Biden urges broad action on coronavirus aid

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

President-elect Joe Biden on Friday while discussing what he described as a “grim” final jobs report of 2020, urged the U.S. Congress to pass a coronavirus relief bill immediately and to follow up with "hundreds of billions of dollars" in more aid in January.

“I'm not alone in saying this situation is urgent. If we don't act now, the future will be very bleak. Americans need help and they need it now. And they need more to come early next year. (flash) Congress and President Trump have to get this deal done for the American people.

A government report on Friday showed the labor market slowing in November as the COVID-19 pandemic eclipsed its levels of the spring.

The Democratic former vice president, offered support for an emerging bipartisan package of around $908 billion in COVID-19 spending that has drawn tentative support from members of both parties in Congress.

“...any package passed in the lame duck session is not going to be enough. Overall it is critical, but it's just a start. Congress are going to need to act again in January. "

Biden has focused heavily on the pandemic and economy during the transition, after a campaign in which he made President Donald Trump's mishandling of the coronavirus a central theme.