The U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan, $1.2 Trillion infrastructure bill that addresses the nations critical infrastructure needs.
The bill -- called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act -- features $550 billion in new federal spending over five years. It invests $110 billion in roads, bridges and major projects, $66 billion in passenger and freight rail, $65 billion to rebuild the electric grid, $65 billion to expand broadband internet access, $39 billion to modernize and expand transit systems and $7.5 billion to build a national network of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Among other priorities, the bill also includes $55 billion for water infrastructure, $15 billion of which will be directed toward replacing lead pipes.
The bill now moves on to the U.S. House of Representatives, where leadership has indicated they wish to see action on the budget reconciliation bill before the infrastructure bill will be taken up for a vote. Action will need to be taken before the end of September, however, when the current FAST Act expires and would need to be either replaced or extended.
Infrastructure has been a front and center debate in the halls of Congress over the past several months, and two recent votes – one in the House and one in the Senate – have helped to increase the odds of significant investment in the nation’s transportation infrastructure in the next few years.
Last week, the U.S. Senate voted 67-32 to advance debate on a $1 trillion package that is being called the “bipartisan infrastructure framework’ or ‘BIF’. The BIF has been subject in intense negotiations among a bipartisan group of 20 Senators (10-Rs & 10-Ds) who have spent more than two months negotiating an agreement that will provide $550 billion in new spending over the next 5 years. This includes:
$110 Billion for Roads, Bridges & Major Projects: Funds new, dedicated grant program to replace and repair bridges and increase funding for major project competitive grant programs. This also includes reauthorization for federal surface transportation funding.
$66 Billion for Passenger & Freight Rail: Provides funding for the Amtrak National Network, expansion of intercity passenger rail and dedicates funding to the Northeast Corridor, as well as increased funding for freight rail and safety at rail-highway grade crossings.
$11 Billion for Safety Programs: Provides funding for highway and pedestrian safety programs, including significant investment in Safe Streets programs that prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets.
$39 Billion for Public Transit: Provides funding for the nation’s transit system repair backlog, including buses, rail cars, service stations, track, signals and power systems.
In addition, the BIF includes $65 billion for broadband deployment grants, $17 billion for waterways and coastal infrastructure, $25 billion for airports, $55 billion for water infrastructure, $73 billion for maintenance, repair and upgrades to the national power grid, $46 billion for cybersecurity to address critical infrastructure needs, and $15 billion in funding for low-carbon and zero-emission school buses and ferries.
The BIF utilizes a number of ways to pay for the new spending, including repurposing more than $200 billion in unused COVID-relief dollars and more than $50 billion in unused enhanced federal unemployment benefits.
The advancement of the BIF in the Senate comes about a month after the U.S. House approved the Invest in America Act, a $715 billion surface transportation reauthorization and water infrastructure bill by a bipartisan vote of 221-201. The Invest in America Act is a reauthorization of the existing FAST Act, which was approved in 2016 and was intended to provide for federal surface transportation funding for 4 years. Last year, lawmakers were unable to authorize a new, multi-year surface transportation package and agreed to a one-year extension of the FAST Act. That funding expires at the end of September.
Under the Invest in America Act, $343 billion would be dedicated to funding roads, bridges, and safety programs, $109 billion for public transit, $95 billion for passenger and freight rail, as well as $117 billion for drinking water infrastructure and more than $51 billion in wastewater infrastructure.
While the passage of the Invest in America Act in the House, and the BIF clearing its first legislative hurdle in the Senate, are important steps, there is still a long way to go before either bill becomes law.
The Invest Act includes measures designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, hold states accountable for emissions on their roads, and to promote electric cars and buses, require states to consider alternatives such as transit before widening highways, and provides $14.5 billion for projects that would reduce carbon emissions or make transportation networks more resistant to extreme weather. These are provisions that will likely not find enough support to overcome the Senate cloture requirement of 60 votes to advance debate.
Meanwhile, which clearing its first important vote, there is not a guarantee that full bipartisan support will remain for the BIF, as there is still no actual bill language (just the framework and spending agreement) and Senate Republicans, are likely to insist on having the ability to offer amendments to the legislation, which could diminish overall support for the bipartisan deal.
GOPC will continue monitoring and reporting on developments; follow us here on our blog.