AASHTO Journal, 7 December 2012
A proposal by President Obama to invest $50 billion in the nation’s infrastructure has resurfaced as a possible item in the ongoing fiscal cliff negotiations with Congress.
Though details of the proposal have not been made public, the Obama Administration reportedly included the idea in its fiscal cliff proposal to Congress. Obama previously discussed infrastructure investments and included similar a proposal in his 2011 budget. The plan was seen most recently in September 2011 as part of his American Jobs Act pitch.
“The President’s plan includes $50 billion in immediate investments for highways, transit, rail, and aviation, helping to modernize an infrastructure that now receives a grade of ‘D’ from the American Society of Civil Engineers and putting hundreds of thousands of construction workers back on the job,” the plan states. “The President’s plan includes investments to improve our airports, support NextGen Air Traffic Modernization efforts, and resources for the TIGER and TIFIA programs, which target competitive dollars to innovative multi-modal infrastructure programs.”
Obama’s infrastructure proposal did not seem to generate much traction with House Republicans, who voiced frustration with the President regarding fiscal cliff negotiations.
“The president talks about a balanced approach, but he’s rejected spending cuts that he has supported previously and refuses to identify serious spending cuts he is willing to make today,” said House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) in a statement. “This is preventing us from reaching an agreement. With the American economy on the brink of the fiscal cliff, we don’t have time for the president to continue shifting the goal posts.”