Senator Obama Joins Building Trades Leaders...Declares Intent to Support Increased Infrastructure Spending and a Strengthened Davis-Bacon Act

WASHINGTON, April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a rousing appearance before 3,000 delegates at the Building and Constructions Trades' (http://www.bctd.org) Annual Legislative Conference, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama detailed his proposals to invest in America's infrastructure and to fortify the Davis-Bacon Act.

"We're going to invest in this country," said Obama. "Back in the 1950's, Americans were put to work building the Interstate Highway system and that helped expand our middle class. We need to show the same kind of leadership today. That's why I've called for a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank that will invest $60 billion over ten years and generate millions of new jobs. We can't keep standing by while our roads and bridges and airports crumble and decay. For our economy, our safety, and our workers, we have to rebuild America."

And in reference to federal prevailing wage standards, Senator Obama forcefully declared, "After Katrina, George Bush suspended Davis-Bacon. Families had nothing left. Whole communities had been destroyed. But George Bush thought people didn't deserve to make 9 or 10 bucks an hour to rebuild that city. And John McCain isn't much different. He seems to think Davis-Bacon is something that comes from a pig farm. He's opposed it time and time again. That's wrong. We need to strengthen Davis-Bacon, and make sure any new infrastructure projects we're proposing adhere to Davis-Bacon standards. And that's what I'll do when I'm President of the United States of America."

Obama also expressed his intent to work for increased funding for the Helmets to Hardhats program (http://www.helmetstohardhats.org).

The Building & Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO is an alliance of 12 craft unions representing approximately three million members. Its unions are widely known as the best choice for highly skilled and highly productive construction labor. The Department and its affiliated member unions demonstrate a concerted commitment to world class skills development and training; coupled with a 21st century labor/management model that is founded upon the principles of performance, pride, cooperation and partnership.