Biden pledges to back Texas amid winter storm recovery

President BidenJoe BidenHouse Democrats Pass .9T COVID-19 Relief Bill with Minimum Wage Increase Biden to Hold Virtual Bilateral Meeting with Mexican President Over 300 accused in connection with Capitol Riot MORE spent Friday in Texas receiving a briefing on the recent winter storm and investigating a local food bank, pledging to help the state recover from the effects of inclement weather and power outages.

“Our prayers are with you in the aftermath of this winter storm,” Biden said in an address at NRG Stadium in Houston. “We will be true partners in helping you recover and rebuild after these storms, this pandemic and this economic crisis. We are on the long term.”

Biden spent most of the day with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (right) and was briefed on ongoing recovery efforts at the Harris County Emergency Operations Center. Biden was made aware of ongoing efforts to fix water supply systems in Harris County, where 57,000 residents remain on boil water advisories.

Him and the first lady Jill bidenJill Biden Biden Pledges To Support Texas Amid Winter Storm Recovery The Hill’s Morning Report – Brought to you by The AIDS Institute – Senate Refers Minimum Wage, House Votes Today on Relief Bill Biden Focuses on the winter storm with a trip to Texas PLUS they later visited the Houston Food Bank, where they met local volunteers.

Biden also met with the senator. John cornynJohn Cornyn Biden Pledges Support for Texas Amid Recovering Winter Storm Partisan Headwinds Threaten Capitol Riot Commission Biden Focus On Winter Storm With Trip To Texas (R-Texas), Democratic representatives. Sylvia GarciaSylvia GarciaBiden Pledges To Support Texas Amid Winter Storm Recover Biden Focuses On Winter Storm With Trip To Texas K Street Sails In Virtual Groundbreaking Week MORE, Sheila jackson leeSheila Jackson LeeBiden pledges support for Texas amid winter storm recovery Biden focuses on winter storm with trip to Texas Obama says repairs are ‘warranted’, Al GreenAlexander (Al) N. GreenBiden Vows To Support Texas Amid Recovery From Winter Storm Biden Focuses On Winter Storm With Trip To Texas LIVE COVER: Senate opens second Trump impeachment trial MORE and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, and the Mayor of Houston Sylvester turnerSylvester TurnerBiden Focuses on Winter Storm with Trip to Texas The Mayor of Houston: Biden Visit “Would Not Be a Distraction” Preview of Sunday’s shows: CDC school reopening guidelines spark debate; Texas fights winter frost MORE (D) during the visit.

Biden used his remarks to convey his message of unity, describing those affected by both the freezing weather and the coronavirus pandemic not as Republicans or Democrats but as “fellow Americans.”

“When a crisis hits one of our states like the one that hit Texas, it’s not a Republican or Democrat who suffers – it’s our fellow Americans who suffer, and it’s our job to help. everyone in need, look out for each other, leave no one behind, ”Biden said.

Biden spoke at NRG Stadium, a mass vaccination site in the state of Texas. He quickly turned to his administration’s efforts to partner with states to vaccinate the American population, noting that the country had passed the 50 millionth coronavirus vaccine earlier this week.

Biden also celebrated the approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee of the single-dose vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson. Still, he warned that it would be an arduous process to vaccinate the entire American population and encouraged individuals to continue to follow public health guidelines.

“Wear your masks. It’s not a political statement, it’s a patriotic thing you can do,” Biden said.

The president also called for bipartisan action to tackle the pandemic, highlighting his engagement with Cornyn and Abbott on Friday. His remarks came as House Democrats prepared to pass Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion relief package, which is unlikely to gain Republicans’ support.

“We don’t agree on a lot of things and there is nothing wrong with that, but there are a lot of things we can work on together and one of them is pictured here today ‘ hui: the effort to speed up vaccinations, ”Biden said.

The trip was Biden’s third official out-of-state visit since he became president. Last week, he traveled to Wisconsin to attend a CNN town hall and visited a Pfizer coronavirus vaccine plant in Michigan.

Biden signed emergency declarations for Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma after the storm, and also approved major disaster declarations for Texas and Oklahoma to free up more federal resources for states and their communities. residents. The Federal Emergency Management Agency sent supplies including water, blankets, generators, diesel fuel and meals.