Biden signs Gosar bill ending COVID emergency

President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law legislation from Rep. Paul Gosar officially ending the COVID-19 emergency declaration.

The move effectively terminates the emergency powers granted to the president under the National Emergencies Act. President Donald Trump initially declared the national emergency March 13, 2020.

"With the president signing my bill, the emergency powers enacted to address the COVID-19 emergency have been terminated," Gosar, R-Ariz., said in a written statement to The Arizona Republic. "It is my view, shared by Congress, and now the president, that emergencies should be in place only as long as there is an ongoing emergency.  The pandemic is over and has been.  This repeal is a great step forward towards economic and social recovery.  Working with my colleagues and (House) Speaker (Kevin) McCarthy was instrumental."

During a March 30 briefing after the Senate vote, Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would sign the measure, adding that the president wanted an "orderly" end to the public health and national emergency declarations.