Biden Calls Infrastructure Budget Passage in Congress a "Monumental Progress"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the passage of the infrastructure budget bill in the House of Representatives, calling it a "monumental progress."

According to CNN and other foreign media on the 6th (local time), President Biden said in a speech at the White House that day, "Finally, it is Infrastructure Week. I am glad to say it is Infrastructure Week," and welcomed it as "monumental progress for America."

Earlier, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the second infrastructure budget bill with 1.2 trillion dollars (approximately 1,423 trillion won) to improve outdated physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water supply, and internet communication networks and to create jobs, with 228 votes in favor and 206 against. Although six progressive Democratic lawmakers including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush voted against it, the bill passed as 13 moderate Republican lawmakers switched to support.

President Biden emphasized, "The infrastructure bill is a once-in-a-generation budget," adding, "The infrastructure bill is a historic investment that will create millions of blue-collar jobs that do not require a college degree and is a blueprint for rebuilding America’s blue-collar workforce." He further explained, "With this budget, the American transportation system will be completely transformed, including the construction of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations."

Additionally, in a statement released immediately after the House passed the infrastructure bill, President Biden said, "Future generations will look back and know that this was the time America won the 21st-century economic competition," expressing confidence that the social welfare budget bill will also be processed as agreed.

Meanwhile, the infrastructure budget bill passed this time had already been approved by the Senate last August and will take effect after President Biden signs it. Along with this bill, President Biden has been actively promoting a social welfare budget bill amounting to 1.85 trillion dollars (approximately 2,195 trillion won).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.