PITTSBURGH, Pa. – From a carpenters training center in Pittsburgh, President Joe Biden presented his new $2.3 trillion “American Jobs” plan, which he said aims to invest in infrastructure and increase manufacturing to keep the U.S. competitive with China.
After an introduction by lineworker Mike Fiore, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Biden said his plan is a vision that is “not seen through the eyes of Wall Street and Washington, but the eyes of hardworking people.”
Biden said the plan includes $621 billion for transportation infrastructure such as 20,000 miles of highways, roads, and main streets; and repairing 10,000 bridges. He wants to reduce bottlenecks at ports and airports, invest in a clean energy future, and provide tax incentives for clean vehicles.
“It’s not a plan that tinkers around the edges. It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America, unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race decades ago,” Biden said. “In fact, it’s the largest American jobs investment since World War II. It will create millions of jobs.”
The plan also includes $111 billion to replace the nation’s lead pipes and sewer lines. He also said there is a need for thousands of miles of transmission lines, high-speed affordable reliable internet, and energy-efficient households.
“I’m convinced that if we act now, in 50 years people are going to look back and say this is the moment when America won the future,” Biden said.
Biden said no one making under $400,000 will see an increase in their taxes to fund the $2.3 trillion plan. Biden said his administration is going to raise the corporate tax from 21% to 28%, eliminate deductions to corporations for offshoring jobs, and give companies tax credits to locate manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
“Wall Street didn’t build this country. You, the great middle class, built this country, and unions built the middle class,” Biden said.
Biden also said 91 Fortune 500 Companies, including Amazon, don’t pay a single penny in income tax.
“The number of companies that didn’t pay taxes in the last couple of years is just insane and most Americans would agree,” said Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary. “We need to change that.”
Biden said it’s time to show autocrats that democracies work and there can be a consensus for progress. He also said he welcomes Republicans to the White House to discuss alternatives. Sen. Mitch McConnell is already opposing the source of the funding.
“Let’s do an infrastructure bill,” McConnell said. “Let’s don’t turn it into a massive effort to raise taxes on businesses and individuals.”
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#IBEW lineworker Mike Fiore: "The men and women of the IBEW are ready to get to work rebuilding our infrastructure, retooling our plants, and revitalizing our communities and middle class. We’re ready to build America back better."
— IBEW (@IBEW) March 31, 2021
Millions of Americans lost their jobs last year.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 31, 2021
Here’s the truth: We all do better when we all do well. It’s time to build our economy from the bottom up—and the middle out—not the top down.
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