Biden Urges Congress to Pass a BIG COVID American Rescue Act

 After meeting with House Democrats at the White House, President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellin urged the quick passage of a BIG COVID American Rescue Act.

Reinforced by the Senate passage of a budget resolution allowing reconciliation early this morning (February 5, 2021) and the release of the January Jobs Numbers, President Biden repeated his call to pass a large COVID relief measure called the American Rescue Act.

Biden reminded the viewers that:

• "Ten million people are out of work.
• Four million have been out for six months or more. 
• 2.5 million women have been driven from the workforce.
• 15 million people are behind in their rental payments.
• 24 million adults and 12 million children do not have enough food to eat. 
• Suicides are up. 
• Mental health needs are increasing. 
• Violence against women and children are increasing.
• People are losing hope."

President Biden emphasized that these people "are not Democrats or Republicans. They are Americans and they're suffering ...not because of anything they did. Through no fault of their own, they're suffering."

He also reminded the audience that January was the deadliest month for the Coronavirus in the United States.

Biden warned not to listen to those that think the government has done enough where "things are getting better so we could afford to sit back" or only a little more help is needed.

The President said that "the American people are looking right now to their government for help and to do their job and to not let them down."

He repeated his commitment to act and "act fast" with or without Republicans (most of whom are not willing to spend as much as the Democrats,) saying he has chosen "to help the American People now" instead of getting "bogged down" in (probably useless) negotiations with conservatives.

Mr. Biden then summarized the major features of the American Rescue Act. Those include funding for:

• Vaccination Production, Distribution, and Administration.
• Send cash payments of $1400 to qualifying individuals "that need the money."
• Helping people fight food insecurity.
• Extending unemployment insurance through September.
• Small business assistance.
• Health Insurance subsidies.
• Rental assistance.
• Safely reopening schools.
• Child Care and paid leave.
• Aid to state and local governments to "prevent layoffs of police, firefighters, teachers, and sanitation workers."
• Raises the Minimum Wage. A raise to $15.00 an hour appears to be dead but perhaps one to $11.00 an hour like Joe Manchin has said he would support could still be agreed to.

The President said his plan is "better economics" that creates "more long term jobs, creates more economic growth, and does more than make us competitive with the rest of the world than any other plan." Mr. Biden backed this last assertion by citing complimentary feedback by public policy and economic organizations like Wall Street, Moodys, and the Brookings Institution.

Mr. Biden then said:

"The way I see it. The biggest risk is not going too big. It is if we go too small."

He then reminded the viewers of how the country, thanks to Republican insistence, was forced to swallow a smaller relief package (the American Recovery Act) that forced a longer recovery from the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009.

He said after citing that historic example:

"Today we need an answer that meets the challenge of this crisis, not one that falls short (The Republican plan.)"

The President contended that the Republican counter-proposal (a third of the cost of the current version of the American Rescue Act with less feature) would lead to more "prolonged pain and economic scarring" among the People and the National Economy.

Biden concluded by asking:

"Are we going to pass a big enough package to vaccinate people, to get people back to work, to alleviate the suffering in this country this year? That's what I want to do. Or are we going to say to millions of Americans out of work, many of whom that have been out of work for six months or longer, who have been scarred by this economic and health crisis don't worry, hang on, things are gonna get better? We're gonna go smaller so it's going to take us a lot longer...like until 2025."

The Biden/Harris Administration and, according to polling from Quinnipiac, most of the American People, pick Option A, the Big Package.

The Democrats seem to have learned the lesson of 2009 and will pass a relief package that will have an immediate positive impact on suffering Americans, save lives, and start the process of rebuilding the Country and Economy.

Thank God.

For a more wonky analysis of what the American Rescue Plan will do for the people and the economy, please watch Council of Economic Advisor Jared Bernstein explain the proposal's features and benefits at the White House Press Briefing that followed President Biden's comments.