White House Chiefs of Staff

We have 10 million people who a year into this still don`t have jobs. We have today, the 52nd consecutive week of record-high initial Unemployment Claims.

I think that was borne out. And I think tonight, the American people heard from a president who is taking responsibility, who`s taken charge, who laid out a new strategy to fight COVID.

I don`t think the most pessimistic person could have imagined you and I be standing here a year later with this epidemic still raging and with more than 500,000 Americans dead.

It's great to be here, Chris. Thanks for having me.

America owes a huge debt of gratitude to you for your passion, tireless, relentless advocacy for this position.

We`re going to honor the rules of the Senate and work within that system to get this bill passed.

I’ll let that call take place and then we’ll read out the call after it takes place.

We’ve been fighters for democracy this whole campaign, we’re going to continue to fight for democracy from the White House.

We are going to get this package passed. That’s our highest priority.

I respect Joe Manchin`s right to cast his votes. He is an independent-minded senator.

To get that done in the first 100 days would be amazing. To get that done in the first 50 days will be incredible.

We are hopefully just weeks away from final passage of the most progressive domestic legislation in a generation.

The campaign was a fight for the soul of America. That soul includes democracy.

So we know that there are people in our country who are trying to suppress the right to vote. We know that we need to fight that at the federal level, at the state and local level.

HR-1 is a high priority for us. Obviously, right now, the central priority is passing this rescue package to beat the virus, to get the economy going again.

The president believes we should have a $15 wage.

Senator Manchin, he doesn`t answer to us at the White House, he answers to people of West Virginia.

We are fighting very hard for Neera. And we had Senator Grassley tonight announced that he is open minded on Neera`s confirmation.

The president believes we should have a $15.00 minimum wage.

We`re going to extend unemployment benefits until September with a $400 bonus on top of your normal unemployment.

She`s a great candidate for the job. And certainly we`re fighting our guts out to get her confirmed.

We know that there are people in our country who are trying to suppress the right to vote. We know that we need to fight that at the federal level, at the state and local level. And so obviously standing up for democracy is what the Biden…

The president believes we should have a $15 minimum wage. If it is ruled in order, then obviously that would allow it to move in this package. If it’s ruled out of order, we’re going to have to find other ways to get it done.

Let me be clear, we're going to get Neera Tanden confirmed that's what we're working for. And she will be -- she will prove her critics wrong as an outstanding budget director that works with people on both sides of the aisle.