Governor Kay Ivey attended Thursday’s White House infrastructure meeting hosted by President Trump and promised to work with the Alabama Legislature to ensure Alabama is ready to take advantage of the president’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan.
“I look forward to working with the Alabama House and Senate to ensure we are ready to hit the ground running once the federal infrastructure plan is implemented,” Governor Ivey said in a statement.
Governor Ivey has been a supporter of improved infrastructure investment in Alabama, which the Legislature declined to approve in the 2017 regular legislative session.
Business Council of Alabama President and CEO William J. Canary said Governor Ivey’s continued support for infrastructure improvement acknowledges its importance as part of Alabama’s economic development efforts.
“The grass-roots Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure has been promoting responsible infrastructure investment that was last increased in 1992,” Canary said in a statement. “Neighboring states have been increasing their infrastructure investment and those actions could hurt Alabama’s ability to recruit economic development.
“Governor Ivey’s support for infrastructure improvement and her response to President Trump’s infrastructure plans will return the debate to the front burner where it belongs,” Canary said.
Governor Ivey took part in meetings related to the infrastructure plan that included President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
“After today’s meetings, I am confident President Trump will put forward an infrastructure plan that can achieve bi-partisan support and will meet many needs here in Alabama,” Governor Ivey said. “As we move closer to the realization of the President’s promise to rebuild our country, it is even more evident that Alabama must be ready to do our part in helping fund these projects around our state.
She thanked President Trump for asking her to help identify priorities for his upcoming infrastructure spending plan.
“I used the opportunity to stress the need to rebuild our roads and bridges and to invest in modern infrastructure such as high-speed internet and telecommunications,” Governor Ivey said after the meetings. “I am pleased to hear that the administration also understands infrastructure is more than transportation and that it plans for investments in building schools, hospitals and meeting other government service related needs, especially in rural areas.”
Governor Ivey was one of eight governors – and the only female governor – to participate in the White House Infrastructure Summit hosted by President Trump at the White House. The event was held as part of White House Infrastructure Week.
The Trump-Pence Administration called the meeting with administration officials and 30 state and tribal leaders from across the United States to develop policies that strategically utilize federal dollars in targeted ways that incentivize state, local and private sector infrastructure investments, Governor Ivey’s office said.
Attendees participated in working sessions which explored the topics of rural infrastructure, permitting reform and expediting infrastructure, transformative projects, water infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and energy infrastructure.
The series of meetings concluded with Governor Ivey participating in a roundtable discussion focusing on infrastructure that included President Trump. “Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, and railways gleaming across our very, very beautiful land,” Trump said.
Photo Courtesy of Governor’s Office