While campaigning in California, Hillary Clinton pledged to dramatically expand infrastructure during her first 100 days in office as a means of bringing jobs to America and modernizing the economy.
“I will put forth a plan that is as big, or bigger, than what President Eisenhower did when he create the interstate highway system. Why would I do that? Because that’s how we will create jobs,” Clinton told supporters in Salinas, Calif., on Wednesday.
Clinton noted that the $25 billion Donald Trump would pour into building a wall between Mexico and the United States could instead help fund infrastructure growth, as that amount of money could build “16 Golden Gate Bridges, 1,500 new elementary school, send over 300,000 veterans to college or install renewable energy to power five million homes.”
“We could help a lot of hard working Americans with the money Mr. Trump wants to spend on his wall,” Clinton said. “But I’ve come to the conclusion Trump doesn’t care so much about making America great as he cares about being great himself.”
The plan would expand upon Clinton’s previous proposal for $275 billion in federal infrastructure spending, most of which would go into private investments for projects. This new plan will add to the amount of her previous proposal, focusing on clean air, clean water and modernizing education programs. Clinton said she would send a bill to Congress with the proposed spending within the first few months of her first term.
