Lives or were injured. He said by and large the vast majority of the Men And Women are decent honorable people. What did he mean by that . That is exactly what he meant. How can he take steps to unify the country while the Impeachment Trial is going on . Well he can focus his efforts, which is exactly what he is doing, on delivering necessary relief to the American Public and using his forum to talk about how he is going to reopen schools. How he is going to get shots in the arms of americans. How he will ensure that the one in seven American Families who are. What is his message to republicans that say that the trial is undercuts any efforts. He invites republicans to help bring relief to the American Public. Talk about his agenda, President Biden has been signing executive orders, speaking to the american people, focusing on the senate next week. How concerned is he that the senate trial will undercut his momentum . I think he has been clear that there is an urgency to delivering relief to the american people. It is important and vital that the house and senate work quickly to get this bill passed. Can you wrap it up in a week . Im not giving a deadline, im just staying what he said many times publicly. One more question, there is discussion on the hill about tripping congresswoman Marjorie Taylor green of her assignments. We resisted speaking of her in this Briefing Room and im not going to do so today. It is up to the hill to make that determination. President biden always expressed support for unions and has distributed a plan to strengthen organizing around the country. There are thousands of workers at an amazon facility in alabama that are gearing up to cast a vote and potentially form a union inside the company. Does the white house and President Biden support their efforts to organize in forming that . The president is a strong longtime believer and supporter in the efforts of labor unions and supporters. I have not spoken to them about this specific one. I had another question on secretary Yellen Calling for a meeting with top financial regulators on gamestop. We understand that the meeting is likely to happen this week. Will it be held on thursday and will it be focused on whether or not robinhood treated investors unfairly . I send you to the Treasury Department for specifics on the timing or focus on the meeting. For any of you that have not seen this report secretary yellin called a meeting. She believes the integrity of markets is important and asked for a discussion in recent volatility in recent markets and whether or not they are consistent with Investor Protection and fair and efficient markets. That will be thefocus on the meeting. Any update on the white house visitor logs. Were you able to figure out if you can access the Trump Administration visitor laws. We cannot, that is under the purview of the national archives. In terms of the plans to release the visitor logs we plan to do that on a quarterly basis. Mitch mcconnell was critical today of giving generous funding to School Districts where the unions are not allowing the schools to open. Do you have reaction to that . I think the purpose of giving funding or supporting funding and getting it to School Districts is to ensure that teachers are safe, kids are safe, and that there is necessary ppe, that there is ventilation in the school, that there is the environment that allows for children to return safely. And that st The President S Focus. That is why he also wants to reopen schools and wants them not to just reopen, but wants them to stay open which as a mom that is pivotal. But he know its is essential that it is done in a safe way. Are the unions not allowing some School Districts to reopen. There is discussions between School Districts and elected officials, and the unions and we certainly hope and encourage progress on that front, but The President S Focus is on the schools reopening safely and them staying open. During the runoffs, as we discussed the payment is 1400. Is it an active constitution of actually raising that amount. Is that a broken promise to voters that may have been expecting 2,000 checks and would the administration be open to raising that amount. Youre right that the president is very focused on ensuring millions of americans receive those checks. They are talking about A Billion Dollar bill passing. The Biden Administration has extended temporary protective status for syrian nationals. Obviously the Trump Administration cut off protections for some of the countries, do they plan to reinstate them. The president spoke about his commitment to reinstating tps in some cases, but the review is not complete at this time. Thanks, earlier today on that call with democrats the president talked about better targeting the stimulus checks. Can you explain what he meant by that . Sure, as we said a few times, i know this is an ongoing process. The president having served in the senate for 36 years fully recognizes that the bill that he proposed, he did a prime time address on it two weeks ago, that may not look exactly like the bill that comes out and he knows that. Further targeting means not the side of the check, but it means the income level of people who receive the check and that is something that has been under discussion. It has been a conclusion, but certainly he is open to having that discussion. I also want to ask in the Previous Administration often when coronavirus cases came up in the white house it came out in the news media. Im wondering if this white house has a policy on releasing information about people who Test Positive in the white house and in the administration and people in contact with white house officials. For anyone that covered the campaign, i was not on the campaign, but they tried to be very transparent with anyone that had any contact with or would have been in close proximity to the president or Vice President. And we will certainly model that transparency if and when that occurs here. And venture to provide accurate and up to date information as quickly as possible to all of you through the media, and directly. Thank you, i have one question. The cdc director is saying the vaccination of teachers is not a prerequisite for opening up schools. Should teachers be prioritized in the vaccine line . I saw the comments, but i would say that even she would say if she would come in here they have not released their official guidance yet from the cdc on the vaccination of teachers and what would be peopled for the safe reopening of schools. So we hope to defer to that soon. The president himself spoke about the priority of vaccinating teachers. In most states theyre in the 1b category. There is federal guidelines and we work closely with governors but we leave it to them and ensuring that teachers vaccinated. Following the 2020 election, 28 states brought forward 126 bills, is he looking at that and talking to elections. The Vice President s priority is ensuring more people, not fewer people, have access to voting and that it is easier and not harder to do that. Woe saw voting by mail, early voting, and it could be modelings for the future. I dont think there has been a update since then, but he certainly cares more. President biden has stated that he wants to unite the country, he has revoked the mexico city policy, he ordered the review of title 10, and issued a statement strongly supported roe v. Wade. Is he going to reach out to pro life americans. Those have long been his positions and he was certainly just restating them and delivering on promises he made on the campaign trail. But he will reach out to all americans and that is how he will governor. He has every intention on delivering on that promise. Will he he is described as a devout catholic, will he allow his faith to guide him in policy making. He attends church weekly. He talked about the impact of his faith on healing on everything that he has been through. One of the things you didnt mention is the two marines in prison, trevor reid and paul wheelen. They appealed in moscow at the conviction and do you consider these two marines to be hostages . Well, ambassador sullivan, who i think you were referring to today, called trevor reeds Trooifl A Mockery of justice and we certainly agree. We have a range of communications with the russians. We have a Secretary Of State that is confirmed and a number of officials, but i will use this as an opportunity to again call on russia to release the two marines doing so on the heels to demonstrate that russia is ready to move past the bilateral relationship. But thats our view and we certainly raise it at every opportunity. Is there any other consequences under considerations . There is a review here, of course. I poke about it a little at the start of our relationship and a number of issues being looked into by the National Security team. I dont think im going to add a new character today. I want to follow up on ventilation of schools. How does the white house see that playing out . Is the president saying no school should be reopened until they get a brand new or renovated ventilation system. Ventilation, proper ventilation, Public Schools that dont have the benefit of tuition and things along those lines need proper ventilation. That is something that contributes to ensuring the safety of people indoors which is part of what school is. So theyre just conveying that important part of School Safety . There have been, you know, broad objectives that have been set by the cdc and others. They also have not put out their specific detailed guidelines yet and well look forward to seeing those, abiding by them, and communicating from here. The president said he really wants to protect the middle clastz. What is the income range by which you define the middle class. How much does someone who is middle class earning . What is the range . There is ranges in the bill, as you know, that are what the president proposed. I dont know that he looked at it as his own personal definition of the middle class as much as a definition of the people that need the help the most. So that is the rough range . He was not looking to answer economists around the world to define what is middle class. Another question, the Voting Rights act update, john lewis, you have the majority in the house and the senate, you talked about it on the campaign trail. Is that a priority and if it is a priority will you push forward on that prior it . It remains a priority, of course, the number one plan is to get the American Rescue plan through. He also talked about the build back better plan. That will be another priority that he proposed as well. So ensuring that it is easier to vote. That more people have access to voting. That were making it part of the right of being an american is a priority to the president. But i dont have a timeline or a date for you on when we push for that bill to move forward. One for more mcconnell he expects the administration to quickly address military leaders. What is the timeline on sanctions . Is leader mcconnell right that sanctions will be quicker . The State Department very rapidly completed their review designating or naming the coup in burma. And obviously the detention of civilian officials and the declaration of the National State of emergency is a direct assault on democracy and the rule of law. Were continuing to review our sanction authorities and some other options. Jake sullivan called me on sunday night to tell me we had to get a statement out. And we always put out a statement from the president and we acted quickly. It is a priority and certainly were reviewing our sanctions authorities and seeing where there is action to take there, something that the team is focused on. Have you been talking about the Iowa Caucuses or the talk about nevada wanting to go first . Were certainly not focused on the next Political Campaign quite yet and we dont have a Point Of View to share. Nevada is warmer, but all great states. Go ahead. You said that you will be checking with President Trump for the summer olympics, i believe. Does he think it is safe for the u. S. Team to go to tokyo . I know there has been some reporting on this. Were not currently talking about changing our posture or our plans as it relates to the beijing olympics. We are establishing a shared approach, but there is no discussion under way of a change in our plans from the United States at this point in time. One of the Law Enforcement gaps, President Trump said he was focusing on antifa, and what is President Biden doing about rightwing extreextremism . Its not a political review, its a review of Domestic Violence extremism. We want to look at that, not through a political lens, but the lens of a National Security expert and teams who have expertise in this area. When that is concluded well have more to say on it. You said beijing, what about tokyo sorry, there is a lot of olympics athletes going on. Nothing changed about our plans and i send you to the usoc to discuss any further plans for athletes. Lots of olympics. I would like to follow up with a previous question circling back to President Bidens comments yesterday when he said the vast majority of u. S. Officers were decent and honorable people. Why did he think it was important to stress that the vast majority are. I think he believes the Men And Women that have been serving our country in a variety of capacities have been criticized. They have been some have been threatened. The roles theyre playing have been questioned in the last several years. And he wanted to reiterate support for the work they do. But why did he make that delineation . I think because of despite reports of individuals and different areas who may have done things that were problematic, that the vast majority of Men And Women serving in Law Enforcement roles, serving in Civil Service roles, serving in roles across government do vital and essential work for the american people. Sebastian smith. I remember you and your mask, i like it, it has flamingos on it. Again, on tangss, on russia, is there any discussion on targeting people close to putin over what is happening . And how is the president talking to the eu allies about this . The president has certainly spoke within a number of european allies about a range of issues. In terms of what Sanctions Options may exist, the president reserves the right to respond in the manner and course of his choosing at any point in time, but were going to let this review complete and well make decisions about any specific steps they will take in response. And another one related but not exactly the same, does the president have any position on the presence of outlets tide like sputnik, but does he have position on that . In some countries theyre seen as Propaganda Tools given that things are fairly frosty right now . I have not spoken with the president about rt or sputnik. I think they are tools of pop began data work on behalf of the president. I have not discussed that with him specifically. I know at the State Department they had a briefing. They asked questions, but i think there is no question as were trying to decipher information that is accurate or inaccurate it is important people to know there are outlets working on behalf someone and theyre not operating as free bless like you are. It is important for people to understand and know there is an agenda and theyre not the same as a. P. , abc, and other outlets around the world. Can you clarify what President Bidens goal is for the number of vaccines. I thought he raised it 150, but the call said 100 million. The team will always push the team to go as big as possible but the goal remains 100 million in 100 days and that was a goal set in the fall before a single vaccine was put in the arm of an american. It was seen as bold an ambitious at the time. Were not going to stop at 100 million. That is the marker we set and were working to achieve it. I was wondering if the president has been frustrated by the case on the senate side and if he raised the message to senators . President s always want things to move faster. There was certainly a delay in the confirmation of a number of nominees over the course of weeks. Some of them were slower paced than they should have been early on. We would love for the Confer Nation Of Future attorney general merrick garland. That would certain i will be a break in the past. So there are key positions that have not moved through the Confirmation Process that were eager to see move forward. Former mayor Pete Buttigieg yesterday just confirmed as th