Biden Unveils Multi-Trillion Infrastructure Plan In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA — President Joe Biden was in Pittsburgh Wednesday to unveil what he calls the "American Jobs Plan," a $2.2-trillion dollar plan for improving the nation's infrastructure. The president appeared at the Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center in Collier, not far from where he announced his presidential ambitions two years ago.

Biden's plan would modernize 20,000 miles of highways, roads, and main-streets. It would fix the ten most economically significant bridges in the country in need of reconstruction. It also would repair the worst 10,000 smaller bridges.

Additionally, it would replace thousands of buses and rail cars, repair hundreds of stations, renew airports, and expand transit and rail into new communities.

Biden's plan also would deliver clean drinking water, a renewed electric grid, and high-speed broadband to all Americans.

The president's plan also involves building, preserving, and retrofitting more than two million homes and commercial buildings, modernizing schools and child care facilities and upgrading veterans’ hospitals and federal buildings.

Biden would like to finance the plan by raising taxes for those who earn more than $400,000 per year and closing many tax loopholes for businesses.

A recent study found that 91 Fortune 500 companies paid no federal taxes on U.S. income in 2018. Another study found that the average corporation paid just 8 percent in taxes. Biden believes that
profitable corporations should not be able to get away with paying little or no tax by shifting jobs and profits overseas.

Matt Smith, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, said the organization believes Congress can pass a bipartisan bill that meets the robust levels of investment Biden is calling for and that maintains a level playing field for U.S. companies.

"Infrastructure is a long-term competitive investment that can be paid over time, and we look forward to engaging in discussions with both sides of the aisle on this vital issue for our region," he said.