Trump seeks $1.5 trillion for infrastructure and one-year project approval

President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union address to call for a $1.5 trillion Bill to "rebuild our crumbling infrastructure". He also raged that it takes ten years to approve "a simple new road" compared to the one year he says it took to build the Empire State Building.

The legislation for more infrastructure funding would need to be brought forward by a Republican-controlled Congress, and Trump sought to win backing by vowing that "every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with state and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit" he said in the speech.

But it was reported that "while the speech had been billed as an opportunity for Trump's Builder-in-Chief reputation to shine, he did little to break down details of his plan - specifically, how to fund the bill". There had been reports that he would need to find $200bn from direct federal funds to secure such a pipeline of projects. 

Last year, Democrat Senators had brought forward a $1 trillion infrastructure plan relying on direct federal funds that the Republican party has not responded to.

Trump added in his speech that he would like the time taken to approve roads and other infrastructure slashed, from the ten years he said it can take down to as little as "two, and perhaps even one". And he also suggested that foreign workers are not needed to achieve the plan: "Together, we will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways and waterays across our land, and we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit."