“America is on the move again… After 100 days of rescue and renewal, America is ready for a takeoff.” – President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden delivered his first address to Congress and laid out what he called a “blue-collar blueprint to build America.” The 46th president addressed his stimulus and COVID relief plan as well as the country’s vaccination efforts, but he also focused on his $2 trillion plan for improving the nation’s infrastructure and shifting to greener energy. According to White House officials, the massive infrastructure plan will not only repair and rebuild many of the nation’s failing roads and bridges, it will revitalize America’s economy and its workforce.
The proposal’s combination of spending and tax credits would translate into 20,000 miles of rebuilt roads, repairs to the ten most economically important bridges in the country, the elimination of lead pipes from the nation’s water supplies and a long list of other projects intended to create millions of jobs, according to White House officials.
Biden’s plan would also offer a major boost to unions and roll back so-called “right to work”’ laws in 27 states. It’s no secret that President Biden is one of the most pro-union presidents in decades. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order that named the creation of union jobs as a top priority of his administration. He also nominated former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as the US Secretary of Labor. Walsh was later confirmed and became the first former union leader to serve in that role in nearly half a century.
According to Biden, the infrastructure plan would take place over eight years, and would be offset by increased corporate tax revenues raised over 15 years. Here are some of the highlights that could help create millions of jobs for American workers:
- Transportation Infrastructure: The plan includes funding for repairing roads and bridges, modernizing highways and trains, and updating airports and waterways. Biden’s proposal sets aside $621 billion for “transportation infrastructure.
- $174 billion would go toward supporting the electric car industry. The White House plan would transition at least 1 in 5 yellow school buses to electric buses and replace 50,000 diesel vehicles with electric ones.
- Social Infrastructure: the plan calls for $34 billion to build “regional innovation hubs” to develop technology in areas outside of big cities as well as $12 billion in funding for “community college infrastructure.”
- Biden wants to eliminate 100 percent of lead piping across the country and intends to reach this goal by having $45 billion in funds directed to the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
- Digital Infrastructure: $100 billion would go toward building the infrastructure to eventually reach the goal of 100 percent high-speed broadband coverage.
- Nature Infrastructure: Biden’s proposal sets aside money conservation of forests, wetlands, and the ocean as well as $16 billion to plug gas and oil wells and restore abandoned mines.
- Housing Infrastructure: Affordable and sustainable places to live would cost $213 billion under Biden’s plan. Housing improvements in the proposal include building “energy efficient and cheaper housing in underserved communities.
- The plan also calls for $25 billion to increase the number of child-care facilities and upgrade existing ones.
- $30 billion would be used to prepare for future pandemics.
Experienced Employment Law Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Investigator, Legal and Media Commentator
Twice-named a U.S. News Best Lawyer in America for employment and labor law, Angela Reddock-Wright is an employment and labor law attorney, mediator, arbitrator, and certified workplace and Title IX investigator (AWI-CH) in Los Angeles, CA. Known as the “Workplace Guru,” Angela is an influencer and leading authority on employment, workplace/HR, Title IX, hazing, and bullying issues.
Angela is a regular legal and media commentator and analyst and has appeared on such media outlets as Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Law and Crime with Brian Ross, Court TV, CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox 11 News, KTLA-5, the Black News Channel, Fox Soul – The Black Report, NPR, KPCC, Airtalk-89.3, KJLH Front Page with Dominique DiPrima, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, Forbes.com, Yahoo! Entertainment, People Magazine, Essence Magazine, the Los Angeles Sentinel, LA Focus, Daily Journal, Our Weekly and the Wave Newspapers.
Angela is a member of the panel of distinguished mediators and arbitrators with Judicate West, a California dispute resolution company. She also owns her own dispute resolution law firm, the Reddock Law Group of Los Angeles, specializing in the mediation, arbitration, and investigation of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other workplace claims, along with Title IX, sexual harassment, assault, and misconduct conduct cases, along with hazing and bullying cases in K-12 schools, colleges and universities, fraternities and sororities; fire, police and other public safety agencies and departments; and other private and public sector workplaces.
For more information regarding resources for employers, businesses, and employees during this time, connect with her on LinkedIn for new updates, or contact her here. You may also follow her on Instagram.
This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.