On October 20, the Senate failed to advance, 50-50, an individual piece of the American Jobs Act, (S 1723), which would have provided $35 billion to state and local governments to preserve teacher and first responder jobs. The $35 billion would have been paid for via a 0.5 percent surtax on incomes over $1 million dollars. Earlier this month, the Senate failed to approve the entire $447 billion American Jobs Act. The Senate is scheduled to take up the infrastructure portion of the American Jobs Act in early November, as they are in recess this week. This portion of the bill would provide $60 billion in funding, $50 billion of which would go for infrastructure projects, while $10 billion would be set aside to use as founding capital for a national infrastructure bank. The funding would be paid for via 0.7 percent surtax on incomes over $1 million. Specifically, the $50 billion for infrastructure would go towards:
$2 billion for airport development grants, plus $1 billion for the Federal Aviation  Administration to advance its NextGen air traffic control system upgrade.
$27 billion for highway and rail projects.
$4 billion specifically for passenger-rail upgrades, including some high-speed rail projects, and $2 billion for Amtrak to upgrade and replace equipment and infrastructure.
$3 billion to capitalize public transit projects, with another $6 billion for “fixed guideway” light rail and electric trolley buses, as well as bus systems.
$5 billion for competitive grants available for any transportation additions and upgrades.
Additionally, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also intends to bring up two other individual pieces of the American Jobs Act, with the first focusing on reducing payroll taxes and the second piece centering on extending longer term federal unemployment benefits, which are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. While passage in the Senate of any of these provisions remains unclear, any provision would also need to be approved by the House.

Link: The American Jobs Act