During his address Thursday, Biden announced his first joint session of Congress will take place next month, where he will address the second pillar of his recovery plan, focused on investments in infrastructure.

The president-elect praised Congress for working across the aisle to pass a COVID-19 relief bill in December, but reiterated his message that the package by itself was only a "down payment." He said more is required, framing his policy proposal as the next step and urging lawmakers to push forward.

After blasting the current administration's vaccine distribution plan as a "dismal failure," Biden previewed his remarks Friday, where he plans on laying out his vaccination plan.

"We'll have to move heaven and Earth to get more people vaccinated, to create more places for them to get vaccinated, to mobilize more medical teams to get shots in people's arms, to increase vaccine supply and to get it out the door as fast as possible," he said.

-ABC News' John Verhovek, Molly Nagle, Averi Harper and Beatrice Peterson

Sen. Bernie Sanders issued a statement in support of Biden's COVID Rescue Plan, calling it a "very strong first installment," hinting that he believes more should be done in the future. It could serve as an indication of how the plan will be received by the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

"President-Elect Biden has put forth a very strong first installment of an emergency relief plan that will begin to provide desperately needed assistance to tens of millions of working families facing economic hardship during the pandemic," Sanders said Thursday in the statement.

"The president-elect's COVID-relief plan includes many initiatives that the American people want and need, including increasing the $600 direct payments to $2,000, and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour," he added. "As the incoming Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, I look forward to working with the president-elect and my colleagues in Congress to provide bold emergency relief to the American people as soon as possible."

-ABC News' Averi Harper

Biden, in an evening address from Wilmington, Delaware, is announcing his vaccination and economic rescue legislative package.

The ambitious $1.9 trillion proposal focuses on stimulus amid the ongoing pandemic.

Biden's plan would dedicate more than $1 trillion of the $1.9 trillion price tag for direct stimulus, officials said, while $400 billion would go toward COVID-related projects, including the nationwide vaccination program, and $440 billion toward relief for communities and businesses.

The plan includes direct payments of up to $1,400 to families in need, that when combined with the recent $600 stimulus payment would deliver on Biden's pledge to pass $2,000 of direct payments, along with a $400 weekly unemployment insurance benefit through September and a child tax credit.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

Photos show the beginning of the process to move President Donald Trump out of the White House, as workers load boxes on to trucks.

There is a preliminary plan to close the entire National Mall to the public for Inauguration Day amid security concerns, ABC News has confirmed.

The Washington Post was the first to report on the development, but The National Park Service has said it will make an announcement on the Mall following ongoing discussions with the Secret Service, the Biden Inaugural team and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Traditionally, members of the public gather on the National Mall -- bookended by the Capitol building and Lincoln Memorial -- for viewing of the inauguration on large jumbotrons.

But the Mall's potential closure comes in the wake of a violent seige on the U.S. Capitol building last week, which left at least five people dead, and amid heightened security concerns regarding armed protests being planned ahead of Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20.

Security preparations for next week have already increased with up to 20,000 National Guard troops authorized to provide security at the Capitol and around Washington, D.C., for next week's ceremony, according to a Defense Department official.

Bowser has already warned visitors to stay away from the District for the inauguration due to threats of both the coronavirus pandemic and of violence.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this post reported that the entire National Mall would be closed to the public for Inauguration Day amid security concerns. The text has been updated to reflect the fact that the closure is only a preliminary plan.

-ABC News' Dee Carden and Josh Margolin