Infrastructure Week Announces Bipartisan Congressional Co-Chairs

Senators Capito and Cardin and Congressmen Graves and Maloney are Infrastructure Week's First Congressional Co-Chairs

The steering committee of Infrastructure Week (May 16-23, 2016) recently announced congressional co-chairs to help educate and raise awareness about why "Infrastructure Matters." On Wednesday, May 18, there will be a Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, featuring dozens of mayors and local elected officials, private sector leaders, and policy and non-profit advocates who will address members of Congress about our nation's critical infrastructure needs. In conjunction with Advocacy Day, there will be an open press event at 12:30 p.m. in Rayburn 2167, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Room.

Infrastructure Week's inaugural Congressional Co-Chairs will be Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), both members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Representative Garret Graves (R-LA) and Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), both members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

"Infrastructure matters to our economy, our communities, our health, and our safety. From transportation and broadband access, to water treatment and energy development, investments in infrastructure positively impact many aspects of our lives," said Senator Shelley Moore Capito. "This is true across America, especially in my state of West Virginia. By fostering partnerships between private, state and federal organizations, we can identify innovative solutions needed to make long-term investments in America's infrastructure and move our country forward."

"America can no longer ignore our crumbling roads, bridges and water systems until they fail," said Senator Ben Cardin. "Ensuring we have modern and reliable infrastructure is a basic responsibility of government. We have an obligation to protect public health and do all we can to support economic growth and job creation, save energy and conserve natural resources. I'm proud to join this bipartisan effort to spotlight priorities in rebuilding our nation's infrastructure."

"Our nation's infrastructure impacts every American -- businesses need it to transport products; communities depend on it for their resiliency, safe drinking water and reliable roadways; and families trust it to safely get them to work and school. Yet, funding for critical repairs and upgrades has not kept pace," said Congressman Garret Graves. "In Louisiana, insufficient funding and underutilization of data-driven metrics have created the worst traffic in the country for a region its size - threatening our ability to sustain economic expansion."

"Investing in our infrastructure matters - it creates tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, boosts our economy, and keeps Americans safe and healthy," said Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. "My neighbors in the Hudson Valley have seen what happens when we fail to invest in our infrastructure - derailed trains, poisonous water, crumbling roads and dangerous bridges. In New York we've delivered billions to invest in infrastructure, but we must make public and private investments in 21st century systems a nationwide priority."

For more information on Infrastructure Week, visit infrastructureweek.org

Infrastructure Week is the largest, most diverse, non-partisan coalition of organizations dedicated to strengthening America by rebuilding our infrastructure. Critically, Infrastructure Week unites both traditional stakeholders with those whose lives, livelihoods and businesses run on infrastructure: manufacturers, retailers, passengers, travel and tourism companies, and the towns, counties, and cities home to them. The Steering Committee of Infrastructure Week is comprised of the AFL-CIO, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Brookings: Metropolitan Policy Center, Building America's Future, National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Value of Water Coalition.

The US Water Alliance is dedicated to promoting policies and programs to advance a sustainable water future for all. Established in 2008, the Alliance is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that educates the nation on the true value of water, accelerates the adoption of one water policies and programs, and celebrates innovation in water management. The Alliance brings together diverse interests to identify and advance common-ground, achievable solutions for our nation's most pressing water challenges. Our membership includes water providers, public officials, business leaders, environmental organizations, community leaders, policy organizations, and more. 

To learn more, visit: uswateralliance.org.