Pool Reports of January 28, 2021

Intown pool report #1

Good morning from the White House. The pool was tested ahead of the 9 a.m. call time.

It's been a quiet morning so far.

POTUS is expected to sign executive actions on health care at 1:30 p.m. Press Secretary Jen Psaki is scheduled to hold a briefing at 2:30 p.m.

Intown pool report #2/ lunch lid

The White House has called a lunch lid until 1 p.m.

Intown pool report #3

Pool is gathering to enter the Oval Office at 1:41 pm.

POTUS is expected to sign executive actions on health care.

In a change today, the White House is allowing the TV pool to feed back live but we don't know if it's being carried.

Intown pool report #4

Pool entered the Oval Office at 1:43 pm.

POTUS ?was seated at the desk with a black mask. He then removed his mask to talk.

VP stood at a distance behind the desk to the left.

"It's been a busy week."

POTUS said today's EOs are designed to "undo the damage Trump has done."

More to come.

Intown pool report #5

POTUS signed the two EOs.

"We got a lot to do and the first thing I have to do is get this COVID package passed"

Pool ushered out at 1:46 pm.

Intown pool report #6

POTUS remarks in the Oval Office:

POTUS waited for the pool to get situated before speaking. He then apologized for keeping us waiting in the cold.

"Since we are socially distanced, I think I can take my mask off and make this very brief announcement."

"I know you've been briefed by the health care team as to what this is about."

"It's been a busy week. I've signed executive orders tackling Covid 19, economic and climate crises as well as advancing racial equity. But today I'm about to sign two executive orders that basically the best way to describe them is to undo the damage Trump has done. There's nothing new that we're doing here other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring the Medicaid to the way it was before Trump became president and by fiat his changes made more accessible, more expensive and more difficult for people to qualify for either of those two items, the Affordable Care Act, for Medicaid. The second order I'm going to be signing also changes what the president has done…the president, the former president has done…and…reverses my predecessor's attack on women's health access. As we continues to battle to Covid 19, it's even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to health care….Again I'm not initiating any new law, any new aspect of the law. This is going back to what the situation was prior to the president's executive order."

"Of all times that we need to reinstate access to, affordability of, and extensive access to Medicaid is now in the middle of this Covid crises."

"The second order I'm signing relates to protecting woman's health at home and abroad and it reinstates the changes that were made…making it harder for women to have access to affordable health care as it relates to reproductive rights."

POTUS signed the two executive orders – health care first, abortion second.

"I'm sorry you had to stand in the cold," POTUS said again before pool was ushered out.

He didn't respond to shouted questions.

Please check quotes against the transcript. He was difficult to hear at times because he talked softly and because he coughed.

Intown pool report #7/lid

The White House called a travel/photo lid at 3:48 p.m.

Have a good evening.