Biden continues to promote $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – In Washington, D.C., President Biden is expected to speak about the economy, reacting to positive news as the nation emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The president is trying to build momentum for his agenda with key meetings on his infrastructure plan set for the days ahead.

Increased vaccinations and dropping COVID cases are fueling the nation’s economic recovery.

President Biden says his spending plans are the key to create jobs and keep the trend going in the right direction, taking his case for big infrastructure spending directly to the people

The president spoke Thursday in Louisiana — a state he lost to Donald Trump by 19 points. “I’m ready to compromise,” Biden said. “But what I’m not ready to do, I’m not ready to do nothing. I’m not ready to have another period where America has another infrastructure month and doesn’t change a damn thing.”

Still, the president found a willing listener in the Republican mayor of Lake Charles, Nic Hunter. He said, “I don’t care if it’s President Trump, President Biden, or President Kanye West. If they are here in Lake Charles and they can help us, I will be there to break bread with them and try and accomplish things.”

The president is banking that his $2.3 trillion bill is popular with Democratic and Republican voters, building support to put pressure on congressional Republicans who he said are intent on derailing his agenda.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, “I’m anxious to stop the Biden agenda depending on what it is. At the risk of repeating myself, if we want to talk infrastructure we are very interested in talking about infrastructure that amounts to about $600 billion not $4.1 trillion.”

Biden plans to pay for the bill by rolling back the 2017 Trump tax cuts and by closing loopholes, moves Republicans oppose. Still, Democrats—at least publicly—think there’s room for agreement.

Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) said, it’s really great that he is continuing to talk with republicans. I take him at his word that he wants to negotiate and wants to find some common ground.”

It’s a critical test for a president who ran on being able to bridge partisan divides.

The president meets with congressional leaders next week at the White House to see if there’s any common ground between the Republican and Democrat infrastructure proposals.