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WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress are betting that it’s more advantageous to oppose President Joe Biden’s rebuild America agenda than to lend support for the $2.25 trillion undertaking for roads, bridges and other infrastructure investments.

California environmental regulators have extended to May 1 the mandated deadline for motor carriers that operate in the state with $50 million or more in 2019 revenue, or carriers with more than 50 trucks, to file a one-time report about their trucks and operations.

What President Joe Biden touted as a historic U.S. federal investment program that will position the country to win the global innovation race still leaves it well behind China’s continuing, giant infrastructure upgrading campaign.

America’s employers unleashed a burst of hiring in March, adding 916,000 jobs in a sign that a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession is taking hold as vaccinations accelerate, stimulus checks flow through the economy and businesses increasingly reopen.

Electric vehicle stocks, which were hit hard this year as investors shifted out of growth industries, are getting a boost as President Joe Biden mounts a major push to accelerate the adoption of battery-powered cars, and Chinese peers report strong March sales.

Oil rose after the OPEC+ alliance agreed to increase oil production gradually over the next three months.

Applications for U.S. state unemployment insurance unexpectedly rose last week but remained near the lowest levels of the pandemic as the labor market meanders toward full recovery.

The U.S. auto industry sees President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package as accelerating a global shift toward electric vehicles, thanks to the $174 billion proposed for charging stations, planned consumer rebates for American-made EVs and a pledge to electrify the government’s fleet.

Mergers and acquisitions are off to their fastest start to a year ever in Canada, driven by a combination of cheap financing for buyers, high valuations for sellers and an improving economic outlook that’s encouraging companies to make major moves.

American Trucking Associations has announced its support for federal legislation aimed at helping states curb distracted driving using cellphones for all motorists, a leading cause of highway accidents and fatalities.