President Biden Calls Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Passed by House and Senate 'a Monumental Step Forward'

President Joe Biden said that he plans to sign the measure at a signing ceremony sometime "soon"

President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference in the State Dinning Room at the White House on November 6, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Joe Biden. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty

President Joe Biden is celebrating the passage of his $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill hours after the measure passed through the House in a vote that took place late Friday evening.

On Saturday morning, Biden, 78, greeted reporters in the White House's State Dining Room, exclaiming, "Finally, infrastructure week. I'm so happy to say that — infrastructure week," as seen in footage from the press conference that was obtained by The Washington Post.

"Yesterday, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say, we took a monumental step forward as a nation," Biden continued, before touting some of the accomplishments he and his administration have accomplished since taking office earlier this year.

"We did something that's long overdue, that long has been talked about in Washington but never actually been done," he then added, referring to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which he described as a "fancy way of saying a bipartisan infrastructure bill" and also called "a once in a generation investment."

Biden also noted during his press conference that he plans to sign the measure at a signing ceremony "soon," though he wants to make sure that lawmakers who helped get the bill to reach completion will be able to attend the event.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes significant investments into roads, bridges, and railways, as well as improvements to broadband Internet, according to The Hill.

The measure previously passed through the Senate with large support earlier this year in August, before it then went to the House.

Late on Friday, the House approved the package after weeks of back and forth, where it passed by a vote of 228-206, per The Guardian. Thirteen Republicans supported the legislation while six Democrats opposed it.

Looking ahead, a vote on a second, even larger bill has been postponed until later this month. The measure will focus on health, family, and climate change programs, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Biden called that bill "a once-in-a-generation investment in our people," in a statement, adding, "Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century."

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