Biden asks Congress to continue with the Trump trial and other issues

What Joe Biden said about Donald Trump's impeachment 1:20

(CNN) -

US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday urged the Senate to impeach President Donald Trump while simultaneously working on other critical issues, signaling a desire to resolve proceedings against Trump. , which will likely remain unresolved when Biden takes office.

While he said in a statement Wednesday that the House vote "to impeach and hold the president accountable" was "a bipartisan vote cast by members who followed the Constitution and their conscience," Biden wants to start work on a broad spectrum of economic and public health initiatives when he takes office next week.

He said the Senate should be able to move forward with Trump's impeachment while working on his agenda.

"This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy," Biden continued.

"I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with its constitutional responsibilities in impeachment while also working on other pressing issues of this nation."

• ANALYSIS |

  Trump's historic second impeachment trial looms over Biden and Republicans

CNN details the cost of cleaning the White House 1:07

The impeachment against Trump

The House of Representatives voted 232 to 197 on Wednesday to impeach Trump.

Ten Republican lawmakers joined all Democrats in indicting Trump for "inciting insurrection" exactly one week after the rioters stormed the US Capitol as the House certified Biden's electoral victory.

Wednesday's session was historic, as it was the first time a president has been tried on two occasions.

The process now advances to the Senate, which will hold a trial.

Biden has made it clear that he is not particularly excited about Trump's impeachment, remaining silent for several hours on the landmark action.

Attendees had told CNN that the president-elect planned to issue a statement Wednesday night on the president's impeachment, but the timing certainly underscores that Biden's team had other priorities on Wednesday.

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However, the reality is that impeachment will now be one more thing Biden will inherit from the Trump presidency.

• 20,000 National Guard members expected for Biden's inauguration in Washington

Biden is still awaiting news on whether the Senate will be able to pursue impeachment, along with cabinet confirmation hearings and the legislation on covid-19 that he plans to outline in greater detail Thursday night.

Aides say that Biden and his team are working behind the scenes with Senate Democrats, and House impeachment managers, to keep impeachment as fast as possible, though it remains an open question how successful it could be. to be.

At least four confirmation hearings are already scheduled for Biden's cabinet appointees for the week of January 20: for secretary of state appointee Antony Blinken;

for the designated Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin;

for the appointed Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, and the designated Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.

Senators could be asked to draft legislation related to the pandemic or economic relief, as Biden wants to increase relief checks to $ 2,000.

- CNN's Sarah Mucha and Zachary B. Wolf contributed to this report.

Impeachment of Donald Trump