Dēmos  President on Infrastructure Bill

NEW YORK, NY — Dēmos President Taifa Smith Butler issued the following statement Tuesday in response to President Biden’s signature of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:

“An investment in infrastructure is an investment in the American people. After decades of neglect, America finally has committed to funding its roads and bridges, mass transit, and electric vehicle apparatus that will drive us toward a clean energy future. 

“This measure is a step in the right direction for a country with a dire need for investment in resources that too often are of poor quality or altogether unavailable in Black and brown communities. In an age in which doing homework, applying for a job, and joining meetings via video conference is the norm, an investment in broadband will give underserved Black and brown Americans the opportunity to compete in our economy. When so many in our country are exposed to lead when they turn on the tap, an investment in water service lines is long overdue. And in the aftermath of an economic downturn, this investment in millions of good jobs will give many who are out-of-work a means of keeping the lights on and putting food on the table. 

“The work of repairing this country’s economy isn’t done, however. While we applaud the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we also need this nation to pass the Build Back Better Act and invest in its most valuable resource — its people. Investing in physical infrastructure and building up our social infrastructure must go hand in hand. Providing funds to support working parents, prepare our workforce for 21st-century jobs, and ensure more Americans have access to quality, affordable health care ultimately is about committing to the well-being of this country and prioritizing the wants and needs of the American people instead of corporate profit. The Build Back Better Act is an enormous opportunity for Congress to create a stronger, more equitable economy and serve the people — not themselves, not their ultra-wealthy donors, and not corporations.” 

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Dēmos is a think tank that powers the movement for a just, inclusive, multiracial democracy. Through cutting-edge policy research, inspiring litigation, and deep relationships with grassroots organizations, Dēmos champions solutions that will create a democracy and economy rooted in racial equity.