The 2016 Democratic Platform approved at the party’s convention last week puts a strong focus on investing in water and wastewater systems and endorses a number of policy priorities intended to upgrade the nation’s infrastructure.
A major plank of the Democrats’ platform is “Building 21st Century Infrastructure,” which calls for “major federal investments to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and put millions of Americans back to work.” Water infrastructure is prominently featured with pledges to “build 21st century energy and water systems” and to “protect public health and safety by modernizing drinking and wastewater systems.”
The platform goes on to endorse several specific policies to attain these goals, such as creating a national infrastructure bank, permanently authorizing Build America Bonds and preserving the tax-exempt status of municipal bond interest.
Inspired in part by the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, the platform pledges to “make it a national priority to eradicate lead poisoning.” The Democrats also label climate change as “an urgent threat and a defining challenge of our time” and note the threats posed by rising seas, record drought, more intense storms and flash flooding. But while the platform commits to creating a clean energy economy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it only mentions climate resilience and adaptation in the context of delivering aid to developing countries. The platform does not touch on the need for similar domestic adaptation efforts.
Like the Republican Platform also released last month, the Democratic Platform should be seen as an overview of the party’s governing philosophy and not necessarily a checklist of specific legislative items the party will address on Capitol Hill.