Vice Presidential Pool Reports of March 11, 2021

VP Pool Report #1 - American Rescue Plan event

Hi there,

I'll be your pooler for this afternoon's event with the vice president.

Here is the guidance from the VPOTUS' office:

At 1:45PM EST, the Vice President will drop in a virtual meeting with Americans she has previously met over the first 50 days in office to talk about the passage of the American Rescue Plan. This event in South Court Auditorium will be pooled press.

The event was delayed slightly by the signing of the American Rescue Plan in the Oval Office, which Vice President Kamala Harris attended.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

Megan

VP Pool Report #1a: Roundtable participants

Per the vice president's office, here is a list of the participants VP Harris will be speaking with during today's roundtable, along with information on their previous interactions:

Nadiyah Johnson, Wisconsin small business owner – CEO of Jet Constellations
The Vice President met with Nadiyah during an event with small business owners on January 22nd

Marc Perrone, UFCW President
The Vice President participated in the UFCW winter meeting on January 27th

Ron Busby, US Black Chambers of Commerce President
The Vice President and Secretary Yellen met with Ron and US Black Chambers from across the country on February 5th

Mayor McKinley Price, African American Mayors Association President
The Vice President met with Mayor McKinley Price and other Mayors from the African American Mayors Association on February 10th

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, MomsRising Executive Director
The Vice President met with Kristin and other women leaders on February 18th

Dr. Samir Balile, Pharmacist at Giant Food
The Vice President met with Dr. Balile when she visited a pharmacy where people are getting vaccinated on February 25th

Danielle Romanetti, Virginia small business owner
The Vice President visited Danielle’s small business, Fibre Space, on March 3rd

VP Pool Report #2: Event underway

The vice president is seated on the stage for the virtual roundtable. I'll send color.

Right now, Vice President Kamala Harris is acknowledging each individual member and reminding them of where and when they met in the past.

"I heard you guys. We heard you," she said.

The event is streaming here: https://youtu.be/Wb0UyJZUBH8

And a photo of the setup is attached. [APP Note: The photo was not included in the email received by the APP.]

VP Pool Report #3 - Quotes and color

The vice president sits on the stage at a white circular table in a gray chair. She in leaning forward into the large screen of speakers. The stage is flanked by multiple American flags and the video presidential flag sits behind her.

Some quotes are below:

"The vast majority of Americans, regardless of who they voted for in the last election, support the American Rescue Plan."

"In addition to everything I mentioned, it will lift half of Americans children living in poverty, out of poverty."

A couple moments highlighting the previous relationships she has with all the participants:

"All that to say thank you, thank you all. When I first visited with each of you and in our subsequent conversations I promised to stay in touch. And I will stay in touch."

"Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about what's in the bill."

As she wraps up her prepared remarks, she opens the table to comments from the participants by asking, "what's on your mind?"

VP Pool Report #4 - Participants speak to the vice president

The first participant to speak is Marc Perrone, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union who thanks the vice president for many provisions but "thank you most especially for the money to reopen schools."

"We are doing a happy dance," MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner said during exuberant remarks. She also said MomsRising members are thrilled with the extension of the child tax credit.

"Thanks to all the moms who are not just rising but have risen," Vice President Harris quips with a laugh.

Next up is Mayor McKinley Price, African American Mayors Association President, who shouted out DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (not in attendance) who has been "shortchanged" by COVID relief funding in the past. He says the American Rescue Plan Act is going to change that.

VP Pool Report #4a - More participant comments

Ron Busby, US Black Chambers of Commerce President, spoke about the need for capital for small businesses and the importance of the vaccine when it comes to reopening businesses.

The vice president thanked Busby for mentioning the vaccines and promised "more to come" from her and Treasury Secretary Janet Yelled when it comes to capital for small businesses.

Next up is Dr. Samir Balile, Pharmacist at Giant Food thanks the vice president for more funds to deploy vaccines and said:
"Enable community pharmacies to do what they do best and that's put shots in arms."

VP Harris thanked him and said community pharmacies bridge a gap in vaccine care that allows people to get vaccines where they do their grocery shopping.

The last two to speak are two small business owners:

Danielle Romanetti, Virginia small business owner of Fibre Space speaks about the fear at the beginning of the pandemic and how to stay open, keep her employees safe and keep herself afloat. Romanetti also addressed schools reopening, sharing her concern that her Northern Virginia schools may not open in the fall because of the CDC recommendations for schools.

She also mentions her Alexandria, Virginia community's proximity to DC:

"As a small business inside the beltway, we are very personally impacted by the change of every administration and I can say Alexandria feels refreshed by this new Administration."

The vice president responds with anecdotes about the people she met at Fibre Space - workers afraid to go to work at the beginning and a mom who had to balance virtual schooling with going to work everyday.

The last participant to speak is Nadiyah Johnson, Wisconsin small business owner and creator of the Milky Way Tech Hub. She cheers the American Rescue Plan:

"For my community the message is very clear that help is here. What I'm not excited about is the money for vaccines. I hope it will include money for education on vaccines...I think it's important to leverage Black and brown vendors in this space."

VP Pool Report #5 - Vice President wraps up

The vice president closes with this: "these have been difficult days that have challenged us to have hope and a sense of optimism...

So this is by a piece of that, the American Rescue Plan, an important piece."

She thanks all the participants for their "incredible leadership," and promises to continue to stay in touch.

Pool was ushered out at 2:58pm.

VP Pool Report #5a - Moderator of the event

Per the vice president's office, the moderator of the event is Vince Evan, deputy director of the office of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs for the VP.

VP Pool Report 1 - Merrick Garland

Hey guys,

I'll be your pooler for Merrick Garland's formal swearing in this evening with VP Harris.

A slight change up the VP's office just now shared with the pool: "OTR/FPPO – we will be doing the swearing in at the Department of Justice and our press pool will travel in the motorcade to cover." Was originally scheduled to be at the VP's Ceremonial Office.

Still scheduled to be around 5:15 pm.

--liz

VP Pool Report 2- motorcade to Merrick Garland ceremony

Pool is loaded in motorcade and rolling to DOJ at 5:04 pm ET. Brief sighting of VP Harris as she exited the White House and quickly entered SUV.

Vp Pool report 3

On background from WH official —

In a return to recent tradition, the Vice President will ceremonially administer the oath of office to the Attorney General at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building.

Former Attorneys General Eric Holder, Loretta Lynch, Michael Mukasey, and Alberto Gonzalez were sworn-in at the Department of Justice.

VP poll report 4

Guests for swearing in of AG Garland
Lynn Garland (Wife) — holding book

Likely off camera off to the side
Mitchell Mirviss (Brother-in-Law)
Laura Mirviss (Niece)

VP Pool Report 5

After 5-minute drive motorcade arrived at DOJ. Did not spot VP getting out. Awaiting event.

VP pool report 6

Oath administered at 5:23 pm ET then Harris and Garland bumped elbows. Garland didn’t answer a shouted question about Cuomo.

VP pool report 6 —rolling back to WH

The motorcade is heading back to WH after super quick swearing in ceremony. Did not get a glimpse of VP Harris as she got back in the SUV.