WASHINGTON, DC – Co-Chairs of the Congressional Building Trades Caucus, Congressmen Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and David B. McKinley P.E. (R-W.Va.), along with the North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU), discussed the need for infrastructure investments at a press conference on Capitol Hill as part of Infrastructure Week 2019.

“There’s been talk about infrastructure investments in Washington, without real, agreed-upon actions to build. We need to change that, invest, and grow the high-skilled, high-wage jobs that America needs,” said Congressman Norcross. “The work of the Building Trades Caucus is to invest in our greatest resource – the American worker, and there is no better way to lift up workers, boost our economy and make our communities safer than building for our future. We’ve done it in the past; after World War II, our country created the best interstate highway system known to man and the infrastructure investments set the stage for our post-war economic growth. We must do that again and build for tomorrow.”

“As an engineer, I understand how America’s construction and building trades helped build this great country," said Congressman McKinley. “We must have a comprehensive infrastructure plan that includes updating building standards, investment in our infrastructure, and focuses on helping address the skills gap. In March, we had more than seven million job openings, 30 percent of those were construction related. Without adequate funding and a trained workforce, our infrastructure will continue to crumble.”

“America’s decline in and lack of infrastructure investment is jeopardizing safety and public health, stunting long-term economic growth, weakening national security and forsaking millions of well-paying jobs for Americans,” said NABTU President Sean McGarvey. “NABTU stood today with the Building Trades Caucus and many members of Congress because all of us know the time for bipartisan action is now. Today’s event showed there is the political will and bipartisan support to do it. Congress and the President must act to invest in our communities now.”

About the Congressional Building Trades Caucus

In March 2016, Rep. Norcross, an electrician by trade, joined with Rep. David B. McKinley P.E., who spent decades in the construction industry, to launch the Congressional Building Trades Caucus. The bipartisan effort brings together Members of Congress from both sides of aisle to discuss issues that affect the millions of men and women who work in the construction industry.

The Building Trades Caucus focused on infrastructure in the 115^th Congress and educated members about the  American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, which rated America’s infrastructure a D+. 

About the NABTU

NABTU is dedicated to the stability of employment and economic security of organized construction workers in North America. The private investments made by our unions and our signatory contractors have created the most renowned apprenticeship training and education infrastructure found anywhere in the world. NABTU also works in close partnership with a wide array of industries to seek and secure a wide array of public policy challenges that lead to greater economic development across America.

To learn more about the founding of the Building Trades Caucus, click here for an op-ed co-authored by Norcross & McKinley in 2016.

###

Contact:
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov (Norcross)
amanda.hyman@mail.house.gov (McKinley)