Transcript: Secretary Buttigieg Remarks in Wenatchee, Washington

Well, thank you. And what a pleasure and a privilege to be here.  

I want to thank so many members of the community for making us feel welcome here. I want to thank the wonderful musical performers, who I hope are still here—the Mariachis—thank you. And I just appreciate you all making me feel very much at home. 

Mayor, thank you for the warm welcome. I always feel affinity with a fellow mayor. And the pride that you have—and so many local leaders have here in this community—is contagious. 

I want to thank the deputy chief for reminding us of what's at stake in terms of safety and emergency response, just as the smoke lingering in the air reminds us of the importance of resilience, and how that's connected to having alternatives in ways to get around.  

To Teresa and everybody involved in the community, thank you for reminding us that when we are building infrastructure, we're not just building roads and bridges, we are helping to build community. And the participation that has come from community members, I think, is part of what has made this project so strong and so compelling.  

I'm delighted to be reunited, in her own district, with Representative Schrier. I do remember those apples. We met earlier at the apple commission today, and the drive over gave me just enough time to sink my teeth into one of those Cosmic Crisps. I understand why you're so proud of that! 

And more to the point, I really admire the representative's focus on bipartisan problem solving. You see here so many people who are together across the lines of federal, state, county, city limits, and municipalities; across lines of Democrat, Republican, and independent—just working to get things done. And when that happens, it's a lot easier for us to be a good partner. And yes, you get great results to show for that. So, thank you for that excellent work.  

And to Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray, they have made this project possible many times over. Because first of all, the INFRA project—the INFRA program, the entire thing—was largely possible, was designed, by Senator Cantwell. Who is also Chair Cantwell, of course, of the Committee on Oversight that plays such an important role in shaping, and crafting, and then driving the legislation that makes everything we do possible.  

And then it's true, Senator Murray's right—my phone rang a lot with both of your senators, your excellent delegation along with your representative, making the case for those investments to come to Washington State—and we're so pleased to be able to say yes. 

And I do want to make sure you know just how competitive this program was and is.  

We got $7 billion worth of applications last year for less than $1 billion in funding. So it is really to the credit of this community that the Apple Capital Loop made the cut, and that it was the single largest INFRA grant that we awarded last year. (applause) 

So, I want to acknowledge the strong support it had. Bipartisan support—Congresswoman Shrier alongside Congressman Newhouse making that bipartisan case. And again, there is a direct line between the great improvements that you're going to see us making across the country, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Senators Murray and Cantwell and Representative Schrier backed. That is what's making it possible for us to say yes more often, as we get all of these wonderful ideas and visons coming from communities competing for those federal resources.  

And this is community driven. We're proud of it because the design of this program, and many like it, are predicated on the insight that the best ideas—certainly the project designs—aren't going to come out of Washington. They're going to come to Washington (and I mean Washington, D.C.) from communities across the country. We just need to make sure more of the funding comes out of our building, and that's exactly what we're doing here.  

It's National Apple Month in October, and so a perfect time to visit the state that leads the nation in apple production and to be here in the very heart of apple country. And some of the data that came in in this process included the City of Wenatchee letting us know that in an average year, $1 billion worth of apples are stored, delivered, and packed in the Wenatchee Valley. And that work being done by farmers, by pickers, by packers, by truckers, by rail workers, by everybody across that chain, allows Americans to enjoy that produce all year long. 

But it hasn't been as easy as it ought to be to get that product—and the inputs—in and out of this area. It's one of just a handful of metro areas in the country that doesn't have a direct connection to the interstate highway system. And yet, it is a vital economic hub for the region where you have, as was mentioned before, thousands of trucks, dozens of trains passing through here on a weekly basis.  

It's an important waypoint not just for apples, but for all kinds of goods making their way from the ports of Seattle and Tacoma as they move east to Chicago and on to the rest of the country. And that's part of why this Apple Capital Loop is so important. 

It strengthens our supply chains by making it faster, easier, and safer to move freight through this area. It reduces traffic and congestion, which means less pollution in the air and simpler and faster commutes. And it's a vital part of ensuring public safety, as again, we're being reminded today just how important it is to make it easier for citizens to evacuate in the event of a disaster and easier for first responders to reach people in need. 

There's so much to celebrate here: better public transit, greater access to walking and biking, safer intersections—the list just goes on and on.  

And the context that this is happening in is: delivering for the American people the kind of transportation network that works so well that most of the time you're not even thinking about it.  

You're thinking about whatever matters most in your life, in the community, in your business, in agriculture, in all of the wonderful family activities that go on in this community. That's what's possible with good investment. 

And that, in turn, is part of an even bigger story—where, again, with support from the members of your federal delegation standing here with me, we have been able to see an incredibly productive year in D.C. Where the president has been able to sign laws that will save families hundreds or even thousands of dollars on health care, on prescription drugs, and on energy costs; make the biggest investment ever in the fight against climate change. (applause) Yeah, we're excited about that! Strengthen care and benefits for America's veterans; and bring high-tech manufacturing jobs back to America.  

It is about making everyday life just a little bit better. So, I'm so thrilled to see this terrific work on the ground—to be with leaders who help make it happen—and, as I'm sure the mayors who are here will agree: the one thing that's better than an award announcement is the day you get to bring out those ribbon cutting scissors. (laughter) So, I will be closely watching for announcements about the completion of this fantastic work. And again, congratulations for this very successful, very competitive application, and all of the work that went into it. 

Thanks again for the chance to be here.  

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