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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Alabama and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Helene beginning on September 22, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for Houston County.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Barbour, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Geneva, Henry, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lee, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Randolph, Russell, and Tallapoosa.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington. 

Mr. Keith Denning of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

In accordance with section 114(b) of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (H.R. 9747; the “Act”), I hereby designate as emergency requirements all funding (including the transfer and repurposing of funds) so designated by the Congress in the Act pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as outlined in the enclosed list of accounts.

The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed memorandum from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 

                             Sincerely,

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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William “Bill” Lucy was a giant and a patriot who spent his life fighting for freedom, justice, and fairness.
 
As a leader of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), he dedicated his life to improving conditions for working families and advancing the cause of civil rights, human rights, and labor rights. In 1968, alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lucy helped lead the Memphis sanitation workers strike, where AFSCME members marched under the iconic declaration “I Am A Man,” a term he coined. Lucy believed in the universal values of freedom, dignity, and solidarity, forming the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and working to end apartheid in South Africa.
 
Generations of working people and their families continue to benefit from his work and legacy. Doug and my thoughts are with Bill’s family and loved ones.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine at the White House to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression. President Biden outlined his decision to surge U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, and President Zelenskyy presented his plan to achieve victory over Russia. The two leaders discussed the diplomatic, economic, and military aspects of President Zelenskyy’s plan and tasked their teams to engage in intensive consultations regarding next steps. On October 12, 2024, President Biden will host a leader-level meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany, where the two leaders will review progress on these consultations and coordinate with international partners on additional assistance for Ukraine. President Biden is determined to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to win.

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On Thursday, September 26, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 9747, the ” Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025,” which provides fiscal year 2025 appropriations to Federal agencies through December 20, 2024, for continuing projects and activities of the Federal Government. 

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Bill Lucy was a courageous labor leader who dedicated his life bending the arc of history toward justice.

Of his seven decades as a giant in the movement, Bill spent nearly forty years as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He also founded the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. No matter the title or the place, he worked tirelessly to advance civil rights and labor rights for all Americans, changing the course of history and redeeming the soul of America.

His dedication led to increased benefits and protections for America’s public servants who keep our communities safe, care for the sick, and so much more.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, he marched with Dr. King to secure the rights of sanitation workers. Bill’s decree, “I Am a Man,” shed light on the humanity of our Nation’s laborers and became a nationwide rallying cry for dignity and equality, two of our most sacred American values.

Over the course of his towering leadership, I saw Bill in action. He believed, like I do, that working class issues and civil rights issues are deeply intertwined, as he strengthened the role of Black Americans in our Nation’s unions and fought to dismantle apartheid in South Africa.

He will forever be remembered for his unrelenting commitment to justice, fairness, and equality—at home and abroad.

Jill and I send our love and condolences to his family, the labor movement he empowered, and every worker whose life he made better.

May God bless Bill Lucy, a great American, and a good man.

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:       Delegation of Authority Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 506(a)(1) of the FAA to direct the drawdown of up to $5.55 billion in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Ukraine and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a drawdown.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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On June 10, 2022, President Biden launched the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection with leaders from across the Western Hemisphere to tackle together the challenge of migration and forced displacement. Under this framework, the United States has worked with partner countries to collaboratively reduce irregular migration and advance a safe, humane, and orderly approach to migration across the hemisphere. Over the last two years, the 22 endorsing countries have achieved substantial progress across the Los Angeles Declaration’s three core pillars:

1. addressing root causes and supporting the integration of migrants to foster long-term stabilization;
   
2. expanding lawful pathways for migration and protection; and
   
3. strengthening humane enforcement.

On September 25, 2024, Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted the fourth Los Angeles Declaration Ministerial with White House Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall, White House Coordinator for the Los Angeles Declaration Marcela Escobari, and foreign ministers and senior representatives from the other 21 endorsing countries.

On behalf of the United States, Secretary Blinken announced more than $686 million in new humanitarian, development, economic, and security assistance to support partner countries to respond to urgent humanitarian needs, strengthen humane enforcement efforts, expand lawful pathways, and facilitate the regularization and integration of migrants within the region. With this announcement, the United States has now committed over $1.2 billion under the Los Angeles Declaration framework in 2024 alone, reflecting the Biden-Harris Administration’s unwavering commitment to collaboratively addressing this hemispheric challenge.

The United States also announced expanded enforcement partnerships to deter irregular migration, including a removal pilot program with the Government of Panama and new visa restrictions against travel agencies and tour operators that prey on vulnerable migrants. These actions aim to hold accountable those who exploit migrants for profit and to dissuade migrants from attempting dangerous irregular journeys.

Endorsing countries agreed to further institutionalize the Los Angeles Declaration through the establishment of a Secretariat, which will be managed by the Pan American Development Foundation and the Organization of American States and will ensure that coordinated progress on migration management is sustained into the future under this framework. The Government of Colombia formally announced that it will assume the role of rotating Country Chair over the next year and will host the fifth Los Angeles Declaration Ministerial in 2025.

The endorsing countries presented progress toward their commitments under the Los Angeles Declaration and announced the following new initiatives:

Strengthening Humane Enforcement

• On June 4, 2024, President Biden announced executive actions to bar migrants who cross the U.S. Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum during times when high levels of encounters exceed our ability to deliver timely consequences.  Since June 4, encounters between ports of entry have dropped by more than 50% and remain at their lowest level in years. Encounters in July and August 2024 dropped to the lowest levels since September 2020.
  
• Panama is implementing a U.S.-funded removal program that has resulted in the removal of hundreds of foreign nationals who did not have a lawful basis to remain in Panama, after they were screened for protection needs.
  
• The United States continues to take steps to impose visa restrictions on executives of travel agencies and charter air and maritime transportation companies around the globe that are facilitating irregular migration to the United States. On September 24, 2024, the State Department imposed additional visa restrictions against multiple executives of travel agencies operating in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East that are knowingly facilitating illegal migration.
  
• Partner countries reaffirmed their commitment to stem extracontinental irregular migration through the strategic use of entry and transit visas and passenger vetting. In total, Los Angeles Declaration endorsing countries have taken over 300 new visa policy actions to restrict travel intended solely for irregular migration.
  
• The United States has mobilized resources to increase investigations, arrests, and prosecutions of human smuggling and trafficking networks, including in partnerships with other Los Angeles Declaration countries.  In August, for example, Guatemalan law enforcement—in an investigation supported by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security— dismantled a human smuggling network based in Guatemala that was responsible for the deaths of 53 migrants in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas in June 2022.
  
• Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the United States has sanctioned eight human smuggling networks, including over 30 individuals and entities, to hold accountable those responsible for the exploitation of migrants.  On September 24, 2024, for example, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned five Colombian nationals and two Mexican-based businesses, including two individuals affiliated with the Clan del Golfo transnational criminal organization, who are responsible for the control of migrant flows through the Darien Gap. Colombian authorities are offering a reward of 50 million Colombian pesos for the capture of both wanted criminals.
  
• The United States has enhanced biometric sharing capabilities throughout the region, enabling law enforcement actions against criminal actors before they enter any of our countries. Guatemala, with support from the United States, announced a new biometric program at La Aurora International Airport to cross-reference travelers with U.S. security databases in near-real time in order to identify high-risk arriving passengers.

Expanding Lawful Pathways for Migration and Protection

• The Biden-Harris Administration has rebuilt the United States’ refugee resettlement program and led a historic expansion of lawful pathways to the United States and partner countries. The United States is now on track to welcome 100,000 refugees from around the world this fiscal year, the largest number in three decades.
  
• Under the U.S. Government’s Safe Mobility Initiative, over 23,000 refugees from within the Western Hemisphere have been resettled safely and legally in the United States in Fiscal Year 2024, a four-fold increase over FY 2023.
  
• The United States is incorporating Labor Neighbors as part of the Safe Mobility Initiative to refer migrants to more lawful pathways and help match labor demand to labor supply across the hemisphere.
  
• Belize announced it is establishing a seasonal migrant worker program focused on agriculture and construction.
  
• Canada seeks to support labor mobility through its Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.
  
• Ecuador is launching a new labor mobility unit with U.S. support.
  
• As part of the Safe Mobility Initiative, the United States continues to provide migrants and displaced persons with information and resources though the Safe Mobility Offices in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador.
  
• Costa Rica and the United States announced that the Safe Mobility Offices in Costa Rica will be extended until December 2025. Costa Rica will also expand eligibility criteria to include nationals from eligible countries who were present in Costa Rica on or before September 15, 2024.
  
• Canada began receiving referrals from the Safe Mobility Offices in the hemisphere and expects arrivals to Canada starting in 2025.
  
• The Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) parole processes have helped reduce irregular flows from these four countries, enabling migrants to apply from where they are for lawful entry to the United States.

Addressing Root Causes and Supporting the Integration of Migrants to Foster Long-term Stabilization

• A significant portion of the United States’ $686 million in new funding announced on September 25, 2024 will support regional efforts to respond to urgent humanitarian needs, like basic food, shelter, and health care for migrants and displaced persons, including nearly 8 million Venezuelans. U.S. funding also supports regional partners’ efforts to absorb and integrate migrants, promoting migrants’ financial inclusion and labor market insertion, and supporting host communities. 
  
• More than half of Los Angeles Declaration endorsing countries have implemented policies that provide regular status and help migrants integrate and rebuild their lives in Latin America and the Caribbean, stemming further displacement and reducing migrant vulnerability. Their combined efforts have enabled 4.4 million Venezuelans to attain legal status to date. The following countries took new actions since May to provide regular status and help integrate more migrants:
  
• Argentina announced a special admission and regularization program that allows Venezuelans with expired identity documents (within the last 10 years) to seek residency in Argentina, and to verify identity or criminal record through a sworn statement in the absence of documents.
  
• Canada announced a new Francophone minority community student program that will give program participants access to settlement services while they are studying to help them integrate successfully into their communities.
  
• Colombia announced the signing of a regularization plan that could benefit an estimated 600,000 undocumented parents and legal guardians of children with valid Colombian Temporary Protective Status.
  
• Ecuador extended its regularization process until April 2025, allowing approximately 100,000 Venezuelan migrants to gain legal status. Separately, Ecuador committed to renew nearly 95,000 two-year visas previously issued to regularized Venezuelans. As part of the U.S. funding announcement, the U.S. is helping Ecuador unlock additional World Bank lending to support Ecuador’s Social Safety Net project that contributes to stabilizing and integrating the 450,000 Venezuelan migrants currently in the country.
  
• Mexico committed to opening a Multi-Purpose Processing Center in Chiapas to streamline the processing of migrants seeking refuge and to provide them integration support through access to financial, health, and education services. 
  
• Panama announced the intent to begin a process that would allow migrants currently living in Panama irregularly to apply for legal status and obtain work authorizations.
  
• Peru, working closely with United Nations implementing agencies, announced plans to prioritize documenting migrant children and adolescents in the public education system. Through these efforts, Peru will provide protection and basic services to minors and their families.
  
• Uruguay approved two decrees to grant legal status to approximately 25,500 non-citizens living in Uruguay with pending asylum claims who likely would not qualify for asylum. 

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We learned this morning that the economy has grown by 3.2% per year during Biden-Harris Administration—even stronger than previously estimated—and better than the first three years of the previous administration. This strong economic growth and unemployment that is the lowest of any administration in 50 years is coming at a time when inflation has come back down and interest rates are declining. While we have more to do to lower costs for families, this progress is thanks to the President’s work to support families and small businesses—a stark contrast with Congressional Republicans’ failed approach of tax cuts for the wealthy and higher costs for middle class families.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of North Carolina and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Watauga, and Wilkes.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Alamance, Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Cabarrus, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Chatham, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Martin, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wilson, and Yadkin.

Mr. E. Craig Levy, Sr. of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Georgia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Helene beginning on September 24, 2024, and continuing. 

The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, including to direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Atkinson, Baker, Banks, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Dawson, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Fannin, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Grady, Habersham, Hall, Irwin, Jackson, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Lumpkin, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Pickens, Pulaski, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Schley, Seminole, Stephens, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Towns, Turner, Union, Webster, White, Wilcox, and Worth.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Appling, Bacon, Baldwin, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Burke, Butts, Camden, Carroll, Catoosa, Charlton, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dade, DeKalb, Dodge, Douglas, Elbert, Emanuel, Fayette, Floyd, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pierce, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale, Screven, Spalding, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walker, Walton, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, Whitfield, Wilkes, and Wilkinson.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Tattnall.

Mr. Kevin A. Wallace, Sr. of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

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I am proud to welcome President Zelenskyy back to the White House today. For nearly three years, the United States has rallied the world to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom from Russian aggression, and it has been a top priority of my Administration to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to prevail. In that time, Ukraine has won the battle of Kyiv, reclaimed more than half the territory that Russia seized at the start of the war, and safeguarded its sovereignty and independence. But there is more work to do. That is why, today, I am announcing a surge in security assistance for Ukraine and a series of additional actions to help Ukraine win this war. 

Today, I am announcing that: 

• I have directed the Department of Defense to allocate all of its remaining security assistance funding that has been appropriated for Ukraine by the end of my term in office. As part of this effort, the Department of Defense will allocate the remaining Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds by the end of this year. I also have authorized $5.5 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority to ensure this authority does not expire, so that my Administration can fully utilize the funding appropriated by Congress to support the drawdown of U.S. equipment for Ukraine and then replenish U.S. stockpiles.
• The Department of Defense is announcing $2.4 billion in security assistance through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which will provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.
• To enhance Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities, I have decided to provide Ukraine with the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range munition.
• To further strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, I have directed the Department of Defense to refurbish and provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense battery and to provide Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles. This builds on my decision earlier this year to divert U.S. air defense exports to Ukraine, which will provide Ukraine with hundreds of additional Patriot and AMRAAM missiles over the next year and will help Ukraine defend its cities and its people. 
• To build the capacity of Ukraine’s air force, I have directed the Department of Defense to expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots, including by supporting the training of an additional 18 pilots next year.
• To counter Russian sanctions evasion and money laundering, the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Secret Service have taken action today to disrupt a global cryptocurrency network, in coordination with international partners. The United States will continue to raise the costs on Russia for its war in Ukraine and to deprive the Russian defense industrial base of resources.
• I will convene a leader-level meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany next month to coordinate the efforts of the more than 50 countries supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.

Through these actions, my message is clear: The United States will provide Ukraine with the support it needs to win this war. 

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New Executive Order Directs Federal Agencies to Combat Emerging Firearms Threats and
Improve School-Based Active Shooter Drills

Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris are announcing a new Executive Order directing federal agencies to improve school-based active shooter drills and combat the emerging threats of machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms, as well as additional executive actions that advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s agenda to reduce gun violence and save lives.

After the prior Administration oversaw the largest one-year increase in murders ever recorded, President Biden and Vice President Harris took action from the start of their Administration to reduce violent crime. The President and the Vice President helped deliver over $15 billion in funding through the American Rescue Plan for law enforcement, community violence interventions, and other public safety strategies. By the middle of 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration had already announced more executive actions to reduce gun violence than any other administration. Then, on June 25, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence prevention law in nearly 30 years. On September 22, 2023, to help drive further progress, President Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris.

Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, in 2023 the United States experienced the single largest homicide rate drop in recent history. The reduction in homicide has accelerated this year. Data submitted to the Department of Justice shows that the homicide rate dropped another 17 percent from January through June 2024, compared to the same time period in 2023. Data from the Gun Violence Archive indicates that the number of mass shootings so far this year is 20 percent lower than it was at this time last year.

Today, as we mark one year since the establishment of the Office, President Biden and Vice President Harris are announcing additional meaningful actions to reduce gun violence and save lives. This announcement builds on the numerous additional life-saving actions the Biden-Harris Administration has taken, as detailed in the Office’s Year One Progress Report.

President Biden is signing an Executive Order to accelerate progress on two key priorities: combating emerging firearms threats and improving school-based active shooter drills.

Combatting Emerging Firearms Threats: In April 2021, one of the Biden-Harris Administration’s first executive actions to reduce gun violence was to address the emerging threat of firearms without serial numbers, often referred to as “ghost guns.” To expand these efforts, ATF established an Emerging Threats Center. This Center focuses ATF’s resources on identifying developments in illicit firearm marketplaces, including the use of new technologies to make and unlawfully distribute undetectable firearms and devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into illegal machineguns.

Now, President Biden and Vice President Harris are taking additional action on two emerging firearms threats: machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms.

• Machinegun conversion devices enable semi-automatic firearms, including easily concealable handguns, to match or exceed the rate of fire of many military machineguns with a single engagement of the trigger—up to 20 bullets in one second. From 2017 through 2021, ATF recovered 5,454 of these devices, a 570 percent increase over the previous five-year period. Machinegun conversion devices are illegal to possess under federal law, but we continue to see these devices show up at crime scenes because they are small, cheap, and easy to install. Machinegun conversion devices are often illegally imported or illegally made on a 3D printer from computer code found online. The 3D-printing of a machinegun conversion device costs as little as 40 cents and takes fewer than 30 minutes.
• Unserialized, 3D-printed firearms can be used for illegal purposes such as gun trafficking, unlawful possession by people convicted of felonies or subject to domestic violence restraining orders, or unlawfully engaging in the business of manufacturing or selling firearms. These firearms can be 3D-printed from computer code downloaded from the Internet and produced without serial numbers that law enforcement use to trace firearms recovered in criminal investigations. Some 3D-printed firearms can be made to be undetectable by magnetometers used to secure airports, courthouses, and event spaces, even though these undetectable firearms are illegal to make, sell, or possess under federal law. As 3D-printing technology continues to develop rapidly, the safety threat posed by 3D-printed firearms may suddenly increase.

In this Executive Order, President Biden is establishing an Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force, consisting of leadership from key federal departments and agencies. President Biden is directing the Task Force to issue a report within 90 days that includes: an assessment of the threat posed by machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms; an assessment of federal agencies’ operational and legal capacities to detect, intercept, and seize machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms; and an interagency plan for combatting these emerging threats. The report will include any additional authorities or funding the federal agencies need from Congress in order to complete this work.

Improving School-Based Active Shooter Drills: The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to preventing gun violence in schools, including by keeping guns out of the hands of potential school shooters and investing more resources in school safety and violence prevention. The majority of schools are currently using drills to prepare for an active shooter situation. Despite the ubiquity of these drills, there is very limited research on how to design and deploy these drills to maximize their effectiveness and limit any collateral harms they might cause. Many parents, students, and educators have expressed concerns about the trauma caused by some approaches to these drills. Federal agencies need to help schools improve drills so they can more effectively prepare for an active shooter situation while also preventing or minimizing any trauma.

In the Executive Order, President Biden is directing the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General, to develop and publish, within 110 days, information for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education regarding school-based active shooter drills. The information will include a summary of: existing research on active shooter drills and resources for school districts and institutions of higher education on how to create, implement, and evaluate evidence-informed active shooter drills; how to conduct effective and age- and developmentally-appropriate drills; how best to communicate with students, families, and educators about these drills; how to prevent students and educators from experiencing trauma or psychological distress associated with these drills; and how best to serve people with disabilities and those with language-related needs, including by ensuring compliance with federal civil rights laws, when designing and implementing school-based active shooter drills.

In addition to the Executive Order, federal departments and agencies are taking the following actions:

Promoting Safe Gun Storage and Red Flag Laws

• Encouraging Safe Storage of Firearms: Today, the Department of Education is providing schools, school boards, and policymakers with a new tool to promote safe gun storage in their communities. Following up on its initial safe storage actions, the Department of Education is publishing an interactive website that highlights examples of state, community, and school district actions across the nation that promote safe gun storage within school communities. The website includes a map with state safe storage laws, examples of how schools are communicating with parents about safe storage, and examples of local policies on safe storage education. This new resource builds on guidance the Department published earlier this year to highlight physical safety measures schools can pursue to help keep students safe in the event of gun violence in schools.
• Clarifying Medicaid Reimbursement for Counseling on Firearm Safety: Health systems, hospitals, and healthcare workers are an essential component of a healthy gun violence prevention and intervention system. By the end of October, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will announce that states may choose to use Medicaid to pay a health care provider for counseling parents and caregivers on firearm safety and injury prevention. This announcement will build off the coverage that Medicaid provides for “anticipatory guidance,” which is health education and counseling to help parents and caregivers understand and improve the health and development of their children. For example, Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines include firearm safety guidance, such as safe storage guidance, as recommended anticipatory guidance for pediatricians to provide to parents.
• Implementing State Red Flag Laws: The Department of Justice is announcing over $135 million in formula awards to 48 states under the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP), which provides funding for the implementation of extreme risk protection order, or “red flag”, programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related programs/initiatives. The implementation of state red flag laws is supported by the National Extreme Risk Protection Resource Center.

Funding Community Violence Intervention

• Funding Community Violence Interventions: In furtherance of the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to invest in community violence interventions as a proven solution to prevent gun violence, the Department of Justice is announcing an additional $85 million in funding through the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI). This funding will help 30 agencies and organizations develop and expand their community violence intervention work, including hospital-based violence intervention, street outreach, and cognitive behavioral therapy. These strategies are essential complements to law enforcement and this investment is part of the $400 million in total funding that the Biden-Harris Administration has secured for CVIPI. CVIPI is only one part of how the Administration funds community violence interventions. This fact sheet lists the full range of federal resources available to address community violence.
• Clarifying Medicaid Reimbursement for Violence Intervention: CMS previously clarified that states may authorize health care providers to be reimbursed by Medicaid for violence intervention programs. In October, CMS expects to proactively raise this clarification with states. CMS will also explore how best to convene state governments and healthcare providers on incorporating Medicaid benefits into violence prevention programs.

Improving the Gun Background Check System

• Facilitating Enhanced Background Checks for Individuals Under Age 21: The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) established enhanced background checks for individuals under age 21 trying to purchase a firearm. These enhanced checks have already stopped over 900 transactions, keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. But a number of states across the country have privacy laws that prevent state officials from fully responding to enhanced background check inquiries. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Safer States Agenda made fixing this issue a top priority for states, and Connecticut, Vermont, Nevada, Texas, and Kentucky have all recently made necessary changes. Today, the Department of Justice is issuing model legislation that additional states may use to inform their own legislation and allow a carve-out to share juvenile records solely for the purpose of enhanced background checks. In addition, the Justice Department is releasing information on whether state laws permit information-sharing with regard to juvenile records for the purposes of enhanced background checks.
• Maximizing the Enhanced Background Check with Red Flag Laws: Part of the enhanced background check requires requesting records from state and local law enforcement and mental health repositories about potential purchasers under 21.  In these and other circumstances, if a person shows clear signs of being in crisis and a danger to themselves or others, they may qualify for consideration under applicable red flag laws which would generally result in that person being ineligible to possess or receive firearms.  By October 22, the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) National Resource Center will provide training to state and local law enforcement on the ERPO process, including how it intersects with individuals under 21.
• Improving the Federal Gun Background Check System: BSCA’s enhanced background checks for gun purchasers under age 21 and the law’s narrowing of the “boyfriend loophole,” along with the expanding number of states with red flag laws, are placing new challenges on state and local agencies attempting to ascertain what records they need to send to the federal gun background check system. To address these challenges, there needs to be system-wide improvements and a new era of collaboration among various entities engaging with the federal gun background check system. By December 15, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs will have evaluated the existing grant programs that support improvements to the gun background check system and make any changes needed to support states looking to improve their records systems, which may include lengthening the duration of grants where appropriate. 

Expanding Data on Gun Violence and Gun Trafficking

• Publishing Additional Data on Ghost Gun Trends and Firearms Trafficking: This winter, ATF will publish the fourth volume of its National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment. This volume will provide an update on ghost gun trends and trafficking investigations, as well as expanded information on machinegun conversion device recoveries.
• Expanding Collection of Gun Violence Data: There is a lack of reliable and timely data on gun deaths and gunshot injuries that show what is happening nationwide and in individual communities. This data is critical to focusing investment and enforcement efforts. Today, the FBI is announcing that it will collect additional detail in its data collection for gunshot injury wounds in the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) by June 2025. The FBI will implement a new injury code to reflect a gunshot wound in the NIBRS victim segment. NIBRS will also enable law enforcement agencies to submit additional detail as to how firearms were used in specific crimes, and the nature of the crime at issue.
• Improving Data on Gunshot Injuries: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is improving a data visualization tool to present gun death and injury data faster and at a more local level. Using data from vital statistics and emergency rooms at the local level can help inform prevention strategies and evaluate the effectiveness of programs.

Supporting Survivors of Gun Violence

• Addressing the Trauma Resulting from Gun Violence: This fall, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will take additional action to support individuals dealing with the trauma that results from gun violence. SAMHSA will release:
  • Best practices for local offices of violence prevention to use in addressing trauma resulting from gun violence;A tip sheet for individuals affected by gun violence who may be seeking more information on the behavioral health impacts of gun violence and how to seek help;A report on lessons learned from the federal ReCAST grant program to uplift the voices of communities impacted by violence as well as share strategies other communities can implement to promote healing, recovery, and resiliency; and
  • A toolkit for faith-based leaders, educators, and other leaders to help communities affected by the trauma resulting from gun violence.

Destroying Crime Guns

• Ensuring Appropriate Disposition of Firearms Seized by Law Enforcement: Firearms or firearm parts that were presumed to be destroyed by law enforcement have begun showing up in crimes. Sometimes the guns recovered by law enforcement are sent to a third-party that only partially destroys them. By October 30, the Department of Justice will refresh and clarify best practices for federal law enforcement disposition of seized firearms, including when working in partnership with state and local law enforcement. The Department of Justice will also release a plan to offer new training and education for state and local partners on safe and appropriate firearm disposition.

Preventing Firearm Suicide

• Facilitating Voluntary Out-of-Home Storage to Prevent Firearm Suicide: Voluntary out-of-home storage of firearms is an effective tactic to saves lives by creating time and space between a person in crisis and a firearm. A number of states, including Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, have developed gun storage maps to show different locations where a gun owner can voluntarily store their firearms. A federally funded program has developed model guidelines, contracts, and standard operating procedures for businesses interested in providing this option. Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs and SAMHSA are using their network of teams committed to preventing Veteran suicide—known as the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Families—to encourage states to convene federally licensed gun dealers around offering out-of-home storage to our Nation’s heroes and their families.

Congress must act. While the Biden-Harris Administration’s gun violence prevention actions are saving lives, there is much more to do. President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to call on Congress to enact commonsense gun safety legislation—from a ban on assault weapons and bump stocks to universal background checks to a repeal of gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability—and to enact federal safe storage and red flag laws and fully fund community violence intervention programs and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

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Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York, New York

5:49 P.M. EDT

THE FIRST LADY: Good evening. (Applause.)

Aren’t all of our U.S. military musicians spectacular? (Applause.) Thank you for all that you — for joining us this evening. It’s great to be with so many friends here.

For Joe, diplomacy is personal. It’s why, for more than 50 years, he’s created deep personal bonds with world leaders. He shows up for our allies and our partners. He listens and is always eager to debate complex international issues to find common ground.

Serving as first lady has be- — of the United States is the honor of my life. This is our — (applause). Thank you.

This is our fi- — our United Nations — our final United Nations General Assembly as president and first lady. So, tonight, I want to take this moment to celebrate Joe and honor the relationships he’s built with all of you — (applause) — to honor these relationships with all of you to shape a brighter future for people around the world.

Please join me in welcoming my husband, President Joe Biden. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) That was worth the trip. (Laughter.)

Well, welcome, everyone. I’m delighted to see you all. You know, my fellow leaders and friends we’ve honored here, it’s an honor to welcome you here tonight.

I should start off by saying we owe a special thanks tonight to — to Mayor Bloomberg. He’s not the mayor right now, but he’s still the mayor. (Laughter.) Mr. Mayor, thank you for all you’ve done.

I want to begin by quoting someone who I wish was here tonight: my mom, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden. (Applause.) Growing up, my mom had an expression. She had a lot of expression. She had a backbone like a ramrod. But my mom, she used to say, “Joey, remember, never bow, never bend, never yield, and never give up.”

Folks, as I said yesterday at the United Nations, I recognize the challenges the world faces: Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, war, hunger, poverty, climate change. But my message to you tonight is this: We must never, ever, ever bow, bend, yield, or give up. And most importantly, we must never lose faith — lose faith in our abilities to do so much.

I was first elected to the United States Senate when I was 29 years old, 280 years ago. (Laughter.) Since then, I’ve seen the impossible become — the impossible become reality, for real. I’ve seen the Berlin Wall come down. I’ve seen Poland leave the (inaudible) — I shouldn’t go on, I guess. But I’ve seen apartheid end. I’ve seen humanity pull together to prevent a nuclear war. I’ve seen war criminals and dictators face justice and accountability for human rights violations. And I’ve seen countries in the Middle East make peace. We must always remember.

In America, I was (inaudible) — I spent a lot of time with Xi of China, and we were in the Tibetan Plateau, and it was one of my 90-some hours alone with him. And he looked at me; he said, “Can you define America for me?” This is an absolutely true story. He said, “Can you define America for me?” I said, “Yes. In one word: possibilities — possibilities.” (Applause.) We believe anything is possible. No, I really mean it. Remember, nothing is impossible.

And, folks, look, in our time, we turn the page on the — on the — on a whole range of issues. We turned the page. Nothing is impossible, as I said, but we turned the page on the worst pandemic in a century. We defended Ukraine as a tyrant threatened to wipe it off the map. We made the largest investment in history to fight climate change, the existential threat to humanity.

And, folks, time and again — and I mean this sincerely — time and again, our nation and our world found a way forward. But make no mistake: It didn’t happen by accident. Nothing was inevitable. It took people like all of you assembled here tonight refusing to give up, rejecting the forces that pull us apart, believing that change is possible, and fighting to make it so every single day. That’s what you in this room assembled have done.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s our change. Together, we can broker deals, end wars and suffering. We can stop the spread of disease and dangerous weapons alike. We can make AI
empower people, not shackle them. We can cut our emissions and achieve our climate ambitions. We can leave our children, literally, a better world.

That’s our obligation, and we can. We can do this.

I can say to you — and I mean this sincerely — I’ve never more optimistic in my life because of all of you, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Keep it up.

And every time I’d walk out of my grandpop’s house up in Scranton, he’d yell, “Joey, keep the faith.” My grandmother would go, “No, Joey, spread it.” Spread it. Spread it. Spread it. (Applause.)

Folks, remember, nothing is beyond our capacity when we work together. Nothing at all.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you’re doing. I appreciate it very, very much.

It’s an honor to be with you. Thank you. (Applause.)

5:54 P.M. EDT

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Via Teleconference

9:33 P.M. EDT

MODERATOR:  Good evening, everyone.  Thanks so much for joining, especially on such short notice.  As a reminder, this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials.  The contents of this call are embargoed until the completion of the call.

For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the call today we have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official]. 

We have limited time, so I’ll turn it over to [senior administration officials] for a few words at the top and then take as many questions as we can.

[Senior administration officials], I’ll turn it over to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you, Eduardo.  Thanks, all, for joining.  And again, I know it’s a late evening and short notice, so appreciate it. 

Over the last 48 hours or so, the President and senior advisors have been engaging with the parties in the conflict along the Israel-Lebanon Blue Line and with partners around the world — both partners in the Gulf and the Middle East, as well as with partners in Europe and Asia — to reach a consensus for a call for a ceasefire that you have seen that we are issuing tonight. 

The ceasefire will be for 21 days, along the Blue Line.  During those 21 days, the parties — we will negotiate towards a potential resolution of the conflict that has been ongoing since Hezbollah launched the attack on October 8th, and to reach a comprehensive agreement along the Blue Line that allows for residents to return to their homes in both Lebanon and Israel. 

This has been an all-out effort by the administration to reach this moment.  We are grateful to both the Israelis and Lebanese government in working tirelessly to get to this moment. 

This is a call for a ceasefire in Lebanon.  During those 21 days, while we’re negotiating in Lebanon and Israel, we will also work with our partners on seeing what we have done over the last several months consistently.  And I’ll let [senior administration official] talk about the negotiations in Gaza. 

But the 21-day ceasefire, I want to stress, is for a ceasefire in Lebanon and across the Blue Line only.  The discussions towards a potential full agreement along the Blue Line will be accompanied also by negotiations in Gaza. 

And I’ll turn it over to [senior administration official] for comment on that. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, thank you.  Just briefly to reemphasize, I think this is a very important statement joined by — together with the G7 and together with three of our very close Arab partners with important interests in Lebanon.

As you will see, there is a reference in the joint statement to U.N. Security Council Resolution 2735, which relates to Gaza.  That resolution, just for awareness and reminder, is the three-phase hostage deal that the President laid out in May.  That is what that Security Council resolution emphasized. 

And of course we recognize, and the statement says explicitly, that opening up diplomatic space for these 21 days to pursue the agreement in Lebanon, of course we hope that it might also open up diplomatic space as well to galvanize efforts on the very important primary effort we have to bring the hostages home. 

So that references the three-phase deal that we’ve been working on.  But this is an important breakthrough on the Lebanon side, given all that has gone on there, particularly over the last few weeks.  But, you know, we will try to use the space that it provides wisely on all fronts.

MODERATOR:  Thanks.  With that, we have time for a couple of questions.  First up, we’ll go to Zeke Miller. 

Q    Thanks so much.  You just called this a breakthrough.  What assurances do you have from the Israelis and from the Lebanese government and Hezbollah that they will actually accept this temporary ceasefire and that you can actually get a sustainable period of calm, that you can have that diplomatic space that you say you need?  I mean, are you prematurely declaring victory here?  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, the parties are going to respond for themselves to the call, but I can share that we have had this conversation with the parties and felt this was the right moment to issue the call based on our discussions.  They are familiar with the text.  And again, we’ll let them speak to their actions of accepting the deal in the coming hours.

MODERATOR:  Next up, we’ll go to the line of MJ Lee.

Q    Hi.  Can you talk to us a little bit about why 21 days?  And also, when you were saying before, “We will negotiate towards” a comprehensive agreement, do you expect that the U.S. will be —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Can you speak up a little bit?  It’s hard to hear you — if you don’t mind. 

Q    Yeah.  When you say “We will negotiate towards” a comprehensive agreement, do you expect that the U.S. is going to be as heavily engaged as you all have been for the duration of those three weeks as you have been in the last couple of days?

And my first question was if you could explain how you got to 21 days for the duration of this recommended ceasefire.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  We — 21 days, really, is we were looking for a period of time that would be a sustained space that was long enough to allow for negotiations in a realistic basis to be able to reach a complicated agreement during that period of time.  So that’s why 21 days.  There’s no real magic formula to it.  It was something that we felt was long enough to sustain it and one that the parties could agree to. 

Second, on the negotiations: Look, over the last several months, since October 8th, we have been engaging consistently with the parties in Lebanon and in Israel to see what we can do to articulate an outline, an agreement that would enable returning to calm and security along that line.  And it was always going to have to be more than just a ceasefire, because it would be unacceptable for Israeli residents to return to their homes in the north if there weren’t security arrangements on the Lebanese side that prevented Hezbollah from sitting on the border and ensuring that they were secure from a October 7th-like attack in the future. 

So, we have had those discussions for quite some time.  We expect to build on those — on the premise of the conversation we’ve had over the last few months, and to turn that into a comprehensive agreement. 

Again, that is the space that we’re creating with this ceasefire.  And then, no guarantees, but we’re hopeful that this will give us the time necessary to achieve it. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll just emphasize: The objective is an agreement, along the lines that we’ve been working on, that would give citizens and civilians the confidence, the security arrangements to return to their homes.  That’s an objective we very much share with the Israelis.  We want to see civilians return on both sides of the border.  And the objective is to conclude that agreement within this 21-day period.

MODERATOR:  We have time for two more questions.  Next up, we’ll go to Alex Ward.

Q    Yeah, very quickly, are you now (inaudible) that Israel’s strategy of escalate to deescalate worked because it led to this moment?  And I’ll leave it that.  Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, we have been clear for a long time that we want to identify moments of opportunity to be able to reach a resolution here.  We have consistently said that, ultimately, a solution to bringing the residents home safely and having the security for a long period of time would only be achievable through a diplomatic solution. 

We believe, regardless of what has happened on the battlefield over the last several days, weeks, the moment we feel is now to achieve that diplomatic resolution to get there.  Military means on their own will not be able to achieve that.  That has been our publicly stated policy, and I think both sides agree with that notion, which is why we are, today, at the moment that we’re in.

MODERATOR:  Our last question will go to David Sanger.

Q    Thanks very much.  I’m trying to understand who you think is going to agree to the 21-day ceasefire.  Do we believe the Hezbollah leadership and Nasrallah is behind this?  Or do we believe, in the end, that he would not sign up for it?  And who would then — what are you hearing from the Israeli government specifically on this? 

What I’m trying to get at is how strongly we should all suggest in our stories that this is going to come to pass and why you think, if it does, it builds you some momentum for Gaza.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So, I’ll let [senior administration official] answer the last piece on Gaza. 

But, look, we negotiate consistently.  We negotiate and we deal with the sovereign state of Lebanon, with its leadership.  We have been doing that for months.  For the last 48 hours, we have been doing that non-stop, all day and night. 

They are responsible in speaking for the state of Lebanon and for everything that happens on that side of the border.  Who they negotiate with and deal with as far as the non-state actors in Lebanon, that is — I think they’re aware of the responsibility that they have to speak on behalf of the country, for the state. 

So I think you know how this works.  So our expectation is when the government of Lebanon and when the government of Israel both accept this, this will carry and — to be implemented as a ceasefire on both sides of the Blue Line for the period of the 21 days. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll just say, David, on — again, this is a deal about Lebanon, so how could it poss- — might it impact the hostage talks?  I don’t want to speculate too much.  I will say a couple things. 

I mean, Sinwar, we know he’s a decision-maker for Hamas.  Obviously, we’ve seen throughout the hostage talks, everything has to go into him.  He also wants a regional war.  That’s something he has basically said in a statement two weeks ago, praising the Houthi ballistic missile attack.  He talked about a long-term war of attrition.  I think he’s been hoping that there’d be a broader, kind of regional conflict and all these other groups would join in.  And frankly, we’ve done an awful lot — an awful lot over the last 11 months to ensure that actually does not happen.  We’ve done that through military means, through diplomatic means, through back-channels and everything else. 

And I think buying some time and space in Lebanon, and particularly if we can conclude this very important agreement — which would benefit the people on both sides of the border, and I think we have a lot of that worked out — it would buy us some time and space to try to pursue an arrangement in Gaza along the lines of the hostage deal we’ve been discussing. 

And if Sinwar understands there is not going to be a broader regional conflict, there really is a choice here: You do the deal, release the hostages, and you get an awful lot of calm in Gaza.  That deal is on the table.  It means that the war stops in Gaza.  It means massive humanitarian relief.  Everything we talked about, that’s very much on the table, kind of ready to go, if we can work out some of the arrangements on the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners. 

So, I mean, we’ll have to see.  But I think this does — it does shake things up, and we’ll try to use the time and space — and that’s why the statement talks about diplomatic space — wisely, again, focused primarily on Lebanon, but we’ll see if it opens up some possibilities on the Gaza side, because we do need to bring the hostages home, and we remain very focused on that. 

I’d say the President, throughout the week here in New York, was focused on this constantly in almost every conversation he had with world leaders.  We had a very important pull-aside this afternoon with President Macron of France, where the President — the two presidents and our teams were able to work out some of the arrangements that we were discussing here throughout the day. 

And of course, President Biden and President Macron issued a joint statement tonight, commensurate with the broader statement by the G7, UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. 

So, a lot going on.  Of course, the President remains deeply engaged in this as the days continue, including as we continue the week here in New York.  The President is back in Washington; we’re all here with Tony Blinken, the whole team, to continue to work.

MODERATOR:  Thanks, everyone.  That’s all the time we have for today.  We’re glad to take your follow-up questions as they come.

As a reminder, this call was on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and the embargo is now lifted.  Thanks so much for joining.

9:48 P.M. EDT

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The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8th, 2023 is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation. This is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon.  

It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety.

Diplomacy however cannot succeed amid an escalation of this conflict.  

Thus we call for an immediate 21 day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement consistent with UNSCR 1701, and the implementation of UNSCR 2735 regarding a ceasefire in Gaza

We call on all parties, including the Governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately consistent with UNSCR 1701 during this period, and to give a real chance to a diplomatic settlement.  

We are then prepared to fully support all diplomatic efforts to conclude an agreement between Lebanon and Israel within this period, building on efforts over the last months, that ends this crisis altogether.

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It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes. The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians. We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border. The statement we have negotiated is now endorsed by the United States, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Qatar. We call for broad endorsement and for the immediate support of the Governments of Israel and Lebanon.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with General Secretary Tô Lâm of Vietnam in New York. President Biden celebrated the one-year milestone of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reinforced the United States’ commitment to a strong, prosperous, resilient, and independent Vietnam. Both leaders reflected on the lasting legacy of the late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and his indelible mark on the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship.

The two leaders underscored our joint commitment to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and expressed enthusiasm for bringing momentum into its second year – especially as we prepare to mark important bilateral milestones in 2025,including 50 years since the end of the war in Vietnam and 30 years since the normalization of ties.

President Biden raised opportunities to advance cooperation on a range of  economic, technology, security, and diplomatic issues. President Biden underscored the important work under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework; progress in our cooperation on cybersecurity including for undersea cables, next steps toward building secure and resilient semiconductor supply chains and strengthening our technology partnership. The two leaders discussed the importance of working together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, and combatting environmental and non-traditional security challenges across the Mekong sub-region. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – especially in the South China Sea. President Biden also emphasized the United States’ commitment to ASEAN centrality and respect for human rights.

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Tonight, bipartisan majorities in both chambers of Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the government open through mid-December. I want to thank both houses of Congress—especially Senators Murray and Collins and Representatives Cole and DeLauro—for this bipartisan agreement and for avoiding a costly government shutdown. The passage of this bill gives Congress more time to pass full-year funding bills by the end of this year. My Administration will work with Congress to ensure these bills deliver for America’s national defense, veterans, seniors, children, and working families, and address urgent needs for the American people, including communities recovering from disasters. And while the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has the resources it currently needs to continue its successful efforts to ensure that the wealthy and large corporations pay the taxes they owe, my Administration will oppose any cuts or restrictions that would increase the deficit by limiting the IRS’s ability to crack down on wealthy tax cheats.

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On behalf of President Biden, I want to thank each of you for being here today. 

The Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection embodies our shared values and our commitment to work together to elevate the welfare and security of our entire hemisphere. As I listened to each of your remarks, I reflected on how much we have accomplished since your leaders joined President Biden on the podium in Los Angeles a little more than two years ago. 

We have taken key actions to disrupt the smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable migrants through coordinated enforcement efforts.

We have expanded lawful pathways as an alternative to the risks inherent in irregular migration.

And collectively, we have fostered the long-term stabilization and integration of migrants.

I will provide some details to illustrate more vividly what we have done on each of these three pillars of the Los Angeles Declaration.

Enforcement

Together, we are using our immigration and law enforcement tools to deter irregular migration and disrupt transnational criminal organizations that put migrants’ lives at risk for profit.

We are encouraged by how many countries have taken concrete actions to increase enforcement, including by putting in place strong visa requirements and increasing information sharing. We know this is a challenge that can only be met if we work together.

And we have:

• Adopted new rules and processes to strengthen the consequences in place at our border, including refined procedures announced by President Biden on June 4.

• Increased biometric information sharing across the region to identify bad actors before they enter any of our borders;
• Imposed visa restrictions and financial sanctions, and prosecuted human smugglers;

So many of these efforts have been done in close coordination with all of you. 

Lawful Pathways

The Biden-Harris Administration has also expanded lawful pathways to encourage migrants to apply to come to the United States from their home countries rather than making the dangerous journey to our border.

That is why we launched the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan parole process – with notable results.

We are also on track to welcome the largest number of refugees in three decades. This would not have been possible without the Safe Mobility Initiative and our partnership with Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador.

As part of today’s funding announcement, we are providing an additional $83 million to help resettle more refugees and refer migrants to additional pathways as well, including temporary labor opportunities in the United States and other countries.

Stabilization and Integration

And finally, I want to join Secretary Blinken in applauding the pioneering and generous policies that are enabling the stabilization and integration of migrants.

This is a story that I think will be told for years to come: how Latin America rallied together in the face of the historic displacement of 8 million people from Venezuela and rose up to become a model for the world of how to respond to this kind of mass migration with pragmatism and humanity.

We applaud so many of the countries represented here for opening your doors to displaced migrants and giving them hope for their future, enabling them to obtain formal employment, access basic social services, and put their kids in school.

With today’s announcements, over half of the Los Angeles Declaration countries have implemented migrant regularization policies, collectively providing legal status to 4.4 million mostly Venezuelan migrants.

The United States is proud to support these efforts. As part of today’s $686 million funding announcement by Secretary of State Blinken, the United States will assist partner countries as you implement regularization programs and successfully integrate newcomers. In addition, we will continue to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to help the most vulnerable Venezuelans, both inside Venezuela and throughout the region.

Closing

For President Biden, the Los Angeles Declaration was never just a piece of paper that each country signed; it was a call to action.

And I am confident that with our continued commitment to the Declaration, including the establishment of an enduring Secretariat with Colombia as our first Country Chair, we will continue showing the world that regional collaboration can effectively and humanely address the migratory challenges that we face in our Hemisphere.    

Thank you.

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