President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) are the 2022 recipients of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s (ARTBA) highest honor—the “ARTBA Award.” The historic infrastructure bill signed into law last year was the most significant legislation approved in this Congress to date.
Established in 1960, the ARTBA Award recognizes outstanding contributions that have advanced the broad goals of the association. Recipients have included governors, more than 25 U.S. senators or representatives, two U.S. secretaries of transportation, and dozens of top leaders and executives from government and the transportation construction industry private sector.
The president and senator are recognized for their leadership and willingness to work across the aisle to complete the landmark Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The November 2021 enacted law includes a five-year, $450 billion reauthorization of federal highway, public transit, and highway safety programs. It represents the largest increase in federal surface transportation investment in 65 years.
President Biden barnstormed the country advocating for major new infrastructure investments and his staff worked closely with groups of Republican and Democratic senators, led by Sen. Portman, to develop a rare bipartisan policy consensus. Portman’s approach was critical to helping secure 69 votes for final Senate passage.
The president signed the IIJA November 15 at a ceremony on the White House South Lawn.