WASHINGTON (CN) — A monthslong saga of political maneuvering ended last week in a defining moment for Joe Biden's presidency with the passage of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Experts say in the long term the historic legislation not only reimagines America's fight against climate change but potentially boosts Democrats' chances in the 2022 elections.
The legislation provides $550 billion in new funding for traditional infrastructure such as roads, bridges, lead pipe replacement and water networks, while also building modern infrastructure through investments in broadband internet, electric car charging stations and the transition of public transportation to zero-emissions vehicles.
The need to repair dilapidated bridges and roads in disarray has been a talking point for countless politicians on both sides of the aisle for decades. But multiple so-called "Infrastructure Weeks" organized by Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump never managed to lead to the passage of substantial infrastructure legislation.
Thomas Kahn, distinguished faculty fellow at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University, said President Biden's $1.2 trillion legislation marks a change from the common political narrative of investments in infrastructure as a mere talking point to infrastructure investments as a tangible reality.
Kahn said a remarkable aspect of the legislation is that Biden was able to push through the hefty bill with a 50-50 split in the Senate, when previous presidents heralded majorities in the chamber.
“He did, frankly what Donald Trump and other presidents have tried desperately to do but have not succeeded at," Kahn said.
Susan Howard, program director for transportation finance at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, said the expanded funding is a gamechanger for transportation.
"It really is an unparalleled level of investment unlike anything we've really seen before," Howard said. "It'll probably touch every community in the country,"
It also boasts a unique revenue stream, being partially paid for by unspent Covid-19 relief aid and unemployment insurance aid.
Although the bill has been touted for its bipartisan support, sheer size, and emphasis on rebuilding crumbling highways and bridges, Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution and member of the Democratic National Committee, said the legislation is also an environmental bill.
"I don’t think we’ve ever seen a bill that concentrates so heavily on climate change," Kamarck said.
The legislation allocates $7.5 billion to create a national network of charging stations for electric vehicles plus $65 billion, the largest investment in clean energy in American history, to upgrade the national power grid with new transmission lines and renewable energy sources, a notable investment nine months after the failure of Texas' power grid ground the state to a halt last winter.
More than $50 billion will be invested to protect infrastructure from extreme weather such as droughts, floods and wildfires.
"For a lot of State Departments of Transportation, it has become a regular part of life to have very disruptive weather events whether that be floods, tornados, hurricanes, and our infrastructure has got to be able to withstand that and has to be built in a way to withstand that," Howard said.
While the legislation is monumental for everyday Americans, Todd Belt, director of the political management program at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, said it may also provide a pathway for Democrats to gain a stronger foothold during next year's elections.
“This demonstrates to the public that Democrats can actually govern and get things done,” Belt said. “It’s their way of saying ‘Keep us in office.’"
Kahn said the legislation provides a potentially popular campaign message for Democrats if they can communicate to voters the specific services in the legislation, which runs on a five-year timeline, a potential challenge for voters who want immediate results.
“They are going to have to go out and sell it. They are going to have to explain to people what’s in these bills, what benefits are in there," Kahn said. “Once people realize what’s in there, I think it’s going to be winning especially because of how its paid for.”
Whether the infrastructure bill gives Democrats a boost at the polls, however, may depend on people's awareness of the legislation, which passed on a Friday at midnight and has been partially overshadowed by months of delays and intraparty tension.
Kamarck said it has been a "big worry" among Democrats that the dramatics that preceded the legislation's passing will distract from the policies themselves and voters' perception of them.
Before the vote last week, Democrats had delayed a House vote on the bill for months, attempting to use the delay as leverage to build support for the $1.85 trillion social spending bill known as the Build Back Better Act. But the party reversed course on Friday, agreeing to pass the infrastructure plan before bringing the social spending bill to a vote, much to the dismay of progressives, six of whom voted against the infrastructure plan in protest.
Despite the tumultuous journey to Joe Biden's desk, Kamarck said the passage of the infrastructure plan is a good step forward for Democrats.
"What I think it’s going to do is help the party get back on track. People elected Joe Biden for competence and this guy can get things done. And then it took so long to get things done that he suffered for it. There’s no doubt he suffered for it," Kamarck said of the infrastructure bill.
And as for the blow dealt by the delays, Kamarck said she is confident that the passage of the infrastructure plan will help Democrats win elections next year.
"Democrats may still lose the House, but they won’t lose it by much. I don’t predict right now a wipeout the way that, say, Democrats had in 2010," Kamarck said.
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