President Biden to visit Superior next week

President Joe Biden will visit Superior next week to tout infrastructure legislation, White House officials announced Thursday.

“The President and the First Lady will travel to Superior, Wisconsin to discuss how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers for the American people by rebuilding roads and bridges and creating good-paying, union jobs,” the White House statement read.

Last week, Biden visited Ohio to boost a $1 billion investment from the infrastructure plan to accelerate cleanup of polluted hotspots on the Great Lakes. The additional funding is expected to speed up restoration of four polluted sites in Wisconsin, including the St. Louis River that runs between Duluth and Superior.

The St. Louis River was designated among 43 of the nation’s most polluted sites on the Great Lakes in 1987. The site is considered the second-largest polluted hotspot on the Great Lakes due to contamination from historic industrial practices along the Twin Ports waterfront.

The president’s visit Wesnesday comes just a day after he is set to deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday before members of Congress. All lawmakers have been invited to the speech. NPR reported that’s a departure from his address to Congress last year when capacity was set at 20 percent due the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden’s trip to Wisconsin also comes as the president announced new sanctions against Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine this week. At the same time, the president has ordered 7,000 additional troops to be deployed to Germany, a NATO ally, as he has said the nation will not bow to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Officials said more details about Biden’s visit will be released at a later date.