Industry Associations Comment on Election Results
"Get something done!" is the mandate that two key industry associations say reflect the nation's attitude, emphasized by last Tuesday's election results. The results "hopefully send a strong message to both the president and the members of the House and Senate: Americans are looking for Congress and the president to get things done.
"Things like fixing the federal highway program, creating a tax environment that encourages investment and allows businesses to grow and hire employees. It is time to begin construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and adopt a comprehensive infrastructure program. AED stands ready to help Congress and the president move forward on these and the other important issues before the nation,” commented Brian McGuire, president & CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors.
John McClelland, ARA vice president of government affairs, recapped it this way:
"Many voters are tired of nothing getting done in Washington, D.C. Many ARA members have been very frustrated by the failure of Congress to pass the Section 179 expensing deduction, which expired a year ago. Everyone in Congress seems to agree that Section 179 is a good thing and should be made permanent, but nothing was done. ARA members who want and need Section 179 this year are still in a state of uncertainty. Section 179 is just one issue, but it is an issue very close to the equipment rental industry. Just think of all of the other issues that had no action in the past two years and the growing anger over that inaction among voters. You could just feel that someone was going to have to pay at the polls. It turns out that the ones who paid were Democrats, both incumbents and open seats.
"However, Republicans may now feel like the dog that finally catches the car. They will have to govern. Passing legislation through the House will be relatively easy because of the bigger majority in the body that is ruled by the majority. However, in the Senate there is going to have to be compromise because Republicans may control the agenda on the floor, but they do not have 60 votes that are required to get almost anything done in the Senate. Republicans are going to have to prove that they can govern. They will be defending far more seats than the Democrats in the 2016 Election and if the electorate is not happy with their performance, the balance of power in the Senate could shift again to the Democrats."
PRO CONTRACTOR RENTALS MAGAZINE
Pro Contractor Rentals provides information of value to rental centers who focus time, resources and attention on meeting the demands of construction contractors and other equipment rental customers.
