Press Releases

Congresswoman Gwen Moore Applauds President Biden’s American Jobs Plan

“President Biden is meeting the moment’s need for a stronger economy to continue building back better. Our infrastructure is in real need of investment and this plan will address those needs while creating jobs and working to tackle the climate crisis. 

For years, I have been working to secure funding to address our nation’s water infrastructure needs, especially to remove lead lateral lines in Milwaukee and elsewhere in our country. This plan invests $111 billion in our communities to address our water infrastructure needs, including funding to replace all lead pipes nationwide as well as the estimated 70,000 in Milwaukee. Too often, the burden of removing lead pipes falls on the homeowners, which can cost thousands of dollars or on local municipalities who have limited resources. 

I am also pleased by the strong investment in public transit, including a call to double federal funding to help cities buy cleaner, greener buses and improve service frequency. In recent years, Milwaukee has seen service cuts and fare increases, with funding shortfalls from the COVID-19 pandemic only adding to the strain. The result has been reduced transportation options for citizens who depend on affordable public transit for access to their jobs and increased dependency on higher polluting alternatives for our whole community.   

Equity and workforce development are prioritized in this plan, particularly in underserved communities and communities of color, elements for which have been aggressively advocating. His plan includes a call for subsidized jobs, which Senator Baldwin, Rep. Danny Davis, and I included in a bill we introduced in the last Congress. It prioritizes funding for workforce development to help communities of color gain access to the skills and opportunities necessary for employment on the range of infrastructure projects that would be funded through the bill, putting good-paying jobs within reach of many of my constituents. With billions of dollars flowing from this plan, creating good-paying union jobs for those in the communities that are greatest in need is a win-win.  

The plan would also recognize the critical role that formal caregivers play in our communities, often for low pay. Helping our caregivers, including informal caregivers, has been a priority of mine and something I’ve sought to address in my Worker Relief and Credit Reform Act, and I look forward to working with the Administration to build on this proposal.   

The President’s plan promotes the protection of the Great Lakes, a national environmental and economical treasure, provides $40 billion to improve public housing, and invests $100 billion to improve our schools. Lastly, it would expand access to high-speed broadband, which will be meaningful to Milwaukee. In an increasingly virtual world, everyone needs access to the Internet. Just consider all the students learning virtually, employees working virtually, individuals looking for employment online and seniors trying to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments – also online. This plan will ensure that no community will be left behind.

This plan will move us all forward.  I have been working with my colleagues to ensure that Milwaukee benefits from a new robust infrastructure package. Now that we have the President’s plan, I will keep working with my colleagues to further refine and strengthen this groundbreaking package to maximize the benefits for the 4^th Congressional District.”