Biden to Speak on COVID Relief Bill in First Prime Time Address

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Currents News Staff

President Joe Biden will address the nation for the first time, in primetime on March 11. The White House says the speech will commemorate the long, challenging year since the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the country and chart the president’s plan for recovery.

“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” said President Biden on the heels of his first major legislative victory, a nearly $2 trillion dollar package designed to help millions of Americans get through the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Now, he’ll speak to the nation on “the plans to provide a clear outline of his approach,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, “level with the American people about what is required of them, but also provide a sense of hope of what is possible.”

Since taking office, the president has often reflected upon the more than 500,000 U.S. lives lost to COVID-19, leaning into the role of consoler-in-chief.

One year ago, on March 11th, 2020, former president Donald Trump addressed the nation, hours after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.

“The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States,” he said. 

It‘s a night many look back on as a turning point.

Thursday night, Biden will look forward and highlight the benefits of his newly passed and newly signed economic relief plan. 

“What I’m gonna talk about tonight is the impact on the virus and how we’re gonna end this pandemic, and I’m gonna talk out all the elements of the bill beginning on Friday, Saturday and through the week,” he explained. 

He’s pushing back on Republican criticism that not all of it was necessary. Not a single congressional Republican voted for the bill.