President Joe Biden is set to stop briefly in Portland on Thursday afternoon as part of a two-day swing through the Pacific Northwest.
He’s expected to tout last year’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure package and a $1.5 trillion spending bill that Biden and Congress enacted last month and stump for wildfire preparedness, green energy and his proposal for lower prescription drug prices.
He’s also slated to make two fundraising stops, appearing in private venues in both Portland and Seattle to raise campaign cash for Democratic Party candidates ahead of pivotal midterm elections.
Schedules released by the White House suggest the visit to Portland lasting three hours and 45 minutes won’t take the president more than a few minutes’ drive from the runway where Air Force One will touch down.
That means Portland drivers will likely be spared the kind of traffic delays usually associated with presidential visits, which can bar all traffic from large sections of interstate highways for inconvenient stretches of commute times. Portland Police said no major freeway closures were expected, though Portland International Airport officials warned of possible flight delays due to security measures.
Biden is scheduled set to land just before 1 p.m. at the Portland airport, where the White House said he’ll highlight a planned $3.75 million runway upgrade that’s intended to ensure planes can land and take off after a major earthquake. The project was funded through last month’s appropriations bill.
It will be Biden’s first visit to Oregon since becoming president. He last visited Portland in 2019 for a fundraiser at which he discussed Russian aggression, climate change and other topics still in the news.
After speaking with reporters at the airport on Thursday, the White House said Biden will take part in a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee from about 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sources say the private event will take place at the Portland Yacht Club, less than a mile from airport grounds.
By 4:25 p.m., Air Force One is expected to take off for Seattle.
The appropriations bill approved by Congress in March includes $200 million earmarked for 149 projects in Oregon and funds federal agency grant programs that could direct more spending to the state.
Last year’s infrastructure bill is expected to send at least $5 billion to Oregon over five years, according to the White House, among other things paying for upgrades to roads, bridges, public transportation, broadband internet networks and water systems.
And U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, told The Seattle Times she expects Washington and Oregon will qualify for a huge tranche of federal funding for a new Interstate 5 bridge joining the two states.
-- Elliot Njus; enjus@oregonian.com; @enjus
-- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol
Correction: A previous version of this story listed an incorrect day for Thursday’s visit. It has been updated.
"Stop" - Google News
April 21, 2022 at 07:00PM
https://ift.tt/FrZ2sEC
President Joe Biden to make quick stop in Portland Thursday during Pacific Northwest swing - OregonLive
"Stop" - Google News
https://ift.tt/hZm5RXS
https://ift.tt/Cf4ZjrP
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "President Joe Biden to make quick stop in Portland Thursday during Pacific Northwest swing - OregonLive"
Post a Comment