Ernest Moniz, Joseph S. Hezir, & Melanie A. Kenderdine, Columnists

One Easy Way to Pay for New U.S. Infrastructure

The Energy Department's loan program has $40 billion ready to spend.

The U.S. power grid could stand improvement.

Photographer: David McNew/Getty Images

President Donald Trump says he wants to “rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.” The framework he has submitted to Congress will need bipartisan support to become law, but there is reason for optimism: Infrastructure investments tend to have broad appeal, because they support economic growth, security, health and well-being long into the future.

In the near term, however, they are expensive. And Congress will have to keep in mind the expanding national debt.