President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address highlighted a number of programs that are instrumental to the Building Trades and are putting our members to work:
“The Inflation Reduction Act is also the most significant investment ever in climate change — ever. Lowering utility bills, creating American jobs, leading the world to a clean energy future.
Inflation has fallen every month for the last six months, while take-home pay has gone up.
Additionally, over the last two years, a record 10 million Americans applied to start new businesses. Ten million.”
“I’m so sick and tired of companies breaking the law by preventing workers from organizing. Pass the PRO Act! Because businesses have a right — workers have a right to form a union. And let’s guarantee all workers have a living wage.
Let’s make sure working parents can afford to raise a family with sick days, paid family and medical leave, affordable childcare. That’s going to enable millions of more people to go and stay at work.”
“Outside of Columbus, Ohio, Intel is building semiconductor factories on a thousand acres — literally a field of dreams.
It’s going to create 10,000 jobs, that one investment; 7,000 construction jobs; 3,000 jobs in those factories once they’re finished. They call them factors. Jobs paying an average of $130,000 a year, and many do not require a college degree.
Jobs — because we worked together, these jobs where people don’t have to leave home to search for opportunity.
And it’s just getting started.
Think about the new homes, the small businesses, the big — the medium-sized businesses. So much more that’s going to be needed to support those three thou- — those 3,000 permanent jobs and the factories that are going to be built.”
“We came together and passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — the largest investment in infrastructure since President Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System.
Folks, already we’ve funded over 20,000 projects, including major airports from Boston to Atlanta to Portland — projects that are going to put thousands of people to work rebuilding our highways, our bridges, our railroads, our tunnels, ports, airports, clean water, high-speed Internet all across America — urban, rural, Tribal.
Projects like the Brent Spence Bridge in Kentucky over the Ohio River. Built 60 years ago. Badly in need of repairs. One of the nation’s most congested freight routes, carrying $2 billion worth of freight every single day across the Ohio River.
And, folks, we’ve been talking about fixing it for decades, but we’re really finally going to get it done.
I went there last month with Democrats and Republicans in — from both states — to deliver a commitment of $1.6 billion for this project.
And while I was there, I met a young woman named Saria, who’s here tonight. I don’t know where Saria is. Is she up in the box? I don’t know. Saria, how are you?
Well, Saria — for 30 years — for 30 years — I learned — she told me she’d been a proud member of the Iron workers Local 44, known as — — known as the “Cowboys in the Sky” — — the folks who built — who built Cincinnati’s skyline.
Saria said she can’t wait to be 10 stories above the Ohio River building that new bridge. God bless her. That’s pride.
And that’s what we’re also building — we’re building back pride.”
“Tonight, I’m also announcing new standards to require all construction materials used in federal infra- — infrastructure projects to be made in America. Made in America. I mean it. Lumber, glass, drywall, fiber-optic cable.
And on my watch, American roads, bridges, and American highways are going to be made with American products as well.”
The Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council applauds President Biden and his work to reduce inflation, bring good jobs and manufacturing back to the United States, and improve our infrastructure. These provide more opportunities for Americans and will help strengthen our families and communities.