Members from the U.S. Conference of Mayors met in Columbus Tuesday to discuss the future of the organization, including the support of the federal bipartisan infrastructure plan.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley serves as conference president. She joined mayors from around the country, including Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, to push for Congress to pass the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework announced last month.
Whaley said 369 mayors from all 50 states have sent a joint letter encouraging Congress to take action on the plan.
"A re-imagine of America's transportation, water, communication and energy systems has been a long priority for mayors," she said. "We have a real opportunity before us to transform the backbone of this country."
Whaley added that passenger rail will especially be a focus in Ohio if the bipartisan infrastructure framework passes.
"We see this opportunity to really connect Ohio cities through the Amtrak plan, but also connect the entire country, because you have to get through Ohio to connect," she said.
Whaley will represent the U.S. Conference of Mayors in a meeting Wednesday with President Joe Biden to discuss the infrastructure plan.
