With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Biden-Harris administration is investing in much-needed infrastructure projects across the country. Whether by making roads safer, renovating bridges, or providing the funding security that allows communities to plan out large projects, the BIL is building a new foundation for equitable economic growth across the country.

Federal spending on capital for infrastructure projects was declining prior to the BIL

• Since the 1950s, public spending on transportation and water infrastructure rose steadily. However, spending on these forms of infrastructure began to decline in the early 2000s.
• Seeing that communities across the United States were struggling to update their infrastructure, Democrats worked throughout the Obama administration to implement funding and pass legislation that would ignite long-term infrastructure investment, but often faced Republican-led challenges to achieving that goal.
• Former President Trump repeatedly failed to deliver on his infrastructure plan. During the Biden-Harris administration he attempted to block the bipartisan infrastructure deal.
• Despite this trend of Republican opposition, Democrats were able to pass the BIL with votes from both parties. Within the $1.2 trillion in authorized funding for U.S. infrastructure, the law includes:
• $110 billion to repair bridges and roads
• $65 billion for power infrastructure and deployment of clean energy technology
• $65 billion for enhancing access to high-speed internet
• $55 billion for clean drinking water infrastructure

Communities are getting the infrastructure investment they need

• BIL funding is going to states and communities that are most in need, as states with infrastructure in the poorest condition have received over $1,000 more in funding per person than states with infrastructure in better condition.
• Analysis from the Treasury Department shows that, following the BIL’s enactment, lower-income states were just as likely to receive infrastructure funding as higher-income states.
• This is in contrast to an analysis of 2019 infrastructure investments, where wealthier states had higher per-person spending on infrastructure. 
• The Biden-Harris administration has also prioritized rural America for BIL investments. The law has provided $50 billion towards investment in water and wastewater infrastructure for rural areas along with $4.58 billion in Rural Area Formula Grants to 1,300 rural transit systems.