US Pres. Biden to Sign GOP Bill Ending COVID Emergency

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Facts

  • On Thursday, a US White House official confirmed that Pres. Joe Biden won't veto a bill that passed the Senate to end the COVID emergency despite having conveyed opposition to it earlier this year.1
  • The Democrat-controlled Senate voted 68-23 on Wednesday to terminate the national emergency signed into law by former Pres. Donald Trump in 2020. In February, the Republican-controlled House voted 229-197, with 11 Democrats joining 218 Republicans in support.2
  • The White House official, who chose to remain anonymous, said Biden would sign the bill because it more closely resembles the administration’s plan to end the emergency on May 11, as opposed to a previous House bill that would’ve lifted it in February.3
  • Once signed, the bill will lead federal agencies to treat COVID as an endemic threat rather than a pandemic through their normal authorities.3
  • In May, a separate public health emergency, which is more expansive and impacts the Title 42 immigration policy, is also scheduled to expire.1

Sources: 1USA Today, 2Roll Call, and 3Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by The Hill. Once again, Biden has flip-flopped on his own party. Earlier this month, the president sided with Republicans on the DC criminal code issue, and now he’s taken their position on the COVID emergency. Even worse, he didn’t bother to communicate with his fellow Democrats before making this decision. Moving forward, the president is going to have to loop in more people to keep the party unified.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by New York Post. It’s about time Biden agreed to give up the authoritarian powers he was enjoying from the national emergency. After all, as far back as September, he proclaimed that COVID was over. Democrats need to get over their political hurt and accept that Biden is finally doing what’s best for the country.