Mike Pence claims promising US job figures mean 'recovery starts today'

Vice President Mike Pence made clear the White House feels emboldened by surprising jobs data released Friday, saying "this recovery starts today" and signalling the administration feels it has new leverage over Democrats in talks about another economic recovery package.

"The policies of Joe Biden, the policies of Democrats in Congress," he said on CNBC, would erode what he called "the solid foundation that President laid" during his term. Mr Pence said the White House now would push harder for provisions like a payroll tax cut -- which even some congressional Republicans oppose -- in any additional coronavirus recovery package Congress might send to Mr Trump's desk. He accused the former vice president and Capitol Hill Democrats of wanting to raise taxes, launch a "war on coal" and enact their pricey "Green New Deal," which he and other administration officials say would collectively put an anchor on the American economy, which had been solid before the Covid-19 pandemic.

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