According to a new poll sponsored by AEM, an overwhelming majority (81 percent) of SOTU viewers said it is important to them that Congress passes an infrastructure bill this year.

Americans who watched President Trump's State of the Union Address want action on infrastructure this year — and they want Democrats to help.

According to a new poll sponsored by AEM, an overwhelming majority (81 percent) of SOTU viewers said it is important to them that Congress passes an infrastructure bill this year.

Additionally, eight in ten SOTU viewers – including two thirds (67 percent) of Democrats who watched President Trump's address – said that congressional Democrats should work with President Trump and Republicans in Congress to pass an infrastructure bill.

“This poll clearly shows that there is strong and bipartisan support for Congress to take on infrastructure now,” said AEM President Dennis Slater. “It is time for Washington to get to work, and introduce legislation to make President Trump's $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan a reality.”

The poll comes as chatter about an infrastructure bill ramps up in Washington in the aftermath of Trump's speech. AEM and its various industry partners are working to urge the administration to follow through with a bill.

AEM is planning a variety of initiatives this year to generate support for Congress to act on infrastructure. AEM's grassroots campaign, I Make America, has already generated thousands of messages to President Trump and members of Congress. The I Make America campaign will also host a series of events at manufacturing facilities to highlight the need for action on infrastructure. AEM will also mobilize the road construction industry at an industry trade show, World of Asphalt, in early March.

AEM continues to work through its Infrastructure Vision 2050 thought-leadership initiative to generate policy ideas for eventual inclusion in an infrastructure bill and beyond. The initiative will kick off the year with a focus on agriculture technology and rural broadband at Commodity Classic 2018, state-level outreach around transportation infrastructure funding solutions, participate in national Infrastructure Week, and new research that explores linkages between the equipment manufacturing industry and U.S. infrastructure.

The poll found that State of the Union viewers have a high confidence in President Trump's handling of infrastructure as an issue. Sixty-five (65) percent of those who viewed the State of the Union are very or somewhat confident in the president's promise to rebuild U.S. infrastructure, including 59 percent of self-described independent voters.

But the biggest takeaway is that Americans of every political stripe want infrastructure in 2018. The poll found that 73 percent of Democrats and 75 percent of Independents want Congress to act on infrastructure this year. Overwhelming numbers of self-described Republicans (89 percent) and Tea Party supporters (88 percent) want Congress to pass an infrastructure bill, too.

“These results show why it is important for AEM and the broader business community to redouble our work to ensure Congress passes an infrastructure bill,” said Slater. “There is clearly broad and bipartisan desire for Congress to act. So let's get the job done.”

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