The following is a statement by Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E., President, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE):
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The strength of our nation’s infrastructure directly correlates with the strength of our economy and the health and well-being of American citizens. Tonight’s State of the Union address reaffirmed that infrastructure continues to be a top priority for Congress nearly three years after passing the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). To date, the historic legislation has provided funding to more than 40,000 projects across the nation and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is encouraged by the efficiency of the bill’s implementation.
As the address touched on, investing in our infrastructure – which supports the movement of goods and services throughout the country, keeps manufacturing plants running and emergency services operational with reliable energy, and provides clean drinking water and efficient sewage networks to keep citizens healthy – is more essential now than ever before. These systems are so integral to our daily lives and so important to business operations that we cannot afford aging systems, severe weather, or an influx of usage to threaten their dependability.
ASCE assigned 17 categories of infrastructure a cumulative grade of “C-” in the 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure and the IIJA addresses each of these 17 categories, either through funding or smart policy solutions, making it the most comprehensive infrastructure legislation in U.S. history. ASCE’s Bridging the Gap economic study, to be released this Spring, will further examine the impact of the law on the nation’s infrastructure investment gap and on GDP and costs to American households, demonstrating the impact one significant piece of federal legislation can have on the collective whole of the U.S. economy.
ASCE applauds both sides of the aisle for working together on infrastructure priorities that impact all Americans, and we are eager to continue to provide guidance on these issues to Congress and the Administration. Like President Biden said about America tonight, it’s our infrastructure that’s making a comeback and ASCE will be on the front lines driving towards a more resilient and sustainable future.
About the American Society of Civil Engineers
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE works to raise awareness of the need to maintain and modernize the nation's infrastructure using sustainable and resilient practices, advocates for increasing and optimizing investment in infrastructure, and improve engineering knowledge and competency. For more information, visit www.asce.org or www.infrastructurereportcard.org and follow us on Twitter, @ASCETweets and @ASCEGovRel.