Washington DC – President Joe Biden's first joint address to Congress on Wednesday included historic words, hopeful messages about America's post-Covid future, and bold new legislative proposals.

"Madam Speaker. Madam Vice President. No president has ever said those words from this podium, and it's about time," Biden greeted Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris. For the first time in its history, the US has a female Speaker of the House and a female vice president.

He then turned to the three defining crises that the country faces under his administration: the coronavirus pandemic, the resulting economic crisis, and the "worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War," a reference to the January 6 Capitol attack.

But Biden quickly pivoted to the theme of hope, as he emphasized the over 220 million vaccine doses administered in his first 100 days in office – far exceeding the original goal of 100 million.

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"Everyone is now eligible to get vaccinated, right now, right away. Go get vaccinated, America. Go and get the vaccination. They're available," he urged citizens.

He added, "Today, 90% of Americans now live within five miles of a vaccination site."

"Now – after just 100 days of my administration – I can report to the nation: America is on the move again. Turning peril into possibility. Crisis to opportunity. Setbacks into strengths," the president said.

Biden addressed the controversial topic of gun control in his address, calling for "reasonable reforms" in firearm legislation. "It's an American issue," he said, reflecting on the number of mass shootings that have rocked the US in recent months.

He also urged Congress to pass of Violence Against Women Act, which would make it more difficult for abusive partners to acquire firearms.

Biden also touched on police violence against Black Americans: "We have all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of Black Americans. Now is our opportunity to make real progress."

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He said Republicans and Democrats need to "find a consensus" and pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act by the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's death in May.

The president also addressed the LGBTQ+ community, saying, "To all the transgender Americans watching at home – especially the young people who are so brave – I want you to know that your president has your back," Biden said as he implored Congress to pass the Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The bill has already passed in the House but must be approved by the Senate before it becomes law.

One of the biggest moments in President Biden's speech was his unveiling of the American Families Plan proposal.

The plan would allocate $1.8 trillion over ten years.

The funds would go to programs including universal pre-schooling, free community college, scholarship extensions, and paid family leave.

Quoting his wife Jill Biden, the president said, "If I've heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times. 'Joe, any country that out-educates us is going to out-compete us.'"

The first lady was highly influential in the drafting of the proposal, especially the portions that focus on education. Going forward, Biden confirmed that "she will be deeply involved in leading this effort."

The president also drew comparisons between his proposals and the approach of another past president: "In another era when our democracy was tested, Franklin Roosevelt reminded us: In America, we do our part. If we do, then we will meet the central challenge of the age by proving that democracy is durable and strong. The autocrats will not win the future."

Anticipating criticisms of high spending in many of his policy proposals, Biden defended his plan to tax the rich and provide tax credits to the working and middle classes, saying, "Trickle-down economics has never worked. It’s time to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out."