• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
PoliticsThe Biden administration

Business leaders praise new Biden administration for quick COVID action pledge

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 20, 2021, 5:07 PM ET

That didn’t take long.

The Business Roundtable, an influential association of the chief executive officers of almost 200 of America’s biggest companies, sent out a congratulatory statement to the newly installed Biden administration on Wednesday to praise it for its pledge to act quickly in taming the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group, whose members include the chiefs of companies such as Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and Boeing, sent out the statement soon after the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris ended.

The new administration has set out to vaccinate 100 million Americans in its first 100 days, an ambitious goal but one welcomed by corporate America. The pandemic so far has killed more than 400,000 Americans and overwhelmed hospitals nationwide, and also wrought enormous destruction to the U.S. economy, particularly in sectors such as retail and food service.

“We applaud the new Administration for taking swift action to bring an end to the pandemic, including by developing a strong national plan to scale up vaccination,” the Business Roundtable’s CEO Joshua Bolten said in a statement.

The previous administration, led by Donald Trump, often denied the severity of the pandemic, or was disorganized in coordinating a response, to the frustration of many business leaders including the CEOs of Walmart and Macy’s, among others.

The Biden administration on Wednesday earned an offer of help toward its goal from Amazon.com, to help with logistics, in addition to one from Starbucks earlier this week.

Also this week, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, chairman of the Business Roundtable, echoed the sense of urgency big business feels about taming the pandemic. “The incoming Biden Administration and Congress have the opportunity to turn the corner on this pandemic,” he said. “Addressing the health crisis has to be the top priority.”

The Business Roundtable, and other business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, had soured on the ostensibly pro-business Trump administration in the wake of the violent mob attack on the Capitol two weeks ago and harshly criticized Trump for inciting his supporters. And after some senior Republicans led an effort to overturn the Nov. 3 election results, many large companies said they would pull back on political donations as a result.

With a new administration in place, business leaders have called for improvements to the immigration system, focus on renewing infrastructure, support for Americans in dire financial straits because of the pandemic, and efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, in addition to accelerating the vaccine rollout.

“We welcome President Biden’s action to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. It is critical that the United States restore its leadership role in international efforts to address the climate challenge,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

U.S. allows Russia oil sales waiver to expire despite tight market
EnergyOil
U.S. allows Russia oil sales waiver to expire despite tight market
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy and BloombergMay 16, 2026
10 hours ago
U.S., Iran stall on Hormuz reopening as oil supplies tighten
PoliticsIran
U.S., Iran stall on Hormuz reopening as oil supplies tighten
By Skylar Woodhouse, Jeff Mason, Arsalan Shahla and BloombergMay 16, 2026
11 hours ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can ‘imagine a future without him’ — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
PoliticsRussia
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can ‘imagine a future without him’ — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
12 hours ago
Trump’s IRS suit may end with a $1.7 billion compensation fund
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump’s IRS suit may end with a $1.7 billion compensation fund
By Zoe Tillman, Chris Strohm, Hadriana Lowenkron and BloombergMay 16, 2026
14 hours ago
World’s largest aircraft carrier returns from 11-month deployment, longest since Vietnam, after supporting Iran war and Maduro raid
PoliticsMilitary
World’s largest aircraft carrier returns from 11-month deployment, longest since Vietnam, after supporting Iran war and Maduro raid
By The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
14 hours ago
Ray Dalio says China’s ascent ushers in era of ‘tribute system’
AsiaChina
Ray Dalio says China’s ascent ushers in era of ‘tribute system’
By David Westin, Edward Dufner and BloombergMay 16, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
21 hours ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
12 hours ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
5 days ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
21 hours ago
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a 'non-linear' price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
Energy
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a 'non-linear' price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.