US President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order to prioritize federal funding for high-benefit projects

On September 6, 2024, US President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order to give priority to projects with labor agreements, wage standards, and benefits such as providing child care and apprenticeship programs in terms of federal funding.

The Biden administration aims to prove that economic growth should stem from providing better conditions for workers. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said that good jobs should have security and benefits, and workers have the right to join unions, advocate for better working conditions, and retire decently.

Biden will travel to a union training center in Ann Arbor, Michigan to announce the order. The government emphasizes that organized labor is crucial for the Democrats in the November election. Vice President Kamala Harris, in competing with Trump, relies on the support of unions such as the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations to drive voter participation in key states. Trump is also trying to win the support of organized labor and had the president of the Teamsters Union speak at the Republican National Convention. The Teamsters Union has not officially endorsed any candidate yet, and Harris is expected to meet with them.

The order will establish a task force to coordinate policy formulation with the goal of providing more benefits to workers. The government's funding for infrastructure, chip manufacturing, and renewable energy development has triggered a wave of projects. According to government statistics, incentives have prompted the private sector to invest $900 billion in renewable energy and manufacturing. However, these commitments have not yet resonated strongly among voters, who are more concerned about the damage caused by the soaring inflation in 2022, and many projects will take years to materialize.