U.S. Department of Transportation
08/05/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/05/2024 10:47
ICYMI: Secretary Buttigieg Travels Across the Midwest, Highlighting Biden-Harris Administration’s Historic Investments in Great Lakes Ports and Domestic Auto Manufacturing
The Biden-Harris Investing in America agenda is strengthening agricultural and auto supply chains, lowering costs, and supporting good-paying jobs
At Port Milwaukee to celebrate a recent $9 million federal grant to help export more American agriculture products around the world. From left to right: GLS Administrator Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Port Milwaukee Port Director Jackie Q. Carter, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Secretary Buttigieg, ILA worker Jeff Becton, and WI Agriculture Secretary Randy Romanski.Washington, DC-- Over three days last week, Secretary Buttigieg was in three different Midwest states highlighting the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda. He saw projects receiving funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, met with agriculture producers, port leaders, and workers at small and mid-sized ports in Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as in facilities in Kokomo, Indiana, including a new EV battery manufacturing facility that is fueling a construction boom and adding thousands of jobs to the region. The Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda-which includes the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act-is catalyzing private sector investments and supporting tens of thousands of projects in all 50 states.
- Read Secretary Buttigieg's remarks at Port Milwaukee here.
- Read Secretary Buttigieg's remarks from Kokomo, Indiana, here.
Read the coverage of Secretary Buttigieg's port and auto factory visits:
Milwaukee:
WISN: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg in Milwaukee, visits WISN 12
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in Wisconsin to tour ports receiving federal funding for infrastructure improvements. The Port of Milwaukee received over 9 million dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure law.
After visiting the port, Secretary Buttigieg is expected to meet with Governor Tony Evers to see the Amtrak Borealis service line.
WTMJ: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visits Milwaukee
The visit was part of Buttigieg's Great Lakes Ports tour, making stops in several waterfront communities utilizing dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In Milwaukee, around nine million of those dollars are being spent on improvements to Port Milwaukee.
WITI: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visits Milwaukee as VP pick nears
Buttigieg started his day at Port Milwaukee. He highlighted some federal funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law, a $9.3 million grant announced last year. The money is helping the DeLong Company expand its export facility, building more storage and equipment to handle more grain.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pete Buttigieg visits Milwaukee to highlight port investments, ride Amtrak line
Buttigieg visited the Port of Milwaukee to highlight federal funding - more than $9 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - that helped upgrade its agricultural export facilities. Buttigieg toured the facilities with local officials including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Urban Milwaukee: Pete Buttigieg Tours Port With Mayor, Rides Train With Governor
Buttigieg said President Joe Biden's administration was committed to making investments to help people and goods move "safety and efficiently" through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. He said that included the $1 billion Blatnik Bridge project between Superior and Duluth and several small projects, like the conversion of the S.S. Badger in Manitowoc from coal to gas. "For every bridge with a billion-dollar project like that, there are hundreds of rural off-system bridges that we are supporting, too."
Racine County Eye: Secretary Pete Buttigieg: Infrastructure investments make positive impact on Racine
The investments at the Port of Milwaukee are part of a larger strategy to bolster the economy by improving supply chains and transportation infrastructure. Buttigieg noted that better supply chains help fight inflation by reducing shipping costs, which ultimately benefits consumers.
WUWM 89.7 FM: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg talks trains, grain, but not about VP campaign while in Milwaukee
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited a federally-supported port facility in Manitowoc on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, he made two stops in Milwaukee that were open to the news media.
Spectrum News 1: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlights infrastructure investments during Port Milwaukee visit
Buttigieg credited those economic opportunities to the policies, partnerships, and funds provided by the Biden-Harris administration with the hopes more Wisconsinites would understand the impact. "This really is the start of a new and better era for America's heartland and it's not happening by chance," Buttigieg said.
Telemundo: El Secretario de Transporte de EE. UU. Visita el Puerto de Milwaukee
Durante su gira por los puertos de los Grandes Lagos, Buttigieg pudo observar los avances en infraestructura logrados gracias a la administración Biden. "Así estamos apoyando trabajos bien remunerados en los sectores agrícolas y manufactureros. Es crucial invertir en las cadenas de suministro, como el puerto aquí en Milwaukee," afirmó el secretario.
Green Bay:
WFRV: (Video) U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveling to Green Bay area, Upper Peninsula
WKOW: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg visits ports in Wisconsin and Michigan
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in both Wisconsin and Michigan's upper peninsula Tuesday to tour several ports receiving major grants for infrastructure improvements. It's all part of a $17 billion package included in the bipartisan infrastructure law.
WLUK: Secretary Buttigieg visits Menominee and Manitowoc ports as part of Great Lakes tour
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Northeast Wisconsin Tuesday as part of a Great Lakes ports tour. Ports and waterways across the nation received $17 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strengthen supply chain reliability, speed up the movement of goods, reduce costs and reduce air pollution.
YouTube: (Video): U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveling to Green Bay area, Upper Peninsula
Indiana:
IndyStar: (Photos) Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visits Kokomo
WISH-TV: (Photos) Pete Buttigieg visits Kokomo
Forbes Breaking News: (Video): Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg Holds Press Conference At Future EV Battery Plant In Indiana
Greater Garden City: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Highlighting Job Growth In The Midwest In Central Indiana
WRTV: Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tours electric vehicle battery plant in Kokomo
According to Buttigieg, the plants in Kokomo are two of the 400 new or expanding facilities nationwide. Those facilities are creating 140,000 jobs across the country.
He says these jobs are moving America's future forward.
Indiana Captial Chronicle: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg touts homegrown EV manufacturing, union jobs at Kokomo stop
He eschewed the region's "Rust Belt" title, calling it a "Battery Belt" thanks to recent investments. "The focus on American manufacturing, American-made products and American workers has characterized this administration - and delivered big results," he said.
Indiana Public Media: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visits Kokomo as part of Midwest automotive tour
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg highlighted Indiana's role in helping build the future of electric vehicles Friday. Buttigieg toured an electric vehicle battery plant set to open in Kokomo. The plant is a joint venture between car-maker Stellantis and Samsung. It's expected to open next year and create more than 1,400 jobs. Buttigieg said the best way to secure good paying careers in America is by building electric vehicles and the components that go into them.
WIBC: Buttigieg Talks Electric Vehicles, Climate, and Jobs in Kokomo
He also believes that clean energy is not only enhancing manufacturing, but it's also creating jobs across the Upper Midwest along with the rest of the country. "This is what climate jobs look like. Some call them green collar jobs. I see them as blue collar jobs. However you want to characterize them, they are the jobs of the future," said Buttigieg.
WTHR: Pete Buttigieg speaks at Stellantis engine plant Kokomo, addresses concerns with EVs
Buttigieg labeled Indiana part of the up-and-coming battery belt and emphasized the importance of building the industry here. "Building EV's and the components that go with them is one of the best ways we can secure these good-paying careers on American soil and I know that the workers and students here take pride in knowing that they are helping American win that global competition," he said.
The Herald Bulletin: THE BATTERY BELT: Buttigieg visits Kokomo to tout transition to EVs, visit Stellantis facilities
Buttigieg said the facilities also represent the biggest change to hit the automotive industry since Kokomo inventor Elwood Haynes in 1894 tested one of the nation's first cars on Pumpkin Vine Pike on the city's southside. "I couldn't be more excited about the moment that we're in and the turnaround a place like Howard County, Indiana, has seen, the future that is in front of us and the innovation we have to come," he said. The transportation secretary and former South Bend mayor toured the construction site of the Kokomo battery facility Friday as part of a trip around the Midwest touting the nearly $500 billion invested so far from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Law.