Biden Signs the Rail Bill Without Sick Leave, Then: 'I'm Going to Georgia Today to Help Senator War-' (December 2, 2022)

President Joe Biden had just signed a law forcing a contract on rail workers, and a reporter asked why he was skipping the Georgia Senate runoff. “Mr. President, why aren’t you going to Georgia to help Senator Warnock?” the reporter asked on Dec. 2, 2022 [1].

“I’m going to Georgia today to help Senator War- — not to Georgia; we’re going to help Senator Warnock because I’m doing a major fundraiser up in Boston today for — for the — our next and continued Senate candidate and senator. Thank you,” Biden said, according to the official White House transcript [1].

He did not go to Georgia. He was in Boston that day, where he met Britain’s Prince William and then stopped by a union phone bank. “Pool is rolling at 3:37pm ET for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 103, where POTUS will phone bank for the Warnock campaign,” the pooler wrote [2].

Sen. Elizabeth Warren warmed up the room. She said she had told Warnock “Labor is going to be making calls for you in Georgia, and Raphael said, ‘we’re going to get it done.’” [2]

The video above shows Biden after signing H.J. Res. 100 on Dec. 2, 2022. Quotes are from the official White House transcripts, the White House pool reports and the Clerk of the House [1][2][3][4][5].

”Doesn’t Have Paid Sick Leave”

The bill Biden signed ended the rail labor fight by imposing a deal. “The bill I’m about to sign ends a difficult rail dispute and helps our nation avoid what, without a doubt, would have been an economic catastrophe at a very bad time in the calendar,” Biden said [1].

He admitted it left out what workers wanted. “And, look, I know this bill doesn’t have paid sick leave that these rail workers and, frankly, every worker in America deserves, but that fight isn’t over,” he said. “It was a tough — for me. But it was the right thing to do at the moment.” [1]

“Mr. President, how soon should rail workers expect sick days?” a reporter asked. “As soon as I can convince our Republicans to see the light,” Biden said [1].

The House had passed the rail bill on Nov. 30, 2022, by 290 to 137, with 211 Democrats and 79 Republicans voting yes [4]. A separate resolution adding sick leave passed the House 221 to 207, with three Republicans voting yes [5]. The law Biden signed did not include sick leave [1].

”South Ca- — Excuse Me, Georgia”

In Boston, Biden made the case for Warnock to a room of electricians. “And, folks, people — things are beginning to change. South Ca- — excuse me, Georgia, when I got started, was as — we had Democratic senators, but it was a very Southern state,” he said [3].

He told a story about joining the Senate in 1973. “Well, I was so stupid, I didn’t realize we already had 58 United States senators. They didn’t need me to organize anything, but they kept with me the whole time,” Biden said [3].

He also had trouble with a big number. “Over 10,500 — I mean, 10,500,000 jobs. I — even it surprises me when I say the numbers. (Laughter.)” Biden said [3].

“We invented those suckers here in the United States of America,” he said of semiconductors [3].

The pool described the scene. “Pool entered a hall where about 80-100 IBEW volunteers were making phone calls at long rows of tables,” the pooler wrote. “‘Labor for Warnock’ signs lined two walls in the room.” [2]

“This race in George is really, really critical,” Biden said, according to the pool [2].

On the 50-50 Senate, the pool reported, “POTUS says ‘that means you got 50 presidents — anyone could decide to change the direction of the country.’” [2]

“Gas Prices Are Down”

At the signing, Biden touted the economy. “For months, you couldn’t look anywhere without seeing headlines screaming ‘Gas prices at the pump are up.’ But, look, folks, gas prices are down and you barely hear anything about it right now,” he said [1].

He also praised his record on jobs. “And today, we’ve learned that the economy added 263,000 jobs in November. And we’ve now created 10.5 million jobs since I took office, more than any administration in history at this point in a presidency,” Biden said [1].

The signing took six minutes, from 10:53 to 10:59 a.m. [1]

By the Numbers

• 290-137: the House vote on H.J. Res. 100 [4].
• 79: Republicans who voted for the rail bill [4].
• 221-207: the House vote on the sick-leave resolution [5].
• 765,000: jobs Biden said could have been lost in two weeks of a strike [1].
• 24 percent: the wage increase over five years, per Biden [1].

What Happened Next

Warnock won anyway. Days later, a reporter asked about “Senator Warnock’s re-election having 51 Senate seats.” Karine Jean-Pierre said “the President called Senator Warnock last night when we got back from Phoenix, Arizona.” [6]

For Jean-Pierre on the military vaccine mandate at that briefing, see HYGO News’ page on Dec. 7, 2022. For Biden’s claim that America invented chips “when we went to the Moon,” see the page on Aug. 15, 2023.

Sources

1. The White House (archived): Remarks by President Biden at Signing of H.J.Res. 100, Providing for a Resolution to Avert a Nationwide Rail Shutdown (December 2, 2022)
2. The American Presidency Project: Pool Reports of December 2, 2022
3. The White House (archived): Remarks by President Biden at an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Phone Bank (December 2, 2022)
4. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives: Roll Call 490, H.J.Res. 100 (November 30, 2022)
5. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives: Roll Call 491, H.Con.Res. 119 (November 30, 2022)
6. The White House (archived): Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, December 7, 2022