Biden warns of ‘bleak future’ as COVID cases spike; urges Congress to act

President-elect Joe Biden has warned of a “bleak future” for the US economy if Congress does not take immediate action to pass another coronavirus relief package for struggling Americans.

“We need more economic relief to bridge through 2021 until this pandemic and economic crisis are over. And then we need to build back better,” Biden said on Friday.

The remarks came following the release of the latest monthly jobs report, which showed the labor market recovery had slowed sharply as coronavirus cases surge across the country.

The US economy added only 245,000 jobs last month, well below the 440,000 expected by economists and a sharp drop from the 610,000 reported in October.

Describing the November jobs report as “dire,” Biden warned, “This situation is urgent. If we don’t act now the future will be very bleak.”

“If Congress and President Trump fail to act, by the end of December, 12 million Americans will lose the unemployment benefits they rely on to keep food on the table and pay their bills,” he noted.

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Trump’s chief economic advisor Larry Kudlow claimed on Friday that the US economy was strong despite disappointing jobs numbers. He called for a targeted pandemic relief plan to help struggling Americans.

Biden, however, said that “any package passed in the lame duck session is not enough” and that additional measures could be passed after he takes office on January 20.

“Congress will need to act again in January. As we inherit this economic crisis, Vice President-elect Harris and I are working on the plan we will put forward for the next Congress to move fast and control the pandemic, revive the economy, and build back better than before,” the president-elect said.

Among the key programs set to expire at the end of December are jobless benefits for the self-employed and gig workers, the federal moratorium on evictions, emergency paid leave, relief for student loan debt repayments and funding that helps state and local pandemic response.

Biden said he was encouraged by a $908 billion bipartisan relief bill advanced by senators this week. However, he repeatedly dodged questions on whether the package—if passed—is enough to provide immediate help for families in need.

Congressional Democrats have described the compromise bill as an olive branch extended to Senate Republicans, expressing hope that it could be used as a starting point for negotiations.

The US on Thursday reported 217,664 new infections, more than 100,667 hospitalizations and 2,879 deaths, a daily-record in all three categories since the pandemic broke out.

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More than 2,800 coronavirus deaths were reported in the United States on Wednesday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

America’s top health experts have warned that the situation will get worse in the near future. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said on Thursday that the next three months will be “the most difficult in the public health history” of the US.

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