Prior to the 2022 State of the Union address, President Biden reportedly extended FEMA COVID-19 aid for states through July 1st.
According to ABC News, White House COVID-19 coordinator, Jeff Zients, informed governors that President Biden is approving the FEMA support. This extension is for FEMA-backed efforts such as vaccination clinics; mass testing sites; and surging hospital resources. These services help deal with local case spikes of the virus.
FEMA Administrator, Deanna Criswell, also confirms President Biden’s action. “FEMA’s priority through the response to COVID-19 has been to coordinate and provide the necessary reproaches and personnel states, tribes, and territories need to adequately respond to the pandemic. Today’s extension of the 100% cost-share through July 1, 2022, builds on our efforts to assist impacted communities. Across state and federal levels.”
President Biden first signed an order directing FEMA to cover 100% of state emergency costs related to COVID-19. This order was originally from his second day in office through September 2021. However, Biden ended up extending it to the end of 2021 and again through April 1st.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy States President Biden Needs to Give ‘Useful’ Message About the Russian Invasion in Ukraine
On Tuesday (March 1st) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to CNN’s Matthew Chance about the situation between Ukraine and Russia. The politician is now using President Biden to deliver a “strong and useful” message about the Russian invasion during the 2022 State of the Union address. Zelenskyy revealed in the interview that as long as Moscow’s attacks on Ukrainian cities continues, little progress may be made in talks between the two countries.
“You have to speak first of all,” Zelenskyy explained. “Everybody has to stop fighting and to go [back] to that point from where it began five, six days ago. It’s important to stop bombing people and then we can move on and sit at the negotiation table.”
When asked about President Biden, Zelenskyy said, “He is one of the leaders of the world. And it is very important that the people of the United States understand [that] despite the fact that the war is in Ukraine, it is [a] war for the values of democracy, freedom.”
The Ukrainian President went on to reiterate calls for the U.S. and NATO to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Or at least put some boots on the ground. “I’ve already addressed and [spoken] to some Western leaders with this request. Because I do believe that leaders do have to support democratic countries. And they have to help them.”
Zelenskyy then added that he has spoken to President Biden many times. “And I’ve told them many times that Ukraine will resist and fight stronger than anyone else. But on our own against Russia, we don’t manage it.”
