LANSING, Mich. — President Joe Biden came to the operating Engineers Training Center in Howell this afternoon to make the case for his 10-year, $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill.
"I want to set one thing straight," Biden said. "These bills are not about left versus right. They are about leading the world or continuing to let the world pass us by"
Biden was greeted by dozens of protesters.
"We're sending a message," said Mike Detmer, a candidate for state Senate in the 22nd district. "We're not really that excited about Biden being here for this."
Livingston County is solidly Republican. Just 38 percent of voters went for Biden in the 2020 election.
"I’m here today to try and set some things straight if I can," Biden said, going on to say that America has fallen behind China when it comes to infrastructure and education.
Passing the infrastructure bill was a way of investing in working families he said and giving America "an opportunity to compete in this world."
It would also create jobs in the trades in Michigan, he said, allow America to catch up to its competitors and fight climate change.
"We haven’t passed a major infrastructure bill for decades in this country," Biden said. "It used to be regular. If we get this done we will breathe better air, people on both sides agree."
When the cameras turned off and the president was saying his goodbyes, he was asked if believes the spending plan will have to be cut.
He replied that he wants a package everyone can agree on and it will be cut to less than $3.5 trillion over 10 years.
