$1.2T Senate Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Braces For Hurdles

Transportation and Infrastructure attorney Michael Friedberg spoke with Law360 about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The $1.2 trillion senate bipartisan bill is intended to rebuild the nation's crumbling infrastructure with modernized highways, roads, bridges, railways and transit systems.

Mr. Friedberg said that it's encouraging to see lawmakers come together to propose significant transportation investments on top of what Congress has already appropriated through traditional funding bills. "This is pretty good," he said. "Now, did the Democrats get everything they wanted? Did the Republicans? No. But this is how it should be. This is how the process should happen."

Mr. Friedberg, who also is executive director of The Coalition for the Northeast Corridor, signaled he's particularly excited about the bill's investments in Amtrak and the Northeast Corridor. "They just never had the political will to do it, and President Biden made them do it, so it's awesome," he said. "That's a big win for where I think it's needed. There was very hefty advocacy to try to get money for California, for high-speed rail and Maglev. And they put it to current [rail infrastructure]. It's really fix it first."

READ: $1.2T Senate Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Braces For Hurdles