Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is urging President Trump to work with Democrats on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, arguing he could help create millions of jobs.
"We need a really robust investment in infrastructure by the government," he said during a Facebook Live interview with USA Today. "We're challenging the president — he talked about it in his campaign — to join us in this and if he does we'll work with him."
Schumer, as well as Democratic Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Sherrod Brown(Ohio) and Bill Nelson (Fla.) and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) are expected to formally unveil the infrastructure package on Tuesday afternoon.
The Senate's top Democrat said the bill will create 15 million "good-paying" jobs, while also addressing "ailing" roads and bridges, bringing broadband to rural America and bolstering veterans hospitals.
Trump floated a $1 trillion infrastructure plan during the presidential campaign, though Schumer argued on Tuesday that relying on private financing could backfire because it would create road tolls.
Democrats have repeatedly pointed to infrastructure as a possible area of agreement with Trump, and Schumer said Tuesday that Democrats are putting down a "marker" as both sides gear up to hash out the details.
"It's a challenge to the president. He ran on a campaign of a $1 trillion infrastructure bill," Schumer told USA Today. "We Democrats have always believed in this. We've been stymied by Republicans in the Senate over and over again."
For his part, American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) President & CEO Pete Ruane hopes the two sides can work together.
"It’s encouraging Senate Democrats and the President appear to have a similar legislative appetite for investing in transportation infrastructure to help grow the economy. But talk is easy," says Ruane. “Addressing the nation’s critical transportation needs in a meaningful way will require real, recurring, dedicated revenue streams that are complemented by private investment. For that reason, transportation revenue and tax reform should be an integral component of the comprehensive tax reform package being developed by the administration and Congress. President Trump’s leadership is key to making that happen."
