Pelosi claims 1M coronavirus death toll would be higher without Biden in office

Just one day after President Biden marked the loss of 1 million Americans to the COVID-19 pandemic, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that the situation would be far worse if the president weren’t in office.

"God knows how bad it would be if he had not taken the actions that he has taken," Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol on Thursday.

Later when asked by Fox News Digital Thursday if she believed Democrats could have done anything differently to held slow the death toll, the speaker said she felt “proud” of how Biden has handled the global crisis.

"I want to salute President Biden for what he has done in the fight against COVID," Pelosi said. "[He] made a drastic difference from the denial that our country was in before and the lack of attention that was given to it. 

"[The] president is paying attention to science, science and science and the governance necessary to deal with it. I'm very proud of what he has done."

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than one million lives since it was first detected in the United States on Jan. 20, 2020.

When former President Trump left office in January 2021, the number of coronavirus related deaths across the country stood at about 400,000.

In the 16 months since Biden took office, however, an additional 600,000 deaths have been recorded – despite the administration’s insistence on preserving pandemic mandates like remote schooling and mask orders within certain contexts.

From the earliest days of his presidency, the president has moved to pass the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, institute vaccine requirements for the federal workforce, military personnel and maintain mask mandates for travel. He also launched a nationwide effort to ensure that at least 70% of adults would get vaccinated by July 4, 2021 – a goal which was met a month behind schedule, Fox News reported.

Now, it appears that the Biden White House wants even more money to fight the pandemic and on Thursday Pelosi reiterated the need to pass a $22.5 billion package to address the ongoing threat -- $12 billion more than Republicans have previously suggested.

"The heartbreak continues," Pelosi said, in sending condolences to the families of the 1 million lives lost. "All the more reason why we must pass the COVID legislation so we can purchase vaccines, provide testing and treatments.

President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered flags at half-staff to commemorate what he called “a tragic milestone” in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement released on Thursday morning, the president acknowledged the impact the death toll has had on families and urged Americans not to “grow numb to such sorrow.”

"Today, we mark a tragic milestone: one million American lives lost to COVID-19. One million empty chairs around the dinner table. Each an irreplaceable loss. Each leaving behind a family, a community, and a nation forever changed because of this pandemic," Biden wrote. "Jill and I pray for each of them."

Biden also urged Congress to pass legislation funding addition COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments.

"We must remain vigilant against this pandemic and do everything we can to save as many lives as possible, as we have with more testing, vaccines, and treatments than ever before," Biden said on Thursday. "It’s critical that Congress sustain these resources in the coming months."