US Presidency
2013

Those states with the best ideas to create jobs and lower energy bills by constructing more efficient buildings will receive federal support to help make that happen. America's energy sector is just one part of an aging infrastructure badly in need of repair. Ask any CEO where they'd rather locate and hire a country with deteriorating roads and bridges, or one with high-speed rail and Internet; high-tech schools, self healing power grids. The CEO of Siemens America a company that brought hundreds of new jobs to North Carolina said that if we upgrade our infrastructure, they'll bring even more jobs. And that's the attitude of a lot of companies all around the world. And I know you want these job creating projects in your district. I've seen all those ribbon-cuttings. So tonight, I propose a Fix-It-First program to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs, like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country.