Letter to my Congressman on the Infrastructure Bill
Dear Congressman
I am constituent messaging you about your coming vote and negotiation over the human infrastructure bill. I’m overall happy with the framework. I was thrilled to see investments in education (universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, child care for working families, tuition-free community college, funding for historically black colleges and universities, and an expansion of the Pell Grant for higher education) and childcare. I was happy to see immigration reform by way of the judicial committee. I was glad to see investment in dealing with climate change (forest management, carbon reduction, energy production, along with drought and fire mitigation.) I was also overjoyed as someone saving up for a home in the great state of Michigan to see investments in housing affordability (investments in building affordable housing, public housing, and downpayment assistance). I am happy about all of this but I am also alarmed. I worry that this bill is likely the last bill coming out of this congress, and possibly the last that can make it to Biden’s desk. That worry has me more critical of the bill. Biden’s Infrastructure Bill is lacking approximately 373 billion for 10,000 in debt cancelation for all federal student debt holders. 10,000 in debt relief is no small request but is a relief for some 43 million Americans and their families. Biden and Democrats can achieve several campaign goals. You can decrease the wealth gap (not just racial but intergenerational). Debt cancelation will help Americans not just on their path to financial independence but social independence (the ability to move, start a family, pursue what makes life valuable). Education not only makes our workforce more skilled and diverse but aids upward mobility. If we want to be the party of upward mobility we should address college debt. We should give debt holders, Americans like me who worked hard in school, and after to make a living some relief. I ask you to consider this. Debt cancelation helps us “Build Back Better!”.
Sincerly your constituent De’Andre