The Plan for Jobs and Investment in Infrastructure, approved last week by Congress, “will improve the lives of millions of Latinos,” said Rubén Gallego, president of the political action committee of the Hispanic Caucus in Congress.
Congress approved $ 1.2 trillion for President Joe Biden’s plan for investments in highways, airports, bridges, the power grid, expansion of internet broadband, development of alternative energy sources, and other infrastructure programs.
“Latinos have experienced considerable disadvantage during the pandemic,” said Gallego, a Democratic Representative from Arizona. “But now, thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure agreement, Latinos across the country will gain access to economic opportunities and improve their health thanks to that they will have cleaner water, better transportation, and millions of jobs to help them support their families. “
“This is an investment in our communities,” he added.
According to BOLD PAC, the political action committee headed by Gallego, Latinos represent approximately 36% of all construction workers and 24% of transportation workers in the United States.
“These workers will benefit directly from the president’s infrastructure agreement because it will create millions of well-paying union jobs in those sectors,” the group of legislators added.
BOLD PAC noted that Latinos and immigrants are highly dependent on public transportation and often face barriers to access and with the legislation “Latinos will now benefit from one of the largest public transportation investments in history.”
Latinos in the United States, according to BOLD PAC, face a 25% internet coverage gap compared to whites, and “this causes significant economic and educational barriers.”
“The lack of affordable high-speed Internet will now be solved thanks to the agreement of the president,” the statement added.
29% of Hispanics live within three miles (4.8 kilometers) of a contaminated industrial site, “noted BOLD PAC. ” As a result, Hispanic children are more likely to die of asthma. “
“The infrastructure agreement will invest $ 21 billion in environmental remediation, which will directly benefit these Latino families and improve the health of our communities in general,” the statement concluded.