Biden repackages Build Back Better into Build a Better America plan

Bill Samuel, Government Affairs Director for the AFL-CIO, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the future of President Biden’s agenda, particularly the Building a Better America plan, which will encompass much of the Build Back Better plan that stalled last year in the U.S. Senate.

The Build a Better America plan includes a number of provisions of the Build Back Better plan, such as financial penalties for labor law violations, and provides major support for working families, Samuel said. He expects the legislation to receive a vote sometime in the spring or summer. If Biden is able to pass the bill, it will make the first two years of his presidency the strongest beginnings of an administration in recent memory, perhaps going back to the New Deal, he added.

Samuel also discussed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, particularly its provisions to encourage Project Labor Agreements and union labor. The law will change the way business is done over the next several decades by making sure the money goes to companies with good labor records, he explained.

Additionally, Samuel spoke about U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and his efforts to update Prevailing Wage law regulations. He called Walsh a breath of fresh air, who will encourage the enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act and will raise construction wages across the nation.

Lastly, Samuel discussed a so-called 11-point Plan to Rescue America created by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), which would effectively sunset all federally funded programs after five years. The law is so ludicrous that it received opposition from Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Samuel said.

Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.