Biden Pushes Infrastructure Plan in Cleveland
President Joe Biden used a stop in Cleveland late last month to push harder for Congressional approval of his infrastructure improvement plan.
Speaking to a group at Cuyahoga Community College, the President argued his families and infrastructure plans will create millions of new jobs and reshape the economy – in need of a boost as the U.S. tries to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The American economy is coming back. And that’s the second reason we’re on the move. I committed to an approach of building an American economy, a different economy to build back better, not just build back – build back better. That approach recognizes that we all do better when we all do well. And the best way to grow our economy is from the bottom up and the middle out,” said Biden.
As proposed, Biden’s $2 trillion American Jobs Plan, is poised to change the definition of infrastructure. Biden cut off negotiations with Senate Republicans on June 8, leaving the fate of the bill solely in the hands of Senate Democrats.
The plan calls for billions of dollars to fix roads, bridges, railways and other traditional infrastructure. But it also includes a great deal of funding to bolster care-giving for aging and disabled Americans; support for the manufacturing sector; as well as building, renovating and retrofitting homes and apartment buildings to become more energy efficient.
Additional funding for research and development, new and renovated public schools, expansion of high-speed broadband, workforce development and renovations to Veterans Affairs’ hospitals is also included.
For members of union building trades, the proposal means jobs.
“The middle class built this country, and unions built the middle class. That’s a fact,” said Biden.
From a traditional infrastructure standpoint, roads and bridges throughout America are old and need to be replaced.
This was a topic Biden was not afraid to cover in his speech.
“A quarter of all the miles Americans travel on roads are on the Interstate Highway System built 60 years ago – 60 years after we build it. These are generational investments,” he said. “The pandemic exposed just how badly we need to invest in the foundation of this country and the working people of this country. That’s why I proposed the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan – the generational investments we need today to succeed for tomorrow.”
The President’s speech resonated with Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary Dave Wondolowski and IBEW Local 38 Business Manager/Financial Secretary Dennis Meaney, who were both in attendance at the community college.
“It was great,” said Wondolowski, “He is hyper-focused on infrastructure and the jobs it will create.”
“President Biden has said many times that he supports this work going to union members and (he) looked and pointed at Dave Wondolowski and myself when he reiterated it in his speech here in Cleveland,” said Meaney.
In addition to the traditional infrastructure work, Meaney felt it was important to expand the definition of infrastructure.
“Roads and bridges need serious repairs and we need to add the other parts of his plan such as EV chargers for electric cars and broadband internet,” he added.
Biden also discussed the importance of creating good paying jobs during his speech. He emphasized the vast majority of the jobs created do not need college degrees.
“The bottom line is that people are going to be going back to work. There’s a new bargain: Everyone is – is going to be in on the deal this time,” he said.
His statement aligns directly with the union building trades registered apprenticeship programs, where men and women, regardless of age, race or ethnicity, earn while they learn. Apprentices do not need a college education, as they learn on the job from journeymen and also receive classroom instruction.
Throughout his speech, the President not only focused on the importance of creating jobs, but creating jobs for blue-collar workers.
“Investing in America again is going to create growth and more jobs, but there’s something else we have to do to ensure the high-quality jobs exist. We must restore the connection between the success of our economy and the people who produce that success — hardworking Americans. The connection has been severed,” said Biden.
For Meaney, this was a key point, and one he actually got to thank the President for mentioning.
“I got to thank him for mentioning the IBEW doing the electrical work for his infrastructure plan on national TV in his speech to Congress, and President Biden said, ‘I meant what I said, these jobs will be good paying blue collar, union jobs.’”