Vice Presidential Pool Reports of March 8, 2021

VP Pool Report #1

Greetings from the White House where vice-president Kamala Harris is due to deliver virtual remarks to the National League of Cities' Congressional City Conference.

The remarks are scheduled to being at 2.15 pm and will be delivered by the VP in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

The remarks will be streamed on https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

I will send through highlights/color from the event,

VP Pool Report #2

Vice-president Kamala Harris was present in the South Court Auditorium when the pool entered at 2.15 pm. The event had already begun, and the VP was being introduced by Kathy Maness, president and council member of the National League of Cities, from Lexington, South Carolina.

Three large red and blue signs with the words "American Rescue Plan – National League of Cities" provided a backdrop to VP Harris' speech.

Standing at a podium on the stage in front of the presidential and vice-presidential flag, she began:

"We gather at the start of an important week for our country – yes, we are honoring the women of our country and the world, but this is also a week for our country that could mark a real turning point in our fight against covid 19." She noted that the House of Representatives and the Senate had passed the American Rescue Plan.

"Very soon the President of the United States will sign the American Rescue Plan into law," she said.

Addressing the annual conference of the National League of Cities she said that the plan "will provide immediate relief to American's cities, towns and villages and directly to the American people."

"For a year now, we have faced this crisis of almost immeasurable proportions."

"Through it all, local leaders have been in the thick of it.."

"Being a local leader has always been a 24-7 job, and this year has tested the limits," VP Harris said, noting that both herself and the president had served as local leaders.

"Where the president and I were preparing to take office, we knew we needed to be ready to go on Day One," she said, noting that more than 80 million vaccines have now been administered.

"We should have a full vaccine supply for adults by the end of May."

"This plan is big, and it is bold," she said, noting that it would provide targeted support for as many as 19,000 cities, towns and villages.
The American Rescue Plan is "incredibly popular – the support for it is broad and it is bipartisan. Three in four Americans support the bill."

"Today, the American Rescue Plan is very close to becoming the law of the land. Now we need to help ensure that relief is distributed equitably. That means we need to acknowledge the pandemic has made worse the fissures, and the flaws and failures that already existed" in our systems and structures.

Announcement/News –
Describing it as a "big announcement," she said: "our administration will offer $250 million in grants for localities to partner with community organizations with health literacy. Our goal is to provide underserved communities with the information they need to stay safe and get vaccinated."

The VP said she expects the scheme to fund 30 projects in urban communities and 43 projects in rural communities for two years.

She concluded by asking participants at the conference to work with the administration to communicate with their constituents, and establish trust.

"Please do work with us to put equity at the center of our collective response, to identify those individuals and communities that have been overlooked."

"The American people will continue to look to you as much as they look to me or the president because of your tireless efforts, because they know they can rely on you. They will continue to look to you for answers and actions… I know it's not an easy job, but what you do… couldn't' be more important, so thank you again for all you do….Know that the president and I are working right alongside you."