Jan 19, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Biden challenges GOP agenda: "What are Republicans for?"

President Biden pushed back against Republican efforts to obstruct his agenda during a press conference Wednesday, asking, "What are Republicans for?"

Why it matters: Biden's press conference came as he approaches one year in office, facing low polling numbers and a stalled agenda.

What they're saying: "One thing I haven't been able to do so far is get my Republican friends to get in the game at making things better in this country," Biden said.

  • "I did not anticipate that there would be such a stalwart effort to make sure that the most important thing was that President Biden didn't get anything done."
  • "Think about this. What are Republicans for? What are they for?"

The big picture: During his speech, Biden took the opportunity to tout the accomplishments of the administration, from expanding COVID-19 testing to improving the economy.

  • He added that one task facing the administration would be conveying to the American public all the benefits they've received as a result.
  • "We passed a lot. We passed a lot of things that people don't even understand all that's in it, understandably," he said.
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