What has he done for Arizona? Well, how about billions (and billions) of dollars in grants and loans for chip manufacturing near Phoenix!
AZcentral this March reported:
Biden in Arizona: Why 'chips' are one of the most important projects of his presidency
President Joe Biden was in Chandler, Ariz., Wednesday to announce a multi-billion grant for semiconductor manufacturing: a topic obscure to many voters, yet central to the economic, political and geostrategic projects of Biden's presidency.
His announcement centered around the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, a Biden-signed law geared toward promoting semiconductors, also known as “chips” — a key technology present in most electronics.
Biden announced a CHIPS Act grant of $8.5 billion for the technology company Intel, which has been massively expanding its manufacturing facilities in Chandler. The government could make up to $11 billion in loans available as well, plus a federal investment tax credit of up to 25% of certain expenses. [ . . . ]
Arizona is on track to be a major beneficiary of the CHIPS Act. The Phoenix area has become one of the nation's hubs for the growing semiconductor supply chain. The law has helped usher in some of the largest investments in Arizona history, and Arizona State University is playing a central role in research and development.
"I think this is a game-changer for the nation, it's a game-changer for our state, and it's a game-changer for Phoenix," said Sally Morton, an Arizona State University professor who is leading the university's response to the CHIPS Act. "We are poised to really be the epicenter of chips manufacturing, but also research, and development, and prototyping."
But that’s only one piece of what Biden’s put in motion for the state. He has also helped Arizona via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with a smorgasbord of programs that lower healthcare and drug costs, fight climate change, and cut inflation for Arizonans.
Here’s what the bill does for Arizona families and their communities:
- helps an estimated 41,000 Arizonans keep their health insurance by extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies through 2025, and keeps the cost of premiums low for another 134,000 Arizonans who get coverage through the ACA.
- saves Arizona seniors money on prescription drugs, caps their out-of-pocket expenses on prescription drugs to $2,000 per year, and implements a $35 monthly cap on insulin for Medicare recipients.
- incentivizes industry to transition to renewable energies, and provides direct rebates to Arizonans who adopt clean-energy stoves, heaters, dryers, and other appliances.
Ahem, every single Arizona Democrat in the US House and Senate voted for the IRA, while every Arizona Republican voted against it.
Another Biden law with a many-faceted impact is the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). One part of the BIL has special meaning for Arizona. It involves Arizona’s water systems:
Biden-Harris Administration announces over $70 million for Arizona drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $70 million ($70,541,000) from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Arizona drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. This historic funding is part of over $50 billion in water infrastructure upgrade investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — the largest investment in American history.
Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach disadvantaged and underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure.
According to Martha Guzman, the EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, these investments will support both cutting-edge technology and nature-based solutions that will provide sustainable clean water.
Because of Arizona’s climate change problems, Arizona’s Senator Mark Kelly worked hard to on this part of the BIL:
“As Arizona faces a historic drought, protecting access to clean drinking water was a priority of mine when negotiating the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” U.S. Senator Mark Kelly said.
The BILis also making a big difference in Arizonans’ access to the Internet!
High-speed internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, participate in school, access health care, and stay connected. Yet nearly 22% of Arizonans do not have an internet subscription.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $65 billion to provide affordable, high-speed internet to every American. Arizona will receive a minimum allocation of at least $100 million to help ensure high-speed internet coverage across the state.
Additionally, experts estimate that as many as 1,075,000 households in Arizona are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program. This program cuts internet bills by up to $30 per month — or $75 for households on Tribal lands — and provides a one-time $100 discount off a connected device.
The Biden-Harris Administration is providing further cost savings by working with internet providers to offer high-speed internet plans that are fully covered by the Affordable Connectivity Program — meaning most eligible households can now get high-speed internet without paying a dime.
So how’s it going?
To date, Arizona has received $5 million through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) to help provide access to high-speed internet across the state. In addition, about 347,000 households in Arizona are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, with more signing up every day.
Here are several other ways the BIL is helping Arizona’s infrastructure. It is . . .
- funding repairs and upgrades to Arizona’s roads and bridges to make them safer. Arizona is expected to receive approximately $5.3 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges.
- cleaning up polluted Superfund sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping abandoned oil and gas wells to protect the health of communities and reduce environmental harms.
- allocating money to expand, improve, and modernize public transit systems.
- funding repairs and upgrades to Arizona’s airports.
- strengthening Arizona’s power grid.
- investing in a significant build-out of electric vehicle chargers.
Let’s look at some local news from Arizona — good news, thanks to the BIL:
Flood Risk Reduction Along the Little Colorado River
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded $65.7 million to reduce flood risks along the Little Colorado River in Winslow, Navajo County. Currently, about 5,000 people live and work within the flood plain and are at potential risk of flooding, as is critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools.
Downtown Mile Safety and Connectivity Improvement Project, Flagstaff
The Department of Transportation awarded $32 million through the INFRA (Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects) program for pedestrian safety improvements and freight and passenger rail infrastructure enhancements along an approximately one-mile segment of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) Southern Transcontinental Corridor.
The improvements for the project include (1) a pedestrian underpass at Rio de Flag, (2) an underpass at Milton Road to allow for the future widening of the road from four lanes to six lanes and increased vertical clearances, (3) a pedestrian underpass at Florence-Walnut, and (4) the installation of pedestrian gates at the Beaver Street and San Francisco Street at-grade highway-rail crossings.
Rio Reimagined: 3rd Street Rio Salado Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge, Phoenix
The Department of Transportation awarded $25 million to the City of Phoenix through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to construct a bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Rio Salado River along the 3rd Street alignment. The project will add low-emitting solar pedestrian-scale lighting and pathway amenities between Central Avenue and 40th Street.
The bridge will connect the underserved South Phoenix community to transportation, housing, education and employment opportunities.
Mohave Road Reconstruction, La Paz County
The Department of Transportation awarded $24.9 million through the RAISE program to reconstruct a 10.5-mile section of the Mohave Road. This project will increase safety and improve mail delivery and emergency vehicle access. The project will also support broadband deployment along the corridor.
Is there still more work to be done? 100%! Lots more work. But Biden did more than many people guessed could be done. He deserves a lot of credit. AND he deserves to be re-elected.
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These posts are written by Goodnewsroundup (Goodie),
edited by Matilda Briggs, supported by 2thanks and WolverineForTJatAW
and reinforced by several other notable Kossacks!
As with all good things, it takes a village.