Madeleine Dean: “When creating the National Highway Program, President Eisenhower wrote to Congress: ``The uniting forces of our…”

“When creating the National Highway Program, President Eisenhower wrote to Congress: ``The uniting forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the very name we bear--United States.'' Nearly 70 years later, we once again reached a critical moment: Our aging infrastructure could not meet the modern demands of a united society--internet access, roads and public transit, clean water. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act did meet that. As a member of the Regional Leadership Council, I have seen the hard work of congressional Democrats and President Biden up close: a fundamental improvement to the very foundations of our country, including in my home State of Pennsylvania. In our Commonwealth, we are investing $11 billion in highways and bridges, public transit and rails, airports, and EV infrastructure; nearly $2 billion in affordable high-speed internet; and $1 billion in clean drinking water. Those investments have spurred nearly $3 billion in commitments from Pennsylvania's private sector. Together, we are not simply rebuilding. We are reimagining a stronger, greener future with the collaboration of Federal, State, and local governments. We are the United States of America. ____________________”