On June 16, a bipartisan group of senators—10 Democrats and 10 Republicans— announced an agreement on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package. The two-page plan includes $579 billion in new spending (on top of reauthorized transportation programs) to rebuild America’s roads and bridges, improve public transit systems, invest in broadband infrastructure, and upgrade our airports. Of that total, $110 billion would be dedicated for roads, bridges, and major projects. The group states the plan would be paid for in part by repurposing unspent COVID relief funds, indexing the gas tax to inflation, implementing a fee on electric vehicles, and adjusting customs user fees. Several of these pay-fors have been rejected in the past by the Biden Administration in talks with Senate Republicans led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).
While this plan does appear to have bipartisan support, the path forward remains unclear. Separately, House and Senate Committees continue to advance legislation to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs. AGC will continue to monitor these infrastructure negotiations as well as developments with surface transportation reauthorization.
For more information, contact Alex Etchen at alex.etchen@agc.org