Newsman: President Joe Biden addressed to a joint session of Congress on his 99th day in office. President concluded his speech with a message of hope for Americans who overcame a year of tumult, saying that he is “more confident or optimistic about America.” Biden told Congress on Wednesday night that “America is on the move again,” and laid out plan for America ‘on the move again.’ Biden touted his administration’s work to end the coronavirus crisis and urged lawmakers to work together to prove “that our government still works — and can deliver” for the American people.
“As I stand here tonight, we are just one day shy of the 100th day of my administration,” Biden said in remarks to lawmakers that ran just over an hour. “Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: America is on the move again. Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.”
“Folks, as I told every world leader I ever met with over the years, it’s never ever, ever been a good bet to bet against America and it still isn’t,” Biden said, to a great round of applause. “There is not a single thing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity. We can do whatever we set our minds to if we do it together. So let’s begin to get together.”
Biden made the case for his policy agenda and updated the nation in his first address to the joint session of Congress. Biden made the case for his policy agenda and updated the nation in his first address to a joint session of Congress.
Just a day before the 100th day in office on the eve of his 100th day in office Biden made the case for his future agenda.
President Joe Biden laid out Wednesday night — trillions in new spending, vast new investments in health care, education, the environment, infrastructure, police reform and more — the most grandiose notion he offered may be the concept that national unity is possible, and maybe even close at hand.
.
“No one should have to choose between a job and paycheck or taking care of themselves and a loved one — a parent, spouse or child.”
Biden said this plan would be funded by increasing taxes on the nation’s top earners, who he said do not contribute a fair share of their earnings as compared to working-class families.
Biden also discussed his efforts to create sustainable jobs for the middle class. The president said Vice President Harris would help lead initiatives under the American Jobs Plan, which he said would help millions of Americans, particularly women, re-enter the workforce and create jobs in clean energy and upgrading infrastructure.
“Two million women have dropped out of the workforce during this pandemic. Two million. And too often because they couldn’t get the care they needed to care for their child, or care for an elderly parent who needs help,” Biden said, expressing his support for the nation’s caregivers.
The president said, “we have acted to restore the people’s faith in our democracy to deliver.”
“We’re vaccinating the nation. We’re creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. We’re delivering real results to people — they can see it and feel it in their own lives. Opening doors of opportunity. Guaranteeing some more fairness and justice,” Biden told the joint session.
Biden spoke about the importance of reforming police and rooting out systemic racism, which he has described as a stain on the fabric of America.
“We have to come together to heal the soul of this nation,” Biden said, invoking the memory of George Floyd — a Black man whose murder at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked major protests across the country and internationally against racism and police brutality.
“We’ve all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of Black America. Now is our opportunity to make some real progress,” he said.
“We have to come together to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve. To root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system. And to enact police reform in George Floyd’s name that passed the House already,” he continued, calling on the Congress to reach a bipartisan agreement on reform by the Memorial Day anniversary of Floyd’s death.
Sen. Tim Scott, the chamber’s only Black Republican, delivered his party’s reaction to Biden’s speech, defending the GOP, and America at large, against accusations of racism.
“Nowhere do we need common ground more desperately than in our discussions of race,” said Scott, who is a leading figure among Republicans on the issue of police reform.
Tim Scott said he had personally “experienced the pain of discrimination,” but he accused Democrats of exaggerating the issue of racism, particularly as it pertains to voting rights and white supremacy.
“Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country. It’s backwards to fight discrimination with different types of discrimination,” he said.
“Race is not a political weapon to solve every issue like one side wants.”
Scott also criticized the president’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, describing Biden’s policies as overly restrictive and unhelpful.
“This administration inherited a tide that had already turned. The coronavirus is on the run,” Scott said.
“Thanks to Operation Warp Speed and the Trump administration, our country is flooded with safe and effective vaccines. Thanks to our bipartisan work last year, job openings are rebounding. So why do we feel so divided and anxious?”
“Locking vulnerable kids out of the classroom is locking adults out of their future. Our public schools should have reopened months ago. Other countries’ did. Private and religious schools did. Science has shown for months that schools are safe,” said Tim Scott
“But too often, powerful grownups set science aside. And kids like me were left behind.”
