He himself calls it the largest investment in jobs since World War II, an investment that only occurs in a generation. President Biden presented his long-awaited plans for US infrastructure on Wednesday afternoon (local time).
The American president wants to invest more than 2000 billion dollars in the construction of roads, bridges, railways, ports, charging stations for electric cars and improvement of the electricity network, thereby creating millions of jobs.
“To win the competition with China on the world stage,” said Biden. “We are at a point in history where we will say later: that was when America won the future.”
Historical
Bidens economic Built Back Better Recovery Plan consists of two parts; a job plan, which he is now presenting, and a social package of measures, regulating social legislation such as childcare and more affordable health insurance for everyone. The more than $ 2 trillion he wants to invest is in addition to the $ 1.9 trillion corona support package.
The reason Biden is presenting the package in two parts is that the infrastructure and jobs plan has a greater chance of being successful in congressional approval. There is widespread support nationwide for tackling the poor road network and dangerous bridges.
There is also this support among Republicans, but the question is whether they will allow Biden to get this historic bill through. Biden: “Throughout history, infrastructure has always been something impartial, we have to go back to that. There is no reason why this plan cannot be supported by both parties.”
‘Trojan horse’
Many Republicans think otherwise. They mainly look at how Biden wants to finance his plans. Biden proposes, among other things, an increase in corporate tax and wants to levy tax on income collected abroad. Both are part of his predecessor Trump’s tax cuts.
US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier, “There is little enthusiasm on our part.” He called the Biden government’s infrastructure plan a “Trojan horse” to implement tax increases.
Crumbling infrastructure
The reconstruction plan is not only intended to tackle the crumbling infrastructure and create jobs. It is also intended to meet climate goals by investing billions in the construction of charging stations for electric cars and making existing buildings sustainable.
The entire electricity network will also be greened and every American must have access to affordable broadband internet. At the same time, the Biden government wants to combat racial inequality, for example by changing the living conditions of black neighborhoods (near polluting ports or power plants).
Modernization
An overall modernization of the backbone of the United States, Biden called it, complete with billions for retraining programs and research and development: “When asked whether all this is necessary, I say: the same was said of the first space program and look what new technology that has brought us. We invented the internet, but today millions of households are still without it. “
But above all, modernization is needed to cope with competition with China, says Biden: “This is a battle between democracy and autocracy. If we can no longer reach consensus within our democracy, then they will win. But I believe that we can work together for the people. I believe we can get a majority. I believe in it. “
