Governor Gretchen Whitmer was among a group of state and local elected leaders who joined President Joe Biden Wednesday to help pitch his trillion-dollar infrastructure bill.
The online event took place as the $1 trillion bill is making its way through Congress with no guarantee it will land on the President’s desk. Whitmer, in an appeal to Michigan voters, said the bill fits in with her signature campaign promise.
“I ran on fixing the dam roads,” Whitmer said. “I remember,” replied Biden. “And, you know,” she said, “it’s fixing the dams and roads.”
The President has set a goal of EVs making up half of new vehicle sales by 2030. Biden said Michigan’s manufacturing sector stands to make major gains if the bill is adopted.
“Hopefully, this makes people realize, if the auto workers and the automobile executives can get together and form this kind of alliance, I think we’re making some real progress,” he said.
Whitmer said assistance to restore dams and replace lead pipes, expand high-speed internet, and add more EV charging stations will all produce tangible benefits for Michigan.
The infrastructure bill has gotten pushback from Republicans over its cost and some Michigan Democrats for not doing more to help boost electric vehicles.
Whitmer said a success in adopting the infrastructure bill could lead to more support in the future.
Elected leaders from California, Mississippi, Georgia and the Cherokee Nation were also part of the online event.