President’s desk. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes investments to advance equity and will help Hispanic communities by addressing pollution and increasing access to broadband and clean drinking water.”
The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda: “President Biden’s #BipartisanInfrastructureDeal, just approved by the Senate, includes NHLA priorities like access to clean water, improving broadband equity, and natural disaster resilience. Now we need a companion budget that advances climate and social equity to go with it.”
UnidosUS: “We applaud Senate passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill that’ll create vital jobs to rebuild our nation. Full recovery depends on investments in families, too, which must also pass the Senate w/o attacks on immigrants, health coverage or education”
Latino Victory Project: “This is a monumental win for President Biden’s agenda and for working families and communities of color who will benefit from the economic and environmental provisions in this sweeping, once-in-a-generation investment. The infrastructure bill will create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuild roads and bridges, modernize our airports, rail and public transit systems, and address the climate crisis. It’s evident that President Biden and his administration are governing with the Latino community’s well-being in mind, and we applaud their inclusive vision.”
US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: “The @USHCC would like to thank the U.S. Senate for passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill today which opens new doors for small minority-owned businesses, for U.S. supply chains, & increases federal procurement opportunities. It also expands #broadband access & much more.”
Here’s how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will deliver for Latino Wisconsinites:
- Expanding access to broadband to all Wisconsin families, and helping lower costs and for Latino Americans who are 15% less likely to have high-speed internet.
- Eliminating lead pipes and providing the largest investment in clean drinking water in American history. Lead pipes disproportionately impact low-income families of color in Wisconsin.
- Investing in public transit, reducing commute times, and addressing the backlog of repairs — as well as addressing the racism ingrained in transportation and urban planning.
- Investing in Wisconsin’s clean energy grid to mitigate the impacts of pollution on communities of color. Nationwide, more than one in three — or over 23 million — Latinos live in counties where the air doesn’t meet EPA public health standards for smog.
