ASA Defends General Services Administration (GSA)’s Infrastructure Funding
ASA participated in an initiative to defend the General Services Administration (GSA)’s funding for innovative US-made construction materials, specifically low-carbon cement, asphalt, steel, and glass. In a letter to Senate and House Leadership, we requested Congress to maintain the $2.15 billion already allocated to the GSA via Sec. 60503 of Public Law 117-169 to acquire and install low-embodied carbon construction materials, including concrete, asphalt, glass, and steel. Maintaining this investment through infrastructure projects will support domestic manufacturing, American innovation and competitiveness, and create economic growth.
GSA selected approximately 150 projects in over 40 states to receive this funding, ranging from expanding lanes and bridges at Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs) to making repairs to courthouses and facilities serving veterans and law enforcement. The purpose of this funding is to improve the nation’s infrastructure and demonstrate the viability of new products entering the market as a result of American innovation and investments in domestic manufacturing. It is estimated that this program will support over 6,000 jobs annually.
As with all GSA projects, direct federal procurement is subject to the Buy American Act, ensuring the creation and maintenance of jobs within the United States. By creating demand for these materials, the federal government provides market certainty for companies working on-shore or re-shore manufacturing. Any policy rollback could lead to stranded investments, economic setbacks, and job losses. Maintaining and increasing domestic manufacturing will reduce reliance on imported goods and enable producers to increase exports globally.
Among other projects, GSA is allocating a major portion of this funding on 39 projects along the northern and southern borders, addressing border protection as a national priority. Spread across eleven states, including Texas, Arizona, Idaho, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Alaska, updates and expansions to LPOEs are crucial for US Customs and Border Protection’s mission. For example, in Douglas, Arizona, the funding will be used to modernize an existing facility and build a new facility for commercial inspection operations, which will improve efficiency and safety by streamlining traffic flow, reducing wait time, and enhancing border security.
The combined budgets for the Douglas projects are approximately $450 million. Should Congress rescind the approved funding for acquiring and installing low embodied carbon construction materials, about $185 million (more than 40% of the total project cost) will be lost, requiring revisions to the project scope and potentially restarting solicitations. This would result in unnecessary costs to the federal government, businesses, and taxpayers, along with significant delays.
Some projects rely on this funding for substantial portions of their total budget. Examples include ~50% of the funding for the Dunseith LPOE Inspection Facility’s modernization project in North Dakota, close to 100% of the Howard Metzenbaum Courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Minton Capehart Federal Building in Indianapolis, Indiana. A disruption would have ripple effects across the supply chain and economy, delaying essential infrastructure and endangering services relied upon by American businesses and families, while creating uncertainty for manufacturers, workers, and customers.
Supporting the distribution of these appropriated funds enables the GSA and Congress to strengthen domestic infrastructure, encourage American manufacturing and innovation, and promote national security. Preservation of this critical source of funding is urged.