Admin officials plug misleading claims about job creation by Biden $2.2T spending plan
Messaging incorrectly indicated the proposal would create 19 million jobs
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Senior Biden administration officials recently made misleading claims about how many jobs would potentially be created by President Biden’s $2.2 trillion spending proposal, incorrectly citing an independent analysis from financial research firm Moody’s Analytics.
The firm estimated that the U.S. economy will add roughly 16.3 million jobs between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the fourth quarter of 2030. If Biden’s proposal were to pass, Moody’s Analytics economists estimated that the U.S. economy would add 19 million jobs over the same time period – indicating the proposal would be responsible for about 2.7 million jobs.
The messaging from White House officials, however, indicated that the proposal would create 19 million jobs.
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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg used the 19 million figure during an interview with NBC over the weekend.
“The American Jobs Plan is about a generational investment. It's going to create 19 million jobs. And we're talking about economic growth that's going to go on for years and years,” Buttigieg said. “It's time for America to lead the way again. And those 19 million jobs we're about to create go way beyond some quarterly or monthly report.”
Buttigieg echoed similar comments during a separate interview with ABC.
White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese also misused the 19 million figure during an interview with Fox News Sunday.
“Moody’s suggests it would create 19 million jobs,” Deese said.
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A White House spokesperson did not return FOX Business’ request for comment on the job creation claims.
The discrepancies were first reported by CNN on Monday.
Biden initially said the plan would create “millions” of good-paying jobs.
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Late last week he said that if the bill were passed, Moody’s Analytics suggests 19 million jobs would be created over the next decade, without stating the number that would be created were it not approved.
“Independent analysis shows that if we pass this plan, the economy will create 19 million jobs — good jobs, blue-collar jobs, jobs that pay well,” Biden said.
Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.