Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in Pittsburgh

Jun. 21—Vice President Kamala Harris has arrived in Pittsburgh for her daylong stay in the region as part of what is being dubbed "Child Tax Credit Awareness Day" by the Biden administration.

Air Force Two landed at Pittsburgh International Airport with the vice president just after 11 a.m.

She visited a Pittsburgh recreation center in Brookline before traveling to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 5 Training Center on the South Side, where she will likely discuss a national infrastructure plan and related jobs.

Visiting campers

Harris met with a group of day campers at the Brookline Recreation Center. She then discussed the child tax credit during a press conference.

President Biden released a statement regarding the child tax credit during Harris' visit to Pittsburgh. The American Rescue Plan increased the child tax credit to $3,600 for qualifying families whose children are under 6 years old and to $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17, the president noted. The money will be paid through monthly checks or by direct deposit, with the IRS is scheduled to start sending out payments on July 15.

"This tax cut will give our nation's hardworking families with children a little more breathing room when it comes to putting food on the table, paying the bills, and making ends meet," the statement read, in part. "Nearly every working family with children is going to feel this tax cut make a difference in their lives, and we need to spread the word so that all eligible families get the full credit."

At 2:30 p.m., Harris and Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will hold a roundtable on labor issues at IBEW. Their appearance is part of the continued push for support for President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan.

On March 31, Biden visited suburban Pittsburgh to unveil a $2.3 trillion plan intended to revive the economy through new infrastructure and transportation-related projects around the country. Republicans have decried the price tag as too costly, and the effort has stalled in Congress for months.

A scaled-down $579 billion bipartisan alternative for infrastructure projects is on the table for Biden to consider, Bloomberg reported Sunday.

Two blocks of East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's South Side will be closed Monday afternoon during Harris' visit to the union hall.

City police said the street between Sarah and South 28th streets, including the intersection of Hot Metal Street, will be closed between noon and 4:30 p.m. Other roads will be closed temporarily as Harris' motorcade moves around the city, which could cause delays or detours for motorists.

GOP releases statement

The Republican National Committee on Monday described the visit as "grandstanding in Pittsburgh."

RNC Director of Regional Communications Chris Walker plans to discuss "Harris' avoidance of the Biden Border Crisis" at 3:30 p.m. with former U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-Sewickley, and Republican Party of Pennsylvania Vice Chair Bernie Comfort.

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