WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress that he used to promote a $1.8 trillion plan he said is needed to compete with China.
"Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: America is on the move again, turning peril into possibility, crisis into opportunity, setback into strength," Biden said.
Here are some comments on the President's speech:
RONNA MCDANIEL, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR
"Don't buy Biden's gaslighting about bringing people together. He established a court-packing commission, is open to ridding the filibuster, and killed good-paying energy jobs.
"His actions are those of a partisan activist, not a president for all Americans."
KEVIN MCCARTHY, HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
"President Biden is using his presidency to implement the most radical socialist agenda in American history. He plans to 'Build Back Better' by growing the government, raising taxes on American families and investments, destroying jobs, and saddling future generations with a massive debt - an agenda that will inevitably crush economic opportunity."
REP. DEAN PHILLIPS, A DEMOCRAT
"A pretty remarkable speech if you're pro-human."
SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, A DEMOCRAT
"Tonight, the president delivered a hopeful report on the great progress we've made during his first 100 days in office, and charted an equally hopeful path for a lasting, fair economic recovery after the pandemic."
SENATOR MARK KELLY, A SWING STATE DEMOCRAT
"While I share President Biden's urgency in fixing our broken immigration system, what I didn't hear tonight was a plan to address the immediate crisis at the border, and I will continue holding this administration accountable to deliver the resources and staffing necessary for a humane, orderly process as we work to ... fix our immigration system."
SEAN ELDRIDGE, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, STAND UP AMERICA, A PROGRESSIVE ADVOCACY GROUP
"President Biden laid out a bold, ambitious agenda during his speech tonight - including committing to sign into law legislation that would protect our freedom to vote and root out corruption in our politics.
"But if we have any hope of getting it done, we need to first end the filibuster. We cannot let a minority of senators representing an even smaller minority of the population stand in the way of protecting our democracy."
WADE HENDERSON, INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS
"We appreciate the President calling on Congress to send to his desk key legislation, including the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, the Equality Act, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, the For the People Act, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act."
IGOR VOLSKY, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GUNS DOWN AMERICA.
"Tonight, President Biden pledged to 'do everything in my power to protect the American people from this epidemic of gun violence.' Over the coming weeks and months we will hold the President accountable to this pledge."
JOHN NEUFFER, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
"During tonight's address to Congress and throughout his first 100 days in office, President Biden has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening America's semiconductor supply chains through robust investment in domestic chip manufacturing, design, and research.
"Now is the time for leaders in Washington to shoulder in by enacting legislation that funds these important provisions."