Dive Brief:
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The $1.1 trillion funding bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed last week to avoid a government shutdown includes deep cuts to federally funded construction.
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While allotting $106 billion for federal construction in fiscal year 2015, the bill slashed construction accounts by nearly $5 billion from 2014 levels, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
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Among the measure’s casualties is military construction, which will be down by more than 40%, according to the legislation, while the U.S. Army Corps Civil Works Program will be among the highest-funded construction programs whose money depends on the annual appropriations process, AGC estimated.
Dive Insight:
Less than two weeks ago, the Census Bureau reported that government spending on roads and other infrastructure construction in 2014 topped spending in 2013. Still, more of the growth in spending was at the state and local levels than at the federal level.