SWE’s engagement in public policy plays a vital role in advancing the organization’s mission to empower women in engineering, promote equity and inclusion, and strengthen the nation’s STEM workforce. Through advocacy efforts such as Congressional Outreach Days, policy education, and grassroots engagement, SWE members help ensure that engineering expertise and diverse perspectives inform federal decision-making.
Supporting federal policy does not require being a policy expert or participating in a single annual event. SWE members can engage year-round by staying informed on legislation, sharing technical insights with policymakers, and participating in advocacy initiatives led by the Society. Federal policy directly shapes the future of engineering careers influencing workforce demand, investment priorities, and opportunities for leadership across technical fields.
One area where this connection is especially clear is infrastructure policy. Infrastructure investments affect not only the physical systems that support communities, but also the engineers who plan, design, build, and maintain them. By engaging in federal infrastructure discussions, SWE members can help advocate for policies that strengthen the engineering workforce while promoting inclusive and equitable access to these opportunities.
We want to highlight two federal bills introduced in the 119th Congress that illustrate how infrastructure-focused legislation can align strongly with SWE’s mission and values, as demonstrated on SWE’s Federal Bill Tracker.
IMPACT Act of 2025 (H.R. 1534)
The IMPACT Act focuses on improving the planning, coordination, and delivery of federal infrastructure projects by strengthening interagency collaboration and modernizing project development processes. By streamlining how infrastructure investments are managed across federal entities, the bill aims to reduce delays and increase the effectiveness of transportation, water, energy, and other critical infrastructure initiatives.
From an engineering and workforce perspective, this legislation has the potential to accelerate large-scale projects that require advanced technical expertise across the full project life cycle: planning, design, construction, and long-term asset management. These investments translate directly into demand for skilled engineers, project managers, and technical leaders.
For SWE members, H.R. 1534 represents an opportunity to advocate not only for infrastructure investment, but also for intentional workforce strategies that accompany these projects including inclusive hiring practices, workforce development programs, and leadership pathways that expand women’s participation and influence in engineering roles traditionally underrepresented by gender.
CREATE AI Act of 2025 (H.R. 2385)
The CREATE AI Act proposes the establishment of shared National Artificial Intelligence Research (NAIRR) to expand access to advanced AI tools, computing resources, and data across academic, public, and private sectors. By lowering barriers to participation in AI-driven innovation, the bill supports the integration of digital technologies into critical sectors, including infrastructure planning, design, construction, and operations.
This legislation reinforces an important policy narrative: modern infrastructure investment is ultimately an investment in people. Complex, capital-intensive projects depend on engineers and technical professionals capable of delivering innovative, resilient, and sustainable solutions. As infrastructure systems grow in scale and complexity, engineers and technical professionals must leverage data analytics, automation, and AI-enabled tools to deliver resilient, efficient, and sustainable solutions. This shift elevates the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, systems thinking, and digital leadership within the engineering profession.
Engagement of engineers in these conversations is essential to ensure that the expansion of infrastructure investment is paired with equitable access to engineering careers and leadership opportunities, particularly for women and other historically underrepresented groups in STEM.
SWE’s Role in Supporting Infrastructure Policy
Infrastructure policy sits at the intersection of engineering practice, workforce development, and national interest. Federal investments such as those proposed in H.R. 1534 and H.R. 2385 highlight the importance of aligning infrastructure growth with a strong and diverse engineering workforce ready for the future.
SWE is uniquely positioned to support this alignment by bringing data-driven insights, professional expertise, and member perspectives into policy discussions. By engaging with infrastructure legislation through formal SWE advocacy events, SWE members can help policymakers understand how funding decisions shape not only physical assets, but also the people and their careers.
Through continued advocacy, education, and collaboration, SWE can help ensure that federal infrastructure policy supports innovation, resilience, and inclusive opportunity, strengthening both the nation’s infrastructure and the engineering profession itself.
You can find these bills and more that may align with your interests on SWE’s Federal Bill Tracker.
SWE’s 2026 Congressional Outreach Days, held March 18–19 in Washington, D.C., are open to paid FY26 (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026) SWE members.
If you have questions or want to connect with others who are interested in public policy, you can post in SWE’s Public Policy Affinity Group (AG) Facebook Group or contact the Public Policy AG Leads at publicpolicy.ag@swe.org. You can subscribe to the Public Policy AG’s email updates by logging into the member portal and scrolling to Communication Preferences.
