Text of Biden s first address to joint session of Congress
The Associated Press
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President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress, Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Caroline Brehman/Pool via AP)Caroline Brehman/AP
Text of President Joe Biden s first address to a join session of Congress, as provided by the White House:
Madame Speaker. Madame Vice President. No president has ever said those words from this podium, and it’s about time.
The First Lady. The Second Gentleman. Mr. Chief Justice. Members of the United States Congress and the Cabinet – and distinguished guests.
USA TODAY
President Joe Biden, delivering his first address to Congress on Wednesday, laid out what he called a “blue-collar blueprint to build America” now that the nation is getting the pandemic under control.
“America is on the move again” Biden said. “After 100 days of rescue and renewal, America is ready for a takeoff.
Biden spoke to a sparsely populated House chamber, with a select number of lawmakers socially distanced due to COVID-19, on the eve of the 100th day since he was sworn into office.
By waiting until late April, about two months later than the usual date for a first joint address by a new president, Biden was able to take a victory lap for early accomplishments.
Read Senator Tim Scottâs GOP response to Biden speech
By The Associated Press The Associated Press,Updated April 28, 2021, 11:07 p.m.
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Senator Tim Scott.Drew Angerer/Getty
Text of speech by Senator Tim Scott, the Republican response to President Joe Bidenâs address to Congress, as provided by the office of the Senate minority leader:
Good evening. Iâm Senator Tim Scott from the great state of South Carolina.
We just heard President Bidenâs first address to Congress. Our President seems like a good man. His speech was full of good words. But President Biden promised you a specific kind of leadership. He promised to unite a nation. To lower the temperature. To govern for all Americans, no matter how we voted. That was the pitch. You just heard it again.
US President Joe Biden made his first speech to Congress on Wednesday, marking the eve of his first 100 days in office.
He began by paying tribute to his vice president, Kamala Harris, who was standing behind him alongside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying it was about time a president got to say “Madame Vice President”.
He went on to lay out an ambitious plan to rebuild the United States in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the damage wrought in deaths and economic destruction.
John Nichols, the national affairs correspondent at The Nation, said it was a “classic” presidential speech but also “showed the extent to which Biden has moved to the left and how his administration is trying to revive the spirit of FDR (Franklin Roosevelt) and Lyndon B Johnson in the sixties.