President Signs Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: What's Inside.

• Author: Thomas, Michael
• Position: FEDERAL UPDATE - President Joe Biden

On November 15, 2021, after months of setbacks and deep uncertainty, the president signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The highly anticipated bill authorizes $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending, of which $550 billion will go toward "new" investments and programs. Also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF), the bill spent the summer working its way through tense meetings between the White House and Senate as policy leaders searched for a compromise. The Senate passed the IIJA in August, and after weeks of pushing back deadlines, the House passed it on November 5.

What's in IIJA

IIJA funding is expansive in its reach, addressing energy and power infrastructure, access to broadband Internet, water infrastructure, and more (see Exhibit 1). Some of the new programs funded by the bill include:

* $7.3 billion, Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost Saving Transportation program (PROTECT)

* $5 billion, National Infrastructure Project Assistance grant program

* $1.3 billion, State and Local Cybersecurity grant program

* $12.5 billion, bridge investment program

Further specifics on what programs and priorities will receive funding include:

* $176 billion, roads, bridges, and railways

--Funds new, dedicated grant program to replace and repair bridges and increases funding for the major project competitive grant programs. Bill maintains the 90/10 split of federal highway aid to states.

--Expands access to Surface Transportation Block Grant by adding a category for communities with populations between 50,000 and 200,000.

--Provides funding for Amtrak.

--Increases funding for rail safety measures.

* $73 billion, power grid

--Creates Department of Energy (DOE) competitive grant programs for bolstering resiliency of the electric grid and modernizing energy infrastructure.

--Creates new DOE revolving loan fund for replacing or enhancing power transmission lines.

* $65 billion, broadband access

--Funds the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, which funds broadband and the closing of the "digital divide."

* $55 billion, water infrastructure

--Provides funding for small public water system sustainability program.

--Funds the replacement of lead service lines through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

* $39 billion, public transit

--Increases cap for available federal assistance for Capital Investment Grants, Transportation Infrastructure...