In-Town Pool Reports of February 1, 2021

In town pool report #1 - checking in

Greetings from a White House that has been blanketed by a couple inches of snow. It's overcast and just below freezing. Your pooler has been COVID tested.

President Biden is slated to meet with Republican senators in the Oval Office at 5 pm. And there's a press briefing with White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki at 12:30 pm.

In town pool report #2 - Biden's foreign policy speech moved to later this week

Biden had planned to travel to the State Department to deliver a foreign policy speech today. That has been "rescheduled due to inclement weather," according to a White House official.

Per a White House official on President Biden's plans to postpone the speech at the State Department: "He looks forward to visiting later this week when the agency's staff and diplomats can more safely commute to attend."

In town pool report #3 - Psaki briefing begins

Jen Psaki entered the briefing room at 12:32 pm. Briefing starting now--

In town pool report #4 - Lunch lid

The White House called a lunch lid until 4 pm.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki's press briefing ended around 1:10 pm after approximately 40 minutes of questions.

In town pool report #5 - pool gather

Pool was told to gather in the briefing room at 5 pm for the Oval Office meeting about COVID relief funding with President Biden and 10 Republican senators.

Note that the 10 Republican senators are planning to talk to reporters at the sticks in front of the West Wing after their meeting with Biden. That could happen around 6 pm. This was distributed by Sen Collins' office:

Group of 10 Republican Senators to Hold Media Availability Following Meeting with President Biden

Washington, D.C.—Immediately following their meeting with President Biden to discuss their COVID-19 relief proposal, the group of 10 Republican Senators will hold a media availability outside the White House.

Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Rob Portman (R-OH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Todd Young (R-IN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) sent a letter to President Biden [collins.senate.gov] on Sunday, January 31, outlining their Covid-19 relief compromise, and they accepted an invitation[collins.senate.gov] to meet with the President last night. The Senators unveiled the details of their Covid-19 relief proposal [collins.senate.gov] this morning.

Since March 2019, Congress has passed five bipartisan Covid-19 relief bills and provided more than $4 trillion in COVID-19 relief. The latest Covid-19 relief packaged provided $900 billion in additional resources and was signed into law on December 27, 2020. Much of that assistance is only now being disbursed.

Click HERE [collins.senate.gov] for the details of the Senators' proposal.

WHERE: White House Stakeout Location

WHEN: Today, Monday, February 1, 2021; approximately 6:00PM

In town pool report #6 - Oval - no remarks

Pool was ushered into the Oval Office at 5:13 pm and was in the Oval for about 60 seconds before being ushered out.

President Biden and VIce President Harris were seated in plush arm chairs in front of the fireplace. A fire was going in the fireplace.

Sen. Collins was seated on a couch to Biden's left. The two were chatting quietly when pool came in but your pooler couldn't hear what they were saying. Sen. Romney was seated on the couch to Harris's right. Other senators were spaced on the couches and chairs.

Waiting for senators to potentially come to the sticks to talk after the meeting around 6 pm

In town pool report #7 - Oval - Few Biden quotes - travel photo lid

As pool came in, Biden made a few comments that were picked up on CSPAN's audio (link below).

Biden to the Senators: "Thanks for coming down. Thanks for coming down."

"I'm anxious for it - to talk," Biden said to Sen. Collins, seated on the couch next to him.

"I feel like I'm back in the Senate which I liked the best of [inaudible] I did."

CSPAN audio link:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?508509-1/president-biden-meets-republican-...

Senators were all wearing white masks similar to what Biden was wearing. Harris wore a black mask. Brian Deese and Ron Klain were standing in the back of the Oval Office behind the Resolute Desk.

On the couch next to Biden: Sen. Collins and Sen. Murkowski.
On the couch next to Harris: Sen. Romney and Sen. Cassidy.

White House called a travel photo lid at 5:40 pm.

We are waiting to see if senators come to the sticks after their meeting.

In town pool report #8 - 9 GOP senators in the Oval in person, one in the phone

I asked if all 10 Republican Senators attended the meeting tonight with Biden

From a White House official: "President Biden was joined in the Oval Office by aides and by nine of the Senators who had signed on to the letter – Senator Rounds participated in the meeting via phone."

In town pool report #9 - Collins quotes

The group of Republican senators came out to the microphones in front of the West Wing doors at 7:05. (The Oval meeting had started at 5:13 pm).

Sen. Collins was the only senator to speak.

Collins: "We have just had a very productive, cordial, two hour meeting"

Collins: "I wouldn't say that we came together on a package tonight no one expected that in a two hour meeting"

"I think it was an excellent meeting" and a "frank and very useful discussion."

Collins and other senators did not answer questions from reporters. One question asked if $600 billion was the group's top line. No answer.

In town pool report #10 - full Collins quotes

The group of 9 senators walked out of the West Wing after a nearly 2 hour meeting with President Biden and spoke to reporters. It was icy and cold on the driveway. Sen. Collins had trouble taking off her white N95 mask to talk to the cameras. "Not easy to get out of those," she said, adjusting her hair.

Sen: Collins: "Good evening everybody. We have just had a very productive, cordial, two hour meeting with the President and Vice President and some of their key aides to discuss the next steps on the COVID relief package. We outlined for the President the provisions we have proposed as part of an approximately $600 billion package. He explained in more depth areas that were not fleshed out as much in the package - the $1.9 trillion package. And it was a very good exchange of views. I wouldn't say that we came together on a package tonight. No one expected that in a two hour meeting. But what we did agree to do is to follow up and talk further at the staff level and amongst ourselves and with the President and Vice President on how we can continue to work together on this very important issue. All of us are concerned about struggling families, teetering small businesses and overwhelmed health care system, getting vaccines out and into people's arms and strengthening our economy and addressing the public health crisis that we face. I think it was an excellent meeting and we are very appreciative that has his first official meeting in the Oval Office, the President chose to spend so much time with us in a frank and very useful discussion. Finally, let me just say that we have demonstrated in the last year that we can come together on a bipartisan package dealing with the COVID crisis. In fact, we've done that not just once or twice, we've done that five times. And I am hopeful that we can once again pass a sixth bipartisan COVID relief package."

At the end of her remarks, Sen. Collins gestured to Romney and other senators as if to ask if they would like to say anything. The other Senators turned to walk back into the West Wing as reporters shouted questions. Romney seemed to say, "that's good. Best to keep walking."