News

Actions

WATCH: President Biden pitches infrastructure plan in Howell

Posted at 5:51 AM, Oct 05, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-05 19:17:08-04

(WXYZ) — President Joe Biden was in metro Detroit Tuesday, visiting Howell to pitch his infrastructure plan and push it across the finish line.

Watch the event below (split into two parts).

The plan will spend $1 trillion across many sectors, including road safety, broadband investments and water storage.

Many were surprised to learn Biden chose Howell, which is in Livingston County, where he only got 38% of votes in the 2020 election.

Michigan has been a popular stop for Biden in his first year in office. He's made visits to the Pfizer facility in Portage, the Ford Rouge Plant in Dearborn at a cherry farm in Traverse City.

But, many in Howell loudly disapprove of Biden.

"I wish he would stay out of this state and leave us alone," Leonard Petty, a Howell resident, said.

So why is he choosing Howell? The president will speak at the Operating Engineers Training Center, where people are training to do the jobs of building infrastructure, as he promotes his plan.

"We do have needs here, so I am hoping that should this pass in Washington," Howell Mayor Nick Proctor said. "Howell and our surrounding community gets our fair share of those dollars."

Proctor has been mayor for more than six years. He said he did not vote for Biden, but our system of government only allows things to get done with bipartisanship.

"Infrastructure has no political affiliation. We need to come together to serve the people," he said.

Moderate Democrats and Progressive were at each others' throats for days over the bill and the size of the social spending package.

Last week, Progressives successfully delayed a vote on the measure, which would bring millions in funding to the state to fix crumbling roads and schools. But moderate Democrats and Progressives were at each others' throats for days over the infrastructure bill and size of the social spending package.

Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Andy Levin have said they won't back the bill unless the larger "Build Back Better" effort is successful.

Last week, Tlaib tweeted, Let me be clear: Bringing the so-called bipartisan infrastructure plan to a vote without the #buildbackbetter act at the same time is a betrayal. We will hold the line and vote it down."

"I think he will talk about his whole agenda and how we have to pass both parts of it and let's go, let's get it done," Levin said.