Poll Finds Most Americans Want Infrastructure Paid for With Offsets

July 8, 2021 by Dan McCue
Poll Finds Most Americans Want Infrastructure Paid for With Offsets
In this April 16, 2020, photo work continues on a bridge on the Interstate Highway 75 project in Troy, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

WASHINGTON – Nine in 10 registered voters want federal infrastructure plans to be paid for with offsets, including clearly identified spending cuts or revenue raisers, a new Peterson Foundation poll found.

And the result holds true for 86% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 95% of Republicans, the nonpartisan fiscal watchdog says.

The national survey was conducted by the Global Strategy Group, a Democratic firm, and North Star Opinion Research, a Republican firm, June 22-24.

It also found that a majority of voters want lawmakers to make good on their promises to fully fund infrastructure investments, with 70% agreeing they do not want a federal infrastructure bill passed if it will increase the national debt.

This opinion was shared by 59% of Democrats, 66% of Independents and 84% of Republicans, the Peterson Foundation said.

The release of the poll comes as Senate Democrats eye a vote on the proposed bipartisan infrastructure plan, potentially as soon as the week of July 19.

At the same time, lawmakers are preparing a potential reconciliation bill that would include components of the $2.6 trillion American Jobs Plan outlined in March by the Biden administration.

In the past, Michael Peterson, the foundation’s CEO, has said lawmakers should work together to develop pay-fors that are legitimate and credible, in order to achieve the necessary cost savings to offset the cost of the proposals.

Commenting on the survey results on Thursday, Peterson said it underscores the fact Americans “across party lines understand that fiscal responsibility is an essential component of effective leadership and policy making.” 

“While bipartisanship is important, so is our high and rising national debt. As the White House and lawmakers pursue a bipartisan infrastructure package and potentially a larger reconciliation bill, voters are calling for our leaders to pay for their priorities,” he continued.

“Vast majorities of Americans understand that fiscal sustainability is essential for a stronger economy over the long term,” Peterson concluded.

The online poll included 1,000 registered voters nationwide. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. 

A+
a-
  • Congress
  • infrastructure
  • opinion poll
  • PEterson Foundation
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Opinion Polls

    Many Older AAPI Adults Are Foreign-Born. They're Also Tough on Immigration, a new Poll Finds

    WASHINGTON (AP) — There are sharp generational disagreements among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders when it comes to... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — There are sharp generational disagreements among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders when it comes to how the U.S. should handle mass deportations, with older AAPI adults — many of whom are themselves immigrants — taking a much tougher stance on unlawful... Read More

    March 19, 2025
    by Dan McCue
    Survey Finds Voters ‘Anxious,’ ‘Overwhelmed’ in Wake of 2024 Election

    WASHINGTON — More than four months after the 2024 election, many voters are feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the abrupt... Read More

    WASHINGTON — More than four months after the 2024 election, many voters are feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the abrupt change of direction the country has experienced since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office, a new analysis finds. However the study from Center Forward,... Read More

    Most AAPI Adults Don't Support Cutting Agencies and Want a Focus on Costs: AP-NORC/AAPI Data Poll

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders do not agree with the strategy of putting entire... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders do not agree with the strategy of putting entire federal agencies on the chopping block, nor are they broadly on board with mass layoffs of federal workers, according to a new poll. The survey, released... Read More

    What US Adults Think of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and His Views on Vaccines, Fluoride and Raw Milk

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine advocacy is outside the mainstream. His previous statements on abortion could alienate Republicans. But... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine advocacy is outside the mainstream. His previous statements on abortion could alienate Republicans. But a new poll finds that not all of his controversial health goals are unpopular — in fact, at least one has broad support among Democrats and... Read More

    US Adults Want Border Security Action but Mostly Oppose Arrests in Schools, Churches: AP-NORC Poll

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Many U.S. adults are on board with the idea of beefing up security at the southern border... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Many U.S. adults are on board with the idea of beefing up security at the southern border and undertaking some targeted deportations, according to a new poll. But as President Donald Trump begins his second term with a series of sweeping executive orders on... Read More

    Most Americans Blame Insurance Profits and Denials Alongside the Killer in UHC CEO Death, Poll Finds

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger, according to a new poll. In the survey from NORC at the University of Chicago,... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top