own party but also opposition from the labor party which has said they're going to abstain from the vote. the prime minister is expected to get the vote through, but it may be a very long night. thanks for joining us. brianna keilar picks up our coverage right now. hi there, i am brianna keilar. i want to welcome viewers in the united states and around the world. we're keeping an eye on president-elect joe biden who is about to introduce his economic team that is tasked with the coronavirus recovery. i want to go to jeff zeleny who is there in wilmington, delaware to tell us a little bit, jeff, we were watching it live as everything was getting sanitized for the event. what are we expecting to hear? >> reporter: a sign it is going to begin momentarily. what we're going to hear again is a stark contrast with the

trump administration. we are of course going to see at the center of the new economic team janet yellen. she served as chair of the federal reserve, but this is going to be a very different role as treasury secretary, a political role where she will have to work with members of congress. you can see the rest of the top members of the economic team who we're told will be on stage with president-elect biden and vice president-kamala harris. they're going to layout a starkly different view, economic view, than the trump administration. they'll talk about how they need government spending and government programs to help workers. that's what's going to be the focus of this. and income inequality janet yellen talked about for years, back when it was controversial, leading the fed she talked about income inequality, she said this is not a matter of politics, it is a matter of the economy. she will talk about that as well. of course, all of the nominees we're about to see on stage will require senate confirmation, and that's an open question for at

least one of them at this point. that is neera tanden. she's nominated to lead office of management and budget, a critical role in any white house. and republican senators have already voiced objections to her saying she will not be confirmed. we'll see what the balance of power is in the senate. that of course is dependent on those georgia senate runoffs. for now, at least, brianna, we're going to see a different economic world view, more focused on workers, on the labor idea of the economy rather than tax cuts and regulation cuts. that is something that will be much different. really, we are a week after presentation of the national security team where we saw a starkly different world view with america first. we're going to see that today on the economic front with a very, very different view of how the biden team views the economy. >> all right, jeff, thank you so much. we'll be watching this with you as soon as it gets under way in

wilmington. i want to bring in our chief business correspondent, christine romans, as well as our economic commentator and columnist katherine rand pell. christine, i want to start with you. what does this mean for a covid relief bill. this is an area congress has not been able to find agreement. it is needed more than ever by americans. how is this going to take shape under this team of biden's. >> will it happen before, will there be a lame duck covid rescue extension. that's the big question we're talking about on capitol hill today. we know, brianna, we're looking at a world where the virus is raging at its worst. all of the financial aid instruments that were extended to the american workers, american people, to the person out of work, those are going away one by one. so we're really, the net is gone here honestly and that's the big

impetus for congress at this moment now and also the new administration coming in. >> katherine, i'm sort of struck thinking back to 12 years ago, we were in the middle of the financial crisis, and the obama/biden term was about to begin and they were going to be dealing with an economic catastrophe. here we are again, another economic catastrophe and recovery that's required. that's part of the perspective that biden will certainly bring to this. >> yes, it has been pretty bad luck for incoming democratic administrations. i remember talking with members of the obama team i guess it was in 2009, talking about how they had big ambitious plans for reforming health care, which they ultimately did, and on other kinds of pie in the sky ideas that they wanted to come in and make transformative change, and the frustration because at the time they were so preoccupied with trying to put

the fires out. as i said, ultimately they did get to some of the other agenda items but it took awhile because there was this ongoing crisis. the biden team is confronting the same challenges. obviously it is a crisis borne of a different catastrophe, not a financial crisis, but one borne of a public health crisis. their first and foremost job is to find ways to extend relief to american households, small businesses that are struggling. a lot of that is going to have to come through congress. there are some executive actions that the biden team could take once the president is in office, but they're limited. >> and christine, the expectation unless we are watching georgia to see what happens with the runoff elections there, but this could very well, if you can stand by. let's listen now to the president-elect. >> good afternoon, everyone. thanks for being here. hope everyone had an enjoyable

and safe thanksgiving, even if it was far from the traditional large gathering of family and friends, apart from many we loved. i hope you had a good thanksgiving. i know times are tough, but i want you to know that help is on the way. last week i announced nominations and staff for critical foreign policy and national security positions. first rate team that will keep us safe and secure. and today i have the pleasure, the pleasure, of announcing key nominations and appointments for the critical economic positions in the administration. a first rate team that's going to get us through this ongoing economic crisis and help us build the economy back, not just build it back, build it back better than it was before, a team that's tested and experienced, and includes groundbreaking americans who come from different backgrounds but share my core vision for economic relief here in the

united states of america. and given a fair shot, equal chance, there's nothing, we all believe there's nothing beyond the capacity of the american people. let's not forget who built this country, working class, middle class people built this country, and unions built the middle class. and from the most unequal economic job crisis in modern history, we can build a new american economy that works for all americans, not just some, all. we need to act now though and we need to work together. you know, in weeks since winning the election, vice president harris and i have covered meetings with a number of people. we convened meetings with labor leaders and ceos at the same time, mayors and governors of both political parties. there's a consensus out there that as we battle the covid-19 disease, we have to make sure that business and workers have the tools, resources and

guidance, and health and safety standards to be able to operate safely. the goal is simple, to keep businesses and schools open safely, and for millions of americans who lost their jobs or hours, had to claim unemployment, we have to deliver them immediate relief. that includes affordable health care for millions that lost it and are in danger of losing it, child care, sick leave, family leave, so workers don't have to choose between work and family. relief from rent and student loans. we need to support small businesses and entrepreneurs who form the backbone of the communities that we live in, that are teetering on the edge. you know, there's urgent need to fund state and cities so the front line workers on jobs can stay in the jobs. you know, the founders are pretty smart. i could have gotten this from the future secretary of the

treasury. there's a reason states and localities have to have a balanced budget but we're allowed to have a deficit to deal with crises and emergencies as we have in the past, and we have to keep voitital public services running, have to give aid to local and state governments to make sure they can have law enforcement officers, firefighters, and educators as we did in 2009. right now, full congress should come together and pass a robust package for relief to address these urgent needs. but any package passed in a lame duck session is lucky to be at best just to be a start. my attention team is already working on what i'll put forward in the next congress to address multiple crises we are facing, especially our economic and covid crisis. the team i am announcing today will play a critical role in shaping our plan for action

starting on day one and move fast to revive this economy. they're going to help me, help us, help the country layout my build back better plan, a plan that an independent analysis from moody's, well respected wall street firm predicted would create 18.6 million jobs. based on a simple proposition, reward hard work in america. not wealth. it is time to invest in infrastructure, clean energy, climate change, manufacturing, so much more that will create millions of good paying jobs. it is time we address the structural inequities in the economy that the pandemic laid bare. economists call this current economy in recovery k shaped. well, like the two lines coming off a k, some people are seeing prospects soar upward while others are watching their economic prospects drop sharply. for those at the top, jobs have

come back, the wealth is rising. for example, luxury home sales are up over 40% compared to last year. but for those in the middle and the bottom, it is a downward slide, they're left figuring out how to pay the bills and put food on the table. almost one in every six renters was behind in rent payments as of october. let me be clear. with this team and others, we'll add in weeks ahead that we are going to create recovery for everybody. get this economic moving. create jobs, restore the backbone of this country, the middle class. our message to everybody struggling now is this. help is on the way. my dad, you heard me say this before, when he lost his job in

scranton when i was a kid, and we eventually moved the family not far from here, claymont, delaware, used to say joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck, it's about your dignity, it's about respect, your place in the community. being able to say honey, it's going to be okay and mean it. also used to say joey, i don't expect the government to solve my problems, but i do expect them to understand my problems. this team understands. for secretary of treasury, i am really pleased to be able to nominate janet yellen. no one is better prepared to deal with these crises. i wish it weren't as much of a crisis, future secretary. but she will be the first treasury secretary who chaired the federal reserve, vice chair of the federal reserve, and chair of the president's council of economic advisers.

janet is one of the most important economic thinkers of our time. she spent her career focused on employment and dignity of work which is really important to me and to all of us. she understands what it means to people and their communities when they have good, decent jobs. respect will be looked at by neighbors and being respected, means a lot to them. respected across party lines and around the world by main street and wall street, an educator, mentor, daughter of a working class brooklyn neighborhood who never forgot where she came from. her husband, george, pretty good, too. he's won a nobel prize, but he's the one that married up. janet will be the first woman to hold this office. we might have to ask lin-manuel

miranda who wrote the musical about hamilton to write one about the first woman secretary of the treasury yellen. that's what i'm working on now, janet. for director of office and managing the budget, i nominate neera tanden. you know, i have known neera a long time, brilliant policy mind with practical experience across government. she was raised by a single mom on food stamps, immigrant from india, who struggled, worked hard, did everything she could for her daughter to live out the american dream. and neera did just that. she understands the struggles that millions of americans are facing and she'll be the first woman of color from south asia and i think that to lead omb.

we have another woman that's going to be vice president of the united states of america. being very serious, she will be in charge of laying out the budget that will help us control the virus, deal with the economic crisis, and build back better. above all, she believes what i believe, a budget should reflect our values. again, quoting my dad for real, my dad, people would say joey, let me tell you what i value. he was a high school educated guy, well read. looked at me, don't tell me what you value, tell me your budget, i will tell you what you value. that's what you're going to do for us. deputy secretary of treasury, i nominate wally add ee air no. i don't know, wally, i tell you what, senator warren really likes you. she highly recommended you. but i wasn't sure she worried i stole you as well. thank you for being willing to do this, wally. skilled leader and thinker on

issues range fof things. i worked with wally during the great recession. that was my excuse to the senator. saying that's why i want to steal you. saw him tackle one big job after another. deputy national security adviser to president obama, deputy director for national economic council, former chief of staff to elizabeth warren, where he helped create the consumer protection bureau, financial bureau which has done so much good. designed to protect consumers and working people from unfair, deceptive, abusive practices. wally will be the first african-american to hold this post, highest ranking african-american in the treasury department history. immigrant from nigeria. he understands everything we do is basically for people, for families. hard working people. to understand their struggles

and most of all their dreams, and he understands both. i want to thank you, wally, for being willing to do this. for chairperson of council of economic advisers, i nominate notwithstanding, she was a distinguished professor at princeton, my children that went to penn, i joke about it. cecilia rouse. expert on race, poverty, education. dean of school of public and international affairs. council of economic advisers to president obama, and adviser to president clinton at the national economic council. more than that, a proud daughter whose mom, a school psychologist, encouraged her to pursue economics. her dad, one of the country's first african-american astrophysicists who dared her to

dream. she's done both. if confirmed, cc will be the first, excuse me, the fourth woman to lead the council of economic advisers and first african-american ever to hold that post. and as cea chair, she will serve as a member of my cabinet as well. as a member of council of economic advisers, we appoint jared bernstein, an old friend with me a long time, brilliant thinker, quick wit, with a heart as big as his head, and heart he got from his mom, an educator who raised him correctly. a social worker turned economist, he is one of my closest economic advisers and friend. served as chief economist during the vice presidency. he was there in that foxhole during the great recession, with the economy on the brink, and our country on our back. i couldn't think of anyone else i would want to be by my side to face the challenges ahead. jared will be one of the leading voices of my administration on

economic policy. i can always count on him to deliver straight from the shoulder as his hero fdr would say, straight from the shoulder. one thing i can assure, working people always have a voice with jared and this counsel. as a member of council of economic advisers, i appoint heather boushey. thank you for the help with the transition team. she's one of the foremost economists to make sure we build an economy that works for all americans. daughter of a union family. she believed deeply in the idea leave no one out, leave no one behind in this economy. during the campaign, relied on the council on addressing structural inequities, i will do so as president. that's one of the central issues of our time. to this team, thank you for accepting the call to serve

again. to your families. thank them for the sacrifices, because it is a real sacrifice. we could not do this without you. to the american people, this team will always be there for you and your families. this is family oriented team. we have to make sure ordinary people get a chance to do well, because they've never when given a chance, they've never, ever, ever let the country down. 11 years ago, president obama and i entered office during the great recession and implemented the recovery act that saved us from a great depression. i didn't see the map of america at the time, nor did he, in terms of blue states and red states. we only saw the united states of america. we work with everyone, for everyone. and we recovered and rebuilt together as one nation. vice president harris and i will do that all over again with an outstanding team. they're ready on day one.

to the united states senate, i hope those outstanding, the outstanding nominees receive a prompt hearing and that we will be able to work across the aisle in good faith and move forward as one country. so let's begin the work to heal, to unite, to rebuild an economy for all americans. they deserve and expect nothing less. thank you. may god bless you. may god protect our troops. i now turn this over to the new team, starting with the next secretary of treasury, janet yellen. again, janet, thanks for accepting. i think they're going to clean this off for us here.

>> i put it in my book. my mask. >> thank you, mr. president-elect and madam vice president-elect. it is migray great honor to joi this incredible economic team at this moment of great challenge for our country. mr. president-elect, when you reflect on what your father taught you about how a job is much more than a paycheck, i hear my own father who raised our family in working class brooklyn. when he graduated from medical school during the great depression, he looked for a home and place to hang his shingle near the brooklyn docks.

back then, bush terminal on upper new york bay was a thriving hub for manufacturing and transportation, and for union workers whose livelihoods depe depended on them. knowing they didn't have cars, he found a place near a bus line. he started his practice in a basement and we lived in the floors above. end of the day, he would talk to me, my brother, my mom, about what work meant to his patients. our friends and neighbors, especially if they lost a job, the financial problems, the family problems, the health problems, the loss of dignity and self worth. the value of work always stuck with me, so much so that i became an economist because i was concerned about the toll of

unemployment on people, families, and communities. and i spent my career trying to make sure people can work and achieve the dignity and self worth that comes with it. mr. president-elect, i know you've done the same. i saw that understanding during the last great recession and the recovery act that followed. and now we're facing historic crises again. the pandemic and economic fallout together have caused so much damage for so many and had disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable among us. lost lives, lost jobs, small businesses struggling to stay alive are closed for good. so many people struggling to put food on the table and pay bills and rent. it's an american tragedy.

and it is essential we move with wi urgency. inaction will produce self reinforcing downturn causing yet more devastation. and we risk missing the obligation to address deeper structure problems. inequality, stagnant wages, especially for workers who lack a college education. communities that have seen industry disappear with no good jobs replacing lost ones. racial disparities in pay, job opportunities, housing, food security, and small business lending that deny wealth building to communities of color, gender disparities that keep women out of the work force and keep our economy from running at full force. it's a convergence of tragedies

that is not only economically unsustainable but one that betrays our commitment to giving every american an equal chance to get ahead. but i know this team will never give up that commitment. as you said before, mr. president-elect, out of our collective pain as a nation we will find collective purpose to control the pandemic and build our economy back better than before. to rebuild our infrastructure and create better jobs. to invest in our work force. to advance racial equity and make sure the economic recovery includes everyone. to address the climate crisis with american ingenuity and american jobs. working together with the outstanding national security and foreign policy team you

announced last week to help restore america's global leadership. and above all, we share your belief in the american dream of a society where each person with effort can rise to their potential and dream even bigger for their children. i pledge as treasury secretary to work every day towards rebuilding that dream for all americans and to the great public servants of the treasury department, i look forward to working with you and wally to rebuild the public trust. to the american people, we will be an institution that wakes up every morning thinking about you. your jobs, your paychecks, your struggles, your hopes, your dignity, and your limitless

potential. thank you. >> thank you. >> mr. president-elect, madam vice president-elect, i am humbled and honored by the trust you placed in me to work with this talented team on behalf of the american people. i am especially proud to work alongside leaders who understand that budgets are not obstructions, they're reflection of our values. they touch our lives in profound ways and sometimes they make all the difference. like the vice president-elect's mother, my mother maya was born

in india. like so many millions across every generation, she came to america to pursue a better life. i was raised in a suburb of boston, a middle class kid, but when i was five, my parents got divorced and my mom was left on her own with two young children, and without a job. she faced a choice. return to india where at a time divorce was stigma tiesed and opportunities for her and her children were limited, or keep fighting for her american dream. she stayed. and america came through for her when times were tough. we relied on food stamps to eat, relied on section 8 vouchers to pay rent, relied on the social net safety net to get back on our feet. this country gave her a fair shot to reach the middle class

and she made it work. she got a job as a travel agent and before long she was able to buy us our own home in bedford, massachusetts, and eventually see her children off to college and beyond. i am here today thanks to my mother's grit but also thanks to a country that had faith in us and that invested in her humanity and in our dreams. i am here today because of social programs, because of budgetary choices, because of a government that saw my mother's dignity and gave her a chance. now it is my profound honor to help shape the budgets and programs to keep lifting americans up, to pull families back from the brink, to give everybody the fair chance my mom got, and that every single

person deserves. that's the america they were drawn to, the america the president-elect and vice president-elect are ready to grow. i believe so strongly that our government is meant to serve all the american people, republicans, democrats, and independents alike, all of whom deserve to know their government has their back. i look forward to working together alongside the dedicated career professionals of the omb to expand possibilities for every american family and i want to thank my own wonderful family, my husband ben. without his love and support, i would simply not be here, and our children. thank you all for this profound opportunity to serve.

>> mr. president-elect, madam vice president-elect, thank you for this profound opportunity to return to the treasury department and serve the american people. i know firsthand the president-elect's capacity to lift our country out of hard times because i had the privilege of working with him to help americans recover from the great recession. in california's inland empire where i had grown up in a working class neighborhood, the great recession hit us hard. we were one of the foreclosure capitals in the united states. the pain of this was real for me. it wasn't just numbers in a report or stories on the nightly news, but neighbors and friends who lost everything. i was proud of work i got to do

with consumer protection bureau, protecting american consumers, and treasury department, helping to grow the u.s. economy. i was proud also of getting a chance to serve with leaders like the president-elect who oversaw the recovery act's implementation, investing in american workers, betting on their resilience and drive, giving families a chance to get up off the mat. i believe that's what public service is all about at its best, giving people a fair shot when they need it most, offering hope through the dark times, and making sure the economy works not just for the wealthy but for the hard working people who make it run. those are the lessons i learned from my parents, elementary school principle and nurse who came to america to build a better life for me and my siblings. they taught us we have a responsibility to serve the community and the country that gave us so many opportunities, but i also learned early on how much more needs to be done to

ensure that everyone has a fair chance they deserve. i look forward to working with janet yellen to reduce inequality in this country, expand the middle class, make sure we build an economy that works for everyone, and as we build back better, we must also remain laser focused on treasury department's critical role, protecting national security. this includes using sanctions regime to hold bad actors accountable, dismantling financial networks of terrorist organizations and others that seek to do us harm, ensuring foreign investment policy protects america's national security interests. the challenges before us today are unlike anything we have ever faced. but i know that what the president-elect sought after is true. the american people can do anything when given a chance. and i'm honored to be part of this talented team and to work with them and all of the american people to build an economy that gives everyone that chance and turns our nation once again from crisis to hope.

thank you. >> good afternoon. mr. president-elect, madam vice president-elect, thank you for the extraordinary opportunity to join this team. i am humbled and honored and ready to get to work for the american people. to be perfectly honest, until recently i did not anticipate i would return to public service. as every academic knows, when you laid down roots at a school you love with incredible students and colleagues you've grown with, it isn't easy to take a leave. it requires a rare combination of urgency and opportunity to

pull you away. but that rare combination is precisely what our nation is facing right now. my path as an economist began in my first year of college. my mother, the school psychologist, encouraged me to take a course in economics, and it happened to coincide with what at the time was one of the worst spikes in unemployment since the great depression. it was impossible for me to separate what we were learning in the classroom from what i know was going on in towns across the country. and so i found myself drawn to the study of the labor market in all of its dimensions. the reasons that jobs disappear, the impact of education on people's job prospects, and ways we can tear down barriers to job growth, make it easier for people to find long lasting economic security. today, nearly 40 years later, we are once again living through one of the worst job crises since the great depression. millions of families have had

their lives turned upside down. the safety net has frayed, leaving vulnerable americans to slip through into hardship and hopelessness. and importantly, structural inequities that always existed in the economy are being exacerbated like never before. this is a moment of urgency and opportunity, unlike any we faced in modern times. the urgency of ending a devastating crisis and the opportunity to build a better economy in its wake, an economy that works for everyone, brings fulfilling job opportunities and leaves no one to fall through the cracks. i look forward to working with the president-elect and vice president-elect and this amazing entire economic team to address that urgency and seize that opportunity and make our economic system work better for every american. thank you.

>> good afternoon. i am hard pressed to find the words to express my gratitude to the president-elect and vice president-elect for the chance to be here today. in thinking about the path that brought me here, a good place to start is 12 years ago almost to the day when i met with then vice president-elect biden at his home not far from here. it was supposed to be a job interview to be his chief economist, but it quickly turned into a conversation about economic justice and fairness, which as many here know is a common destination in

conversations with the president-elect. over the years, we've continued that discussion, often it takes the form of some policy minutia, sometimes me hitting him with far more graphics than are necessary, or him telling me to stop speaking economies and speaking english, guilty as charged, mr. president-elect. i suspect the reason we had such a meeting of the minds back then dates back to a common saying in my household when i was growing up. if you're not part of the solution, another part of the problem. i grew up with a single mother, a lifelong educator, there's a picture of fdr on the wall. her proudest moment wasn't when i got a ph.d., it is when i got a union card. local 802, new york city musicians' union, but that's a whole other story. of course, if you intend to be part of the solution, you need to accurately diagnose the

problem. in that regard, i think the president and vice president-elect's agenda is timely, resonant, and visionary. yes, they stressed the urgent need to control the virus, provide the relief needed to help families and businesses get to the other side of the crisis. but they've been just as adamant that simply getting back to where we were sets the bar too low. we must build back an economy that's far more resilient, far more fair, and far more inclusive. it is precisely the vision this nation needs and i suspect i am not the only person on stage chomping at the bit to get to work on making their vision a reality. thank you.

>> mr. president-elect, and madam vice president-elect, i am honored and very grateful for the chance to be part of this absolutely exceptional team, excited to get to work helping build an economy rooted in the values that we share, equality, opportunity, and dignity of work. it is no accident that i focused my career on instilling those values in our economy. developing policies that help our nation grow stronger by growing more equitably. like the president-elect and vice president-elect, those values were instilled in miae aa young age. my dad had a job at boeing. if you grew up in seattle like i did, you know what that means. a lot more than a paycheck as janet referenced, and as the

president often reminds us. and for our family, my dad's job at boeing meant security. it meant union benefits. a place in the neighborhood, a place in the middle class. but when the recession hit in the early 1980s, one by one, pink slips arrived for every family in our cul-de-sac. every kid at my bus stop had a parent that was laid off. our entire community saw its future dimmed, and one by one it was my turn. so first time i truly experienced this thing called the economy, it was my parents sitting down, explaining that things were going to be tougher for awhile because my dad was on layoff. too many kids in america experienced the economy through those kinds of difficult conversations. they're far worse. i was struck by the profound power this mysterious force held over my life, my friends, my community. i wondered if that power

couldn't be wielded to create happier conversations and fuller lives. i dedicated my career to figuring out how we can grow and sustain the middle class, and uproot the gender barriers and racial barriers that leave too many americans outside the dream looking in. through the organization i co-founded, i pursued solutions to reverse the dangerous march of inequality, bring us back to the core value of broadly shared success. that's the same value i see at the heart of the build back better plan, and why i am so excited and honored to help this team bring not just good jobs but good lives and peace of mind that comes with them to every american community. thank you.

>> mr. president-elect, congratulations on choosing this outstanding team of brilliant minds, this economic team. this is the right team for this moment and to our nominees and appointees, thank you for your continued service to our nation. this is the team we need to deliver immediate economic relief to the american people, to get our economy back on track, and to make sure it works for working people. and as president-elect biden noted earlier, completing that task could not be more urgent. cases of covid-19 are spiking, beyond the tragic loss of life, the toll of this recession continues to mount. across america, one in six adults with children say their families are hungry. janet yellen talked about food

insecurity. this is real. we are looking at a hunger crisis in america right now. one in three adults having trouble paying their bills, essential bills, the bills that need to be paid at the end of every month to get to the next month. and the number of open small businesses has fallen by 30%, due to the pandemic, while many others are hoping they can stay afloat until a vaccine is available. these are the struggles, the worries that keep people up in the middle of the night, that have them sitting at their kitchen table past midnight, trying to figure out how they're going to make it work. but americans are not united in their worries alone, they also united by their aspirations, the aspirations they have for themselves, for their children, for their families, and for their community because no matter where you live or what

language your grandmother speaks, everyone wants to be able to get a job and keep a job, no matter what your gender, or who you love, everyone wants to be able to buy a home and keep a home. and no matter how you worship or who you voted for in the election, everyone wants to be able to give their children a decent education and allow those children to pursue their dreams, even during a pandemic. and joe and i understand that. we were raised to respect the dignity of work. we were raised by hard working parents who always understood the dignity of work and the potential not only for their children but of our country. and that's why i have always fought for working people, standing up for middle class families that lost their homes in the great recession.

wally, you talked bouabout that. families in california were devastated but they were able to rely on their government and leaders as joe always talks about who needed to see their condition and speak to that condition and that's the work that needs to happen now and i look forward to collaborating with this extraordinary team to put working people front and center in our administration. these public servants are some of america's most brilliant minds. they are proven leaders whose talents, achievements, and life stories, their life stories reflect the stories of the american people and their stories reflect the very best of our country. and they not only have the experience, the expertise, and what is necessary to help end this economic crisis but also

what is necessary to put people back to work. and they also share in our commitment to building an economy, an america where everyone has access to a higher minimum wage and affordable health care, paid family leave, paid sick leave, home ownership and capital to start a small business, an america where opportunity is within reach for everyone, for all the people. so we've got a lot of work to do to build that america and as joe always says, to build back better, and president-elect biden and i toogether with this economic team will be ready to hit the ground running on day one because that is what this crisis demands and that is what the american people deserve. thank you.

>> and vice president-elect kamala harris unveiling their economic team. what is this going to mean for this country in the middle of an economic crisis in the middle of a pandemic? i want to talk now with experts about this. christine romans. first to you on this. what are they going to be able to do? >> well, i mean, that's a big question. depends what happens with control of the senate, of course, and after the runoff election in georgia in january. depends what the relationship will be with mitch mcconnell and with joe biden. these are two men that have known each other a long time, are experts how it works in washington. look, what we know is it is absolutely necessary for more to be done to help the american people now. i am struck by just the difference in tone from this team compared with the outgoing team. the outgoing team was about

cutting taxes for business, cutting regulations and costs for business, and everyone else would benefit from that, that was the philosophy and that growth would soar. the pandemic came, never saw that soaring growth from cutting tax for business as promised. this team is offering workers and families and paid family leave and focusing on the worker and labor market as opposed to from the business side. >> geoff, digging into plans the first 100 days. what are you finding? >> reporter: well, look. first and foremost, their plans are revolving around this economic stimulus plan that will be unveiled sometime in the new year. it will -- as christine talked about rise and scope depends who controls the senate. democrats has to win both races in georgia, a tie in the senate

broken by vice president-elect kamala harris. easier sailing, but if they don't, and they're planning for not to have that, planning for republicans to have a narrow majori majority, they are likely to trim their ambitions somewhat. there's no question the biden agenda, first 100 days, they know there's an urgent sense of timing. we heard "urgency" and "opportunity" throughout it all. sums it up. look for more plans directly for the american workers here. i'm struck by how reminiscent this is to 12 years ago when then joe biden and barack obama can coming in, in a different time, certainly a different challenge of the economy, but similar to what they're trying to build. that is what president-elect joe biden is trying to seize upon here. trying to kraecreate a new econ recovery act if you will like they did in 2009. if you add on top of that the pandemic. that's something out of their

control, of course and what will drive or slow this economy without question, brianna. >> abby, i'm struck by the similarities as well, also some of the differences of the mood we've seen on capitol hill. you don't see democrats and republicans putting ideology aside, putting disagreements aside, and taking to heart just how bad things are at the, just, know, everyday level for people, and doing something about it. we have not seen that for months. so, you know, especially considering the republicans may keep the senate, and you will have this divided government. what comes of that? >> reporter: such a good point. you know, back in 2008 there was at least a recognition of the scope of the problem, and of the need to do something, although democrats and republicans then disagreed about the size, about the method of doing something about that problem, and i think today we are kind of in a

different scenario. yes, there is some movement on capitol hill, but there has been such resistance to this kind of economic aid that's necessary and it really does castalities bit a little shadow what joe biden is try to do here and why you're hearing the biden transition start to talk a lot about executive actions, the desire to do as much as they can without congress and in some ways the trump administration paved the way for that. this trump administration has been incredibly aggressive in terms of actions they'd been willing to take on the executive side without congress, and that's really kind of -- democrats kind of balked a that but you might end up seeing the biden administration taking advantage of that because they might have to. whatever small piecemeal stimulus or aid they're able to do before end of this year will need to be followed up by more. the closer we get to january

20th the more resistance we'll see from republicans to spending money. i think that's going to be the biggest issue that they face. the biden campaign, they're talking about aiding, you know, families and doing all of this stuff that requires money. i think you're going to see a lot of republicans starting to push back and talking more about deficits than spending. >> we saudis agreements, but back in 2008, congress passed a huge relief package, and in retrospect it became a bit of a political football. lots of money to bail out banks. but we're talking about hungry americans, americans whose businesses are falling apart. we're talking about people who can't keep roofs over their heads and it's hard to understand, i think, for so many people watching this, how that is so difficult for democrats and republicans to come together and remedy. >> reporter: yes. if you actually look at economic

team biden put together, that may help shed context around how they're going to approach this problem. jared bernstein, for example, was in the obama administration when they were crafting the recovery act, and negotiating what would go in it. he fought for something much bigger that what passed. a debate in the obama administration, too big, scare people off on the other side. compromise and ultimately passed an enormous bill but not quite big enough. you'll see the biden administration partly informed by that experience and there are 134 thi some things they can do by executive action. again they're smaller, involving stach other involvements, things like expanding food stamps through administrative action or action to the eitc.

a huge discussion about student forgiveness, student debt in the months ahead. >> thank you for the birilliant minds talking about the economic team and announcing his picks, republicans are clutching their pearls over one of the nominees tweets. we'll roll the tape on that. plus the fbi commissioner summoned to the white house today as president trump demands answers over why vaccine approval hasn't happened yet. and as hospitalizations hit across america another record, in moments the cdc will decide who will get the vaccines first. this is cnn special live coverage. i felt like... ...i was just fighting an uphill battle in my career. so when i heard about the applied digital skills courses, i'm thinking i can become more marketable. you don't need to be a computer expert to be great at this. these are skills lots of people can learn. i feel hopeful about the future now.

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welcome back. i'm brianna keilar. breaking news this hour. a key independent panel inside the cdc is voting on vaccine protocols specifically determining who will be first in line when these vaccines are approved for use. here's what the members of the cdc advisory panel told cnn about this decision. >> our decisions were deciding which of the priority groups are based on current knowledge and current information about the