[NFA] U.S. President Joe Biden promoted his $1.2 trillion infrastructure package as a "generational investment" on Tuesday as he sought to pump up support for a plan that is in need of wide support in Congress to become reality.
This report produced by Freddie Joyner.
U.S. President Joe Biden hit the road Tuesday to Le Crosse, Wisconsin, to promote his $1.2 trillion infrastructure package - a package in need of widespread support in Congress in order to become a reality.
BIDEN: “This is a generational investment, a generational investment to modernize our infrastructure, creating millions of good paying jobs...This bipartisan breakthrough is a great deal for the American people, not just for folks in cities, not just for red states and blue states, but for everybody.” Biden highlighted the plan's investment of some $48.5 billion in public transit as well as local gains that would come from the deal.
The bipartisan package also includes $109 billion in funding for roads, bridges and other major projects, including the 1,000 bridges rated structurally deficient in Wisconsin.
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.
According to a Democratic aide, House and Senate Democrats hope to have infrastructure legislation done and on its way to Biden's desk by the end of September.
Under massive pressure from Republicans, Biden 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.
U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Monday called on Democrats in Congress to abandon the plan to link the two measures.
MCCONNELL: "...to deal with them separately.
That's the way the deal was negotiated according to the ten Republicans, I can assure you, who were in the discussion.
There was no agreement that they would be linked." With the Senate divided 50-50 between the two parties, a move by McConnell against the bipartisan bill could cost it the 60 votes it would need to pass under Senate rules.
Democrats aim to pass the companion measure through a process called reconciliation that requires a simple majority.
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