A Win for President Biden: Infrastructure Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 226-208 to approve a 1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill after months of internal debate and division. The bill will now head to the president’s desk for signature.
Passage of the bill gives the president a much-needed political victory in the same week that Republicans made some notable electoral gains in New Jersey and Virginia. Analysts have attributed the poor showing by Democrats on Tuesday to a decline in President Biden’s approval rating and a stalled Democratic agenda.
Why are Democrats more motivated to pass President Biden’s agenda after Tuesday?
INSTRUCTORS: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.
Videos:
News Articles:
‘A monumental step forward’: Biden hails House passage of $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill
USA Today
11/6/21
Biden hails infrastructure win as ‘monumental step forward’
Associated Press
11/6/21
Biden gets his infrastructure win and an education on a new Washington
CNN
11/6/21
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/06/politics/president-joe-biden-infrastructure-bill/index.html
Biden hails ‘long overdue’ infrastructure bill after it passes House with GOP votes: ‘Just getting started’
Fox News
11/6/21
News Articles (Analyses):
Here’s what’s in the bipartisan infrastructure bill
CNN
11/5/21
https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/28/politics/infrastructure-bill-explained/index.html
House passes $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that includes transport, broadband and utility funding, sends it to Biden
CNBC
11/6/21
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/05/house-passes-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill-sends-it-to-biden.html
U.S. Democrats pass $1 trillion infrastructure bill, ending daylong standoff
Reuters
11/6/21
Biden says passage of $1 trillion infrastructure bill a ‘monumental step forward’
ABC News
11/6/21
Assessment:
Writing: Explain why the nation’s infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate. Why is improving the nation’s infrastructure such a tough sell to the American public?
Debate: Does a bipartisan bill have more legitimacy than a bill passed on a party line?
Poll: Does the infrastructure bill go far enough to deal with the nation’s most pressing problems?
Short Answer: Why are Republicans opposed to the social spending plan in a way they were not with the infrastructure bill?
QUIZ:
The passing and signing of the Infrastructure Bill is currently being considered as a big win for Democrats because?
a. The presidency is often accused of not working since taking office
b. Republican candidates won in New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial race last week
c. Every bill passed and signed is always a win
d. None of the above
Which of the following was left out of both the infrastructure and social spending bill?
a. an increase in the minimum wage
b. immigration reform
c. free community college
d. all of the above
Which government corporation, long touted by the president, will receive 66 billion in the infrastructure bill for improvements?
a. Amtrak
b. Greyhound
c. the Tennessee Valley Authority
d. the U.S. Post Office
The infrastructure bill includes money for paid family leave and childcare. (T/F)
Thirteen Republicans voted for the infrastructure bill in the House of Representatives. (T/F)
Passage of the infrastructure bill was expedited by the collapse of a public building in Washington D.C. (T/F)
