“ Neera Tanden, a brilliant policy expert with experience at the highest levels of government — also running a big think tank in Washington, D.C. — who understands firsthand the power of policy and helping families gain a foothold in the middle class. ”

“ A community health center that’s located in the middle of a community where people know to go to for basic healthcare, for, you know, child — for questions about their kids, for pediatric appointments, that’s a place that’s trusted in their community. So it’s important that those are places that are open now in a range of communities across the country.Pharmacies, which are actually the places where you can do exactly what you just said and log on online and make an appointment to get a vaccine — we’ve just doubled the number of vaccines that are going to those pharmacies. ”

“ Mondays, there’s always a lot to report. I’m sure you feel that way.
Later today, the President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will mark the solemn milestone of 500,000 American lives lost to COVID-19. They will ask all Americans to join in a moment of silence during a candle-lighting ceremony at sundown. President Biden will also deliver remarks and order all flags on federal property to be lowered at half-staff for the next five days. ”

“ As you know, many of you saw the President just made an announcement this morning about important changes to the PPP program to ensure small businesses, especially minority-owned and mom-and-pop businesses, get the help they need to keep their doors open and keep workers on payroll. Ninety-eight percent of companies have fewer than 20 employees, and a big part of this announcement will apply to those companies. ”

“ So, you know, we are on track. We have — we have vaccinated. We have — we have significantly expedited the rate of vaccination over the past couple of weeks. We’re at about — in the last week or so, we’re at about 1.7 million a day — or last two weeks or so, 1.7 million a day. Prior to the President taking office, it was more around 800- to 900,000.
But there’s work that needs to continue, and that includes ensuring we have the vaccinations, ensuring we have the vaccinators needed to do those vaccinations, and the sites, as I touched on, across the country who can facilitate that. ”

“ One more question on the — hopefully, getting a preview of the timbre of tonight’s speech. I wonder if there is a worry from the White House that, given positive views on the coronavirus front, that people will let their guards, as has happened in the past, and numbers will go up or spike again. Does the President plan to address any of that tonight, or is it just reflecting on the grim milestone? MS. PSAKI: You know, the President felt it was important, on a personal level and human level, to mark the lives lost over the past year — nearly a year of this pandemic. ”

“ Well, you know, I think as we said around the time when the President had a conversation with President Xi, we believe the relationship with China is one of strong competition. We want to come to that relationship from a position of strength. That means working in close coordination with our partners and allies around the world: Europeans, other partners in the region, also with Democrats and Republicans in Congress. ”

“ As it relates to Neera Tanden, let me just say that the President nominated her because he believes she’d be a stellar OMB Director. She’s tested. She is a leading policy expert. She has led a think tank in this — in Washington that has done a great deal of work on policy issues but has done a great deal of bipartisan work as well. She has won widespread support and endorsements ranging from labor unions to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. And she’s rolled up her sleeves and done the work. She’s met with more than 35 senators — Democrats and Republicans — herself. ”

“ Small businesses employ nearly half of America’s workers and account for 44 percent of our nation’s GDP. More than 400,000 small businesses have permanently shuttered due to the pandemic. Millions more have lost substantial value, so — revenue. ”

“ You talk about her past experience.But the specific criticisms that we’re getting from these people who are saying they are not going to vote for her is that — Mitt Romney said he is critical of extreme rhetoric. Susan Collins says she’s “demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity President Biden pledged to transcend.” Manchin said he’s worried that her statements will have a “toxic and detrimental impact” on the working relationship that they’re expected to have with a budget director. So, does the White House believe that her past statements are inflammatory? ”

“ But the American people have a role to play here as well, which is: wearing masks, social distancing. Everybody wants to get back to normal. But the President, the federal government can’t do that alone. ”

“ More counties will likely — we expect more counties to be added as more work is done to evaluate need, and that’s a reflection of FEMA’s initial evaluation.
In the meantime, the President has asked FEMA to do everything it can to rapidly distribute aid to the state of Texas. So far, more than 1 million meals have been shipped to Texas; more than 4 million liters of water have been shipped to Texas. The Department of Defense’s fixed-wing aircraft continue to deliver water in bulk to multiple locations in Texas. ”

“ It’s a great question. I don’t have anything to report out for you, but I’m happy to check with our team and see if that’s under consideration. As you noted, I mean, tonight, obviously, he is — he and his — and the Vice President, they will be commemorating the lives lost, the many hundreds of thousands of families who have been impacted by the lives that have been lost from the pandemic — something he also did just a month ago around the inauguration.And so, clearly — and these remarks, I would convey, are not — it’s not — he will not be providing an update on progress. ”

“ Even while acknowledging the grim milestone that we’re hitting today of 500,000 deaths in the country, it’s worth mentioning that, around the country, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths currently are plummeting. And as the pace of vaccination increases, I’m wonderingDoes the administration think that we’re either at or close to a sort of turning point as it comes to the pandemic? ”

“ We expect the President will have a conversation with the King at an appropriate time.But there are other components, as you know, of our relationship, including the fact that the President, unlike the last administration, is not going to hold back in speaking out when he has objections, concerns about issues related to human rights, freedom of speech, any other concerns he may have about the way things are being run. ”

“ And is the President Biden willing to make exceptions from his Buy American provisions for Canadian contractors and suppliers? MS. PSAKI: Well, on the second one, you know, he signed an executive order; we’re of course evaluating procurement components of that, but no changes anticipated.Of course, the Prime Minister will bring up whatever he would like to bring up, as is true of any bilateral meeting. We expect the President, during the meeting, to highlight the strong and deep partnership between the United States and Canada as neighbors, friends, and NATO allies ”

“ And people — the health and medical experts who are working at these health centers often know the people in their communities, and they’re trusted by the people in their communities.We also have been working with pharmacies and have several dozen pharmacy partners across the country. More than 90 percent of the people in the count- — people living in this country, I should say, live within five miles of a pharmacy. ”

“ They can hire — if they need to hire additional teachers now for smaller class sizes, or if they need to hire bus drivers, or if they need to hire — they need to do improvements to their facilities, they want to be able to know, understandably, just like any business or company, that they will be able to employ teachers next year and the year ahead. ”

“ We look forward to working with them on a range of priorities and issues, whether it’s the American Rescue Plan; whether it is immigration — addressing the outdated immigration system; whether it is a foreign policy issues. And he’ll continue to engage and have discussions with a range of senators, including people where he has disagreements. Q And I think that’s fair, but I think the question is: Does the Pres- — is the President okay with the language and rhetoric that Neera Tanden has used in direction of other members of Congress, including some Democrats, and especially Republicans? ”

“ But our focus is on building out of the hole that we inherited and ensuring that we are taking every step necessary, every step possible to reach people in their communities, to tap into the manufacturing sector through the DPA, to communicate effectively about eligibility. ”

“ The Europeans are waiting to hear Iran’s reply to their invitation to have a conversation. So that’s the stage we’re sitting at at this point in time. Q Also, in the realm of diplomacy: China’s Foreign Minister made some remarks today about wanting to re- — sort of rejig the relationship with the United States, and he called for tariffs to be removed. I know that this policy is under review, along with lots of policies, but can you give any reaction to what he has said and any update on President Biden’s feelings about tariffs and broader China policy? ”

“ We have a range of means of communicating with the Iranians. And we’ve certainly raised American citizens, who are being held in Iran, through those channels. But I don’t have anything more specific for you. Q And so there’s nothing direct going on, as far as you know, between the United States and Iran? ”

“ It doesn’t help everybody, but that’s another place we’ve also worked to help launch some mass vaccination sites to ensure that people can go with their families and get vaccinated in these locations. ”

“ So they — but that we prioritize support to businesses who were previously left behind. The changes also include expanding eligibility so that sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed Americans, as well as immigrants who are lawful permanent residents can receive more support. ”

“ Q And you mentioned at the top of your remarks the grim milestone that the country is facing today with these 500,000 deaths. As the country is in this moment of reflection, 100,000 of those Americans have died within the last month. ”