Brothers and sisters, we’ve been talking about infrastructure for a long time, a long, long time. We’ve been talking long enough.
It’s time for action.
We’ve got some political work to do.
You see, the politicians who say we can’t create jobs and we can’t afford safe bridges, good highways, smart energy grids and high-speed rail must be pretty ignorant about business, about real life, about the American economy.
Putting money in roads and bridges is like planting seed corn. Investing in good jobs yields a good return. When you put seed in the ground, you get something to harvest. When you put cement in the ground, you get roads. When you put steel in the ground, you get train tracks. You get it.
But if you don’t put that seed in the ground, that’s not smart. It’s not sensible. It’s not “thinking like business.” It’s cutting yourself off at the knees. And that’s what these politicians are doing to the American economy.
The American Society of Civil Engineers says America needs infrastructure dollars -- like $3.6 trillion. $3.6 TRILLION!
That’s to fix what we’ve got. We need the same amount again to build the next generation of infrastructure for America’s future.
Don’t be afraid of those numbers. This is not a sacrifice. It’s an investment. It’s exactly like seed corn. Put it in the ground. You’ll see. We’ll grow roads. We’ll grow bridges. We’ll grow an entire economy!
American infrastructure spending will be the engine of job growth our country needs. It will spur American manufacturing, because we’ll have strong Buy America provisions to make sure workers and our companies invest in America’s communities. We will be more competitive with good roads, deep seaports, transit, rail, airports, and better bridges!
We’ll build them. That’s how we build America! That’s how we move America!
Every family will share the benefit. Every community.
We’re making this an electoral issue this fall. We’re standing with business and allies and partners to make sure politicians running for office can’t dodge the consequences of inaction.
I want you to do something. Listen close. I want each and every one of you to call on Congress. Tell them the time to invest in our future is now. I want you to listen to who replies, and who doesn’t.
Pay attention to who offers solutions, and who offers excuses. You see, we don’t care what political party you’re in, if you don’t support America’s future, we won’t support you!
Because we’re going to make sure the American economy drives forward. It’ll take infrastructure dollars. That investment will be like an open door to a future real growth built on good wages, not cheap debt.
That’s not too much to ask, sisters and brothers, for the people who wake America up each day and tuck her into bed at night. That’s not too much to ask for the people who grade the roadways and lay the asphalt, who build the bridges and drive the buses. We’ll fight for what’s right. We’ll stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and we won’t sit back or stand down, and we will not be denied!
Thank you!