President Joe Biden signed his sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid-19 economic relief package into law on Thursday afternoon. – Continued below video –
“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country and giving people in this nation, working people, middle class folks, people who built the country, a fighting chance,” Biden said in the Oval Office before signing the legislation. “That’s what the essence of it is.”
Congress on Wednesday passed the relief package, which has been Biden’s first and most pressing legislative priority since taking office in January.
Biden had originally been expected to sign the bill on Friday. White House chief of staff Ron Klain said the enrolled bill arrived at the White House on Wednesday night, “so @POTUS is signing it today — we want to move as fast as possible.”
Klain added: “We will hold our celebration of the signing on Friday, as planned, with Congressional leaders!”
“Because Congress enrolled the bill more quickly than we anticipated, the President will sign the American Rescue Plan into law today within the hour. @VP will join him in the oval. And tomorrow they will holding a signing event here @WhiteHouse,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a tweet. – CNN