What They Are Reading in the States: Biden-Harris Administration Touts Infrastructure Law & Efforts to Lower Costs for Families

This week, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Biden-Harris Administration officials traveled across the country and flooded the local airwaves to discuss the nationwide impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the steps the administration is taking to lower costs for working families, ease inflationary pressures, and grow the economy from the bottom-up and in the long-term.

President Biden traveled to Kansas City, Missouri where he toured the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and discussed how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is Building a Better America with modern roads and bridges, better public transit, clean water, high-speed internet, and good-paying, union jobs. Vice President Harris hosted the first-ever White House Maternal Health Day of Action, where she was joined by Members of Congress and advocates who highlighted the Build Back Better Act's maternal health provisions. And, Cabinet members and senior administration officials spoke directly to the American people about the infrastructure law and Biden economic agenda, which is getting people back to work and putting more money in Americans' pockets.

Here's a sample of what Americans are reading in the states:

President Biden in Missouri

Missouri Independent: 'Americans always rebuild': Biden promotes infrastructure investments in Kansas City speech
President Joe Biden on Wednesday visited the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to tout the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill he signed into law last month, expected to bring billions in spending on roads and bridges, clean water, public transportation, high speed internet and more to Kansas and Missouri. The president said investments amount to a "blue collar blueprint" for rebuilding the country, providing more good-paying jobs and economic opportunities, 95% of which don't require a college degree.

Kansas City Star: President Biden, in Kansas City, declares time has come for 'action' on infrastructure
President Joe Biden promoted a new $1.2 trillion federal law in Kansas City on Wednesday that his administration hopes will prove transformational in reinforcing and advancing the nation's aging infrastructure. The infrastructure law marks "the most significant investment" in roads and bridges in 70 years, Biden said. "No more talking. Action," Biden said.

Vice President Harris Hosts Maternal Health Summit & Highlights the Build Back Better Act

Spectrum News: VP Harris, Allyson Felix, providers call for action on maternal health: 'Women in our nation are dying'
When in the Senate, Vice President Harris helped craft the Momnibus, a 12-bill package intended to address women's health, both clinically and through outside factors like housing security, climate change and more. Portions of the Momnibus are included in President Joe Biden's social and climate spending bill, the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House last month and is being negotiated in the Senate. The BBB Act currently includes more than $1 billion in funding for maternal health, including money to expand the workforce with people like doulas and midwives, plus expand research on maternal health at minority-serving institutions.

River Bender: Rep. Robin Kelly Speaks At First Ever White House Maternal Health Day Of Action, Invites Cook County Resident To Participate
"It was an honor to attend Vice President Harris' Maternal Health Day of Action yesterday at the White House. I've been working on policies to increase positive maternal health outcomes since first introducing the MOMMAs Act in the 114th Congress. I'm thrilled that provisions of my MOMMAs Act have been included in the Build Back Better Act, and that soon women in every single state will have access to 12 months of postpartum coverage through Medicaid," said Congresswoman Kelly.

Gas Prices Decline in the States

CNN: Gas prices will tumble below $3 a gallon soon, government forecasts
Prices at the pump have finally started to creep lower, and that trend should significantly accelerate in the coming months, according to new government forecasts. The US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday the national average for regular gasoline will probably drop to $3.01 a gallon in January. For 2022, gas prices are expected to average $2.88.

• The Detroit Bureau: Gas Prices Keep Sliding as Drivers Head into Holidays
• The Kansas City Star: Gas prices are finally dropping across the country: Here's where Kansas City stands
• Billings Gazette: Gas Prices Will Soon Drop Below $3 a Gallon: Government Forecast
• Newnan Times-Herald: Gas prices continue to fall
• KDVR (FOX Denver, CO): Here's where you can get gas for $2.69 in Colorado, plus 9 other low prices across the state
• WOFL (FOX Orlando, FL): Florida gas prices dropping: How low it's expected to go
• KWWL (NBC Des Moines, IA): Gas prices fall 5.5 cents/g; averaging $3.07/g
• KPTM (FOX Omaha, NE): Nebraska's price at the pump drops, still lower than national average
• WHTM (ABC Harrisburg, PA): A decrease in gas prices for Midstate drivers can bring a sigh of relief Christmas season
• WPVI-TV (ABC Philadelphia, PA ): Gas prices expected to drop below $3 next year, experts say
• WCBD (NBC Charleston, SC): S.C. gas prices fall over 5 cents in past week
• WOLO (ABC Columbia, SC): Gas prices in SC going down
• KXXV (ABC Waco, TX): Gas prices on decline in Central Texas

Energy Secretary Granholm in Illinois

News-Gazette (Champain-Urbana): U.S. Energy Secretary tours UI facilities focused on producing, providing sustainable power
"We're here at the U of I, and they're so advanced at identifying agricultural inputs to create 'Energy 2.0' — whether its miscanthus that they're growing on the farm adjacent to the university, whether it is ethanol that is produced from sugar cane, we know that the Midwest will provide solutions to cleaning up our transportation system as well as to heating and cooling our homes and industry," Granholm told reporters Thursday morning…Granholm highlighted upcoming policies for sustainable energy: carbon-capture grants and private-sector tax incentives for building out clean-energy projects….She also brought up that the Biden administration encouraged states last month to direct federal funds from the coronavirus relief act Congress passed in March toward easing home-energy costs this winter.

Illinois Newsroom: Energy secretary promotes infrastructure law at University of Illinois biofuel lab
Biden's infrastructure law includes $8 billion for four hydrogen hubs. The University of Illinois hopes to house one of the four. If the University of Illinois does succeed in creating the Midwestern Hydrogen Hub and winning federal support, it would mean roughly $2 billion for the region over the next four years…Granholm noted that the infrastructure law provides incentives – to the tune of $1 billion – to expand use of biofuels like energy cane.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in New York

WGRZ (NBC Buffalo): Leaders break ground on new NFTA electric bus charging station in Buffalo
On Monday, local leaders broke ground on an $8 million upgrade on the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority charging station in Buffalo…"This project is an example of the transformative investments the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create in Western New York and across the country," said Secretary Walsh. "The Biden-Harris administration is committed to fighting the climate crisis and supporting our nation's public transit systems—all while creating quality, good-paying jobs."

Niagara Frontier Publications: During visit to Northland Workforce Training Center, Labor Secretary Walsh & Congressman Higgins discuss efforts to prepare workers for jobs of tomorrow
"A major component of building back better is creating a skilled, resilient workforce for the 21st century economy,' Walsh said. 'The Build Back Better Act provides the investments needed to offer quality job training opportunities and a roadmap to the middle class."…The Build Back Better Act, supported by [Congressman Brian] Higgins and approved by the House of Representatives in November, makes various investments in American workers, including $13.6 billion for workforce activities administered through the U.S. Department of Labor. Included is $5 billion through 2026 for grants to industry, sector partners and training providers, such as Northland Workforce Training Center, "to expand employment and training activities in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and occupations."

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack in Ohio

Butler County Journal-News: U.S. agriculture secretary in area to speak about Biden's plans for improving supply chain woes

"Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is investing in ways to improve America's food supply chain. The funding we're announcing today (Thursday) will leverage approximately a billion dollars in public and private-sector investments that will significantly expand meat and poultry processing capacity and finance critical food supply chain infrastructure." … As co-chair of the Biden-Harris administration's Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, Vilsack and the USDA have brought together industry, labor and federal partners to address the short-term supply chain disruptions arising from the administration's economic recovery. This is one of several steps that the USDA is taking to build a more resilient supply chain and better food system and to increase competition in agricultural markets, Vilsack said.

Administration Officials, Local Leaders Highlight Infrastructure Law

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Haaland promises governors federal help for fires, drought
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland pledged federal resources and cooperation with governors from 19 Western states to tackle wildfire resilience, drought management, oil and gas cleanup efforts and other issues made more difficult by climate change. Speaking at the Western Governors Association meeting outside San Diego on Thursday, Haaland touted funding for Interior priorities in the newly enacted infrastructure law and highlighted the roles states would play in using it. "We cannot be successful in putting these new resources to work without your support and leadership," she told the group. "We know it will be you and your teams who implement so many of the on-the-ground projects that will reshape our shared future."

KTXL (FOX Sacramento): Buttigieg discusses infrastructure bill's impact on California, high-speed rail project with Sacramento Press Club
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke with FOX40's Nikki Laurenzo and the Los Angeles Times' Chris Megerian Thursday for an interview about President Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure package. The Sacramento Press Club's virtual forum covered the impacts the president's infrastructure funding will have on California. Buttigieg went over how the money will affect the controversial high-speed rail project. "One of the reasons why you see a historic level of commitment to passenger rail — and I should say this isn't all for high-speed, but it certainly includes that — one of the reasons you see that in this bill is we do think it's important for the economic competitiveness of the country as a whole," Buttigieg said. "And the opportunity in California is a big example of that."

WXIN (FOX Indianapolis): $127 million in federal funding for Indiana water infrastructure projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Indiana will receive $127 million to improve the state's water infrastructure. The funding is allocated by the bipartisan infrastructure law, which was signed by President Biden last month…. According to the EPA, the federal funds will be used for projects that replace or upgrade aging pipes and equipment and prevent lead and PFAS contamination.

FOX6 Milwaukee: Milwaukee County Executive Crowley visits White House
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley's White House meeting with senior presidential aides was to discuss COVID-19 recovery and infrastructure, FOX6 News has learned. He was part of a group of county leaders from around the country. "We know that this delta variant has ravaged this community, and we don't know what to expect with the omicron variant, but the White House has basically assured us that they want to continue to partner with all the local municipalities as well as state governments to do everything that we can to get vaccines in people's arms,'" Crowley told FOX6 from the White House on Thursday.