| Jan. 24, 2019 - Former Vice
President Joe Biden focused his remarks on the Recovery Act (the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), which provided an
"infusion
of
$836
billion,
the
single
largest program in the history of America,
maybe in the world, not a joke, of infusion of capital saved us from a
depression." Biden recalled that mayors had been integral
to the development and implementation of the Recovery Act. He
said, "Less than two tenths of 1% was wasted, or was fraudulent,
less than two
tenths of 1%. The largest government program in history with less
than two
tenths of 1% waste, fraud or abuse in the program."
Biden
did
make
one
reference
to the possibility that he might run for
president, noting, "I
read in the New York Times
today that I, that one of my problems is if I were to run for
president, I like Republicans."
"I don't know how you get anything done, until we start talking
to
one
another, again," he said. "[The]
Recovery Act required us—Democrats, Republicans,
presidents, vice
presidents, mayors, senators, governors—to work together because our
back was against the wall," Biden said. Alluding to the shutdown,
Biden said, "The more dysfunctional this town has become, the more
consequential local
officials become."
Biden
also
devoted
significant
attention
to climate change. "We
can't
stand
alone in ignorance, while every other country in the world signs on an
agreement.," he said.
transcript |
