Skip to main content

AEM “great disappointment” over US Highway Bill delay

A SENIOR American manufacturing association figure has renewed his call for Congress to pass a Highway Bill – after a 90-day extension of the US federal surface transport programme was agreed by the House of Representatives. Speaking as president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and on behalf of US equipment manufacturers and the I Make America campaign, AEM president Dennis Slater said: "It has been 911 days and eight extensions since the last highway bill expired.
April 11, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A SENIOR American manufacturing association figure has renewed his call for Congress to pass a Highway Bill – after a 90-day extension of the US federal surface transport programme was agreed by the House of Representatives.

Speaking as president of the 1100 Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and on behalf of US equipment manufacturers and the I Make America campaign, AEM president Dennis Slater said: "It has been 911 days and eight extensions since the last highway bill expired. It is a great disappointment to the nearly 21,000 supporters of the I Make America campaign, U.S. equipment manufacturers, and their tens of thousands of employees that Congress must resort for the ninth time to a short-term extension to prevent our nation's critical transportation programs from shutting down.

"Because current funding expires on March 31st, there is unfortunately no choice but for Congress to pass the ninth extension of this vital national program. But enough is enough. The House must act immediately within this extension period to pass its highway bill and move to conference with the Senate.”

Slater said a Highways Bill would “immediately” create American jobs, and drive US economic growth and global competitiveness for the long-term.

Supported by the AEM’s 850 plus member companies, the I Make America campaign for a Highway Bill is also said by AEM to be backed by the memberships of like-minded associations, American business owners, and citizens and local elected officials across the US.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • “Structurally deficient” US bridges need warning signs, says ARTBA
    April 10, 2015
    A US construction sector group wants warning signs to be posted on bridges designated “structurally deficient" and in need of repair by state engineers. More than 61,000 structurally deficient bridges remain in need of significant repair, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), which analysed the US Department of Transport’s National Bridge Inventory database. However, by the end of 2014 there were more than 2,000 fewer structurally deficient structures than in 20
  • Construction industry bodies call for infrastructure investment in Europe
    May 18, 2012
    The European construction contractors and equipment manufacturers associations (the FIEC and CECE respectively) are calling for increased spending on infrastructure in a bid to stimulate economic growth. “Our industry looks forward to the implementation of the right policies and incentives to nurture sustainable growth and jobs”, said Ralf Wezel, CECE secretary general, during a recent debate organised by the European Forum for Manufacturing (EFM) in the European Parliament.
  • Increased infrastructure spending
    February 22, 2012
    With economies booming in the BRIC countries and other regions, spending on infrastructure is at a high - Patrick Smith reports As economic crisis grips much of the world, many countries are still spending billions on infrastructure to improve transportation. While the USA and Europe struggle with debt problems (and this has affected much of the rest of the world) the development of highways, airport, ports and other infrastructure is gathering pace in other regions to boost economic developments.
  • Safety measures aid workzone accident reduction
    February 20, 2012
    Everyone connected with the highway industry is involved in the efforts to cut down the number of work zone accidents. Patrick Smith reports. A few months ago, as road work resumed on America's highways and bridges, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called on drivers to use extra caution in work zones. At the same time he commended the success in reducing overall roadway fatalities in each of the last seven years.