Larry I. Willis, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement in response to President Trump’s threats to veto a massive spending bill if funding for Gateway is included:
“It is unfathomable that a president who campaigned on creating good jobs by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure is threatening to upend an entire spending bill if it contains funding for one of the most important and pressing infrastructure projects in the country.
“Consequences of failing to fund the Gateway project — which has strong bipartisan support — will be felt far beyond New York and New Jersey. The Northeast Corridor creates and supports 30 percent of the nation’s jobs and 20 percent of our GDP, yet this vital throughway is forced to rely on infrastructure more than a century old. Failing to act not only jeopardizes the livelihoods and safety of millions of Americans who live, work, and travel in the Northeast Corridor, but the economic consequences will be felt across our nation.
“President Trump needs to stop playing petty politics and do what is right for this country.”