Early April talk about including infrastructure provisions in recovery bills related to the coronavirus pandemic has been overtaken by other priorities, such as more aid for small businesses. That has pushed public works to the sidelines, at least for now. But infrastructure advocates continue to make a case for including funds for the surface transportation and water sectors in a future recovery bill.
On March 31, four days after signing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, President Donald Trump called for a $2-trillion infrastructure plan. A week later he returned to the issue.“I really think that with the stimulus … we’re going to do, perhaps, infrastructure, which you wouldn’t have gotten approved before,” Trump said. “And now people are looking to do it.” He noted current low interest rates, saying, “And the beauty is we’re paying zero interest or very close to zero interest.”