U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh In Southern California To Promote Trillion-Dollar Infrastructure Plan
IRVINE (CBSLA) — U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is visiting Southern California to promote the Biden Administration's plan to invest in the nation's infrastructure and workforce.
Walsh is scheduled on Friday to visit facilities at UC Irvine, including an electric vehicle charging station and a HeadStart childcare facility, with Reps. Katie Porter and Mike Levin.
He will also join a roundtable discussion on investing in the homecare workforce at a local senior center with representatives from the Service Employees International Union and the National Domestic Workers Alliance, then return to UCI to discuss improving veterans' opportunities with members of the Black Chamber of Orange County, Hispanic Chamber of Orange County, and Asian Business Association.
Walsh's swing through Irvine follows a visit Thursday with Rep. Mark Takano and the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, which walked the secretary through some of their training programs and shared their priorities, like supporting the Davis-Bacon Act, which directs the Department of Labor to determine locally prevailing wage rates, investing in transportation and rail, affordable housing, water systems, and workforce development for women, people of color, and young people in the trades.
"The Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters is the prime example of what it looks like when you invest in apprenticeships and workforce development," Dan Langford, executive-treasurer of the SWRCC, said in a statement.
Key members of the administration have been traveling across the country to rally support for the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure proposal, which would include billions to repair and improve roads, bridges, railways, and airports. The proposal also includes spending to build up and expand broadband, electric, water, and electric vehicle infrastructure.