Politics

Psaki Fires Back At GOP Leader McCarthy Over Supply Chain Issues, Says Economy Is Roaring

Press Secretary Jen Psaki answers questions from members of the press Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Chandler West)

White House press secretary Jen Psaki fired back at House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy after he criticized President Joe Biden for the supply chain problems facing the U.S.

“Mr. President, it’s time for you to reevaluate your priorities,” McCarthy tweeted Wednesday alongside a letter from House Republicans calling out Biden. “We must address our supply chain and ports crisis before Congress considers any additional social spending and taxation legislation.”

“Let’s do facts instead,” Psaki responded. “Job growth is up 10x over the end of the Trump-McCarthy economy, UI claims are down 60%+, and 5m more people are back to work.”

She added that if McCarthy wished to aid the economy, “he would support our bill to invest in ports, roads, bridges, and jobs.”

Ports and truck yards have suffered from bottlenecks as a result of labor shortages and high consumer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Morning Consult poll released Friday, 51% of Americans said an item they wanted was out of stock in stores, while 54% said an item they wanted was out of stock online.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg attributed the high demand for products to Biden’s successful economic agenda in an interview Sunday. “Demand is off the charts. Retail sales are through the roof,” he said.

“And if you think about those images of ships, for example, waiting at anchor on the West Coast – every one of those ships is full of record amounts of goods that Americans are buying because demand is up, because income is up, because the president has successfully guided this economy out of the teeth of a terrifying recession,” Buttigieg added.