Biden says infrastructure, jobs plan will keep U.S. competitive

WASHINGTON, DC -- President Joe Biden promoted his $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan in a White House speech on Wednesday, describing its passage as urgent to keep the U.S. competitive globally.

“Above all infrastructure is about meeting the needs of a nation and putting Americans to work and being able to do and get paid for having good jobs,” Biden said.

“We don’t just fix for today. We build for tomorrow,” Biden explained. “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America, unlike anything we’ve done since we built the interstate highway system and won the Space Race decades ago,” the president said.

Ahead of his remarks during a White House briefing, Press Secretary Jen Psaki cited polling that she said shows “the evidence is unanimous that the American people support” Biden’s infrastructure plan.

Biden seeks to pressure lawmakers, some - particularly Republicans - who have balked at proposed corporate tax hikes, to get behind the plan.

But Biden said in his speech that he is willing to negotiate on a lower corporate tax rate than the 28% his plan currently calls for.

“I’m willing to listen to that,” Biden said. “We’ve got to pay for this, (there are) many other ways we can do it. But I’m willing to negotiate that."

He added, “Compromise is inevitable, changes are certain. We’ll be open to good ideas and good faith negotiations. But here’s what we won’t be open to. We will not be open to doing nothing. Inaction simply is not an option.”