A group of Congressional Democrats and Republicans have come to an agreement on an infrastructure improvement plan, and President Biden has thrown his support behind it. Democrats say it is just a start, however.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown discussed the bipartisan infrastructure plan and what more needs to be done. He also explained how the federal government can fund the infrastructure plan and more.
U.S. economy coming back
Sen. Brown said the economy is getting back into shape, but more work needs to be done before a full recovery can be made following the COVID-19 pandemic. With additional unemployment benefits ending in various states, spending may stall until more people find work. Sen. Brown suggested Americans get vaccinated in order to speed up the recovery.
Bipartisan infrastructure deal
Sen. Brown said the bipartisan infrastructure plan is a good start. He applauded the group for being able to come to a consensus during such polarizing political times. He added that the group of 500 Bricklayers he recently spoke to are also excited about the prospect of this plan.
Sen. Brown said expanding the scope of an infrastructure bill will include more workers in proposed projects. With the economy on the rebound, putting more people to work will help accelerate the process. He added that these good-paying union jobs will provide years worth of work.
Collecting taxes
According to Sen. Brown, the U.S. is missing at least $1 trillion in uncollected tax revenue. While Republicans want to increase the gas tax to pay for an infrastructure bill, Democrats have proposed collecting this missing revenue and using it.
Republicans have pushed back on the idea of hiring more professionals to audit businesses and wealthy individuals. Some argue this will lead to the targeting of perceived political opponents, but Sen. Brown said they will just be going after those who cheat on their taxes.