On Tuesday afternoon, the US Senate passed the $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that would provide much-needed improvement to our nation’s roads and bridges. The legislation represents the largest federal investment for infrastructure projects in more than a decade and drew bi-partisan support in a 69-30 vote.

The bill directs $550 billion in new federal spending toward infrastructure projects across the country and will renew and revamp existing programs that are set to expire at the end of September.

Included in the bill is the following:

• $65 billion to expand high-speed internet access
• $110 billion for roads and bridges
• $55 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure, including funding to replace all of the nation’s lead service lines
• $21 billion for cleanup of superfund and brownfield sites
• $73 million for modernizing nation’s electric grid and expanding the use of renewable energy.

Funding for the investments in the package are slated to come from a combination of funds, including redirecting unspent federal COVID-19 pandemic funding.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, where the measure could prove much more divisive. House leadership has indicated that passage of the Infrastructure Bill will hinge on a sweeping $3.5 trillion reconciliation package, which currently lacks support from Republican members.

A full list of projects included in the bill can be viewed here.

GLI was proud to join Kentucky Senate President Stivers and our colleagues at U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Commerce Lexington Inc., and Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce  to celebrate passage of the federal infrastructure bill through the U.S. Senate.