U.S. House Democrats Unveil Infrastructure Spending Bill
On June 18, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives released the outlines of a broad $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that would merge several bills into one large piece of legislation. The Moving Forward Act includes investment for highways, bridges, transit, rail, airports, ports/harbors; schools and child care; local financing and community development; housing; broadband; drinking water and wastewater; clean energy; health care; U.S. Postal Service; and environment and public lands.
Of particular interest to the metals industry are provisions that would:
- Invest more than $300 billion to fix existing roads and bridges;
- Triples funding for Amtrak to $29 billion, allowing for upgrades and expansion of the passenger rail network and improves rail crossing safety;
- Keeps cargo moving by funding the essential dredging and upkeep of American harbors, ports, and channels;
- Invests $30 billion to upgrade hospitals; and
- Creates a $3 billion grant program for shovel-ready projects to restore Great Lakes and coastal habitats and marine ecosystems.