South Carolina Civil Engineers Give the State’s Infrastructure a “D+” Grade
September 08, 2021
On Wednesday, September 8, the South Carolina Section of ASCE unveiled the 2021 Report Card for South Carolina’s Infrastructure, the first report card ever issues by the South Carolina Section. The report assigned the state’s systems a cumulative grade of “D+” which is below the national grade of “C-.” The report analyzed eight categories of......
Hurricane Ida Wreaks Havoc, but Louisiana’s Levees Hold Firm
September 02, 2021
Throughout New Orleans, Louisiana, residents are still beset with remnants of Hurricane Katrina 16 years after it made landfall, breaching New Orleans’ levees and ultimately devastating communities, leading to 1,800 deaths. On the 16th anniversary of the tragic storm, the very same region was besieged by Hurricane Ida, which reached winds of 150 miles per......
Senate Passes Historic Infrastructure Package
August 11, 2021
ASCE scored a significant legislative victory this week with the Senate passage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The bipartisan bill passed by a vote of 69 – 30, with 19 Republicans joining Democrats. The legislation marks the largest U.S. infrastructure investment in generations; $550 billion in new spending over the......
Senate Expected to Pass Historic Infrastructure Bill Over the Weekend
August 06, 2021
The Senate is expected to pass legislation representing a historic investment in the nation’s infrastructure as early as Saturday. On Thursday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) moved to end debate on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a $1.2 trillion investment in our nation’s road and bridges, water systems, ports and inland......
Senate Nears Completion of Major Infrastructure Bill
August 03, 2021
In March, President Biden introduced the American Jobs Plan, a $2.3 trillion proposal geared to restore and upgrade the nation’s infrastructure. The introduction of the American Jobs Plan kicked off months of negotiations between the White House and key Senators from both sides of the aisle to develop an infrastructure package that could pass the......
Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Hits Speed Bump
July 22, 2021
On Wednesday, a Senate vote on the motion to proceed to the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework failed (49-51), as was expected. The procedural vote required 60 votes to open debate on the package, crafted by a group of 22 Senators for months. Luckily, the failed motion to proceed is more of speed bump than......
House Appropriators Move on FY22 Spending Bills
July 15, 2021
This week the House Appropriations Committee took steps to pass fiscal year (FY) 2022 government spending for core infrastructure programs. While the committee has not passed all 12-spending bill, lawmakers took the initial steps by passing FY22 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD); Commerce, Justice, and Science (CST); Interior and Environment; Energy and Water Development;......
House Passes Surface Transportation and Water Bill
July 01, 2021
The House has passed H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act, a $715 billion bill that reauthorizes surface transportation programs for five year and makes critical investments to the nation’s water infrastructure. The bill passed 221 – 201, with just two Republicans, Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), joining Democrats in support of the......
Washington, D.C. Civil Engineers Give the District’s Infrastructure a “C” Grade
June 23, 2021
On Tuesday, the National Capital Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its 2021 Report Card for D.C.’s Infrastructure, the Section’s first report since 2016. D.C. civil engineers gave eight categories of infrastructure an overall grade of “C”, an improvement from the “C-“ grade given in the 2016 report and a slight......
Senate Commerce Passes Bipartisan Surface Transportation Reauthorization
June 17, 2021
Last week Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced S. 2016, the Surface Transportation Investment Act (STIA). STIA is a five-year, $78 billion authorization of many key agencies at the Department of Transportation (DOT) including the Office of the Secretary (OST), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA),......