President Joe Biden met Wednesday afternoon with a bipartisan group of governors and mayors, where he highlighted the elements of his infrastructure framework on which Democrats and Republicans agree.

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden highlighted the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework in a Wednesday meeting with a group of governors and mayors from both parties

  • The measure includes bipartisan issues like removing lead pipes, expanding access to high-speed internet, improving transit and rebuilding roads and bridges

  • Senators are still working to flesh out the measure and are aiming to wrap up the details by Thursday despite opposition from business leaders, outside activists and some GOP senators over how to pay for the plan

  • The meeting came a few hours after another one with Democrats on Capitol Hill, where Biden discussed a $3.5 trillion budget deal, a measure that the president has said must pass along with the smaller bipartisan infrastructure bill

The president highlighted bipartisan issues like removing lead pipes, expanding access to high-speed internet, improving transit and rebuilding roads and bridges, all included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework finalized at the White House last month.

"We have a chance to solve these problems, a bipartisan chance to solve these problems. Create millions of jobs — literally," the president said at the top of the meeting.

Along with the governors and mayors, Biden was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh.

Last month, the president and bipartisan group of senators announced they’d reached an agreement that would cost around $1 trillion — including around $579 billion in new spending — on roads, water systems and other more traditional infrastructure projects, another Biden priority. 

"It's time to stop talking about it and it's time to get you the resources," President Biden told the mayors and governors.

Senators are still working to flesh out the measure and are aiming to wrap up the details by Thursday despite opposition from business leaders, outside activists and some GOP senators over how to pay for the plan, which includes the $579 billion beyond regular expenditures already funded by gas taxes and other sources.

The meeting came a few hours after another one with Democrats on Capitol Hill, where President Biden discussed the $3.5 trillion budget deal lawmakers agreed to Tuesday night, a measure that the president has said must pass along with the smaller bipartisan infrastructure bill.

"I think that's the only way to get it done, with two tracks," Biden said Wednesday.

According to the White House, the state and local leaders who attended the meeting include:

  • Governor Phil Murphy (D-N.J.)

  • Governor Phil Scott (R-Vt.)

  • Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.)

  • Mayor Nan Whaley (D-Dayton, Ohio)

  • Mayor David Holt (R-Oklahoma City, Okla.)

  • Mayor Kate Gallego (D-Phoenix, Ariz.)

  • Mayor Michel Hancock (D-Denver, Colo.)

  • Mayor Sandy Stimpson (R-Mobile, Ala.)