START TO BUILD BACK IN NEXT WEEK. WE’LL GIVE YOU THOSE DAYS THE TIMELINE SAYING GET READY
FOR MOTHER’S DAY COMING UP IN
10 MINUTES.
>>BRUCE HAMILTON: AT THE HEART
OF PRESIDENT BIDEN’S 2.3
TRILLION DOLLAR AMERICAN
JOBS PLAN IS REBUILDING THE
NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE AND
CREATING JOBS. WHEN IT COMES TO
FLORIDA’S INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT
CARD FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
OF CIVIL ENGINEERS GIVE FLORIDA
A C I SPOKE
WITH THE U.S. SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
PETE BUTTIGIEG ABOUT FLORIDA’S
INTEREST AND HOW NORTHEAST
FLORIDA’S INFRASTRUCTURE IN
PARTICULAR MIGHT BE
STRENGTHENED BY THAT PLAN.
MR. SECRETARY APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME THIS MORNING, WE’LL TALK
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S AMERICAN
JOBS PLAN AND THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND A BIG PART
OF THE PROGRAM IS ADDRESSING
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND FOR A
LONG TIME FLORIDA IN THIS AREA
WORK TO ESTABLISH THE FLORIDA
RAIL AND WORK IN A LINE BETWEEN
SAINT AUGUSTINE AND
JACKSONVILLE AND ALSO OF
INTEREST IN NORTHEAST. FLORIDA
IS IMPROVING AMTRAK SERVICE AND
REFURBISHING THE PRIME OSBORN
CONVENTION CENTER TO
ACCOMMODATE AMTRAK WELL NOT
SPECIFIC IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE
PLAN TO MAKING THOSE
PROJECTS HAPPEN. HOW MIGHT THE
PLAN ADDRESSED FLORIDA’S NEEDS
IN THAT
TRADITIONAL ARENA.
>> THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES AND I
DO TOO THAT AMERICANS OUGHT TO
BE ABLE TO RESPECT THE HIGHEST
STANDARD OF TRAIN TRAVEL AND
THAT MEANS WE’RE INVESTING.
THAT’S WHY THE PRESIDENT’S
VISION INCLUDES ANY BILLION
DOLLARS OR LESS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE BEST
PASSENGER RAIL IN THE U.S.
THERE’S A WONDERFUL TRADITION
OF THAT, BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT
US HAVEN’T KEPT UP WITH OTHER
COUNTRIES SO WHETHER WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT REAL SERVICES
THEMSELVES OR I DO IS ABOUT
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
BEST POSSIBLE STATIONS ALL OF
THAT IS PART OF THE VISION THAT
WE’RE ADVANCING ITS ONE OF MANY
REASONS WHY WE’RE SEEING I
THINK SUCH ENERGY AND
ENTHUSIASM AROUND THE
AMERICAN JOBS.
>>BRUCE HAMILTON: ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE BROADBAND HIGH SPEED
BROADBAND
AT THAT IS AN ISSUE HERE IN
THIS AREA IN FACT WE DID AN
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT AND WE
FOUND THAT IN SOME COMMUNITIES.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIME POLICE
RESCUE FIRE
IS SUFFERING AS A RESULT AND
LIVES ARE AT STAKE. HOW DOES
THE PLAN THE AMERICAN JOBS PLAN
ADDRESS THAT.
>> BECAUSE WE GO INTO THE
2020’S, HAVING GOOD BROADBAND
ACCESS IS NOT A LUXURY, IT’S
A NECESSITY. I KNOW THAT THIS
ISN’T ONE OF THE MORE
TRADITIONAL PARTS OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE VISION WE’RE
PUTTING FORWARD. BUT WE THINK
IT’S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW HAVING A
A GOOD INTERNET CONNECTION IS
JUST AS IMPORTANT AS HAVING A
CONNECTION TO THE INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM YOU NEED MOST IN
ORDER FOR A COMMUNITY OR FOR THAT MATTER OF FAMILY TO PROSPER AS YOU MENTIONED IT IS
A SAFETY ISSUE.
IT’S CERTAINLY AN ECONOMIC
ISSUE. IT’S A FAIRNESS AND
EQUITY ISSUE FOR EVERYTHING
FROM DOING YOUR HOMEWORK TO
PARTICIPATING IN
TODAY’S ECONOMY.
>>BRUCE HAMILTON: LET ME GO
FROM THE BROADBAND HIGHWAY
INTERNET HIGHWAY WHERE ROADS
AND OUR
BRIDGES BECAUSE THERE WAS A
REPORT THAT WAS DONE AND IT
FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF ROADS
BRIDGES ARE
VERY UNSAFE. HERE AND THERE
VERY MUCH A PART OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN FLORIDA.
THIS AREA AS YOU KNOW IS PRONE
TO SOME BAD WEATHER,
ESPECIALLY HURRICANES. SO
THERE’S MONEY THAT’S BEEN
EARMARKED TO TRY AND FIX THOSE
PROBLEMS AND THAT’S GOING TO
REQUIRE MANPOWER WILL THAT
MEAN JOBS.
>> SO REALLY THERE’S A REASON
WE’RE CALLING THIS THE AMERICAN
JOBS THE THEME OF THIS PLAN IS
INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THE PURPOSE
OF
THIS PLAN. IT’S ABOUT JOBS AND
INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS SUGGESTS
TO CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS
AND IMPORTANTLY, THEIR JOBS ALL
ACROSS THE ECONOMIC FROM THE
ADVANCED ENGINEERING JOBS TO
THE KIND OF CONSTRUCTION JOBS.
WE WE NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE
TO MAINTAIN THESE ASSETS MOST
OF THE JOBS ARE AVAILABLE.
WHETHER YOU HAVE A COLLEGE
DEGREE
OR NOT YOU KNOW THE REALITY IS
THAT THEY’RE NOT FUTURISTIC THE
MYSTERIOUS JOBS EITHER
WE’RE GOING TO NEED
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS PLUMBERS
AND PIPE FITTERS AND SLATER’S
PAINTERS ELECTRICAL WORKERS FOR
SURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE CHARGING STATIONS WE
WANT TO PUT IN THE GROWING
NUMBER OF AMERICAN ELECTRIC
CARS. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE
GOING TO REQUIRE A STRONG
AMERICAN LABOR FORCE AND THAT’S
WHY. THE INVESTMENTS IN
WORKFORCE, DEVELOPMENT
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
WE SAY IT’S SITTING RIGHT
ALONGSIDE
THE. DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN
THINGS LIKE IMPROVING OUR ROADS
AND BRIDGES PORTS AND AIRPORTS
WATERWAYS MORE.
>> AND LOOK IT’S NO SECRET THE
PRESIDENT FACES AN UPHILL
BATTLE. THERE ARE THOSE IN
CONGRESS WHO HAVE THERE
MISGIVINGS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM,
INCLUDING FLORIDA REPUBLICANS
AND BASICALLY THEY’RE AGAINST
THE WAY THIS IS GOING TO BE
FUNDED. THE INCREASING THE
CORPORATE TAX AND ALSO THE FACT
THAT THERE’S A HIKE IN A GLOBAL
MINIMUM TAX. HOW DO YOU RESPOND
TO THAT.
TO THAT. >> WE BELIEVE THE CORPORATIONS OUGHT TO BE PAYING THEIR FAIR
SHARE YOU KNOW THERE ARE MANY
COMPANIES LAST YEAR SOME OF THE
BIGGEST COMPANIES IN
THE WORLD PAYING 0 IN TAXES ON
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFITS
AND WE BELIEVE THAT A FAIR TAX
CODE IS
ONE WHERE A CORPORATION THAT
BILLIONS IN PROFITS
IS PAYING. CERTAINLY NOTHING
LESS THAN A FIREFIGHTER OR A
TEACHER. IN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
NOW IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO
POINT
OUT THAT WHAT WE’RE CALLING FOR
IS NOT A HIGH LEVEL OF TAXES IT
WOULD ACTUALLY BE LOWER THAN
IT’S BEEN FOR MOST OF MY
LIFETIME, INCLUDING PERIODS
WHEN OUR ECONOMY DID JUST FINE.
>> AND LET ME ASK YOU FINALLY
ABOUT ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION
ISSUE, JACKSONVILLE WAS
EXPECTING A FEDERAL GRANT
TO HELP PAY FOR THOMAS BAGELS
THAT WE’RE GOING TO SUPPLEMENT
OUR SKYWAY WHICH IS A ROAD
THAT RUNS IN AND AROUND
DOWNTOWN THEY BASICALLY CALL IT
THE RIGHT WAY TO NOWHERE
BECAUSE HAS GOT OF VERY LIMITED
SERVICE AND THE CITY IS TRYING
TO EXPAND THAT ANY IDEA THE
STATUS OF THAT FEDERAL GRANT
RIGHT NOW.
>> BUT SHOULD THAT THE
INDIVIDUAL GRAD TO MAKE SURE TO
CHECK ON HOW THE RACE IS WHAT I
WILL SAY IS THAT THERE ARE A
LOT OF THE FALL AND
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE’VE GOT TO
PREPARE FOR. YOU KNOW THE WAY PEOPLE GET 2050 WERE EVEN 10 YEARS OUT, BUT GOING WITH
THE EXACT SAME AS A GOOD 10 OR
20 YEARS AGO.
THAT INCLUDES TECHNOLOGY STRAW
THOMAS DRIVING THAT INCLUDES
NEW FORMS OF TRANSIT SO WE MAKE
IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO
WHERE THEY’RE
GOING AND ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS THIS
DEPARTMENT CAN DO IS PARTNER
WITH LOCAL LEADERS WHO ARE
DOING GOOD WORK. MISTER
SECRETARY THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME WE HAVE A GREAT
DAY. SAME HERE THANKS FOR
HAVING ME ON.
>> SO IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE
I KNOW THAT YOU TOUCHED ON IT,
BUT THAT DID HE’D SEEN
CONFIDENT
TO YOU THAT GIVEN THIS MOUNTING
REPUBLICAN KIND OF PUSH BACK
THAT HE BE ABLE TO AND THAT THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE
ABLE TO
GET THIS.
>> PAINT THIS PLAN PASSED YOU
KNOW IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE
WE DID THIS INTERVIEW RIGHT
AFTER YOU SAW THIS EARLIER IN
THE MORNING SHOW.
MITCH MCCONNELL TALKED ABOUT
THE FACT THAT HE WAS
GALVANIZING AS MUCH REPUBLICAN
SUPPORT AS HE COULD TO FIGHT
THIS PLAN AND BASICALLY THE
SECRETARY SAID LOOK WE HAVE A
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN CONGRESS
AND THE REPUBLICANS CAN DO
WHATEVER THEY WANT, BUT WE’RE
GOING
TO GALVANIZE THAT DEMOCRATIC
MAJORITY TO GET THIS PASSED
BECAUSE WE THINK IT’S A