President Joe Biden visited rural southwest Wisconsin to announce new investments in electrification and expanded high-speed internet. The investments include $7.3 billion for 16 cooperatives to provide electricity to millions of families in rural areas across 23 states. The funding comes from the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, aimed at lowering the cost of electricity connections in hard-to-reach areas. The law also invests roughly $13 billion in rural electrification, creating 4,500 permanent jobs and 16,000 construction jobs. The White House called it the largest investment in rural electrification since the New Deal in the 1930s.
In addition to rural electrification, Biden also highlighted the infrastructure law passed in 2021, which provided high-speed internet to 72,000 additional homes and small businesses in Wisconsin. Biden emphasized the importance of affordable high-speed internet, comparing it to electricity a century ago. He stated that these investments would help family farms stay in the family, allow rural entrepreneurs to build their dreams, and keep younger generations from leaving home to make a living. The President also addressed the recent school shooting in Georgia, calling for stricter requirements for gun owners to lock up and secure their firearms to prevent unauthorized access.
During his visit, Biden praised Vice President Kamala Harris and criticized his opponent, former President Donald Trump, for failing to fulfill promises to spur public works. Biden contrasted the progress made under his administration with what he described as a lack of action from Trump and top Republicans. He emphasized the importance of investing in rural America to shape its future, stating that the announcement was about more than just providing electricity but giving power to rural communities to determine their destiny. Wisconsin is considered a crucial state in the upcoming presidential election between Trump and Harris, with Biden having won the state by a narrow margin in 2020.
The President’s trip to Wisconsin was personal, as he revisited a promise made early in his presidency to improve infrastructure, including better internet access for rural areas. Biden highlighted the importance of high-speed internet as a necessity rather than a luxury, similar to water and electricity. White House deputy chief of staff Natalie Quillian noted that Biden has delivered on many of his promises during his time in office. The visit to Wisconsin reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to investing in rural communities and addressing critical needs such as electrification and internet access.
