President Joe Biden was in Greensboro Thursday to talk up his administration's efforts to rebuild the economy and address racial inequality.
Biden toured a cybersecurity lab at North Carolina A&T State University and then addressed several hundred supporters. Much of his 35-minute speech focused on what he called a "fundamental shift" in manufacturing. More companies are opening plants in the U.S. instead of overseas, especially in tech industries like computer chips and electric vehicle manufacturing, Biden said.
"America is finally deciding to catch up and lead instead of being outpaced by China and other countries," Biden said. "All told, thus far, we've created 365,000 new manufacturing jobs in America just last year. That's the best year for US manufacturing in the last 30 years."
He mentioned Toyota's planned $1.3 billion electric vehicle battery plant south of Greensboro, which will create 1,750 jobs, and a record electric vehicle order for Greensboro-based Volvo Trucks.
"Look around. American manufacturing is coming back," Biden said. "Once again, we're seeing the pride that comes from stamping a product made in America. Companies are choosing to build their new factories here in America, where just a few years ago, as you all know, that wouldn't have been the case. They would have built the factory overseas."
After a long, tough stretch, Biden said, the economy is growing. But he acknowledged there are still challenges, including inflation.
Biden also mentioned an announcement earlier in the day that more than 90 federal agencies have issued equity action plans to "tear down systematic barriers" that affect communities of color.
They include 300 actions on everything from wages to pollution in low-income neighborhoods to measures aimed at small businesses: "Making sure that minority-owned businesses can access capital they need to grow so that no community is locked out of opportunity."
Those changes won't happen overnight, the administration says, but are a generational commitment.
