Congressman Don Bacon held a tele-town hall Wednesday night concerning the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law by President Biden last month.
Bacon is one of 13 House Republicans who voted for the roughly $1 trillion bill, $2.5 billion of which is slated for Nebraska’s roads.
During the town hall, Bacon said the bill is good for Nebraska and the nation after what he describes as decades of decline in infrastructure spending.
"We spend about 2% of our GDP on infrastructure," Bacon said. " Canada spends 4%, Europe spends 5%, China spends 9%."
Economics Professor Ernie Goss was part of the call and also expressed support for the bill, noting good infrastructure is vital for the state’s agriculture and manufacturing industries.
"This is not politics,” Goss said. "This is good economics and I think it's going to serve to increase GDP for Nebraska."
While supported by a variety of groups including the Nebraska Farm Bureau and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Bacon’s vote also earned him the ire of former president Donald Trump who is now calling for a primary challenge to Bacon.