President Biden’s 1st 100 Days: Delmarva Reaction

President Biden’s first 100 days in office generated excitement and optimism from Delaware’s delegation on Capitol Hill – all Democrats who knew or worked with Biden when he was in Delaware.

Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, R-1st, saw the early part of the Biden Administration much differently.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del. released this statement:

“President Biden laid out a positive, hopeful vision for how we can move our country forward and build back better – with a clear legislative agenda centered on opportunity, equity, and quality of life.

“The American Rescue Plan helped 160 million Americans pay overdue bills and put 200 million vaccine shots in arms, and now President Biden is building on this progress by launching an economic recovery that works for all. His American Jobs Plan to modernize infrastructure – to fix our roads and rail, improve internet access, and act on climate – will create millions of good paying jobs, and now, with the American Families Plan, he is putting forward a robust vision for domestic renewal through investment in education, health care, child care, tuition-free community college, and paid family leave.

“Now, we in Congress need to roll up our sleeves and work together to restore American competitiveness, breathe new life into a recovering economy, and invest in our families. Let’s get to work.”

Senator Tom Carper, D-Del., released this statement:

“President Biden tonight laid out a bold vision for our nation, offered a path to a stronger economy for red and blue states alike and reflected on his Administration’s actions to deliver much-needed COVID relief for the American people. As President Biden underscored tonight, with his leadership and that of Congress — our nation has in recent months met this crisis with the urgency it demands.

“I have long said that rapid, widespread and accessible vaccination is the only path back to true normalcy and robust economic recovery.  Thanks to the President’s bold leadership and the resources marshaled by the American Rescue Plan, our nation is vaccinating millions of Americans a day and getting one step closer to putting this pandemic in the rear-view mirror. Over half of U.S. adults have received at least one vaccination dose. Small businesses and schools are reopening and unemployment is at the lowest point since the pandemic began. In towns small and large across Delaware, families are seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

“But like the President said, we must go beyond repairing what’s broken: We must build back better than before by creating jobs across our economy, empowering America to compete and win in the global economy and summoning our strengths to tackle our toughest problems, including climate change, crumbling infrastructure, racial injustice, and persistent barriers to health care and affordable education. 

“I was encouraged to hear the President discuss his Administration’s commitments to expanding health care access, increasing the maximum Pell grant awards for students, and supporting working families by extending expansions of critical programs like the Child Tax Credit. This program enjoys widespread support and has helped lift many millions of children out of poverty.  

Congressman Andy Harris, R-Md., told WGMD’s Mike Bradley:

“In the first 100 days, he did nothing on a bipartisan basis. In the second 100 days, he wants to talk about taking your guns away, huge tax hikes – these are not bipartisan issues. There’s not going to be bipartisan agreement on the types of gun control he’s talking about or the huge tax hikes he’s calling for.”