PUEBLO ? President Joe Biden touted his Invest in America agenda, the Inflation Reduction Act, his administration’s work in clean-energy manufacturing and job creations and more Wednesday while visiting the CS Wind plant in Pueblo.

Biden spoke for over 30 minutes to a large crowd composed of CS Wind employees, local and state officials and the media Wednesday. Pueblo Mayor NIck Gradisar, U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper and Gov. Jared Polis spoke before the president took the stage.

Biden said he was there, in part, to celebrate this “historic investment, building a clean energy future made in America.”

“It’s part of the progress we’re making … growing the economy from the middle out to the bottom up – not the top down,” he told the crowd at CS Wind on Wednesday. “When the middle class does well, everyone does well.”

President Biden Delivers Remarks on Bidenomics in Pueblo

The president repeatedly mentioned his agenda was to invest in America and Americans. He mentioned his commitment to a clean energy future and touted CS Wind for investing its future in America. The plant in Pueblo, which employs nearly 600 employees, is the world’s largest wind turbine tower manufacturer in the world.

When mentioning the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which he signed into law in August 2022, he stated that it was historically significant law combating climate change, and that when he thinks of climate change, he thinks of creating jobs.

CS Wind broke ground on a 900,000-square-foot expansion project in April. That expansion is expected to create 850 more jobs and has been aided by tax incentives in the IRA.

“Because of my investment in America, CS Wind plans to invest an additional $200 million to expand the facility right here,” Biden told the crowd.

Tony Salerno, the CS Wind plant manager, introduced  Biden. He thanked the president, as well as CS Wind for the investment into the Pueblo plant.

Salerno has worked at the plant since 2013, when it was owned by Denmark-based Vestas. He said the plant was struggling as of 2021. He credited CS Wind and the IRA for turning things around.

“We had recently been through a layoff and our future was questioned,” Salerno said Wednesday at the plant. “President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law … this factory found life after being acquired by CS Wind. The factory began the process of expansion, and it has provided countless members of this community with good-paying jobs.”

Before his speech, the president toured the facility. Three employees demonstrated some of the processes by which wind turbine towers are made at the plant.

“This is an incredible opportunity I got around the plant today,” Biden said. “To those I got to talk to … they’re changing America.”

The president went on to mention Vestas’ plan to expand its Windsor plant. The $40 million expansion will create roughly 1,000 more jobs in northern Colorado. Biden also mentioned Swiss solar manufacturer Meyer Burger’s intention of building a facility in Colorado Springs. Biden said that facility would bring in around 350 jobs.

“When I think climate, I think jobs,” the president said during his speech. “Companies both foreign and domestic are creating jobs here in America and exporting American-made products … as we used to do 40 years ago.”

The president also lauded his administration’s work on infrastructure. He mentioned investments in the Arkansas River Valley Conduit, the Affordable Connectivity Act – including bringing high-speed internet to tribal lands, as well as other American manufacturing efforts. This includes the Microchip Technology facility adding 400 jobs and spending nearly $900 million to expand its Colorado Springs operations.

“We’re making the most substantial investment in American infrastructure since President (Dwight) Eisenhower built the interstate highway system,” Biden said during the event. “We’re investing in roads, bridges, ports, airports, clean water, affordable high-speed internet.”

Biden touted 40,000 projects that he said will benefit 4,500 communities nationwide.

During his speech, the president also mentioned opposition his agendas and initiatives have faced from Republicans in Congress.

He mentioned Rep. Lauren Boebert, who represents Pueblo in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District and that she voted against the IRA as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. Biden also mentioned House Speaker Mike Johnson’s opposition to his legislation.

“Both the speaker and the congresswoman voted against the law,” Biden said.

Biden told the crowd that Boebert called the infrastructure deal “garbage.” He went on to criticize former President Donald Trump’s plan to try to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

“Folks, this is not your father’s Republican Party,” Biden said during his speech. “I made a promise to be the president for every American, and I’m keeping my promise.”

The president concluded his speech by focusing on continuing to work to reduce inflation as well as regulate taxes, specifically taxes for billionaires.

He proposed what he calls “the billionaire minimum tax.” Biden proposed that billionaires would pay tax at a rate of 25%, rather than the 8% the president said most pay now. He said that would raise over $440 million over the next 10 years.

“Imagine what we could do, if we just made billionaires pay taxes just like everybody else,” Biden told the crowd. “We could use it to strengthen Social Security and Medicare benefits, instead of cutting them like Donald Trump and Boebert want to do. We could use it to help millions of families … afford senior care.”

Biden said that his agenda isn’t about helping the poor so much as it is about “smart economics.” He said at the core of that is having a job that not only pays the bills, but also provides dignity and fulfillment.

“My plan is based on a belief that every American willing to work should be able to get a job, no matter where they live – in the heartland or in a small town – to raise kids and a good paycheck and to keep the roofs where they grew up,” Biden said.

Biden’s trip followed a campaign fundraiser in Denver on Tuesday.

He was originally scheduled to visit Pueblo on Oct. 16, but had to reschedule to attend security briefings on the growing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

PHOTOS: Pres. Joe Biden Visits CS Wind in Pueblo