$1.1T Federal Spending Bill Should Substantially Lift Construction

2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill triples GSA’s construction budget, more than doubles Veterans Affairs’ construction account, boosts federal-aid highway obligation ceiling

Dec 30, 2015

Construction activity will likely see a substantial lift in the coming months with enactment of the $1.14 trillion fiscal year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which increases spending for many federal construction programs and extends renewable energy tax credits for wind, solar and geothermal projects.

The General Services Administration’s construction and acquisition account scored $1.6 billion — triple its past funding — which includes $948 million for new courthouses.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ construction account more than doubled to $1.2 billion.

Infrastructure got a boost from the bill, with a 5% increase in the federal-aid highway obligation ceiling to $42.4 billion and an 8% increase in the Federal Transit Administration budget to $11.8 billion.

Funding for military construction increased 16% to $7.2 billion.

The Army Corps of Engineers civil works program received a 10% increase, to $6 billion.

(more on construction spending in the 2016 Federal appropriations . . . )