The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has awarded honorary fellowships to four members of Congress for their efforts to pass the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), including Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.).
The IIJA was signed into law last November after months of negotiations between both parties and the White House. The legislation provides $550 billion in new federal infrastructure investments over the next five years, marking the country’s largest investment in infrastructure in nearly a century. The IIJA also addresses all 17 categories in ASCE’s 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.
“These four members of Congress worked tirelessly for months across party lines to iron out the many details of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and fight for its final passage” says Dennis D. Truax, ASCE president 2022. “They recognized that the United States cannot remain economically competitive and American communities cannot thrive without significant federal investment in bridges, water pipes, the electric grid, and other critical infrastructure assets.”
All Honorary Fellows were presented their awards this week in conjunction with ASCE’s Annual Legislative Fly-in on Capitol Hill at the Hyatt Regency.