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Jan. 4 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden was joined by a bipartisan contingent, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell at the foot of a massive bridge between Kentucky and Ohio, to tout the joint effort being made to improve the fading structure and build a companion bridge. Biden highlighted his administration chipping in $1.6 billion to finally make upgrades to the bustling, but obsolete, Brent Spence Bridge, and build a second bridge to alleviate traffic.
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He said projects such as the repair of the Brent Spence Bridge are also bolstering the manufacturing sector by using materials made in America. He remarked that the U.S. economy once boasted the top manufacturing sector in the world but has since fallen to ninth. Meanwhile, China once ranked eighth and now ranks second.
The president said there is "no reason" the United States cannot be the strongest manufacturer in the world again.
"Where is it written that the United States can not and will not lead the world in manufacturing once again?" he asked. "We're going to do it."
Biden said he was also happy to be at the bridge with McConnell, R-Ky., who he called a "friend."
"I asked permission if I could say something nice about him," Biden remarked.
"It wouldn't have happened without your hand. We have to find common ground to get major legislation done. We don't agree on a lot of things. Here's what matters, he's a man of his word."
Biden and McConnell were joined by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.
"It's great to be here with two individuals who are among those that worked the hardest and the longest to get this done: Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman," Biden said.
"Both are men of significant integrity and do what they say. They've been fighting this for years to get the funding to repair the bridge. They never gave up. They got it done."
Politicians have talked about upgrading the bridge which carries I-75 and I-71 traffic across the busy Ohio River to and from Cincinnati and Covington for more than two decades.
"Talking is over," Biden said. "With the bipartisan infrastructure law we're finally going to get it done."
The bridge opened in 1963 and was designed to handle 80,000 vehicles per day but currently is carrying more than double that total. The new bridge will be built to the immediate west of the current structure to handle the interstate traffic while the old bridge will be rehabbed to handle local traffic.
"This project will not only ease the traffic nightmare that drivers have suffered through for years, but it will also help ensure that the movement of the supply chain doesn't stall on this nationally significant corridor," DeWine said in a statement.
"My administration vowed to press the federal government to fund this project, and we're glad that they have recognized its significance. I'm grateful to the teams in both states who have worked so hard to make this project a reality."
Biden reiterated the importance of finding common ground and working across the political aisle. He touted the cooperation between Republicans and Democrats to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law as evidence that the parties can work together.
"I believe it sends an important message to the entire country," he said.
"We can work together. We can get things done. We can move the nation forward if we just drop a little bit of our egos and focus on what is needed in the country."
Biden added that high-paying manufacturing jobs are being introduced throughout the country, many of which do not require degrees. He mentioned Intel bringing thousands of jobs to the Columbus, Ohio, area, which he called the "Field of Dreams." Likewise, Micron Technology will open a semiconductor manufacturing operation in Syracuse, N.Y.
As of October, the Joint Economic Committee reports the United States added about 696,000 manufacturing jobs under Biden's presidency.
The Biden administration recently imposed restrictions on organizations developing technology to advance the Chinese military, particularly providing semiconductors.
"It's never been a good bet to bet against America," Biden said. "I've never been more optimistic about America's future. We just have to remember who in the hell we are."
When asked about McConnell's appearance at his visit, Biden suggested that it was natural for McConnell to be there representing Kentucky.
"We've been friends a long time," Biden said. "Everybody is talking about how significant it is. It has nothing to do about our relationship. It's a giant bridge, man. It's a lot of money. It's important."
