APWA Joins President Biden for Signing of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

Washington D.C.—The nation’s largest organization of public works professionals visited the White House today to see President Joe Biden sign into law the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“The American Public Works Association worked hard to get IIJA across the finish line, and our invitation to view this important bill signing points to the dedication, commitment and bipartisan efforts of the 30,000 members who plan, design, build, maintain, operate and oversee the country’s vast infrastructure networks,” said APWA CEO Scott D. Grayson, CAE.

“From roads and bridges to better protecting communities against natural disasters to modernizing our water infrastructure network, this new law will deliver significant upgrades in every state and benefit every person

“This is the kind of consistent, substantial, and long-term investment our public works infrastructure has needed, and the commitment of $550 billion in new federal spending over 5 years represents a generational improvement that still recognizes the need for local decision making,” Grayson said.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act adds $559 billion to the federal government’s average annual investment of $650 billion and addresses the association’s public policy priorities for surface transportation reauthorization, water resiliency, and emergency management, including:

• Reauthorizing the primary federal aid highway programs and increases overall spending $273.2 billion over 5 years,
• Codifying elements of the “one federal decision” policy to require agencies to coordinate reviews and authorization decisions for major infrastructure projects and sets a goal for completing environmental reviews within two years,
• $11 billion for road safety,
• $7.3 billion for the new Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) program to make infrastructure more resilient to storms and natural disasters,
• $55 billion towards water and wastewater infrastructure,
• $5 billion to the Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water grant program to deal with emerging contaminants,
• $1 billion in grant program (FY2022 through FY2025) to help states, tribal or multistate governments address cybersecurity threats, and
• $3.5 billion for the National Flood Insurance Fund for flood mitigation assistance.

The American Public Works Association serves over 30,000 professionals in all aspects of public works who plan, design, build, maintain, operate, and oversee the country’s vast infrastructure networks. APWA’s members include employees from local, county, state/province, and federal agencies, and private sector personnel who supply products and services to those professionals. APWA membership is open to any individual, agency, or corporation with an interest in public works and infrastructure issues.

For more information about APWA, visit www.apwa.net.