Here's What President Biden Said During Boston Trip

BOSTON, MA — President Joe Biden made a three-part swing through the Boston area Monday, speaking about topics like infrastructure and curing cancer while squeezing in a fundraiser.

Biden arrived Monday morning at Logan Airport and was greeted by officials including U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. During a speech, he touted a 2021 infrastructure funding bill that will benefit New England's largest airport.

The bill will provide $60 million for upgrades at the airport, including $50 million to renovate the international terminal, and $12 million for roads around Logan.

"We’re creating a modern terminal worthy of America’s city on the hill," Biden said during remarks.

But the main part of Biden's visit covered his "Cancer Moonshot" — an initiative to reduce the number of cancer deaths in the U.S. by half over the next 25 years. Biden spoke about the plan at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester. The speech took place on the 60th anniversary of a Kennedy speech setting a goal of landing on the moon.

"The goal is to cut cancer death rates by 50 percent, at least 50 percent, in the next 25 years," he said. "To turn more cancers from death sentences into chronic diseases people can live with, to create more supportive experiences for patients and families."

Democratic U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Stephen Lynch, Bill Keating, Jake Auchincloss and Lori Trahan were all in attendance.

Biden has created a "Cancer Cabinet" to work on new ways to treat and manage cancer. He also announced Monday that Boston-based Ginkgo Bioworks executive Dr. Renee Wegrzyn will take the helm at a federal department focusing on biomedical innovation.

Biden launched the cancer initiative in 2016 after his son, Beau Biden, died of a brain tumor. The moonshot got started with funding from the 21st Century Cures Act, which set aside $1.8 billion for cancer research.

Biden ended his swing through Boston at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee, according to the Associated Press.