在民主党人的房屋之后，共和党人在中期选举中扩大了他们的参议院多数，谈判已经恢复了新国会的基础设施立法。建筑业官员欢迎来自国会领导人和特朗普总统的亲基础设施言论。但它仍有待观察，这些词是否会引发可以通过分为第116届国会来实现的账单。资助包裹仍然是高障碍。

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is seeking to be the chamber’s next speaker, declared at an election-night event, “We will deliver a transformational investment in America’s infrastructure to create more good paying jobs, rebuilding our roads, bridges, schools, water systems, broadband networks … housing and beyond.”

In the Senate, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whom GOP colleagues already have chosen to remain majority leader, initially sounded encouraging notes. After speaking with Pelosi on Nov. 7, he told reporters, “The one issue Leader Pelosi and I have discussed this morning where there could be a possible bipartisan agreement would be something on infrastructure.”

Trump, too, brought up infrastructure. He said at a Nov. 7 press conference, “Hopefully we can all work together next year to continue delivering for the American people, including on economic growth, infrastructure, trade, lowering the cost of prescription drugs.”

Industry observers are encouraged by the upbeat comments. Steve Hall, American Council of Engineering Companies senior vice president, says that over the years, infrastructure has been “able to fly under the partisan radar.” Mike Strachn, a senior adviser at water-resources consulting firm Dawson & Associates, says, “What’s going for it is the widespread recognition that infrastructure needs to be addressed.” But Strachn, a former House transportation committee aide, adds, “The devil’s in the details, especially in how you pay for it.”

Infrastructure legislation won’t travel on easy street because of the amount of funds needed and parties’ differing approaches. Trump in February proposed what he said is a $1.5-trillion, 10-year infrastructure plan. It relies heavily on private investment and has only $200 billion in federal funding. In March, Senate Democrats proposed a 10-year, $1-trillion plan, all of it direct spending. Neither Trump’s nor Senate Democrats’ plan advanced in Congress.

那些德尔巴德的差异似乎仍然存在。在McConnell与Pelosi聊天之后只有一个星期，他放下了一个标记。他在11月14日告诉记者，“我认为我可以安全地说共和党人对做出900亿美元的刺激不感兴趣，我们在奥巴马时代开始。”大部分刺激都是拨款。McConnell添加了，“所以问题是，你将如何支付它？这总是变得非常具有挑战性，因为没有影响基础架构的不良方式，而不会影响很多美国人。“

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who is expected to be the new Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair, wants to produce a major bill in 2019. He’s aiming for $500 billion for highways and transit, plus funds for airport and water projects. “Infrastructure has been delayed too long,” DeFazio told reporters on Nov. 7. “We’ve got to get it done,” he added.

DeFazio noted that it will be up to the Ways and Means Committee, not T&I, to find revenue for a House bill. But he says, “I’m open to any and all options on how we get real funds for infrastructure,” he said. “But it has to be real money.” He means direct federal funding, not private dollars.

对于机场改进，Defazio希望自2000年以来筹集乘客设施费用。为工程师疏浚陆军军团，他希望国会授权支付港口维修信托基金余额。

Still, Hall is upbeat about prospects for infrastructure legislation, noting that Congress passed aviation and water bills this year. “What we’d like to do next year is much bigger obviously and a little tougher to do from the standpoint of cost and the political effort needed,” Hall says. But he adds, “If history is any judge, Congress has found a way to bridge those divides and get it done.”