Industry Orgs React to Infrastructure Bill Passage

The House on Friday passed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill by a 228 to 206 vote.

The bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.

Associated Builders and Contractors released a statement on the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in the U.S. House of Representatives:

“Passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill creates an opportunity to effectively modernize our nation’s most critical infrastructure, and ABC and our members stand ready to do the important work to bring America’s infrastructure into the 21st century,” said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. “However, ABC remains wary of some of the bill’s exclusionary provisions and statements from the Biden administration that could restrict the eligibility of America’s workers to compete for and participate in these construction projects.

“In addition, while the House voted to move forward with consideration of their partisan, reckless tax and spending bill, which was cobbled together in the middle of the night, we urge those in Congress who have expressed valid concerns about the bill’s impact on the economy and ongoing inflation throughout the country to prevent any further votes on this bill and pursue an alternate legislative approach that supports commonsense proposals, benefits our economy and creates jobs throughout the country.”

The National Association of Home Builders said it supports the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which "will make much-need improvements to the nation’s roads, bridges, broadband and public transportation network."

This bill, titled the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will help connect more Americans from their homes to their places of work and within their communities, according to NAHB.

It contains several provisions that will boost housing affordability, the organization noted.

By including Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) Energy Infrastructure Act, this legislation advances efforts to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions without stringent energy code mandates that will increase housing prices, NAHB said. 

The bill also streamlines the federal permitting process, which will minimize uncertainty in the housing approval process and make the homes that are built more affordable, NAHB noted.