The American Chemistry Council recently released a statement in support of the U.S. Senate’s IMAGINE Act.
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) re-introduced the Innovative Materials for America’s Growth and Infrastructure Newly Expanded (IMAGINE) Act this legislative session. The bill was originally introduced in 2019.
“Innovation must be at the forefront of the effort to rebuild America’s infrastructure,” council president and CEO Chris Jahn said. “We commend Senator Whitehouse and Senator Collins for their determined leadership and for working with their colleagues to craft a bipartisan bill that will help drive investment and research in the development of advanced materials. Our members are ready to deliver the solutions for creating these advanced materials. Now we need Congress to pass the IMAGINE Act to clear the way for building a more resilient and sustainable infrastructure.”
The bill aims to help develop cutting-edge materials that could vastly improve infrastructure. It creates a task force that would examine standards and methods used to assess the federal government’s approval of materials for infrastructure projects, promote research into new materials and building techniques, and increase federal investment in bridge and water infrastructure projects that utilize innovative materials. The priority would be given to rural and coastal projects.