a path out of the pandemic. all right well before the president a dress is the nation there let's get more from across from alan fischer in washington d.c. and alan tell us more about what to expect. well this is a very big speech for joe biden as you see it's his 1st national televised address as president hasn't spoken to a joint session of congress yet that normally happens in the 1st few weeks of a new presidential term that has been put on hold because of the corporate crisis and of course it was all about corporate that joe biden said he would make a difference when he came into the white house he would take the brakes seriously he would make sure there was no coverage plan in place he would try and move the united states in a forward direction while he signed a $1.00 trillion dollars bill just in the last couple of hours he is going to fuel up the air force one and head off on a trip around the country essentially a victory lap but also selling the idea of what that bill will do for communities all across the united states something that he felt that the obama administration didn't do in 2010 when they bailed out the economy after the financial collapse there and also he's got to strike the right tone in a speech which will last somewhere in the region of 20 minutes he's got to be somber because the number of deaths still continues to rise there are a number of states who vermont removed the masking mandate and there is a danger that this situation might get washed again before it starts to get better and of course there's got to present a picture of optimism here's joe biden no from the east room of the white as you mark one year since everything stopped because of this pandemic a year ago were hit with a virus that was met with silence and spread on checked the nile's for days weeks and months that led to more deaths were infections more stress and more loneliness. photos and videos from 2019 feel like they were taken in another era the last vacation the last birthday with friends last holiday with extended family always different for everyone we all lost something a collective suffering a collective sacrifice a year filled with the loss of life the loss of living for all of us but in the loss we saw how much there was to gain in appreciation respect and gratitude finding late in the darkness is a very american thing to do in fact it may be the most american thing we do and that's what we've done we've seen frontline in the sense of workers risking their lives sometimes losing them to save and help others researchers and scientists racing for a vaccine and so many of you as hemingway wrote being strong and all the broken places i know it's been hard i truly know so i've told you before i carry a card in my pocket. but the number of americans who have died from cope with to date it's on the back of my schedule as of now total deaths in america 527726 that's more deaths and war one war war 2 the vietnam war and 911 combined their husbands wives sons and daughters grandparents friends neighbors young and old and leave behind loved ones unable to truly grieve or to heal even to have a funeral. but i'm also thinking about everyone else who lost this past year to natural causes by cruel fate of accident or other disease they too died alone they to leave behind loved ones who are hurting badly you know you've often heard me say before i talk about the longest walk any parent can make is up a short flight of stairs to his child's bedroom to say i'm sorry i lost my job can't be here anymore like my dad told me when he lost his job in scranton so many of you have had to make that same walk this past year you lost a job you closed your business facing eviction homelessness hunger a loss of control maybe worst of all a loss of hope watching a generation of children who may be set back up to a year or more because they've not been in school because of the loss of learning is the details of life that mattered most and we missed those details the big details in the small moments weddings birthdays graduations all the things that needed to happen but didn't the 1st date the family reunions the sunday night rituals it's all has exacted a terrible cost on the psyche of so many of us for we are fundamentally a people who want to be with others to talk to laugh to hug to whole another but this revive has kept us apart and grandparents haven't seen their children or grandchildren parents haven't seen their kids' kids haven't seen their friends the things we used to do that always filled us with joy . had become things we couldn't do and broke our hearts too often we've turned against one another a mask the easiest thing to do to save lives sometimes it divides us states to do it against one another instead of working with each other vicious hate crimes against asian americans who've been attacked harassed plain and scapegoated at this very moment so many of them our fellow americans are on the front lines of this pandemic trying to save lives and still still they're forced to live in fear for their lives just walking down streets in america it's wrong it's un-american and it must stop look we know what we need to do to beat this virus tell the truth follow the scientists the science work together put trust and faith in our government to fill its most important function which is protecting the american people no function more important we need to remember the government is in some foreign force in a distant capital no it's us all of us we the people for you and i that america thrives when we give our hearts we we turn our hands to common purpose and right now my friends are doing just that and i have to say as your president i'm grateful to you last summer i was in philadelphia and i met a small business owner a woman. i asked her i said what do you need most never get what she said to me she said looking me on the ice she said i just want the truth the truth jest tell me the truth think of that. my fellow americans you're owed nothing less than the truth and for all of you ask when things will get back to normal here is the truth the only way to get our lives back to get our economy back on track is to beat the virus you've been hearing me say that for while i was running and the last 50 days i've been president but this is one of the most complex operations we've understood and ever undertaken as a nation in a long time that's why i'm using every power i have as president of the united states to put us on a war footing to get the job done sounds like hyperbole but i mean it a war footing and thank god we're making some real progress now and my 1st full day in office i outlined for you a comprehensive strategy to beat this pandemic we've spent every day since attempting to carry it out 2 months ago the country this country didn't have nearly enough vaccine supplied to vaccinate all are ever near all the american people public but soon we will we've been working with vaccine manufacturers pfizer mcgurn a johnson and johnson to manufacture and purchase hundreds of millions of doses of these 3 safe effective vaccines and now at the direction and with the assistance of my administration johnson and johnson is working together with a competitor merck to speed up and increase the capacity to manufacture new johnson and johnson vaccine which he was one shot in fact just yesterday i announced and i met with the c.e.o.'s of both companies i announced our plan to buy an additional 100000000 doses of johnson and johnson vaccines. these 2 companies competitors have come together for the good of the nation and they should be applauded for is truly a national effort just like we saw during war to now because all the work we've done we'll have enough vaccine supply for all adults in america by the end of may that's months ahead of schedule and are mobilizing 1000 of vaccinators to put the vaccine and ones are calling active duty military fema retired doctors and nurses administrators and it goes to administer the shots and we've been creating more places to get the shots we've made it possible for you to get a vaccine to nearly one any one of 10000 pharmacies across the country just like you get your flu shot russell working with governors and mayors in red states and blue states to set up and support nearly $600.00 federally supported vaccination centers that administers hundreds of thousands of shots per day you can drive up to a stadium or a large parking lot get your shot never leave your car and drive home in less than an hour we've been sending vaccines to hundreds of community health centers all across america located in under-served areas and we've been deploying and we will deploy more mobile vehicles and pop up clinics to meet you where you live so those who are least able to get the vaccine are able to get it we continue to work on making at home testing available and when focused on serving people in the hardest hit communities this pandemic black latino native american to rural communities so what does all this add up to when i took office 50 days ago only 8 percent of americans after months. only 8 percent of those over the age of 65 had gotten their 1st vaccination today that number 65 percent says 14 percent of americans over the age of 755050 days ago had gotten their 1st shot today that number is well over 70 percent with new guidance from the centers for disease control and prevention the c.d.c. that came out on monday it means simply this millions and millions of grandparents who went months without being able to hug their grand kids can now do so and the more people are fully vaccinated the cd will continue to provide additional guidance on what you can do in the workplace places of worship with your friends as well as travel when i came into office you may recall i set a goal that many you said was a kind of way over the top i said i intended to get 100000000 shots in people's arms in my 1st 100 days in office tonight i can say we're not going to meet that goal we're going to beat that goal because we've actually on track to reach this goal of 100000000 shots in arms on my 60th day in office no other country in the world has done this none and i want to talk about the next steps for thinking about 1st tonight i'm announcing i'll direct all states tribes and territories to make all adults people 18 and over eligible to be vaccinated no later than may 1 let me say that again all adult americans will be eligible to get a vaccine no later than may 1 that's much earlier than expected. let me be clear that doesn't mean everyone's going to have that shot immediately but it means you'll be able to get in line to get him a one every adult will be eligible get their shot and to do this we're going to go from a 1000000 shots a day that i promised in december before i suppose warnin to maintaining beating our current pace of 2 minute shots a day outpacing the rest of the world secondly at a time when every adult is eligible in may we will launch with our partners new tools to make it easier for you to find the vaccine and where to get the shot including a new website that will help you 1st find a place to get vaccinated and the one nearest you know more searching day and night for an appointment for you and your loved ones thirdly with the passage of the american rescue plan and i thank again the house and senate for passing it and my announcement last month of a plan to vaccinate teachers and school staff including bus drivers we can accelerate massive nationwide effort to reopen our schools safely and meet my goal that i stated the same time about 100000000 shots of opening a majority of k. through 8 schools in my 1st 100 days in office this is going to be the number one priority of my new secretary of education mcgill cardona forth in the coming weeks we will issue further guidance on what you can and cannot do once fully vaccinated to lessen the confusion to keep people safe and encourage more people to get vaccinated and finally 5th and maybe most importantly i promise i will do everything in my power. i will not relent until we beat this virus but i need you the american people i need you i need every american to do their part that's not hyperbole i need you i need you to get vaccinated when it's your turn and when you can find an opportunity and to help your family your friends your neighbors get vaccinated as well because here's the point if we do all of this if we do our part we do this together by july the 4th there's a good chance you your families and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout or a barbecue and celebrate independence day that doesn't mean large events with lots of people together but it does mean small groups will be able to get together after this long hard year that will make this independence day something truly special where we not only mark our independence as a nation when we began to mark or independence from this virus but to get there we can't let our guard down this fight is far from order from over as i told the woman in france face i'll tell you the truth of july 4th with your loved ones is the goal but our goals a lot can happen conditions can change the scientists have made clear. that things may get worse again as new variants of the virus spread we've got work to do to ensure that everyone has confidence and the safety and effectiveness of all 3 vaccines so our message use this list the doctor found she won most distinguished and trusted voices in the world he's assured us the vaccines are safe then to want rigorous scientific review i know they're safe. vice president harris harris and i know they're safe that's why we got the vaccine publicly in front of cameras so for the world to see she gets serious do it the 1st lady the 2nd gentleman also got vaccinated talk to your family friends your neighbors the people you know best to have gotten the vaccine we need everyone to get vaccinated we need everyone to keep washing your hands stay socially distance and keep wearing the mask as recommended by the c.d.c. because even if we devote every resource we have beating this virus getting back to normal depends on national unity and national unity isn't just how politics and politicians vote in washington what the loudest voices saying cable or on line unity is what we do together as fellow americans because we don't stay vigilant and the conditions change and we may have to reinstate restrictions to get back on track please we don't want to do that again we've made so much progress this is not the time to let up just as we were emerging from a dark winter in a hopeful spring and summer is not the time to not stick with the rules a closer this we've lost so much over the last year we've lost family and friends it was businesses dreams we spent years building we lost time time with each other and our children have lost so much time with their friends time with their schools no graduation ceremonies this spring no graduation from college high school moving up soon one in own or something else we lost. we lost face and whether our government and our democracy can deliver on really hard things for the american people but as i stand here tonight we're proving once again something i've said time and time again to them probably tired of hearing me say i said to foreign leaders and domestic alike it's never ever a good bet to bet against the american people america's coming back the development manufacture and distribution of vaccines in record time is a true miracle of science some of the most extraordinary achievements any country has ever accomplished and we also just saw the perseverance rover land on mars stunning images of our dreams that are now reality another example of the extraordinary american ingenuity commitment and belief in science and one another and today i signed into law the american rescue plan and historic piece of legislation the liver is a media relief to millions of people includes 1400 dollars in direct rescue checks payments that means a typical family of 4 earning about $110000.00 will get a check for $5600.00 deposit if they have direct deposit or in a check a treasury check it extends unemployment benefits it helps small businesses lowers health care premiums for many it provides food and nutrition keeps families in their homes and it will cut child poverty in this country in half court into the experts and a fine and it funds all the steps i've just described to beat the virus and create millions of jobs in the coming weeks and months. i'll be traveling along with the 1st lady the vice president the 2nd gentleman members of my cabinet to speak directly to you to tell you the truth about how the american rescue plan meets the moment and if it fails and i pray i will acknowledge that it failed but it will not but how after a long dark years one whole year there is hope and light of better days ahead if we all do our part this country will be vaccinated soon are common we will be on the mend our kids we back in school and will have proven once again that this country can do anything hard things big things important things over a year ago no one could have imagined what we were about to go through but now we're coming through it and it's a shared experience that binds us together as a nation we're bound together by the lost in the pain of the days that have gone by for also bound together by the hole in the possibilities in the days in front of us my fervent prayer for our country that after all we've been through will come together as one people one nation one america i believe we can and we will we're seizing this moment and history i believe record we faced and overcame one of the toughest and darkest periods in this nation's history darkest we've ever known i promise you will come out stronger with a renewed faith in ourselves or a nude commitment to one another to our communities and to our country this is the united states of america. and there's nothing nothing from the bottom my heart i believe this there's nothing we can't do we do it together from god bless you all and please god give solace to all those people who lost someone. and may god protect our troops thank you for taking the time to listen and look forward to seeing you. hope lights and better days ahead if we all do our part that's president joe biden delivering his 1st primetime address from the east room of the white house it was a somber rallying speech reflecting on the year gone by and the collective loss for everybody he said we have to beat the virus and we're on a war footing to get the job done and on track to reach 100000000 vaccine shots and within the by the 60th day of joe biden being in office let's get more from alan fischer he was listening in and out in a big important speech reflecting on the challenges of the year gone by really and indeed the challenges ahead. exactly talking about how the americans have managed to find light in the darkness what the biden campaign has done and then became of course the bite that ministration this point to the fact that joe biden is the man to take the united states through this crisis he managed to convince the voters know he's telling the country look there have been difficult times but things can get better and we can walk together but there has to be a collective unity so there was a very pragmatic part of the speech we're told by the loss that many people had made over the last year to not just those affected directly by the virus but those who had lost loved ones to not troll causes and couldn't attend their funerals but then said that there was a light at the end of the tunnel that the whole idea of vaccination was something that the u.s. could embrace together and perhaps come january it didn't july the 4th independence day there would be something extra to celebrate in 2021