NRMCA, Highway Coalition Join Members of Congress in Calling for Federal Infrastructure Funding

Last week, NRMCA joined other members of the Highway Materials Group (HMG) and Members of Congress in calling for passage of a trillion dollar federal infrastructure funding package to begin repairing America’s aging roads and bridges. In a press conference coinciding with Infrastructure Week and the Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In, leaders of the trade associations urged lawmakers to draft legislation to begin rebuilding critically needed infrastructure that has been left to deteriorate for far too long. They noted that with the Highway Trust Fund expiring in 2020, the time for action is now.

Speaking on behalf of NRMCA, Chairman and CEO of U.S. Concrete and NRMCA Chairman Bill Sandbrook called on President Trump, the House and the Senate to show true leadership to arrive at a funding solution.

“We are not here to point fingers – rather this is an historic opportunity. The last big infrastructure deal with dedicated user-financing was enacted in 1982. The Trump Administration and Congress have an opportunity to do something equally historic as the bipartisan deal President Ronald Reagan struck with Congress,” said Sandbrook. “However, infrastructure can’t happen without dedicated funding, and an increase in the gas tax is the only realistic option and is where presidential and congressional leadership is required. The federal gas tax was last increased in 1993. The highway and transit funds face a $171 billion shortfall just to maintain current spending. Can you live off what you made in 1993? Well infrastructure sure can’t. There is no other viable short-term option to raise the money necessary.”

Click here to read the full press release. For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.