Quad City business leaders will push for more protection of the Rock Island Arsenal on Thursday, March 6th, 2014 in Washington D.C.
The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce will talk with Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Congressman Dave Loebsack, and others in Washington D.C. They are asking for more financial support for three separate projects.
Business leaders are concerned about U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's recent proposal for cuts in defense spending. Hagel is proposing to cut the Army to just 450,000 soldiers next year. That would be the smallest the Army has been since before World War II.
The chamber would also like to make sure manufacturing is a large part of the Quad City economy for years to come. In September of 2013, the Chamber and the Bi-State Regional Commission received a grant for $160,000 to try to bring more advanced technology, workforce training, and high-paying manufacturing jobs to the area. Specifics on how they plan to bring in those jobs have not been released.
The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders will return to the Quad Cities Friday night. They will also give an update on the I-74 Bridge project to the lawmakers.