Mayor Prince witnesses signing of sweeping, historic infrastructure bill
Contributed By:The 411 News
Includes nearly $7.8 billion for Indiana's transportation, utilities, and broadband
WASH., D.C. – City of Gary Mayor Jerome A. Prince joined dozens of mayors, governors, members of Congress and Vice-President Kamala Harris as President Joe Biden signed into law the massive Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, November 15.
Congress, including Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Highland), demonstrated what is possible when national leaders put aside party politics and focus on what’s best for the nation, Mayor Prince said.
“It was an honor to witness this historic signing, but it was humbling to see first-hand how weeks and weeks of debates and arguments can finally be shaped into something that will truly move Gary and our nation forward,” he said.
In Indiana, the new law will create thousands of jobs for laborers and crafts workers as they build, repair and grow the state’s infrastructure, which includes 1,111 bridges and 5,478 miles of highways. Highlights of the new law include:
• $7 billion in federal aid for highway and bridge improvements over five years
• $680 million over five years to improve public transportation
• $100 million over five years to expand the state’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network
• Investments in mitigating brown fields and alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar farms.
One key aspect of the law’s provisions for Indiana – investing $100 million to expand broadband coverage and to provide reliable, high-speed Internet to Hoosiers – fits perfectly with his administration’s plans to invest millions of dollars in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to provide 5G service and Internet literacy courses to Gary residents, Mayor Prince said.
“That provision really excites me and my team because it helps us take Gary out of the shadow of traditional steel mills and towards becoming a true technology hub,” he said. Mayor Prince also said his team will provide more details on what the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act means for Gary in the coming days.
Story Posted:11/17/2021
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