In State of the Union, Cities Call on President to Prioritize Infrastructure

WASHINGTON – February 4, 2019 – Ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union address, America’s cities, towns and villages call on the president use this opportunity to set an ambitious agenda that prioritizes rebuilding and reimagining America’s infrastructure. The National League of Cities (NLC) and local leaders from cities of all sizes stand ready to work with federal partners to pass comprehensive, bipartisan infrastructure legislation that will serve local communities for the next 100 years.

“America’s cities, towns and villages call on President Trump to use his State of the Union Address to set a forward-thinking agenda that prioritizes investing in the nation’s infrastructure,” said NLC President Karen Freeman-Wilson, mayor of Gary, Indiana. “Local leaders urge the president to fulfill his promise to fix America’s infrastructure. We need our federal leaders to work together to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package that works with cities to rebuild our country and strengthen local economies. This critically important work must start now.”

Local leaders know our infrastructure challenges firsthand. Our residents depend on us to make sure our roads are safe, our water is clean and our communities are resilient. Now is the time for Congress and the president to come together and pass an infrastructure package that rebuilds our country and strengthens our economies.”

Local leaders are speaking out on the need for an infrastructure bill this year. Last week, leaders of NLC’s federal advocacy committees, who represent cities ranging in population from 15,520 to 2.3 million, shared their views for what they want to hear from President Trump on infrastructure.

NLC’s Rebuild With Us campaign has prioritized 50 ways Congress and the administration can work with cities to fix the infrastructure crisis in five key areas:

1. Modernizing transportation infrastructure
2. Investing in community workforce
3. Updating broadband infrastructure
4. Improving water infrastructure
5. Supporting community resilience

NOTE TO EDITORS AND REPORTERS:

• Tuesday, Feb. 5: NLC President Freeman-Wilson and CEO Clarence Anthony will participate in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce event “America’s Infrastructure: Time to Invest.”
• Thursday, Feb. 7: NLC will host City Hall 101: The Role of Cities in Moving America Forwardat the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, which will include remarks from Rep. Dan Kildee, city leaders and NLC experts. This briefing is open to the public and will explore the importance of local priorities and perspectives in crafting federal legislation on infrastructure. Media may RSVP here.