Biden renews call for new COVID-19 legislation after Georgia elections

President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday renewed calls for new coronavirus relief legislation at the start of his administration following the Georgia Senate runoff races Tuesday.  

The president-elect faces the possibility of having unified Democratic control in Congress.

Biden has long called the recently-passed $900 billion relief measure a “down payment” on a future, broader package, but with Sen.-elect Raphael Warnock’s (D) victory in one Georgia Senate runoff and Democrat Jon Ossoff’s lead in a second, the president-elect indicated he will press hard for a new deal.

“Georgia’s voters delivered a resounding message yesterday: they want action on the crises we face and they want it right now. On COVID-19, on economic relief, on climate, on racial justice, on voting rights and so much more. They want us to move, but move together,” Biden said in a statement on the Georgia races.

“I have long said that the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill passed in December was just a down payment. We need urgent action on what comes next, because the COVID-19 crisis hits red states and blue states alike.”

Should Ossoff clinch his race, in which he currently holds a roughly 17,000-vote lead over Republican incumbent David Perdue, Democrats would hold a narrow 50-50 Senate majority. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be able to cast tie-breaking votes. The Democrats’ possible narrow majority could ease Biden’s path to passing legislation and confirming administration officials. 

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill were overjoyed by the news out of Georgia, boasting that a unified Democratic Congress would work with Biden to advance the White House agenda.

Beyond coronavirus relief, Democrats have also floated passing new legislation on voting rights and addressing the country’s health care system, among other priorities, with complete control of the executive and legislative branches. 

“Together, in under two weeks when we inaugurate the new Biden-Harris Administration, a unified Democratic Party will advance extraordinary progress For The People. We will pursue a science and values-based plan to crush the virus and deliver relief to struggling families, safeguard the right to quality affordable health care and launch a plan to Build Back Better powered by fair economic growth,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement. 

“For too long, much-needed help has been stalled or diluted by a Republican-led Senate and President Trump. That will change with a Democratic Senate, Democratic House, and a Democratic President,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who would be majority leader with Democratic control.