President Joe Biden pushed policies not included in the bipartisan infrastructure framework during Wednesday remarks in a pro-Trump county in Illinois.
Biden traveled to McHenry County, Illinois, where he received 47.7% of 2020 votes compared to former President Donald Trump’s 50.2% of votes, and focused in part on the American Families Plan. He highlighted various proposals aimed at helping students and working families as well as plans to combat climate change.
The proposals are being referred to as “generational investments in human infrastructure,” a White House official previously told CNN. These investments include tax credits for child care expenses, instituting paid family leave and giving tax cuts to businesses investing in clean energy, among other ideas.
“My plan is also going to give grants to spur innovative policies and land projects,” Biden explained. “Excuse me, local projects like installing communities’ solar and storage in disadvantaged communities. Replacing street lights that are made in America with LED bulbs that costs a whole lot less and last a whole lot longer … Folks, I’ve made a lot of plans here. But that’s because wee have to think bigger, we have to act bolder and build back better.”
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The plan also pushes two years of free community college, a point he highlighted during Wednesday’s remarks.
This proposal would be financed by taxing wealthy Americans, The New York Times noted. Biden also promoted the bipartisan infrastructure plan during his remarks.
“The bipartisan agreement we reached makes some major strides,” the president said. “It’s gonna allow the transition of thousands … for example, diesel school buses and buses – city buses. We’re gonna change them to electric buses. There’s roughly half a million of these iconic yellow school buses on the road today. 95% of them run on diesel, for example.”
“I’ll put Americans to work capping, tens of thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells that are leaking methane. It’s devastating,” Biden continued, declaring that “we need to go further.”
The bipartisan infrastructure plan, agreed upon in June, is significantly smaller than Biden’s initial $2.3 trillion plan and largely focuses on traditional infrastructure. The president almost derailed the bipartisan bill after declaring he wouldn’t sign the package without an accompanied reconciliation bill.
The president walked back his comments one day later, saying he didn’t intend to create “the impression that I was issuing a veto threat.” (RELATED: Biden Walks Back Infrastructure Vow, Says ‘Veto Threat … Not My Intent’)
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Tuesday that Biden’s plan is a “once-in-a-generation investment in the foundations of middle-class prosperity,” CBS News reported.
“As the president presses for the bipartisan infrastructure framework, he’s also pressing ahead on a dual track for the full breadth and scope of the Build Back Better agenda, which includes his critical climate priorities and the American Families Plan,” Psaki said.
With the bipartisan infrastructure bill focusing on traditional infrastructure, Democrats are pushing the second bill through budget reconciliation.