Infrastructure Investments and Modernization Needed at Federal Installations
On Wednesday, January 29, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other top legislators in the House unveiled a $760 billion infrastructure package. They appealed to President Trump, who campaigned on a $1 trillion infrastructure plan, to join them in moving this funding forward. As recently as May 2019, the President was expected to propose a $2 trillion infrastructure package, but he urged Congress to first pass the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal. He signed that deal into place on January 29, the same day House Democrats offered their infrastructure proposal.
There is a bipartisan appetite for investing in infrastructure, to fix crumbling roads and bridges, airports, rail, electric grids, water projects, and other necessary, but overdue projects across the country. Congress and the administration will of course need to meet at the bargaining table to iron out differences in how to pay for it, which is easier said than done, but at least the discussions are beginning again.
While the package released last week focuses on public use projects noted above, this renewed call for infrastructure investments reminds FMA of the critical needs facing federal installations. Many FMA members work at the four public shipyards, performing prodigious work to maintain the 355-ship fleet that helps keep our country safe. Unfortunately, all four of the shipyards are in “poor condition,” and are not meeting the Navy’s operational needs. GAO Report GAO-17-548, released in September 2017, details many of the infrastructure issues.
The costs of upgrading, restoring and modernizing facilities and infrastructure run in the billions. The Navy currently estimates $21 billion over twenty years for dry dock investment, facilities layout and optimization investment, and capital equipment investment at the shipyards. The Naval Sea Systems Command submitted a long-range plan to Congress on the current needs in a March 2019 report. Simply put, investments are needed now for the shipyards to support the USS Gerald Ford Class aircraft carriers and the USS Virginia class submarines.
In addition to the shipyard concerns, modernization and repair of aging and damaged facilities within the Air Force command, the Marine Corps, and others will be costly. However, the costs of not making these investments will undoubtedly be much greater, including higher labor and materials costs for re-work. And it is important to note that restoration and modernization, including information technology, are issues that apply to agencies across the federal government, including the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and others – not simply the Department of Defense.
As the frontline managers who work in these aging facilities and strive every day to complete our agencies’ missions, FMA urges Congress to make necessary investments in facilities and infrastructure at the four public shipyards and across the government. With the USMCA signed, we are hopeful attention will now be returned to this important issue, essential to our country’s national security. We at FMA stand willing and ready to work with decision makers in a bipartisan manner to advance these infrastructure needs.
The views reflected in this column are those of FMA and do not necessarily represent the views of FEDmanager. To learn more about the Federal Managers Association (FMA), visit their website: FedManagers.org.