November 30, 2021

On November 5, 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (H.R.3684) which was signed by the President on November 15. Yet another $1.2 trillion in nefarious “investments” to keep the money presses rolling. Most media sources summarize the 2740-page bill by lumping everything into spending categories, while leaving out some of the most critical data that shows what they really intend to fund. This report breaks down several key data and funding points, while drawing attention to some of the more questionable allocations.

This Infrastructure Bill also reveals how the entire transportation system is going to have control over what everyone drives including vehicle-to-grid 5G technology with kill switches installed, when they drive, access to transportation, an integrated payment system including a per-mile driving fee, the evolution of autonomous vehicles, buses, truck lines, and Amtrak’s expansion to reduce vehicles on the road. This bill boasts 27 pilot programs they want to document and roll into legislation for additional future control, and their “Build Back Better Bill” would provide the added funding for some of them, if that bill manages to get passed through the Senate.
The Nutshell Version of Prime Funding Categories

Roads and bridges – $110 billion
Power grid – $73 billion
Railways – $66 billion
Broadband internet – $65 billion
Drinking water – $55 billion
Resilience & climate change – $50 billion

Airports & waterways – $42 billion
Public transit – $39 billion
Environmental – $21 billion
Transportation safety – $11 billion
Electric vehicles – $7.5 billion
Electric buses, ferries – $7.5 billion

This accounts for $547 billion in new spending over the course of five years, or additional funding, added to their already allocated funding for highways and infrastructure projects, totaling $1.2 trillion.
Strategic National Stockpile

Stuffed inside this bill on page 2359, they are amending Section 319F-2(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(a)) to add the following at the end:

“TRANSFERS OF ITEMS – The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may sell drugs, vaccines and other biological products, medical devices, or other supplies maintained in the stockpile under paragraph (1) to a Federal agency or private, nonprofit, State, local, tribal, or territorial entity for immediate use and distribution, provided that any such items being sold are (A) within 1 year of their expiration date; or (B) determined by the Secretary to no longer be needed in the stockpile due to advances in medical or technical capabilities.”

Word Use Throughout The Bill, for Perspective

Grant is used 2,115 times
Transportation is used 1,187 times
Energy is used 978 times as opposed to “Roads” being used 900 times or “Highway” 512 times
Pilot Program is used 262 times
Cybersecurity is used 234 times
Partner is used 182 times
Resilience is used 145 times
Nonprofit is used 88 times
Stakeholder(s) is used 69 times
Smart is used 63 times
Greenhouse is used 37 times

New Councils and Task Forces Being Created

• Energy Jobs Council
• Motorcyclist Advisory Council
• Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council
• Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success Council
• Task Force on Producer Responsibilities (batteries)
• Truck Leasing Task Force
What States Are Receiving The Most Funding?

Based on the funding allocations documented in the White House Fact Sheets, the states that will benefit the most are California, New York, and Texas. Each will be receiving over $25 billion. Arizona, Oregon and Washington will each be receiving $40 million to assist with protection against wildfires. Michigan is receiving $1.3 billion to improve its water infrastructure. According to U.S. News Analysis, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and Mississippi have the worst infrastructure.

Here are the individual state fact sheets to see some of the programs or developments coming to each state. These won’t include many of the grant programs and pilot programs that are open to many states, but they break down the established funding for specific projects. They utilize a funding formula based on land mass, the number of bridges, miles of highways, transit service data, weather events, census data, and other factors, so some states receive far less than others, which doesn’t always balance out with the needed infrastructure.

Pilot Programs To Monitor

27 Pilot Programs:

• Advanced Transportation Research Pilot Program – $250 million
• Alternative Water Source Projects Pilot Programs under Clean Water – $125 million
• Apprenticeship Pilot Program under Motor Carrier Safety
• Carbon Capture Large-Scale Pilot Projects under Authorization of Appropriations for Energy Act – $937 million
• Critical Minerals: Processing, Recycling, or Development Pilot Programs – $400 million
• Data Integration Pilot Program – $50 million
• Electric or Low-emitting Ferry Pilot Program under Clean School Buses and Ferries – $250 million
• Emerging Technology Research Pilot Program – $50 million
• Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot Program under Schools and Nonprofits – $250 million
• Energy Storage Demonstration Projects Pilot Program – $355 million
• Expedited Project Delivery for Capital Investment Grants Pilot Program
• Federal Share Flexibility Pilot Program
• Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program under section 3006(b) of the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2015 – $24 million
• Lead Inventorying Utilization Grant Pilot Program – $10 million
• National Motor Vehicle Per-Mile User Fee Pilot Program – $50 million
• Open Project and Research Proposal Pilot Program – $75 million
• Prioritization Process Pilot Program under Planning and Performance Management – $50 million
• Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program under Miscellaneous – $500 million
• Rural and Low-income Water Assistance Pilot Program under Drinking Water
• Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program – $10 million
• State Incentives Pilot Program
• Toll Credit Exchange Pilot Program
• Transportation Access Pilot Program
• Use of Agricultural Commodities in Construction and Consumer Products under Bioproduct Pilot Program – $4 million
• Wastewater Efficiency Grant Pilot Program under Clean Water – $100 million
• Water Data Sharing Pilot Program under Clean Water – $75 million
• Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program – $350 million

Example #1: Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program

The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program that has $500 million in funding, is specifically for surface-transportation related business to serve minority and women business owners.

Example #2: National Motor Vehicle Per-Mile User Fee Pilot Program

This is a program to charge a per-mile user fee to “road users operating motor vehicles on the surface transportation system, and is based on the number of vehicle miles traveled by an individual road user.” They would like to demonstrate how a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee can restore and maintain the Highway Trust Fund and improve the surface transportation system.

They have designated $50 million to carry out this pilot program that will essentially result in a national per-mile fee anytime a person pulls out of their driveway.

Example #3: Emerging Technology Research Pilot Program

This program consists of research and development of advanced and additive manufacturing technologies to increase the structural integrity of surface transportation, including laboratory and test track supported accelerated pavement testing research for the impacts of connected, autonomous, and platooned vehicles on the pavement, in anticipation of increased usage of automated driving systems and driver assistance systems.