Biden should make auto emissions standards as stringent as possible to get vehicle electrification on track and avoid climate catastrophe.Plus, the nation is facing the even more daunting job of preparing communities for the onslaught of climate change. From the wildfires to flooding to coastal erosion, extreme weather patterns are already taxing the nation’s infrastructure. The U.S.
Yet, despite the need, it was still a battle to pass the bill. Biden had to scale back his infrastructure vision to get bipartisan support — something that is far too rare in Washington, even for programs that have long been supported by Democrats and Republicans.The Biden administration has often defended Trump’s environmental policies in court, wasting federal resources and breaking Biden’s climate promise.
Biden’s initial plan rightly recognized that the U.S. must also strengthen the infrastructure — including education, child care, housing and healthcare — that allows people to work, to invent and to adapt to a changing climate. But to appease Republicans and some Democrats, the social spending was removed and the bipartisan bill primarily funds conventional brick-and-mortar infrastructure.
For too long, the U.S. has been a nation resting on its laurels, too self-satisfied with past achievements to recognize the need to keep building toward a brighter future and the country is now paying the price in deferred maintenance. The infrastructure bill is an overdue reinvestment, but it should only be the first installment.