Biden wants Congress to take action on gun reform

When ABC's Senior White House Correspondent Mary Bruce pointed out Republican criticism that passing the bill through budget reconciliation isn’t bipartisanship -- because it doesn’t represent any compromise -- White House press secretary Jen Psaki countered with the point that Americans in need don’t necessarily care how the bill is passed and that the White House believes lawmakers will feel the pressure to get something done. 

“I think that the one in seven American families who can't put food on the table and the teachers who are waiting to ensure their schools have the ventilation, the PPE, the testing they need," Psaki said. "They will tell you that they expect their members to meet this moment.”

Psaki said Biden is still supportive of congressional Democrats moving forward with the budget reconciliation process in the background as bipartisan conversations continue. 

While some Republicans have been warning that if bipartisanship can’t be achieved on a matter like COVID-19 relief, there’s little chance it can be achieved on other matters later on, Psaki insisted many of the provisions in his bill are popular on both sides of the aisle. 

“The president is confident that issues like reopening schools, getting shots in the arms of Americans, ensuring people have enough food to eat are not just Democratic issues. He takes his former Republican colleagues at their word, of course, that they are committed to these issues too, and that's why he wants to have the conversation,” she said.

She also declined to draw a red line when it comes to specific measures in the package, asked specifically whether losing state and local government funding was a deal breaker. 

“But, again, the reason that each component was put in the package was because economists, health experts -- many that the president and others consulted -- with felt there were essential components to help get the American people through this period of time,” Psaki said.

-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky and Ben Gittleson

White House press secretary Jen Psaki reiterated that Biden's meeting with ten Republican senators at the White House Monday evening would be an "exchange of ideas" but did not guarantee any changes to the plan Biden has proposed -- the American Rescue Plan.

"He's happy to have a conversation with them," Psaki said. "What this meeting is not is a forum for the president to make or accept an offer."

Asked if was more important to go big as Biden has pressed in recent weeks or go bipartisan, on beat with his theme of unity, Psaki said the president believes they can have both with the package.

"And there is historic evidence that it is possible to take a number of paths, including through reconciliation -- if that is the path that is pursued -- and for the vote to be bipartisan. But it's important to him that he hears this group out on their concerns, on their ideas," she said.

Given the GOP counterproposal costs about a third of Biden's and jettisons some measures altogether, Psaki was pressed if the White House views their plan as a "serious attempt" at compromise.

"He felt it was an effort to engage on a bipartisan basis. That's why he invited them to the White House today. But his view is that the size of the package needs to be commensurate with the crisis -- crises we are facing, the dual crises we're facing, hence why he proposed a package that's $1.9 trillion," she said.

The White House COVID-19 response team at a virtual press briefing Monday announced the Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services struck a $230 million deal with the Australian company Ellume to make millions of at-home, over-the-counter COVID-19 tests.

Dr. Andy Slavitt, a senior adviser to White House COVID-19 response team, said the self-performed, over-the-counter test kits can detect COVID-19 with roughly 95% accuracy within 15 minutes and will be available for about $30.

"They can be used if you feel symptoms of COVID-19 and also for screening for people without symptoms, so they can safely go to work, school, into events that are appropriate for people ages two and older," Slavitt said.

He said the test is performed in a mid-turbinate nasal swab which, he said, "basically means it's less invasive than the long nasal pharyngeal swab that people may have seen on the news."

The test user puts the sample into a digital analyzer which can send test results to a smartphone in about 15 minutes. Results would not have to be sent out to a lab.

Citing the contract, Slavitt said Ellume will be able to scale their production to manufacture more than 19 million test kits per month by the end of 2021, 8.5 billion of which are guaranteed to the U.S. government.

Asked how a $30 at home test fit into White House's equity goal and for screening people regularly, Slavitt said the unit costs can only come down with mass production.

The White House COVID-19 response team at a virtual press briefing Monday acknowledged coronavirus variants "remain a great concern," but overall stressed Americans should take a vaccine as soon as it becomes available, pushing back on any concerns over getting a vaccine now despite variants evolving.

"When the vaccine becomes available to you, please get vaccinated," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser on COVID-19.

Fauci said vaccinations are the best way to fight mutations because they prevent the virus from spreading and replicating.

"There is a fact that permeates virology, and that is: Viruses cannot mutate if they don't replicate," Fauci said.

He and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky also stressed wearing a mask and social distancing -- hours ahead of Biden's transportation mask mandate going into effect.