Blog: Learn about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

Overview

Passed by bipartisan votes in both the Senate (69-30) and the House (228-206), and signed into law on Monday, November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a transformative investment. It covers funding authorizations for our nation’s roads, bridges, highways, drinking and clean water infrastructure, internet access, electrical grid and transmission system, and wildlife crossing and natural infrastructure projects. It also includes notable provisions to remediate and reclaim abandoned coal mines, orphaned oil and gas wells, and Superfund sites, improve forest conditions to lessen the impacts of wildfires and better protect communities, and restore ecosystems on public and private land.

The IIJA is a bipartisan $1.2 trillion legislative package, with $650 billion of that amount paid for by existing trust funds that are automatically raised through existing taxes. That means that $550 billion is new infrastructure spending over 5 years, which includes $47 billion for new climate resilience initiatives—the largest federal investment yet to address the climate crisis.

Statement: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Signed into Law

Washington D.C. -- President Biden has signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, the largest federal investment focusing on tackling the climate crisis, setting a precedent for the protection of our communities, health, and landscapes.

Addressing the climate crisis by creating jobs, advancing environmental justice, and highlighting outdoor economies, it will enhance our existing infrastructure making it resilient against the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events with key investments to protect against droughts, heat, floods, and wildfires. Water systems, roads, bridges, power infrastructure, public transit, and railway systems will receive much-needed updates to create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly solutions. It’ll tackle legacy pollution, build a national network of electric vehicle chargers, and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.

Action Alert: Public Lands, Wildlife, and Tribes Left Behind?

Action AlertBianca McGrath-MartinezAugust 5, 2021Public Lands, Wildlife, Bipartisan Infrastructure PackageComment

Blog: A High-Level Overview of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan

What is the American Jobs Plan?

The American Jobs Plan (AJP) is the second part of President Biden’s Build Back Better initiative. Divided into three parts that include a COVID-19 package, the American Jobs Plan, and the American Families Plan, it seeks to close the gap on economic insecurity at several levels.

Introduced in March 2020, the American Jobs Plan focuses on enhancing and repairing our nation’s outdated infrastructure system that includes provisions to upgrade transportation infrastructure, broadband infrastructure, resilient infrastructure, and affordable housing. It also lays the groundwork for investments to modernize clean drinking water supplies, improve on renewable energy, and job development.

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