Q13 FOX NEWS – SEATTLE – El Senado de Estados Unidos aprobó el lunes un proyecto de ley de infraestructura bipartidista de casi $ 1 billón.
El proyecto de ley se encuentra actualmente bajo consideración en la Cámara de Representantes; si se aprueba, el estado de Washington podría recibir hasta $ 5 mil millones en ayuda federal para programas de carreteras.
¿Qué significa el proyecto de ley para el estado de Washington?
$ 2 millones se destinarían a mejorar el transporte público, y se asignarían $ 600 millones adicionales para reparaciones y reemplazos de puentes. Washington tiene 321 puentes en “malas condiciones” y casi 5.000 puentes que necesitan reparación.
Aparte de la mejora del transporte, otro beneficio local del proyecto de ley de infraestructura ayudará a recuperar las corridas de salmón. La senadora Patty Murray obtuvo fondos para la recuperación del salmón y la costa que incluye $ 1 mil millones para la remoción, reemplazo y restauración de alcantarillas, así como más de $ 170 millones para el Fondo de recuperación del salmón de la costa del Pacífico.
El proyecto de ley incluye fondos para el Programa de desechos marinos de Noah y otras inversiones importantes para la recuperación del salmón.
Después de que se aprobó el proyecto de ley de infraestructura, los senadores demócratas inmediatamente se movieron para impulsar el próximo proyecto de ley: un acuerdo presupuestario de $ 3,5 billones para “infraestructura humana”.
Según Associated Press, la presidenta de la Cámara de Representantes, Nancy Pelosi, indicó que la Cámara considerará ambos proyectos de ley juntos.
El nuevo proyecto de ley da prioridad a la educación universal, la ampliación de Medicare, la universidad comunitaria gratuita y los esfuerzos contra el cambio climático.
La mayoría de los senadores republicanos están unidos contra el acuerdo presupuestario.
El líder de la mayoría de la Cámara, Steny Hoyer, dijo que si el Senado aprueba una resolución presupuestaria, hará que los miembros de la Cámara regresen un mes antes para considerar el proyecto de ley.
What else is in the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure bill?
ROADS AND BRIDGES
The bill would provide $110 billion to repair the nation’s aging highways, bridges and roads. According to the White House, 173,000 total miles of America’s highways and major roads and 45,000 bridges are in poor condition. And the almost $40 billion for bridges is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to President Joe Biden’s administration.
PUBLIC TRANSIT
The $39 billion for public transit in the legislation would expand transportation systems, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and provide dollars to state and local governments to buy zero-emission and low-emission buses. The Department of Transportation estimates that the current repair backlog is more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations and thousands of miles of track and power systems.
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL
To reduce Amtrak’s maintenance backlog, which has worsened since Superstorm Sandy nine years ago, the bill would provide $66 billion to improve the rail service’s 457-mile-long Northeast Corridor as well as other routes. It’s less than the $80 billion Biden — who famously rode Amtrak from Delaware to D.C. during his time in the Senate — originally asked for, but it would be the largest federal investment in passenger rail service since Amtrak was founded 50 years ago.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
The bill would spend $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations, which the administration says are critical to accelerating the use of electric vehicles to curb climate change. It would also provide $5 billion for the purchase of electric school buses and hybrids, reducing reliance on school buses that run on diesel fuel.
INTERNET ACCESS
The legislation’s $65 billion for broadband access would aim to improve internet services for rural areas, low-income families and tribal communities. Most of the money would be made available through grants to states.
MODERNIZING THE ELECTRIC GRID
To protect against the widespread power outages that have become more frequent in recent years, the bill would spend $65 billion to improve the reliability and resiliency of the nation’s power grid. It would also boost carbon capture technologies and more environmentally-friendly electricity sources like clean hydrogen.
AIRPORTS
The bill would spend $25 billion to improve runways, gates and taxiways at airports and to improve terminals. It would also improve aging infrastructure at air traffic control towers.
WATER AND WASTEWATER
To improve the safety of the nation’s drinking water, the legislation would spend $55 billion on water and wastewater infrastructure. The bill would include $15 billion to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to address water contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — chemicals that were used in the production of Teflon and have also been used in firefighting foam, water-repellent clothing and many other items.
PAYING FOR IT ALL
The five-year spending package would be paid for by tapping $210 billion in unspent COVID-19 relief aid and $53 billion in unemployment insurance aid some states have halted, along with an array of other smaller pots of money, like petroleum reserve sales and spectrum auctions for 5G services.
