Final action on a Senate infrastructure package could be a week away

Senate action Wednesday night on a bipartisan infrastructure package starts the clock on the issue but a final vote on the Senate floor could be at least a week away.

The Senate voted 67-32 Wednesday night to proceed to debate on the bipartisan infrastructure package that has been agreed to by a group of 22 Republican and Democrat senators, known as the G-22. The Biden administration also supported it.

Seventeen Republican senators voted to advance the measure.

If passed, the legislation would then head to the House, where members of both parties have expressed concerns with the package as constructed.

ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner was pleased by the Senate’s step toward infrastructure funding.

“ATSSA is very supportive of the bipartisan work done by the G-22 and the Biden administration and applauds the Senate for advancing this bipartisan infrastructure package,” Tetschner said. “We are encouraged by the framework we have seen so far, with historic investments in roads, bridges and safety being at the forefront. While this is still an early step in the process, we are enthused by the bipartisan work already undertaken and look forward to that work continuing to ensure that a final package is passed and a long-term, safety focused highway bill is enacted.”

While there has not been base text released for the infrastructure package, a framework released outlines $550 billion in new spending over five years, with $110 billion of new funds marked for roads, bridges and major projects and another $11 billion for safety.

The bulk of funding for the package would come from redirecting unused COVID-19 relief funds, with a handful of other proposed funding sources making up the total price tag.

The Environment and Public Works Committee passed the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021 (STRA), which will also be part of the larger package. That is a five-year, $304 billion bill.  ATSSA’s analysis of that bill is available for review.