ICYMI: This Week in Bidenomics

Bidenomics In the States
On Monday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited South Dakota where he joined local and Tribal leaders to highlight recent federal investments in rural aviation, truck parking, Tribal infrastructure, and highway safety made possible by the Biden Administration and President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

On Tuesday, Secretary Buttigieg joined Federal Motor Carrier Administration Administrator Robin Hutcheson in meeting with truck drivers at a rest stop off I-90 where 11 new truck parking spaces were added thanks to investment from the Biden-Harris Administration. The Secretary also announced $80 million in new grants that will help drivers better access truck parking, avoid work zones, and generally improve highway safety. The Biden-Harris Administration is the first-ever Administration to fund truck parking projects.

Also on Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the latest list of drugs required to pay rebates for raising prices faster than inflation.

On Wednesday, the White House released a new technical assistance guide to ensure that state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments have the resources they need to unlock the historic investments in President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The guide, which covers more than 150 technical assistance programs, will help communities in every corner of the country build back better than ever before.

On Thursday, President Biden traveled to Maryland to deliver a major economic speech laying out the contrast between Bidenomics and MAGAnomics—Congressional Republicans' economic plan that cuts taxes even more for the wealthy and corporations, cuts Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and raises costs for families by gutting investments in the middle class.

Also on Thursday, Vice President Harris kicked off her nationwide "Fight for Our Freedoms" college tour at Hampton University in Hampton, VA and North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, answering questions directly from students on the issues most important to them including college affordability and supporting student borrowers.

Bidenomics In the News
Axios: Biden's G20 plan: Bidenomics for the world
[Hope King, 9/6/23]

Driving the news: Biden will spend three days in India starting Friday for the annual gathering of the world's largest economic powers.

• Atop the White House's list of priorities is bringing Bidenomics to the rest of the world. Namely, helping developing countries invest in infrastructure and climate change projects.
• "We think countries around the world, too, can benefit from a similar type of approach" that the U.S. has taken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a briefing yesterday.

Oregon Capital Chronicle: Millions more workers would receive overtime pay under proposed Biden administration rule
[Casey Quinlan, 9/11/23]

Salaried workers who have been ineligible for overtime pay would benefit from a proposed Biden administration regulation. The Department of Labor's new rule would require employers compensate full-time workers in management, administrative, or other professional roles for any overtime worked if they make less than $55,068 annually. Currently, the salary threshold is $35,568. The change is expected to affect 3.6 million workers.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: What proposed Republican spending cuts would mean for Pennsylvania, according to the White House
[Jonathan Salant, 9/12/23]

Federal spending reductions championed by House Republicans would mean 1,920 fewer children attending Head Start preschool in Pennsylvania; 9,700 fewer teachers, aides and other staff in schools with low-income children; and 800 fewer low-income households in the state receiving vouchers to help pay their housing costs, the White House said Tuesday. The Biden administration released a report on the impact of the proposed GOP spending cuts in advance of the Sept. 30 deadline for funding the federal government for the next 12 months. Without a deal or a temporary extension of current funding levels, the federal government would be forced to shut down at the end of the month. House Republicans, expressing concern over the federal deficit, have drafted legislation cutting spending below the levels lawmakers agreed to in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which suspended the debt ceiling and avoided default in June. President Joe Biden and both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have rebuffed demands for additional reductions. At the same time, House Republicans have proposed tax cuts that would raise the deficit by as much as $4.6 trillion over 10 years.

Rapid City Journal: Buttigieg meets with SD tribes to discuss transportation issues
[Amelia Schafer, 9/12/23]

Leaders from nine South Dakota tribes met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on Monday to discuss transportation issues affecting tribes, including roadway safety, emergency response and public transportation. "A lot of tribal citizens don't have access to a vehicle and that's why Tribal Transit and safer road design are so important," Buttigieg said. "And then the broader issue of missing and murdered women is something that I also believe has links to transportation policy, because if we create better, safer ways for women to get to where they need to be, hopefully, fewer of them are likely to be victimized in that way." Buttigieg visited South Dakota tribes Monday to discuss the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which aims to provide $431.6 billion in grants for states, tribes, and utilities to rebuild roads, bridges and rails, and expand access to clean drinking water and access to high-speed internet.

CNET: Biden Administration Provides $100 Million to Fix and Replace Broken EV Chargers
[Dan Avery, 9/13/23]

The US Department of Transportation has released $100 million to repair thousands of broken electric vehicle chargers across the US. On Wednesday, applications were made available to request the repair or replacement of nonoperational chargers as part of the Biden administration's goal of creating a robust and reliable network of a half-million public charging ports by 2030. […] The money comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in November 2021 that includes $7.5 billion for EV charging infrastructure. Around $5 billion of that is intended to help states build out charging sites, primarily along interstate highways.

South Dakota News: Buttigieg talks roads and safety with truck drivers in Salem
[Staff, 9/13/23]

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Salem on Tuesday to talk with truck drivers about ongoing improvements in the industry. Buttigieg wished those in attendance a happy Truck Driver Appreciation Week. "My basic to the American people is if you enjoy the food you ate for breakfast, the clothes you're wearing right now, or whatever device you're using to watch these words being spoken, you have truck drivers to thank for that gift," said Buttigieg. During his speech, Buttigieg addressed a letter he had received about the urgent need for more and better truck parking, and celebrated projects that expand truck parking. Buttigieg also spoke on I-90, and how the South Dakota Department of Transportation was granted $61.6 million to restore 28 miles of the roadway in 2021.

The Hill: The White House Warns Against 'MAGAnomics' as New Way to Sell 'Bidenomics'
[Alex Gangitano, 9/14/2023]

The White House is warning against so-called MAGAnomics, referring to former President Trump's economic agenda, to tout President Biden's economic agenda. Inflation has improved, and Biden, as well as White House officials, have traversed the country to discuss economic policies that lowered inflation and created jobs. But, Anita Dunn argued Thursday, Republicans have taken credit for these policies that were part of legislation that only received Democratic votes, such as the Inflation Reduction Act.

KOAM News: Biden-Harris administration invests in Kansas recycling infrastructure projects
[Mariah Monsour, 9/14/23]

The EPA announced Wednesday, September 14, 2023, over $500,000 from President Biden's Investing in America Agenda to expand recycling infrastructure and waste management systems throughout Kansas. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this investment, totaling $105 million nationwide, is a part of EPA's largest recycling investment in 30 years.

The Baltimore Sun: In Maryland, President Joe Biden Touts Economic Successes, Blasts GOP Policies as 'Extreme'
[Fatema Hosseini & Ryan Mercado, 9/14/2023]

President Joe Biden on Thursday touted his economic policies and contrasted the results with what he called the Republicans' "extreme" budget proposals to give more tax breaks to the wealthy and cut social programs. Sade Davis is a second-year public health student at Prince George's Community College. As a mother to two sons and a first-generation college student, she told Capital News Service in an interview that Biden is a symbol of hope for families like hers, representing a dedication to bolster the middle class and support hardworking American families. Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said in remarks before Biden spoke that "factories are opening across America." Hoyer also touted the Biden administration's efforts to lower health care, prescription drug, and energy costs.

Spectrum: Ahead of 'major' Biden economic speech, White House pits 'Bidenomics' against 'MAGAnomics' in budget battle
[Staff, 9/14/23]

As the deadline nears for federal legislators to strike a budget deal before a government shutdown, President Joe Biden is making the case that his economic plan trumps that of House Republicans. President Joe Biden is set to deliver what the administration is billing as a "major" address on the economy in Maryland on Thursday -- and ahead of that, the White House released a memo laying out what's at stake in the fall budget battle. "House Republicans have understandably been reluctant to tout the MAGAnomics Budget — but the White House is going to spend much of this fall doing it for them," White House senior advisor Anita Dunn said in a memo released Thursday. The memo outlined the Biden administration's expectations for the fall: a clash between "Bidenomics" (the adopted nomenclature for Biden's economic playbook) and "MAGAnomics" (White House shorthand for the GOP's budget plans that they say seek to slash spending across the federal government).

North Carolina Newsline: U.S House GOP budget cuts would devastate NC working families
[Rob Schofield, 9/14/23]

Thanks to the refusal of Congressional Republicans to renew the expansion of the Biden Administration's expansion of the Child Tax Credit that dramatically reduced child poverty rates during the pandemic, poverty numbers are again trending in the wrong direction. What's more, the latest budget proposal from U.S. House Republicans would compound this mistake, by applying the same cheapskate approach to a long list of other basic middle class supports. Here in North Carolina alone, the proposal would among many other things: cut Title 1 funding that supports hundreds of thousands of K-12 students and pays for more than 6,000 teachers, eliminate funding for more than 1,300 pre-school slots, cut personnel and increase wait times to the Medicare program, and reduce nursing home inspections. It would further stress already burdened Social Security offices. The bottom line: The President and Congressional leaders struck a ten-year deficit reduction deal earlier this year. The new proposal dishonestly reneges on that agreement and places the nation on a destructive and divisive path.

Georgia Recorder: U.S. House conservatives balk at short-term funding patch that would avert shutdown
[Jennifer Shutt, 9/14/23]

The most conservative Republicans in the U.S. House announced Tuesday they won't support the short-term spending bill that's needed to stop a partial government shutdown from beginning on Oct. 1. The White House released fact sheets for each state Tuesday detailing what they say will happen if Congress approves the House Republican spending bills as they were written.

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Atlanta, nonprofits getting millions for urban tree protection
[Drew Kann, 9/15/23]

The city of Atlanta, Decatur and several local nonprofits are set to receive millions of dollars to fund urban tree canopy protection efforts in the metro area and beyond, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service announced Thursday. The funding is part of a set of grants worth more than $1 billion from President Joe Biden's landmark climate and healthcare law, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The agency said the investment is the largest yet set aside by the IRA to protect and plant new trees in cities around the country. […] John Podesta, President Biden's senior advisor for clean energy innovation and implementation, said in a statement that the money would "increase urban access to nature, improve air quality, keep city streets cool during sweltering summers, tackle the climate crisis, and create safer, healthier communities in every corner of America."

KRQE (FOX/CBS Albuquerque, NM): New Mexico groups get $20.5M in grants from USDA Forest Service
[Fallon Fischer, 9/15/23]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service awarded $20.5 million to groups in New Mexico to increase access to trees and the social, health, and economic benefits they provide. The investment is expected to get trees planted and maintained in disadvantaged urban communities, tackle the climate crisis, and support jobs and workforce development, according to a news release from the USDA Forest Service. The funding, made possible by President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, is part of a historic $1.5 billion investment in the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Colorado Sun: 8 Colorado communities will benefit from millions of federal dollars to plant trees
[Tatiana Flowers, 9/15/23]

Millions of federal dollars will be spent to plant trees in Colorado in the hopes of improving air and water quality, creating more shade to cool neighborhoods, and supporting jobs and workforce development. The funding is aimed at helping local governments increase tree cover in underserved communities and boost equitable access to nature, officials said Thursday at an event in Aurora that featured the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The announcement reflects the goals of President Joe Biden's Investing in America agenda and his Bidenomics strategy, which is geared toward advancing climate resilience and environmental justice, generating economic opportunity and building a clean energy economy nationwide, according to USDA officials.

WTKR (CBS Norfolk, VA): Vice President speaks to Hampton University students about issues affecting them
[Pari Cruz, 9/14/23]

Students said as great as it was to have the HBCU grad on campus, they were most looking forward to having a chance to chat with her about issues that are important to them and getting more young people out to vote. Another student said it was an amazing experience, and it encouraged her to see that the Vice President was taking the time out to listen to them on her tour. "It was amazing," said Morgan Norris, a Hampton University journalism student. "As HBCU students, we need reassurance and that's what Madame Vice President Harris gave us today. She gave us reassurance that we are being heard that our voices do matter, and that we are in the room when she's making decisions." During her discourse, Vice President Kamala Harris said that there will be moments in our lives and our history where we will need to step up and fight for what is right—and from speaking with these students, it's easy to tell that they are engaged and ready to fight for the issues that are important to them.

Bidenomics on the Airwaves
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on KDKA (CBS Pittsburgh, PA) – 9/14

JEAN-PIERRE: Inflation actually is down by 60% than what it was last summer. And it's at 2.4% which is the lowest it's been in the last two years. All of these things are incredibly important to note. The data matters; the numbers are there. This is because of what this President has done, because of Bidenomics.

Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Jared Bernstein on MSNBC – 9/14

BERNSTEIN: The American people have been through a ton. A global pandemic, one we haven't seen for a century leading to a global inflation. Putin's invasion of Ukraine. There's so much that people have had to get through here. The whole time the White House under President Biden has kept our heads down and tried to do everything we can to help businesses and families get to the other side of the crisis, which they've done with a very tight, strong labor market. We have one of the best recoveries on record. One of the things its doing, wages are beating prices. Wages are growing faster than inflation. That's the case and it makes a big difference when you're trying to make ends meet.

Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Bharat Ramamurti on Yahoo Finance – 9/14

RAMAMURTI: …The last year has been extremely positive. We've seen a rapid decrease in inflation. At the same time as we've gained millions of jobs, we've seen wages adjusted for inflation go up over that same period of time. Wages adjusted for inflation are higher than they were pre-pandemic. And of course, at the very highest level, the US has seen the highest economic growth of any of the G7 countries since the pandemic. And at the same time, it currently has the lowest level of inflation.

Bidenomics Resources
Fact Sheet: White House Releases New Technical Assistance Resources to Help Communities Unlock Opportunities from President Biden's Investing in America Agenda

State Fact Sheets: House Republicans' Funding Bills Would Have Devastating Impacts for Hard-Working Families Across America

Statement from President Joe Biden: Census Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage Reports

Fact Sheet: President Biden and Vice President Harris Are Delivering For Young Americans | The White House