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The Senate plans to vote soon on a massive, $550 billion infrastructure package that would be the country’s biggest investment in public works in more than a decade. The bill would:
- Use $73 billion to modernize the country’s electrical grid, a need highlighted by lengthy power outages in Texas and Oklahoma since last year.
- Allocate $65 billion to improve access to high-speed internet. About four in 10 low-income adults don’t have access to broadband, according to the Pew Research Center.
- Devote $15 billion to removing lead service lines, with the priority to serve disadvantaged communities, low-income homeowners and landlords providing housing to low-income renters. Lead pipes are one of the main causes of lead in drinking water, which can cause health issues.
- Fund $1 billion in projects to address racial disparities in previous infrastructure projects.
- Create an office within the Department of Transportation to serve tribal governments and Native American communities and give $216 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to adapt to climate change.
- Create a pilot program to assist low-income water customers with covering their bills.
New from BigIfTrue.org
On Saturday, a federal ban on certain evictions expired, leaving renters unprotected for three days before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered a new moratorium.
During those three days, some landlords stopped accepting rental assistance, and some renters had already moved out of their homes before the new ban went into place.
What you should know about the new eviction ban:
- The CDC created the new ban in response to rising covid-19 cases, which are projected to continue growing throughout this month.
- Like the CDC’s previous bans, to be covered, renters must fill out paperwork stating they meet the eligibility requirements. Another thing that hasn’t changed: The ban only prevents evictions stemming from past-due rent, meaning tenants can be evicted for other lease violations.
- The new ban has a key difference, though. It will only apply to counties with high covid transmission rates. Based on CDC’s data, the ban currently covers about 81% of counties in the United States.
Read more here and chip in to support our work here. Looking for help? Find a rent assistance program in your area.
One last thing: Don’t miss your chance to enter our drawing for a $50 Walmart gift card by taking our reader survey. Your feedback will help us shape our future coverage, and we’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Thank you for reading Hard Reset. You can find me here at bryant@bigiftrue.org and 405-990-0988.
– Mollie Bryant
Founder and editor, BigIfTrue.org
