After weeks of negotiation, Congress has reached a bipartisan agreement on an infrastructure bill. If passed, the proposed legislation would make long overdue investments to rebuild our infrastructure, create jobs, and help to close the country’s digital divide.
In a new survey of 1,137 likely voters from June 30th to July 1st, Data for Progress examined likely voter support towards the components of the infrastructure bill. Voters support each individual component of the proposed bill, with notable support across parties.
The proposal from lawmakers in Congress includes investments in clean energy technologies, power infrastructure to repair our existing energy grid, expansions to broadband access to rural communities, and public transit to expand public transportation options. We find that voters enthusiastically support each of these components, with particularly high support for investments in energy infrastructure and broadband access: 80 percent of voters support investments in our power infrastructure to repair our existing energy grid, 78 percent support expanding internet access to rural communities, and 70 percent support both public transit expansions and investments in clean-energy technologies.
We find that support for these investments remains strong across party lines. Democrat and independent likely voters show notable support for each proposed investment: 85 percent of Democrats and 83 percent of Independents support investments to repair our existing energy infrastructure. 84 percent of Democrats and 70 percent of independents support investments in clean energy technologies. Expanding internet access to rural communities remains popular among both Democrats and independents with 82 percent and 85 percent support, respectively, as does expanding public transit with 80 percent and 76 percent support, respectively. We also find that a majority of Republicans support the proposed investments, with notable support for repairs to existing infrastructure and broadband access (both at 71 percent). More than half of Republicans also support investments in clean energy technologies and investments in expanding public transit.
The survey results show that there is strong support among likely voters for much needed investments in our nation’s infrastructure, from transportation to clean energy technologies to secure our future. However — as our past polling has shown, voters also support the provisions of the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan that are not included in this bipartisan proposal.
We found that the top policy components voters want Congress to focus on passing next are lowering health-care premium costs, reforming the corporate-tax code, and investmenting in long-term health care for the elderly and people with disabilities. These policies are not included in the current framework of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but Democrats have signalled their intent to pass a separate bill through the budget-reconciliation process that will address other important priorities. After months of negotiations, it’s time for Congress to deliver these crucial investments in our infrastructure and in our workers and families by passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a second reconciliation bill to deliver the rest of the policies voters support.
Methodology
From June 30 to July 1, 2021, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,137 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
Evangel Penumaka is a senior analyst at Data for Progress.
Morgan Sperry is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.
Devi Ruia is a press assistant at Data for Progress.
