September/October 2021 | Vol. 26 No. 5

by Phil Squair, Vice President of Government Relations, NEMA

By a vote of 69-30, the Senate passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, on Tuesday, August 10, culminating several months of bipartisan negotiations.

In the lead-up to this vote, NEMA President and CEO Kevin Cosgriff released a statement expressing support for the bill:

“NEMA Members support policies that enable forward-looking technologies and projects that help America meet its 21st Century electrical and other infrastructure needs. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act under consideration by the Senate contains a wide variety of provisions that will upgrade America’s energy and connected transportation infrastructure.

While we believe additional provisions related to the building sector are needed, enacting the bill and implementing the law quickly will expand the economy and provide employment prospects to rewarding careers. Importantly, the nation can do this in ways that protect the environment and contribute to improved quality of life for all Americans. We are pleased with the Senate’s progress towards passing this bill and look forward to assisting the Administration and States in bringing its benefits to life.”

NEMA and many industry leaders worked together with Congress to ensure that our important priorities were included in the bill. Our core principle of supporting a comprehensive and modernizing approach, rather than simply repairing roads and bridges, was achieved. Now that the Senate has passed its bill, attention once again focuses on convincing the House of Representatives to expand the scope of its narrower bill passed earlier in the year. ei