Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) President Dennis Slater issued the following statement on Monday regarding President Trump's declaration that he would consider raising the gas tax:

President Trump deserves credit for having the political courage to publicly acknowledge what so many other elected officials will not: That it's time to raise the gas tax.

The gas tax is a fair and simple user fee that finances our nation's vital infrastructure system. Our nation's roads and bridges have suffered as Congress failed to ensure the gas tax kept pace with the cost of inflation, and increased vehicle fuel efficiency.

That is why equipment manufacturers have urged our elected leaders to consider raising the gas tax as they work to develop a comprehensive strategy to meet our nation's infrastructure needs. We applaud President Trump for putting this option on the table, and we encourage Congress to give the gas tax a fair look as it considers tax reform and infrastructure investment legislation this year.

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