“Today, we celebrate America. Our freedom, our liberty, our independence. The Fourth of July is a sacred day in our country," President Joe Biden said during a Fourth of July party on the South Lawn of the White House. ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ During the celebration, Biden took time to celebrate and honor first responders, military and the progress the U.S. has made with the COVID-19 pandemic.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ The president also urged Americans to recognize and remember the lives lost to the coronavirus. ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ "As of tonight, that number is 603,018 people who have lost their lives," he said, adding that he keeps a note on his person with the exact number of Americans who have died due to COVID-19. ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ 📸: @apnews, @GettyImages and AFP via Getty Images. ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ #4thOfJuly #July4th #Biden #IndependenceDay