By LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News(WASHINGTON) — This is Day 16 of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.Here is how events are unfolding. All times Eastern:Feb 04, 10:26 amBiden calls out ‘political extremism’ at National Prayer BreakfastAt the 2021 National Prayer Breakfast, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle spoke of unity and oneness under God, and every living former president gave a video contribution to the virtual event — except former President Donald Trump. In some ways, Trump’s legacy was still present, as Biden focused his remarks on healing the divisions caused by the 45th president. “We know now we must confront and defeat political extremism, white supremacy and domestic terrorism. For so many in our nation, this is a dark dark time. So where do we turn? Faith,” Biden said.Biden said that while he’s attended many prayer breakfasts over the years, “with a nation at war and struggle and strife, and a nation at peace and prosperity,” this year was different than any other before, citing the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest.”This is not a nation that can or will simply stand by and watch this. It’s not who we are. It’s not who faith calls us to be. In this moment, we cannot be timid or tired. We have too much work to do. And it’s by our work, not just our words, that we’re going to be judged,” he said. The devout Catholic ended with his conviction that faith will sustain Americans through the pandemic, citing Psalm 30:5: “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”At last year’s event, which came right after the Senate voted to acquit his first impeachment charges, Trump held up newspaper headlines reading “Trump acquitted” and took swipes at Sen. Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith, as well a House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s penchant for saying she prays for him.Feb 04, 10:10 amYellen to meet with SEC, Fed on GameStopIn an exclusive interview on ABC’s Good Morning America, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she would be meeting Thursday with representatives from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Future Trading Corporation and the Federal Reserve to discuss the recent trading activity around GameStop and look into whether more regulatory action is needed.”We really need to make sure that our financial markets are functioning properly, efficiently and that investors are protected and we’re going to discuss these recent events and discuss whether or not that the recent events warrant further action,” Yellen said. When pushed to confirm whether steps would be taken, Yellen said only that she and other financial leaders need to “understand deeply what happened” before making any moves.In a nod to Yellen’s appointment as the first female treasury secretary, when asked what she hopes to achieve and leave as her mark on the Treasury Department, Yellen spoke not about her own place in history, but about lifting up American families, especially those who are disadvantaged, and plugged Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan.”I want to make sure that this package gets into law and that we build back better and address long-term problems in the labor market and issues of structural racism, so I would feel if I can make a contribution to that, I would feel that that’s a great legacy for me and for the country,” Yellen said.
Feb 04, 9:17 amBiden to outline foreign policy goals at State, Senate to enter ‘vote-a-rama’
President Biden will deliver his first major foreign policy speech since taking office on Thursday during a visit to the State Department, where he is expected to talk about “reclaiming America’s role in the world” and restoring values to the center of U.S. foreign policy, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
Ahead of those afternoon remarks, Biden is slated to give pre-recorded remarks at the 2021 National Prayer Breakfast in the morning. The event is virtual this year due to the pandemic and has been a tradition for all presidents dating back to Eisenhower. Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, will likely invoke his faith. It all comes as Democrats move on Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan without Republicans, although Biden has pledged to get bipartisan support for the bill. The House on Wednesday night approved a budget resolution that would allow the chamber to advance a relief package through the reconciliation process, which would allow Democrats in the Senate to pass the measure with a simple majority vote. Meanwhile, in the Senate, a “vote-a-rama” begins around 2:30 p.m. — a period of nonstop consideration of amendments to the annual budget resolution as part of the reconciliation process. There’s no cutoff to how many amendments can be considered. Harris is expected to be on the Hill in case she needs to cast a tie-breaking vote as president of the Senate. Biden told Democrats Wednesday he’s willing to further target the relief payments in his package, but he does not want to go below $1,400.Psaki also holds her daily press briefing at the White House at 11:30 a.m. Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
