After a speech by the White House, President Joe Biden discussed supply-chain matters on Saturday.
Biden stated to reporters that they hadn't fully explained the supply chain.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major delays in the US shipyards.
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On Saturday, President Joe Biden spoke enthusiastically about US House of Representatives passing a $1.2 trillion bipartisan bill for infrastructure that would provide billions to repair crumbling roads and bridges.
The president participated in a fascinating exchange with reporters following his speech. He discussed supply-chain problems, an issue that has become increasingly problematic for his administration.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged the economy, caused disruptions in the nation’s supply chain. This resulted in empty shelves all across the country as Americans tried to buy as many essentials as they could without the usual restocking that would normally accompany such shortages.
Grace Kay, Insider's reporter, reported that the virus-mitigation efforts have not allowed for a return to the levels of supply chains before March 2020. The now-famous backlogs at American ports are a problem until then.
Insider was told by Harry G. Broadman, former US trade negotiator. "The world economy has gone out of balance because some parts were forced to shut down when the pandemic began."
Biden said, in a diverting conversation with the media, that Americans want to understand why agricultural products cost more when they shop at supermarkets.
The president proposed a hypothetical scenario in which he ate at a restaurant and asked patrons at the table next to him to explain the supply chain situation.
"How can they explain the supply chain? Are they able to understand what we are talking about? They are smart people. What is the reason for everything being backed up? It's because the people who supply the material that ends up on our kitchen tables... have closed those plants due to COVID. He said that it was a complex world in which people live."
"You can understand why people get upset regardless of whether you are a doctor or a chef. It can be confusing. He said that people are understandably concerned."
Biden directed then his comments on supply-chain to White House reporters who cover his administration every day.
"By and large, you all write for your living. The president stated, "I haven't seen you explain the supply chain very clearly," which was met with laughter.
"No, no, I'm not being critical. He replied, "I'm being deadly serious." This is a confusing moment."
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated earlier this week that the country will need to continue to fight the coronavirus pandemic to ensure supply-chain problems subside.
He said that there were still many things happening in our economy, including disruptions and price changes, which are clearly caused by the pandemic. "Putting the pandemic behind you is the best thing that we can do for your economy in the short-term, and to address these temporary issues.
