This week the US Senate approved the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which provides record levels of investment in federal highway, bridge, and public transportation programs.
The bill passed by a vote of 69-30. Nineteen Republicans, including SC Senator Lindsey Graham, joined with all Democratic senators supporting the legislation.
The IIJA includes a 5-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs, providing $370 billion for states to invest in road, bridge, and surface programs. The package also includes $86 billion in supplemental resources for these programs.
Click to see the increases each year.
In addition, the plan includes significant increases in funding for hard infrastructure improvements for airports, ports, water, rail, and energy infrastructure.
The legislation also includes key permitting reforms like “One Federal Decision” to eliminate duplicative bureaucratic reviews, reduce timelines, and ultimately put taxpayer dollars to work faster.
The bill now heads to the House for consideration.
With federal surface transportation funding expiring on September 30, Congress must pass a surface transportation reauthorization plan to fund the nation’s roads and bridges. Short-term extensions are costly to taxpayers and bring uncertainty to state transportation programs and businesses alike.