With Truckers, Trump Pushes Big Infrastructure Funding
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
If there was doubt about the type of event that was about to take place at the White House on April 16, two large commercial trucks parked on the premises should’ve been a hint. The country’s truck drivers were being honored.
The coronavirus pandemic has created battlefields around the country where many individuals have risen to the occasion and acted heroically. President Donald Trump sought to make clear to the country, as well as the world, among the heroes are the millions of women and men delivering goods to supermarkets, warehouses and elsewhere. He referred to truckers as essential and thanked God for their contributions during the crisis.
“I know the truckers. They wouldn’t switch with anybody. It’s what they love, right? That’s why they’re good at it,” said the president, who stood alongside Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and four truckers. “Truckers are playing a critical role in vanquishing the virus, and they will be just as important as we work to get our economic engines roaring, which is happening very quickly. You watch.”
Mulero
As Trump has explained for weeks, a macroeconomic recovery should include a rebuilding campaign of bridges, tunnels and roadways critical for the movement of freight via trucks. Significant aspects of the infrastructure system require repairs. Take for instance a new report by the group representing road builders which determined that about 46,000 bridges are structurally deficient.
“We’re working very strongly on an infrastructure package. And if we could get some Democrat support, we’re going to have a tremendous — you’re going to have nice roads again, nice, beautiful roads again,” Trump said of a $2 trillion infrastructure package he proposes to fund through low-interest borrowing.
Later that day, the president reminded reporters: “A lot of bridges are in bad shape. They should have been fixed 25 years ago, and they’re still standing. They have to be fixed. So hopefully we’ll get an infrastructure bill.”
RELATED: President praises trucking industry's pandemic response
The president and Congress have approved more than $2.2 trillion to start a rescue of the economy from a dark downturn that continues to leave millions out of work. Both camps agree more needs to be done, and sound infrastructure would facilitate the flow of commerce.
However, currently the so-called Builder-in-Chief is standing alone on the issue. Congressional negotiators have not joined the president’s call to include an infrastructure package in the aid packages related to the pandemic. Assistance for health care providers and myriad small businesses has commanded more attention.
It would seem the leadership on Capitol Hill intends to take up infrastructure down the road. The need to improve freight connectivity is likely to remain there after the crisis.
Thank you to Truckers across the Country for putting in long hours and working hard to make sure the American people have food on their tables and the resources they need as we face the Coronavirus together. #ThankATrucker https://t.co/UiZWcXsZbb — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 17, 2020
Freight Corridor
The New Yorker treatment: “McConnell takes credit for recently delivering several million dollars in federal funds to the area for water-infrastructure improvements, but William Brandon Halcomb, a property manager who lives there, told me that the situation is still ‘horrible.’”
Buzz
The price of gas keeps falling amid a drop in ridership.
Favorite Tweet
We ask: What’s in a name?
Is Kellyanne just being a demagogue? Or does she really not know that COVID-19 doesn't mean it's the 19th manifestation of this disease or whatever she seems to be suggesting, but rather that it's named after the year 2019. It's a novel coronavirus. That's why it's so dangerous. https://t.co/XQ8VmqWPPl — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 15, 2020
Favorite Video
It must be an election year, because we’re hearing about Florida, Florida, Florida.
The Last Word
If you would hear the calls of my colleagues about what is happening in their districts, in their communities, you would see that it is absolutely essential for us to focus on the testing.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on April 16
We publish weekly when Congress is in session. E-mail emulero@ttnews.com with tips. Follow us @eugenemulero and @transporttopics.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing:
