WASHINGTON, D.C. – Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) president Dennis Slater issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passage of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (S. 914 (117)):

“Equipment manufacturers, and all Americans, believe now is the time to make the right kinds of transformational investments in our nation's infrastructure. To keep our economy competitive—from thriving manufacturing, agriculture, and service industries to maintaining our high quality of life—federal leaders must respond to the transformative challenges of our time in a bipartisan way. This includes appropriately investing in our nation’s water system infrastructure, while also making it more equitable and resilient. Equipment manufacturers, and our 2.8 million men and women, will continue to advocate for a more affirmative vision for our infrastructure that improves the quality of life for all Americans and restores our global competitive advantage. At its core, infrastructure is, and should be, a bipartisan issue. We thank Senators Duckworth, Capito, Cardin, Lummis, Carper, and Cramer for their leadership to ensure this bill’s quick passage and encourage their colleagues in the House to follow their example, act expediently, and send it to the President’s desk.”

The water infrastructure bill was approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last month on a unanimous vote. If passed into law, the legislation will reauthorize the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, increase the focus on small and disadvantaged communities in federal grant and loan programs, promote water utilities' sustainability and resilience efforts, and boost programs aimed at addressing the dangers of lead pipes in the drinking water system.

A new report published by the Brookings Institution, and made possible with vital funding provided by AEM, outlines a roadmap to securing an affirmative vision for U.S. infrastructure. This includes policy recommendations that will deliver a grand reimagining of and reinvestment in our infrastructure—to revitalize the transportation, water, energy, and broadband systems that make our economy go. Learn more at www.IV2050.org.

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AEM is the North American-based international trade group representing off-road equipment manufacturers and suppliers, with more than 1,000 companies and more than 200 product lines in the agriculture and construction-related industry sectors worldwide. The equipment manufacturing industry supports 2.8 million jobs in the U.S. Equipment manufacturers also contribute $288 billion a year to the U.S. economy.