President Joe Biden praised the Senate’s passage of his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan, calling it “one more giant step forward” on promises he made on the campaign trail to send aid to millions of Americans suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today I can say we’ve taken one more giant step forward in delivering on the promise help is on the way,” he said of his package that includes $1,400 relief checks, an extension of federal unemployment benefits, and billions of dollars for vaccine development and distribution.
“The bottom line is this: this plan puts us on a path to beating this virus,” he said on Saturday.
Biden, without mentioning name of his predecessor President Donald Trump; saying passing the relief plan would show how he was “going to get the government out of the business of battling on Twitter and back in the business of delivering for the American people.” He congratulated Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for shepherding the bill through the Senate. “I’ve never seen anyone work as skillfully, as ably, as patiently with determination to deliver such a consequential piece of legislation,” Biden said.
The president had been in touch with several Democratic senators throughout the process. The chamber worked for more than 27 straight hours as it made its final deliberations on the package.
