US President Joe Biden’s proposal for a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package was based on assessment of specific needs, said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in her first press briefing on Wednesday. 

Psaki said, “The package wasn’t designed with the $1.9 trillion as a starting point. It was designed with the components that were necessary to give people the relief that they needed.”

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Biden has made tackling the pandemic his top priority. In one of his 15 executive orders that he signed on his first day in office, he reversed the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation. 

Psaki said, “He signed an executive order, reversing Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organisation. This will strengthen our efforts in improving global health. Tomorrow, we are not wasting any time, Dr Fauci will participate remotely as the US head of delegation.”

She added, “President Biden also officially appointed a COVID-19 response coordinator, a position we had already previously announced but made it official today to create a unified national response to the pandemic. He reestablished to the national security team responsible for global health, security, and bio-defense.”