The Moving Forward Act Provides Needed Funding for Infrastructure Improvements, But Measure Does More to Help Special Interests than Solve Project Needs, Construction Association Warns
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the passage today in the House of Representatives of the Moving Forward Act, which will invest $1.5 trillion in infrastructure projects:
“House Democratic leaders rightly understand the scope of the nation’s infrastructure challenges and the suggested funding levels in their infrastructure measure could lead to significant, and much-needed, improvements. However, virtually every meaningful infrastructure legislation that has been enacted in the past 65 years has enjoyed broad bipartisan, bicameral support.
“Unfortunately, today’s vote makes it clear that this measure does not have the same widespread support as its predecessors. One reason is that many of the measure’s provisions do more to accommodate the wishes of special interests than solve infrastructure needs. This could undermine the bill’s ability to boost employment and needed economic growth.
“The vote should be the start of a sincere and earnest process to craft a measure that will garner widespread support among both parties, in both houses. The end goal should be enacting a measure that will have the largest possible impact on improving the nation’s aging and overburdened infrastructure.â€