Miami Mayor Francis Suarez will go to the White House with other U.S. mayors to discuss a proposed $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan with President Joe Biden.
Suarez, will attend the Oval Office meeting, and is expected to discuss the American Rescue Plan, Biden’s pandemic relief package. The proposal includes $350 billion for local governments to distribute vaccines, fund rental assistance programs and pay public sector workers.
Suarez plans to highlight the need to make sure that cities such as Miami get stimulus dollars directly from the federal government.
Much of the conversation, however will be about vaccines.
“If we’re given enough vaccine to be able to vaccinate 24 hours a day, we want to be able to do that without having to worry about overtime and other costs,” the mayor said.
Suarez is one of a bipartisan group of five mayors and four governors who have been invited to the Oval Office.
“mayors in particular are on the front lines of this, and we’ve seen widespread bipartisan support from them.” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
Suarez’s invitation comes as he’s advocated for another round of stimulus money. Suarez, contracted COVID-19 early last year, has also criticized the pandemic response from Republicans holding higher office, and former President Donald Trump as well as Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“I don’t view these issues as partisan,” he said. “I view this as I need to take care of my residents.”
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