Biden signs Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law

President Joe Biden signed the long-awaited bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law on Monday, Nov. 15.

The president was joined by members of Congress in addition to governors, mayors, labor union leaders, and business leaders.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation on Nov. 5, while the Senate voted in favor of the bill on Aug. 10. The $1 trillion 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.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) said it visited the White House today to see President Biden sign the IIJA into law.

“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.” APWA CEO Scott D. Grayson, CAE, said in a statement. “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.”

APWA says the IIJA includes reauthorizing the primary federal aid highway programs and increases overall spending $273.2 billion over five years and $11 billion for road safety.