A federal judge this week ruled against a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden-Harris</a> administration program that allocated around $37 billion in federal road contracts for businesses owned by women and racial minorities, raising questions about the future of a decades-old affirmative action program.
Since the 1980s, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program has required around 10% of federal dollars allocated for road construction contracts to go to women and certain racial minorities. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Biden signed in 2021, reauthorized the DBE and set aside $37 billion for eligible recipients.
This year, two small businesses sued the Transportation Department, saying that the DBE program caused them to lose out on business. On Monday, Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove <a href="https://will-law.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/OPINION.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that the Biden-Harris administration could not enforce the DBE&#8217;s affirmative action quotas against the businesses.
“The Court is keenly aware of the past discrimination that certain groups of people have faced in this country,” Tatenhove wrote. “And the Court is sure that the federal government has nothing but good intentions in trying to remedy past wrongs. But remedying those wrongs must still pass constitutional muster. The federal government cannot classify people in such a manner that violates the principles of equal protection.”
This is the latest caste that builds off the Supreme Court&#8217;s June 2023 ruling that affirmative action was unconstitutional. One federal judge <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2024-03-06/a-federal-judge-has-ordered-a-us-minority-business-agency-to-serve-all-races" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that the Minority Business Development Agency needed to be open to working with business owners of all races, while another judge <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/07/sba-8a-program-ruling-affirmative-action/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the Small Business Administration could not distribute contracts based on the claim that certain races are inherently disadvantaged.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) filed the lawsuit on behalf of Mid-America Milling and Bagshaw Trucking. The businesses, which are owned in part by white males and operate in Kentucky and Indiana, routinely bid on federal contracts. Mid-America says it has lost out on 82 contracts in Indiana since January 2022 because of the DBE program.
In his decision, Van Tatenhove wrote that both companies have “previously lost out on federally funded contracts to DBE firms, even when Plaintiffs’ bids were lower.” 
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
WILL lawyer Daniel Lennington told The Daily Wire that the decision was a major blow for the Biden-Harris administration’s “equity agenda,” which pushes race-based programs throughout the federal government. 
Lennington noted that after a period of discovery, WILL would ask for a final decision from the judge that would block any business from being subject to the DBE program. 
“The DBE program is really baked into the DNA of road building in America and companies all across America just assume that this program is never going to go anywhere,” he said. “We believe that’s unconstitutional and it hurts real people that have real businesses every day.&#8221;

Road Construction As Muni Bond Sales Surge With Debt Met By Eager Investor Demand

Judge Blocks Biden Plan To Give $37 Billion In Construction Contracts To Women And Minorities

Biden Administration

Courts

Department of Transportation

Infrastructure

Racial Discrimination

The White House&#8217;s order for federal agencies to install thousands of signs along the nation&#8217;s highways praising Joe Biden has one Republican senator pressing the administration for more information on what she says is &#8220;public financing for the president’s own campaign.&#8221;
The Executive Office of the President’s <a href="https://www.cfo.gov/assets/files/CA-23-06_Enhancing%20Transparency%20Through%20Use%20of%20the%20Investing%20in%20America%20Emblem%20on%20Signs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Office of Management and Budget wrote</a> in February 2023 that “Federal awarding agencies are strongly encouraged” to make it a requirement of each grant that the recipient, such as a local government, put up signs based on the “Official Investing in American Emblem Style Guide,” which <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Investing-in-America-Brand-Guide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prescribes signs</a> that say “Project Funded By President Joe Biden’s [Insert Name of Law].”
“The Administration believes that clear and prominent signage on projects is one of several ways to inform taxpayers about how Federal funds from these laws are being spent and advance the goals of accountability and transparency of Federal spending,” it said.
The signs credit Biden for acts passed by Congress, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) says they amount to using taxpayer money for campaign signs before the November election. She wrote in a Thursday letter to the Office of Management and Budget that it&#8217;s absurd to pay for campaign signs with taxpayer money.
“Political campaign signs are not infrastructure. They do nothing to improve our roads or bridges and it’s obvious their real intent is only to pave the way for Biden’s re-election,” she wrote to OMB Director Shalanda D. Young.
She said that even though OMB justifies the signs as “transparency,” they are not in compliance with laws requiring agencies to disclose how much taxpayer money was spent when discussing a project. Complying with that law could have the opposite of the effect Biden hopes for, she wrote.
The administration&#8217;s order was a more detailed version of one originally sent out in <a href="https://www.cfo.gov/assets/files/Controller%20Alert%20EnhancingTransparencyBipartisanInfrastructureLaw.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 2022</a>, a few months before the midterm elections.
Agencies have complied. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency’s <a href="https://www.epa.gov/invest/investing-america-signage">website specifies</a> that &#8220;for construction projects funded in whole or in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or Inflation Reduction Act through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recipients must place a sign at construction sites that display the Investing in America emblem and identify the project as a ‘project funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’ or ‘project funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.’”
Biden has been accused of using taxpayer dollars to buy political favor, such as sending <a href="https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2023/11/28/biden-email-announces-student-loan-forgiveness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emails</a> to college graduates, signed by Biden, telling them that their student loans were forgiven, that his &#8220;administration has delivered on that promise,&#8221; and asking them to &#8220;share your story about what this relief means to you.”
But the language on the signs is even more audacious because, unlike the likely unconstitutional executive action Biden took to forgive loans, presidents do not make laws.
Ernst suggested to OMB in the letter that the administration put up signs to highlight the embarrassments of Biden&#8217;s spending.
“Why is there no billboard next to the seven electric vehicle charging stations built over the past two years boasting that they were bought by the Biden administration with $7.5 billion? Such a sign could proudly declare, &#8216;This billion dollar boondoggle brought to you by President Biden!&#8217;” she wrote.
&#8220;A similar sign should be posted alongside the route of the 1.3-mile San Francisco rail extension the Biden administration has committed at least $3.4 billion to build, which is only a fraction of the megaproject’s ballooning $8.3 billion price tag. This gravy train is on track to be one of the most expensive transit projects in the world. That certainly makes it qualify as a historical attraction deserving of a sign for public recognition,&#8221; Ernst added.
Despite costing $1.2 trillion, the &#8220;infrastructure&#8221; law has accomplished so little that most Americans <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/06/biden-infrastructure-democrats-voters-00064694" target="_blank" rel="noopener">don&#8217;t even know it exists.</a>
The signs also could violate the Highway Beautification Act, which limits signage on federal highways, according to Ernst. 
The senator asked OMB to disclose the cost of the signs and whether there “was a legal determination made as to whether these taxpayer-funded campaign advertisements and billboards misuse official government resources for political campaign purposes.”
She also pressed the OMB to explain “what actions have been taken or are planned by OMB to enact the provisions of Public Law 118-47 requiring all projects funded by the White House and other agencies and departments with taxpayer dollars to disclose the cost.”
Ernst has successfully inserted those provisions into federal law, and she wrote that “If you check Section 632 of Division B, Title VI of Public Law 118-47, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-47), you will notice the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2882" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COST Act</a> requirements” requiring OMB to “clearly state… the dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program” when “issuing statements, press releases, [or] describing projects or programs.”
Ernst said that massive federal spending has led to inflation that has wiped out any benefits of the stimulus package. “Highway construction costs are up <a href="https://enotrans.org/article/fhwa-highway-construction-costs-continued-to-grow-at-24-annual-rate/%23:~:text=The%20July%2DSeptember%202023%20NHCCI,the%20October%2DDecember%202020%20quarter.">nearly 70 percent</a> since Biden became president. Because the dollar isn’t going nearly as far as it once did, the actual amount put towards transportation could be reduced as much as 40 percent over the next five years, <a href="https://www.bts.gov/data-spotlight/increases-highway-construction-costs-could-reduce-bil-funding-allocated">according to the administration’s own estimates</a>,” she said in a statement.

The sign federal agencies are instructed to erect. / Office of Management and Budget

Biden Ordered Fed Agencies To Install Nationwide Signage Praising Him Before Election

Joe Biden

Joni Ernst

Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain wishes President Joe Biden would stop talking about bridges and focus more of his attention on economic issues.
Biden&#8217;s former top man <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/09/ron-klain-joe-biden-infrastructure-00151438" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told POLITICO</a> that while there was certainly nothing wrong with Biden talking about infrastructure, even the greatest accomplishments might not move the needle if the American people were worried about day-to-day issues like the cost of gas, groceries, and rent.
&#8220;I think the president is out there too much talking about bridges,&#8221; Klain lamented. &#8220;He does two or three events a week where he’s cutting a ribbon on a bridge. And here’s a bridge. Like I tell you, if you go into the grocery store, you go to the grocery store and, you know, eggs and milk are expensive, the fact that there’s a f**king bridge is not &#8230;&#8221;
Klain went on to argue that a focus on local infrastructure projects might be more effective for a candidate running for Congress who was trying to show how effective he had been in bringing federal funding home to his district — but did not have the same impact to someone running for another term in the White House.
&#8220;He’s not a congressman. He’s not running for Congress. I think it’s kind of a fool’s errand. I think that [it] also doesn’t get covered that much because, look, it’s a f**king bridge. Like it’s a bridge, and how interesting is the bridge? It’s a little interesting but it’s not a lot interesting,&#8221; he added.
Klain&#8217;s advice was for Biden to stick to the economy — but not the current economy so much as the one he planned to foster in a second term.
&#8220;The president’s most effective economic message is contrast around whose side are you on, and compassion for the [pinch] of family budgets, and his agenda to bring down costs and raise incomes — and that lauding achievements — especially ones with abstract benefits — is less persuasive with voters,&#8221; Klain explained.
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Biden may yet face an uphill battle even if he takes Klain&#8217;s advice, as recent polling suggests more Americans believe the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-claims-of-economic-victory-slapped-back-by-worse-than-expected-inflation-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economy</a> was better prior to Biden taking office in 2021.
Even an <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1778070441648623789">informal poll</a> done during a live MSNBC segment resulted in everyone surveyed saying that the economy was better under former President Donald Trump.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Raise your hand if you think President Trump&#39;s policies on the economy would be better for your family ✋ <a href="https://t.co/5WqShG0mlZ">pic.twitter.com/5WqShG0mlZ</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1778070441648623789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ron Klain

Biden’s Former Chief Of Staff Wants Him To Stop Talking About Bridges

Biden's Former Chief Of Staff Wants Him To Stop Talking About Bridges

2024 Election

Donald Trump

Elections

Executive

Politics

Though the exact cause of a container ship&#8217;s collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland — which caused the structure&#8217;s collapse — is under debate, the disaster that has claimed at least two lives and caused an untold amount of economic damage has drawn attention to the state of America&#8217;s infrastructure.
The bridge itself accommodated almost 30,000 vehicles each day, and the Port of Baltimore, which will be heavily disrupted by the collapse and reconstruction, saw 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo and 11.7 million tons of general cargo coming into the port in 2023.
President Joe Biden has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-pushes-for-federal-gov-to-pay-for-entire-cost-of-rebuilding-baltimore-bridge-but-says-it-will-take-some-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> that the federal government will foot the bill for the repairs to the bridge.
“It is my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge, and I expect Congress to support my effort,” Biden said. “This is going to take some time, and the people of Baltimore can count on us though to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt.”
The bridge was originally built in the 1970s at an estimated cost of $141 million, which is around $743 million in today’s dollars, CNS Maryland <a href="https://cnsmaryland.org/2024/03/26/the-history-of-baltimores-key-bridge/#:~:text=Bridge%20construction,%24743%20million%20in%20today's%20dollars." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Experts have estimated that roughly $15 million a day in economic activity will be disrupted as a result of the disaster, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baltimore-port-closure-could-cost-15-million-per-day-2024-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Business Insider.
However, it seems like every election year politicians of both parties clamber to pitch grand infrastructure projects that promise to make voters&#8217; commutes smoother and produce all-important &#8220;shovel-ready&#8221; jobs. Such an infrastructure overhaul was one of the pillars of Biden&#8217;s presidential campaign in 2020, and, on paper at least, he delivered.
Two gigantic pieces of legislation passed during Biden&#8217;s two years in office, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in late 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, invested over a trillion dollars into multiple sectors of infrastructure — everything from roads to waterways to broadband — over the next decade, <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-start-of-americas-infrastructure-decade-how-macroeconomic-factors-may-shape-local-strategies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Brookings.
<div id="attachment_717107" style="width: 979px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-717107" class="size-large wp-image-717107" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1353523670-969x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 15: U.S. President Joe Biden (C) signs H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, during a ceremony on the South Lawn at the White House on November 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chen Mengtong/China News Service via Getty Images)" width="969" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1353523670-969x576.jpg 969w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1353523670-300x178.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1353523670-768x457.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1353523670.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px" />Chen Mengtong/China News Service via Getty Images</div>
In truth, only a little over $110 billion in the IIJA will actually go toward repairing roads and bridges, the Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/10/senate-infrastructure-bill-what-is-in-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>. The rest is parceled out among a myriad of other projects, most notably railroads, broadband, and utility infrastructure.
In 2023, the Federal Highway Administration reported that over 42,000 bridges across the U.S. were in &#8220;poor&#8221; condition, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/26/baltimore-bridge-collapse-cost-infrastructure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WaPo. Between 2020 and 2023, the number of U.S. bridges rated &#8220;good&#8221; increased in only 11 states, while the number considered to be in &#8220;poor&#8221; condition increased in 37 states. While 43,000 bridges saw an improved rating in 2023 compared t0 2020, a whopping 70,000 received a lower rating. Almost 13,000 bridges were downgraded from &#8220;fair&#8221; condition to &#8220;poor,&#8221; but only 10,000 bridges were improved from a &#8220;poor&#8221; rating.
American Road and Transportation Builders Association said that a full third of U.S. bridges are in need of significant repairs or replacement, while 7% of bridges are &#8220;structurally deficient,&#8221; the Council on Foreign Relations <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/state-us-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) releases a report card every 5 years on the overall health of the nation&#8217;s infrastructure, giving it an overall &#8220;C-&#8221; grade in 2021. The group&#8217;s diagnosis of bridges and roads in particular does not paint a rosy picture.
The nation&#8217;s roads <a href="https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Roads-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> a &#8220;D&#8221; grade from the group, which noted that 40% of public roads are in mediocre or poor condition. Commuters are forced to spend nearly $130 billion a year in repairs and operating coasts because of the prevalence of poor quality roads, and 17% of all vehicle miles were driven on roads deemed to be in &#8220;poor condition.&#8221;
Bridges <a href="https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Bridges-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> a slightly higher score from the ASCE, a &#8220;C,&#8221; but the group still expressed a great deal of concern. Over 40% of U.S. bridges are over half a century old, the ASCE stated, and the backlog of repairs in 2021 stood at $125 billion. The report advised a much higher investment level over the next few decades to improve the situation.
&#8220;At the current rate of investment, it will take until 2071 to make all of the repairs that are currently necessary, and the additional deterioration over the next 50 years will become overwhelming,&#8221; the ASCE report said.
The ASCE <a href="https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2021-IRC-Executive-Summary-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> in 2021 that the nation&#8217;s &#8220;infrastructure investment gap&#8221; had increased to almost $2.6 trillion over the next 10 years. The organization warned that the deficit could cost the U.S. $10 trillion in GDP, 3 million jobs, and $2.4 trillion in exports by 2039. It noted that the infrastructure investment gap, if allowed to continue, would cost the average American family $3,300 a year in higher costs.
<div id="attachment_717119" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-717119" class="size-large wp-image-717119" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1232147264-864x576.jpg" alt="FREDERICKSBURG, VA - APRIL 6: In an aerial view, vehicles on Interstate 95 travel past a construction project to add three lanes to the I-95 Rappahannock River Crossing on April 6, 2021 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The site of the work is a vital chokepoint for cars and freight trucks moving both north and south along the East Coast. At the end of March, President Joe Biden introduced a $2 trillion plan to overhaul and upgrade the nation's infrastructure. The plan aims to revitalize the U.S. transportation infrastructure, water systems, broadband internet, make investments in manufacturing and job training efforts, and other goals. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1232147264-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1232147264-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1232147264-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1232147264.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Drew Angerer/Getty Images</div>
Repairing the nation&#8217;s bridges represents such a huge stumbling block for the federal government because of its inability to appropriate the necessary funds to tackle traditional infrastructure (large portions of Biden&#8217;s infrastructure packages went toward green initiative) and the skyrocketing cost of those necessary repairs.
“I look at South Carolina when the infrastructure bill came through. We only got about $1 billion more than we otherwise would have over a five-year period,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/26/baltimore-bridge-collapse-cost-infrastructure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Newsmax in the wake of the Baltimore disaster. “I can barely build a bridge in my district for $1 billion.”
Between October 2020 and September 2022, the average cost for highway construction projects increased by 50%, and highway construction costs are almost 3 times higher than they were in 2003, <a href="https://enotrans.org/article/highway-construction-costs-have-risen-50-in-two-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI). The index <a href="https://www.constructiondive.com/news/high-prices-road-builders-2024-construction-labor/703909/#:~:text=The%20National%20Highway%20Construction%20Cost,these%20high%20prices%2C%20said%20Black." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached</a> an all-time high in the second quarter of 2023.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse isn&#8217;t the first major infrastructure disaster of Biden&#8217;s tenure. In 2023, a Norfolk Southern train <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/controlled-burn-of-toxic-chemicals-that-unleashed-mushroom-cloud-over-east-palestine-wasnt-necessary-federal-official-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">derailed</a> in East Palestine, Ohio, resulting in a controlled burn of toxic chemicals that were released into the air and affected local residents.
Biden was slammed for waiting a year before he visited East Palestine and was met with disappointed East Palestine residents when he made the trip to the small town last month. The total cost of the derailment is <a href="https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2024/01/31/758843.htm#:~:text=The%20railroad%20now%20estimates%20the,additional%20penalties%20that%20haven't" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> at $1.1 billion.
Despite two major infrastructure initiatives within the last 4 years, the long-term health of America&#8217;s roads and bridges does not look hopeful. Without a major decrease in the cost of repairs and an increase in infrastructure investments, the deterioration will continue, perhaps even accelerate. A poor network of roads and bridges will not only directly pass costs on to normal Americans, but also affect the nation&#8217;s economy as a whole, accentuating our financial woes. And perhaps most importantly, it will almost certainly increase the rate at which we see deadly disasters like the one in Baltimore.

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses After Being Struck By Cargo Ship

Baltimore Bridge Collapse Highlights The Sorry State Of American Infrastructure

Baltimore

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Inflation Reduction Act

Readers Pass

U.S.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said during an interview over the weekend that everyone who was killed last week on the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a migrant.
Van Hollen made the remarks during a Sunday interview on ABC News&#8217; &#8220;This Week&#8221; while talking about the incident in which a 1,000-foot cargo ship, the Dali, hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing the bridge to collapse instantly.
&#8220;We’re working to help the families of the six individuals,&#8221; Van Hollen said. &#8220;All of them, all immigrants. It’s a clear example about the contributions and the sacrifices that immigrants make.&#8221;
Host Martha Raddatz said that the migrants came from Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala.
&#8220;And the other priority right now is to open the channel because this is a thriving port of Baltimore. We have over 15,000 people working directly for the port,&#8221; Van Hollen said. &#8220;Thousands of others — their livelihood depends on the port. So, opening that channel is the priority.&#8221;
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&#8220;And I want to thank President Biden because he has followed through on his commitment,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;The Army Corps of Engineers will cover all the cost of clearing the channel. We have submitted our requests for rebuilding the bridge to the emergency relief program. We’ve been invited in that program. The federal government will pay 90 percent of the costs and Senator [Ben] Cardin and I are planning to introduce legislation to cover the other 10.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen provides an update on the rebuilding plan following the collapse of Baltimore&#39;s Key Bridge. 
“The federal government will pay 90% of the cost and Senator Cardin and I plan to introduce legislation to cover the other 10.” <a href="https://t.co/tbdPPdCc6Y">https://t.co/tbdPPdCc6Y</a> <a href="https://t.co/rJZZHW5lJV">pic.twitter.com/rJZZHW5lJV</a>
&mdash; This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1774440716221006192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Chris Van Hollen Jan 18

Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen: All Those Killed In Bridge Collapse Were Migrants

Congress

Maryland

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) put a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant on the Maryland Port Commission just months before a container ship crashed into Baltimore&#8217;s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The supply chain on the East Coast and beyond now hangs in the balance as authorities will have to swiftly undertake complex feats of engineering to reopen the port and, eventually, the bridge.
Moore named Karenthia Barber to the Commission last August. The headline of the <a href="https://fox2now.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/648711993/karenthia-a-barber-appointed-first-black-woman-to-serve-as-maryland-port-commissioner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> announcing the hire hailed her as the “first black woman to serve as Maryland Port Commissioner.” Her <a href="https://mpa.maryland.gov/Pages/KarenthiaBarber.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ports Commission bio</a> says she is “the Founder and CEO of Professional Development Associates, LLC. [sic] a consulting practice that provides leadership and workforce training, coaching, and diversity, equity and inclusion audits and consulting,” and a volunteer for the Maryland Democratic Party.
According to an <a href="https://www.pobdirectory.com/article/helping-the-port-thrive.html">interview with Barber</a> posted to the port website this January, part of her job was to bring her DEI expertise to the commission.
&#8220;In the words of our Governor, I want to make sure the MPA is leaving no one behind — that we are broadening our impact, our revenue, but also expanding the net of inclusion,&#8221; Barber said.
Barber did not return a request for comment from The Daily Wire on her qualifications. The <a href="https://mpa.maryland.gov/pages/port-commission.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Port Commission website</a> says it “establishes policies directed toward improving the competitive position of the Port of Baltimore within the international maritime industry. Commission meetings are held once a month and include a session open to the public. Members of the MPC are appointed by the governor.” Its <a href="https://mpa.maryland.gov/Documents/port-commission/March72024OpenSessionAgenda.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 7 meeting</a> included a “Safety Program Annual Report.”
The three current commissioners who were appointed by past Republican governors have expertise in managing major transportation hubs or maritime ventures. They are Edward McDonald, who served as chief of staff for the Maryland Department of Transportation; David Richardson, the former chief of staff at the Maryland Aviation Administration; and Brenda Dandy, who co-founded a marine business.
Moore — the state’s first black governor — appointed Barber and two other commissioners: <a href="https://mpa.maryland.gov/Pages/SandyRoberts.aspx">Sandy Roberts</a>, an attorney who has practiced civil rights and international transactions law and operates an airport concessionaire business; and <a href="https://mpa.maryland.gov/Pages/MScottWebb.aspx">Scott Webb</a>, a member of the International Longshoremen&#8217;s Association labor union who worked on the water.
<div id="attachment_716057" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-716057" class="size-large wp-image-716057" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-2117511347-864x576.jpg" alt="BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 27: Workers continue to investigate and search for victims after the cargo ship Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse yesterday, on March 27, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. Two survivors were pulled from the Patapsco River and six missing people are presumed dead after the Coast Guard called off rescue efforts. A work crew was fixing potholes on the bridge, which is used by roughly 30,000 people each day, when the ship struck at around 1:30am on Tuesday morning. The accident has temporarily closed the Port of Baltimore, one of the largest and busiest on the East Coast of the U.S. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-2117511347-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-2117511347-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-2117511347-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-2117511347.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Scott Olson/Getty Images</div>
After a cargo ship collided with a pier on the Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, leading to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ntsb-reports-timeline-of-baltimore-bridge-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">massive bridge&#8217;s collapse</a>, supply chains across America hang in the balance as authorities manage a cleanup of the Baltimore port that includes removing the wreckage of the bridge so that cruise ships and cargo freighters can pass through, determining how the catastrophe might have been prevented, and constructing a new bridge.
Barber&#8217;s website <a href="https://www.KBMotivator.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KBMotivator.com</a> positions her as a professional motivational speaker, and pictures her hobnobbing with various Democrat politicians. It says Barber is “recognized as an engaging, inspiring and educational world class speaker&#8221; and hails her as a public speaker.
&#8220;Ms. Barber provides keynotes on a range of topics including: Leadership; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity; Generations At Work, and Communications,” it says.
Her bio said she served as chair of the Board of Trustees of Maryland Automobile Insurance, and the website said she had done “workshops and training sessions” for clients that included the U.S. Navy.
Her father was also a member of the longshoreman’s union. But there was little evidence of substantive maritime experience by Barber; the website said the goal of consulting at various agencies she worked was to “drive invention, inspiration, and innovation.”
Her biography brags that “the Baltimore native is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Baltimore (MD) chapter The Links, Inc., a national service organization of prominent Black women.” It also states that Barber is a recipient of “the Living Legend Award from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women&#8217;s Clubs.&#8221;

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) and Karenthia A. Barber (Maryland Port Commission)

Less Than A Year Before Bridge Fiasco, Maryland’s Dem Gov Put A DEI Consultant On State’s Port Commission

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Six construction workers who were filling potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/baltimore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baltimore</a> when a container ship rammed into one of its supports are presumed dead.
Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president of Brawner Builders, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/maryland-bridge-collapse-francis-scott-key-bridge-boat-baltimore-rcna145047" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News that the six individuals, who were not named, are presumed to have died from the accident.
The crew was working in the middle of the bridge when the ship struck, causing the bridge to collapse. The bodies of the six workers have not been recovered.
“This was so completely unforeseen,” Pritzker <a href="https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-bridge-collapse-53169b379820032f832de4016c655d1b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We don’t know what else to say. We take such great pride in safety, and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers.”
Jesus Campos, who has worked on the bridge for the company, said that he knew some of the members of the crew. He said that they were on a break sitting in their trucks when the ship hit.
“I know that a month ago, I was there, and I know what it feels like when the trailers pass,” Campos said. “Imagine knowing that is falling. It is so hard. One would not know what to do.”
Investigators have said that all initial signs point to the crash as an accident and that there is not any proof that terrorism was involved.
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The ship issued a mayday warning just shortly before the crash, which allowed officials to stop traffic from crossing onto the bridge before it was struck.
Earlier in the day, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said two people were rescued from the water; one person was unharmed, while the second was rushed to the hospital in serious condition.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Six missing construction workers are presumed dead by their employer after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore early Tuesday. 
Here’s what else we know about the incident. <a href="https://t.co/nHDx8SGQxr">pic.twitter.com/nHDx8SGQxr</a>
&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1772730120161075363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Top officials from across the U.S. have offered assistance to help fix the situation.
President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-pushes-for-federal-gov-to-pay-for-entire-cost-of-rebuilding-baltimore-bridge-but-says-it-will-take-some-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the federal government would pay the entire cost to fix the bridge.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that he directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to &#8220;offer assistance to the State of Maryland, if needed, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I have directed <a href="https://twitter.com/FLSERT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLSERT</a> to offer assistance to the State of Maryland, if needed, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The State of Florida stands willing to help and our prayers are with the victims and first responders.
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1772605965210165338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

6 People Presumed Dead After Cargo Ship Crash Levels Baltimore Bridge

Disasters

Shipping

During an interview on CNN, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/baltimore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baltimore</a> Mayor Brandon Scott chided the cable news network and others for airing &#8220;traumatizing&#8221; footage of a partial <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baltimore-bridge-collapses-resulting-in-mass-casualty-event-after-its-struck-by-cargo-ship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bridge collapse</a> in his city on Tuesday.
A container ship rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge early in the morning, causing part of the structure to crumble into the river below. At least <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/8-people-were-on-baltimore-bridge-at-time-of-collapse-ship-issued-a-mayday-before-collision-authorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eight people</a> were on the bridge at the time, and at least two have been accounted for as rescue teams search for survivors, according to authorities.
The mayor spoke with CNN anchor Sara Sidner over the phone in the hours after the crash. As they conversed, the network showed images showing the aftermath of the collapse as well as video of the very moment the ship took down a big chunk of the Francis Scott Key Bridge early in the morning.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to be the first to ask that CNN and everyone else stop showing the video,&#8221; Scott said. &#8220;No one needs to see a possibility of their family member being severely injured or otherwise over and over and over again because it&#8217;s just traumatizing our community.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Baltimore Mayor pleads with CNN to stop airing the &quot;traumatizing&quot; bridge collapse footage <a href="https://t.co/qjLArUtMAT">pic.twitter.com/qjLArUtMAT</a>
&mdash; Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1772622591036899376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Scott told Sidner called the collapse an &#8220;unspeakable tragedy.&#8221; He said the &#8220;focus&#8221; of emergency crews was to conduct a search-and-rescue operation using sonar to find survivors. He noted that cars were in the water and that there were people working on the bridge at the time of the collision.
&#8220;We know that there&#8217;s going to be questions about the bridge and traffic and the port,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But right now, everyone in this world&#8217;s focus should be about these souls and those families who are wondering if these people are going to walk back in the door after they walked out to work last night.&#8221;
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Scott said the ship hitting the bridge was &#8220;something out of an action movie&#8221; when pressed about his first thoughts upon seeing pictures of the devastation at first light.
&#8220;It&#8217;s something you never think you would see,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And being here, right now, looking at it is even more surreal. And it just makes you think about, again, those families — those individuals that were on that bridge. Those folks even on that vessel even more because no one should have to endure.&#8221;

Baltimore officials, including Mayor Brandon Scott on the right, speak after bridge collapse

Baltimore Mayor Asks CNN To Stop Airing ‘Traumatizing’ Bridge Collapse

Baltimore Mayor Asks CNN To Stop Airing 'Traumatizing' Bridge Collapse

Media

Transportation

President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> touted his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economic record</a> in a Monday speech and claimed that his economic policies were a blueprint for blue-collar Americans, even as Americans continue to pay more for everyday food products and gas. 
Biden made the comments in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/philadelphia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia</a>, Pennsylvania, during a Labor Day speech to a sheet metal union, and he painted a rosy picture of the economy, which has seen record inflation under his administration. 
“&#8217;Bidenomics&#8217; is a blue-collar blueprint for America. It&#8217;s for you,&#8221; Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/09/04/remarks-by-president-biden-celebrating-labor-day-and-honoring-americas-workers-and-unions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;As I said a thousand times, there is no quit in America. None. All I hear from my friends on the other side, what they say is wrong with America. They keep telling us America is failing. They&#8217;re wrong. I&#8217;ve got news for them. America has the strongest economy in the world right now, today.”
The comments come as Americans continue to pay <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gas-prices-near-all-time-high-this-labor-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high prices</a> for food and gas. One <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-touts-record-on-inflation-as-americans-spend-hundreds-more-per-month" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> showed that Americans paid $709 more dollars for basic goods and services in July 2023 than they did in July 2021. Additionally, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/food-prices-set-to-increase-above-historical-average-govt-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest numbers</a> from the Producer Price Index and the Consumer Price Index also indicate that food prices will continue to remain higher than average through the end of 2023 and into 2024.
Prices for key food staples are expected to increase, including beef and veal (4.2%), other meats (4.8%), poultry (3%), dairy products (4.1%), fats and oils (9.6%), processed fruits and vegetables (9.2%), sugar and sweets (9.3%), cereals and bakery products (9%), nonalcoholic beverages (7.6%), and other foods (7.4%). 
 &#8220;America isn’t failing. America is winning, and the rest of the world knows it. That&#8217;s why our friends and allies are looking to us,” Biden said. 
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The president also took a shot at former President Donald Trump during the speech, pointing to a Biden-backed infrastructure package that funneled billions into green initiatives.
&#8220;You can&#8217;t have the strongest economy in the world with a second-rate infrastructure. Can you believe we used to have the best infrastructure in the world? And then we fell to the number 13 in the world,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;And guess what? The great real estate builder — last guy here — he didn&#8217;t build a damn thing.&#8221; 
During the speech, Biden, who owns multiple homes and has held a political office for the majority of the last 50 years, referred to himself as “Middle-class Joe.” 
“Folks, all my time in public life, I’ve been referred to as ‘Middle-class Joe.’  I guess they thought that was a — the — somehow not very complimentary.  Well, guess what?  That’s who I am.  It doesn’t mean you’re not sophisticated because you’re middle class.  It means you work like hell,” he said.

US President Joe Biden’s Labor Day remarks in Philadelphia

Biden Claims His Economic Plan Is ‘Blue-Collar Blueprint For America’ As Prices Remain High

Economy

Inflation

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

U.S. officials are aggressively searching for malware that they say hackers from China have implanted into American infrastructure to disrupt U.S. military operations in the event that the communist nation launches an attack on Taiwan.
Officials said that the malicious computer code, which penetrated U.S. systems well over a year ago but was only detected by Microsoft in May, was especially troubling because its purpose was not traditional spying, i.e., information gathering. Microsoft and the U.S. government both said the malware came from China.
The malware was hidden &#8220;deep inside the networks controlling power grids, communications systems and water supplies that feed military bases in the United States and around the world,&#8221; The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/29/us/politics/china-malware-us-military-bases-taiwan.html">reported</a>. It infected systems that impact not only the U.S. military but also U.S. citizens and the economy.
Officials said that while the effort to destroy the malware has been underway for months, they still don&#8217;t know how widespread it is.
Officials say there were two possible goals when China infected utility infrastructure that &#8220;serve both civilian populations and nearby military bases,&#8221; the Times reported. The malware has not been detected in classified systems.
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One motivation could be to delay a U.S. response to an invasion of Taiwan, noting that a slowed response time of even a couple of days due to logistical issues could be the difference between China winning or losing. A second possible goal is to cause such chaos in the U.S. during their invasion that Americans would not care about what is happening in Taiwan.
Officials told the Times that the malware was &#8220;a ticking time bomb&#8221; and that it “raises the question of what, exactly, they are preparing for.”
Officials have reportedly exercised caution in determining how to remove the malware because any action from the U.S. could tip off China as to what the U.S. is able to detect and not able to detect. Doing so, the report said, could lead Chinese hackers to alter their cyberattacks targeting U.S. systems with more sophisticated software that could be harder to find.

SKOREA-US-MILITARY

‘A Ticking Time Bomb’: China Infects American Infrastructure With Malware To Disrupt U.S. Military

China

Communist China

Cyberattack

Cybersecurity

Global Politics

Technology

U.S. Military

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-fetterman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Fetterman</a> (D-PA) showed up on Saturday to greet President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> donned in basketball shorts and a hoodie during the president’s visit to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pennsylvania</a>. 
Fetterman, who defeated Dr. Mehmet Oz in the November 2022 midterm elections, did not change up his typical attire of choice as Biden made a stop in the Keystone State to hold a political rally at Pennsylvania Convention Center for the AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention. Fetterman appeared alongside a number of other Democrat officials, including Governor Josh Shapiro, Sen. Bob Casey, and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who all wore suits to greet Biden on an airport tarmac. 
WATCH: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Biden is greeted in Pennsylvania by Democrat politicians — including Senator John Fetterman, who showed up wearing basketball shorts and a hoodie <a href="https://t.co/s7lKSqUtjJ">pic.twitter.com/s7lKSqUtjJ</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1670081402820517891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fetterman, who spent over a month in a hospital for depression earlier this year, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ap-says-fetterman-flouting-senate-dress-code-shows-robust-recovery-from-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remained committed to the hoodie-shorts combo</a>, even voting from the doorway of the Democratic cloakroom or the side entrance to avoid having to comply with the Senate dress code. 
Biden stopped by I-95 to see where part of the critical interstate collapsed last week after a truck explosion. Shapiro said that the bridge would be repaired in several weeks. 
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Fetterman, who suffered a stroke prior to his election to the Senate, struggled to speak at an event after Biden stopped by the I-95 bridge. 
“[Biden] is here to commit to work with the governor and the delegadation [sic] to make sure that we get this fixed quick, fast, as well, too. This is a president that is committed to infructure [sic], yeah, and then on top of that the jewel kind of a law of the infration [sic] bill that is going to make sure there is going to be bridges like this, all across America,&#8221; Fetterman <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
He also introduced Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) as “Boyle Bile.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Senator John Fetterman: &quot;It&#39;s a pleasure to be here and to introduce my friend, Congressman Boyle Bile.&quot;
(He means Rep. Brendan Boyle) <a href="https://t.co/kNXX63loJh">pic.twitter.com/kNXX63loJh</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1670100995970588672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Fetterman has repeatedly struggled to speak during his time in the Senate. On Wednesday, he struggled to discuss the interstate collapse during a committee hearing. 
“&#8217;I, uh, would just, um, really like to, you know — the 95, 95, 95. You know?” he <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12206023/Dem-Sen-John-Fetterman-slammed-wearing-hoodie-shorts-accompany-Biden.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at a Senate Environmental Committee hearing. “Obviously, you&#8217;re pretty much preoccupied with 95, and I, I certainly am too &#8230; and we know it&#8217;s a major artery, not just for Pennsylvania, but for the East Coast.”

US-POLITICS-BIDEN

WATCH: Fetterman Meets Biden During Pennsylvania Visit In Hoodie And Shorts

John Fetterman

The <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> announced on Tuesday that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy Department</a> and other agencies would create incentives for companies to develop renewable <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">power</a> infrastructure in coal communities.
Investment and production tax credits established through the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inflation-reduction-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, and significant bonuses offered by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/treasury-department" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Treasury Department</a> and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/internal-revenue-service-irs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IRS</a>, will encourage firms to locate new clean power initiatives in “energy communities, particularly coal communities.” Biden administration officials have frequently advocated for a transition away from fossil fuels but have claimed that their emphasis on clean energy will replace lost jobs in the sector.
“President Biden came to the White House to end years of big words but little action to help energy-producing parts of the country, who for decades saw jobs exported out and products imported in, all while other countries surpassed the United States in critical sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, and semiconductors,” the White House said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/04/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-clean-energy-projects-to-revitalize-energy-communities-support-coal-workers-and-reduce-reliance-on-competitors-like-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fact sheet</a>. “The actions announced today will drive new investments in energy communities to support their economic revitalization, strengthen American supply chains, and help ensure coal, oil, and gas workers benefit from the new clean energy economy.”
The Energy Department will allocate $450 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to support “clean energy demonstration projects” on current and former mine land in coal communities. Another $16 million will finance research at the University of North Dakota and West Virginia University to create a refinery that could “extract and separate rare earth elements and other critical minerals from coal ash, acid mine drainage, and other mine waste.”
Developers in the United States have transitioned away from coal production: nearly one-quarter of the nation’s coal power capacity is slated to be retired by 2029, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54559#:~:text=As%20of%20September%202022%2C%20developers,fired%20capacity%20in%20the%20future." target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration, while companies have not reported any plans to construct new coal facilities as of September 2022. The decreased emphasis on coal production and broader move toward green energy comes even as nations such as China and India rapidly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-full-steam-ahead-with-new-coal-plants-as-the-west-goes-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expand</a> their reliance on fossil fuels and increase their emissions.
Critics say that actions from the White House to discourage fossil fuel production will reduce the supply of affordable energy and stifle the economy by destroying employment opportunities. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on the first day of his administration revoking a key permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline; Fox News reporter Peter Doocy subsequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peter-doocy-blasts-jen-psaki-when-do-union-workers-get-their-green-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on where the thousands of dismissed employees from the project could find their new positions.
“President Biden has proposed a climate plan with transformative investments and infrastructure,” Psaki said at the time, “and laid out a plan that would not only create millions of good union jobs but also help tackle the climate crisis.”
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The White House has meanwhile <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and incentivize green energy production. Beyond the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, both of which earmarked substantial funds for climate initiatives, regulators have introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-unveils-new-restrictions-on-air-conditioners-despite-backlash-over-gas-stove-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for household appliances such as gas stoves and refrigerators. Federal officials also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-epa-gives-california-special-authority-to-phase-out-heavy-duty-gas-trucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">granted</a> the state of California authority to phase out heavy duty trucks powered by gasoline over the next two decades in favor of electric vehicles.

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