National Governors Association Outlines Four Principles to Guide State-Federal Partnership on Infrastructure
Underscoring the importance of the state-federal partnership to build and maintain infrastructure, U.S. governors of both parties have united on four principles to guide conversations with congressional and White House leaders on legislation this year toward infrastructure funding, reform and innovation.
The National Governors Association today released its Principles for National Infrastructure Investment, which spell out the bipartisan priorities of governors.
As outlined in the infrastructure principles, governors are calling on Capitol Hill to:
• Create certainty and stability in long-term federal resources to ensure workforce and economic vitality through dedicated funding and financing.
• Fix and expand existing infrastructure and invest in resiliency and security to modernize it for future generations.
• Streamline project delivery, increase transparency, while achieving environmental protection.
• Embrace new practices and technologies that provide innovative solutions to traditional infrastructure needs.
“America’s governors have led on innovative policies to build and fund their states’ infrastructure needs, but the burden of modernizing and maintaining the nation’s infrastructure cannot be left only to states and local government,” said Scott D. Pattison, NGA CEO and executive director. “All levels of government must partner to invest in quality infrastructure and to provide for shared prosperity and quality of life for the current and future generations.”
Congress must prioritize a 21st century infrastructure package. While states are driving innovation and making hard choices, the burden of modernizing and maintaining the nation’s entire transportation, water resources and energy networks cannot be left only to the states. Direct federal infrastructure spending in 2016 was less than 0.1 percent of U.S. GDP, whereas state and local spending neared 1.4 percent. All levels of government must do their share to invest in quality infrastructure and meet our nation’s needs.
The nation’s governors agree that the country must fix and expand existing infrastructure and invest in resiliency and security to modernize it for future generations. We must attend to needs across our rural, urban and suburban areas. Infrastructure encompasses more than roads and bridges. It also includes transit, passenger rail, seaports and airports, inland waterways and electric-vehicle charging networks. It involves water and wastewater, the energy system, electricity grids and power plants, public buildings, community development and advanced communications networks.
The nation’s governors will work with Congress and the administration to move a bipartisan infrastructure package this year.
For more information on the committees of governors who led the development of these principles and recommendations, please visit the NGA Economic Development & Commerce Committee and the NGA Natural Resources Committee.
