Illinois Democrats hope President Biden highlights bipartisan infrastructure law in State of the Union

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Rebuilding Illinois’ water infrastructure is an issue that is top of mind for Democrats.

They hope the president highlights the bipartisan infrastructure law when he delivers his State of the Union address.

“That’s going to be life changing for families who are drinking from what is essentially a lead straw,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).

Duckworth wrote the clean drinking water and wastewater portion of the bipartisan infrastructure law. The provision includes prioritizing replacing lead pipes and improving sanitation.

”I’ve been traveling all over Illinois talking to folks,” said Duckworth. “It doesn’t matter what part of the state I’m in, I have so many mayors say thank God. We’ve been trying to fix our sewer systems for thirty years.”

From land to the actual water, lawmakers say another important infrastructure need is addressing the locks and dams issue along the Mississippi River which will help Illinois farmers get their product to more dinner tables.

”We just got $829 million dollars to help the locks and dams along the Mississippi River,” said Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill).

Bustos said the president should also highlight the landmark bipartisan legislation ending forced arbitration in workplace sexual harassment cases.

”It has been called the most important labor legislation this century,” she said.

But Republicans say it isn’t enough. They are calling on Biden to address rising inflation.

Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) tweeted that Illinois residents are feeling the impacts from the gas pump to the grocery store. Bost goes further to say, “the last time inflation was this high,” Americans had big box TVs in their homes.

The president is scheduled to address Congress at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will deliver the GOP rebuttal to the president’s speech.

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