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Congress, Administration Must Focus on Bipartisan Infrastructure Investments

AED’s President & CEO Brian P. McGuire issued the following statement from Dublin, Ohio while on the “Driving For Dealers 2.0” tour in response to President Joe Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“This evening, President Biden reiterated his desire for substantial investments in our nation’s infrastructure and other government programs. However, it’s important that Congress not take its eye off the ball. With constructive, bipartisan discussions proceeding to rebuild our nation’s crumbling physical infrastructure, it’s critical that our leaders in Washington focus on policies that will ignite job creation and economic growth as the nation continues to recover from the pandemic.”

“I’ve been traveling the country by motor coach, experiencing firsthand the poor condition of our nation’s roads, bridges and highways. Equipment dealers and manufacturers have delivered a clear message—the men and woman of the equipment industry are ready to sell, rent, service and manufacture the machinery needed to rebuild America. The time for action is now.”

“Congress and the administration must continue working in a bipartisan manner to enact legislation that will provide long-term investments in road, bridge, highway, airport, broadband, port, water systems and other projects, paid-for without sacrificing America’s productivity and international competitiveness. There’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to upgrade the country’s critical infrastructure, and Congress must not lose sight of the task at hand — growing the economy and creating well-paying jobs for all Americans.”

“Driving for Dealers 2.0” has traveled through Indiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Ohio covering approximately 2800 miles visiting AED members and making the case for infrastructure legislation.

In his speech, President Biden detailed his American Families Plan. The proposal spends $1.8 trillion on childcare, education, and family-leave programs by raising taxes, such as increasing capital gains rates and eliminating “step-up in basis”.

AED is leading the charge in Washington, pushing Congress and the administration to complete work on a bipartisan infrastructure package while warning about the negative impact of misguided tax and labor policies.

If you have any questions, please contact Daniel B. Fisher, AED’s Vice President of Government Affairs, at dfisher@aednet.org.