i3 senior editor Drew Campbell discusses infrastructure policy in the United States with 32 Advisors’ head of infrastructure, Michael Likosky.

Congress is trying to pass several pieces of infrastructure legislation piecemeal rather than in one sweeping bill — can this approach work?

Let’s start with why a sweeping approach is not workable. Two reasons: first, we do not face a financial crisis that facilitates the passage of a single bill, and second, a sweeping bill must have three main pillars: clean energy, transportation and water. A quick back-of-the-envelop looks like 50 percent energy, 30 percent transportation and 20 percent water when you think about the needs across the states. So long as clean energy is off the table, there is no sweeping bill. You cannot pass sweeping legislation that leaves out a swathe of states with mainly clean energy needs — think about Congressional voting cards.

A clear path, though, to success