Calls for $1.5 Trillion in New Investments/Environmental Streamlining
On Jan. 30, President Trump used his State of the Union address to push for increased investment in infrastructure, while significantly accelerating the approval process for projects. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the president did not share any of the plan’s specifics; instead, he called on Congress to act on a $1.5 trillion bill. Following the State of the Union, the White House released a fact sheet summarizing the administration’s plan. In response to the speech, AGC issued a statement urging Congress to take up the president’s call by providing for significant new investments—including addressing the Highway Trust Fund’s long-term solvency—and by implementing long-overdue reforms to the federal approval process for building infrastructure projects.
At this point it is not clear when the Administration will release its infrastructure plan.  As reported last week, a document broadly outlining their funding plan was recently leaked; this was followed last weekend by another leaked document detailing the administration’s plans for improving the permitting process and streamlining environmental reviews. The White House has not confirmed either document’s authenticity, but it should be noted that many of the items that the AGC Environmental Steering Committee put forth in late 2016 are under serious consideration for inclusion in the administration’s infrastructure package.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.