City Leaders Hold Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, White House on Infrastructure & City Priorities

News provided by

National League of Cities

Mar 11, 2015, 01:24 ET

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- City leaders attending the National League of Cities (NLC) Congressional City Conference today held a day of advocacy for passage of a long-term transportation bill and other city priorities on Capitol Hill and at the White House. At a morning transportation briefing to Congressional staff and city leaders, NLC released a new research brief, "Cities, Towns and Common Ground," that explains need for federal support of local government decision-making to meet the needs of a 21st century transportation infrastructure. In the afternoon, city leaders are convening at a White House for a summit on infrastructure. 

"Among local officials, no federal priority rates as consistently high as transportation infrastructure.  That's because for cities, every transportation project is partnership — with other local and regional authorities, with the state, with the federal government and with the private sector," said National League of Cities President Ralph Becker, mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Despite rapid change in technology and the transportation marketplace, federal policy has remained inert. Cities are leading the charge to modernize transportation infrastructure with innovative, creative solutions. We need support from federal partners that recognize the role of local government to make the best choices for our communities," Becker added.

More than 100 city officials and Congressional staff attended an NLC Capitol Hill briefing this morning on the critical importance of passing a long-term, multi-modal transportation bill that ensures local governments have control over decision-making in their communities. Participants included:

  • NLC President Ralph Becker, National League of Cities, mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • NLC Transportation & Infrastructure Services Chair Robert Bauman, alderman, Milwaukee, Wisc.
  • NLC Transportation & Infrastructure Services Vice Chair Patrick Wojahn, councilmember, College Park, Md.
  • NLC Executive Committee Member Priscilla Tyson, councilmember, Columbus, Ohio
  • NLC CEO & Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony

Cities continue to call on Congress "go local" to pass a long term surface transportation bill that:

  • Authorizes at least six years of transportation programs and funding;
  • Enables more local control;
  • Supports innovative programs and finance; and
  • Helps to fix the Highway Trust Fund

The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

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SOURCE National League of Cities

Related Links

http://www.nlc.org/

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