Via Teleconference

10:10 A.M. EST

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everyone.  Obviously, this has been a year and a half, if not two years, of this phrase we rarely used before: “You’re muted.  Unmute.”  So, take two. 

It is good to be with all of you this morning.  It’s good to be with you.  So many friends and leaders.  And I can’t thank you enough for the work you do every day and have done for years and years and years.

     You know, this group is a group of leaders who never give up in believing in who we are as a people and believing in the capacity of our country.

I want to just start by thanking all of you and for being true partners to the President and me and our administration and for everything that we have been doing this year.

Since the start of our administration, it has truly been an honor to work alongside each of you, building on the years of work that we have done before; and to meet with you and your members out in the state; and to welcome you to meet with me in my Ceremonial Office.

But to all of you, again: Thank you for your leadership, for your partnership, for all of the personal sacrifice that comes with it.

So, of course, we’re in the middle of the holiday season, and it’s a time to take pride in the work we have done and to take stock in the work that we have left to do, which I think is a large part of why we are gathered this morning.

And I don’t need to tell you that this is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.  In many ways, the actions we are taking now demonstrate who we are and embody our character as a nation.

In the United States, we are believers.  We are as bold as we are determined to do big things.

Working together earlier this month — as has been mentioned, as we all know — we passed a once-in-a-generation Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  This law will soon fix our roads and bridges and replace lead pipes, has a huge impact on the children of our country, and will connect families in urban and rural areas with affordable and accessible high-speed Internet. And we will do all of this while creating good union jobs.

And as you all know, I lead the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment.  As you’ve heard Joe Biden say many times, our administration is determined to be the most pro-union administration in our nation’s history.  And this law — this infrastructure law — brings us one step closer.

At the same time, as significant as it is, as historic as it is, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is part one of two.  We must lower the cost of living for working people in America.  And to do that, Congress must pass our Build Back Better Act.

Our Build Back Better Act will lower childcare and healthcare costs, housing costs, prescription drug costs, all for working families, for folks who need — who need to be able to afford to live with dignity and cover the basic and essential needs of themselves and their families.

It will strengthen registered apprenticeship programs so that more workers can access good union jobs.  It will tackle the climate crisis at its core.

The President and I are grateful to members of Congress who led its passage on the House floor.  Now we call on the Senate to do the same. 

So, thank you for all the work you have done and the work you will do to get our Build Better Act signed into law. 

And, you know, we all know there’s so much at stake.  And when we get this done, it’s going to have an impact on our country — a positive impact on our country for generations.

So, I will end where I began: The United States, we are believers.  We have faith in one another.  We have faith in our nation.  We have faith in our future.  And we believe a better future is possible.  So, we are determined to build that future.

In this pivotal moment, let us believe in what we can do together. 

Thank you all, again.  May God bless you.  And may God bless America.

Take care, everybody.  See you soon.

                             END                10:15 A.M. EST