Sen. Jerry Moran says President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night touched on topics important to Kansans—in particular, infrastructure.
In his address, the president pushed Congress to approve a bill that generates $1.5 trillion for the country’s infrastructure. Moran called Trump’s speech “solid," but said he wants more details about the massive infrastructure plan.
“Infrastructure matters to us in Kansas. We desperately need investment in infrastructure, and what’s always missing in the call for an infrastructure program is how to pay for it, and that remained unanswered last night," he said.
"I wouldn’t expect it to be said in the State of the Union address, but it means there’s a lot more details to be determined.”
In its 2013 report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, Kansas’ infrastructure was given a C minus; the organization estimated then that about 8 percent of the state's 25,000 bridges were structurally deficient, and its wastewater infrastructure will need about $3.76 billion over the next two decades.
Speaking after a town hall event in Wichita on Wednesday morning, Moran also praised Trump's decision to keep the military prison at Guantanamo Bay open, reversing the Obama administration's order to close it.
"That is an issue that matters to us for our national security reasons, but specifically because of the potential of individuals who are currently housed there being moved to Fort Leavenworth," Moran said.
The Kansas town is home to the largest U.S. military prison in the country and was one site being considered to house Guantanamo detainees. Many Kansas officials opposed the possible transfer, saying it posed a safety risk.
The president signed an executive order Tuesday and made the announcement during his State of the Union address.
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