Biden said, “We have a huge opportunity to provide fast safe clean reliable transportation in this country”
The president earned the nickname “Amtrak Joe” commuting between Washington and Delaware for decades.
He wants $80 billion in passenger rail upgrades under his infrastructure bill. That’s paired with his “American families” social spending plan, adding up to roughly $4 trillion.
Republicans are unhappy the president wants the wealthy and big businesses to foot the bill.
Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) said, “I think it’s going to land on working families, will drive jobs overseas, look that’s the last thing we need right now.”
GOP lawmakers are pitching an alternative, strictly targeted to roads, bridges, water and broadband internet.
Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito raised hopes for a bipartisan deal after talks with President Biden.
In an exclusive interview on the Today Show, the president made the case to go big. “There are certain things only the government can do,” Biden said. “Is the private sector gonna go out and build billions of dollars worth of highways, ports, airports, bridges? Are they gonna do that?”
President Biden argued for hefty federal investments to get the country back on track.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is hoping to get some form of infrastructure legislation passed before the July 4th recess.
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