Biden’s cabinet hitting the road to promote Inflation Reduction Act
Key members of President Biden’s cabinet are going on tour in a bid to promote the $737 billion energy, climate and health care legislation passed by Congress last week.
As part of the “Building a Better America Tour,” Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will travel across the country to tout the inappropriately named Inflation Reduction Act, according to an internal memo obtained by Politico.
“The cost-lowering features of the Inflation Reduction Act — lowering health care costs, prescription drug costs, and utility bills — are among the highest testing messages ever,” the memo reads.
According to the outlet, Vilsack is scheduled to appear in Colorado this week, while Becerra is headed to New Mexico and Haaland is traveling to California.
In all, members of the cabinet plan to take 35 trips to 23 states through the end of August, while Biden himself will host a celebration event to mark the bill’s passage Sept. 6.
The cabinet barnstorming tour is the latest effort by the administration to fix its messaging as the president struggles to gain traction in polls.
As of Monday, Biden’s average job approval rating stood at 40.3% while his average disapproval rating was 55.8%, according to data compiled by RealClearPolitics.
With no apparent turnaround in sight, the White House has started looking into a shakeup of its press and communications team, NBC News reported last month.
Earlier this year, the same outlet reported Biden was growing frustrated with his press office after it repeatedly was forced to walk back comments the president made about Russia and Taiwan.
At the time, sources said the president was “furious” that his statements were being seen as unreliable and reportedly reminded his staff that he was the one in charge.
The White House could see some more staff shuffling later this year after reports indicated in July that chief of staff Ron Klain is expected to leave at some point after the midterms, with top Biden adviser Anita Dunn the favorite to take his place.
