August 30, 2021

Contact: WisDems Communications (press@wisdems.org)

 

ICYMI: Gov. Evers Calls for Passage of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan

MADISON, Wis. — In an op-ed, Governor Evers explained why it’s critical for Congress to pass President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help Wisconsin bounce back from the pandemic and prime our state’s economic growth. While Gov. Evers has made historic state investments in Wisconsin’s infrastructure, additional federal support will help our state reach its full potential.

 

Gov. Evers has made infrastructure a top priority of his administration – investing the largest amount in transportation infrastructure in a generation. Today, Gov. Evers announced a $25 million investment in transit services for the city of Madison and Milwaukee County, supported by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

 

But those investments are just the beginning. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will invest more in families, small businesses, workers, and communities, and give Wisconsin the opportunity to build an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.

 

Read Gov. Evers’ op-ed below.

 

The Capital Times: Gov. Tony Evers: Infrastructure deal critical in moving state forward

 

When I ran for governor, I promised Wisconsinites that I would reject the tired politics of the past and fix the damn roads. I’ve held up my end of the bargain. Last month, I signed Wisconsin’s first bipartisan budget since 2007, which included historic investments in infrastructure and broadband.

 

But I know there’s more work to do, which is why it’s so critical for the federal government to take action and invest in infrastructure in Wisconsin and across the country. With support at the federal level, our state, our businesses and our people will bounce back stronger than before. Together with our state investments, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act primes economic growth by connecting families and businesses, and will help create good-paying jobs for American workers.

 

We’ve made historic strides in Wisconsin towards cleaning up the mess left by the last administration and re-investing in our infrastructure. Wisconsin’s 2019-21 budget included the largest investment in transportation infrastructure in a generation: $465 million for road projects.

 

During the pandemic, hundreds of projects have moved forward — some even under budget and ahead of schedule. And it’s not just roads and bridges. We’ve also made massive investments to connect communities and small businesses with high-speed broadband. My first budget expanded broadband access to 9,300 businesses and 150,000 homes. Now, the second budget in a row includes what will be Wisconsin’s largest-ever broadband investment. We’ve also taken critical action to rebuild and protect drinking water infrastructure, including the removal of lead service lines to make sure every family has clean, safe water at their tap.

 

We have made tremendous progress, but to ensure lasting, transformational change we need President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to put Americans back to work and lay the foundation to strengthen our economy and compete at a global scale. In Wisconsin alone, the infrastructure framework could invest $5.2 billion for federal highway repair, and $225 million to repair our roads and bridges. That’s money for better roads, better jobs and a better quality of life for Wisconsinites.

 

Folks, no one knows more than Wisconsinites about the importance of strong, resilient infrastructure. Now more than ever, it’s important to repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all who travel. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes a $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program to secure funding for larger restoration projects and $16 billion for major infrastructure projects that will deliver substantial economic benefits to communities.

 

Beyond the pavement, Biden’s plan would also allocate a minimum of $100 million to help connect all Wisconsinites, regardless of their financial status or zip code, and more than 1 million low-income families would be eligible for a benefit to help them afford internet access.

 

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act may have passed the Senate, but it’s not a done deal yet. It still faces steep opposition from some Republicans who would rather delay action even longer. This isn’t the moment to let political games get in the way of doing what’s best for our state. It’s time to put aside typical partisanship to move forward and improve opportunities for our state and country. Biden and I are committed to working for all Americans and all Wisconsinites — in every neighborhood, in every town, and in every political party. Both my budget and the bipartisan infrastructure deal reminds us that compromise is possible, and that we can put our differences aside to deliver for working families.

 

If we work together on infrastructure, our state and the federal government have the resources to do more and make Wisconsin an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

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