President Donald Trump is proposing to build more roads, bridges, airports, schools, roads and other public infrastructure projects in a budget proposal that has drawn criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike.
The White House said Tuesday that $3.8 trillion in new federal aid would be dedicated to projects that would not require federal assistance.
The plan also includes a tax credit for infrastructure projects, which critics have called a giveaway to the private sector.
The budget outline released Tuesday is also expected to include $100 billion for the Federal Transit Administration, $10 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for Metro.
“The Trump Administration is working to make sure we have a robust and safe infrastructure system that supports all Americans, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or income,” White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said in a statement.
“We are taking action to ensure our communities and businesses can move forward.”
The president’s infrastructure proposal has drawn sharp criticism from some Democratic lawmakers who say it would make it harder for them to pass their agenda.
They say that if they want to pass a bill that would create jobs and pay for its promised tax breaks, they need to do it through their state legislatures.
“Democrats in the House and Senate have failed the American people by failing to pass legislation that puts Americans first,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in an emailed statement.
The House of Representatives has passed a $1 trillion infrastructure package but the Senate has not passed a major infrastructure bill since 2009.
Trump has promised to cut federal spending by as much as 20% on projects such as transportation, water, energy and housing.
The president has also said that if he is re-elected in 2020, he will build a wall along the southern border to keep out illegal immigrants.
Democrats have slammed Trump for failing to support such a plan.
