Terry O’Sullivan, general president of LIUNA — the Laborers’ International Union of North America — testified Feb. 13 on the need for strong federal leadership to address the nation’s basic needs for good roads, safe bridges, clean drinking water and safe and efficient airports before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
LIUNA is one of the nation’s largest unions of construction workers and members build highways, bridges, pipelines, sewer systems and transit systems. LIUNA has long been a vocal voice for infrastructure investment including long-standing partnerships with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Transportation Mobility, Building America’s Future and other allies.
“Taking care of the basics of America is a core function and responsibility of the federal government and I congratulate and commend the committee for addressing this issue in its first hearing,” said O’Sullivan.
America’s infrastructure — roads, bridges and highways and water systems - are in a state of crisis. Across the United States, 26 percent of all bridges — are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. A third of major roads are in mediocre or poor condition and 36 percent of major urban highways are stretched beyond capacity. Each day, 7 billion gallons of clean drinking water is lost to leaking pipes. The scope of our needs is beyond the capacity of cities, counties, even states or private investment to address and the economic impacts could be devastating.