UPDATE 10/1/21:
The U.S. House has delayed a vote on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill after Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised a vote on Sept. 30.
According to the New York Times, both the House and Senate passed legislation to fund the government through Dec. 3. President Biden has signed the bill, avoiding a government shutdown.
Democrats in the House are reportedly divided over whether or not to pass the infrastructure bill along with a more expansive $3.5 trillion bill for social programs.
“Yesterday’s inaction on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act isn’t just disappointing—it lapses our highway, transit, and highway safety programs and halts work on vital transportation infrastructure around the country, which is detrimental to our economy and the quality of life of our communities,” Jim Tymon, AASHTO executive director, said in a statement. “We are dealing with very real repercussions. Thousands of federal employees at U.S. DOT are being furloughed and $50 billion of federal surface transportation programs supported by the Highway Trust Fund are being suspended. This is unacceptable."
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ORIGINAL POST 9/27/21:
House delays infrastructure vote to Sept. 30
U.S. House Speaker (D-California) announced that the House vote on the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has been delayed to Thursday, Sept. 30.
According to a press release from the Speaker's office, the House will begin debate on the legislation today and will vote on it by Thursday—when surface transportation authorization is set to expire. "This week is a week of opportunity, as we work to keep government open, conclude negotiations on the Build Back Better Act and advance the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework," Pelosi said in a statement.
According to The Hill, Democrats are also aiming to take up a vote on the $3.5 trillion package to expand social programs.
Speaker Pelosi last month committed to taking a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure package in the House by Sept. 27. The Senate already passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill on Aug. 10.
The bill includes $550 billion in new federal spending over five years—including $110 billion in roads, bridges, and major projects; $66 billion in passenger and freight rail; $39 billion to modernize and expand transit systems; and $7.5 billion to build a national network of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Last week, various industry associations—including AASHTO, ARTBA, and AGC—sent a letter to House Representatives urging the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
"The investments made in the package would facilitate long overdue repairs and improvements to our roads, bridges, rail, and public transportation, and other critical infrastructure, such as airports, ports, broadband, energy, and water systems," the letter states. "The investments included in the IIJA would create good-paying jobs through project construction in the short term and provide improved safety and mobility for people and goods for decades to come in every single state."
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SOURCE: The Hill | Office of Speaker Pelosi | AASHTO | New York Times
