issues

In 2017, it is ludicrous to think we can operate major cities like Albany, Troy and Schenectady on pipes that are older than the Rutherford B. Hayes administration. In fact, there are 12 U.S. states that were admitted to the union after many of our pipes and underground infrastructure were first built. Updating our aging and broken infrastructure above and below ground is my top priority in Congress. Many shy away from the price tag of bringing our roads, bridges and pipes into the 21st century, but the cost of doing nothing – estimated at $1 trillion per year by the American Society of Civil Engineers – far outweighs the up-front costs. Each time we see a disaster like a bridge collapsing in Minnesota or a contaminated water system ruining a generation of lives in Flint, Michigan, our economy, our schools, our businesses, and our lives grind to a halt. It’s time to get real about the challenges before us, rebuild American roads, bridges and pipes – and create quality good-paying American jobs in the process.