Listen: Iowa Democrats Celebrate Two Years of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Today, the Iowa Democratic Party held a press conference celebrating the two-year anniversary of President Biden signing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Despite Donald Trump’s failed promises and opposition to this historic legislation by Republican members of Congress, communities across the state have been reaping the benefits of revitalized locks and dams, rebuilt roads and bridges, clean drinking water, affordable access to the internet, and more – all boosting new, good-paying jobs and building the economy from the bottom up and the middle out.
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“This is the first transformative investment made in generations [in these locks and dams]. So making these improvements along the Mississippi is going to cut down shipping times and increase revenue to Iowa. The tens of thousands of Iowans who rely on the Mississippi for their livelihoods know how important it is that this work gets done. After all, more than 60% of our country’s grain exports travel through these locks and dams. This will help Iowa farmers, and it will ensure that our supply chains get even stronger. Despite Donald Trump’s empty promises, these historic investments in infrastructure failed to materialize during his term as he turned infrastructure week into an actual laughing stock,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart.
“Across Iowa, [the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has] been a game changer for hundreds of thousands of Iowans. Iowans all over, but mostly in our rural areas, are reaping the benefits of broadband expansion, cleaner and safer water for drinking, and expanded public transportation in municipalities across our state. The numbers are very staggering,” said Iowa Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum. “More than 115,000 Iowans, or one in 11 people in our state, are getting their internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program. That is a monumental difference. That is also a highway that is connecting people to their workplace and to their world around them.”
“I believe that President Biden has done what he said he’s going to do, you know, and I think that’s really about all I have to say today. You know, construction is busy. … there’s going to be plenty of work for construction workers, probably for my lifetime,” said Tom Townsend, President of Dubuque Building & Construction Trades. “So, you know, as a construction worker, a union construction worker, I’m definitely indebted to this administration for all the wonderful things that they’ve done to help our members and us.”
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