Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette Clarke has hailed as “historic and symbolic” United States President Joe Biden’s official signing on Monday evening of the US$1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“This is truly a historic and symbolic moment for our country, and it’s all possible because of the commitment from the Biden administration,” said Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants.
Clarke, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, was among members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) who joined Biden for the signing ceremony at the White House.
The CBC played an integral role in the passage of the legislation.
“The official signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is ushering in an era that will have generational impacts on all Americans, especially New Yorkers who have been hardest hit by COVID-19,” said Clarke, who chairs the CBC’s Taskforce on Immigration.
“I look forward to continuing this progress with the eventual passage of the Build Back Better Act. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century.”
Clarke said the benefits of the ACT include repairing and rebuilding roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians.
The Act also allocates US$175 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network to facilitate long-distance travel and provide convenient charging options, and a minimum allocation of US$100 million to help provide broadband coverage across New York, including providing access to New Yorkers who currently lack it.
In addition, the measure provides US$685 million for infrastructure development for airports over five years.
“The president is right, we will ‘Build Back Better’ stronger and together,” said Clarke, a senior member of the US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, and the chair of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
CBC Chairwoman Joyce Beatty said: “Nelson Mandela once said, ‘it always seems impossible until it’s done.’
“That is exactly why today is such a special occasion,” she said. “Today is a culmination of more than 50 years of leadership exhibited by the Congressional Black Caucus, and I am proud to join President Biden, Vice President Harris and the administration today for the signing of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
“This bill is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness, and includes a multitude of critical investments for Black families,” Beatty added.
Chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party Haitian American Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn said the infrastructure package will deliver “much-needed economic relief to New York City and Brooklyn,” stating that it is “a major victory.”
“This once-in-a-generation investment in our roads, bridges and transit will help our city emerge from the pandemic stronger, healthier and more resilient,” said the New York State Assemblywoman, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn.
“We thank President Biden, (House) Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi, Senator (Charles ‘Chuck’ Schumer (Senate Majority Leader) and our congressional delegation for working to pass legislation that will create good-paying jobs and improve our community for generations to come,” Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, told CMC.
“The future of Brooklyn is brighter, and we look forward to working with all Democrats to build back our borough better,” she added.
The president hopes to use the infrastructure law to build back his popularity, which has taken a hit amid rising inflation and the inability to fully shake the public health and economic risks from COVID-19.
“My message to the American people is this: America is moving again and your life is going to change for the better,” he said.
CMC
