The Biden economic boom (aka “Bidenomics”) is sweeping the nation. This economic strategy is delivering results for the American people by rebuilding the middle class and creating an economy that works for families and communities. Powered by the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, U.S. manufacturing investment has more than tripled to over $490 billion, 13 million new jobs have been created since President Biden’s inauguration, and our nation’s infrastructure is being rebuilt on a massive scale that we haven’t seen since the 1950s. Signs of the Biden Boom are visible right here in Central Florida.
I was proud to vote for the new Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan to help Central Florida secure billions of dollars in transportation funding. We’ve received over $2 billion for the Beyond I-4 Ultimate project from Osceola Parkway to S.R. 27 and over $1 billion to extend Poinciana Parkway to S.R. 429. Orlando International Airport has been awarded over $200 million to build 12 gates at Terminal C, resurface their runways, and build a pedestrian bridge. We also got nearly $16 million in design funds to extend Brightline/SunRail to Tampa, the airport, and our theme parks. These investments are critical to improving traffic and supporting tourism — our region’s top industry.
I was proud to vote for the American Rescue Plan and the CHIPS and Science Act to boost Central Florida’s growing microchip manufacturing sector. We’ve already been awarded a $51 million Build Back Better Innovation Grant for BRIDG at NeoCity to boost aerospace microchip/micro-packaging manufacturing. BRIDG recently qualified for the second round of consideration for up to $160 million in CHIPS and Science Act funds. We also saw Micross Components open a new 85,000-square-foot aerospace microchip fabricator in nearby Apopka. Our proximity and connection to the growing space industry at Cape Canaveral prime this local industry for success. These investments will lower costs on cars, computers, appliances, and more, as well as create more high-paying manufacturing jobs here.
I was also proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act to kick-start clean energy manufacturing in Central Florida. Our district has been chosen by CMG Clean Tech for a $431 million clean energy manufacturing plant, the largest in Florida. The facility will make solar panels, electric batteries and charging stations, as well as employ over 2,000 residents with an average salary of $75,000 per year. According to a recent Joint Economic Committee report, there are already 35,000 workers in Florida’s Ninth Congressional District that are employed in clean energy and emerging sectors, and an additional 51,000 work in occupations that will be increasingly in demand for our nation’s transition to clean energy.
The results of Bidenomics are undeniable. Our nation has come back from the economic brink we experienced during the pandemic and is on the road to prosperity. In fact, the Biden Administration’s policies have helped put middle-class Americans into a stronger financial position than pre-pandemic. Unemployment remains at a historic low of under 4%, inflation has dropped for 11 months in a row to 4%, America has defied expectations by avoiding a major economic downturn, and Central Florida’s economy continues to power forward thanks to these wise investments and the efforts of millions of hardworking local residents.
There are still more investments to come. Just this week, the Biden Administration announced nearly $1.2 billion in infrastructure funding to connect Floridians to affordable and reliable high-speed internet. This new funding will also support good-paying jobs deploying fiber and using materials Made in America.
Amidst all the worrying and negativity of our current political climate, feel free to take a moment to appreciate how far our nation has come since the pandemic. We’ve all earned it.
Darren Soto, a Democrat, was elected to Congress in 2016. He represents District 9 which covers Osceola County and part of Orange County,
