Washington, D.C. can be known for its partisan reputation, and we have seen many legislative failures at the hands of the different parties being unable to find common ground.
However, modernizing America’s infrastructure is the prime example of a great opportunity to change the narrative and show the American people that our representatives can put their differences aside and come together on something they agree on: fixing our nation’s crumbling roads, bridges, public transportation and other critical infrastructures.
Over the past few months we’ve seen forward-moving action on this, along with some roadblocks – the president and congressional leaders met and agreed that America’s infrastructure needs to be addressed, however they couldn’t come together on a funding option. But in more promising news, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) recently passed a five-year highway bill – a bipartisan step toward infrastructure legislation.
Despite some legislative dysfunction, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce along with a large coalition of business and labor groups have been working together over the past few years to push Congress and the president to enact common-sense, bipartisan legislation that will benefit all Americans. Below you can hear from key players in this movement:
- Chris Spear, President & CEO, American Trucking Associations (ATA)
- Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles and Tom Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Tom Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Richard Trumka, President, AFLCIO
- Dave Bauer, President & CEO, American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)
- Ed Mortimer, Vice President of Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Modernizing America’s infrastructure would drive economic growth, provide jobs, improve our quality of life and enhance global competitiveness. The business and labor communities are committed to seeing this through. Now we need leaders in Washington to do the same.