Just days before Christmas, the president-elect addressed the nation in Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday.

Joe Biden reflected on the past year that was marked in the U.S. by a pandemic, racial reckoning, wildfires and more hardships.

"Jill and I send our prayers, as I’m sure all of you do, to all who are facing this dark winter with an empty seat at the dinner table," Biden said. "Our hearts go out to all of you who have fallen on hard times, through no fault of your own, I might add."

Biden reflected on how his family’s Christmas will be different this year, saying they usually have up to 25 people over for dinner and 14 family members "coming down the stairs on Christmas morning."

“But not this year,” he said. "Like we did over Thanksgiving, we all have to care enough for each other that we have to stay apart just for a little bit longer."

The president-elect urged Americans to remain vigilant, wear masks, stay socially-distant and avoid large gatherings.

"We need to work in a bipartisan way, that’s the only way we’re going to get through, this in tough times," he said.

Biden applauded lawmakers for passing the COVID-19 relief package.

"In this election, the American people made it clear: They want us to reach across the aisle and work together on matters of national concern, to get something done," he said.

He noted the relief bill is "far from perfect" and is just the "first step" in addressing the crises the U.S. is in.

Finally, Biden warned that, "Our darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us, not behind us, so we need to prepare ourselves."

Biden also addressed the cyber attack that hit government agencies and U.S. companies.

"There’s still so much we don’t know, including the full scope of the breach, or the extent of the damage it has caused," Biden said. "This attack constitutes a grave risk for our national security, it was carefully planned and carefully orchestrated."

“Foreign actors have been working on this breach since at least last year," he added. He accused the Trump administration of failing to prioritize cybersecurity.

Biden noted that initial indications suggest that Russia is responsible, but called on the Trump administration to make an official attribution.

Biden pledged his administration would prioritize cybersecurity.

The president-elect closed by urging Americans to remain hopeful and united during the holiday season.

“As a nation, we’ve certainly been shaken to our depths this year,” he said. "Now it’s time to awaken, to get moving, time for hope."

California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill the remainder of Sen. Kamala Harris' Senate term.

A statement of organization for a Senate campaign was made in his name this morning. Padilla will be the first Latino to represent California in the Senate.

Newsom said he will "be a Senator for all Californians."

"Now, he will serve in the halls of our nation’s Capitol as California’s next United States Senator, the first Latino to hold this office,” said Governor Newsom. “Through his tenacity, integrity, smarts and grit, California is gaining a tested fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in D.C., lifting up our state’s values and making sure we secure the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic. He will be a Senator for all Californians.”

-ABC News’ Meg Cunningham

Vice President Mike Pence gave remarks at a giant, potential superspreader event in Florida Tuesday that was attended by thousands.

Pence delivered remarks before the group Turning Point USA, which has been meeting this week at a West Palm Beach convention center.

Pence told the crowd that, "It’s really is great to be here with so many friends during such a special week in the life of our nation."

"In this season of hope, hope is on the way," Pence said. "And thanks to your president and incredible American ingenuity, under Operation Warp Speed, we have come to the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a medical miracle, and a promise made and a promise kept." 

As he has done for weeks, Pence toed the line in terms of expressing support for President Trump’s attempts to subvert the election, mixing ambiguity on Trump’s moves -- and implicit endorsement of them -- with a push to defend Republicans’ Senate majority.

"Come January 5th, we're gonna hold the line in the United States Senate when we re-elect Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue to a Republican majority on Capitol Hill," Pence said, as the crowd chanted "four more years."

He continued, "our election contest continues."

"We're going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted," Pence said to cheers. "We're going to keep fighting until every illegal vote is thrown out."

Finally, he urged the enthusiastic, young attendees to "stay in the fight in our election" as they chanted, "stop the steal."

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

Tuesday marks two weeks until the Jan. 5 runoffs in Georgia that will decide which party controls the U.S. Senate.

So far, at least 1,678,624 Georgians have voted, according to Georgia Votes' analysis of the secretary of state's absentee voter files, which include data for all voters casting absentee ballots by mail, as well as all in-person early voters.

Compared to this point ahead of the general election, turnout is down 7%, according to Georgia Votes.

Of the total votes, 621,098 are absentee by mail -- which is down 21% compared to this point ahead of the general -- and 1,057,526 are in-person early- voted ballots -- which is up 5% compared to this point ahead of the general.

While turnout is slightly down, nearly 50,000 voters (49,118) who've participated in the runoff election didn't vote at all in the general election, according to Georgia Votes.

-ABC News’ Quinn Scanlan

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Monday that if the pandemic relief bill becomes law, direct deposits to Americans could start by the beginning of next week.

“We will be sending out next week direct deposit,” Mnuchin said in a phone interview with CNBC Monday about the hard-fought political compromise that's dominating the political scene on Capitol Hill. “I expect we’ll get the money out by the beginning of next week.”

“People are going see this money the beginning of next week,” he added.

Mnuchin also spoke approvingly of the deal that was made to get the bill over the finish line.

“This overall bill I think is fabulous,” he said, adding that, "this is a large bill and has a little bit of everything in it for everybody."

Finally, Mnuchin also addressed the suspected Russian cyber hack of U.S government agencies and Fortune 500 companies, saying, “there’s been no damage, nor have we seen any large amounts of information displaced” after the cyber attack into the Treasury Department’s unclassified systems.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson