The program focuses on 11 buildings projects, and is intended to reduce emissions associated with federal construction and promote wider adoption of environmental product declarations for building materials.
A shortage of skilled labor and material price escalation are felt in the agency's $92-billion program that includes civil works and military construction, and is "the largest we’ve ever seen,” a top official told a Senate committee.
After a decline in March, the construction industry added 15,000 positions in April, with the jobless rate falling compared to March and year-earlier levels.
Senate Democrats call Republican-backed House bill passed on April 26 as "dead on arrival," but measures in it to speed permitting could gain bipartisan support.
Competitive grant awards available to road, bridge, port, passenger rail and pedestrian facility projects follow last July's $1.4-billion distribution of formula PROTECT funding.
His peak legislative impact came from 1995 through 2001 when he chaired the "House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, during which time he shepherded the landmark TEA-21 bill that authorized $198 billion over six years for highway and transit programs.