Just over one week after election day, President-elect Joe Biden is chomping at the bit to start his transition into office. He has begun by putting together his pandemic response team which, by all means, should be his top priority to start his term. The construction industry’s priority has been the same now for numerous presidential terms.
Infrastructure.
In its reaction to the election of Biden, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) is urging the incoming President and Congress to focus on measures to rebuild infrastructure. AGC chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued this statement.
“Congratulations to President-elect Biden and all newly elected and re-elected members of Congress. We are ready to work with the incoming administration and Congress to help craft an agenda that is focused on rebuilding infrastructure and reviving the national economy. To that end, we are eager to work with the president-elect as he and his team fashion their promised infrastructure investment proposals. In addition, we look forward to working with federal officials to craft a new, long-term highway and transit law, enact liability reform that protects honest firms from frivolous coronavirus lawsuits and pass other tax and credit measures that will stimulate economic growth and demand for construction.
“We are also ready to work with the incoming administration and Congress to ensure they understand that imposing needless new regulatory burdens and undermining the integrity of the current collective bargaining process in the construction industry will severely undermine efforts to revive our economy and efforts to expand career opportunities in the construction industry.
“The voters have made it clear they expect its national leaders to get things done. Now that the election is over, we expect President-elect Biden and the new Congress to keep their promise and dedicate themselves to the task of bringing together all parties and positions by enacting measures that will help rebuild our country.”
Infrastructure is also at the top of the list for heavy equipment manufacturers. Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) president, Dennis Slater, congratulated the President-elect with this statement.
“Equipment manufacturers congratulate President-elect Joe Biden on his election as the 46th President of the United States. We also congratulate Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on her historic accomplishment as the first woman to be elected Vice President of the United States. The American people have spoken, and democracy has won. It is now time to put aside our differences and work across the political spectrum to find common ground.
“We are grateful to the thousands of poll workers, election officials, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to count the record number of votes cast this year and ensure that the election was conducted with integrity. It is thanks to these unsung heroes that Americans can have the utmost confidence that the outcome of the election reflects the will of the American people.
“Equipment manufacturers also congratulate the re-elected and newly-elected members of Congress, governors, and other state and local officials. While there will be sharp differences of opinion on how to best govern our country and solve our most pressing challenges, there will also be opportunities to come together to strengthen our country. Our elected officials must put policy ahead of politics and work in a bipartisan fashion to get things done. This includes rebuilding our infrastructure, opening up more markets for international trade, and revitalizing rural America.
“Throughout this unprecedented public health crisis, the 2.8 million men and women of the $288 billion equipment manufacturing industry have consistently risen to the occasion to make the equipment that builds, powers, and feeds America. Our country faces great challenges in the weeks and months ahead, and we look forward to working with the incoming Biden Administration and all federal and state lawmakers to help defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild our economy.”
Biden, like so many past and current political candidates, campaigned on their dedication to infrastructure. Voters decided to put them in office based on that dedication. So, something within the realm of infrastructure should be coming our way in the near future, right?
They promised.
