Secretary Perdue Applauds Trump Infrastructure Agenda, Benefits to Rural America
(Washington, D.C., February 12, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today praised the infrastructure agenda laid out by President Donald J. Trump, specifically its emphasis on investment in rural America. The plan calls for 25 percent of new federal funds to be dedicated to rural infrastructure needs, as prioritized by state and local leaders.
Perdue issued the following statement:
“President Trump has made it a priority to rebuild our infrastructure since the day he took office and he has followed through on that commitment. No area of the country needs investment in infrastructure more than rural America. With a quarter of the new federal money heading to rural parts of the country, states will have the ability to expand broadband access, increase connectivity, rebuild roads, and supply affordable utilities. Importantly, states will have the flexibility to choose which projects will best meet their unique needs.
“Our Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity, which President Trump created on my first day as secretary of agriculture, identified infrastructure – and specifically access to high-speed Internet – as a key area where rural America must improve. In my travels across the country, I have heard from the people in the Heartland, and the overwhelming view is that this is just the type of investment they are looking for to help create jobs, improve education, improve the quality of life, and increase overall prosperity. Once again, by his words and deeds, President Trump is proving that he has rural America close to his heart.”
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DENVER—The Trump administration released its long-awaited infrastructure plan, as well as its proposed budget for FY2019. In response, the Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Executive Director Jennifer Rokala:
“The Trump administration just landed a one-two punch on our national parks and public lands. The president’s infrastructure plan would facilitate the privatization of entire national parks, opening the door to an outright sell-off of America’s public lands.
“At the same time, President Trump and Secretary Zinke want to cut the Interior Department to the bone, slashing the budget by 16 percent. It’s clear Secretary Zinke has no interest in managing our public lands for future generations, just an interest in being a rubber stamp for drilling and mining.”
Page 19 of the Trump administration infrastructure proposal identifies two National Park Service units for privatization — the George Washington Parkway and Baltimore Washington Parkway — while giving agencies the authority to divest of additional assets. The only requirement for selling off public lands, that agencies “demonstrate an increase in value from the sale” that would “optimize the taxpayer value for Federal assets,” would pave the way for large-scale disposal of America’s parks.
Selling national parks is not far-fetched, as libertarian and free-market groups have proposed franchising national parks and putting a moratorium on establishing new national parks, claiming a bad return for taxpayers. The 2016 GOP platform explicitly called for the disposal of national public lands.
For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To speak with an expert on public lands, contact Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019 or aaron@westernpriorities.org.
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**REMINDER**
Bishop to Address Utah Senate
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - TODAY, February 12, 2018, Representative Rob Bishop (UT-01) will address the Utah State Senate.
WHO: US Representative Rob Bishop (UT-01)
WHAT: Bishop to address the Utah State Senate
WHERE: Utah State Senate chamber. State Capitol, Salt Lake City, UT 84114
WHEN: TODAY, February 12, 2018 @ ~11:40 AM MDT
CLICK HERE to view live online
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