{"id":132141,"date":"2021-11-15T21:55:42","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T05:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=132141"},"modified":"2021-11-15T21:55:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T05:55:42","slug":"president-biden-at-signing-of-h-r-3684-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=132141","title":{"rendered":"President Biden at Signing of H.R. 3684, The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. AUDIENCE: Joe! Joe! Joe! THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Heather. Thank you, thank you, thank you. AUDIENCE: Joe! Joe! Joe! THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) Well, thank you. Heather, you thought \u2014 you\u2019re surprised you\u2019re standing here. (Laughter.) Jill was very surprised I\u2019m standing here. (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fZx-bBrnjUM\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Well, Heather, thank you for the introduction. And I can\u2019t look over here because the sun is shining in my eyes, but all this other crowd over here \u2014 and thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you\u2019ve done. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Look, thanks for sharing this day with us \u2014 why this day matters to you and our fellow \u2014 your fellow Iron Workers and your families. And you explained it well.<\/p>\n<p>And for all the folks at home, I know this day matters to you as well. I know you\u2019re tired of the bickering in Washington, frustrated by the negativity, and you just want us to use and focus on your needs, your concerns, and the conversations that are taking place at your kitchen table \u2014 conversation as profound as they are ordinary.<\/p>\n<p>How do I find work? And how do I get there? How can our small business thrive and our child succeed in school? Or how do we emerge from this pandemic not just with a little bit of breathing room, but with a real fighting chance to get ahead?<\/p>\n<p>When we ran for President, to help \u2014 I thought maybe I could help answer some of those questions for you and the needs you have. Because every time I\u2019d ride home on Amtrak, I\u2019d go through just north of \u2014 just south of Baltimore. I\u2019d look out as it would go through a suburban neighborhood. I\u2019d look in those \u2014 all those lights were on in the windows, Nance, and I\u2019d look and I\u2019d wonder, \u201cWhat are they talking about?\u201d I\u2019m serious. I swear to God. \u201cWhat are they talking about sitting at that table? What are they talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re talking about the things that I talked about at our kitchen table, Jill at hers, and all of you as well. Ask about, \u201cHow can we come together to be President for all Americans, to make sure our democracy delivers for you, for all of you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And I promised that we couldn\u2019t just build back to what it was before. We literally had to build back better. You couldn\u2019t build back \u2014 we\u2019re the only country that\u2019s always come out of great crises stronger than when we went in.<\/p>\n<p>And the world has changed, and we have to be ready. My fellow Americans, today, I want you to know: We hear you, and we see you. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>The bill I\u2019m about to sign into law is proof that despite the cynics, Democrats and Republicans can come together and deliver results. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>We can do this. We can deliver real results for real people. We see in ways that really matter each and every day, to each person out there. And we\u2019re taking a monumental step forward to build back better as a nation.<\/p>\n<p>I want to thank everyone who helped make this happen: Vice President Harris, my Cabinet members, my White House team, Jill, Doug, our First Lady, and our \u2014 First Lady and our Second Husband. No, I\u2019m joking. (Laughter.) These guys travel all over the country together. I\u2019m getting worried, you know. (Laughter.) And Doug is one hell of a lawyer besides.<\/p>\n<p>And everybody from the United States Senate \u2014 Majority Leader Schumer and a group of Senate Democrats and Republicans have established this bipartisan framework, including representatives and all the folks you heard from.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Rob Portman is a really \u2014 hell of a good guy. I \u2014 I\u2019m not hurting you, Rob, because I know you\u2019re not running again. (Laughter.) That\u2019s the only reason I say it. But you are a hell of a good guy.<\/p>\n<p>And the most determined woman I know: Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Congratulations, Kyrsten.<\/p>\n<p>Look, Committee Chair Tom Carper, Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito.<\/p>\n<p>I also want to thank Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for voting for this bill and talking about how useful and important it is.<\/p>\n<p>And from the House of Representatives: Speaker Pelosi \u2014 (applause); Steny Hoyer \u2014 (applause); Jim Clyburn \u2014 (applause); and Committee Chair Pete DeFazio. (Applause.) Democrats and Republicans. Progressives and moderates.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d like to pause and ask all the committee chairs and ranking members of the United States Senate and House that are here today \u2014 please stand. Would all of you stand? Come on. (Applause.) All right. Thank you, thank you, thank you.<\/p>\n<p>To state the obvious, none of this would have happened without all of you. I really mean it.<\/p>\n<p>And also to the governors \u2014 where are the governors? Governors, stand up. Come on. I want you to stand up. (Applause.) Red states, blue states \u2014 you all contacted me. You all said you were for this. You all stepped up.<\/p>\n<p>And more than 375 mayors \u2014 Democrats and Republicans \u2014 (applause) \u2014 from every state and District of Columbia wrote me asking to get this done.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT: You got it, kid.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER: You got it.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) And nearly 50 of whom are here today, including Republican mayor of Fontana who \u2014 from Calif- \u2014 from Fontana \u2014 from Calif- \u2014 Fontana, California, Mayor Warren, who spoke earlier.<\/p>\n<p>And the county and state and Tribal leaders as well \u2014 civil rights leaders, faith leaders. Law \u2014 you know, this law was supported by business groups \u2014 the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the National Association of Manufacturers; the Business Roundtable, representing 200 of the largest corporations in America and other top business.<\/p>\n<p>I want to especially thank \u2014 and I\u2019m sure you all \u2014 as we used to say in the Senate \u2013- I\u2019d say, \u201ca point of personal privilege\u201d \u2014 I want to thank organized labor \u2013- (applause) \u2013 who understand this about jobs. You all stood up. Jobs! Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!<\/p>\n<p>Special thanks to the AFL-CIO; the United Auto Workers; electric workers, the IBEW; the iron workers \u2014 it goes on \u2014 plumbers, pipe fitters, and the building trades, steel workers, mach- \u2014 who did I leave out?<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Inaudible.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.)<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT: Pardon me?<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT: And my wife is a member of a union, the NEA. (Applause.) I\u2019m going to get in trouble.<\/p>\n<p>Machinists \u2014 so many more.<\/p>\n<p>Look folks, for too long, we\u2019ve talked about having the best economy in the world. We\u2019ve talked about asserting American leadership around the world with the best and the safest roads, railroads, ports, airports.<\/p>\n<p>Here in Washington, we\u2019ve heard countless speeches and promises and white papers from experts. But today, we\u2019re finally getting this done. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>So my message to the American people is this: America is moving again, and your life is going to change for the better.<\/p>\n<p>If you live in one of the top \u2014 if you live in one of the 10 million homes or your child attends one of the 400,000 schools or childcare centers that still has lead pipes in them, you face a clear and present danger to your child\u2019s health and your health now.<\/p>\n<p>This law is going to start to replace 100 percent of the nation\u2019s lead pipes and service lines \u2013- (applause) \u2014 so every American, every child can turn on the faucet and drink clean water. And tens of thousands of plumbers and pipefitters are going to get work done in good-paying jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, as \u2014 as we saw with remote learning, remote working during the pandemic, access to high-speed Internet is essential \u2014 and access to water \u2014 as essential as access to water and electricity.<\/p>\n<p>This law is going to make high-speed Internet affordable and available everywhere \u2014 everywhere in America \u2014 urban suburban, rural \u2014 and create jobs laying down those broadband lines.<\/p>\n<p>No parent \u2014 no parent \u2014 (coughs) \u2014 excuse me \u2014 no parent should have to sit in a parking lot at a fast-food restaurant again just so their child can use the Internet to do their homework. That\u2019s over. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, if I visited your town, I\u2019m sure you\u2019d be able to tell me and \u2014 where you hold your breath as you cross the particular bridge or where the most dangerous intersection of your town is.<\/p>\n<p>This law makes this the most significant investment in roads and bridges in the past 70 years. It makes the most significant investment in passenger rail in the past 50 years and in public transit ever.<\/p>\n<p>So, what \u2014 what that means is you\u2019re going to be safer, and you\u2019re going to get there faster, and we\u2019re going to have a whole hell of a lot pollution \u2014 less pollution in the air.<\/p>\n<p>The bipartisan law will modernize our ports, our airports, our freight rail to make it easier for companies to get goods to market; reduce supply chain bottlenecks, as we\u2019re experiencing now; and lower cost for you and your family.<\/p>\n<p>The law also builds on our resilience so that the next storm \u2014 superstorm, drought, wildfire, hurricane \u2014 can be dealt with.<\/p>\n<p>Last year alone, the United States, as a consequence of these kind of extreme weather events, lost $99 billion in the United States alone in damage.<\/p>\n<p>After Hurricane Ida \u2014 I see the distinguished governor from Louisiana is over there; I saw him stand up \u2014 I went down to see him. We went through and saw all the damage there. They had 179-mile-an-hour winds at top speed in Louisiana.<\/p>\n<p>But then I headed on up to New York \u2014 Chuck, up in your area \u2014 into Queens and New Jersey. More people died there than in a hurricane. More people died with the flooding.<\/p>\n<p>Record wildfires raged and went \u2014 I went to Idaho and California and saw it. More land has burned to the ground than the entire state of New Jersey out west.<\/p>\n<p>Folks \u2013- walk the neighborhoods and look the people in the eye in these circumstances, as many of you have, and you\u2019ll see the despair and the heartache. So many of you understand; you\u2019re living through it.<\/p>\n<p>This law builds back our bridges, our water systems, our powerlines, our levees better and stronger so few Americans will be flooded out of their homes or lose power in those days and weeks that comes with the storms that hit.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, this bipartisan law, for the first time ever, creates a true national network of charging stations for electric vehicles \u2014 over 500,000 of them \u2014 (applause) \u2014 so you can charge your car here and drive all the way to California not worrying about having to find places to charge, creating thousands of jobs \u2014 thousands.<\/p>\n<p>It is also going to make it possible for Americans to get off the sidelines and into the game of manufacturing solar panels, wind turbines, batteries to store energy and power for electric vehicles, including electric school buses, which will mean millions of children will no longer inhale the dangerous diesel fumes that come out of the buses. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>For real. It\u2019s a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019ll reward companies for paying good wages and for buying American, sourcing their products here in America right now.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s going to help the United States export clean energy technologies to the world, creating mil- \u2014 tens of thousands of more jobs.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s so much more in the law, but, most of all, it does something truly historic.<\/p>\n<p>I ran for President believing it was time to rebuild the backbone of this nation, which I characterized as working people in the middle class \u2014 they\u2019re the ones who built the country \u2014 and to rebuild the economy from the bottom up in the middle out.<\/p>\n<p>This law delivers on that long-overdue promise, in my view. It creates better jobs for millions of Americans. And no one \u2014 no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay a single penny in federal taxes because of it. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And it does not include \u2014 as we did the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, it does not include a single penny in gas tax, which I rejected because people under $400,000 would be paying it.<\/p>\n<p>This law is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America. It leaves no one behind. And it makes \u2014 it marks an inflection point that we face as a nation.<\/p>\n<p>For most of the 20th century, we led the world by a significant margin because we invested in ourselves. But somewhere along the way, we stopped investing in ourselves. We\u2019ve risked losing our edge as a nation, and China and the rest of the world are catching up.<\/p>\n<p>Our infrastructure used to be rated the best in the world. Now, according to the World Economic Forum, we rank 13th in the world. Well, that\u2019s about to change. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Things are going to turn around in a big way. For example, because of this law, next year will be the first year in 20 years American infrastructure investment will grow faster than China\u2019s. We\u2019ll once again have the best roads, bridges, ports, and airports over the next decade. And we\u2019ll lead the world into the 21st century with modern cars and trucks and transit systems.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to do this by building again and moving again.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, too often in Washington the reason we didn\u2019t get things done is because we insisted on getting everything we want \u2014 everything.<\/p>\n<p>With this law, we focus on getting things done. I ran for President because the only way to move this country forward, in my view, was through compromise and consensus. That\u2019s how the system works. That\u2019s American democracy.<\/p>\n<p>And I\u2019m going to be signing a law that is truly consequential because we made our democracy deliver for the American people. We compromised. We reached a consensus. That\u2019s necessary.<\/p>\n<p>And now, our focus moves to implementing an infrastructure law that\u2019s going to \u2014 with speed and with discipline.<\/p>\n<p>I have a lot of experience in doing that. When I was Vice President, I was given responsibility for overseeing and implementing the Recovery Act, a nearly $900 billion emergency package.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m proud to say that when we finished implementing that Recovery Act, it was determined that there had been less than two tenths of 1 percent waste, fraud, or abuse.<\/p>\n<p>And I was \u2014 it was how I learned and earned the nickname<br \/>\n\u201cSheriff Joe\u201d from President Obama. Because I made it a point, every single day for well over a year, to stay on top of how the money was being used.<\/p>\n<p>I spoke with over 160 mayors \u2014 two, three times sometimes. And I spoke with county executives and every governor save one \u2014 I won\u2019t mention that; save one \u2014 (laughter) \u2014 she could see Alaska from her porch, but \u2014 monitor what we\u2019re doing, just how it was being done.<\/p>\n<p>And it was one of the most efficient implementations of a major program in American history. And now we owe it to the American people to do the same thing again.<\/p>\n<p>And to make sure every penny is spent where it\u2019s supposed to go in a timely fashion, I\u2019ve asked the former Mayor of New Orleans and former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, Mitch Landrieu, to oversee this responsibility. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019ll have full access to every tool the federal government has to get it done. And we have \u2014 we have the high obligation and responsibility to make sure this money is used wisely and used well.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, I\u2019ve been looking forward to this day for a long time like all of my colleagues here have.<\/p>\n<p>Tomorrow, I\u2019ll be traveling to New Hampshire to visit a bridge that is structurally not safe, like thousands of bridges across America. That\u2019s what this law is all about: keeping communities safer and more efficient.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, I\u2019ll be in Detroit to meet with the UAW workers who are building the next generation of electric vehicles. And that\u2019s just the beginning.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re also seeing me and the Vice \u2014 you\u2019ll be seeing me and the Vice President Harris, Jill and Doug, Cabinet officials hitting the road to help you understand how this is going to transform your lives for the better.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, when you see those projects start in your hometowns, I want you to feel what I feel: pride \u2014 pride in what we can do together as the United States of America.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, you know, the same goes for my plan to build back better for the people \u2014 getting folks back to work and reducing costs of things like childcare, eldercare, housing, healthcare, prescription drugs, and meeting the moment on climate change.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m confident that the House will pass this bill, and then we\u2019re going to have to pass it in the Senate. And it\u2019s fully paid for.<\/p>\n<p>It will reduce the deficit over the long term, according to leading economists in the world. And again, no one earning less than $400,000 will pay a single penny more in federal taxes.<\/p>\n<p>And together \u2014 together with the infrastructure bill, millions of lives will be changed for the better.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, let me close with this: Throughout our history, we\u2019ve emerged from crises by investing in ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>During and after the Civil War, it\u2019s been referenced, we built the transcontinental railroad, uniting East and West and uniting America.<\/p>\n<p>During the Cold War, we built the Interstate Highway System, transforming how America lived their lives.<\/p>\n<p>And now, we\u2019re emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we\u2019ll build an economy for the 21st century.<\/p>\n<p>When I met with the President of China \u2014 who I\u2019m going to be speaking with tonight \u2014 several years ago, he asked me \u2014 we were in China \u2014 he asked me \u2014 he said: Could I define America? And I said, \u201cAbsolutely.\u201d It\u2019s the God\u2019s truth. I said, \u201cAbsolutely. I can define it in one word: possibilities. Possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There is no limit to what our people think we can do. And there is no limit to what our nation can do. And there is no one thing that I know more than this: It\u2019s never, ever been a good bet to bet against the American people. Never, never, never. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Given half a chance, the American people have never, ever, ever, ever let this nation down. And it\u2019s our job to give our people that chance. It\u2019s our job to come together and make sure we remain a nation of possibilities.<\/p>\n<p>As I look out on this crowd today, I see Democrats and Republicans, national leaders, local leaders, all elected officials, labor leaders, business leaders, and, most of all, I see fellow Americans. I see America.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s remember this day. Let\u2019s remember we can come together. And most of all, let\u2019s remember what we got done for the American people when we do come together.<\/p>\n<p>I truly believe that 50 years from now, historians are going to look back at this moment and say, \u201cThat\u2019s the moment America began to win the competition of the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, with confidence, optimism, with vision and faith in each other, let\u2019s believe in possibilities. Let\u2019s believe in one another. And let\u2019s believe in America.<\/p>\n<p>God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Now let me sign this bipartisan bill. (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>(The bill is signed.) (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks, everybody.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. AUDIENCE: Joe! Joe! Joe! THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Heather. Thank you, thank you, thank you. AUDIENCE: Joe! Joe! Joe! THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) Well, thank you. Heather, you thought \u2014 you\u2019re surprised you\u2019re standing here. (Laughter.) Jill was very surprised I\u2019m standing here. (Laughter.) Well, Heather, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":132143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Fullscreen-capture-11152021-95059-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=132141"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":132144,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132141\/revisions\/132144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/132143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=132141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=132141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=132141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}