Biden Plans to Take Case for Economic Agenda to American Public

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden said he’ll take the case for his economic agenda to the U.S. public, seeking to build support as Democrats in Congress deadlock over competing priorities and his poll ratings sag.

Biden on Friday effectively reset the timeline for advancing the two bills -- a $550 billion plan for infrastructure projects that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had signaled she wanted to pass this week and a larger package of social programs and other priorities of progressive Democrats that includes tax increases for the wealthy and corporations. 

“I believe I can get this done,“ Biden told reporters as he left the White House for the weekend. “I support both of them and I think we can get both of them done.”

The president and his team will continue engaging with House and Senate members through the weekend and he will meet lawmakers at the White House next week, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement Saturday.

Biden said he’ll be taking his message in support of both pieces of legislation on the road. People may not always realize “what’s in them” to meet his goal of making “life more livable for ordinary people,” he said. 

“I’m going to be going around the country this week making the case why this is so important,” Biden said, without specifying an itinerary. “I think we will get it done with plenty of time for it to be part of changing the tax code for people next year.” 

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