Why Biden pitched infrastructure bill in Michigan amid congressional stalemate

Judy Woodruff:

As we reported, President Biden spoke in Michigan today on the need for his infrastructure and social spending plans, as negotiations over both bills are under way on Capitol Hill.

Yamiche Alcindor talks to two leaders in Michigan about what the state needs and the potential impact of the Biden agenda.

YAMICHE ALCINDOR:

Howell, Michigan, a Detroit suburb is part of a county that President Biden lost in 2020.

Today he made the case there that his agenda would benefit all Americans.

President Joe Biden:

These bills are not about left versus right, or moderate versus progressive, or anything that pits Americans against one another.

These bills are about competitiveness versus complacency. They're about opportunity versus decay. They're about leading the world or continuing to let the world pass us by which is what is literally happening.

Yamiche Alcindor:

Here to talk about the president's pitch, I'm joined by Nick Proctor. He's the mayor of Howell, and attended the president's remarks, and Congresswoman Lisa McClain. She represents the northeastern part of the state.

Thank you so much, both of you, for being here.

Mayor Proctor, I want to start with you.

President Biden only got 38 percent of the vote in the 2020 election, losing badly to former President Trump. A lot of your residents did not support him. You yourself said that you did not vote for President Biden, but you do support his infrastructure plans.

Talk to me about how you square, how your residents feel about President Biden with your support for his infrastructure plans.

Nick Proctor, Mayor of Howell, Michigan : Well, thanks for having me.

It's — I kind of view this a little differently. It's not who we voted for or who we didn't vote for. The city of Howell and the surrounding communities were excited to have a visit by the president. He's our president. He's all of our president. And we were very happy that he came here to pitch his Build Back Better program.

As the president said in his remarks today, this is not a partisan issue on infrastructure. I mean, we all use roads. We all turn on the water and expect our water to be treated. So, this is not a Republican, Democrat or independent issue. This is truly an American issue.

So, yes, I do support the Build Back Better program. I think most people would. The key is how it's going to be paid for. And I think the president was very clear on his plan and how that would be paid for.

Here in Howell, we have about $45 million in capital and in infrastructure needs. So the bill is very large. It's big. We don't know what would come to the state of Michigan or to Livingston County or to Howell, but, if it passes, we're hoping to be able to apply some of that Build Back Better money to some of our capital needs.

Yamiche Alcindor:

Congresswoman, the mayor is talking about infrastructure being bipartisan.

You, though, have said that you don't support the president's larger infrastructure plans. The White House says that this plan would help some two million children in Michigan and reduce child poverty by some 44 percent. Polls also show that Americans largely back and support the president's infrastructure plans.

Why don't you support these infrastructure plans?

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI):

Because, when you talk about infrastructure, it needs to be just that, which is infrastructure.

And when 10 percent of the bill actually deals with infrastructure, roads, bridges, waterways, I would support an infrastructure bill that actually dealt with infrastructure.

Listen, especially here in Michigan, we are in need of infrastructure. Our roads are crumbling. Our bridges are crumbling. We definitely need infrastructure. But we don't need all the other pork that is in this bill.

And I will give you an example. It's like me saying to my husband, honey, I'm going to take the car and I'm going to get an oil change, right? We agree the car needs an oil change, need to continue to maintain the car.

Then I come home with and I come home with a new Ferrari. That's what this bill is. So let's just deal with infrastructure, and I would be happy to support an infrastructure bill. But I'm not happy to support a bill that is going to burden our children and our grandchildren with more debt that we have no idea how to pay for.

Yamiche Alcindor:

And, Congresswoman, you say this would burden children and has a lot of pork in it.

The White House, though, is pointing out that this plan would provide high-quality pre-school to 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds in Michigan. They're also saying that it would provide free school meals.

What do you say to the average woman in Michigan, the average mother, family in Michigan that's saying, we are infrastructure, we want human infrastructure and investment into our families, as the White House is pitching this?

Rep. Lisa McClain:

I would say that is not traditional infrastructure.

And if you want to talk about those bills in an educational form, I'm happy to do so. But those aren't infrastructure. So, I think what the American people need is a little truth and transparency and consistency. So I'm not opposed to talking about those, but let's talk about infrastructure when we're talking about infrastructure, and let's talk about the other things at a later date.

Yamiche Alcindor:

Mayor Proctor, what do you make of what the congresswoman is saying?

Nick Proctor:

Well, I don't necessarily disagree with her.

She has probably read the bill. I have not. I don't know what's in it, and what pork is in it, and what's not truly infrastructure. The president talked today about two separate issues, and that was the physical infrastructure and then the human investment in that infrastructure.

So I focus on the physical infrastructure. That's what our community needs. And, as I said, we certainly have over about $45 million in capital and infrastructure needs here.

So I'm focused on the physical infrastructure, and I'm hoping Congress can move on the physical infrastructure aspect.

Yamiche Alcindor:

And, Congresswoman, there are folks who would look at the way you're talking about infrastructure and say, yes, that's one way to look at infrastructure, but the president is expanding it and saying, investing in families, investing in health care workers, that should be part of this larger expansion of infrastructure.

Why is that wrong, especially when you look at families who are saying, yes, we want to have help, we want to have child poverty reduced in our state and in our city?

Rep. Lisa McClain:

Listen, I don't want to make people dependent. I want to give people an opportunity to work.

I want to give people an opportunity for the American dream. We have 11 million jobs that aren't filled right now, 11 million. We have a labor shortage. Let's get people back to work and back to school and put the power back in the people's hands.

Yamiche Alcindor:

Congresswoman McClain, Mayor Proctor, I appreciate both of you coming on.

Rep. Lisa McClain:

Thank you for having us.

Nick Proctor:

Thank you.