The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, which supplies machinery to the construction industry, is applauding President Obama for recognizing the vital importance of infrastructure investment to the long-term strength and competitiveness of the United States. “What America needs — and what voters want — is the Administration and Congress to work in partnership right now to finally pass a transportation reauthorization bill that will address longstanding safety and quality issues, and put Americans back to work,” according to a release from the AEM.

Investing in the rebuilding and modernization of the nation’s roads, railways, runways and transit systems is a strategy that Democrats and Republicans alike should support, the group says. “Instead, Congress has let a six-year bill expire while America falls behind other nations that are building infrastructure for future competition in the global marketplace. In the short term, this has and will continue to cost American jobs. In the long-term, it will cost us our competitive advantage — and even more jobs,” the release says.

It continues, “While the President’s plan for an Infrastructure Bank and increased capacity in our infrastructure system is an important step, Congress has the opportunity to act now on transportation reauthorization that will result in immediate job creation. We need a strategic vision for modernizing our country’s infrastructure, and leaders with the courage to make it happen. We need Congress to pass a transportation bill, and they need to come together on a robust, multi-faceted and sustainable way to pay for it, including consideration of a user fee increase. Maybe this is not the most popular policy stance in an election year, but there is no such thing as a safe road built by American workers for free.”

AEM is a North American-based international trade group for the off-road equipment manufacturing industry in the global marketplace. AEM membership comprises more than 800 companies and 200-plus product lines in the agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors worldwide. AEM is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has offices in Washington, D.C., Ottawa, Beijing and Brussels.