WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after a bipartisan, bicameral meeting at the White House with President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris to discuss the American Jobs plan:

“We have a responsibility to make bold investments that don’t just shore up our aging infrastructure, but create millions of good-paying jobs and cement our economic competitiveness for the next generation. Addressing deferred maintenance of our roads and bridges is important, but if that’s all we do, we would have missed a historic opportunity to secure critical water system infrastructure, broadband deployment, update our electric grid, and invest in health care, housing, and more. 

“Today’s meeting was an encouraging step as Congress considers this proposal. I appreciate the Biden administration’s willingness to engage members from both parties.

“I reiterated to the President and Vice President that addressing climate change impacts must also be at the forefront of this plan. Between devastating wildfires and years of drought, Californians cannot afford inaction. As COVID-19 eviction moratoriums are lifted, our affordable housing crisis continues, so we must also make significant, long-term investments in housing. Meanwhile, electric system failures, like we have seen recently in California and Texas due to extreme weather events, compel us to invest in grid modernization. I will continue to push my colleagues in Congress to act boldly to rebuild our infrastructure equitably, address climate change and secure our economic competitiveness for future generations.”

###