President Obama headed to the Port of New Orleans on Friday to call on Congress to get behind his plan to pour tens of billions of dollars into the nation’s infrastructure, action that he says is crucial to bolster U.S. exports.
The visit to New Orleans, an effort to remind Americans that bolstering the economy is still Obama’s top priority, comes as his administration has struggled to right the ship after a bungled rollout of the federal health exchange.
Obama wants Congress to spend $50 billion for roads, bridges and ports, and establish a National Infrastructure Bank. He says such steps would help attract more private-sector investment to repair the nation’s infrastructure and create American jobs.