President Joe Biden and his administration this week revealed plans for a new infrastructure package that would be enacted by this summer, along with ideas for funding for it. The latest proposal is to tax corporations to pay for approximately $2 trillion of the package.

Industry associations have issued statements with mixed reactions to the legislation. Read the full statements by clicking on the association names or the . . . below:

Associated General Contractors of America (AGC):

The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the unveiling today of President Biden’s new infrastructure proposal as well as related plans to raise taxes and impose new regulatory and labor requirements on employers:

We greet the President’s new infrastructure proposal with mixed emotions. On one hand, the President is right to focus on rebuilding a broad range of aging and overburdened infrastructure and modernizing buildings. These investments will create a significant number of new construction career opportunities that traditionally pay well above jobs in other industries. Unfortunately, the President seeks to saddle these new investments with a host of labor and regulatory measures that will hurt workers and offset many of the economic benefits of these new infrastructure investments.

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National Association of Home Builders (NAHB):

Chuck Fowke, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder from Tampa, Fla., today issued the following statement on President Biden’s infrastructure proposal:

NAHB commends President Biden for proposing a much-needed transportation and infrastructure plan for our nation that notes the important role that housing contributes to building strong communities. With the nation facing a housing affordability crisis, the plan recognizes the urgent need to build more affordable housing and retrofit existing homes to increase energy efficiency. NAHB looks forward to working with the White House and bipartisan leaders in Congress to advance an infrastructure package that addresses the nation’s housing affordability challenges and pays for it in a way that will not jeopardize future economic growth.

 
National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA):

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) issued the following statement on President Biden’s announcement of the American Jobs Plan:

NECA looks forward to working with the Administration and Congress to enact a sweeping infrastructure plan that will rebuild and invest in the future of electric vehicles, modernize our nation’s electrical grid, expand broadband networks, and better our roads, bridges, waterways, existing buildings, as well as our clean water and wastewater infrastructure. We will also work to ensure that the needs and best interests of NECA contractors are represented throughout this process.

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National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW):

Eric Hoplin, President and CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) today issued the following statement on President Biden’s infrastructure proposal.

Investing in America’s future is critical for the wholesale distribution industry, but it can’t be done on the backs of American small businesses. Modernizing our infrastructure and making it work for 21st Century commerce would help the supply chain more efficiently move goods and materials to end users across the country. The Biden administration cannot improve the country’s infrastructure by increasing taxes on small businesses and wholesaler-distributors that have spent the past year fighting to operate safely, move products to customers, and keep their businesses alive during an unprecedented pandemic. With transportation and infrastructure being historically bipartisan issues, we urge Democrats and Republicans in Congress to work with the White House, put aside partisan agendas, and enact a long-overdue infrastructure bill to ensure that the economy continues to recover and businesses can continue to create needed jobs.

 
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM):

National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s infrastructure framework.

President Biden’s clear focus on strengthening manufacturing and the workforce of the future shows that he is truly committed to building the next post-pandemic world—one that is stronger and more resilient than in pre-pandemic times.

One thing is clear for our industry, though. Raising taxes on manufacturers would fundamentally undermine our ability to lead this recovery. Our industry fought for decades to achieve a tax system that includes competitive rates and modern international tax provisions. As a result of the 2017 reforms, manufacturers kept our promises: we raised wages and benefits, we hired American workers, and we invested in our communities. Raising taxes on manufacturers here at home would jeopardize all of that and make it more difficult for them to compete in the global economy—putting investment, jobs and livelihoods at risk. We believe strongly in bold infrastructure investment, and we know it can be achieved through a combination of revenue sources like those we identified in the NAM’s ‘Building to Win,’ which includes user fees and bond financing for capital projects. We also know that making the men and women who make things in America pay for the infrastructure projects that will benefit all Americans just doesn’t make sense and would harm their future. Let’s keep moving forward and not turn back the clock to the archaic tax policies that gave other countries an advantage over America.

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