Washington, DC — Below is a statement by Bryan K. Barnett, Mayor of Rochester Hills (MI) and President of the United States Conference of Mayors on the meeting a delegation of mayors had with President Trump at the White House on Friday, January 24, 2020.
“This past Friday, mayors from across the country had the opportunity to meet with President Trump, cabinet members, and several senior members of his Administration at the White House as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors 88th Winter Meeting. The Conference has a long bipartisan history of working with presidents and we were grateful to have the opportunity to continue this tradition with President Trump.
“While it is no secret that national politics have become crippled by partisanship, mayors know it’s still possible to look past party affiliation and work together on key agreed upon issues affecting our cities. The reality is we have much in common and there is no shortage of areas where the priorities of local and federal governments overlap—particularly infrastructure, public safety, reducing homelessness, addressing the opioid crisis and the 2020 Census. Examples of our common ground include Opportunity Zones, the passage of the USMCA, and the importance of building a workforce of the future.
“During our visit, President Trump signed the Securing American Nonprofit Organizations Against Terrorism Act of 2019 that increases security funding for places of worship and nonprofits by $375 million. We’re thankful for his support of this bipartisan legislation that provides much needed support at the local level.
“Mayors want nothing more than to make cities better places to live and work for the people we all serve. We thank the President for welcoming us to the White House. We look forward to building on our discussions and collaborating on our shared priorities.”