Kaine Statement On Trump Infrastructure Proposal, Budget Framework

Trump’s infrastructure proposal fails to make serious federal investments, relies on toll roads and higher taxes across Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after President Trump released his budget proposal for FY19, which included an infrastructure package that falls drastically short of the trillion dollar plan Trump promised throughout his campaign, and requires local governments in most cases to cover 4/5 of the costs of projects with either their own funds or by securing their own public private partnerships:

“Last week’s two-year spending agreement that came out of the Senate put us back on track by funding our national defense and critical programs like children’s health care, higher education and opioid abuse prevention that Virginians have been waiting for. Unfortunately, the budget framework that President Trump laid out today would hurt the communities we are working to help – including in rural Virginia -  and is out of line with Virginia’s priorities.

“The biggest disappointment is President Trump’s insufficient commitment on infrastructure. From the HRBT to Metro to I-81, Virginia has serious transportation needs, and I strongly support investments to fix them. But President Trump’s plan today skimps on real federal investments to deal with those needs, and instead relies on local governments and private interests to foot the bill. We need an infrastructure plan that makes daily life easier for families in Virginia – not one that sticks them with more taxes and tolls.”

###