LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Air Force One touched down in Las Vegas Friday for President Joe Biden's most recent visit to the valley.
President Biden visited the Carpenter International Training Center to showcase $8.2 billion in funding for 10 major passenger rail projects across the country. Included in that funding is $3 billion for a high-speed electric train route linking Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Alongside hundreds of union workers, state politicians and President Biden talked about a new project many of these workers will be helping with.
The all-electric train will be the first high-speed rail line to be built with American union labor.
"It is going to reduce the number of cars on the I-15 and anyone who has driven on the I-15 on the weekends knows what that means," said Senator Jacky Rosen.
WATCH THE SPEECH HERE:
A state-federal partnership with Brightline West will help get construction started on a new high speed train connecting Las Vegas to the greater L.A. area.
"Here's the best part, it means jobs, union jobs," the president said.
The train's construction will create about 35,000 jobs, 10,000 of those are projected to be union labor.
"Trying to make that drive from LA to Las Vegas or Las Vegas to LA or anywhere in between is a pain in the neck it could take up to seven hours but soon it is not going to be anymore we are investing $3 billion in this rail line so folks can make that drive in less over two hours," the president continued.
Brightline West plans to begin construction soon with two stops in California, in Victor Valley and Rancho Cucamunga. The Las Vegas train station will be near Blue Diamond and Las Vegas Boulevard.
The President also visited the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to meet with UNLV President Keith Whitfield to address the recent deadly shooting on campus.
"While there, the president will also meet with the UNLV President along with public safety and student body representatives to personally share his condolences for those they have lost and reaffirm our support for local law enforcement, UNLV, and the broader community in the wake of this tragedy," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told ABC reporters aboard Air Force One Friday afternoon.
