For Immediate Release: August 10, 2021

Contact: Mark Brueggenjohann  202-728-6014

IBEW Statement on the Senate Passage of the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

IBEW President Lonnie R. Stephenson issued the following statement following the Senate passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:

“IBEW members are encouraged to finally see bipartisan success in addressing the generational neglect of our country’s aging infrastructure. This 1.3 trillion-dollar investment in America has been a long time coming, and I am certain that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will benefit the IBEW and the communities we live in across the country. After the legislative process is finished, I remain confident that IBEW and all union workers will have access to the good union jobs the Build Back Better Plan was intended to deliver.

“We’re particularly pleased to see the investments in modernizing the electrical grid, transit, and rail, in addition to the beginnings of building out the charging infrastructure necessary for wide-scale adoption of electric vehicles, buses, trains, and trucks. We commend President Biden’s leadership in addressing climate change as an urgent crisis for our country and encourage the Biden Administration to continue supporting carbon-free nuclear energy. At the same time, I recognize that the majority of infrastructure investments passed by the Senate do include labor standards; I also hope and expect that the Biden Administration and congressional leaders will continue to push for labor standards in all infrastructure investments, particularly in the critical area of broadband expansion, so that the new jobs created will be good union jobs.

“Restoring the middle class has always been at the heart of President Biden’s ambitious plan to Build Back Better, and the IBEW is proud to stand with President Biden and Vice President Harris in fighting for the union workers who built the middle class.”  

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The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents approximately 775,000 members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.