Building to Win

A “Building to Win” strategy for candidates and elected officials

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Overview

Great nations build and invest in great infrastructure. Too many 21st-century U.S. infrastructure systems depend on 20th-century investments. Now in an alarming state of disrepair and in urgent need of new funding, America’s infrastructure can no longer wait. Families, communities and manufacturers need modern transportation, energy, broadband and water infrastructure to meet the demands of today’s economy. The modern manufacturing economy we are building does not have the kind of infrastructure we need to support our vision for an exceptional America.

For generations, manufacturers have risen to the occasion to meet great challenges, to give more Americans a chance to improve their lives and build our nation for the future. Now, it is time again for our leaders to follow our example and strengthen the foundation that makes our work and our daily lives possible: our nation’s infrastructure.

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Executive Summary

Manufacturers are the heartbeat of America. Our story is about people—people who make American prosperity and economic growth a reality each day. People who go to work feeling immense pride and a sense of duty to keep this country moving forward. People whose ideas, inventions and tangible contributions create opportunity for everyone.

Across the country and across the political spectrum, Americans recognize that we have an urgent need to invest in and modernize our infrastructure. With so much at stake, we cannot afford to wait any longer.

The National Association of Manufacturers first released “Building to Win,” a bold, significant infrastructure proposal, in 2016. Since then, it has helped drive the conversation and serves as a blueprint to make America’s infrastructure the greatest in the world. Cited by the Trump administration and leaders of both parties, it represents manufacturers’ vision for the path forward.

Every day, Americans see the consequences of the underinvestment in our infrastructure. Roads are crumbling. Bridges are failing. Ports and waterways, airports and runways are clogged and congested. The electric grid is strained, our waterpipes are deteriorating and we lack the pipelines needed to deliver reliable energy supplies.

We must commit to addressing these challenges, just as we should commit to staying ahead of the curve where we are succeeding, most notably in telecommunications. Making these needed investments in a targeted, substantial way will ensure that America can remain a nation that creates and makes its future, thereby shaping our own destiny and enhancing our standard of living for decades to come.

Manufacturing workers in the United States, and all Americans, should refuse to settle for infrastructure that lags behind the rest of the world. Making historic investments in America’s infrastructure will improve the lives of manufacturing workers, while helping all manufacturers better serve their customers and communities. It will bolster the security of our nation, and it will strengthen the ties that bind us together as a country, improving commerce and communication and paving the way for the success of the next generation.

David Seaton
Chair of the Board, National Association of Manufacturers
Chairman and CEO, Fluor Corporation

Jay Timmons
President and CEO
National Association of Manufacturers