Biden wants Congress to take action on gun reform

White House press secretary Jen Psaki stressed Friday that Biden has not given up on the idea of bipartisan support even though he said earlier in the day that it would be “an easy choice” between quick relief and drawn out negotiations. 

“He is somebody who is keeping the door open. He will remain engaged with Republicans in the days ahead,” she said at Friday’s press briefing.

Psaki pointed to a number of areas of bipartisan compromise including funding for small businesses and some elements of the minimum wage, but acknowledged that there was still a gulf on agreements for scope and size. 

When pressed by ABC News on what Biden viewed as a reasonable timeline for negotiations before he considers them “bogged down,” as he indicated in his remarks earlier in the day, Psaki declined to give guidance. 

"I’m not going to set a timeline," she said.

The president, she said, "is certainly hopeful that there is opportunity for this bill, whatever form it takes, to have bipartisan support, and there's an opportunity to do that.”

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle, Ben Gittleson and Sarah Kolinovsky

In remarks on the economy Friday, Biden called his American Rescue Plan “big,” “bold” and “a real answer to the crisis we’re in.”

The president said he will not lower stimulus payments to under $1,400. Biden’s plan also includes extending unemployment checks until September (it’s set to run out in March) and raising the minimum wage.

When it comes to compromising with Republicans, Biden said, “they're just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go.”

“What Republicans have proposed is either to do nothing or not enough,” he said.

"If I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting so badly and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation or compromising on a bill that's up to the crisis, that's an easy choice. I'm going to help the American people who are hurting now,” he said.

Biden is set give remarks on the economy Friday after the first jobs report during his presidency was released Friday morning, pointing toward a slow economic recovery.

The Labor Department report showed the U.S. unemployment rate dipped slightly to 6.3% in January -- down just 0.4% from last month -- and employers added some 49,000 jobs.

Last February, before COVID-19 upended the labor market, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was 3.5%.

-ABC News’ Catherine Thorbecke

Tim Manning, the COVID-19 response team’s supply chain coordinator, announced Friday that the administration is using the Defense Production Act in three ways: getting Pfizer more equipment to ramp up vaccine production; increasing supply of at-home tests to 60 million by the summer; and building plants to produce surgical gloves in the U.S.

Meanwhile, 1,110 active-duty military personnel will be assigned to assist at vaccination sites, the White House COVID-19 response team said.

The personnel -- including Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps -- will be divided into five teams of 222 personnel each.

FEMA and the Department of Defense will jointly determine when military vaccination capabilities are no longer required.

-ABC News' Matthew Seyler