August 11, 2021
After months of negotiations, yesterday, the Senate passed the massive, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which provides $550 billion in new spending over five years for U.S. infrastructure upgrades. The vote, 69-30, was uncommonly bipartisan, with 19 Senate Republicans and every Senate Democrat supporting the bill. The IIJA represents the most significant investment in U.S. infrastructure in decades. The bill now moves to the U.S. House.
“This bipartisan, landmark legislation would positively impact nearly every corner of the American economy,” said Emily Cohen, UCON Executive Vice President. “It provides historic levels of funding for the modernization, repair, and replacement of our aging public works projects, including roads, bridges, highways, power grids, and water systems. We remain cautiously optimistic that Congress will pass this once-in-a-generation infrastructure package.”
While this is a significant step forward, it is not the finish line. We will be sure to keep you updated as
the bill advances.
View the full text of the Senate Infrastructure Bill.
View the ARTBA Senate Bill Analysis.
Summary of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:
Incorporates four bipartisan bills: (1) the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, (2) the Surface Transportation Investment Act, (3) the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, and (4) the Energy Infrastructure Act.
Surface Transportation
Infrastructure:
- $36B for Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grants
- $27.5B to the Federal Highway Administration for bride repair and improvement
- $16B for Amtrak’s National Network and $6
billion for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Network
- $15B for Airport Infrastructure grants
- $9.2B for the Bridge Investment Program
- $12.5B for National Infrastructure Investments grants
- $8B for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants$5B for a National Electric Vehicle Formula Program
- $5B for an Airport Terminal Program
Drinking Water/Wastewater Infrastructure:
- $10B to address per- and polyflouroalkyl (PFAS) substances
- $5B for FEMA’s flood mitigation and pre-disaster mitigation programs
- $618M for the Department of Agriculture’s NRCS Watershed program
- $75M for a WIFIA program to improve
dams
- $8.3B for the Bureau of Reclamation’s water and related resources projects
- $15B to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program
Broadband Infrastructure:
- $42.5B for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program
- $2B for the Rural Utilities Service distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program
- $2.8B for Digital Equity
- $1B for middle-mile deployment, among other provisions
Energy Infrastructure within Department of Energy:
- $16.2B for energy efficiency and renewably energy
- $7.4B for fossil energy and carbon
management
- $2.1B for Carbon Dioxide Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program
- $21.4B for Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
Environmental Infrastructure:
- $4.6B for an Energy Community Revitalization program
- $696M for Forest Service wildfire management
- $3.4B for ecosystem restoration programs at the EPA, FWS, and NOAA
- Offsets some of the spending with “Pay Fors,” including but not limited to:
- $50B in re-appropriated, previously unused funding from 2020 COVID-19 bills
- $50B in unused savings from the COVID-19 employer retention tax credit
- $105B in unused savings from COVID-19 Paid and Family Leave tax
credits
- $51B from delaying the Medicare Part D drug rebate rule
- $28B from requiring cryptocurrency asset reporting to the IRS
- $21B from extending feeds on Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs)
Other notable provisions:
- Does not raise taxes.
- Preserves the 90/10 split of federal highway aid to states but does not address the user fee for the Highway Trust Fund.
- Creates the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Infrastructure (“ARPA-I”) to fund research to improve core infrastructure through innovation and new technology.
- Requires federal contracts for the domestic production of personal protective equipment (PPE) to last at least two years.
- Has widespread bipartisan support from 100+ associations and organizations, including United Contractors, The American Road & Transportation Builders Association, U.S. Chamber
of Commerce, National Governors Association, Small Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, and more.
Next Steps: The current bill has opposition on both sides of the aisle, and it will need to clear several hurdles in the House to earn passage. Despite the challenges, there is still a viable path forward with support from President Biden and House moderates.
United Contractors will continue to keep members updated, as the bill advances in the
House.