Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 Biden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security MORE (I-Vt.) said Saturday that he plans to introduce legislation in the next Congress that will increase infrastructure spending to fix America's roads and bridges.

The announcement is likely to only fuel speculation that Sanders is considering a Democratic run for president in 2016, despite trailing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others in early polling.

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Sanders said his plan would authorize a $1 trillion, multi-year program to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges while investing in other infrastructure modernization projects.

The independent senator, who will be the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee in the new Congress, said his proposal would also put 13 million Americans to work.

“America once led the world in building and maintaining a nationwide network of safe and reliable bridges and roads," he said in a statement. "Let's rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. Let's make our country safer and more efficient. Let's put millions of Americans back to work."

Progressives frequently advocate for the government to increase its spending in infrastructure to grow the economy.

Republicans are skeptical of increasing government spending to stimulate economic growth, citing concerns about the national deficit and big government overreach.