Joe Biden called for a “green deal” to increase economic growth and appeared to suggest that it could be part of a second major federal economic relief package during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re going to have an opportunity, I believe, in the next round here to use the, my green economy — my, my green deal, or to be able to generate both economic growth as consistent with the kind of infusion of monies we need into the system to keep it going,” the former vice president and likely Democratic presidential nominee said in a video conference press briefing on Wednesday.
Biden’s suggestion came after bipartisan lawmakers reached a tentative agreement on a $2 trillion emergency relief bill to combat economic downturn amid mass shutdowns of public services and businesses to halt the spread of the virus. His climate policy proposal, which adds that a “Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face,” calls for $1.7 trillion in federal investments over 10 years.
“One of the ways to make sure these jobs are available that may get lost or hurt in the meantime is to provide the kind of jobs that are prevailing wages where people are making $45, $50 an hour plus benefits by building new infrastructure,” Biden said. “We’re going to need new infrastructure going down the road here, and it’s a way to generate economic growth. That’s going to be, I think the next round we have to be looking at.”
Biden brought up environmentally friendly investments in response to a question on which of his policy proposals he hopes will appeal to younger Americans. He also called for up to $10,000 in student loan cancellation for those economically affected by the coronavirus pandemic, building on Obamacare, and making state-run colleges and universities tuition-free.
The Trump campaign criticized Biden for suggesting a “Green New Deal” amid the crisis.
“This terrible idea would impose massive regulations on businesses and people at the worst time imaginable and would jack up their heating and cooling bills on top of it. Biden cares more about appeasing the extreme fringe of his party than he does about real solutions,” Tim Murtaugh, Trump 2020 communications director, said in a statement Wednesday.
