This is the critical moment. Uncertainty is already forcing states, contractors, suppliers and workers to pause hiring and investment decisions right now. Project pipelines will slow, and long-term planning is at risk. Congress has a narrow window to support national economic growth and prevent years of setbacks, while advancing one of the most important domestic priorities.

The aggregates, concrete and asphalt industries urge Congress to support material-neutral, performance-based deployment investments into building material solutions that enhance durability and improve the performance and sustainability of our nation’s infrastructure. As Congress considers critical legislation, such as annual appropriations, defense authorizations and surface transportation reauthorization legislation, we urge policymakers to incorporate material-neutral language in future legislation and to refrain from language that prefers or promotes any construction material over others.

Aggregates, asphalt and ready-mixed concrete are the foundation of every infrastructure project. However, outdated and often duplicative environmental permitting requirements continue to create uncertainty about when a permit is required, leading to a permitting process that is slow, unpredictable and outdated, while needlessly raising costs and delaying critical projects.

The construction materials industry—employing hundreds of thousands of workers across the country— strongly supports federal policies and funding that ensure aggregates, asphalt and concrete producers can access the skilled employees needed to produce critical construction materials. Persistent shortages of skilled labor (exacerbated by an aging workforce and retirements) have already forced many producers to turn away business, underscoring the urgent need for sustained investment in workforce development, training programs, apprenticeships and recruitment initiatives.