'I Make America' to lobby for quick introduction of highway bills

RSSA senior US manufacturing association figure said congressmen will be getting lobbied by a 20,000-strong campaign movement calling for the swift adoption of highway bills aimed at generating jobs and new transport infrastructure. Dennis Slater, president of the 1100 Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), said the “real work lies ahead” to ensure that the AEM's ‘I Make America’ campaign, launched in 2010 in support of manufacturing policies that create jobs, foster economic growth and promote American competitiveness, leads to promised legislation. “AEM will be calling upon these supporters, together with our more than 850 member companies, to contact legislators, sign petitions and engage across social media to urge the House and Senate to pass their bills and quickly reach a bipartisan agreement in conference,” said Slater. "While we are encouraged to see that House and Senate leadership recognize the critical importance of moving infrastructure investment legislation through their chambers, the real work lies ahead. There are significant differences in the House and Senate highway bills that must be resolved in conference. "House and Senate leadership and conferees will need to put partisanship aside and work together to quickly achieve an agreement on a comprehensive, fully funded highway bill to send to President Obama before the stopgap extension expires next month. "There is no single piece of legislation now before Congress that will do more to immediately create American jobs and sharpen our global competitiveness. U.S. businesses are suffering and millions of Americans are still out of work. The finish line is now in sight, and it will take the commitment of both political parties and both Houses of Congress to successfully cross it. "On behalf of America's equipment manufacturers and the tens of thousands of people they employ nationwide, today we call on Congress to work together to pass this critical legislation."