U.S. Chamber's Donohue Addresses 32nd Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference

U.S. Chamber's Donohue Addresses 32nd Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference
Lays Out Robust Transportation Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a video address today to the Kentuckians for Better Transportation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue rallied attendees to urge their Members of Congress to focus on maintaining, modernizing, and expanding the nation's transportation infrastructure.

"America's competitiveness, safety, and mobility require a sound infrastructure system," said Donohue. "It's the platform on which our economy rests. The system shapes the future. If we let it crumble beneath us, our economy will go down with it."

"The great irony is that infrastructure should be a no-brainer," continued Donohue. "It creates jobs. It builds lasting assets. It enhances our global competitiveness. It improves our quality of life. If ever there is an issue that should enjoy bipartisan support, it should be infrastructure investment. Unfortunately, some of our elected officials would rather make it another political football. I'm telling you today that if elected officials are out there saying that these critical investments are 'wasteful spending' they are dead wrong. That's an anti-business, anti-jobs, anti-growth message that the Chamber won't stand for.

"Businesses, families, and our economy rely on a well-maintained infrastructure system. It's the heart of our economy. If we want jobs, prosperity, and to remain number one in the world, we've got to get this right."

Donohue outlined the robust transportation agenda that Congress needs to tackle in 2010—reauthorization of highway, transit, aviation, and water resources infrastructure laws—and identified three requirements to fulfill the vision of a well-funded, well-maintained, connected infrastructure system:

1. Sense of Urgency: The notion that Congress should postpone work on major infrastructure bills until it's finished with health care and climate change, or even after the mid-term election is a bad idea. This is part of Congress' fundamental business and there's no excuse for delay. We're shortchanging job creation, safety, mobility, and our competitiveness.
2. More Resources: All funding and financing options need to be considered, from increasing federal gas taxes for highways and transit, to unlocking new sources of capital by encouraging direct private investment and public-private partnerships across all infrastructure. "Finding the money is primarily a problem of political will," said Donohue.
3. Cutting Red and Green Tape: Consistency and expediency in the permitting and siting processes is imperative—we need those jobs. The Chamber is prepared to work with governments at all levels to remove these unnecessary barriers.

The Chamber's Let's Rebuild America initiative is educating the public about the importance of infrastructure investment, mobilizing grass roots support at the state and local level, and building the best arguments through sound research. The Chamber will continue to aggressively press Congress to address the reauthorization of the highway and transit bill, the Water Resources Development Act, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Donohue's full speech is available at: /press/speeches/2010/100121transtjd

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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