Vice Presidential Pool Reports of January 4, 2023

Good morning from Chicago where it's slightly drizzling and a chilly 37 degrees.

Air Force Two landed at Midway International Airport at 11:40 a.m. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot greeted the VP on the tarmac.

Sen. Dick Durbin is a guest on AF2 for the visit to Chicago.

Harris will deliver a speech (outdoors) at Crowley's Boat Yard on the South Side. According to the VP's office, Harris will deliver remarks on "how the Biden-Harris Administration's economic plan is rebuilding our infrastructure, creating good-paying jobs that don't require a four-year degree, and revitalizing communities left behind." Remarks are open to pre-credential media and will be live streamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

The VP was last in Chicago for a GOTV rally on Nov. 6. This is her sixth visit to Illinois since taking office.

VP Travel Pool #2

Motorcade is on the move at 11:55 a.m., heading to remarks at Crowley's Boat Yard. It should take about 25 minutes.

VP Travel Pool #3

On background from a White House official:

To kick off 2023, the President, the Vice President, and senior administration officials will blanket the country to highlight how the Biden-Harris Administration's economic plan - including successfully bringing Republicans, Independents, and Democrats together - is growing our economy from the bottom up and middle out, making an impact in communities nationwide, and proving we can still do big things when we work together.

Today, January 4th, the Vice President will visit Chicago, Illinois' 95th Street Bridge on the Calumet River to uplift President Biden's announcement of more than $2 billion in investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade economically significant bridges across the country. The Vice President will be joined by Senator Durbin, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot and Mayor Prince of Gary, Indiana.

These investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Bridge Investment Program are for economically-significant bridges with a total cost of more than $100 million. Vice President Harris will mark this announcement by visiting one of the four Calumet River bridges, alongside Senator Durbin, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot, and Gary (IN) Mayor Prince.

During her remarks, the Vice President will discuss the Administration's vision for unlocking American innovation, supporting American communities, and building an economy that works for all people.

A grant of $144M through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rehabilitate the 92nd St, 95th St, 100th St, and 106th St bridges along the Calumet River on the Southside of Chicago, connecting Lake Michigan with the Illinois River and providing water and road access to transport goods across the country. These bridges connect communities on either side of the river, supporting access to economic opportunity in the surrounding neighborhoods.

The Calumet River Bridges project will increase efficiency of local traffic, reduce delays and connect the area to Chicago's broader sidewalk, trail and cycling network.

The Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $40 billion to repair and rebuild the nation's bridges - the single largest dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the Eisenhower-era Interstate Highway System.

VP Travel Pool #4

Motorcade arrived at Crowley's at 12:22 p.m.

Harris will deliver her remarks outdoors on a stage overlooking the 95th Street Bridge on the Calumet River, which will benefit from funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

VP Travel Pool #5:

VP Harris spoke for about 10 minutes in remarks highlighting the benefits of the infrastructure law.

Some highlights:

"After two years in office, I can say with confidence, we are building that better future. We are building an economy, as President Biden often puts it, from the bottom up, and the middle out, and I'll add from the outside in."

"The consequences of infrastructure, under investment, had been a familiar story in cities and states across our nation…Almost one in 10 [bridges] show signs of severe distress in our country. And you know, for years people talked about this problem, but now I am proud to say we will finally fix this problem."

Sen. Dick Durbin: "These bridges and 2,000 more like them across the state of Illinois need help and need it now. The good news is we have a president who cares, not only makes the promises but keeps them. We ended up passing the massive infrastructure bill. We hadn't had one and over five years. This President delivered and the vice president was right by his side."

Mayor Lightfoot: "Many presidents talked about infrastructure. Many of them tried, but this administration got it done. And folks, these are the tangible concrete benefits of bipartisanship and having a leader in the White House who understand the importance of these projects to local communities like Chicago, like Gary and this region."

Motorcade on the move at 1:10 p.m.

After a 30 second ride, VP Harris stopped at Calumet Fisheries, home to some very, very good smoked shrimp and other seafood.

VP picked up two bags of food which included freshly smoked trout and salmon: "My husband loves smoked trout," she said.

Harris briefly spoke to pool after:

"This bridge and bridges across America and the work that we have done that has been, I think, will prove to be historic in terms of this phase of the growth and strength in our country, is about uplifting communities. It's about obviously repairing and upgrading our infrastructure. It's about jobs. And it really is about strengthening America. There's so much about where we are right now that I think should be about thinking about the future and investment in the future. And that's what this work represents. It's real work. It's hitting the ground. And it's going to be making a difference for communities and across our nation. So thank you all for being here."

Motorcade heading back to Midway at 1:17 p.m.

VP Travel Pool #7

VP motorcade arrived back at Midway at 1:43 p.m. for what has been a very quick Chicago trip.

AF2 wheels up at 2:02 p.m.