NLC Applauds House Passage of Build Back Better Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On November 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act. Following the vote, National League of Cities (NLC) CEO and Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony issued the following statement:  

“Together, the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Build Back Better Act (BBBA) will provide investments, opportunities and economic growth critical to sustained recovery for communities across the country. The Build Back Better Act includes key priority areas NLC championed, including programs to support workforce development, increase housing affordability and improve climate resilience.

As local communities begin using funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), our already limited infrastructure workforce will be strained. We need the workforce development funding in the Build Back Better Act to ensure workers are ready and qualified to complete the long list of overdue infrastructure projects cities, towns, and villages face. We urge the Senate to quickly pass the Build Back Better Act so cities can leverage the full opportunities of the infrastructure investments coming their way.”

In an analysis of the current infrastructure job market, a National League of Cities report found that three in 10 infrastructure jobs are hard to fill, underscoring the need for Congress to include significant funding for workforce development in the ongoing budget reconciliation process. The report, Hard-to-Fill Infrastructure Jobs: A Challenge to Building Our Future, notes that without such investments, the labor market will be challenged to absorb the immense anticipated demand resulting from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

To read the full Hard-to-Fill Infrastructure Jobs: A Challenge to Building Our Future report and to explore infrastructure jobs data by Congressional District with NLC’s new data tool, click here.