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Strong Towns advocates believe the way to grow stronger and more financially resilient towns and cities\u2014and, by extension, a stronger, more resilient country\u2014is from the bottom up.\nA bottom-up approach is one that meets the actual needs of residents. It taps into the energy and creativity that already exists in our communities. It is sensitive and responsive to feedback. (\u201cThis is working. That isn\u2019t. Let\u2019s hit the gas here, and pump the brakes there.\u201d) It relies on small, incremental investments (little bets) instead of large, transformative projects. And it is obsessed with running the numbers, as Strong Towns founder and president Chuck Marohn wrote when describing the Strong Towns approach: \u201cIf we\u2019re not doing the math, if we\u2019re not asking the hard financial questions with each step we take, we\u2019re doing a disservice to our fellow residents and the future generations who will inherit our choices.\u201d\nWhile much of this bottom-up work is happening at the local level, there is an important role for the federal government. This week we\u2019re excited to welcome to the Strong Towns podcast two U.S. representatives to talk about just that. Both are longtime Strong Towns readers, and they are thinking deeply about how Congress can strengthen towns and cities and get the economy moving again.\nRep. Jake Auchincloss is a Democrat representing Massachusetts\u2019s 4th congressional district. After graduating from Harvard College, Auchincloss joined the Marines. He commanded infantry in Afghanistan and special operations in Panama, and he's now a major in the reserves. After returning home, he served on the City Council in Newton, Massachusetts. Auchincloss was elected to Congress in 2020 and serves on The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.\nRep. Mike Gallagher is a Republican representing Wisconsin\u2019s 8th congressional district. Gallagher is a Marine veteran, serving for seven years on active duty and earning the rank of Captain. After earning his bachelor\u2019s degree from Princeton University, Gallagher went on to earn a master\u2019s degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University, a second in Strategic Intelligence from National Intelligence University, and his PhD in International Relations from Georgetown. Prior to getting elected to Congress in 2016, he worked in the private sector at a global energy and supply chain management company in Green Bay. Rep. Gallagher serves on the House Armed Services Committee and, with Rep. Auchincloss, on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.\nIn this episode of the podcast\u2014which we\u2019re also releasing below on video and in transcript\u2014Chuck Marohn talks with the congressmen about the challenges facing communities in their home districts and around the country. They discuss the push in Washington for a big infrastructure bill, whether a tension exists between infrastructure spending as economic stimulus and infrastructure spending as smart long-term investment, and the growing consensus to address the nation\u2019s mountain of backlogged maintenance projects. They also talk about how the federal government can support smaller projects that may be less sexy but actually have a high ROI, why mayors and city councils must be empowered to make the decisions right for their communities, and much, much more.\nAdditional Show Notes\n\nRep. Jake Auchincloss (Website)\n\n\nRep. Jake Auchincloss (Twitter)\n\n\nRep. Mike Gallagher (Website)\n\n\nRep. Mike Gallagher (Twitter)\n\n\nCharles Marohn (Twitter)\n\n\nThe House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure\n\n\nRecent Strong Towns content related to this episode:\n\n\u201cThe Strong Towns Approach to Public Investment,\u201d by Charles Marohn\n\n\n\u201cThe Act Like You INVEST In America Act,\u201d by Charles Marohn\n\n\n\u201cWhat Can We Hope For from a Mayor Pete D.O.T.?\u201d (Podcast)\n\n\n\u201cThe Great GASB!\u201d by Joe Minicozzi\n\n\n\u201cA Better Use of Federal Infrastructure Spending\u201d (Podcast)\n\n\n\u201cThe Worst Possible Thing We Can Do With This Money\u201d (Podcast)\n\n\n\u201cIf We\u2019re Not Going to Maintain What We Ha