ATA Leaders Express Disappointment in President's Infrastructure Message

Trucking urges Congress, Obama to show vision and find highway funding

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Jan 21, 2015, 12:34 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, industry leaders with the American Trucking Associations expressed their disappointment that President Obama failed to more fully flesh out his vision for a well-funded, long-term highway bill in the State of the Union address.

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"Just mentioning infrastructure is not a solution to our nation's critical needs, and by simply bringing the topic up without details President Obama missed an opportunity to underscore the critical role our highway system plays in our economic well being," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "Now is the time, with the Highway Trust Fund set to go bankrupt in May, to show vision and leadership and most importantly, find funding, to keep that from happening. The trucking industry calls on the President and Congress to end this unnecessary uncertainty by funding our nation's infrastructure and passing a new highway bill."

The trucking industry was represented at the State of the Union by ATA First Vice Chairman Pat Thomas, vice president of global public affairs at UPS Inc. Watch this video of Thomas discussing attending President Obama's annual address to Congress: http://youtu.be/gqQ6Ab5YTn8

"It's a once in a lifetime experience," Thomas said of attending the State of the Union. "We were very pleased to have the president mention infrastructure… however we were a bit disappointed he didn't spend any more time or get into any more detail about the importance of infrastructure."

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward.

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SOURCE American Trucking Associations