Marty Walsh’s White House press briefing hearkens back to Boston

Don’t worry, Martin Walsh’s first press briefing as Labor secretary included multiple Boston references, including speculation about how many people there were around Quincy Market.

Walsh appeared aside Press Secretary Jen Psaki in the White House briefing room on Friday, talking up his new boss President Biden’s recently passed $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan coronavirus recovery bill and proposed $2 trillion infrastructure package.

“The American Rescue Plan certainly has had positive effects across our economy, laying down the foundation for continued recovery,” Walsh said, touting the day’s strong jobs report before turning to the future. “At the same time, over 8 million jobs that existed a year ago today are yet to return. Millions of people in this country are still hurting and disparities within the workforce continue to be a major concern.”

He said that’s why the infrastructure package with “bold action” is needed.

The package has run into quick Republican opposition in large part because of the tax increases on businesses and high earners that it includes.

Walsh resigned as mayor last Monday, March 22, a few hours after the U.S. Senate confirmed him to become Labor secretary. Walsh, a former union boss, now is 11th in line for the presidency and oversees a department charged with making policy for workers.

In the press conference, he invoked the Hub multiple times to answer reporters’ questions.

“I don’t mean to keep going back to being the mayor of Boston,” Walsh began his response to a question before continuing to talk about being mayor of Boston.

“My office overlooked Faneuil Hall, and on a day like today there’d be thousands of people shopping in Faneuil Hall,” Walsh said. “If I were in my old office today, looking out the window, I probably see half a dozen.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3uhRH57