Biden's Build Back Better plan calls for 185 times more spending on climate than future pandemic preparedness
Biden's economic plan involves $550 billion in climate initiative funding and only $3 billion in pandemic preparedness
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden's "Build Back Better" plan calls for nearly 185 times more spending on climate change initiatives than on future pandemic preparedness, according to the bill's text.
On Tuesday night, congressional Democrats unveiled the updated Build Back Better Act, a social spending and economic plan, which the White House said would also "better prepare the nation for future pandemics and supply chain disruptions."
The massive $1,750,000,000,000 plan allocates an eye-popping $550 billion for climate change projects, the backbone of the economic plan. Meanwhile, only $3 billion goes towards beefing up future "pandemic preparedness" despite coronavirus' economic impact on the country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}U.S. President Joe Biden visits teacher Allison Hessemer’s pre-Kindergarten class at East End Elementary School to highlight the early childhood education proposal in his Build Back Better infrastructure agenda in North Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. October 25, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
According to the bill's text, the $3 billion in new pandemic funding includes $1.4 billion for "supporting renovation, expansion, and modernization of State and local public health laboratory infrastructure."
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These funds would enhance testing and response capacity, rapid outbreak testing, and capabilities to detect emerging diseases and variant strains.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The proposal also includes $1.3 billion in new funding to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, according to the text.
This cash may assist in building or expanding facilities to respond to a public health emergency and the development of drugs or vaccines, among other areas.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks about his Build Back Better agenda and the bipartisan infrastructure deal during a speech from the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 28, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
But as only a fraction of one percent of the Build Back Better's price tag goes towards pandemic preparedness, climate initiatives get a massive boost from the economic bill.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Build Back Better framework will set the U.S. on course to meet our climate targets, create millions of good-paying jobs and grow our economy from the bottom up and the middle out," Biden said last week.
The plan calls for significant climate investments valued at $550 billion over the next ten years, including $320 billion for clean energy tax credits and $110 billion in investments for clean energy technology.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The plan also calls for $105 billion for extreme weather, community pollution, and the inception of a Civilian Climate Corps to conserve public lands, CNN reported.
President Joe Biden talks to students during a visit to East End Elementary School to promote his "Build Back Better" agenda, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in North Plainfield, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Evan Vucci)
Republican Sen. John Barrasso said Biden's Civilian Climate Corp would "wage war on American oil, natural gas, and coal production."
"Like most of the Democrats' spending blowout, the idea of the Climate Corps comes from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal," Barrasso wrote in a Fox News op-ed. "In that legislation, members of the Climate Corps would receive $15 per hour pay, childcare, counseling, and education grants up to $25,000."
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"The Biden administration's actions are contributing to rampant inflation, spiking gas prices, and Americans not returning to work," Barrasso wrote. "Pulling millions of people out of the labor force so they can protest American businesses will be yet another economic disaster of Joe Biden's making."
The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment.