Ohio Sen. Rob Portman was one of 19 republicans to vote “yes” on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill President Joe Biden signed into law Monday.
Portman said bipartisanship got the deal done.
Speaking at the White House, Portman said the spending package will have a lasting impact for all Americans.
Portman broke with some of his party in voting for the bill.
“Core infrastructure is what this law is all about. It’s about roads and bridges and rail and transit and ports and airports and water systems, the electric grid, broadband, and more,” he said.
The bill includes billions of dollars for projects across Ohio, including funding to repair the Brent Spence Bridge connecting his hometown of Cincinnati to Kentucky.
“We’ve been trying to do it for 25 years. But we haven’t been able to pull together the funding and figure out how to do it," Portman said. "This new law finally gives us the tools we need for us to fix the Brent Spence Bridge. And the same is true for major projects all around the country.”
Portman says he and fellow Republicans were able to support the bill only after social spending increases and tax hikes were removed.
