The U.S. House last week passed multiple FY 2022 appropriations bills that would fund key government functions during the upcoming fiscal year. A seven bill “mini-bus” was passed by a vote of 219-208 and included the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, & Education bill; the Agriculture & Rural Development bill; the Energy & Water Development bill; the Financial Services & General Government bill; the Interior & Environment bill; the Military Construction & Veterans Affairs bill; and the Transportation & Housing and Urban Development bill.
Additionally, the House passed the FY 2022 State & Foreign Operations bill by a vote of 217-212 and the FY 2022 Legislative Branch bill by a vote of 215-207. The Senate has yet to release any of its FY 2022 spending bills. NEMWI will continue to monitor the appropriations cycle as it continues to unfold.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF)
Continues to Gain Momentum
The U.S. Senate is likely to vote sometime this week on a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal to improve the country’s roads, bridges, pipes, ports, and Internet connections that have been crafted by a bipartisan group of Senators. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal provides $110 billion of new funds for roads, bridges, and major projects, and reauthorizes the surface transportation program for the next five years. It also includes $40 billion of new funding for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, and around $16 billion for major projects that are too large or complex for traditional funding programs. It also includes $39 billion for mass transit and $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers.
The bill includes $17 billion in port infrastructure and $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs and reduce congestion near ports and airports. The bill includes a large amount for passenger rail, including $22 billion as grants to Amtrak, $24 billion as federal-state partnership grants for Northeast Corridor modernization, $12 billion for partnership grants for intercity rail service, including high-speed rail, $5 billion for rail improvement and safety grants, and $3 billion for grade crossing safety improvements. Additionally, the bill includes roughly $55 billion in new investment for drinking water infrastructure.
In addition to this package, Senate Democrats could also try to move a roughly $3.5 trillion economic package through the reconciliation process. The U.S. House passed a surface transportation bill earlier this summer.
NEMWI Launches Great Lakes Legislative Tracker To Monitor Great Lakes Bills
Updated as of August 2nd, 2021
The Northeast-Midwest Institute launched a Great Lakes Legislative Tracker in early July to identify key Great Lakes legislation in process in the 117th Congress, and the progress and status of each of these bills. Currently, 44 bills and three resolutions are being tracked to examine the attention Congress is paying to Great Lakes and water legislation.
These bills are being tracked as they advance in the legislative process. Each bill is identified by its bill number and name, a brief description, any sponsors, the committee to which it is referred, and its current status. This information is updated on a weekly basis, with a specific focus on the status and position of the bill, tracking how each bill is moving through Congress.
Among the many bills tracked, notables include H.R.2008, the “Local Water Protection Act,” and H.R.2467, the “PFAS Action Act of 2021.” Both bills have already passed the House and currently sit in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Both of these bills, if passed into law, would have enormous implications for freshwater quality both regionally and nationally.
Climate change and failing infrastructure highlight the need for Congressional action, and the Northeast-Midwest Institute will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation in the months ahead. The Great Lakes Legislative Tracker can be viewed here, and any questions can be directed to Matt McKenna at mmckenna@nemw.org.
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Monday, Aug 02, 2021 5:45 PM – S-128 Host: Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
