President Joe Biden and his wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, will travel to Houston on Friday as Texas recovers from a massive winter storm that left millions of people without water or electricity.
What you need to know
- President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will travel to Houston on Friday as Texas recovers from a devastating winter storm
- Biden will “discuss winter storm relief efforts, progress made towards recovery and the incredible resilience of the people of Houston and Texas,” said press secretary Jen Psaki
- The President will also visit a vaccine distribution center during his visit to the Lone Star State
- The federal government has supplied 9 million liters of water to the people of Texas and has supported over 200 water distribution points
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at the news conference Tuesday that the president would “discuss winter storm relief efforts, progress on the road to recovery and the incredible resilience of the people of Houston and Texas.”
Psaki added that the federal government had supplied 9 million liters of water to the people of Texas and helped with over 200 water distribution points.
The President will also visit a vaccine distribution center during his visit to the Lone Star State as a country addresses a backlog of vaccine doses interrupted by the winter storm. White House officials said Monday they expect millions of late COVID-19 vaccines to be shipped to states before the end of this week, an earlier estimate than previously stated.
All 50 states were affected last week after a severe cold front struck most of the United States Almost six million doses of vaccine remain undeliverable. And while dangerous weather conditions still prevail in some parts of the country, Biden government officials have been working around the clock to ensure Americans get these vaccines as soon as possible.
The president said last week he hoped to visit Texas after devastating winter storms but said he did not want to be a “burden” on authorities.
“I had planned to be in Texas by the middle of next week, but what I don’t want to be is a burden,” Biden said at the time. “When the president lands in a city in America, he has a long tail and they work like the devil to look after their people.”
“If it actually comes to the conclusion that I can go without incriminating the local people while they deal with this crisis, I plan to move on,” Biden continued.
Speaking at a press conference Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Biden hoped to travel to the state “this week.”
Psaki on Sunday told ABCs “This Week” Biden “is eager to go to Texas and show his support. He is also very much aware of the fact that traveling to a disaster area is no small footprint for a president. He does not want to take away resources or attention.”
Biden previously approved a major disaster statement for the state of Texas on Friday after the devastating winter weather.
