Muni Minute: Congress Looks at Rebuilding U.S. Infrastructure

This week’s Muni Minute takes a look at what Congress plans to do about the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. The U.S. House of Representatives committee plans a Wednesday hearing entitled “Building a 21st century infrastructure for America.” The panel will hear testimony from prominent business and labor leaders on the ways to finance and fund projects around the country.

BARNETT: The US House of Representatives panel will hold the first hearing of the 115th Congress on Infrastructure. Its members will hear from business leaders and organised labor about what is needed to build a 21st century infrastructure for the country. The hearing comes as President Donald Trump has reportedly complained to Congress about the lack of infrastructure legislation in the wake of his $1 trillion plan for rebuilding the nations' roads and bridges.

Trump has already issued an executive order to streamline the environmental permitting process for high priority projects, although much of that process is prescribed by law. Administration officials have also reached out to states for ongoing projects that could be candidates for financing under his plan, which would use tax credits and rely on private investment. The National Governors Association recently sent the president a list of more than 300 road, rail, bridge and port projects as potential candidates. The hearing will be held on Wednesday morning, and witnesses will include executives from FedEx, Cargill, BMW of North America, Vermeer and the AFLCAO. I'm Chip Bartnett, and this has been your Muni Minute.