AISI Applauds Committee Passage of Water Infrastructure Bills

May 6, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), today applauded the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s passage of two bills authorizing approximately $17 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct water infrastructure projects and $2.5 billion in federal authorizations to provide resources and technical assistance to communities to help meet their drinking water needs. The bills, called the American Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA) and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020, (DWIA), will now head to the Senate floor for consideration.

Gibson said, “The AWIA represents a significant investment in our inland waterways, locks, dams, and other water infrastructure which is vital to the health and competitiveness of the American steel industry and the economy as whole. Our industry relies heavily on water infrastructure to move raw materials necessary for steelmaking and to move finished steel products to market. Enhancing commerce on our waterways, as the AWIA enables, will help increase the demand for steel and create jobs.

“Also of critical importance to the steel industry is the ‘Buy America’ provision in the DWIA which would permanently ensure that all iron and steel products used for projects in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund are made entirely in the United States. While today’s committee passage of both of these bills is still early in the process, AISI will continue to work to ensure final passage and enactment of these important measures.”

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Contact: Lisa Harrison
202.452.7115 / lharrison@www.steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).