Biden Calls for Major Spending in First Address to Congress

 

U.S. President Joe Biden marked his first 100 days in office with an address to a joint¹ session of Congress on Wednesday, saying "America is on the move again."

The president noted² that he took office in a time of crisis. He called it "the worst pandemic in a century. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War."

He praised how his administration dealt with the COVID-19 health crisis. He repeatedly said that an infrastructure³ plan proposed by Democratic Party lawmakers would create millions of jobs. He also called for $1.8 trillion in spending to expand government support for children, families and education.

The president added, "We have to prove democracy still works. That our government still works—and can deliver for the people."

Biden gave the speech in the U.S. Capitol building which is still surrounded by a fence and barriers after the January 6 riot. Behind Biden sat the nation's first female vice⁴ president, Kamala Harris. She was next to Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker of the House.

Because of pandemic restrictions⁵, the speech came before a smaller than usual group of 200 lawmakers wearing face coverings.

The president called his latest proposal, the American Families Plan. The plan calls for an additional four years of free, public education. It includes $200 billion for pre-school for 3 and 4-year-olds. It calls for an additional $109 billion for two years of free community college education and more than $80 billion to aid poor students.

For families, there would be $225 billion for childcare and increased payments for childcare workers, $225 billion for a medical and family leave program, and another $200 billion for healthcare.

The latest spending proposal came after the $2.3 trillion spending plan proposed last month to pay for roads and bridges, to help research and manufacturing, and to provide housing for the poor. Last month, Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion spending plan that included direct payments to Americans during the pandemic.

Mindful of the closely divided Congress, Biden took his message directly to Americans. He said, "Now, I know some of you at home wonder whether these jobs are for you. You feel left behind and forgotten in an economy that's rapidly changing. Let me speak directly to you."

Biden proposed to pay for the spending with higher taxes on Americans making over $400,000. He would cancel the 2017 tax cuts under the last administration and would tax investment gains like regular income.

The spending plans, if approved by Congress, would greatly expand social programs. They would also increase government involvement in people's everyday lives.

Foreign affairs

On foreign affairs, Biden reminded China that the U.S. will maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific area, in his words, "not to start conflict – but to prevent conflict." He promised to answer Russia's interference in U.S. elections and cyberattacks on government and businesses.

The president called Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs "a serious threat to America's security and world security." He said the U.S. would deal with the threats through diplomacy⁶ and deterrence⁷.

Biden also asked Congress to pass legislation this year to create a path to citizenship⁸ for Dreamers – children of illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as minors⁹.

Republican answer to Biden

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina gave the Republican answer to Biden's trillion-dollar spending proposals.

Scott said the president's actions are pulling Americans apart. He blamed the Democrats¹⁰ for keeping public school children away from their schools during the pandemic. He said the spending proposals would hurt jobs and noted, "Our best future won't come from Washington schemes or socialist¹¹ dreams. It will come from you — the American people."

Words in This Story

century –n. a period of one hundred years

deliver –v. to do what you say you will do or what people expect you to do

deterrence –n. (politics) the policy of developing a lot of military power so that other countries will not attack your country

scheme –n. a clever and often dishonest plan to do or get something

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

7 deterrence   

威慑，制止； 制止物，制止因素； 挽留的事物； 核威慑

参考例句：

• An extreme school of "disarmers" pronounced stable deterrence was a dangerous deception. “裁军论者”中的极端派声称，稳定的威摄是一种危险的骗局。
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。

8 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

9 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。