AISC and NSBA would like to acknowledge the U.S. Congress for passing the $1.2 trillion, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA). This bill, if signed by President Biden, is expected to boost infrastructure investment by nearly 40%. This is a massive undertaking by the U.S. government to vastly improve infrastructure for millions of Americans from coast to coast, and of course, will be a massive boon to the steel industry.
The Act, which is slated to be signed by President Joe Biden and passed into law, will enable much-needed and long-overdue investment in our nation's critical infrastructure, including highway structures, bridges, and public transit structures. It will strengthen our economy and create well-paying jobs by using domestic fabricated structural steel to meet the demand of the future, explained Max Puchtel, AISC's director of government relations and sustainability.
"This is a collective victory," says Puchtel. "The tireless advocacy work of our members, allied steel associations and construction coalitions, and the greater steel community has finally paid off."
The bipartisan bill also contains strong Buy America provisions which will help keep funds going to American companies during the plan’s rollout. These provisions mandate that construction materials funded by the bipartisan infrastructure bill must be purchased domestically whenever possible. Construction materials must be produced in the United States, and any general waivers to the program continue to require review.
To learn more about the construction funding provided in the new Bill, please see the American Road & Transportation Builders Association's (ARTBA's) summary of the Act’s full contents.