Pool Reports of March 15, 2022

In-Town Pool Report #1: Good Afternoon

The briefing is scheduled for 1:00pm. The president will sign a bill into law at 2:15pm and then host an event at 5:30pm. Also, the weather is beautiful.

In-Town Pool Report #2: Two Minute Warning

Two Minute Warning

In-Town Pool Report #3: Briefing ended at 2:02

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-Town Pool Report #4: Remarks Ongoing and Color

President Biden entered the Indian Treaty Room in the EOB at 2:30 along with Vice President Harris where assorted members of Congress were waiting for him.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was sharing a story about his grandchildren with the acting OMB director before Biden arrived.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz gave Sen. Joe Manchin a big hug.

NEC Director Brian Deese was engaged in a long conversation with Sen. Chris Coons.

Those talks were halted, and everyone clapped once the president arrived. Remarks ongoing and live-streamed.

A full list of attendees is below, per White House:

Joining the President on stage as he signs H.R. 2471, the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022."

• The Vice President
• Shalanda Young, Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget
• Speaker Nancy Pelosi
• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
• Senator Patrick Leahy
• Senator Martin Heinrich
• Senator Jeffrey Merkley
• Senator Chris Coons
• Senator Joe Manchin
• Senator Jack Reed
• House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
• Representative Sanford Bishop
• Representative Jim Clyburn
• Representative Steny Hoyer
• Representative Barbara Lee
• Representative David Price
• Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz

In-Town Pool Report #5: Biden Leaves

President Biden left the Indian Treaty Room at 2:44 after shaking some hands and taking some photos. He did not, however, respond to at least half-a-dozen shouted questions from press.

In-Town Pool Report #6: Lunch Lid

White House calls a lunch lid until 5:00.

In-Town Pool Report #7: Second Gentleman tested positive for COVID-19.

White House passes along the following:

STATEMENT BY SABRINA SINGH, DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY TO THE VICE PRESIDENT

Earlier today, the Second Gentleman tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, the Vice President will not participate in tonight's event. The Vice President tested negative for COVID-19 today and will continue to test.

In-Town Pool Report #8: Event Started

President Biden arrived in the East Room at 6:00 sharp, accompanied by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

As detailed in previous pool report, the second gentleman tested positive for COVID, and the Vice President is not attending the event.

Biden says Harris is fine but "out of abundance of caution" she won't be here. He tells the crowd, "let's send her our love," and the crowd erupts with a standing ovation.

The East Room is packed. So packed that the press basically has their backs to the wall.

Symone Sanders, former senior advisor and chief spokesperson to the veep, is here, and she told your pooler she couldn't think of another Biden White House event that has been this well-attended.

Men are scarce in this audience. Masks, rare. Conversations, before Biden arrived, buzzing.

House Speaker Pelosi received a standing ovation when she entered the room. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is here. So is Rep. Maxine Waters, who had a seat in the fifth row but was escorted to the second row from the front.

The White House passed along the following:

Joining the President, the Vice President, and the First Lady for an event on Equal Pay Day to celebrate Women's History Month:

• Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh
• Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm
• Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines
• United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai
• Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Cecilia Rouse
• Administrator of the Small Business Administration Isabel Guzman
• Julie Foudy, Former U.S. Women's National Team Player
• Kelley O'Hara, Current U.S. Women's National Team Player
• Margaret 'Midge' Purce, Current U.S. Women's National Team Player
• Briana Scurry, Former U.S. Women's National Team Player
• Cindy Parlow Cone, President of US Soccer & Former U.S. Women's National Team Player
• Members of Congress, Administration officials, and community leaders

In-Town Pool Report #9: Remarks Ongoing

The president invites FLOTUS to make remarks, joking "everybody knows I love her more than she loves me." He told a story about how Dr. Jill Biden decorated his office, when he was VP, with valentines that said "Joe loves Jill." The crowd laughs. FLOTUS speaking now.

Before that Biden invited Eliza Jean Reid, First Lady of Iceland on stage, taking her by the hand and calling her "a champion for gender equality."

He invited the US Women's Soccer team onstage moments later to honor their World Cup and Olympic wins.

He quoted novelist Toni Morrison at length.

In-Town Pool Report #10: Event Concludes

Event is over, and POTUS exited East Room at 6:22.

In-Town Pool Report #11: Travel/Photo Lid

White House called a travel/photo lid at 6:45.