Enough Talk on Infrastructure: It’s Time for Action

WASHINGTON – May 21, 2019 – Tomorrow, President Trump and Congressional leadership will meet at the White House with the goal to reach an agreement to fix America’s infrastructure. In advance of the meeting, National League of Cities (NLC) President Karen Freeman-Wilson, mayor of Gary, Indiana, released the following statement:

“We are at a critical crossroads that will determine the future of our country. Congress and the president have a simple choice to make: Rise above partisan differences and work together to make an infrastructure package a reality, or miss the opportunity to put America’s needs first.”

“One choice brings our nation into the 21st century, creates jobs and strengthens our economy. But if we choose to do nothing, the cost of inaction will be paid by the people in our communities. Traffic-clogged roadways, toxic drinking water systems and glacial broadband speeds are hurting our health and economic potential. The fix is straightforward: We need federal infrastructure investments that go directly to the communities that need them most.

“Now is the time for decisive action. The American people need our federal leaders do the right thing and invest in our infrastructure. There are no partisan points to win or lose — America wins when we rebuild our infrastructure, and our future depends on it.”

Cities, towns and villages have long called for a comprehensive infrastructure bill. Most recently, NLC and its members participated in Infrastructure Week (May 13-17) by hosting events, discussions and advocacy efforts to call attention to local infrastructure needs.

NLC’s Rebuild With Us campaign has prioritized key ways our federal partners can work with local leaders to address the ongoing infrastructure crisis.