Members of the Biden administration came out in force on Tuesday for day two of this week’s “Help Is Here” tour, with the president himself hitting the trail to promote his newly-signed American Rescue Plan to the public.
Biden made his way to Chester, Pennsylvania mid-afternoon to visit Smith Flooring, Inc., a Black-owned union shop that sells and installs flooring. The president was joined by a throng of Pennsylvania lawmakers upon touching down in the state, including Thaddeus Kirkland, Mayor of Chester, and state attorney general Josh Shapiro.
“The American Rescue Plan will do more than just provide for the people in need,” Biden said. “We’re in a position where it's going to bring immediate relief, $1,400 to 85 percent of the American public.”
Smith Flooring has been the recipient of several Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans; the first installment came in April of last year, and the second came just this March.
The company was granted the second round of PPP loans after the Biden administration made changes to the pandemic-era PPP in late February in an effort to offer more federal assistance to "mom-and-pop" stores. The renewed program established a two-week window – which closed March 10 – in which only businesses with fewer than 20 employees could apply for the forgivable loans.
During peak times, Smith Flooring had 22 employees. But with a revenue loss of about 20% in 2020, the company was forced to cut their staff to 12 — half in the field, half in the office.
“Thank you for helping small businesses, small minority businesses. It means a lot that you’re here,” said Kristin Smith, co-owner of Smith Flooring.
Biden acknowledged that “the hardest hit (by the pandemic) are the people in the minority communities,” saying his administration is “trying like the devil” to fix vaccine inequities nationwide.
The president echoed his pledge from the day before that his administration would reach 100 million shots and send out 100 million checks within the 10 days: "More help is on the way."
The tour took Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, to snowy Colorado on Tuesday, where they were greeted by Governor Jared Polis and Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera upon touching down in Denver.
The couple were originally set to visit the Salud Family Health Centers in person, but were forced to do a virtual tour due to scheduling delays.
"So sorry we're not there in person, but I really do want to highlight what you are doing as a model of what a community can do to make sure that we're reaching all people and making sure that all people are vaccinated,” Harris said via video chat, per a pool report.
John Santistevan, President & CEO of Salud Clinic, told Harris that the clinic is one of several locations in Colorado receiving their vaccine shipment directly from the federal government in order to reach minority populations and those in vulnerable groups.
The vice president applauded the clinic’s efforts, saying equitable vaccine distribution is one of the administration’s top priorities.
"The President and I from the beginning of this have made it one of our highest priorities to make sure that we are taking into account racial disparities, and that we supply folks on the ground with the resources you need so that we have equitable outcomes," she said.
Back in Washington, Veterans Affairs secretary Denis McDonough visited Purple Patch D.C., a local Filipino restaurant, to discuss how the American Rescue Plan gives veterans priority in receiving certain grants.
Patrice Cleary, the owner of Purple Patch, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
“VA is highlighting Purple Patch as a woman Veteran owned small business as part of #WomensHistoryMonth and as an example of Veteran businesses that would receive priority for grants under SBA’s restaurant revitalization fund,” McDonough tweeted in part.
Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief package offers significant funding for veterans’ services, including $28.6 billion for Restaurant Revitalization Grants in the Small Business Administration’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund. During the 21-day period in which the SBA is accepting grant applications — which concludes on March 31 — the agency will “prioritize awarding grants to eligible entities that are owned and controlled by Veterans,” per a statement.
The road show began in earnest on Monday with first lady Dr. Jill Biden’s visit to New Jersey, where she was greeted by Gov. Phil Murphy as she toured Samuel Smith Elementary School. One of the plan's key features is direct payments of $1,400 for a single taxpayer, or $2,800 for a married couple filing their taxes jointly, plus $1,400 per dependent — for a total of $5,600 for a married couple with two children. The payments phase out for those with higher incomes.
An extension of federal unemployment benefits will continue through Sept. 6 at $300 a week. There's $350 billion for state, local and tribal governments, $130 billion for K-12 schools and about $50 billion to expand COVID-19 testing, among other measures.
“Congressman Kim, and Senators Booker and Menendez, it's because of your hard work that we were able to pass, to rescue the country from this pandemic, and begin rebuilding our communities,” Dr. Biden said Monday. “It's going to take leadership at all levels to get us through this.”
Dr. Biden said that boosting accessibility to child care and education are important issues to her and President Biden.
"You know, my husband Joe has been a single dad, and he knows how important it is to keep kids safe, and he’s going to make sure that all families have the choices they need to get the childcare that they need," she said.
Vice President Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, set off on their own leg of the tour in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Monday afternoon. The couple was greeted by Gov. Steve Sisolak when they touched down, and chatted for several minutes before Emhoff and Harris loaded into separate cars for the day’s events.
Harris was whisked off to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to observe their vaccination process, where she watched as vaccinators retrieved doses of Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines from their vials and placed them into syringes.
The vice president also watched as nursing student Mailani Thompson received a dose of the Moderna vaccine, telling the vaccinators: “You all are the heroes of this moment.”
“Thank you for being in the most noble profession,” she added.
While Harris toured UNLV, second gentleman Doug Emhoff visited Three Square Food Bank, Southern Nevada’s only food bank and the area’s largest hunger relief organization. Emhoff was joined by Jodi Tyson, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, and Brian Burton, President and CEO of Three Square Food Bank, as they heard from Las Vegas residents who have suffered food insecurity during the pandemic.
In a visit to a Las Vegas culinary academy, Harris said of the tour that"we want to avoid a situation where people are unaware of what they’re entitled to. It’s not selling it; it literally is letting people know their rights. Think of it more as a public education campaign."
President Biden also touted the American Rescue Plan from the White House on Monday afternoon, saying the legislation is "already doing what it was designed to do: make a difference in people's everyday lives." Biden named Gene Sperling as "stimulus czar," saying the massive stimulus package will require “fastidious oversight” in order to distribute the funds efficiently and equitably.
“I spoke with Gene earlier today, alongside my economic team, he’s ready to get to work,” Biden said. “In fact, he's already hit the ground running. And together, we're gonna make sure that the benefits of the American Rescue Plan go out quickly and directly to the American people, where they belong.”
"And the plan does a lot more," Biden said in a speech kicking off the "Help is Here" tour. "It extends unemployment insurance for the 11 million Americans unemployed and any who will be unemployed in the near term. It will help hundreds of thousands of small businesses keep doors open, which makes a gigantic difference in neighborhoods and communities. It expands health care coverage and lowers health care costs for so many people. And it will cut child poverty in half in this country."
The president also announced lofty goals Monday.
"Over the next 10 days we'll reach two goals, giant goals," Biden touted. "The first is 100 million shots in people's arms will have been completed within the next 10 days. And 100 million checks in people's pockets in the next 10 days. Shots in arms and money in pockets."
In addition to the president, vice president and their spouses, Cabinet secretaries will also be out on the tour. Hundreds of mayors and governors, including Republicans, are being lined up to give interviews to discuss what the plan means for their communities.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also toured a UPS distribution center in Landover, Maryland, which delivers COVID-19 vaccines to the Washington, D.C., area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.