Biden's American Jobs Plan Highlights Wisconsin's Needs

A state-by-state breakdown on how President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan would revitalize the nation’s aging infrastructure and bring millions of new jobs was released by the White House on Monday.

The $2 trillion plan aims to tackle the miles of bridges and roads across the country that are in need of repair, as well as to increase housing affordability and access to broadband internet, ensure clean drinking water for communities and revamp the country's energy grid.

Although most Republican voters support pieces of Biden's bill, Newsweek reports that GOP lawmakers have criticized the proposed legislation for including things they don't view as infrastructure.

Not enough of the proposed $2 trillion package goes toward roads, bridges and public transportation, some say.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) told "This Week" on ABC earlier this month he would support the bill if it was more focused on fixing the country's roads and bridges. He said the narrower scope would gain better bipartisan support among lawmakers.

“And then the other 70 percent or so of the package, which doesn't have very much to do with infrastructure, if you want to force that through in a partisan way, you still could do that,” he said.

CNBC reports moderate Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) have also taken issue with a proposed corporate tax hike that would help pay for some of the proposed bill's projects. The take hike would go from 21 percent to 28 percent.

Manchin was quoted as saying "the bill [that] exists today, it needs to be changed."

Biden hopes to see the legislation pass by the end of summer and is working with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to negotiate a final package that would garner bipartisan support, according to NBC News.

As part of its breakdown, the White House gave Wisconsin a "C" grade on its infrastructure report card.

Here are just a few of the things the plan would change to Wisconsin's infrastructure if the plan passes, according to the White House.

Roads And Bridges

The breakdown found that 198 bridges and more than 1,949 miles of road in Wisconsin are in disrepair. Commute times have risen by 2.8 percent in Wisconsin since 2011. Drivers were also found to be paying an average of $547 per year for wear and tear on their vehicles as a result of driving on poorly maintained roads. If the plan passes, it would devote more than $600 billion to the country’s infrastructure, including $115 billion for road and bridge repairs.

Public Transportation

Wisconsin residents who take public transportation spend an extra 62.7 percent of their time commuting, and non-white households are 5.9 times more likely to commute via public transportation. 29 percent of public transportation vehicles in the state are out of date, the report said. The American Jobs plan would help modernize the country’s fleet of vehicles such as trains and buses with an $85 billion investment.

Drinking Water

The drinking water infrastructure of Wisconsin will require $8.6 billion in additional funding over the next 20 years. The plan will include $111 billion set aside to help make sure the state has clean, safe drinking water in every community.

Housing

A lack of available and affordable housing has led 327,000 renters in Wisconsin to spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Part of the American Jobs Plan will involve a $200 billion increase to the nation’s current housing supply to help address the scarcity of affordable options.

Caregiving and Child Care

The plan looks to add $400 billion to help older adults and people with disabilities get better access to care from home and community-based services. The legislation would also work to modernize the nation’s schools and early learning facilities as well as build new ones in so-called “child care deserts.” Around 54 percent of Wisconsin's residents live in areas that lack child care.

Read the White House’s full breakdown of how the American Jobs Plan will affect Wisconsin.