WASHINGTON, D.C. (WILX) - Tuesday could see the Senate vote on an an infrastructure bill that would include over $8 billion in funding for Michigan projects.
Should the bill pass and be signed by President Biden, the federal funding would be received by Michigan over five years for highway and bridge projects. It includes over $7 billion for highway projects and $563 million for bridge projects.
“It’s exciting because we’re finally addressing infrastructure, basic infrastructure — roads and bridges in this country that have been neglected for far too long,” said Senator Gary Peters during the virtual press conference. “What I heard as I traveled around the state of Michigan talking to folks about the needs that we have and what I heard over and over again is you have to be big, you have to be bold and we cannot accept being 13th in the world in terms of infrastructure.”
One remaining issue, over tax compliance for cryptocurrency brokers, appeared close to being resolved Monday after senators who had been at odds on the proposal announced they had worked with the Treasury Department to clarify the intent.
Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Mark Warner, D-Va., Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and others involved in the cryptocurrency effort said in a joint statement they would propose an amendment to be added to the package.
In addition to the funding guaranteed by the package Michigan would have a chance to compete for some of the $12.5 billion provided for the nation’s economically significant bridges, an arena the Great Lakes State is likely to have an edge in.