In his first presidential address to Congress Tuesday night, President Donald Trump laid out much of his legislative agenda. Among his proposals, Trump said "the time has come for a new program of national rebuilding."
"America has spent approximately $6 trillion in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this $6 trillion we could have rebuilt our country — twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate."
Trump asked Congress to approve legislation that would allocate $1 trillion to U.S. infrastructure, which he estimates would create millions of new jobs. He foresees the funds coming from public and private capital.
"This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and hire American," Trump said.
Experts say the United States needs a huge increase in public infrastructure spending. The American Society of Civil Engineers gives the country’s infrastructure a grade of D+ and says $3.6 trillion in spending is required by 2020.
Trump will likely find support for his infrastructure package, which he campaigned on. According to a 2016 Gallup poll, 75% of Americans want the federal government to increase infrastructure spending.
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