Biden commemorated a new tragic milestone in U.S. history on Thursday: One million lives lost to COVID-19. The coronavirus ranks behind only heart disease and cancer as America's leading causes of death over the past two years.
to COVID-19 on Thursday in remarks opening the second Global COVID Summit, a virtual gathering of world leaders, nongovernmental organizations and private sector companies hosted by the the White House.
"Today we mark a tragic milestone here in the United States: 1 million COVID deaths. One million empty chairs around the family dinner table. Each irreplaceable, irreplaceable losses," Mr Biden said in recorded remarks from the White House."Each leaving behind a family, a community, forever changed because of this pandemic. My heart goes out to all of those who are struggling."
In recognition of the disease's high toll, Mr. Biden also issued a proclamation ordering flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset on May 16. The president urged Congress to approve more funding for his administration's COVID-19 efforts, saying the world is"at a new stage in fighting this pandemic, facing an evolving set of challenges."
"I continue to call on Congress here at home to take the urgent action to provide emergency COVID-19 funding that is vital to protect Americans, to make sure that we maintain our supplies of COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, including next-generation vaccines that are being developed," Mr. Biden said.
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