President Biden Reveals Proposed Federal Budget At Trade School Near Bucks County Border

Pennsylvania’s native son, President Joe Biden announced his proposed $6.8 trillion federal budget during a stop to the region Thursday afternoon.

Biden, a Democrat who was raised in Scranton and then Delaware, pitched his federal spending plan to a room full of people who work in the trades or are training for them at the Finishing Trades Institute off Hornig Road, just over a quarter mile from Philadelphia’s border with Bensalem Township.

“My budget reflects what we can do to lift the burden off hardworking Americans,” Biden told the gathered crowd.

The president’s budget request asks Congress to increase funding for military and domestic programs, while reducing the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade. (Read more from the Associated Press)

The White House said the budget would “invest in America, continue to lower costs for families, protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, reduce the deficit, and more.”

Biden said his budget would raise taxes on the nation’s richest and ease the financial burden on the middle class, a group Biden heavily courted during his address.

The budget blueprint was released before what is expected to be a highly-political fight over how to raise the country’s looming $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, which sets a limit on how much money the government can borrow to pay its debts.

A failure to increase the debt ceiling would mean the nation would default on its bills. Most experts contend it will cause a financial crisis.

Biden said he was ready and willing to sit down with Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, of California, “at any time” to discuss the debt ceiling.

The president said he wants to meet with McCarthy and Republicans to discuss their budget when they release it.

“I’ll show you what I want to do and see what we can agree on,” he said.

The president’s roughly 50-minute speech was filled with personal anecdotes and talk of his middle class roots.

U.S. House GOP leadership released a statement on Biden’s budget request and called it “reckless” and “unserious.” The Republicans said the president’s proposal doesn’t focus enough on cutting federal spending.

Gov. Josh Shapiro and Congressman Brendan Boyle, both Democrats, spoke before the president.

Geovanny Brito Quiñones, a fourth year drywall finishing apprentice at the Finishing Trades Institute, introduced the president.

Despite the event taking place a short distance from Bucks County, no Bucks County elected leaders appeared at the speech.

Biden flew on Air Force One to Philadelphia International Airport, then flew on Marine One to Northeast Philadelphia Airport, and he traveled by motorcade to the venue. He took the reverse path home.