HOW CONGRESSMAN JAMES CLYBURN WELCOMES BIDENOMICS AT WORK IN SOUTH CAROLINA! (1088 hits)
For Immediate Release From Congressman James E. Clyburn!
Dear Friend[s],
Last week, I had the privilege and pleasure to welcome President Biden back to South Carolina, a state he knows very well. When he took office, he promised to be a president for all Americans, a promise he has kept.
For far too long, communities like many of those I represent, and others throughout our state and the nation, have been overlooked by the federal government. President Biden’s policies demonstrate that he understands that we must make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for everyone, everywhere.
Bidenomics recently brought $551 million in federal funds to South Carolina for broadband deployment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law via the Broadband Equity, Access, and Development Program (BEAD). https://ors.sc.gov/news/2023-06/sc-receive... Several weeks earlier, I joined with our Governor to announce that South Carolina officials had determined that $650 million would allow South Carolina to achieve 100 percent connectivity in three to five years.
At that news conference, the Governor announced that he would be using $400 million from the American Rescue Plan, $100 million from the Federal Communication Commission, $50 million from state appropriations, and $100 million from BEAD to fund the effort. These funds from BEAD are $400 million more than that which is required to connect every home and business in South Carolina by 2026. Hopefully this will allow us to build a more efficient and effective system that is accessible and affordable to more citizens.
The week before President Biden’s visit, I stood alongside Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as we announced $22.7 million in grants for the Orangeburg Railroad Corner Redevelopment Project – a multimodal transit hub that will connect Claflin and South Carolina State Universities to downtown Orangeburg.
Two days before Secretary Buttigieg’s visit to Orangeburg, The Biden-Harris Administration announced $26 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding for the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority. The funding is from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and will be utilized to build the CARTA Shipwatch Square Transit and Workforce Center. The Center will serve as an electric transportation hub for the Charleston and North Charleston communities.
Image Congressman Clyburn with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
Two days before Secretary Buttigieg's visit, I was also joined by Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who helped me highlight the Biden-Harris Administration’s investments in clean energy and EV production in South Carolina. Thanks to their efforts, we’re working to fight the climate crisis by making clean energy accessible and affordable for all.
Image Congressman Clyburn with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm
The record shows that I was the only member of the South Carolina House delegation to vote in favor of the legislation that brought these projects to life. But every South Carolinian, no matter where they live, or who their Representative is, will benefit from these investments.
My father was a minister, but that is not how he made a living. He was a small contractor who built buildings and renovated houses, and I spent a fair amount of time assisting him. Although he preached about “the rock” in Matthew 16:18, he religiously practiced the building of a solid foundation in everyday life.
That is what Bidenomics is about, building a solid foundation from the bottom up and creating greater opportunities from the middle out.
