Washington – Business Roundtable President & CEO Joshua Bolten today issued the following statement ahead of President Trump’s first State of the Union address:
“With the successful enactment of tax reform and an increasingly constructive regulatory environment, companies are stepping up their investments in America and workers are benefiting. Tax reform is delivering wage increases, bonuses and other benefits for workers and families, along with increased capital investment that will create more jobs.
“One of the biggest impediments to maximizing long-term economic growth is the urgent need to modernize our nation’s infrastructure. We urge President Trump and members of Congress to make infrastructure investment a top priority this year. We look forward to the President’s proposal and will work with members of both parties on a solution to renew America’s outdated infrastructure.
“With tax reform and regulatory improvements, the U.S. is making significant progress maximizing the economy’s full potential, which will benefit all Americans. U.S. economic growth would be undermined, however, if we withdraw from or weaken trade agreements like NAFTA and KORUS. Instead, the Administration should focus on improving trade agreements and expanding free and fair trade with other nations to support job and investment growth here in the United States.
“While policymakers must address America’s broken immigration system, we call on President Trump and Congress to first enact a solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients before the March deadline. A solution for DACA could provide the momentum needed to tackle other immigration issues that are important to our businesses and American families.
“America’s leading job creators look forward to the President’s remarks to Congress and encourage continued focus on policies that will improve, not diminish, the competitiveness of U.S. businesses and their employees.”