On Aug. 10, the Senate passed a $1 trillion infrastructure package called the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act (H.R. 3684) by a vote of 69-30.
The product of several months of negotiation between a group of bipartisan senators and the White House, the legislation contains extensive investments in traditional physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, electric grid updates, clean drinking water, and other projects. It also provides $65 billion for broadband expansion. To pay for these investments, it includes several offsets, including an extension of the Medicare sequester into 2031. Notably, the legislation ultimately does not include a clawback of remaining resources in the Provider Relief Fund — something that the AAMC and other hospital and health system groups urged Congress to avoid [refer to Washington Highlights, July 1].
The INVEST in America Act must also be passed by the House. The outlook and timeline for House consideration, as well as whether the House will amend the Senate package, remain unclear.