Renewed Push for a National Infrastructure Bank

Last month, Illinois Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) announced his introduction of a new National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) bill, H.R.4052. As I reported previously in my article entitled, National Infrastructure Bank…And The State Of Washington, this far-reaching piece of legislation has been in the mill for several years. 

Readers of this article in Washington state will be pleased to note that at a state level the legislature has officially indicated its support for the National Infrastructure Bank by passing Senate Joint Memorial 8001, essentially a petition “Request(ing) that Congress pass and the President of the United States sign the National Infrastructure Bank Act or similar legislation.”  State Senator Liz Lovelett from Anacortes was a co-sponsor of SJM 8001 and speaks to her support for a NIB in this 15 June Zoom town hall video entitled, “National Banking Will Build Infrastructure for All."  [Sen Lovelett makes her favorable pitch at 41:52 on the video counter.] The entire video is an excellent tour d'horizon of the NIB and the immediate need for such legislation.  

There are efforts to replicate this sort of petition in all states and even down to the municipal and county level where localities can benefit from the NIB for their own infrastructure projects at much lower costs.   

This from Congressman Davis:

“…similar [to the state of Washington] resolutions have recently been filed in the Alabama, Pennsylvania, and Ohio legislatures. Sign-On Letters to Congress are circulating in New York, North Carolina, and Alaska legislatures. More county councils in New York and elsewhere are doing the same. New resolutions were just introduced into the Council of State Governments West and the National Conference of State Legislatures. The impact has not been lost on Congress.”

You can find out about your state's support of the NIB at this page. Also at that page are links to endorsements by cities, counties, and labor unions across the country. On the NIB site is a sample support resolution for use by your local or state government or your organization. A sample text can be edited to suit local needs/viewpoints. 

You can also participate in this drive by the NIB Coalition: 

"The Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank is launching a two-week fundraising drive. We have a new bill in Congress, H.R.4052 for the $5 trillion NIB. Our total focus is to get co-sponsors for that bill, and we are encouraging everyone to get involved in this campaign.
 
"From August 1-17 the Coalition is supporting resolutions at two of the largest organizations of state elected officials in the country: The Council of State Governments Western Region and the National Conference of State Legislatures. Resolutions in support of the NIB and H.R. 4052 in the U.S. Congress will be debated at each meeting. This will provide us an opportunity to meet many of those in attendance. The dialogue with state and local officials has played a major role in getting Congressional co-sponsors. Members of Congress place great weight on the views of elected officials in their districts. 
 
“We would like to send NIB representatives to attend one or both meetings and educate the over 3,000-4,000 elected state legislators who will be in attendance. We need to raise $2500 now to finance this effort. Simply put: travel, registration and participation cost money. We are asking you to donate to this effort.”  [click here to donate]

Last but not least, you can help move this legislation along by contacting your representative in Congress. Cite the bill number and name: H.R.4052 - National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2023. Add a few sentences to indicate the reason you support the NIB. You can borrow supporting language from this article or the NIB website. This web page will help you navigate to the office of your congressional representative: Find Your Representative .