WHEREAS, the development and maintenance of physical infrastructure including roads, bridges, ports, transit, energy, housing, telecommunications, utilities, and broadband contribute significantly to the economy of the United States since an efficient and reliable supply chain and other economic activity are dependent upon that infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the overall positive impact on the nation’s economy and America’s economic competitiveness and influence, infrastructure modernization also benefits the national security of the United States, and Americans’ quality of life; and

WHEREAS, The American Society of Civil Engineers issued a score of C- for the current status of infrastructure in the United States in its 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, and that more than $6 trillion is needed for infrastructure improvements and development in order for the United States to meet its infrastructure needs; and

WHEREAS, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine assert that a significant portion of American transportation infrastructure is at the end of its useful life and is further strained by the increasing frequency of extreme weather events; and

WHEREAS, Massachusetts has numerous infrastructure needs, including bridges that are structurally deficient, miles of roads that are in poor or fair condition, trains and buses that are past their useful life, a shortfall of affordable housing units, drinking water infrastructure and wastewater systems requiring repair and replacement, and areas where there is no broadband access; and

WHEREAS, the National Infrastructure Bank legislation would create a bank to help finance infrastructure requirements to bring our public infrastructure system to a state of good repair and build new projects, while creating jobs and growing the economy; and

WHEREAS, the National Infrastructure Bank legislation is modeled on previous banks which helped build much of our country’s infrastructure at times of great need under Presidents George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and with the last such bank helping bring us out of the Great Depression and win World War II;

WHEREAS, many organizations are in support of a National Infrastructure Bank, including state legislatures and municipal governments, and national endorsements from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, the National Asian-Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators, the Council of State Governments-East, the National Association of Development Organizations, the US High Speed Rail Association, the American Sustainable Business Council, the National Association of Minority Contractors, the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers, and the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters International Union; and

WHEREAS, the failure to establish a dedicated, regenerative, nonpartisan funding mechanism for grand infrastructure endeavors would stifle economic growth, public safety, and American quality of life and would limit the ability of Massachusetts and other states to move forward on vital infrastructure projects and remain competitive in the global economy; and

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts urges the United States Congress to pass legislation establishing a national infrastructure bank to facilitate the financing of urgently needed infrastructure projects in the United States; and be it further

RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be transmitted forthwith by the clerk of the Senate to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from the Commonwealth in the Congress of the United States, and to the Governor of the Commonwealth.