Breaking down what’s really in Biden’s infrastructure plan

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President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan will dump massive amounts of taxpayer dollars into projects that stretch the definition of the word “infrastructure.”

Republican critics have argued Democrats could use the Biden plan, unveiled by the White House last week, as a vehicle for implementing a number of social, environmental, and labor policies that have little to do with roads and bridges.

The White House and congressional Democrats, however, have characterized the ambitious proposal as an investment in society and have pushed back on the criticism that Biden’s plan exploits broad public support for the traditional understanding of what constitutes “infrastructure” spending.

BIDEN’S PLAN FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE

“Infrastructure is not just the roads we get a horse and buggy across,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing on Monday. “So, of course, we’re happy to hear proposals. But, you know, I think the definition of infrastructure we have a disagreement about.”

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that Senate Republicans don’t have much interest in supporting the plan. McConnell framed the proposal as a “Trojan horse” for a Democratic wish list of policies that would be funded off raising taxes during a pandemic. Indeed, many components of the proposal so far set aside billions of dollars for vaguely defined goals that some Republican groups warn could allow Congress to create a slush fund for Democratic priorities.

Here is some of what’s in Biden’s proposal.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

The White House plan does indeed contain funding for repairing roads and bridges, modernizing highways and trains, and updating airports and waterways. Biden’s proposal sets aside $621 billion for “transportation infrastructure and resilience,” and much of that would go toward projects traditionally considered infrastructure-related.

However, $174 billion would go toward supporting the electric car industry considered a bigger priority for the Left. The White House plan would transition at least 1 in 5 yellow school buses to electric buses and replace 50,000 diesel vehicles with electric ones.

Other projects more closely associated with infrastructure in the traditional sense include replacing lead pipes across the country and updating the country’s power grids.

“SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE”

So-called “social infrastructure” could cost at least $34 billion under the Biden proposal; the plan calls for building “regional innovation hubs” to develop technology in areas outside of big cities, among other social programs.

Biden also proposes $12 billion in funding for “community college infrastructure” money to be used, according to the White House fact sheet, not just for rebuilding community college facilities but also for adjusting energy efficiency, funding shortfalls and technology gaps at various community colleges.

UNION BOOST

Biden’s plan would offer a major boost to unions and roll back so-called “right to work”’ laws in 27 states.

Those laws protect workers from being forced to pay dues to unions of which they are not members. But the infrastructure plan calls on Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which would strip those protections away and allow unions to compel some workers to pay membership fees.

Throughout the proposal, the White House suggests many projects will require reliance on union workers to get funding. Some critics have said those kinds of strings could inflate the cost of construction in many instances.

“ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE”

The White House cites “environmental justice” as a priority five times in its fact sheet on the infrastructure proposal.

For example, $10 billion would go toward a “new Civilian Climate Corps” that is dedicated to advancing environmental justice a goal listed in several other proposed projects as well. A $20 billion project aimed at “redress[ing] historic iniquities,” which the White House describes as a way to “advance racial equity” by connecting communities historically isolated by infrastructure decisions, would also fund environmental justice, according to the White House.

“NATURE-BASED INFRASTRUCTURE”

Biden’s proposal sets aside an unspecified amount of money for “nature-based infrastructure,” or conservation of forests, wetlands, and the ocean.

Departing further from the traditional understanding of infrastructure, this part of the plan calls for “support for agricultural resources management and climate-smart technologies” as well.

“CARE INFRASTRUCTURE”

Child care and long-term care for the elderly or people with disabilities would get an influx of funding under the infrastructure plan as well.

The White House proposed $400 billion for policies that address so-called “care infrastructure,” including policies helping home health workers unionize and expanding care options covered under Medicaid.

“HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE”

“Affordable and sustainable places to live” would cost $213 billion under Biden’s plan. Housing improvements in the proposal include building “energy efficient” and cheaper housing in underserved communities through direct investments as well as grant programs.

Forty billion of the housing infrastructure budget would go toward revamping public housing buildings, the White House said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE”

The Biden plan would dedicate $100 billion to expanding broadband internet access across the country a popular aspect of the proposal.

That plan mentions the potential need for “short term” subsidies to cover internet costs for people who can’t currently afford internet access, but it calls on Congress to reach an unspecified longer-term solution to keep internet prices down.

Like other proposed projects, building out broadband access would come with labor stipulations that favor unions.

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