Biden marks 1 million US COVID deaths with demand for congressional spending

President Biden marked what he called the “tragic milestone” of 1 million US deaths from COVID-19 Thursday by insisting that Congress approve billions of dollars in new spending to boost America’s pandemic response.

“As a nation, we must not grow numb to such sorrow,” the president said in an early morning statement. “To heal, we must remember. We must remain vigilant against this pandemic and do everything we can to save as many lives as possible, as we have with more testing, vaccines, and treatments than ever before. It’s critical that Congress sustain these resources in the coming months.”

In March, the White House asked Congress to approve $22.5 billion to pay for COVID treatments, tests, vaccines and research. That request was pared by Hill negotiators to $15.6 billion before being cut out of legislation funding the government through Sept. 30 due to objections from Republicans.

Last month, Senate GOPers blocked Democratic efforts to move forward with $10 billion in new COVID spending by insisting on an amendment that would have kept the Title 42 health authority in place at the US-Mexico border. That policy, which allows for summary expulsion of migrants without allowing them to claim asylum, is set to expire May 23.