Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, jkamm@steelworkers.org
(Pittsburgh) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway issued the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which would provide roughly $1 trillion for upgrading the nation’s critical infrastructure:
“The USW applauds the U.S. House for passing this monumental bill, paving the way for a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.
“Robust investment, coupled with strong domestic procurement provisions, will help American workers, including hundreds of thousands of USW members, not only by making their communities safer but by promoting widespread job growth and economic opportunity.
“Our members stand ready to produce the essential building blocks of a modern infrastructure, as we begin making long-overdue upgrades to the nation’s roads, bridges, broadband, public transit, ports, power grids, and more.
“Our elected leaders have long promised this kind of transformational infrastructure investment but ultimately failed to deliver. Now, thanks to President Biden’s vision and leadership, Congress has finally come together and passed bipartisan legislation that will directly benefit American workers and ensure a brighter future for generations to come.
“We now look forward to working with the administration and our congressional leaders as they address needed investments in our nation’s social infrastructure, making the rest of the president’s Build Back Better agenda a reality.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.