Harris receives COVID-19 vaccine, urges McConnell to put her bill on $2K checks to floor vote
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris publicly received her first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday morning at United Medical Center in Southeast D.C., a predominantly African American community that has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with Harris telling the public, "this is about saving lives."
"There is a big difference between the vaccines and vaccinations," Harris said after getting the shot, a frequent saying from the president-elect who is expected to take aim at the Trump administration in afternoon remarks on the pace of vaccinations.
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"I trust the scientists, and it is the scientists who created and approved this vaccine. So I urge everyone, when it is your turn, get vaccinated. It’s about saving your life, the life of your family members and the life of your community," Harris added.
Asked to respond to the chances of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell bringing the House-passed measure to raise stimulus checks to $2,000 to a vote, Harris promoted her own legislation that's been sitting in the Senate.
"Well, I actually have a bill for that," Harris said with a smile. "Awhile back, I recommended that folks receive a $2,000 check. And so, I would urge Mitch McConnell to put my bill on the floor for a vote."
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Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, is also receiving the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday. Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, publicly received their first doses of the Pfizer vaccine last week. Vice President Mike Pence and the nation's top expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, were also vaccinated on camera -- but the Biden transition team is arguing not enough Americans are seeing the same treatment.
More than 2 million Americans have gotten the first doses of a coronavirus vaccine, though officials from Operation Warp Speed said they planned to have 20 million doses of the vaccine distributed to the public by Friday.
-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson, Sarah Kolinovsky and Molly Nagle