Implementing the American Rescue Plan will be a whole lot more task than passing it, as it will “require fastidious oversight to make sure there’s no waste or fraud,” President Joe Biden said on Friday during an event at the White House’s Rose Garden.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered their respective speeches in the presence of other top Democratic leaders to commemorate the passing of the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill.

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“It’s one thing to pass the American Rescue Plan. It’s going to be another thing to implement it. It’s going to require fastidious oversight to make sure there’s no waste or fraud and the law does what it’s designed to do, and I mean it. We have to get this right,” the President said.

The package, touted by Biden to change the “paradigm’ for workers, was passed by Congress earlier this week and will dish out $1,400 payments to most Americans, help the unemployed and expand public health care and ramps up funds for vaccinations.    

Biden signed the legislation into law yesterday, and stimulus payments will start going out to millions of Americans as soon as this weekend.

The President argued that trickle-down economics does not work and “it’s time that we build an economy that grows from the bottom up and the middle out.” 

“For the first time in a long time, this bill puts working people in this nation first,” he added.

Biden claimed the legislation was the biggest investment in childcare since World War II. “That’s not just hyperbole. That’s a fact. It’s a fact.”

“This legislation extends unemployment insurance by $300 a week until September. It’s going to help 11 million Americans who were days from losing that benefit,” the President announced. 

In his remarks, Biden also thanked the members of the House and Senate for passing the COVID relief bill. 

“You made it happen. As I said, I served 36 years in the Senate and I know how hard it is to pass major consequential legislation, particularly when we only have such minor and small majorities in both houses,” he added.

However, in his ending note, Biden warned that “we’re not finished yet” and the “conditions can change”. 

Earlier, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised Biden’s leadership and thanked Democrats who worked on the bill. 

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“It’s been a long and difficult year here in America. We’ve lost so many in so short a time, but finally hope is on the horizon and help is on the way,” Schumer said.

Harris also used her remarks to thank Biden, saying he “had a purpose” and “had faith” that the American people would support the plan.

“Americans will see what we did here. What you did, Mr President. And they will feel the impact of this bill for generations to come,” Harris said. “Because of you, Mr President, help has arrived, and on behalf of our nation, thank you.”