Two U.S. equipment industry trade groups are launching an effort to get House and Senate candidates from across the country to commit to making surface transportation and water infrastructure investment a top priority in the next session of Congress.
The Infrastructure Campaign Pledge is part of the Start Us Up USA! national grassroots campaign led by the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). In the past year, the Start Us Up USA! campaign has coordinated five rallies and caravans of “idle equipment” in major cities. The rallies highlighted the dire economic conditions in the equipment industry and the need for sustained and substantial investment to address the nation’s highway and water infrastructure needs.
Start Us Up USA! will send the Infrastructure Campaign Pledge to every candidate for the U.S. House and Senate. The pledge gives them the opportunity, if elected, to publicly commit to supporting robust federal investment in surface transportation and water infrastructure programs. Such programs would create jobs, spur economic growth, ensure the country’s global competitiveness, protect public safety and the environment, and create a better quality of life for every American.
“The next Congress must lay a solid foundation for America’s growth and economic future, while creating a cleaner environment and a better quality of life for all,” said AED president and CEO Toby Mack. “Support for America’s infrastructure not only brings a bounty of long-term rewards, but yields immediate benefit by jump-starting a struggling economy and creating much needed jobs.”
The pledge, said AEM President Dennis Slater, “communicates to candidates that we need action now on building needed infrastructure and boosting job creation. Candidates for the 112th Congress must take the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to building America’s future by signing the pledge. Those seeking to serve through higher office must lead the way in securing sorely needed investments for our roads, bridges, and water systems.”
As candidates sign and return the pledge, their names will be added to a growing list of leaders who recognize that America’s future prosperity is directly tied to a modern infrastructure system.
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