Were here today to talk about rebuilding our nations infrastructure. Isnt it about time . Spending money all over the world except here. We dont spend our money here. We spend it all over. And well do it using american labor. American energy. American iron. Aluminum and steel. [ applause ] we believe in the dignity of work and in the greatness of the american worker. No worker like our american worker. I want to thank secretary perdue, secretary zinkey and administrator pruett for joining us today and you saw what we did with our great administrator. You saw what happened last week with the socalled paris accord. We will we will keep our nation so great and so strong and we will never have outside forces telling us what to do and how to do it. Believe me. [ applause ] that would have been a huge anchor on our country. Im also grateful that governor matt bevin, his wife glenna and his family could be here along with Lieutenant GovernorJanine Hampton from kentucky. Great place. Wheres janine . [ applause ] and Lieutenant Governor mary taylor from ohio. Thank you, mary. Thank you very much. Were also very excited to be joined by top labor leaders in the United States. I have negotiated with these people for so long. Theyre tough. But they get the job done. Right . Right . Together, we are going to put our skilled tradespeople back to work. Shawn mccarvey is here with us today. President of the North American Building trades union. Shawn took part in one of our very first meetings at the white house. That was a great meeting, shawn. And was there with us when we issued the long awaited approval for the keystone xl pipeline which has started. [ applause ] after years and years of stagnation, they said thats never going to happen, we got it started. It is going to happen and its about 48,000 jobs. Its a big job. And thats just the beginning. We have many other things happening, incloouding as you know the dakota pipeline. Also moving along and very rapidly. We will also welcome eric dean, president of the united ironworkers and Terry Osullivan of the Laborers International union of north america. I will proudly say to you all today what i told you and told our labor unions two months ago in washington. As long as i am president , americas labor leaders will always find an open door at the white house. We had a great day. [ applause ] we love our workers. Were also pleased to be joined by executives from marathon petroleum, bungee north america, cf industries, peabody energy, alliance call, ak steel, new core steel, scotts you like that company i guess. Scotts miracle grow and many others who are ready to help us build the roads, the bridges, the tunnels and the waterways of tomorrow. And theyre currently working very hard. In fact, i brought a couple of greatest builters in america. Steve roth, richard lefrak. Where are you guys . Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here, steve. Theyre not used to this. They like to build. Get up here, richard. Two of the great builders of our country. Come here, richard. Watch. I have to do this. Do you want to say anything, fellows . Theyre not big talkers. Ill say something. Unless theyre behind the desk. Go ahead, richard. Go. Were all fortunate to have the greatest builder in america, donald j. Trump. [ applause ] standing behind an Infrastructure Program which america sorely needs and is ready to implement. Donald, president trump, thank you. Steve, come. No . Come here. Get off the stage, fellows. Richard, that was a good job. Thank you. These are great builders and we are watching and theyre looking over our shoulders. Believe me. They dont need the money. Theyre not doing it for that. I said, make sure it comes in on time, under budget, maybe even ahead of schedule. But we say, on time, under budget and theyre going to be watching and looking over some of the big jobs that we have planned so it gets done properly. Not the jobs that take 14 years to build and supposed to be completed in 18 months. You have been hearing about them a little bit, right . Thats been the standard. It wont be happening. Not in this administration. The American People deserve the best infrastructure anywhere in the world. We are a nation that created the panama canal, the Transcontinental Railroad and the if you think about this. The great highway system, the interstate highway system. We dont do that anymore. We really dont. We dont even fix the old highways anymore. Well take even fixing them but were going to get them going again like theyve never been before. These projects not only open new lanes of commerce, but inspired the immigration and the dreams of millions and millions of people. We crafted monuments to the american spirit. Its time to recapture our legacy as a nation of builders and to create new lanes of travel, commerce and discovery and were going to see all the way into the future and the futures going to be beautiful. And the futures going to be bright. In my campaign for president , i traveled all across the nation. I saw the crumbling infrastructure. I met with communities that were desperate for new roads and new bridges. Ridges were so dangerous they couldnt use them. They were worried theyd fall down and you have seen that happen. And i heard the pleas from the voters who wanted to know why we could rebuild. Foreign countries. My big thing. We build in foreign countries. We spend trillions and trillions of dollars outside of our nation. But we cant build a road, a highway, a tunnel, a bridge in our own nation. And we watch everything falling into disrepair. Its time to rebuild our country to bring back our jobs to restore our dreams and, yes, its time finally to put America First and thats what ive been doing if you havent noticed. [ applause ] while its very early in the administration, i think everyone has noticed. Right . We have noticed. The people are noticing. Like theyve never noticed before. Were already making historic progress. Last month, unemployment fell to its lowest point in 16 years. Right now [ applause ] thank you. Right now more Small Businesses are planning to hire than at any point in the last decade. Last week, the stock market soared to record highs, highest ever. Boosting the pensions, your pensions and your retirement accounts and those of hard working americans. I have just returned from a trip overseas that secured more than 350 billion of military and economic investments into the United States. That means millions of jobs. [ applause ] and i want to thank the king of saudi arabia. King salman. Spent a lot of time together. And theyre doing a great job. Theyre going to be doing something very special. You see it with terrorism. The funding of terrorism. Its going to stop. Got to stop the funding of radical islamic terrorism and theyre going to stop. [ applause ] and they hosted over 50 all muslim countries. They said theres never been anything like it in our history, in the history of this world theres never been anything like what took place two weeks ago in saudi arabia. And im very proud to be a part of it and hopefully that can be the beginning of the end of this horrible, horrible situation that the world is suffering right now. Called terrorism. Going to put an end to it and we have to be very tough and smart and vigilant and we are going to end it. [ applause ] in my meetings, with foreign leaders from many countries, i sent a clear message that america expects fair trade, a level playing field, and so many other things that were demanding for our workers and for our companies. Every other country looks out for their interests. Its time that we finally start looking out for our interests in the United States. [ applause ] no longer will we sacrifice american jobs, factories and wealth. The theft of american prosperity has come to a screeching halt, folks. And an era of american greatness is about to begin and you see it. Its already beginning. We are going to restore Americas Industrial might and then i look here and something those barges, they have been waiting for us to say hello. The captain says, please wave. Hello, captain. He put up that big, beautiful american flag. [ applause ] creating the jobs and tax base to put new infrastructure all over our country. Its whats happening. But to achieve our full economic strength, we must repeal and replace obamacare. [ applause ] since obamacares implementation began, premiums have increased by an average of 75 in kentucky and 86 in ohio. Just yesterday, we learned that the last statewide insurer in ohio is leaving. Have you folks heard about that . Thats it. Byebye. Wave goodbye. What a mess. That could mean another 20 counties and 19,000 people will have no plans. The house of representatives has done and they house of representatives is working ill tell you very, very hard. Done the job in passing along an obamacare replacement bill. Now its time for the senate, mitch mcconnell, working very hard to act and to save americans from this catastrophic event because obamacare is dead. A broken promise in the history of politics. Remember, you can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan. Didnt work out that way. You end up paying not to have insurance because it was cheaper. But theres another major promise that washington has repeatedly broken and that is the one where we are here today. Its a promise thats gone unheeded and its called restoring america. Restoring our country. The promise of a safe, reliable and modern infrastructure. It hasnt been kept but we are going to keep it. American lives and livelihoods depend on our action, together. Thats why im calling on all democrats who honestly have really been obstructionists. Boy, have they tried. I mean, every single thing. On health care, i wont get one vote. Obamacares crashing. Its dead. It is in a death spiral as the head of one of the Biggest Insurance Companies said. Its in a death spiral. And we are coming out to do good. Not to do bad. To do good. We dont get one democrat vote. Think of it. Theyre just obstructionists. Every single thing is obstruction. I dont think, you know, honestly, if i were in that party, i wouldnt be doing it that way. I would be doing positive things. Thats why they lost the house. They lost the senate. They lost the white house. People dont want to see whats going on. They want to see us all come together but i just dont see them coming together. Theyre obstructionists. Im calling on all democrats and republicans to join together, if thats possible, in the great rebuilding of america. Countless american industries, businesses and jobs depend on rivers, runways, roads and rails that are in dire and even desperate condition. And millions of American Families rely on water and pipes and pumps that are on the verge of total failure and collapse. We are pleased to be joined today by representatives from many, Many Industries that depend on a truly critical component of our nations infrastructure. The 12,000 miles of inland waterways. We have farmers, coal miners and, by the way, those coal miners are happy. Coal miners, oh, they like trump. [ applause ] they like trump. Same with steelworkers and oilworkers. We have taken those restrictions and those horrible regulations off your companies. We are going to have clean, beautiful air. Clean, beautiful crystal water. But youre going to have your jobs, also. Youre going to have your jobs. [ applause ] maybe more than ever before. So i want to salute each of you for the work that youve done. And maybe more importantly for the work that youre about to do. Because its going to be a beautiful thing. You watch. These citizens know firsthand that the rivers, like the beautiful ohio river, carry the lifeblood of our heartland. In fact, im very proud that behind us today are those 12 barges. Oh, look at this West Virginia. Do we love West Virginia . West virginia. [ applause ] theyre filled with West Virginia coal and you know next week were opening a big coal mine. You know about that. One in pennsylvania. Actually a new mine. That hadnt happened in a long time, folks. But were putting the people and the miners back to work. The contents of just one ninebarge tow boat like the one behind me carries the equivalent of 1,000 semitractor trailers. People dont realize it. People dont realize it. But they do now. [ applause ] roughly 60 of United States grain exports travel down these waterways to the gulf. More than half of all the American Steel is produced within 250 miles of where were standing right now. And its production depends on the inland waterway system. And wait until you see what im going to do for steel and for your steel companies. Were going to stop the dumping and stop all of these wonderful other countries from coming in and killing our companies and our workers. [ applause ] youll be seeing that very soon. The steel folks are going to be very happy. Up to 25 of the Nations Energy cargo rhee lies on these channels and the refineries along their shores but these critical corridors of commerce rely on a system of locks and dams more than half a century old and their condition as you know better than anybody is in very, very bad shape. It continues to decay. Capital improvements of this system which is so important have been massively underfunded. And theres an 8. 7 billion maintenance backlog thats only getting bigger and getting worse. Last december, up the ohio river near pittsburgh, one lock built more than 50 years ago, had to be shut down for five days due to hydraulic failure. And you know what that means. Five days means everything comes to a halt. We simply cannot tolerate a fiveday shutdown on a major thoroughfare for american coal, american oil and American Steel. Which is going to get more and bigger. America must have the best, fastest and most reliable infrastructure anywhere in the world. We cannot accept these conditions any longer. A few years ago, a gate broke from its hinges at the markland locks on the ohio river in kentucky. It took nearly five months to repair. Any of you know about that . Wasnt a pretty picture, right . All right. I dont think so. And in 2011, a massive section of canal wall collapsed near chicago. Delaying everything and it seemed like forever. Great american businesses like land o lakes which is here today from minnesota where are they . Stand up. Thats good stuff. Come on. Stand up. [ applause ] good. Good stuff. Fear that the lock and dam systems they rely on are no longer dependable. I am here with a message for you. And for all of the great businesses that are gathered with us and maybe more importantly because thats what its ultimately about, those businesses workers. Together, we will fix it. We will create the first class infrastructure our country and our people deserve. My new vision for american infrastructure will rebuild our country by generating 1 trillion in infrastructure investment. Our Infrastructure Program [ applause ] its a lot. A trillion. You know, as of a few months ago, we spent 6 trillion in the middle east along with the death of so many incredible people. And along with all of the other problems that youve been watching every night on television and reading about in the papers. 6 trillion and, yet, if we want to fix a road or if we want to fix a school or we want to make sure that a bridge doesnt collapse in our country, forget even about building new ones, we dont ever seem to have the money. Got to change, folks. Its got to change. Something wrong. Something wrong. [ applause ] our Infrastructure Program will be based on forging new partnerships and demanding new accountability for every federal taxpayer dollar. Under this vision, the federal government will drastically reduce burdensome regulations which we have already been doing. We have some more to do but its been doing rapidly. When people tell me were doing the largest tax cut in history, people are more impressed with the fact we have cut more regulations. If they had their choice, which is hard to believe. Nobody would have believed it. [ applause ] so were getting rid of the regulations and massively streamlining the permissions and permitting process. Already my administration expedited environmental revoous and Critical Energy projects all across the country. Theyre getting approved so fast. Thousands and thousands of big jobs, big, big jobs. I dont mean individual jobs. Im talking about projecttype jobs. Thousands of them being approved rapidly and if theyre not environmentally sound theyre not going to be approved but were going to tell them, you wont be approved. But thousands of jobs are being approved all over the United States. And im very proud of it and scott pruett has been right at the forefront and hes done an amazing job. [ applause ] and hasnt been that easy for him, has it, scott . He likes it. He likes to see people go back to work and he likes to make sure that the environment is perfect and clean. I want to add that, too. Im pleased to announce that the Dakota Access pipeline which i just mentioned is now officially open for business, a 3. 8 billion investment in american infrastructure that was stalled and nobody thought any politician would have the guts to approve that final leg. And i just closed my eyes and said, do it. [ applause ] think of it to a company standpoint. They build this massive pipeline going from us and then they have to hook it up a little section and theyre stopped. And i said, thats not fair. And you know, when i approved it, its up, running, beautiful, great. Everybodys happy. The sun is still shining. The water is clean. But you know when i approved it, i thought id take a lot of heat and i took none. Actually none. People respected that i approved it. But i take so much heat for nonsense that it probably overrode it probably overrode the other. [ applause ] its like a decoy. America built the Golden Gate Bridge in just four years. And the hoover dam in five years. Think of that. It should not take ten years to get approvals for a very small, little piece of infrastructure. And it wont. Because under my administration, its not going to happen like that anymore. We will work directly with state and local governments to give them the freedom and flexibility they need to revitalize our nations infrastructure. At least 200 billion of the 1 trillion plan will come from direct federal investment. Working with states, local governments and private industry, we will ensure that these new federal funds are matched by significant additional dollars for maximum efficiency and accountability. Well have people watching over each one of these jobs and every penny will count to them. Taxpayers deserve the best results for their investment and i will ensure that this is what they get. The last administration passed a stimulus package of which only a tiny 7 went to infrastructure and much of that was just wasted money. You folks up front, you know what im talking about. The great infrastructure plan. Nobody saw any money. Remember shovel ready, right . Shovel ready wasnt shovel ready. That i can tell you. Were not going to repeat that mistake. Thats not going to happen again. Instead, our plan will help states and local governments prioritize their most pressing infrastructure needs, building transformative projects that create a flood of wealth and opportunity to benefit every part of our country, especially rural america. The companies here today are prepared to work with us and these are Great Companies today. And youre going to work with us to make sure that the right infrastructure gets built and funded quickly and its going to be in the right location, everything about it is going to be right. Businesses like these are ready to invest and create jobs. But we have been waiting for a responsible partner in the federal government. Youve been waiting for a long time. Now you have one. [ applause ] so i want to thank all of the great workers for being here today. I want to thank all of the great Business Leaders. You have some Business Leaders that are legendary people in the audience running massive, massive companies. And being slowed down but now they will be able to speed it up. Not only going to repair much of the depleted infrastructure, but we are going to create brand new projects that excite and inspire because that is what a great country does. That is what a great country has to do. America wants to build. Across the nation, our amazing construction workers, steelworkers iron workers, fitters, electricians and so many others are just waiting to get back to work. With the talent and skill they represent, which believe me, i grew up in the building business. I know the talent and the skill and the courage and Everything Else that they have. There is no limit to what we can achieve. All it takes is a bold and daring vision and the will to make it happen. Nearly two centuries ago an american governor had just such a vision and a will. His name was governor dewitt clinton. He predicted that its construction would place new york city at the very center of worldwide commerce. He took the idea to washington but president thomas jefferson, great president , didnt agree with him and he dismissed that concept as total madness. Id like to thank and all of the people that helped so much in that incredible event and i think that jefferson simply understood who he was and who he was dealing with because if you want a new yorker to do something, just tell them like our great past governor that its impossible to do. The governor didnt give up and new york state achieved what they thought was the impossible. And when the erica nal opened in 1825, he was on the first boat. We personally deposit a bucket of water from the great lakes into the new york harbor. The new canal exceeded even the governors bold vision. It dramatically reduced the time and cost required to transport goods from the heartland. As a result, new settlers rushed into the midwest. Including two right smack here. Probably some of you indirectly, right . Definitely some of you. Just as the daring dreams of our ancestors opened new paths across our land today well build the dreams that open new paths to a better tomorrow. We, too, will see jobs and wealth flood into the heartland and see new products and new produce, made andproduce. Well buy americans and hire americans. [ applause ] well not so importantly be content to let our nation become a museum of former glories. Well construct incredible new monuments to american grip that inspires wonder for generations and generations to come. Well build because our people want to build and because we need them to build. Well build because our prosperity. Above all, well build because thats how well make America Great again. Thank you, god bless you. Go out there and work, you are going to see some Amazing Things happening over the next long period of time. Thank you everyone, it is a great honor to be with you. Thank you. [ applause ]