As President-elect Donald Trump — with the support of American voters — prepares to dismantle the successes of the Biden administration, sober reflection on the role of the federal government is warranted.
Last week marked the third anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a significant piece of legislation that invests in roads, bridges, ports, airports and other avenues for enhancing the economy and national security. Combined with the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, both of which passed in 2022, multiple pieces of legislation have prepared the United States for a robust economic future.
A close look at the infrastructure law reveals the important role the federal government can play in local economies.
As Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said: “Washingtonians are seeing many benefits from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, from a new passenger terminal at Spokane International Airport, to helping replace the outdated I-5 Bridge, to billions in new energy grid upgrades, to restoring salmon habitat, to major new port investments that will boost exports and local jobs. All these historic infrastructure investments are making our economy stronger and more resilient and should be continued regardless of the change in administration.”
As Cantwell points out, the legislation has provided $2.1 billion from the Mega and Interstate Bridge Replacement Programs to help fund a new Interstate 5 Bridge. It also has provided $115 million to replace the I-5 northbound side of the East Fork Lewis River Bridge, and $5 million for vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist safety programs along Fourth Plain Boulevard.
Nearly $10 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to more than 1,600 transportation projects in Washington. For those who reflexively doubt the efficacy of government spending, an online map (https://tinyurl.com/2jrm252n) details the projects across our state. That includes $115 million for rail systems, $65.5 million to upgrade airports and $44.5 million to modernize ports.
Each of these has a direct impact on the local, state and national economy. Investment in roads, bridges, rails, airports and ports ease the transport of people and goods, providing jobs while reducing prices for consumers.
Because it often takes years for those benefits to be realized, critics tend to denigrate federal spending. As President Joe Biden said: “Much of the work we’ve done is already being felt by the American people, but the vast majority will be felt over the next 10 years. It’s going to take time, but it’s there. The road ahead is clear.”
Close observers say it is unlikely that a new Trump administration will attempt to claw back pieces of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. But Trump has said he wants to roll back the Inflation Reduction Act and has criticized the CHIPS and Science Act. That would require support from Congress, and Republicans will have control in both chambers in January. Whether or not they are repealed, the laws provide a contrast to the first Trump administration, when the president was all talk and no action regarding infrastructure.
For projects already underway, although funding was provided under the Biden administration, it is likely that Trump will get to cut the ribbons once they are completed. And that is OK. The important thing is that work gets completed and the United States prepares for the future — regardless of who receives credit.
Meanwhile, the hope is that our nation builds on its successes rather than erasing them.
