WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will visit Wisconsin on Wednesday to praise the administration’s spending on roads, bridges and other infrastructure, while noting how Wisconsin has benefitted.
He’ll be speaking at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce to highlight the administration’s efforts to increase entrepreneurship opportunities, especially for people of color.
“We’ve actually, over the last three years, seen the largest increase on record of businesses by Black Americans,” said Daniel Hornung, the deputy director of the National Economic Council. “Overall, we've seen about 15 million new businesses started, and that really reflects what we've seen of a strong and dynamic economy, where people are starting new businesses with new ideas, hiring new employees in their communities, creating jobs. That's a big part of the message that you'll hear from the President.”
Per a release, the President will be joined by the founder of a Black-owned small business that’s removing lead pipes in Milwaukee, another Biden priority.
The president will also discuss his goal of increasing the amount of federal loans and contracts that are going to small, disadvantaged businesses.
Biden will also announce that the Grow Milwaukee Coalition is one of several finalists that have qualified to compete for $190 million in funding for jobs, infrastructure and technical assistance.
“When the President travels to Milwaukee, he'll be talking about the significant progress we've made on the economy, including in Wisconsin,” said Hornung. “In Wisconsin, the unemployment rate [is] down to 3.2%. That's one of the lowest it's ever been in the state. And really, I mean, we have seen tremendous progress creating jobs, bringing manufacturing back to the United States, including in Wisconsin.”
However, Hornung said there’s still more work to do.
“Continue to lower costs, things like prescription drugs, health insurance premiums, energy costs,” he said. “The president [is] working to lower all of those through legislation he's signed into law, but tremendous progress that we've made as we look back at 2023.”
The President was last in Wisconsin in August, just before the first debate among the Republicans who want to run against him next year.