Iowa US Senator Chuck Grassley visited Davenport on Tuesday to discuss possible local projects.
"Four and two-tenths billion dollars for our highways. Three hundred-and-some million to fix our bridges. Seventeen billion—of which, that's a national figure—but a lot of that's going to go to help locks and dams."
Grassley was joined by the mayors of Davenport and Bettendorf, as well as a representative from the Bi-State Regional Commission. Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher notes that the bill contains 500 million to fund river projects, including the lock and dam system that affects a significant amount of US grain exports.
"Not only will this be bridges and highways, but it also brings back some marine highway money that we think is extremely important to ensure that we continue to feed the world from our grain farmers here in Iowa."
Davenport Mayor Mike Matson hopes some money from the infrastructure bill will go to the Centennial Bridge between his city and Rock Island because it's one of the worst-rated bridges in Iowa.
The infrastructure bill passed with 69 votes in the Senate, but still needs to make it through the House of Representatives. Some House Democrats say they won't sign the deal until they pass a second bill that was promised alongside the bipartisan one; the second bill would include investments in child care, health care, paid leave, and climate change provisions.