Casey says infrastructure bill next challenge facing Biden and Congress

WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said the next major item on his agenda is getting a comprehensive infrastructure bill through Congress and to President Joe Biden’s desk.

In a telephone interview Tuesday, Casey, D-Scranton, said he feels Biden has gotten off to a great start to his presidency, stating the president has received a 70 percent approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

And, Casey said, Biden’s American Rescue Plan will aid families and communities that need help and will help open up schools.

“The American people have confidence in President Biden’s leadership,” Casey said. “Even with this bill passed and signed into law, we must assure it gets implemented quickly.”

Casey went on to say that “this president doesn’t spend his mornings ‘tweeting’ and insulting people — he talks about problems and he seeks solutions.”

The next challenge

Casey said the next major challenge that needs to be addressed is infrastructure.

“That is definitely our next challenge,” Casey said. “We have to get all sides together on infrastructure — roads, bridges, broadband high speed internet.”

Casey said Biden is talking about it and plans to get to work on it with Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

“I intend to support his efforts to talk about all kinds of infrastructure,” Casey said. “And I want to see part of those discussions devoted to lifting up our workers in nursing homes who take care of our most vulnerable.”

Casey said those workers have been recognized as vital, yet, he said, “we never seem to lift them up.”

Casey said those workers should be elevated in our society.

“That too is a part of our infrastructure,” Casey said. “Those workers are every bit as important as a bridge. This has been a bipartisan failure for far too long. It’s not enough to honk your horn or pat them on the back. This should be a priority.”

Infrastructure plan

Casey said a far-reaching infrastructure bill would be welcome news for Northeastern Pennsylvania because of the rampant deterioration of roads and bridges and the lack of broadband service in rural areas throughout the state.

“With or without bipartisan support, we should get this done,” Casey said. “NEPA has so many infrastructure needs and the federal government should help pay for that.”

Recently, Gov. Tom Wolf urged the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to prioritize critical infrastructure needs for the commonwealth.

In a letter to the delegation, the governor emphasized that an investment in our infrastructure is critical to address current needs and help move Pennsylvania forward.

Throughout his administration Wolf has emphasized the need to invest in our infrastructure, from high speed internet access and blighted properties to our aging transportation and stormwater infrastructures and green spaces.

“Record job losses continue to impact Pennsylvania even as we are taking steps to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wolf said. “It is vital to the future success of our commonwealth that additional funding be allocated through a comprehensive and robust infrastructure package, as well as stimulus funding, to address the immediate and long-term needs of those left behind by the changing dynamics of our industries, as well as provide additional job opportunities across many sectors.”

The governor also emphasized the need for federal infrastructure funding to address the state’s massive and aging transportation network.

The American Society of Engineers’ 2018 “infrastructure report card” gives Pennsylvania a D+ rating for the quality of its roads and bridges, and a D for its transit.

“This is unacceptable but can easily be remedied with additional funding from the federal government to improve our highways, bridges, and secondary roads as well upgrade our strained transit systems,” Wolf said.

Casey said he would favor a return to a WPA-like program — a federal jobs plan like done in the 1930s.

“There are so many projects in communities that we could pay people to do,” Casey said.