I stayed at DOT for four years, and
finished my stint as special assistant to
[DOT] Secretary [Rodney] Slater. I
then got my M.B.A. at Stanford. After a
time at a consulting firm, I called Jack
Basso, who was director of budget and
programs at the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) and who was CFO
at DOT when I was there. Jack made
room for me at AASHTO. I stayed there
for four years and then moved to the
Chamber. Here, we like to say we handle everything that floats, flies, and
rolls.
portation services industry. We want to
talk about infrastructure from a business perspective.
QIs there a value-add to your efforts that you work so closely with Tom Donohue, who is one of the most
influential trade association executives in the country and
has such a deep understanding of the work you do?
ATom’s interest in transportation and infrastructure makes our work a core priority. But when you work for
someone who knows so much about this, it is also a bit
daunting. I can’t B.S. and act like I know what I’m talking
about. I have to know my stuff. It makes me work a lot better. Tom takes a very personal interest in this issue, so even
though I report to many people here, I feel I am directly
accountable to him.
QWill the fact that this is an election year facilitate your efforts, or hinder them?
AOne would think that because we know infrastructure supports and
creates jobs, because we know that infrastructure has needs that are visible and
apparent, and because people like to see
things being built, in an election year, it
would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately,
there are members of Congress who
want to politicize infrastructure. They
call highway and bridge spending “wasteful.” They characterize infrastructure investment as the same thing as more
big government. Changing minds on Capitol Hill is a real
uphill fight in an election year.
QWhat is the Chamber’s infrastructure agenda for 2010 and how do you plan to execute on it?
AOur vision for infrastructure is that we have a physical platform to the economy that needs to work in the way
business needs it to work and to accommodate the needs of
what will be a growing economy. In 2010, our aims are to
make sure that the environment for business to deliver is in
place, and that the government is actually doing what it is
supposed to be doing.
We want to bring a business perspective and a business
voice to the discussion. Traditionally, infrastructure has
been about the construction industry, or about the trans-
QAbout $27 billion of $787 billion in federal stimulus money went to roads and bridges. Were you disappointed that more money wasn’t directed to infrastructure?
AWe were disappointed that such a small amount was devoted to infrastructure. The real challenge now is on
transportation reauthorization legislation. If you talk to
people in the construction industry, they will tell you that
unless there is a long-term highway and transit reauthorization bill, their industry will not come back. They are not
starting the big projects, nor are they buying the big equipment until they see a roadmap.
QAre you concerned, as some are, that Congress will fail to pass a long-term transportation reauthorization bill during President Obama’s term and that transportation funding will survive on a long series of continuing resolutions?
AI think there is a real danger that unless people outside the Beltway see the effects of not having reauthorization, and unless the users of the transportation network tell
members of Congress that they are making a big mistake
