Kamala Harris, Joe Biden 'ready to write next chapter in US history'

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has said that she and President-elect Joe Biden are ready to write the "next chapter" in American history and from day one they would start building an economy that benefits the working families.

Tackling Covid-19 pandemic, economic recovery, racial equality and climate change are the four top priorities the Biden team listed on its website on Sunday, a day after the Democrat leaders won the bitter and closely-fought November 3 presidential election — billed as one of the most divisive in recent American history.

Also read: ‘A long time coming’: Black women celebrate Kamala Harris’ ascension

"Biden and I are ready to write the next chapter in our nation’s history,” Harris said in a tweet on Monday.

“On day one, we're going to get to work building an economy that works for working families,” she said, listing out the priorities of the Biden-Harris administration.

As Biden's vice president, Harris, 56, will make history in myriad ways, becoming the first woman — and the first woman of colour — to occupy the office.

Also read: Kamala Harris's win a milestone for gender equality: UN leadership

According to the Economic Recovery of the Transition, President-elect Biden believes to his core that there’s no greater economic engine in the world than the hard work and ingenuity of the American people.

“Nobody has more respect for the working women and men who get up every day to build and sustain this country, or more confidence that they can meet the challenges we face. The Biden-Harris administration will rebuild the middle class — and this time make sure everyone comes along,” it said.

In this time of crisis, Biden has a plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, make it easier for workers to organise unions and collectively bargain, and to give America’s working families the tools, choices, and freedom they need to build back better, it said.

Also read: Kamala Harris: The inspiring story of many firsts

“That starts with a real strategy to deal with the pandemic. We can’t solve the jobs crisis until we solve the public health crisis. Implementing Biden’s comprehensive strategy to get the pandemic under control and effectively reopen the economy — an approach that will both protect the health and safety of our people and boost economic activity — is one of the president-elect’s top priorities,” the transition said.

“The Biden economic recovery plan for working families will build our economy back better. Whenever America has had its back against the wall, we have acted together to lay the foundation — through public investment and a strong social contract — for the American people to pull together and push forward,” it said.