Press Release
☷Remarks by President Biden on How His Investments are Rebuilding Our Communities and Creating Good Paying Jobs | Milwaukee WI
White House ( By Press Release office)
Mar 15,2024
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Hey there! It ' s the President . Good to see all of you . Sorry for turning my back , my dad would say "excuse my back . " ( Laughs ) How ' s it going , Milwaukee? Thanks , Ray , for the introduction and sharing your family ' s story . Your grandfather served in the military and started a business , but it got destroyed because of a new highway . But you never gave up , and I want to thank you and the community for that . Governor Evers , my good friend , thank you for your partnership in dealing with COVID and rebuilding the economy . Same goes for Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congresswoman Gwen Moore . Is your son here , Representative Moore? ( Inaudible response ) Alright , well , she represents her hometown with integrity and tenacity . Mayor Johnson , you ' re an impressive young mayor . Stand up , Mr . Mayor . ( Laughs ) Don ' t run for mayor , though . They think you can solve all their problems . Thank you for your leadership in this project I ' m here to talk about . Look , Boys & Girls Clubs are important . I ' ve supported them in the past , and this project is for you and your future . The story of Bronzeville here in Milwaukee is similar to many communities in the country . Highways were meant to connect us , but they ended up dividing us . Same thing happened in my city , Wilmington , Delaware . I can ' t even get it fixed as President yet . ( Laughs ) But seriously , it ' s a problem in many cities . There were cities all over America where highways and redlining disconnected communities from opportunities and reinforced segregation , including Milwaukee . Bronzeville used to be a thriving hub of Black culture and commerce , but urban renewal in the ' 60s destroyed thousands of homes and businesses . Today , Sixth Street lacks bike lanes , bus lanes , and green space , leading to speeding and crashes . Many communities have suffered from a loss of wealth and opportunities as a result . Despite historic challenges , communities of color have never given up on pursuing the promise of America . To address this history , I am announcing a $3 . 3 billion investment in new opportunities . You ' ve all seen and felt the effects of decisions made decades ago . Today , we ' re making decisions that will transform your lives for decades to come , all across America . Let ' s be clear: this amazing investment comes from two historic laws that I signed with the support of Tammy and Gwen . First , there ' s my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law , which is the most significant law in generations , modernizing our roads , bridges , and so much more . And then there ' s the Inflation Reduction Act , which is the biggest investment in fighting climate change and advancing the environment ever in history . And let me tell you , they ' re already making a difference . Let me give you an example . Back in December , I was in Milwaukee and met with a plumber named Rashawn who owns his own small business , HERO Plumbing . He ' s removing hundreds of lead pipes so that children and families in this community can have clean water without the risk of brain damage . Before , it was going to take the city 60 years to do this work . But because of the infrastructure law I signed , we ' re getting it done within 10 years . I even had Rashawn as a guest at the State of the Union Address last week . We ' re on our way to delivering clean water and affordable high - speed Internet to every American . Through my American Rescue Plan , we provided $1 , 400 checks to help people through the pandemic . We also invested nearly $80 million in Wisconsin for the State Small Business Credit Initiative , which has helped countless small businesses grow . In fact , small business applications in Milwaukee are up 70 percent compared to before the pandemic . Small businesses are a big part of our economy , providing jobs and opportunities . And every time someone applies for a small business loan , it ' s an act of hope . We ' re also rebuilding communities that have been left behind . We ' re fixing roads , sidewalks , and creating safe spaces to live , work , and play . We ' re taking on housing discrimination , increasing access to homeownership , and building more homes and apartments to bring down the cost of rent . Everything we ' re doing is about connecting people with opportunity , not disconnecting them . And we ' re seeing progress . And hey , guess what? In 2022 , the number of Black and Latino Americans employed in Milwaukee was the highest it ' s been in over ten years . And let me tell you , wages are going up faster than prices , which is great news . We ' ve actually got one of the lowest inflation rates compared to other countries , but we ' re still working hard to bring it down even further . We ' re also fighting to lower healthcare and education costs , just to give regular families a little more breathing room , like the one I grew up in . But let me be clear , my predecessor and his buddies in Congress , including your senator , Ron Johnson , they voted against the infrastructure law that funds projects like this one . They want to undo everything I just mentioned . Can you believe it? And speaking of my predecessor , he talked about "Infrastructure Week" for four whole years and didn ' t get a single thing done . And Ron Johnson and every Republican in Congress voted against the Inflation Reduction Act , which is actually helping fund these projects . They want us to get rid of it . Can you believe that? But with your support , we were able to cut Black and Latino child poverty in half through the Child Tax Credit in my American Rescue Plan . Every Republican in Congress , including Ron Johnson , voted against that too . Can you believe it? And I also signed a law that took on Big Pharma by giving Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices and lower them for seniors . And guess what? Every Republican voted against it as well . But here ' s the thing , it actually lowered the federal deficit by $160 billion . Can you believe that? It not only saved seniors money , but it also saved the government a ton of cash . For example , you all know someone who needs insulin for diabetes , right? Well , just by lowering the price to $35 , which by the way only costs $10 to make , instead of $400 a month , it saved the government a boatload of money . And now they ' re trying to cut Medicare , Medicaid , and Social Security . Ron Johnson , your very own senator , called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme . " Can you believe that? Who would say something like that? But don ' t worry , I won ' t let it happen . I won ' t cut Social Security or Medicare . Instead , I ' m going to protect and strengthen them and make sure the wealthy finally start paying their fair share . Hey folks , let me wrap this up . Four years ago this week , I started my term as president . Our country was hit hard by the worst pandemic and economic crisis in a century . Remember how scared and anxious we all were? We saw record job losses and a deadly virus that took the lives of over a million Americans . And for every life lost , there were about eight close family members left behind - children , parents , uncles , aunts . It was a mental health crisis of isolation and loneliness . Our previous president failed in the most basic duty of caring for the American people , and I think that ' s unforgivable . But I came into office determined to fulfill my duty and guide our nation through this tough time . And we have made progress . Now we ' re working towards a future full of possibilities for America . We ' re building an economy from the bottom up , not just benefiting those at the top . We ' re investing in all Americans to ensure everyone has a fair chance and nobody gets left behind . Our plan is working , and America is making a comeback . This is what our project is all about - creating jobs , achieving justice , and bringing prosperity and limitless opportunities . That ' s why I truly believe that America ' s future is bright . It ' s not just because I ' m the president , but because we ' re at a turning point in history . Things are going to change , for better or worse , regardless of who ' s in charge . We just need to remember who we are as a nation - the United States of America . We ' ve always come out stronger from every crisis , and there ' s nothing we can ' t handle if we work together . May God bless you all , and may God keep our troops safe . Thank you so much .
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