Former President Barack Obama said President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda, hinging now on a $3.5 trillion rebuilding proposal being fought over in Congress, is something the United States “desperately needs.”

In an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, Obama made the case for his former vice president’s economic recovery plan. In particular, he voiced support for higher taxes on the wealthy to prop up government-funded childcare and infrastructure reinforcement against climate change.