WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — Unable to unite his own party behind the $3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” plan, President Joe Biden is making that pitch directly to Americans.

In Connecticut on Friday, Biden said the plan will help families and help the country catch up to other nations.

“No middle class family will pay more than 7% of their income on childcare,” he said. “The Organization of Economic Opportunity and Cooperation now ranks America 35 out of 37 major countries when it comes to investing in childhood education and care.”

The President said his plan provides free universal pre-school and community college and will make child tax credits permanently. Biden also wants to invest in fighting climate change, which he said will pay off by curbing natural disaster and creating jobs.

“Good paying jobs union jobs,” he said, “not $5 an hour, 7, 15 – but $40, $50 dollars an hour.”

Biden also wants to pass a traditional infrastructure proposal to repair roads, bridges and public transport, as well as improve rural broadband and fix lead-leaching water pipes.

That will cost more than $1 trillion, which GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga said is too expensive.

“Just to try to jam – pun intended here – more money through the pipeline of infrastructure, when the pipeline doesn’t have the capacity,” Huizenga said. “It’s not going to do any good.”

The 2 plans in total cost $4.5 trillion over 10 years. Republicans as well as moderate Democrats oppose that — which is why Biden said it’s likely his human infrastructure plan will have to be smaller.