Rep. Graves Skeptical Next President Will Act on Transportation in First 100 Days
WASHINGTON — The next occupant of the White House will look to make a “huge splash” on myriad issues, but transportation funding will not be one of them, Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) said at a conference here on July 14.
“Transportation issues are an easy thing for presidential candidates to talk about. Everyone understands it, everyone gets it. Following through on it is something completely different,” Graves said at an American Road and Transportation Builders Association conference on public-private partnerships.
“I am skeptical of any presidential candidate doing a whole lot with transportation issues in the first 100 days because they’re going to want to make a huge splash,” Graves, chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, added.
On the campaign trail, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has stressed he is highly qualified to repair the country’s deteriorating infrastructure. For the Democrats, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has proposed a five-year, $275 billion plan aimed at boosting infrastructure investments and freight connectivity projects.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the country’s overall infrastructure a grade of D-plus in 2013.
