No more roadblocks

No more roadblocks to rebuilding America The Anderson Memorial Bridge between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, sits near the heart of Harvard University. An elegant, Georgian Revival structure, it took 11 months to build the original bridge in 1912. When it came time to repair it nearly 100 years later, the project dragged on for close to 5 years—at a significant cost overrun. Why did it take more than 5 times as long to repair the structure today as it did to create it more than a century ago? The Anderson Bridge project was the victim of a bloated, tangled patchwork of regulatory oversight that squanders the advantages of modern technology in building fast, safe, and reliable infrastructure throughout America. This week, President Donald J. Trump laid out six principles for reversing this unacceptable trend. One such principle: Return decision-making authority to the state and local communities whose needs are most at stake. See the President's 6 principles for rebuilding America here. A special 200th birthday Most people know February 14 as Valentine's Day, but today holds another significance that all Americans should be familiar with: It is the 200th birthday of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass. In honor of African American History Month, Vice President Mike Pence visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington yesterday. Authorized by President George W. Bush in 2003 and opened to the public in 2016, the museum has quickly become a major destination in the Nation's capital. "It is deeply humbling for me to stand before you today in the midst of this great national monument to the struggles, the sacrifices, and the triumphs of so many American heroes," the Vice President said. "The history that's recorded in these halls literally is stitched into every fabric of the American story." Later yesterday afternoon, African American leaders from across the country joined President Trump and the First Lady for a reception at the White House commemorating African American History Month. Read more about the special meaning of this year's African American History Month. On tax reform, the good news keeps rolling in In the weeks following the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, American companies have unleashed a remarkable stream of wage increases, bonuses, and retirement account contributions—all while sharing plans for even greater investment in workers and equipment alike. As of this week, more than 350 companies have made these intentions public, announcing more than $150 billion in planned investments at home and $4.2 billion in bonuses paid to more than 4 million U.S. workers. The largest U.S. company, the largest U.S. bank, and the largest U.S. employer have all announced intentions to raise worker wages or give out bonuses during the past few weeks. What does all of this good news add up to? While it's impossible to measure with complete certainty the effects of such sweeping legislation, the President's Council of Economic Advisers estimates that the total increase in annual pay resulting from tax reform will reach $4,000 per household. Read more: Companies announce benefits of tax reform for American workers Photo of the Day President Donald J. Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and U.S. Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome M. Adams | February 13, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) POTUS TODAY This morning, President Trump will meet with bipartisan members of Congress about infrastructure. In the afternoon, the President will participate in a working session regarding the opportunity zones provided by tax reform. Later, the President will sign H.R. 4708, the DHS Blue Campaign Authorization Act, and S. 534, the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Assault and Safe Sport Authorization Act.