President Biden Signs Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Into Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 15, 2021

CONTACT:
Laura Dronen
Communications Director
(701) 566-0616
[email protected]

President Biden Signs Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Into Law

*Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp attends signing ceremony, Dem-NPL Leaders celebrate historic investment in North Dakota*

Bismarck, ND – President Biden signed his historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal into law, making good on a key campaign promise and delivering a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs, while modernizing our infrastructure, improving and strengthening supply chains, and boosting US competitiveness for years to come.

Former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who attended the signing ceremony, said, “This bill is a historic investment into rural America and an investment in the folks who live and work there.”

House Minority Leader Rep. Josh Boschee emphasized, “This major bipartisan funding package will be integral in helping address North Dakota’s aging infrastructure, specifically the many bridges that are in need of repair or replacement. I am excited to see the additional investments in broadband and electric vehicle charging infrastructure that will make sure rural North Dakota benefits just as much as our larger cities.”

“With the passage and signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, North Dakota is poised to address our increasing infrastructure and broadband needs.  This money will provide good paying jobs for hundreds of hard working North Dakotans and much needed financial recovery for their families,” said Senator JoNell Bakke.

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is good news for North Dakota. We need and want the same infrastructure as any other state but do not have as many people per square mile to pay for it. This puts us on the path of being a player in the future economy.” said Senator Tim Mathern.

Representative Zac Ista commended the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, “By signing this historic law, President Biden makes one thing clear: Democrats deliver.  For four years, President Trump and congressional Republicans failed to pass legislation to make critical investments in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.  It took President Biden and congressional Democrats just 10 months to change that.  That’s exactly the kind of leadership North Dakotans expect in Washington–and it’s exactly the kind of leadership the North Dakota Democratic-NPL can deliver for our state, too.”

“Like Flint, Michigan, several areas in North Dakota still use lead pipes in part of their towns. While additives improve safety, water with elevated lead levels is still a real concern in North Dakota. This infrastructure bill provides the necessary funding to replace them. Likewise, money allocated to our state will go towards fixing and replacing many bridges in North Dakota that have gone neglected for far too long. Going forward, however, it is imperative that we ensure that our state does not have to further rely on federal spending to provide necessary investments in our infrastructure,” said Rep. Marvin Nelson.

“While some Republican Lawmakers in the state argued last week that we don’t need federal funding at all, we know that these essential investments are not only going to be life changing for North Dakotans, but also well past due,” said Dem-NPL Chair, Patrick Hart.

North Dakota Unions have also praised the passage of the bill. While both Senator Hoeven, and Senator Cramer ultimately supported the bill when it passed the Senate in August, Rep. Kelly Armstrong voted against the bill.

Here’s how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will affect North Dakotans:

  • Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on resilience, climate change mitigation, equity, and safety for all users. Over five years, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will provide $1.7 billion  to improve highways and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs. In North Dakota, there are 444 bridges and over 830 miles of highway in poor condition
  • Make large investments into public transportation and build a network of EV chargers to facilitate long-distance travel. The U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle (EV) sales is only one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. North Dakota will receive 109 million for public transportation and $26 million to support a bigger, stronger EV charging network.
  • Help connect every American to reliable high-speed internet. 15% of North Dakota households do not have an internet subscription, and 3% of North Dakotans live in areas where, under the FCC’s benchmark, there is no broadband infrastructure. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, North Dakota will receive a minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 19,800 North Dakotans who currently lack it. And, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 159,000 or 21% of people in North Dakota will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet access.
  • Prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, cyber attacks, and extreme weather events. From 2010 to 2020, North Dakota has experienced 7 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $5 billion in damages. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, North Dakota will expect to receive $21 million over five years to protect against wildfires and $11 million to protect against cyberattacks. North Dakotans will also benefit from the bill’s historic $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization which will reduce energy costs for families.
  • Deliver clean drinking water to every American and eliminate the nation’s lead service lines and pipes. Currently, up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and child care centers lack safe drinking water. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, North Dakota will expect to receive $355 million over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities. 
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