Infrastructure plan would create millions of jobs: Biden

Search and rescue teams look for possible survivors in the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida, yesterday.

US President Joe Biden yesterday promoted his $1.2tn infrastructure package as a “generational investment” as he sought to pump up support for a plan that is in need of wide support in Congress to become reality. Biden visited a public transit facility in La Crosse, a city in western Wisconsin, highlighting the plan’s investment of some $48.5bn in public transit to reduce commute times and help reduce emissions, while boosting economic growth and wages. In a speech, he spoke about local gains from the deal, including funds for electric buses, replacement of some 80,000 lead water lines in Milwaukee and better access to high-speed internet. The bipartisan package also includes $109bn in funding for roads, bridges and other major projects, including the 1,000 bridges rated structurally deficient in Wisconsin. “This is a generational investment to modernise our infrastructure, creating millions of good-paying jobs, and position America to compete with the rest of the world in the 21st century,” said Biden. He also noted that the plan will not hike tax on gasoline or raise taxes on Americans earning under $400,000 a year. Vowing the plan would create jobs for middle-class people, Biden said: “This is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America.” Biden is attempting to keep up the momentum for a legislative proposal that Democratic congressional leaders believe will reach a critical stage in the second half of July. “I expect the last two weeks of July to be very busy weeks, when we will deal with the president’s proposals,” the No 2 House Democrat, Steny Hoyer, told reporters yesterday. House and senate Democrats hope to have infrastructure legislation done and on its way to Biden’s desk by the end of September, a Democratic aide said. Senate Democrats are aiming to pass bipartisan legislation and send it to the House, before breaking for an August recess. The Democratic president told a virtual fundraising dinner on Monday that the infrastructure package would create millions of good-paying jobs and help US firms to compete in the global economy. “We’re in a race for the 21st century, for who is going to have the strongest economy,” Biden told the event, hosted by the Democratic National Committee.”And the rest of the world’s not waiting around. We have more to do, and we have to move fast.” Biden also vowed to continue fighting for additional spending that would expand child care and paid leave to more Americans and offer two years of free community college to those who qualify. Biden, under massive pressure from Republicans, on Saturday withdrew a threat to not sign the bipartisan bill unless it was accompanied by a separate package focused on what he calls “human infrastructure,” including expanded home care for the elderly and disabled. Press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday that the White House had been in touch with Democratic leaders about the two measures but Biden had not spoken about the issue with US senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who wants Democrats in Congress to abandon their plan to link the two measures.President to visit condo collapse site US President Joe Biden will visit the site of a deadly apartment building collapse in southern Florida later this week, the White House announced yesterday. The White House said the president would visit the site with First Lady Jill Biden tomorrow to ensure state and local officials have everything they need for the rescue effort. “They want to thank the heroic first responders, search-and-rescue teams, and everyone who’s been working tirelessly around the clock,” said press secretary Jen Psaki. The first couple also wants to “meet with the families who have been forced to endure this terrible tragedy, waiting in anguish and heartbreak for word of their loved ones, to offer them comfort as search and rescue efforts continue,” she said. Biden said on Sunday his administration would co-ordinate with local officials and was “ready to provide any support or assistance that is needed.” “This is an unimaginably difficult time for the families enduring this tragedy,” he said in a statement.