President’s State of Union Lays Out Infrastructure Vision
January 31, 2018
President Trump unveiled his much-anticipated infrastructure plan for the nation in his first State of the Union address last night, asking Congress to produce a bipartisan package that generates at least $1.5 trillion in investment. He put an emphasis on need for federal dollars to be leveraged by state and local government funding, as well......
Engineers Encouraged by President’s Focus on Infrastructure During State of Union Address
January 30, 2018
The following is a statement by Kristina Swallow, PE, President, American Society of Civil Engineers on President Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress on Jan. 30, 2018: “A year into his Presidency, the American Society of Civil Engineers is pleased that President Trump has focused national attention on improving our roads, bridges, and......
Public-Private Partnerships, A Tool in the Toolbox
January 23, 2018
Partnerships between public agencies – federal, state, and local – and private companies are an increasingly popular infrastructure financing policy tool. As public budgets continue to be squeezed; public-private partnerships (P3s) allow planners and policymakers more breathing room to invest. P3s can be an effective financing mechanism through tools such as municipal and private activity......
Federal Investment in Infrastructure: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship
January 12, 2018
America’s infrastructure network is the backbone of our economy. Every day, our roads, bridges, rails, inland waterways, transit systems and more move millions of people and goods from origin to destination. Infrastructure enables us to get to work, school, and leisure activities, and facilitates trade. The role infrastructure plays in supporting the economy and preserving......
Must Haves for a Federal Infrastructure Bill
January 10, 2018
The anticipation for the Administration’s Infrastructure Proposal is mounting, as reports indicate Republicans discussed it at a retreat at Camp David and the White House hosted a bipartisan meeting to share more about what they will release. To address our nation’s infrastructure needs, we need an additional $2 trillion worth of investment across all levels......
The Intersection of Infrastructure & Technology
November 17, 2017
This week, ASCE participated in a series of panels highlighting the increasing interconnectivity of technology and infrastructure. The Hill’s Digitalizing Infrastructure “Digitalizing Infrastructure” examined how new technology is transforming investments in everything from energy to transportation infrastructure. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discussed the......
Congressman Larson Introduces the “America Wins Act”
November 14, 2017
Earlier this month, Congressman John Larson (D-CT) introduced H.R.4209, the America Wins Act – a bill which would invest $1 trillion, through taxing harmful pollution, in our infrastructure over a decade. Under this legislation, $400 billion will be invested in existing federal highway programs and eliminate the $138 billion Highway Trust Fund (HTF) shortfall; $100......
Legislation to Create National Infrastructure Bank Reintroduced
June 02, 2017
Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), along with seven other bipartisan cosponsors, recently introduced S. 1168 – BRIDGE Act to establish a national infrastructure bank to give state and local governments another tool in the toolbox for financing infrastructure projects. The bank would help state and local governments better leverage private funds to......
Infrastructure Week: Time to Build
May 15, 2017
The fifth annual Infrastructure Week is underway. More than 100 events are being held around the country this week, with the goal of elevating infrastructure as a critical issue impacting all Americans. Things kicked off Monday morning with an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, featuring Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Los Angeles Mayor Eric......
House Energy & Commerce Committee Holds Infrastructure Hearings
March 21, 2017
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy & Commerce Committee held hearings focused on infrastructure. Among them were two featuring ASCE members’ testimonies—both focusing on the newly released Infrastructure Report Card. These hearings came as Congress continues to consider how best to improve our nation’s infrastructure, in part because of President Trump’s interest in......