WASHINGTON: President Biden addressed to a first joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, just before his 100th day in power.
In a historic moment, US Vice-President Kamala Harris – the first woman to hold that office – and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi both sat behind President Biden during Wednesday night’s address. It was the first time two women appeared behind the president during a speech to Congress.
“Madam Speaker. Madam vice president. No president has ever said those words from this podium,” Biden said to claps from those in attendance.
“No president has ever said those words, and it’s about time, and it’s about time,” Biden continued before turning around to join in applauding the two women.
“Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: President Biden told the congress that “America is on the move again,” he said, adding that “America never stays down”. Choosing hope over fear. Truth over lies. Light over darkness. After 100 days of rescue and renewal, America is ready for take off. We are working again. Dreaming again. Discovering again. Leading the world again.”
Biden used his address on the eve of his 100th day in office to make the case for huge new investments and tax reforms to overhaul the U.S. economy and rebuild the middle class. The American Families Plan (AFP), the latest addition to the president’s economic recovery pitch, would dedicate $1.8 trillion to family care and education.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, speaking to a smaller group of congress members, president Biden called his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan “a blue-collar blueprint to build America,” and he described his latest $1.8 billion American Families Plan as a “once-in-a-generation” investment that could help the United States win a competition “for the future,” including with China.
He described the American Jobs Plan as “a blue-collar blueprint to build America” that would boost investment in public transport, high-speed broadband and roads and bridges. He added that the plan would be guided by the fight against climate change.
“When I think climate change I think jobs,” he said. “There’s no reason why American workers can’t lead the world in the production of electric vehicles and batteries.”
He said the $1.8tn American Families Plan, meanwhile, would focus on children and seek to provide:
- Free pre-school for children aged three to four
- Paid family and medical leave as well as health insurance subsidies
- Tuition-free community college for all
- An extension of key tax breaks that have been expanded during the pandemic
The proposal follows the so-called American Rescue Plan, a $1.9tn coronavirus stimulus package that included direct cheques to most Americans, which Mr Biden signed into law last month.
On Wednesday, he framed these latest proposals in the context of foreign policy and said the US was “in a competition with China and other countries to win the 21st century”. He also called for politicians from both parties to back his plans and said he was willing to work with both sides.
President Biden’s full speech to the joint congress here
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