Casey: It’s time to ‘chart a new course’ with proposed infrastructure bill

During a virtual forum with constituents on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., called for action to get two multi-trillion-dollar proposals being considered by Congress “over the finish line.”

The American Jobs Plan, which focuses on addressing the nation’s crumbling physical infrastructure, is one of the proposals and comes with a price tag in the trillions to repair crumbling roads, bridges, railways and airports, replace lead pipes and upgrade water systems and expand high speed broadband access. 

It’s counterpart, a proposed bill known as the American Families Plan, would make the expanded child and dependent care tax credit permanent, provide subsidies for childcare for low- and middle-income families and establish a national paid family and medical leave program.

“That’s the kind of investment in infrastructure that we want to make,” Casey said, adding that it’s time to “chart a new course” for the country. 

Casey compared the two proposed bills to the American Rescue Plan, which passed in mid-March with only Democratic support. 

A May study conducted by University of Michigan researchers found that the December 2020 and March 2021 relief bills passed by Congress contributed to a decrease in food insecurity and an increase in economic security. 

From December 2020 to April 2021, food insecurity fell by more than 40 percent, financial instability fell by 45 percent, and reported adverse mental health symptoms fell by 20 percent, according to the study.

“It’s already having an impact,” Casey said of the study’s findings about the American Rescue Plan. 

Casey told constituents that he wanted to see the proposed American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan passed “in a robust fashion” but did not give a timeline for legislative action of the two proposals.