Construction to Congress: Norcross, McKinley Host First Bipartisan Building Trade Caucus Meeting of 116^th Congress

Caucus Focus: Issues of Importance for Construction Workers;
Meeting Guest: Ironworkers’ International President

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressmen Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) and David McKinley, P.E. (R-WV-01) hosted the inaugural meeting of the Congressional Bipartisan Building Trades Caucus in the 116^th Congress. With both new and seasoned colleagues in attendance, the meeting focused on infrastructure, apprenticeships, retirement security and prevailing wage.

Norcross, an electrician by trade, and McKinley, an engineer who worked and taught in the construction industry, launched the caucus in 2016. The effort brings together Members of Congress from both sides of aisle to discuss issues that affect the millions of men and women who work in the construction industry.

“The Building Trades Caucus unites us by speaking to our shared values. The work of this Caucus is to invest in our greatest resource – the American worker,” said Congressman Norcross. “There’s been talk about infrastructure investments in Washington, without real, agreed-upon actions to build. That needs to change, and we are having these meetings to focus on common ground. For the sake of our local communities and national economy, we are zeroing in on how we can boost apprenticeships, support our American workforce and invest in our roads, bridges, ports, water and energy infrastructure and more.”

“After spending more than fifty years in the construction industry I have seen firsthand the issues that impact our nations construction workers. It’s crucial that we educate other members on issues like investing in infrastructure and workforce development,” McKinley said. “This caucus provides a platform for members of both parties to come together and discuss these topics. I’m excited to continue my work with Congressman Norcross and educate others about the valuable role the building trades play in building our economy.”

“Infrastructure investments in bridges, pipelines, airports and waterways provide both good construction jobs and great value to the public at large, but badly needed improvements to America’s infrastructure have been stymied by partisan bickering. Democrats and Republicans alike deserve to drive on safe roads, and the Building Trades Caucus is the type of bipartisan alliance we need to make infrastructure happen.  Our union’s skilled craft professionals have built their communities, and they stand ready to rebuild our country’s infrastructure,” said Eric Dean, International President of the Ironworkers Union.

The Building Trades Caucus focused on infrastructure in the 115^th Congress and educated members about the  American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, which rated America’s infrastructure a D+.

To learn more about the founding of the Building Trades Caucus, click here for an op-ed co-authored by Norcross & McKinley in 2016.

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