LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Las Vegas at about 11:45 a.m. on July 3 as part of her "America Back Together" tour.
Harris toured the Carpenters International Training Center and then addressed the crowd and spoke about infrastructure plans the administration is working on.
The vice president began her speech by saying the state has 28 bridges and many miles of highway that are in need of repair. That many rural areas across Nevada are in need of accessibility to high-speed internet. She also touched on the need for reliable and clean drinking water.
Her visit to the union was to ask for support for the administration's plan to create the largest infrastructure project in America in over a century.
The VP said the Biden-Harris administration is backing the bipartisan infrastructure framework to rebuild the nation's infrastructure. She said the administration is "determined" to be the most pro-union administration in the nation's history, and that jobs created by the framework would be "good union jobs."
Members of the union say they are encouraged and hopeful about the plan after hearing Harris speak.
“If unions die off, the middle class dies off. So you're basically saying that you're bringing the middle class back, and that’s a big, big deal,“ said Jovan Jackson.
“I'm looking forward to seeing more opportunities, to people getting more involved with organized labor,“ said Victor Espinoza.
Harris also addressed the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state and encouraged Nevadans to get vaccinated.
The following list of leaders and elected officials spoke prior to the vice president:
- Frank Hawk, Vice President and COO at the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
- Nick Lalpuis, Department of Labor Employment and Training Administrator
- Rep. Steven Horsford
- Rep. Susie Lee
- Sen. Jacky Rosen
- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto
- United Brotherhood of Carpenters member Amber McCoy
WATCH THE VICE PRESIDENT'S FULL REMARKS HERE:
