WASHINGTON, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid addressed nearly one-hundred Mayors, as well as police chiefs, fire chiefs, and emergency management officials, from across the nation today as part of an historic U.S. Conference of Mayors Emergency, Safety and Security Summit. Reid highlighted his plan to improve the nation’s infrastructure as a way to create jobs, provide security and promote economic activity.

“All across our nation, there are literally billions of dollars in critical but unmet needs - for our roads, wastewater and drinking water, bridges, trains and transit systems,” Senator Reid said at the conference. “Every mayor in this room knows those projects are out there. And these projects are the key to creating thousands of jobs and boosting our economy.”

Reid recently brought together mayors from Nevada and across the nation to discuss job creation measures. As chairman of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee, Reid has proposed significantly investing in the nation’s infrastructure as a way to create jobs, increase national security and promote economic activity– a proposal endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Reid’s proposed transportation improvements include:

• $5 billion to improve the condition of highway infrastructure
• $5 billion for mass transit/public transportation projects
• $3.2 billion in emergency security funding for Amtrak
• $12 billion for high speed rail development
• $1.2 billion each year for ten years
• $1.5 billion to help airports with current construction plans
• $300 million for marine ferry and terminal construction

“For every billion dollars we spend on infrastructure improvement projects, 42,000 jobs will be created,” Senator Reid added. “These are long-term jobs that will help hundreds of thousands of American families pay the bills and save for their future. In addition to creating tens of thousands of much needed jobs in the short-term, these infrastructure investments will make our economy stronger and more secure for many years to come.”