Biden adviser defends liberal agenda items in $1.9T coronavirus relief plan, dodges on ending filibuster

President-elect Joe Biden’s proposed coronavirus relief package would cost taxpayers $1.9 trillion, and his economic adviser defended the inclusion of several Democratic agenda items.

"Let's look at each of those," Deese said. "The cybersecurity resources there are in the wake of the SolarWinds hack. We have seen, and now understand significant vulnerabilities that are exacerbated by COVID, and the fact that so much federal operations are happening online. We need those resources to secure our systems now." Deese did not explain what transit funding had to do with COVID-19 relief, other than to say that "our transit systems across the country are facing acute crisis" and that improving them now while people are working remotely will prevent difficulties when people eventually start commuting again.