Agricultural News
NAWG Statement on President Biden Signing the Infrastructure
Mon, 15 Nov 2021 15:42:20 CST
Today, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) into law. The $1.2 trillion package not only reauthorizes the surface transportation programs for five years, but also makes a $550 billion investment on top of existing programs.
While significant investments in infrastructure have long been elusive, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represents months of bipartisan negotiations and achieves a historic investment in our nation's infrastructure. On August 10, the Senate passed H.R. 3684 with strong bipartisan support - 69 Senators supported passaged. Last Friday night, the House of Representatives took up the Senate-passed bill and advanced it in a bipartisan vote of 228-206.
"Wheat growers recognize the important role investments in our nation's infrastructure play in getting our product to market. NAWG recognizes the hard work and commitment to bipartisanship that led to this bill becoming law," said NAWG CEO, Chandler Goule. "This once-in-a-generation commitment to infrastructure will aid in wheat growers' competitiveness on a global stage and make critical investments in rural America. Since the process began, NAWG has outlined its priorities to Congressional leaders, and called for investments in physical infrastructure that the ag community relies on and was negotiated in a bipartisan manner. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act achieved both of those goals."
Specifically, the $550 billion in new spending, includes:
• $110 billion for roads and bridges
• $73 billion for electric grid and power structures
• $66 billion for passenger and freight rail
• $65 billion for broadband
• $55 billion for water infrastructure
• $50 billion for resilience and western water storage
• $17 billion in port infrastructure
• $11 billion in transportation safety programs
• Provisions to boost ag supply chain resiliency and create a new pilot program to help address the nationwide truck driver shortage
NAWG thanks members of the Senate and House of Representatives for working across the aisle to pass this historic bipartisan infrastructure package that supports agriculture and rural communities.
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