VOA常速英语:美国部署逾千名军人协助新冠疫苗接种

This is VOA news. Reporting by remote, I'm David Byrd. President Joe Biden says the U.S. economy is in trouble and he is again laying out the case for moving ahead with his coronavirus relief package. AP's Sagar Meghani has details. The government's latest jobs report shows hiring has stalled. Hundreds of thousands have left the labor force. The president says a lot of folks are losing hope. "... so I'm going to act and I'm going to act fast" and alone if need be. The president's increasingly calling out Republicans for pitching a relief bill far smaller than the $1.9 trillion he's seeking. "I'm going to help the American people who are hurting now." Both the Senate and House have now taken the first steps toward approving the package with no GOP backing. Sagar Meghani, Washington.

The Pentagon will deploy troops to assist getting Americans vaccinated against COVID-19. White House coronavirus senior adviser Andy Slavitt announced Friday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved a request for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Slavitt says the first active duty troops will help deliver vaccinations next week in California. "The military's critical role in supporting sites will help vaccinate thousands of people per day and that ensure every American who wants a vaccine will receive one." The move means that about 1,000 active duty military personnel will deploy to help state vaccination centers. President Joe Biden has called for setting up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month. Find more at our website VOAnews.com. This is VOA news.