The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2022 provides funding for U.S. executive branch departments, including Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and Transportation.
Signing the $1.5 trillion 2022 omnibus spending bill into law in mid-March, President Joe Biden released the full benefits of last fall’s bipartisan infrastructure and jobs act. Not only does highway work move forward with the spending bill’s signing, but energy, maritime, transit, water and airport construction projects launch as well.
Praised by the transportation construction industry for its broad infusion into the U.S. economy for years to come, IIJA couldn’t become reality until the omnibus bill was signed.
H.R. 2471, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022” provides full-year funding through Sept. 30, 2022, for projects and activities of the federal government. Division N of the bill provides supplemental appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for Ukraine activities.
“Remaining divisions provide authorizations and extensions on a wide variety of government programs and activities,” according to a statement from the White House announcing the president’s signing.
The Act provides funding for U.S. government operations through September 2022.
This covers all executive branch departments — Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.
The FY 2022 funding bill passed the House and Senate before arriving at the president’s desk. Meanwhile, the House also passed a short-term spending measure as a Plan B in case a continuing resolution, funding the government, expired March 11.
Ending the Stop-Gap
Federal spending programs have operated under a series of stop-gap measures since Oct. 1, 2021.
Passage of the legislation came after delays and three temporary continuing resolutions designed to keep the government afloat until legislators could agree on a final product.
Congress was up against a midnight March 11 deadline before a government shutdown was set to occur.
The short-term measure guaranteed funds remained through mid-March, just in case the Senate did not have enough time to vote on the bill and get it to the president for his signature in the time remaining.
The first installment of the IIJA will not only meet the landmark federal infrastructure law’s transportation investments, but will add $4.3 billion to its record levels, according to ARTBA’s Newsline.
“It’s go time,” said Dennis D. Truax, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). “Passage of this bill releases vital funding for states and localities to implement much-needed programs to improve our nation’s infrastructure.”
The bill prevents the need for another Continuing Resolution this year and allows all funds from the infrastructure bill to be spent rather than being limited to last year’s levels, added Truax.
Opening the Piggy Bank
A $1.2 trillion investment in the nation’s infrastructure over the next five years, IIJA provides $550 billion in new transportation revenue.
“This comprehensive legislation provides a major boost for improving our surface transportation network, the energy grid, drinking water and wastewater systems, ports and inland waterways, broadband expansion and more,” noted ASCE. “The bill also includes the largest-ever investment in the resilience of our built environment, dedicating $50 billion to weatherize and harden these systems, along with creating programs to protect communities from droughts, floods and wildfires.”
ARTBA detailed how transportation programs benefit from the omnibus bill’s passage:
- Highway investment increases from $48.4…
Read More: Omnibus Appropriations Act Covers Transportation Under Funding Umbrella : CEG