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In Context: Joe Biden saying, ‘No one should have to choose between a job and a paycheck’

By Tom Kertscher
April 29, 2021

President Joe Biden is known for verbal blunders. Some are real, others come from deceptive editing.

On April 28, social media spotlighted a four-second video clip from Biden’s first speech to Congress, given the same night, in which he said:

“No one should have to choose between a job and a paycheck.”

A post with the clip was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

Taken by itself, the quote seems redundant or perplexing. So, here’s the full context of that portion of the president’s speech.

RELATED: Fact-checking President Joe Biden’s first speech to Congress

Biden spoke about his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, which proposes to be funded through taxes on the wealthiest and highest-income Americans. He said it addresses challenges that include access to quality education and child care.

Then he said:

“Third, the American Families Plan will finally provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave and medical leave — family medical leave. 

“We’re one of the few industrial countries in the world — (interrupted by applause). 

“No one should have to choose between a job and a paycheck or taking care of themselves and their loved ones, or parent or spouse or child.”

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Our Sources

Twitter, post, April 28, 2021 

PolitiFact, "Biden’s verbal blunders: Separating the real from the fake," Oct. 5, 2020 

C-SPAN, video of Joe Biden speech (33:42), April 28, 2021

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