welcome to a bbc news special — i'm katty kay. we're live on capitol hill, and just a few minutes from president biden's first major address to a joint—session of congress. he's due to lay out an ambitious spending plan, worth trillions of dollars. american families are at the centre of the presidents speanding plans — increasing child tax credits. in plain english, that means thousands of dollars per child. republican tim scott will deliver his party's response. he'll say the covid rollout and the economy were left in good shape by his predecessor.

welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe to this bbc news special. this is president biden�*s first presidential address to congress. he will talk about america being on the move again. in the next few minutes president biden will address a joint session of congress to mark his first 100 days in office. he will speak soon. let's see what is happening inside the chamber. it is quite odd. it is a covid friendly address. normally there would be something like 1600 people in this chamber, or members of congress that all members of the senate. all of the members of the cabinet would be there and all of the members of the supreme court would be there. senior members of the defence department would be there. it is a much reduced crowd. there are a select few people about 200 in all in the whole chamber. top republicans, top democrats are there. the first

ladyjill biden is up in the gallery. and of course it is a historic occasion because sitting behind joe biden for the very first time in american history will be two women. they are in the top positions, the speaker of the house nancy pelosi and the vice president kamala harris. they will be there, you can see them there in cream and blue. they will be sitting behind joe biden as he gives his address. it is the first moment of course with the first moment of course with the first female vice president of america and the first woman of colour to be the vice president as well. that reason, as well as well. that reason, as well as the fact that this is a covid response up there on capitol hill, it is a historic occasion. my colleague lebo diseko is up there as well. there's a few rules surrounding this and some of these are being broken. everyone is supposed to be wearing a mask, sing a lot of masks so it is ok on the front but they are not meant to be shaking hands or

having physical contact and i've seen quite a few of them do so. , , ., . i've seen quite a few of them doso. , ., ., _ do so. yes, you have obviously not a do so. yes, you have obviously got a better— do so. yes, you have obviously got a better eye _ do so. yes, you have obviously got a better eye on _ do so. yes, you have obviously got a better eye on this - do so. yes, you have obviously got a better eye on this than i got a better eye on this than myself. they are certainly not even supposed to be fist pumping which i saw. some have been waving and they do seem quite pleased to see each other. i would quite pleased to see each other. iwould imagine quite pleased to see each other. i would imagine it is sometimes difficult to remember that you're not supposed to be making any physical contact at all. they are supposed to keep several seats between each other. they do seem to be doing that but well done you for having spotted that. i that but well done you for having spotted that.- that but well done you for having spotted that. i am a stickler for _ having spotted that. i am a stickler for the _ having spotted that. i am a stickler for the rules - having spotted that. i am a stickler for the rules and i l sticklerfor the rules and i like to see that they were in place but they are not sticking them. i am also assuming that every single person in the chamber will have been vaccinated by now? yes, my understanding _ vaccinated by now? yes, my understanding was - vaccinated by now? yes, my understanding was that - vaccinated by now? yes, my understanding was that they have to show i have a proof of vaccination or that they had a negative covid test. that is what we understand. i be

interested to know what the numbers are, how many of them actually have been vaccinated fully. actually have been vaccinated full . , , ., actually have been vaccinated full. , , fully. some members of course sna -|n~ fully. some members of course snapping selfies. _ fully. some members of course snapping selfies. i _ fully. some members of course snapping selfies. i can - fully. some members of course snapping selfies. i can see - fully. some members of course snapping selfies. i can see out| snapping selfies. i can see out of the corner of my eye, screen and joe biden is standing, waiting to walk down the aisle right there. he will be introduced by the sergeant of armed. let's take a quick listen. —— sergeant of arms. the master on so it's very difficult to hear. there isjoe biden, also this pumping. he is not meant to be doing that, strictly. but anyway. joe biden in the chamber for his first joint address of congress. it is not called a state of a union but it is effectively a state of the union. the man who has spent decades sitting, watching states of the union addresses for a whole series of

presidents. wanting to be presidents. wanting to be president himself, trying, three times and failing before. to be president himself and out finally taking the podium. an historic moment for him. absolutely. he has spent almost 40 absolutely. he has spent almost a0 years in the senate and as you said, three times it was his first time lucky in terms of his residential run. his wifejill biden, doctorjill wife jill biden, doctorjill biden wifejill biden, doctorjill biden is in the chamber watching the proceedings. she must be incredibly proud, as must be incredibly proud, as must be incredibly proud, as must be the first gentleman, kamala harris's husband is also there watching her and the house speaker nancy pelosi, the first time as you say two women will be behind an american president as he makes a speech like this. �* ., ., , ., like this. and now he has a co of like this. and now he has a cow of the _ like this. and now he has a copy of the speech - like this. and now he has a copy of the speech to - like this. and now he has a i copy of the speech to kamala harris, the woman he has chosen to be his vice president another copy to nancy pelosi the speaker. last year's speaker. she ripped it up last

year but this time i suppose she won't. let's listen. i bring you the president of the united states. (applause) thank you, thank you, thank you. it is good to be back. it is good to be almost home, down the hall. anyway, thank you all. madam speaker, madam vice president. (applause) no president has ever said those words from this podium, no president has ever said

those words and it is about time. (applause) first lady, i am her husband. second gentleman. chief justice, members of the united states congress, covenant and distinguished guests. my fellow americans. while the setting tonight is familiar, discovering isjust a little bit different. a reminder of the extraordinary times we are in. throughout our history, presidents have come to this chamber to speak to congress, to the nation, and to the world, to declare war, to

celebrate peace and announce new plans and possibilities. tonight, i come to talk about crisis and opportunity. about rebuilding a nation, revitalising our democracy and winning the future for americans. i stand winning the future for americans. istand here winning the future for americans. i stand here tonight one day shy of the hundredth day of my administration. a hundred days since i took the oath of office and lifted my hand off ourfamily bible and inherited a nation, we all did, that was in crisis. the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the great depression. the worst attack on our democracy serves the civil war. now, afterjust a hundred days, i can report to the nation, america is on the move again.

(applause) turning crisis into opportunity, setbacks into strength, we all know life can knock us down but in america we never, ever stay down. americans always get up. today, thatis americans always get up. today, that is what we're doing. america rising and you. choosing hope overfear, truth over lies and light over darkness. after a hundred days of rescue and renewal, america is ready for a takeoff, in my view. we are working again, dreaming again, discovering again and leading the world again. we have shown each other and the world that there is no quit in america, none. a

hundred days ago, america's house was on fire and we had to act and thanks to the extraordinary leadership of speaker pelosi, majority leader chuck schumer and the overwhelming support of the american people, democrats, independents and republicans, we did a. together, we passed the american rescue plan, one of the most consequential rescue packages in american history. and we are already seeing the results. applause. we are already seeing the results. and after i promised we would get 100 million covid—19 vaccine shots in a hundred days, we will have provided over 220 million covid shots in those hundred days. thank you to all of you, all

the help of all of you. we are marshalling with your help, everyone's help, we are marshalling every federal resource and have gotten vaccines nearly a0,000 pharmacies and over 700 community health centres where the poorest of the poor can be reached. we are setting up community vaccination sites, developing mobile units to get too hard to reach communities. today, 90% of americans now live within five miles of a vaccination centre. everyone over the age of 16, everyone is now eligible to get vaccinated right now, right away. go get vaccinated america. go and get the vaccination. they are available. they are eligible now. when i was sworn in

january 20 of less than 1% of the seniors in america were fully vaccinated against covid—19. a hundred days later, 70% of the seniors in america, over 65 are protected, fully protected. senior deaths from covid—19 are down 80% since january. down 80% because of all of you. and more than half of all of the adults in america have gotten at least one shot. a mass vaccination centre in glendale, arizona, iasked a mass vaccination centre in glendale, arizona, i asked a nurse, isaid, what glendale, arizona, i asked a nurse, i said, what is it like and she looked at me and said, it is like every shot is giving a dose of hope. that was her phrase, a dose of hope. a dose of hope for an educator in florida who has a child suffering from an autoimmune disease. she wrote to me and said she was worried about

bringing the virus home and said she then got vaccinated at a large site in her car. she said she sat in her car when she got vaccinated and cried. cried out ofjoy, cried out of really. parents, seeing the smiles on their kids faces from those who are able to go back to school because the teachers and the school bus drivers and cafeteria workers have been vaccinated. grandparents, hugging their children and grandchildren instead of pressing hands against the window. to say goodbye. those things mean everything. you know, there is still, and we all know it, better than many americans, there is still more work to do to be of this virus. we can't let our guard down but tonight, i can save because of you the american people are

progress these past hundred days against one of the worst pandemics in history has been one of the greatest logistical achievements, logistical achievements, logistical achievements this country has ever seen. what else have we donein done in those first hundred days? we kept our commitment, democrats and republicans, of sending $1a00 rescue checks to 85% of american households. we have already sent more than 160 million checks out of the door. it is making a difference and you will know it. for many people it is making all the difference in the world. a single mum in texas who wrote me, she said she couldn't work, but she said the relief check put food on the table and saved her and her son from eviction from their apartment. a grandmother in virginia who told me she

immediately took her granddaughter to the eye doctor, something she put off for months because she didn't have the money. 0ne for months because she didn't have the money. one of the images in this pandemic for me has been cars lined up for males, are not people who just barely a start those cars, nice cars. lined up for males. waiting for a box of food to be put in their trunk. i don't know about you but i did never think they would see that in america. and all of this is through no fault of their own. no fault of their own that these people are in this position. that's why the rescue plan is delivering food and nutrition to millions of americans facing hunger and hunger is down sharply already. we are also providing rental

assistance, you will know this, but the american people, want to make sure that they understand. keeping people from being evicted from their homes. providing loans to small businesses to reopen and keep their employees on the job. during these hundred days, an additional 800,000 americans enrolled in the affordable care act when a established a special signup period to do that, 800,000 in that period. we are making one largest one—time ever investments, ever in improving healthcare for veterans. critical investments to address the opioid crisis and maybe most importantly thanks to the american rescue plan, we are on track to cut child poverty in america and half this year. applause and in the process,

while all this was going on, the economy created more than 1,300,000 jobs. the economy created more than 1,300,000jobs. morejobs the economy created more than 1,300,000 jobs. morejobs in the first hundred days than any president on record. the international monetary fund... applause the international monetary fund is now estimating our economy will grow at a rate of more than 6% this year. that will be the fastest pace of economic growth in this country and nearly four decades. america is moving. moving forward. but we can't stop now. we are in competition with china and other countries to

win the 21st—century. we are at a great inflection point in history. we have to do more than just held back better, more than just build back, than just held back better, more thanjust build back, we have to build back better. we have to build back better. we have to build back better. we have to compete more strenuously than we have. throughout our history, you think about it. public investment in infrastructure has literally transformed america. our has literally transformed america. 0urattitudes has literally transformed america. our attitudes as well as our opportunities. the transcontinental railroad, the interstate highways, united two oceans and brought a totally new age of progress to the united states of america copy universal published goals and couege universal published goals and college aid opened wide the doors of opportunity. scientific breakthroughs took us to the moon, now we are on mars, discovering vaccines, give us internet. it so much more stop it so much more. these are investments we made together as one country, and investments that only the government was in a position to

make. time and again, they propel us into the future. that's why i propose the american jobs that's why i propose the americanjobs plan, and once in a generation investment in america itself. this is the largestjobs plan since world war ii. createsjobs largestjobs plan since world war ii. creates jobs to upgrade our transportation infrastructure. jobs modernising our roads. bridges, highways. jobs building ports and airports, transit lines. its clean water, and today, up to 10 million homes in america and more than a00,000 schools and more than a00,000 schools and childcare centres have pipes with a lead on them, including drinking water. a clear and present danger to our children's health. the american jobs plan creates jobs replacing 100% of the nation's

lead pipes and service lines, so every american can drink clean water. applause and in the process we will create thousands and thousands of good paying jobs. thousands and thousands of good payingjobs. it thousands and thousands of good paying jobs. it creates jobs creating every american —— connecting every american with high—speed internet, including rural america that still doesn't have it. it's going to help our kids and our businesses succeed on the 21st century economy. and i'm asking the vice president to lead this effort, if she would, because they know it will get done. creates jobs building a they know it will get done. createsjobs building a modern power grid. algorithms are vulnerable to storms, hacks, catastrophic failures, with tragic results as we saw in

texas and elsewhere during the winter storms. the american jobs plan will create jobs that lay thousands of miles of transmission lines needed to build a resilient and fully clean grid. we can do that. look, the americanjobs plan will help millions of people get back to theirjobs and back to their careers. 2 million women have dropped out of the workforce during this pandemic. 2 million. and too often, because they couldn't get the care they needed to care for their child or care for an elderly parent who needs help. 800,000 families are on the medicare waiting list right now to get home care for the ageing parent or loved one with disabilities. if you think it's

not important, check out in your own district. democrat or republican. democrat or republican. democrat or republican voters. that great concern, almost as much as their children is taking care of an elderly loved one who can't be left alone. medicaid contemplated at but this plan is going to help those families and create jobs for our caregivers with better wages and better benefits, continue to cycle growth. for too long we failed to use the most important word when it comes to meeting the climate crisis. jobs. jobs. jobs. applause when

i think climate change, i think jobs. the americanjobs plan will put engineers and construction workers to work building more energy efficient buildings and homes. electrical workers installing 500,000 charging stations along our highways so we can own the electric car market. farmers planting cover crops so they can reduce the carbon dioxide in the air and get paid for doing it. look, think about it. there is simply no reason why the blades from wind turbines can't be built in pittsburgh rather than beijing's. no reason. none. no reason. so, folks, there is no reason why

american workers can't lead the world and the production of electric vehicles and batteries. there is no reason! the american jobs plan batteries. there is no reason! the americanjobs plan is going to create millions of good paying jobs, jobs americans can raise a family on. as my dad would then say, with a little breathing room. and all the investments in the american job plan will be guided by one principal. buy american. buy american. and that does not violate any trade agreement. it's been the law since the thirties, buy american. american tax dollars are going to be used to buy american products made in america to create americanjobs. products made in america to create american jobs. that is

the way it is supposed to be and it will be in this administration. applause and i made it clear to all my cabinet people, their ability to give exemptions has been strenuously limited. it will be american product. now, i know, some of you at home are wondering whether these jobs are for you. so many of you, so many of the folks are grew up with feel left behind, forgotten, in the economy so rapidly changing, it's frightening. you want to speak directly to you, because you think about it. that's what people are most worried about. can either fit in. people are most worried about. can eitherfit in. independent experts estimate the american jobs plan will add millions of jobs plan will add millions of jobs and trillions of dollars to economic growth in the years to economic growth in the years to come. it is a eight year

programme. these are good paying jobs that can't be outsourced. nearly 90% of the infrastructure jobs created in the american jobs plan do infrastructure jobs created in the americanjobs plan do not require a college degree 75% don't require an associates degree. the american jobs don't require an associates degree. the americanjobs plan is a blue—collar blueprint to build america. that's what it is. and it recognises something i've always said in this chamber and the other. good guys chamber and the other. good guys and women on wall street but wall street didn't build this country. the middle class built this country and unions built this country and unions built the middle—class. so that's why i'm calling on congress to pass the right to organise act, and send it to my

desk so we can support the right to unionise. and by the way, while you're thinking about sending things to my desk, let's raise the minimum wage to $15. know one working a0 hours a week, no—one working a0 hours a week, no—one working a0 hours a week should live below the poverty line. we need to ensure greater equity and opportunity for women and while we are doing this, let's get the paycheck fairness act to my desk as well, equal pay, it's been much too long, and if you are wondering whether it has been too long, look behind you. and finally, the american jobs plan will be the biggest increase in non—defence research on record. we will see

more technological change, and some of you know more about this than i do, you will see more technological change in the next ten years then we saw in the last. that is how rapidly artificial intelligence and so much more is changing. and we are falling behind the competition with the rest of the world. decades ago, we used to invest 2% of our gross domestic product in research and development. today, mr secretary, that is less than 1%. china and other countries are closing in fast. we have two develop and dominate the products and technologies of the future. advanced batteries, biotechnology, computer chips, clean energy. the secretary of defence can tell you and those

of you who work on neser security issues no, the defence department has an agency called darpa, to develop breakthroughs that enhance our national security, that is the onlyjob and it is a semi— separate agent, it's not the defence department. admit to everything from the of the internet to gps and so much more. it's enhanced our security. the national institute of health, i believe, should create a similar advanced research projects agency for health. applause here is what it would do. it would have a singular purpose. to develop breakthroughs to

prevent, detect and treat diseases like alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. i will still never forget when we passed the cancer proposal in the last year as vice president. almost $9 million going to nih, and if you'll excuse the point of personal privilege, and after my deceased son. it meant a lot. but so many of us have to see sons and daughters and relatives who died of cancer. i can think of no more worthy investment. i know of nothing thatis investment. i know of nothing that is more bipartisan. so let's end cancer as we know it. it's within our power. it's within our power to do it. we

have i plan idea i welcome those ideas the rest of the world is not waiting for us to i want to be clear, from my perspective, doing nothing is not an option. look, we

we forget the competition we have with the rest of the world to win the 21st century. secretary blinken can tell you i've spent a lot of time with president xi. spent over 2a hours in private discussions with him. when he called to congratulate we had a two hour discussion. he is deadly earnest. 0f discussion. he is deadly earnest. of becoming the most significant consequential nation in the world. he and others, autocrats, think that democracy can't compete in the 21st—century. because it takes too long to get consensus.

with one another in my view we also need to make a once in a generation investment in our families and my children —— our children to that is why i am introducing the american families plan tonight which addresses quarter of the biggest challenges facing families in america. first is access to good education. we made 12 years of public education mandatory to get made us the best prepared nation in the world and that is what propelled us to where we got in the 20th century. but the world is catching up to they are not waiting. i would say parenthetically if we were sitting down at a bipartisan committee together and said,

ok, let's decide in terms of what we will do for government providing free education, i wonder whether we would think as we did in the 20th century, the 12 years is enough in the 21st century. i doubted. 12 years is no longer enough today. not to compete with the rest of the world in the 21st century. that is why my american families planned guarantees four additional years of public education for every person in us america starting as early as we can. the great universities of this country have conduct studies over the last ten years that show that adding two years of universal height quality preschool for every three year and four—year—old, no matter what background they come from, puts them in a position of being able to compete all the way through 12 years. and increases exponentially their prospect of graduating and going on after graduation.

research shows that when a young child goes to school, not daycare, they are likely to graduate from high school. and go to college. 0r school. and go to college. or something after high school. when you add two years of free community college on top of that you begin to change the dynamic. you can do that. and we will increase programmes and invest in historical black colleges, minority serving institutions and travel colleges to reason is they do not have the endowments. but their students are just as capable of learning about cyber security, just as capable of learning about energy and all the things that are going on to provide thosejobs in the things that are going on to provide those jobs in the future. jill was a community couege future. jill was a community college professor who teaches

today as first lady. she has long said... applause. she has long said... applause. she has long applause if i have heard it once i have heard it a thousand times. joe, any country that out educates us is going to outcompete us. she will be deeply involved in leading this effort. thank you, jill. second thing we need. american families plan provide access to quality and affordable childcare. we guarantee applause we

guarantee applause we guarantee that low and middle income families will pay no more than 7% of for high quality care for children up to the age of five. the most hard—pressed working families won't have to spend a dime to third, the american families plan will finally provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave and medical leave, family medical leave. applause. we are one of the few industrial countries in the world. no—one should have to choose between a job and a paycheck or taking care of themselves and their loved ones, parent spousal child to and fourth, the american family plan puts directly in the pockets of millions of americans. in march we expanded tax credit for every child in a family. up to $3000 for a child and if they

are under six years of age. sorry, over six years of age. and $3600 for children over six years of age. with two parents and two kids that is $7,200 in the pockets if we —— to help take care of your family. and that will help more than 65 million children and help cut childcare poverty in half. and we can afford it. applause we did that the last piece of legislation we passed but let's extend that tax credit through the end of 2025. applause the american rescue plan lowered healthcare premiums from 9 million americans who purchase the coverage under the affordable care act. i know thatis affordable care act. i know that is popular on this side of

the aisle. but let's make that provision permanent so there premiums do not rise again. applause in addition to my family's plan i want to work with congress to address, this year, other critical priorities for american families. the affordable care act has been a lifeline for millions of americans, predicting —— protecting women's health, people with pre—existing conditions in the pandemic has demonstrated how badly it is needed. let's lower the deductibles for working families under the affordable care act. and let's lower prescription drug cost. we know how to do this. the last president had that as an

objective and we all know how outrageously expensive drugs are in america. in fact, we pay the highest prescription drug prices of anywhere in the world, right here in america. nearly three times, for the same drug nearly three times what other countries pay. we have to change that, and we can. let's do what we talked about for all the years i was down here in this body, in congress. let's get medicare the power to save hundreds of billions by negotiating lower prescription drug prices. and, by the way, it won't just prescription drug prices. and, by the way, it won'tjust help people on medicare, it will lower prescription drug cost for everyone and the money that we save, billions of dollars, can go to strengthening the affordable care act, expand ready coverage benefits without costing taxpayers an additional

penny. it is within our power to do it, let's do it now. we spoke about it long enough. democrats and republicans. let us get it done this year. this is all about a simple premise, healthcare should be a right not a privilege in america. so how do we pay for myjobs and family plan?! how do we pay for myjobs and family plan? i made it clear we can do without increasing —— increasing the deficit. let's start with what i will not do. i will not impose any tax increase on people making less than $a00,000. but it is time for corporate america and the wealthiest 1% of americans to begin to pay their fair share tojust theirfair share begin to pay their fair share

to just their fair share there. sometimes i have arguments with my friends in the democratic party. i think you should be able to become a billionaire or able to become a billionaire or a millionaire. but pay your fair share. a millionaire. but pay your fairshare. recent studies a millionaire. but pay your fair share. recent studies show 55 of the nation's biggest corporations paid zero federal tax last year. those 55 corporations made in excess of $a0 billion in profit. a lot of companies also evaded taxes through tax havens in switzerland and bermuda and the cayman islands. and they benefit from tax loopholes and deductions for off shoring jobs and shifting profit overseas. it is not right. going to reform corporate taxes so they pay their fair share and help to pay for the public

investments their business will benefit from as well. applause we are going to reward work and notjust we are going to reward work and not just wealth. we are going to reward work and notjust wealth. we take the top tax bracket from the wealthiest 1% of americans, those making over $a00,000 or more backup to where it was george w bush was president, when he started, 39.6%. that is where it was when george w was president. we are going to get rid of the loopholes that allow americans to make more than $1 million a year and pay a lower tax rate on their capital gains than americans who receive a paycheck. we are only going to affect three tenths of 1% of one american —— three tenths of 1% of all americans through this activity and cracking down

on millionaires and billionaires who cheat on their taxes. it is estimated to be billions of dollars by think tanks of the left, right and centre. i am tanks of the left, right and centre. iam not looking tanks of the left, right and centre. i am not looking to punish anybody. but i will not add a tax bergen, an additional tax bergen —— burden on the middle class in this country. they are already paying enough. i believe what i propose is fair. and fiscally responsible. it raises revenue to pay for the plans that i propose will create millions ofjobs that will grow the economy and enhance our financial standing in the country. when you hear someone say they do not want to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% of all corporate america, ask them, who which text you want to raise? instead, who are we going to cut? the big tax cut of 2017, you remember it was supposed to pay

for itself. and generate vast economic growth. instead, it added $2 trillion to the deficit. it was a huge windfall for corporate america and those at the very top. instead of investing in research and development it poured billions of dollars into the pockets of ceos. in fact, the pay gap between ceos and their workers is now one of the largest in history, according to one study ceos make 320 times what the average worker in a corporation makes. it used to be below a hundred. the pandemic has only made things worse. 20 million americans lost theirjob in the pandemic. working, middle—class americans. at the same time, roughly 650 billionaires in

america saw their net worth increase by more than $1 trillion, in the same exact period. let me say again. 650 people increased their wealth by more than $1 trillion during this pandemic. and they are now worth more than $a trillion. my fellow americans. trickle—down economics has never worked and it's time to grow the economy from the bottom and the middle out. applause you know, there's a broad consensus of economists left right and centre and they agree this will generate historic economic growth stop are one of the highest values of investments we can make as a nation. i've often said, our

greatest strength is the power of our example, notjust the example of our power. may conversation with world leaders and i've spoken to over a0 of them now, i've made it known, i've made it known that america is back and you know what they say? the comment that i hear most of all from them, they say, we see america is back, but for how long? but for how long? my fellow americans, we have to show notjust that long? my fellow americans, we have to show not just that we are back, but we are back to stay, and that we aren't going to go alone. we are going to do it by meeting with our allies. know one nation can deal with all the crises of our time, cyber security, climate change, as well as what we are

experiencing now with the pandemic. there is no wall high enough to keep any virus out and our own vaccine supply as it grows will become an arsenal for vaccines for other countries, just as america is an arsenalfor democracy countries, just as america is an arsenal for democracy for the world, and by consequence influence the world. and every american will have access before that occurs. every american will have access to be fully covered by covid—19 from the vaccines we have. look, the climate crisis is not our fight alone. it's a globalfight. the united states accounts less than 50% of all carbon emissions stopping the rest of the world account for 85%. that is why i've kept my commitment

to rejoin the paris accord because if we do everything perfectly, it's not going to matter. eight kept my commitment with all the major economies of the world. china, russia, india, european union. i said i do it in my first hundred days and i want to be very blunt about it. my attempt was to make sure that the world could see there was a consensus, that we are at an inflection point in history. the consensus is, if we act to save the planet, we can create millions ofjobs and economic growth and opportunity to raise the standard of living. if you watched any of it, i'm sure you were all busy and didn't have much time, that's what virtually every nation said, even the ones that are not doing theirfair share. the

investments are proposed tonight also advance the foreign policy, and benefits the middle—class. that means making sure every nation plays by the same rules in the global economy including china. in my discussions with president xi, i told him we welcome the competition. we are not looking for conflict, but i've made absolutely clear that we will defend america's interests across the board. america will stand up to unfair trade practices and the theft of american technology and intellectual property. i also told resident xi that we will maintain a strong military presence in the indo pacific just as we do with nato and europe. not to start a conflict but to prevent one. applause i

told him what i've said too many world leaders, that america will not back away from our commitments, our commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, and i've pointed out to him, no responsible american president could remain silent when basic human rights are being so blatantly violated. an american president has to represent the essence of what our country stands for. america is an idea, the most unique idea in history. we are created all of our sequel. it's who we are. and we cannot walk away from that principle, and in fact say we are dealing with the american idea. with regard to russia, i know it concerned

some of you but i'm a very clear to president putin, not going to seek, excuse me, escalation, but their actions will have consequences if they turn out to be true and they turned out to be true. so i responded directly and proportionately to russia's interference on our elections and the cyber attacks on our government and our business. they did both of these things, and i'd told them we would respond and we have. we can also co—operate when it's our mutual interest. we did it when we extended the new start treaty on nuclear arms and we are working to do it on climate change, but he understands, we will respond. 0n iran and north korea, nuclear programmes that prevent serious threats to american security and the security of the world. we are going to be working closely with our allies to address the

threats posed by both of these countries, through diplomacy as well as stern deterrence. and american leadership means ending the forever war in afghanistan. without hyperbole, we have the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. i'm the first president in a0 years who knows what it means to have a son serving in a war zone. today we have servicemembers serving in the same war zone as their parents did. we have servicemembers in afghanistan who were not yet born on 911 stopping the war in afghanistan were never meant to be multigenerational undertakings of nationbuilding. we went to afghanistan to get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. and we said we would

follow a summer bin laden to the gates of hell to do at. if you've been in the upper canal valley you've kind of seen the gates of hell. and after 20 years of value, valour and sacrifice, it's time to bring those troops home. look... applause even as we do we will continue to protect threats to the homeland. those in the intelligence committees, foreign relations committee, defence committees, you know well, we have to remain vigilant against threats to the

united states wherever they come from. al-qaeda and isis are in yemen, syria, somalia. 0ther are in yemen, syria, somalia. other places in the middle east and beyond. and we won't ignore what our intelligence agency determines to be the most lethal terrorist threat to our homeland today. white supremacy is terrorism. we are not going to ignore that either. my fellow americans, look. we have to come together to heal the soul of this nation it was nearly a year ago before her father's funeral when i spoke to gianna floyd, george floyd's daughter. she is a little tyke, so why was kneeling down to talk to her. she looked me in the eye and said, my daddy changed the world. well, after the conviction of george floyd's murderer, we can see how right she was f, if we have

the courage to act as congress. we have all seen the knee of justice on the neck of black americans are stopping now is our opportunity to make some real progress. the vast majority of men and women wearing a badge serve our communities honourably. i know them. applause i know they want to help meet this moment as well. my fellow americans, we have to come together to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve. to weed out systemic racism and our criminaljustice racism and our criminal justice system racism and our criminaljustice system and an act of pflaum and george floyd's name that passed the house already. i know

republicans have their own ideas and are engaged in a very productive discussion with democrats in the senate. we need to work together to find a consensus, but let's get it done next month, by the first anniversary of george floyd's death. the country supports this reform and congress should act, should act. we have a giant opportunity to bend the ark of the moral universe towards justice, ark of the moral universe towardsjustice, real ark of the moral universe towards justice, realjustice. and with the plans outlined tonight, we have a real chance tonight, we have a real chance to root out systemic racism that played america and american lives in other ways of stopping the chance to deliver real equity. goodjobs, stopping the chance to deliver real equity. good jobs, good schools, affordable housing, clean air, clean water, being able to generate wealth and power down two generations because you haven't had access

to purchase a house stopping more opportunities in the lives of more americans, black, white, latina, native americans. want to thank the united states senate for voting 9a-1 to united states senate for voting 9a—1 to pass covid—19 patrons at two protect asian—americans and pacific islanders. —— covid-19 eight and pacific islanders. —— covid—19 eight crimes act. you can see on television the viciousness and the hate crimes. are urged the house to do the same and send that legislation to my desk which they will gladly, anxiously sign. i also hope congress will get to my desk the equality act two protect lgbtq americans. for all transgender americans watching at home especially young people, you are so brave,

they want you to know, your president has your back. another thing, let's authorise the violence against women act which has been law for 27 years. 27 years ago i wrote it. it will close the act that has to be authorised now, it will close the boyfriend loophole, to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. the court said, this is an abuser you can't hold a gun. is too close that loophole that existed. you know, it is estimated that 50 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner every month in america. 50 a month. let's pass it and save some lives. and i

need not tell anyone this but gun violence has been an epidemic in america. a flag at the white house is still playing at half—mast the eight victims in georgia when ten more lives were taken in colorado and the weekend between those two events, 250 other americans were shot dead in the streets of america. 250, shot dead. i know how hard it is to make progress on this issue. we passed universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high—capacity magazines that high—ca pacity magazines that hold 100 high—capacity magazines that hold 100 rounds that can be fired off in seconds. we beat the nra, mass shootings and gun violence declines stopping to cut the report over ten years. but the law expired and we have

seen daily bloodshed since. i'm not saying of the law had continued we wouldn't see bloodshed. more than two weeks ago and the rose garden, surrounded by some of the bravest people i know, survivors and families who lost loved ones to gun violence, i laid out several actions that have been taken to impact on this epidemic. 0ne have been taken to impact on this epidemic. one of them is banning so—called ghost guns. these are home—made guns built from a that includes directions for how to finish the firearm. the parts have no serial numbers so they show up at crime scenes and they can't be traced. the buyers of these ghost gun kids are not required to pass background checks. anyone, from criminal to a terrorist can purchase this kid and within 30 minutes have a weapon that is gleeful. but no more. and i will do everything in my power

to from this epidemic of gun violence but it is time for congress to act as well. applause i don't want to become confrontational but we need more senate republicans to join the overwhelming majority of my democratic colleagues and close the loopholes required in background checks on gun purchases. we need to ban high assault high—capacity assault weapons. don't tell me it cannot be done today we did it before and it worked. speak to most responsible gun openers and hunters, they tell you there is no justification and hunters, they tell you there is nojustification for having 100 rounds in a weapon. do you think dear are wearing kevlar vests? i tell you, too

many people around able to buy a gun who were not able —— should not be able to buy a gun. these reforms have support from american people including many gun owners. the country respond —— supports reform and congress should act. should not be a red or blue issue. and no amendment to the constitution is absolute. you cannot yell fire in a crowded theatre. from the very beginning there were certain guns and weapons that could not be owned by americans. certain people could not own those weapons ever. not changing the constitution. being reasonable. ithink changing the constitution. being reasonable. i think this is not a democrat or republican issue, it is an american issue. and here is what else we can do. immigration has always been essential to america. let's end our exhausting war on

immigration. for over 30 years politicians have talked about immigration reform and we have done nothing about it. it is time to fix it. on day one of my presidency i keep my commitments in a comprehensive immigration bill for the congress. if you believe we need to secure the border it hasn't. if you believe in a pathway to citizenship, past said so that 11 million undocumented folks, the vast majority who are here overstaying visas. pass it. if you want to solve a problem i have sent a bill, take a close look at it. we need to get at the root problem of why people flee, particularly people at our southern border, what are my lauren el salvador. the hurricane's earthquakes little instability, hunger, natural disaster. when i was president, when i was vice president, the

president asked me to focus on providing help to prevent the root causes of migration and it helped keep people in their own countries instead of being forced to leave. the plan was working. but the last administration decided it was not worth it. i am restoring the programme and i asked vice president harris to lead our diplomatic effort to take care of this. i have confidence she will get thejob done. of this. i have confidence she will get the job done. if you do not like my plan let's at least pass what we all agree on. congress needs to pass legislation this year to finally secure protection for dreamers. applause who have only known america as their home. and permanent protection for immigrants who are here on temporary protective status who came from countries%

man—made and natural made violence and disaster. as well as a pathway to citizenship for the farmworkers who put food on our tables. the farmworkers who put food on ourtables. immigrants the farmworkers who put food on our tables. immigrants have done so much for america during this pandemic and throughout our history. the country supports immigration reform. we should act. let's argue over it and debated let's act. and if we truly wanted restored, the soul of america, we need to protect the sacred right to vote. applause more people voted in the last presidential election than at any time in american history and in the middle of the worst pandemic ever. it should be celebrated and instead it is being attacked. congress should pass

h are one and thejohn lewis voting right bill and send it to my desk right away. the country supports it and congress should act now. in closing, as we gather here tonight, members of a violent mob assaulting our capital remain vivid in our minds. lives were put at risk, many of your lives. lives were lost. extraordinary committed —— courage was summoned. it was an existential crisis, a test on whether our democracy could survive and it did. but the struggle is question of whether our democracy will long endure is both ancient and urgent. as is our republic. still vital today, canal democracy deliver on its promise that all of us created equal in the image of

god have a chance to lead lives of dignity, respect and possibility? canal democracy deliver to the most pressing needs of our people? canal democracy overcome the lies, angen democracy overcome the lies, anger, hate and fears that pull us apart. america's adverse areas, the autocrats of the world are betting that we cannot and i promise you they are betting we cannot. they believe we are full of anger and division and rage. they look at the images of the mob that assaulted the capital is proof that the sun is setting on american democracy. but they are wrong. you know it and i know it. but we have to prove them wrong. we have to prove that democracy still works and the government works and we can deliverfor the government works and we can deliver for our the government works and we can deliverfor our people. the government works and we can deliver for our people. in office 100 days together we have acted to restore people's faith democracy to deliver. we vaccinated a nation. we created hundreds of thousands of new jobs. we deliver real results to people and they can see it

in their own lives. 0pening doors of opportunity, guarantees of more fairness and justice. that is the essence of america. that is democracy in action. 0ur constitution opens with the words, as trite as it sounds, we the people. it is time to remember that we the people are the government. you and i. not some force in a distant capital, not some powerful force that we have no control over. it is us! we, the people! and in another era in our democracy was tested, franklin roosevelt reminded us in america we do our part. we all do our part. and that is all do our part. and that is all i am asking. that we do our part, all of us. if we do that we will meet the senate challenge of the age by proving that democracy is durable and strong. autocrats will not win the future, we will, america will. in the future belongs to

america. as i stand here tonight before you in a new and vital hour of life and democracy of our nation and i can say with confidence that i have never been more confident or optimistic about america. not because i am president but because of what is happening with the american people. we have stared into the abyss of insurrection and autocracy, pandemic and we the people did not flinch. the very moment our adverse areas were certain we would pull apart and fail, we came together and reunited. with light and hope we summoned a new strength, new resolve. to position us to win our competition in the 21st century. 0n competition in the 21st century. on our way to a union more perfect, more prosperous and morejust as more perfect, more prosperous and more just as one more perfect, more prosperous and morejust as one people, one nation and one america.

folks, as i told every world level —— leader i ever met, it has never been a good lead to bet against america and it still is not. we are the united states of america. there is not a single thing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity. we can do whatever we set our mind to if we do it together. so let's begin to get together. bless you all and may god protect our troops. thank you for your patience. joe biden, the a6th president of the united states giving his first address to a joint session of congress, what we normally call a state of the union address, he is putting his mask back on as soon as he finishes his speech, a reminder that this address comes in a time of covid and he started the address talking about the

accomplishments of his first 100 days in office. of course it is a very different america that he can talk about now towards the end of april than it would have been if he had given this address at the normal timejust a few given this address at the normal time just a few days after taking office when we were still in the thick of the pandemic with very few people vaccinated. now he can talk about the accomplishments of his administration, the number of people who have been vaccinated, the big stimulus bill, the recovery package that he got past that money has really gone, $1a00 bills and he spoke about those. much of this speech was focused on his ambitious plans to reshape american society and the american society and the american economy. and he spoke about the need to grow the american economy from the middle up and he criticised the former administration for enacting tax cuts the basically helped rich americans. several times during the course of the speed she could hear the theme

that came out, he wants to try to help working—class and americans and, yes, there will be a cost to the wealthiest americans in this country in the form of a tax hike for the wealthiest americans in the country. let'sjoin my country. let's join my colleague country. let'sjoin my colleague who is listening to this there on capitol hill. joe biden, again, i'm sure the nominee to be holding hands or touching each other but they are fist pumping there in congress. that was a one hour and ten minutes address, a long one by the standards of these even though there were not many people in the hall and so the amount of applause was bound to be less, there were fewer people, i'm told that was an hourin people, i'm told that was an hour in four minutes. i guess we got in a little eight. he really made the pitch for this big infrastructure and families act that he wants congress to pass, didn't he? i act that he wants congress to pass, didn't he?— pass, didn't he? i thought of ou as i pass, didn't he? i thought of

you as i saw _ pass, didn't he? i thought of you as i saw him _ pass, didn't he? i thought of you as i saw him coming - pass, didn't he? i thought of you as i saw him coming in l pass, didn't he? i thought of. you as i saw him coming in and fist pumping several times, not just once and i thought, oh my goodness if katie is watching i am she has something to say. it was interesting watching the reaction, actually. basically it was the democrats who would stand up and applaud and you could see the republicans sitting in place and that speaks to how divided politics are at the moment here in the capital, in the heart of american democracy. something that really stood out to me was when the president said trickle—down economics does not work. it is time to rebuild from the bottom and the middle classes, essentially and that is really the premise of his reimagining and reshaping of the social welfare, social benefit system, the american families plan and the american jobs plan and you are right, he set it up by speaking about all of his achievements, talking

about the vaccinations and also talking about the covid relief bill and the money he was able to get into american�*s pockets and talking about what he wanted to do in terms of education and where the money would come from. he said he had no objection to their being billionaires but they needed to pay their way. joe biden setting up where we have come from and you are right, he may not have been able to have, to talk about such achievements with such gusto had he done this speech earlier when traditionally held and then he used that to set up this really, this agenda of reform, of reform and change from a president who said he was about transition. let me explain to our viewers what seeing on the screen here. you have to remember thatjoe biden has spent years working on capitol hill as a senator so he knows a lot of the people he is talking to. all my colleagues of his before he was barack 0bama's vice president,

he served up there in the senate. he probably doesn't get to see them very often. he is now president. when you are president you get to see people less often than you might hear somebody who likes to see people, loves human interaction. is very much a people politician. love the back—and—forth and give—and—ta ke. back—and—forth and give—and—take. he is known as somebody who hugs, remembers people's names and is very good at calling you up if your family yourfamily is in trouble. here he is relishing these few moments that he has to get out of the white house in the time of a pandemic and actually chat to his former colleagues and the politicians he would normally love to surround himself with. so he is lingering, he is enjoying the moment that he can do whatjoe biden enjoys most about politics and that is building relationships. i politics and that is building relationships.— politics and that is building relationships. i have got two screens. _ screens, one over there and what are my phone. i am watching the president, not much social distancing happening there. you're right

though, he does seem to be relishing the opportunity to talk to colleagues again and does what he does so well and you know more than anyone else thatjoe biden is a politician who is about relationships and about working across the aisle. we heard that he is planning to hold bipartisan talks about the reform agenda, the two bills that he wants to push through. talking to democrats and republicans as well. he had said that he wanted to be a president for republicans and democrats, for red and blue. whether or not he will be able to get republicans on side in terms of getting this ambitious agenda group remains to be seen. he is also facing challenges from both more moderate people and from the more progressive wing within his party. so it will be a tricky road trying to navigate this and trying to get these two proposals through but certainly for the moment, joe biden it certainly seems to be

relishing the moment. yes and he was chatting _ relishing the moment. yes and he was chatting there, - relishing the moment. yes and he was chatting there, first - he was chatting there, first of a republican senator actually, talking to democrats but also talking to democrats but also talking to democrats but also talking to republicans. he spent quite a lot of times chatting to senator rob portman, the tall gentleman in the background. and he was speaking tojim clyburn. in some ways, joe biden owes the fact that he is president of the united states to that elderly african—american gentleman with the red thai who has just been chatting to as he leaves the chamber. hasjust been chatting to as he leaves the chamber. absolutely. it was really _ leaves the chamber. absolutely. it was really striking _ leaves the chamber. absolutely. it was really striking to - leaves the chamber. absolutely. it was really striking to me - leaves the chamber. absolutely. it was really striking to me as i it was really striking to me as well that he made a point in his speech talking about racial justice and racial injustice. this is the second or third time i have heard him call that specifically the systemic racism in law enforcement. and it is quite something for a president of the united states to not once but twice to talk about that and talk about senators specifically to pass

the police reform bill in george floyd's name, saying that this is an opportunity for change. but that was really a striking change in tone from the administration before. and i am not sure even whether barack 0bama would have been able to quite so strikingly say that this is what it is, it is systemic racism and this is what we need to do about it. i thought that was very interesting also. he spent a lot of time talking about gun control and the need for congress to do things that he called just reasonable. he spoke as well about george floyd and police brutality only country's systemic racism. he spoke about the voting rights act and spoke about foreign policy was not he spoke about china and russia and the threat that china opposes to the united states, the competitive advantage they are building for themselves and the need for the united states to deal with that. so there was a little bit

on foreign policy but the vast, overwhelming majority of his speech was about, as he set up one point, jobs, jobs, jobs and america's middle—class. let's talk to a democratic strategist who worked on capitol hill herself for many years. amanda, listening to this, and listening to this, and listening to this, and listening to the president speu listening to the president spell out, albeit in conciliatory language sometimes, he gave credit a few times to his republican colleagues for trying to work with him. but this was a very bold democratic agenda as we thought it was going to be. it was and i was surprised that he did spend most of his time really talking to the chamber itself, making the case for why what he was doing was really important, for why it could actually lead to a different kind of result. it was also quite stark the differences. it was trickle—down versus bottom—up. it was, we are going to on the world stage find our allies versus go it alone.

these differences that he really laid out of why he is different to predecessors and that he is trying to achieve here. ifound that that he is trying to achieve here. i found that to be that he is trying to achieve here. ifound that to be really quite compelling and stark and really trying to make the case with folks he has worked with before to say, along with me, these are things that are really needed right now. i was also quite surprised to see what a strong, disciplined stands republicans had against child poverty. things that you would normally see as a really awkward moment for republicans, do we stand or sit and they were very clearly sitting in those moments. i think everybody was looking at romney to see what he would be doing but for the most part, you really did see a very clear bipartisan response to everything he was saying, even those moral, moral lines that joe biden has that usually is able to reach into friendships and relationships. wejust and relationships. we just didn't and relationships. wejust didn't see that tonight and i think that is a message that the team will see in the white

house as they start to build their agenda going forward. there are a few key senators. i was watching joe manchin, the senator from west virginia who has so much power in the senate. he is thought of as the 50th bode, is if you like and he was taking notes before the speech started and i thought it was interesting to see, i would love to know what was going through his mind. the other thing that struck me as interesting, and maybe it is the comparison to the last administration but he was not making any bones about who is going to pay for this. that was in terms of taxes. he spoke about the iniquity of the previous administration's tax cuts going towards wealthiest americans. he talked about raising the tax bracket for the wealthiest americans. this was a speech aimed at the middle class only class but it was also a speech that was critical of the injustice of the system in america that has allowed so many people to get so much wealthier than the people who

are working for them. . wealthier than the people who are working for them.- wealthier than the people who are working for them. , that is riaht are working for them. , that is right and _ are working for them. , that is right and if— are working for them. , that is right and if you _ are working for them. , that is right and if you heard - are working for them. , that is right and if you heard biden i right and if you heard biden throughout his entire career, he often talks about when his dad came home and said i lost myjob. that is who he is at the core and so you saw that player today with poor versus rich or working—class versus rich, families versus corporations and really talking about this idea that we need to get back to fairness. these were all of the messages that he actually had as president but really throughout the course of his career and you're seeing this now in action. i got to say, as he went through each of those proposals, the depth of those proposals in terms of really looking at what you need for childcare, what you need for childcare, what you need for education and looking at that with a lens of communities that have been left out was quite remarkable. it was actually very smart, well thought out. now the question is going to be, does he have partners on the other side or can he bring ajoe manchin along. there is no surprise thatjoe manchin was taking notes and answer raised to make

sure all america wanted to see those notes and i because that will be a big answer in terms of what he can pass and not pass on a lot of the things he laid out tonight.— pass on a lot of the things he laid out tonight. amanda, it is so interesting _ laid out tonight. amanda, it is so interesting that _ laid out tonight. amanda, it is so interesting that you - laid out tonight. amanda, it is so interesting that you and - so interesting that you and lebo are so smart to pick up on and i'm so glad that you did. it was the line, my fellow americans, trickle—down economics has never worked. it strikes me that it reminds me of a line that comes from a previous democratic president in a previous state of the union in the 1990s. of course, it was bill clinton saying, my fellow americans, the era of big government is over. what a seachange. we had president clinton saying the era of big government is over, heralding the democrats trumpeting deficit reduction, reducing government and now we havejoe biden coming in with a similarly memorable line but from the other end of the political and economic spectrum. political and economic spectrum-— political and economic sectrum. , . ., political and economic sectrum. ~ ., spectrum. yes and i think what ou will spectrum. yes and i think what you will hear— spectrum. yes and i think what you will hear in _ spectrum. yes and i think what you will hear in democratic- you will hear in democratic circles is when you actually look at what is happening from

clinton to now and those gaps within the economic inequality issues, the gaps within racial justice, the gaps ofjust clean water, who has access to clean water, who has access to clean water and who can go to college stop healthcare outcomes, all of that, people have known this for a while now and what happens during the pandemic, it really did surface. people were talking about it, marching about it. it created a different kind of environment where folks like i really understands now, he was out on the trail talking to people and he really understood that this is now a problem for all of us to solve and it is time now to bend that curve back to families and back to making sure that we are bringing people into the fold and back to a bottom—up approach which is what you heard tonight. fiifi is what you heard tonight. 0k, amanda, thank— is what you heard tonight. 0k, amanda, thank you _ is what you heard tonight. 0k, amanda, thank you for the moment. of course, it is a stark difference to from 2008 to 2009 and the financial crash and the rescue package that was put into place than when america didn't really address

the problems of inequality. in fact, financial inequality has grown since 2008 and there are many around joe biden, particularly in the progressive wing of the democratic party who feel this is a lost opportunity and now is the time to change that. let's go back to change that. let's go back to capitol hill because senator tim scott who is from the state of south carolina, traditionally you have republicans give the rebuttal to the president's state of the union and tonight it is coming from senator tim scott. fiur from senator tim scott. our president — from senator tim scott. our president seems _ from senator tim scott. our president seems like - from senator tim scott. oi" president seems like a good man. his speech was full of good words by 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. this was the pitch, you just heard it again at our nation is starving for more than empty platitudes. we need policies and progress that brings us closer together. but

three months in, the actions of the president and his party are pulling us further and further apart. i won't waste your time with finger—pointing or partisan bickering. you can get that on tv anytime you want. i want to have an honest conversation about common sense and common ground, about this feeling that our nation is sliding off a shared foundation and how we move forward together. growing up, i never dreamt i would be standing here tonight. when i was a kid, my parents divorced, my mother and my brother and i moved in with my brother and i moved in with my grandparents, three of us sharing a single bedroom. i was disillusioned and angry and i nearly failed out of school. but i was blessed. first with a mom. msa lists, to the single mothers out there who are working their tails, working hard, trying to make ends meet wondering if it is worth it?

first, let me say this. god bless your amazing effort on the part of your kids. i was also blessed by a skilful operator and finally with a string of opportunities that are only possible here in america. this past year, i have watched covid attack every wrong of —— rung of the ladder that held me up. so many families have lost parents and grandparents too early. so many small businesses have gone under. becoming a christian transformed my life before months, too many churches were shut down. most of all, i am saddened that millions of kids have lost a year of learning when they could not afford to lose a single day. locking vulnerable kids out of the classroom is locking adults out of their future. our public schools should have reopened months ago. other countries did, private and religious

schools did, science has shown four months that schools are safe. but too often, powerful grown—ups set science aside and kids like me were left behind. the clearest case i have seen for school choice in our lifetime is because we know that education is the closest thing to magic in america. last year, under republican leadership, we passed five bipartisan covid packages. congress supported our schools, hospitals, saved our economy and funded 0peration warp speed, delivering vaccines in record time. all five deals got 90, 90 votes in the senate. common sense found common ground. in february, republicans told president biden that we wanted to keep working together to finish this fight but democrats wanted to go it alone. they spent almost

$2 trillion on a bipartisan bill that the white house act was the most liberal bill in american history. 0nly1% 20 vaccinations, no requirement to reopen schools properly. covid brought congress together five times stop this administration pushed us apart. 0n times stop this administration pushed us apart. on other issues that should unite us is infrastructure. republican support everything you think of when you think of infrastructure. roads, bridges, ports, airports, waterways. high—speed wideband. we are in for all of that. but again, democrats —— broadband, they want a partisan wishlist. they won't even build bridges to build bridges. less than 6% of the president's plan goes to roads and bridges. it is a liberal wishlist of the government waste, plus, the biggestjob killing tax hikes in a generation.

experts say when all is said and done, it would lower wages for the average american worker and hurt our economy. tonight we also heard about a so—called family plan, even more taxing, more spending, to put washington even more in the middle of your life from the cradle to college. the beauty of the american dream is that families get to define it for themselves. we should be expanding opportunities and options for all families, expanding opportunities and options forall families, not options for all families, not throwing options forall families, not throwing money at certain issues because democrats think they know best. infrastructure spending shrinks our economy, it is not common sense. weakening our southern waters and creating a crisis is not compassionate. the president is also abandoning principles he has held for decades. now he

says your tax dollars should fund abortions. he is laying groundwork to pad the supreme court. this is not common ground. nowhere do we need common ground more desperately than in our discussions of race. i have experienced the pain of discrimination. i know what it feels like to be pulled overfor what it feels like to be pulled over for no reason, what it feels like to be pulled overfor no reason, to be followed around the store while shopping. i remember every morning at the kitchen table my grandfather would open the newspaper and read it, but later i realised he had never learned to read. hejust later i realised he had never learned to read. he just wanted to set the right example. i have also experienced a different kind of intolerance. i have been called uncle tom and the n word by progressives and the n word by progressives and liberals. just last week a national newspaper suggested that my family's property was

actually privilege because my relatives own land generations before my time. believe me, i know first and our pain is real. after the shooting of walter scott, i wrote a bill to fund body cameras. last year after the deaths of rhianna taylor and george floyd i built an even bigger police reform proposal, but my democratic colleagues blocked it. i extended an olive branch, i offered amendments but democrats due to philip bester —— used a filibuster to block debate. they wanted to stop the issue more than they wanted a solution. but i am still working and i am hoping this will be different. when america comes together we have made tremendous progress, but powerful forces want to pull us apart. 100 years ago kids and classrooms were taught the colour of their skin was the

most important characteristic. if they look a certain way, they were inferior. today, kids are being taught that the colour of their skin to find them again, and if they look a certain way, they are an oppressor. from colleges to corporations to our culture, people are making money and gaining power by pretending that we have not made any progress at all. by doubling down on divisions we have worked so hard to heal. you know this stuff is wrong. hear me clearly. america is not a racist country. is to fight discrimination with different types of discrimination. is wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present. i am an african—american who has voted in the south my entire life. i take voting rights personally. republicans support making it

easier to vote and harder to cheat. and so do the voters. big majorities of americans support early voting and big majorities support voter id, including african—americans and hispanics. commonsense makes common ground, but today, this conversation has collapsed. 0f conversation has collapsed. of georgia passed a law that expands early voting, preserves no excuse mail in voting and despite what the president claimed, did not reduce election bailouts. if you actually read this law, it will be made clear, it will be easier to vote early in georgia than in democrat run new york. but the left doesn't want you to know that. they want people yelling about a law they haven't even passed. fact checkers have called out of the white house on their statements. the president claimed that this is worse.

what is going on here? i will tell you. a washington power grab. this misplaced outrage is supposed to justify democrats taking over elections for all 50 states. it would send public funds to political campaigns you disagree with, and make the bipartisan federal elections commission parties in. this is not about civil rights or ira shall passed. it's about rigging elections in the future. the same filibuster that president 0bama and president biden praised when they were senators, the same filibuster that the democrats used to kill my police reform bill last year has not suddenly become a racist relicjust because the shoe is now on the other foot. because the shoe is now on the otherfoot. race is not a political weapon to settle every issued the way one side

once. it is far too important. there should be a joyful springtime for this administration inherited a tide that had already turned. the coronavirus is on the run. thanks to operation warp speed and the trump administration, our country is flooded with safe and effective vaccines. thanks to our bipartisan work last year, job openings are rebounding, so why do we feel so divided? anxious? a nation with so much cause for hope should not feel so heavy laden. a president who promised to bring us together should not be pushing agendas that tear us apart. the american family deserves better, and we know what better looks like. just before covid we had the most inclusive economy in my lifetime, the lowest

unemployment rate ever recorded. african—americans, hispanics and asians at a 70 year low, and for women. wages were growing faster at the bottom then at the top! the bottom then at the top! the bottom 25% saw their wages go up bottom 25% saw their wages go up faster than the top 25%. that happened because republicans focused on expanding opportunity for all americans. in addition to that, we passed opportunity zones, criminaljustice reform, and criminal justice reform, and permanent criminaljustice reform, and permanent funding for historically black colleges and universities for the first time ever. we fought the drug epidemic, rebuild the military and cut taxes for working families, single mums like the one that raised me. our best future will not come from washington schemes or socialist dreams. it will come from you the american people. black, hispanic, white and asian,

republican and democrat, brave police officers and black neighbours, we are not adverse aries. we are family. we are all in this together and we get to live in the greatest country on earth, a country where my grandfather and his 9a years saw his family go from cotton to congress in one lifetime! so i am more than hopeful. i am confident that our finest hour has yet to come. 0riginal sin is never the end of the story. not in our souls and not for our nation. the real story is always redemption. i am standing here because my mother has carried me through some really tough times. i believe our nation has succeeded in the same way because generations of americans in their own ways

have asked for praise and guys, god has supplied it. i will close with a a worship song that really helped me through this past year of covid. the music is new but the words are drawn from scripture. may the lord bless you and keep you, make his face two face shine upon you and be gracious to you. make his presence go before you and behind you and beside you. in your weeping and your rejoicing. he is for you. make his favour be upon our nation for a thousand generations and your family and your children and their children. good night and god bless. . . , children. good night and god bless. ., ,, ., ., bless. that was senator tim scott of south _ bless. that was senator tim scott of south carolina, - bless. that was senator tim scott of south carolina, the | scott of south carolina, the only other american senator in

the senate, from the republicans, who was giving the defence from the republican party, the rebuttal, it is known as, against president biden's speech. a lot of the time he spent talking about racialjustice in the country, something he is working on with democrats, on that racial justice bell. i enjoy now from capitol hill by the democratic congresswoman for the state of pennsylvania. i am just looking here at some of the analysis of this and it says that president biden used the word jobs in his speech a3 times. it was a radical speech, delivered by a man not known for his radicalism. i man not known for his radicalism.— man not known for his radicalism. ., ., , ., radicalism. i thought it was a wonderful — radicalism. i thought it was a wonderful night _ radicalism. i thought it was a wonderful night and - radicalism. i thought it was a wonderful night and a - radicalism. i thought it was a i wonderful night and a wonderful speech, very different from past states of the union addresses, especially different from the last administration. you are right. the president use the word jobs over and over again, using the word families

over and over again, again, using the word families overand overagain, he again, using the word families over and over again, he talked about those who are poor, about educating our children, so i thought it was a visionary set of statements coming from all of statements coming from all of the bills that we passed, then the american rescue plan, and what's next is the american jobs plan for investment in our infrastructure and following that, the american families plan, with a focus on education. if we get education right in this country we will get everything right. those three plans _ get everything right. those three plans that _ get everything right. those three plans that you - get everything right. those three plans that you just i three plans that you just outlined, if you love them all together they come to something like $6 trillion. you are on the financial services committees i'm sure you are interested in this and the unknown is whether you spend that much money you drive up inflation, overstimulate the american economy. it is a risk that the president is taking, isn't it? i that the president is taking, isn't it? ., , that the president is taking, isn't it? ,, , ., isn't it? i think it is a bold move, isn't it? i think it is a bold move. i— isn't it? i think it is a bold move, i don't _ isn't it? i think it is a bold move, i don't know - isn't it? i think it is a bold move, i don't know about| isn't it? i think it is a bold - move, i don't know about the risk. i know he is interested in managing risks, as are the

feds and the secretary of treasury. everybody will be looking at debt deficits and inflation but what these three bills will do is actually be an incredible economic engine. they will bring in revenues as we spend money appropriately to grow our economy, to growjobs, educate our kids, i think it is disappointing that the american rescue plan passed without a single republican vote, imagine if they didn't support $120 billion to our schools, federal money to our schools after a year of such difficulty, and so much more. yes, we have to be concerned with how we pay for it, there are very reasonable ways to get the revenues to pay for it, like collecting uncollected corporate taxes and individual taxes, uncollected corporate taxes and individualtaxes, but uncollected corporate taxes and individual taxes, but we will find the revenues, we will spread this out over the course, we laid out a plan of eight years, this is a bold transformational, generational investment. this is the kind of thing i came to congress to do, not suffer a pandemic but in

the face of the kind of adversary, to make sure that we meet the moment with a bold, progressive, transformational, generational investment in our future. ., ., ., judiciary committee, and up in the senate i know that tim scott the republican has just given the rebuttal, he is working with the white house to come up with a police reform bill that the house has already passed but the senate will then be able to pass. he was making a very forceful argument, saying there is no racism, america is not a racist country, and that the way the democrats have not managed to meet republicans halfway, he said he had already proposed ways to try to stop police brutality in this country and democrats had not met him halfway. there is a dissatisfaction among republicans that president biden says that he is for bipartisanship, for bringing the country together and ending noise republicans does what he wants to do. on this issue of

police reform in criminal justice, are democratsjust trying to do what they want to do and ignore people like tim scott? ., ., ., ., scott? not at all, and in fact i think scott? not at all, and in fact i think you — scott? not at all, and in fact i think you know _ scott? not at all, and in fact i think you know the - scott? not at all, and in fact - i think you know the chairwoman is working closely with the senate, with the senator himself on the george floyd justice and policing. what i believe should come forward is not the obstacle of you are not working with me enough, it should be how can we work together to solve these problems? we know that we suffer in this country systemic racism, people of colour, people who are poor are more likely to be injured by police and sadly we have seen the extraordinary deaths of so many black and brown people, men and women at the hands of police. we can do better. the george floyd justice and policing act, it would finally make lynching a federal crime. this congress has been trying to do that for more than 100 years. why would not senator scott embrace that? it would create a database for

bad actors so that a cop could not move from one municipality to the other after being involved in violence and illegal acts. involved in violence and illegalacts. i involved in violence and illegal acts. i cannot imagine why we don't take the politics out of that and say how do we save lives? how do we make sure that our police are trained with the best training to meet this moment and to not systemically be bigoted against the people that they meet. we have to work together, so i hope and i believe, i have talked with karen bass, i believe that scott is doing his best to work with the house and with the white house to make sure that we make a difference. george floyd's death has to have made a difference, just as the president said tonight. thank you very much congresswoman. democratic congresswoman. democratic congresswoman madeline dean there. let's get a window into the presidency and bring in a member of the past

administration. brian lanza was four medications direct dial president trump's transition team. great to have you on the program brian. it was interesting to listen to that rebuttal from tim scott. interesting to listen to that rebuttalfrom tim scott. at interesting to listen to that rebuttal from tim scott. at the very beginning he said, speaking of president biden, he said he promised to unite a nation, to lower the temperature in govan for all americans no matter how we voted. he certainly lowered the temperature but i'm not sure he has done much to unite all americans, has he?- has done much to unite all americans, has he? no. good evening- _ americans, has he? no. good evening- i— americans, has he? no. good evening. i don't _ americans, has he? no. good evening. i don't think- americans, has he? no. good evening. i don't think that - americans, has he? no. good evening. i don't think that is l evening. i don't think that is joe biden's priority. he is a 50-50 joe biden's priority. he is a 50—50 senate, knows he has a small window and has a brief amount of time to push as much as possible to be this transformative president he tra nsformative president he wants transformative president he wants to be and that is what we're seeing. the saturday bed earlier. it the complete russell bill clinton's speech saying the era of big government's over and this is the era of arriving. he needs assistance. we have a 50—50 congress and

senator manchin is going to pay a significant role republicans will play a role. the expansion is unprecedented.— will play a role. the expansion is unprecedented. brian, do you think he can _ is unprecedented. brian, do you think he can do _ is unprecedented. brian, do you think he can do it. _ is unprecedented. brian, do you think he can do it. he _ is unprecedented. brian, do you think he can do it. he laid - is unprecedented. brian, do you think he can do it. he laid out. think he can do it. he laid out a very ambitious plan to reshape the american economy. reshape american society really make it a little bit more european in a sense of having a bigger social safety net for families and people with children. do you think you can do it? i children. do you think you can do it? ., children. do you think you can do it? «i , ., ., , do it? i think is going to try. i think do it? i think is going to try. i think he — do it? i think is going to try. i think he is _ do it? i think is going to try. i think he is going _ do it? i think is going to try. i think he is going to - do it? i think is going to try. i think he is going to use - i think he is going to use every leather available as a government to push that and i think is going to opposition. that is what this town for, to provide and slow down the wheels of government. that is why you have the checks and balances that you have. you have joe balances that you have. you havejoe biden and senatorjoe manchin and the senator from arizona and you have the courts. as much as he wants to try, he is going to try regardless and look at what he

is trying to do with the supreme court in trying to expand it. there are going to be steps along the way that are going to stop him. and that is the way the process should be. when joe the way the process should be. whenjoe biden ran in the primaries, he was up against a whole group of democrats who were far more progressive, scene is far more to the left that he was and yet i was going through the speech and time and again, joe biden was basically saying that rich people have too much money and poor people don't have enough money and guess what we're going to make rich people pay. that sounded like the left of the democratic party, did and it? it like the left of the democratic party, did and it?— party, did and it? it sounds very french _ party, did and it? it sounds very french of _ party, did and it? it sounds very french of him. - party, did and it? it sounds very french of him. it - party, did and it? it sounds very french of him. it is - party, did and it? it sounds i very french of him. it is quite amazing. you're right, it is this european look on many levels. if you really step back and take a look at it. the democratic party has always been about higher taxes and expanding government. we have always had the cycles where you have eight years or four years with presidents that deal with that. i think the smartness that. i think the smartness thatjoe biden's team is that

they know they have a small window to offer a transformative government and tra nsformative government and they transformative government and they know that they don't have much wiggle room so they are just going full speed ahead, regardless of republicans wanting to engage. there is not a lot of trust here in dc. i think democrats looking at republicans engagement as a way to delay the process until public opinion sways and speed kills. it kills in sport and in politics. i thinkjoe biden is going to push it as fast as possible and make sure whatever opposition that exists doesn't have any time to expand and ultimately derail his agenda. he doesn't have four years to do it and next year is an election so the tricky issues may not even come to the forefront next year. he has, what, seven months? he's got to move fast. what, seven months? he's got to move fast-— move fast. brian, as you talk to our move fast. brian, as you talk to your republican _ move fast. brian, as you talk| to your republican colleagues and people you know from the trump administration, what is the mood amongst republicans at the mood amongst republicans at the moment as they watch what is happening in washington? they know elections have consequences. they are

disappointed that they are out of government and out of control of government at every level. they are seeing a lot of the stuff that they have done being dismantled. for some of them, it hurts and for some of them, it hurts and for some of them it is very personal. i think at the end of the day, there is no surprise. we have been through this electoral process many times before. president trump in four years did as much as he could to unwind president 0bama's legacy and was pretty successful in four years. and was pretty successful in fouryears. not and was pretty successful in four years. not surprised to see thatjoe biden is going to do the same thing and you're going to have my colleagues on the republican side that are going to be upset and annoyed. and work harder to win the white house next time. brian lanza, white house next time. brian lanza. thank _ white house next time. brian lanza, thank you _ white house next time. brian lanza, thank you very - white house next time. brian lanza, thank you very much l white house next time. brian i lanza, thank you very much for joining us and good to see you again. let's pull together some of these political pandemic, unique pandemic version. i am joined by ron christie and amanda, a democratic strategist. let me start with you, ron. we have spoken a lot

aboutjoe biden's address. let's get your reaction to the rebuttal from tim scott. let's get your reaction to the rebuttalfrom tim scott. i rebuttal from tim scott. i think it was very smart that the republicans brought out senator tim scott because he was able to in many ways to undercut so many of what we have heard from the democrats who in the last several days, weeks and months. number one, senator scott working with cory booker said that my police reform bill was filibustered by the democrats. that was when he had an opportunity to move forward in a bipartisan and peaceful legislation. we had so much about how this isjim crow 2.0 and how the democrats are talking about returning to the 19605. talking about returning to the 1960s. secondarily, ithink talking about returning to the 1960s. secondarily, i think it is also sad what we heard from senator scott tonight stop we heard so much about race we had so much about how america is

systemically racist and he tried to rebut that and it hurts me as one who is a direct descendant of slaves, one whose grandparents and parents have seen crosses burnt on their lawns, to hear politicians today talk about an error that is in our rearview mirror and not in ourfuture. —— era. while i was encouraged by a lot of what he said, it's so much discourages me about how much of the conversation is about race and racism.— of the conversation is about race and racism. you're right, it has been — race and racism. you're right, it has been so _ race and racism. you're right, it has been so much - race and racism. you're right, it has been so much in - race and racism. you're right, it has been so much in the - race and racism. you're right, | it has been so much in the past year and especially the past months during the trial up in minneapolis, has been front and centre of the conversation here. amanda, picking up on what ron is saying, joe biden faces enormous challenges in the country, there is the pandemic and we are getting vaccinated but is not over yet. there are still variants a lot of people who are not vaccinated yet and we have learnt that these can happen to us. there are lots of people who do not have jobs us. there are lots of people

who do not havejobs in us. there are lots of people who do not have jobs in this country and huge foreign policy challenges with the rise of china, china and russia and acting their own vaccine diplomacy. and there are the social issues with gun control and issues around police reform and issues around police reform and racialjustice in the country. does he prioritise, now that he has got to the state of getting the vaccines out, going forward with all of those things on his plate, how does he prioritise? he great team and that really was the idea — great team and that really was the idea that his chief of staff_ the idea that his chief of staff and everybody really thought about when they started to but _ thought about when they started to put this team together. it is an— to put this team together. it is an incredibly experienced cabinet _ is an incredibly experienced cabinet. they have wrought in lower— cabinet. they have wrought in lower level, your assistant secretaries that are also very experienced, who by the way started — experienced, who by the way started planning this very early— started planning this very early on. it was not surprising that— early on. it was not surprising that a — early on. it was not surprising that a relief bill was ready so soon — that a relief bill was ready so soon and _ that a relief bill was ready so soon and this is how this administration can basically be able _ administration can basically be able to— administration can basically be able to do a lot of things that need — able to do a lot of things that need to— able to do a lot of things that need to be done right now. they are dealing with a lot of fronts _ are dealing with a lot of fronts. it is why that speech was — fronts. it is why that speech was frankly as long as it was was — was frankly as long as it was was because i know ron and i know— was because i know ron and i know what happens behind the scenes — know what happens behind the scenes to put that speech

together and you can see really those _ together and you can see really those cabinet secretaries and the different agencies speaking out within that, laying the groundwork for what they are going — groundwork for what they are going to _ groundwork for what they are going to do and i think that is how— going to do and i think that is how you _ going to do and i think that is how you move forward. the issue though— how you move forward. the issue though really coming from tonight— though really coming from tonight is going to be the team looking — tonight is going to be the team looking at who can they work with — looking at who can they work with in— looking at who can they work with in order to get some of these — with in order to get some of these bills done and that is a much — these bills done and that is a much harder question as you start— much harder question as you start to — much harder question as you start to navigate the actual provisions, whether it is education or economic, some of the economic issues that he raised — the economic issues that he raised to— the economic issues that he raised to date, or climate change _ raised to date, or climate change. all of these different questions, it is going to be how— questions, it is going to be how can _ questions, it is going to be how can he work to people that make _ how can he work to people that make with people in order to -et make with people in order to get the — make with people in order to get the votes done before we're back in an — get the votes done before we're back in an election cycle which we all— back in an election cycle which we all know is going to be a very. — we all know is going to be a very, heated election cycle. i think that maybe the history of america for a while here that we will— america for a while here that we will have very intense elections. it we will have very intense elections.— elections. it is never too early to _ elections. it is never too early to start _ elections. it is never too early to start talking - elections. it is never too i early to start talking about the next election in this country. amanda ron christie, thank you both very much for joining us. we are election and

it is already time to start talking about the next one but these things matter. that was special coverage ofjoe biden's first address to the joint session of congress. think you so much forjoining us, i am katty kay in washington and we will have more coming up. hello there. it took till the end of the month before they started to make an appearance, but april showers feature quite heavily in the forecast through the rest of this week and into the weekend. and don't expect things to warm up as we see april out and go into may. it is going to be on the chilly side. area of low pressure with this weather front, which brought rain to end wednesday across southern counties. continues to push away eastwards, opening the door to north to north—easterly winds for all, all the way from the arctic. the blue colours indicating that cold air in place, and once again this morning, a fairly widespread frost away from the towns and city centres. that makes it every day in april so far, somewhere in the uk has seen a frost. lovely bright start, though, for many. 1—2 early showers, wales

and the southwest, but the bulk of the showers will be north—east england, eastern scotland, northern ireland. some of these could be heavy with hail and thunder. just watch how they develop through the day — become a bit more widespread, pushing a bit further southwards. now, it is going to be a day where some of you stay completely dry. southern counties, maybe along some eastern coasts, too, but all will be in that north to northeasterly airflow for all. temperatures will be down on where we should be. should be around 12 in aberdeen, just eight. should be 15 in london, just 12, as we go through the second half of the day. now, into the evening and through thursday night into friday, we will see clear skies return once again. a few showers to continue through the night, but another frosty night to see the last morning of the month. just about anywhere again away from towns and city centres. could have a bit of ice, too. we've seen some overnight showers and, like thursday, showers will start to develop, becoming heavy with hail and thunder. more, though, compared with thursday across parts of wales, central and southern england, particularly southernmost counties, and it will still stay chilly even though the breeze is not desperately strong. and that breeze becomes even less of a feature as we go

through friday night into saturday. notice how the isobars aligned, opening out, fairly light winds across the uk, and that does mean as the showers develop through the day after a sunny — in places, frosty — start, where you do catch some, they will be slow moving. most prone towards the south and southwest of the uk, western scotland and northern ireland. temperatures still down on where we should be for the time of year. fewer showers potentially on sunday, butjust watch what happens as we head into a bank holiday monday. deep area of low pressure pushes its way towards us, could be bringing, after a bright start, we'll keep you updated.

this is bbc news, i'm kasia madera. "america is on the move again". president biden marks one hundred days in office in a speech to both houses of the us congress. madam of the us congress. speaker, the president of the madam speaker, the president of the united states. president biden received a warm reception from democrats and republicans, before laying out an ambitious spending plan, worth trillions of dollars. thanks to the american rescue plan we are on track to cut child poverty in america in half this year. republicans responded to mr biden's speech, saying the president had done little to heal the divide in america.

we need policies and progress that brings us closer