Biden faces Democratic and Republican hurdles over $2tn infrastructure plan – live
- President tries to build momentum in Congress to pass plan
- Republicans and Democrats raise concern over tax-rise plans
- How Biden’s $2tn infrastructure plan seeks to achieve racial justice
2.27pm BST
Joe Biden has said his $2tn plan to rebuild America’s “crumbling” roads, bridges, railways and other infrastructure would rival the space race in its ambition and deliver economic and social change on a scale as grand as the New Deal. The president has also vowed his “once-in-a-generation” investment will reverse long-standing racial disparities exacerbated by past national mobilizations.
Embedded in his sprawling infrastructure agenda, the first part of which Biden unveiled this week, are hundreds of billions of dollars dedicated to projects and investments the administration says will advance racial equity in employment, housing, transportation, healthcare and education, while improving economic outcomes for communities of color.
Related: How Biden’s $2tn infrastructure plan seeks to achieve racial justice
2.08pm BST
Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.
Joe Biden and his administration are frantically trying to build momentum in Congress to pass the president’s $2tn infrastructure plan.
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D., Ore.), the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he didn’t think paying for the full cost of the plan through tax increases was necessary. Mr. DeFazio said he would support an increase in the gas and diesel tax to pay for the new investments over time, as well as more borrowing to cover part of the cost. …
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D., N.J.) said he wanted to see the Biden administration consider alternatives to the corporate tax increases to try to court Republican support. ‘I think on the corporate piece, if it’s a nonstarter for the Republicans and it means we can’t get bipartisanship, I’m eager to hear their other ideas,’ he said, listing user fees as one possibility.
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