Biden Signs Bill Averting Rail Strike, Praises Economic Outlook

President Biden signed an emergency bill averting a rail strike that the Senate passed on Thursday. Signing the bill, Biden spoke about the state of the U.S. economy, citing Friday’s job report as evidence of its strength.

For Context: Biden asked Congress to intervene in the labor dispute earlier this week. A key element of the dispute was a push from some of the rail unions for seven days of sick leave per year. The Senate rejected this proposal.

Key Quotes: Biden said the bill “ends a difficult rail dispute and helps our nation avoid what without a doubt would have been an economic catastrophe at a very bad time in the calendar.” Biden said a rail strike would have “devastated” the economy, calling the rail network the “backbone of our supply chain,” adding that averting it had lowered the risk of recession and signaled America was “moving in the right direction.” Speaking on the failed sick leave proposal, Biden said that “every worker in America” deserves paid sick leave and that the “fight isn’t over.”

How the Media Covered It: Coverage across the spectrum contrasted Biden’s pro-union reputation with his decision to stop the rail strike. The Associated Press called Biden a “staunch labor union supporter” while also quoting a number of sources disagreeing with his assessment of the economy. CNBC detailed how a rail strike would “potentially raze the economy.” The Washington Times (Lean Right Bias) agreed a rail strike would “devastate” the economy.