The United States is “moving forward” despite “the worst pandemic in a century” and “the worst attack on democracy since the Civil War.”
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has addressed this Wednesday to the Congress of the country to deliver his first speech in a joint session, on the occasion of the celebration of the first hundred days since he took office, to highlight that his Administration is offering “real results” even though it inherited a “nation in crisis.”
Just one day before Biden actually reaches one hundred days in office, and in a context of extraordinary preventive measures due to the coronavirus pandemic in the immediate vicinity, the president has addressed both chambers at a time that has marked history in the country, with the Vice President, Kamala Harris, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, sitting behind the president as the first women to hold their respective positions.
“Madam president (of the House of Representatives), madam vice president. No president has ever said those words from this podium. (…) And it was about time,” Biden celebrated after entering the rostrum.
Another milestone in this speech was Major General William Walker, the first black Sergeant at Arms in the history of Congress, at a time of racial exaltation in the United States.
“One hundred days since I was sworn in and inherited a nation in crisis,” the president began, to recall that they are facing “the worst pandemic in a century. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil war”.
But, after these first hundred days, “the United States is on the move again. Turning danger into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Adversity into strength,” he asserted.
Regarding the plan of his Administration that contemplates 2.3 trillion dollars (1.7 trillion euros) for job creation and infrastructure, Biden has indicated that “it will create millions of jobs and billions of dollars of economic growth in the next years”. “One of the most important rescue packages in the history of the United States. We are already seeing the results,” stressed the leader.
“Some at home wonder if these jobs are for you. You feel left behind and forgotten in a rapidly changing economy. Let me address you directly,” continued the US president.
These are “well-paid jobs that cannot be outsourced,” he detailed, adding that “almost 90 percent of the infrastructure jobs created in the American Employment Plan do not require a university degree” and that “the 75 percent do not require an associate’s degree. “
Furthermore, he added that this plan “recognizes something that I have always said: Wall Street did not build this country. The middle class built this country. And the unions built the middle class.”
“DEMOCRACY STILL WORKS”
The president has assured that the United States has to show that “democracy still works”, and that the government “still works and can deliver with the people”, so in these first hundred days they have worked to “restore the faith of the people in our democracy to fulfill what was promised. “
He has also made reference to the vaccination plan, which has already managed to immunize half of Americans with at least one dose, precisely to highlight that more than 200 million vaccines have already been administered, exceeding its promise that 100 million would be applied. doses in your first 100 days.
He has highlighted the efforts put into the vaccination plan, pointing out that they are “gathering all federal resources” to “receive vaccines in almost 40,000 pharmacies and more than 700 community health centers where the poorest of the poor can be reached. poor, “among other actions, to ensure that” 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a vaccination site. “
In fact, Biden has encouraged the population to get vaccinated, noting that all adults over 16 years of age can access immunization today.
“REAL RESULTS” AND MORE STRICT MEASURES ON BACKGROUND
“We are offering real results that people can see and feel in their own lives. Opening the doors of opportunity. Guaranteeing equity and justice,” said the president, adding that “thanks to the United States Rescue Plan, we are on track to reduce child poverty “by the middle of this year.
In this sense, Biden has made reference to the American Families Plan, of 1.8 billion dollars that will go to education, child care and paid family leave.
In relation to the recent shootings that have plagued the country in recent weeks, the president has urged the House of Representatives to take steps to strengthen background checks, as well as to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
