PENNSYLVANIA — Today, as President Biden signs the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (BID) into law, voters across the commonwealth are reading about its local impact. For decades, infrastructure in Pennsylvania has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. Thanks to President Biden and the Democrats, a new surge of infrastructure investments will make life better for millions of Pennsylvania residents by fixing our bridges and roads, creating a generation of good-paying union jobs and positioning the United States to win the 21st century.
See below for local coverage:
Pennsylvania Capital Star: With Biden signing infrastructure bill, Pa. Dems go on offense to sell it
President Joe Biden is set to sign the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill into law today, and it looks like he’s bringing the full weight of the White House’s pomp and circumstance machine to bear as he does it.
Pennsylvania Democrats clearly got the memo: Last week, they held a series of events across the state, explaining, in nearly forensic detail, what the bill will pay for and how it will help residents of a state whose votes could very well help determine the balance of power on Capitol Hill next November.
That started in the hours after the vote, as members of the Keystone State’s congressional delegation blasted out statements with dollar-for-dollar details on the money the commonwealth could expect to receive.
[…]A day later, Democratic members of the state’s Capitol Hill delegation held a conference call where they touted projects across the state that the bill will eventually underwrite when it becomes law.
[…]“I can’t help but think of the jobs it will create in districts like mine and [U.S. Rep] Matt’s [Cartwright, D-8th District] and U.S. Rep. Madeleine’s [Dean, D-4th District] will all see an influx of really good jobs,” she said. “It will create investment and opportunity that turbocharges investment for years to come,” said U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, whose 7th District seat includes the chronically clogged Route 22.
Democrats held a similar event in Harrisburg on Friday, where state Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, and Democratic Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick engaged in an identical sales job, CBS-21 in Harrisburg reported.
“Let’s not just make this about projects. Let’s make it about men and women who are going to be able to benefit, communities who are going to be able to benefit from safer drinking water, safer roads, the ability for us to transport goods and products and what that means to them and their families.” said Hartwick said, according to CBS-21.
FOX56: Cartwright, Wild, Keller all react as Biden set to sign infrastructure bill Monday
We’re less than 72 hours away from President Biden signing the massive trillion dollar infrastructure bill into law.
Here in NEPA- our representatives are eager for the state to receive tens of billions of dollars.
“We’re all celebrating the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act this week and we will be, quite honestly, for months to come,” Rep. Susan Wild (D) said this week.
Wild is celebrating over these numbers, showing how Pennsylvania will benefit from the plan.
“The last time we invested in American infrastructure like this was basically in the Eisenhower administration, when we built the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System,” Rep. Matt Cartwright (D) said.
“Closing up abandoned mine lands very close to population centers, that’s land that can be turned into productive commercial space,” Cartwright said.
Billy Penn: When Biden signs Infrastructure Act, what does it mean for Philly?
Mayor Jim Kenney is joining President Joe Biden Monday for the signing into law of the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, from which Philadelphia stands to gain.
For Philly, the spend could mean an increase regional transit accessibility and capacity, help to heal neighborhoods divided by past highway projects, a reduction in the persistent digital divide in broadband connectivity, and potentially more tourism via boosted Amtrak service.
The funding, which amounts to $550 billion of new spending, will also go to updating power grids, cleaning up industrial waste sites, and — perhaps most significantly in the wake of COVID-19 and the increased need for remote work and schooling — bolstering internet access.
Pennsylvania stands to receive nearly $18 billion via the act over the next five years, per a Wolf administration estimate. But none of this funding is coming directly to the city; it’ll all be allocated through the state. So what could it mean for Philly and the region? Here are some ideas.
Times Leader: Capitol Roundup: Cartwright, Pa. Dems highlight impact of infrastructure bill on area
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright this week joined the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and other legislators to highlight the local impact of the bipartisan infrastructure deal in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Cartwright highlighted what this bill actually means, not just in board strokes, but for the residents of Luzerne County.
“In Northeastern Pennsylvania, this bill is going to create good paying jobs and position our area for strong economic growth into the future,” said Cartwright, D-Moosic. “The passenger rail funding will enable Amtrak to build out its proposed Scranton-to-NYC line, generating $87 million per year in economic activity.”
Cartwright added, “We will be able to bring broadband into every corner of rural Northeastern Pennsylvania so it’s affordable and accessible, something that’s critical when we rely on the internet for so much. We’ll even be able to support efforts to reclaim the more than 300 abandoned mine land sites across our region that have scarred our landscape for so long. We can do truly transformative things when we invest in ourselves like we are now. Democrats are proud to deliver this plan to create more jobs, rebuild all the infrastructure that makes our country run, and ensure our nation and our businesses have the best competitive edge in the global economy.”
CBS21: Lawmakers discuss how Infrastructure dollars will benefit PA
Pennsylvania is set to receive billions of dollars from President Biden’s Infrastructure plan.
On Friday, State Representative Patty Kim and Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick talked about how this new bill will impact the state by fixing roads and bridges while offering more jobs at the same time.
“Let’s not just make this about projects. Let’s make it about men and women who are going to be able to benefit, communities who are going to be able to benefit from safer drinking water safer roads, the ability for us to transport goods and products and what that means to them and their families.” said Hartwick
Hartwick says it will be a four year process in the legislature to fully allocate the funds to individual municipalities.
[…]A lot of the same policy boxes will be checked – and in some cases provided even more resources – as a result of the new $1 trillion federal infrastructure package that President Joe Biden is expected to sign into law at the White House this week.
In all, well over $20 billion in funding for various purposes is headed for Pennsylvanians and or Pennsylvania projects over the next five years.
“These critical investments, along with state-level solutions, will help close Pennsylvania’s growing transportation funding gap, connect Pennsylvanians to opportunities and each other, and move our commonwealth forward,” Wolf said Tuesday. “I look forward to the benefits this historic investment will provide in modernizing our infrastructure for the future of Pennsylvania.”
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