May 17, 2020
Saint Paul, MN — Today, the legislative session came to a conclusion with neither the House nor Senate achieving a three-fifths majority vote to approve bonding proposals. LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota, Minnesota’s infrastructure union, released the following statement.
“We are disappointed that for the second year in a row, the Legislature, specifically the House Republican Caucus, failed to support a large infrastructure bill that would have created up to 30,000 construction jobs on local projects across the state,” said Joel Smith, President and Business Manager of LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota.
“On top of blocking a $1 billion infrastructure bill in the 2019 legislative session, the House Republicans have now cost Minnesotans 45,000 construction jobs in less than a year. It is time for the House and Senate Republicans to put politics aside, and for our state leaders to come together and do what’s best for Minnesota in this COVID-19 economic crisis: pass a $2 billion infrastructure bill that will stimulate the economy and keep Minnesotans working.
“We commend and thank Governor Walz, Lt. Governor Flanagan and the Minnesota Legislature, Republicans and DFLers, for their leadership and commitment to keep Minnesotans safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The regular legislative session has concluded with unfinished critical business — a $2 billion infrastructure bill, bipartisan legislation that would have created tens of thousands of local jobs in clean energy and fuels, and investments in affordable housing with adequate labor standards. We look forward to working with our state leaders when they return for a special session. Let’s get the job done.”