ICYMI: In Iowa and Alabama, CEOs Call for the Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal: 'Infrastructure Investment Can't Wait Any Longer'

Over the past several days, CEOs in Iowa and Alabama have penned op-eds in local publications calling on Congress to make the historic investments in infrastructure that President Biden has called for, writing that "Infrastructure Investment Can't Wait Any Longer."

In the Des Moines Register, Zoetis CEO Kristin Peck writes, "From droughts and diseases to floods and fires, our farmers face enough challenges as it is. The roads, bridges, and connections that they rely on shouldn't be a man-made barrier to success."

And on AL.com, Lee Styslinger III, the CEO of Altec, Inc., also notes support for the pay-fors: "The proposed agreement before Congress also uses responsible funding sources to pay for infrastructure projects. These funding mechanisms protect American competitiveness at the global level and ensure that the positive impacts of infrastructure investment benefit workers by creating jobs and generating wage growth, without raising taxes on job creators."

Read the op-eds below:

Des Moines Register: Opinion: On infrastructure, inaction is not an option, in Iowa or anywhere else
[Kristin Peck, 8/1/21]

America is a global leader thanks, in large part, to our long-standing commitment to innovation. That innovative spirit has kept our country on the cutting edge and one step ahead of our competition. It's a hallmark of many industries in the United States, including farming.

State-of-the-art sensors can now tell farmers when cows need to be milked. Advanced technologies can monitor the feed intake of cattle. Monitoring systems can track rumination in cows, all with the hope of detecting diseases early.

Right here in Iowa, our farmers are using high-tech solutions to produce safe and healthy animals, especially during an unprecedented pandemic. But unfortunately, our nation's technologically savvy farmers are surrounded by outdated infrastructure that is failing them.

For instance, across Iowa, nearly 20% of our bridges are structurally deficient. Some municipal water systems rely on pipes that are over 100 years old. In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state's infrastructure overall a C grade.

Historically, the federal government has backed the kind of large-scale infrastructure projects that have transformed our country and kept us at the forefront of innovation. After all, every additional $1 invested in our infrastructure creates $3.82 in economic growth over 20 years. But it has been decades since we have made these forward-looking investments — and it shows.

The good news is that Congress is currently working on an infrastructure proposal that is desperately needed in Iowa and across the country. What's more, the proposal has garnered bipartisan support, which is all too rare these days. Now, we need to get it across the finish line so that our farmers can reap the benefits.

From droughts and diseases to floods and fires, our farmers face enough challenges as it is. The roads, bridges, and connections that they rely on shouldn't be a man-made barrier to success.

If we want to continue to be an agriculture powerhouse that is ready for whatever the future may bring, then we need to support our farmers. And if we want to truly support our farmers and their families, then we need to ensure that they have the resources to compete and win in a 21st-century economy.

I urge Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to continue working with their colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to finalize this infrastructure proposal and send it to President Joe Biden's desk. With Congress set to return home in August, the clock is ticking — and our country simply can't afford to miss this opportunity.

Kristin Peck is CEO of Zoetis, the world's largest producer of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other technologies that help veterinarians and farmers care for pets and livestock. The company has manufacturing facilities in Charles City and Eagle Grove and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. Peck is a member of the Business Roundtable.

AL.com: The benefits for Alabamians are clear; infrastructure investment can't wait any longer.
[Lee Styslinger III, 7/30/21]

If you've followed the news lately, you've likely heard a lot of talk about infrastructure. Infrastructure investment has been at the forefront of political campaign promises for years and has received much attention in Congress in recent months. And rightly so. America's physical infrastructure desperately needs an upgrade, and there are many economic benefits that come with investing to improve it.

Historically, the government has backed infrastructure projects when the country needed it most. In the early part of the 20th century, major projects like the Hoover Dam helped provide the infrastructure that allowed us to win World War II. After World War II, the government funded our nation's highway system, connecting economies and stimulating interstate commerce. Infrastructure investment has helped America bounce back after tough times, by creating good jobs, facilitating business, and making our roads, bridges, and even our water sources safer.

Today, Congress is debating a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that could usher in similar long-term economic gains as we grow out of the pandemic. Before 2020, Birmingham saw impressive growth—but the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the city's economic progress. Although Birmingham has started to steadily recover from the pandemic, we need a federal infrastructure agreement to safeguard our long-term economic prosperity and growth.

The benefits of federal infrastructure investment are clear. It will boost growth, improve productivity, and encourage private investment. For example, every $1 invested in infrastructure returns $3.82 over 20 years. An investment would add $8.2 trillion to the U.S. GDP. Alabama businesses would benefit—in particular, industries like manufacturing, real estate, and insurance would see economic input increase by billions of dollars.

Infrastructure investment would have real benefits for Alabama families, too. Investment would add 10,000 in-state jobs by 2030 and increase the average household income by $1,100 a year. Infrastructure projects will also improve the day-to-day lives of Birmingham residents, ensuring the city could complete, maintain, and improve these projects in the future.

We've seen how investing in infrastructure can improve Birmingham residents' lives firsthand. Adding highway lanes on Interstate 65 cut commute times, saving workers both headaches and time. Rehabilitating the Lake Purdy dam has been a longtime priority for Birmingham. This year the EPA granted Birmingham federal funding to work on these much-needed improvements, like replacing the water main and improving storage tanks, ultimately guaranteeing clean and reliable drinking water in times of drought for the 400,000 people that rely on the dam. Additional projects funded by an infrastructure bill would similarly improve lives and livelihoods across Alabama.

The proposed agreement before Congress also uses responsible funding sources to pay for infrastructure projects. These funding mechanisms protect American competitiveness at the global level and ensure that the positive impacts of infrastructure investment benefit workers by creating jobs and generating wage growth, without raising taxes on job creators. Responsibly paying for infrastructure investment and expanding the resulting economic perks to everyday, hardworking Americans upholds Altec's core value: People are Our Greatest Strength, and they should be recognized and rewarded as such.

I thank Senator Shelby and Senator Tuberville for their advocacy in Washington for Alabama's priorities and urge them to continue to push until a bill is passed before Congress recesses in August. The current bipartisan agreement is the only way to achieve sustainable changes that unleash private capital and improve federal permitting.

The benefits of investing in infrastructure are clear—now, it is time for Congress to act. Birmingham, Alabama, and the country at -large need an infrastructure bill, but they also need their leaders to set an example. Passing a bipartisan solution will show us that Washington still works for the American people.

Lee Styslinger III is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Altec, Inc. and a member of Business Roundtable.