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Trump Pushing Construction Plan in Ohio Speech

by Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON --

   U.S. President Donald Trump is heading Thursday to Ohio to promote his
   plan to boost federal spending to upgrade the nation's aging highways,
   bridges, airports and other infrastructure.

   The U.S. leader has proposed using $200 billion in federal money over
   the next decade to spur at least $1.5 trillion in overall spending on
   the new construction.

   He first unveiled the plan in February and hailed it as one that could
   garner support from his Republican colleagues in Congress, as well as
   from opposition Democrats. But the plan drew little immediate support
   and there is no indication that lawmakers will take it up anytime soon
   as they focus more on getting re-elected in the November elections.

   Trump's plan calls for heavy investments by state and local governments
   for most of the infrastructure spending. That led some lawmakers to say
   the plan could lead to construction of toll roads that are unpopular
   with commuters in order to pay for the upgraded roads or the sale of
   government assets to raise money.

   Instead of looking to adopt Trump's plan, House Speaker Paul Ryan, who
   oversees the majority Republican caucus in the House of
   Representatives, touted infrastructure improvements included in last
   week's $1.3 trillion spending plan that funds government agencies
   through the end of September.

   "Long-overdue updates to our country's infrastructure," Ryan said in a
   Twitter remark.

   Trump's visit to the midwestern state of Ohio is the U.S. leader's
   first public appearance this week, days after adult film actress Stormy
   Daniels alleged in a nationally televised broadcast that she had a
   one-night affair with Trump in 2006 months after his wife Melania gave
   birth to their son Barron.

   Trump's personal attorney and White House aides have denied the affair,
   but Trump has not commented himself on the allegations. His White House
   spokesmen have declined to discuss a $130,000 payment made by Trump
   lawyer Michael Cohen to Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential
   election aimed at buying her silence ahead of the voting.

   After his speech in Ohio, Trump is headed to his Florida estate
   Mar-a-Lago to spend the Easter weekend with his family.