The Democrats and President Trump emerged from a meeting on Tuesday saying they agreed to go “big and bold” in pursuit of a $2 trillion infrastructure plan, though they did not discuss how the package would be funded.
This story originally appeared in Trade Only Today.
Republican lawmakers — who control the Senate and were not invited to the meeting — are unlikely to support a $2 trillion infrastructure bill, and have warned that a major new federal infrastructure program would increase the federal deficit and deepen local governments’ reliance on the federal government, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Still, the National Marine Manufacturers Association expressed optimism at the meeting’s outcome, saying that “crumbling blue-green infrastructure jeopardizes economic contributions of the outdoor recreation economy.”
“With a D-plus rating from America’s top engineers, the deterioration of our infrastructure is jeopardizing the economic contribution of industries that rely on access to roads, bridges, and waterways,” said Nicole Vasilaros, NMMA senior VP of government and legal affairs, in a statement issued Tuesday night.
Vasilaros emphasized the 35,000 businesses and 691,000 jobs supported by the recreational marine industry, and the $734 billion that the overall outdoor recreation economy contributes to the gross economic output.
Trump and Democratic leaders “pulled a surprise” by reaching the deal to pursue the package despite rising tensions over congressional probes and debates over impeachment, wrote The Hill.
