Pete Buttigieg to visit Kansas City, Kansas to talk about Biden infrastructure bill

Daniel Desrochers
·2 min read

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is traveling to Kansas City, Kansas on Friday as part of a publicity push for President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Few details were released about the trip — like where he is speaking and what time — but the event is part of a larger tour Buttigieg has been making around the country to promote the federal government’s spending on infrastructure.

Kansas is expected to receive $3.2 billion from the bill, including $45 million in the next fiscal year to fix 1,321 bridges that the federal government says are in poor condition. The state will get $225 million for bridge repairs over the next five years, alongside additional money for broadband internet, electric vehicle chargers, public transportation and clean drinking water.

The bill, which was signed into law by Biden in November, was part of a push by the Biden administration to find a compromise between Democrats and Republicans. While 19 Senate Republicans and 13 House Republicans voted for the $1.2 trillion bill, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids was the only member of the Kansas delegation who supported it.

Buttigieg’s visit comes as Biden is attempting to emphasize some of the administration’s successes in its first year in office, particularly in areas where incumbent Democrats face tough reelection challenges. Biden has experienced slipping support after a year in office. More than half of Americans, 53.8%, disapprove of Biden, according to an average of polls calculated by the website FiveThirtyEight.

A lack of support for Biden could cause trouble for Democrats who are trying to keep a narrow majority in the House of Representatives. Davids is among the Democratic representatives considered a “front liner” meaning she may face a tough challenge in 2022.

While she won her district by 10 percentage points in 2020, sinking support for Biden coupled with changes to the makeup of the 3rd Congressional District could make the race much more competitive this year.

Davids, who has held several events to talk about the money Kansas is receiving from the infrastructure bill, is expected to attend the event with Buttigieg.

This is the third trip to Kansas City by a member of the Biden administration since October, when First Lady Jill Biden traveled to Kansas City, Kansas to talk about small business aid. Biden visited Kansas City in December to talk about the infrastructure bill.

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