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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. President Biden informed President Zelenskyy that he has directed a surge in U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, which will be announced publicly tomorrow, and which will help Ukraine win. President Zelenskyy previewed for President Biden his plan for victory. The two leaders will discuss this plan further during their upcoming bilateral meeting at the White House.

Following their meeting in New York, President Biden convened a historic event in support of Ukraine at which the leaders of more than 30 countries agreed to sign a Joint Declaration of Support for the Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukraine.

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:       Delegation of Authority Under Section 506(a)(1) and Section 614(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: 

(1)  the authority under section 506(a)(1) of the FAA to direct the drawdown of up to $375 million 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; and

(2)  the authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $103 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA.

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

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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We, the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine today and in the future, in war and in peace. As stated in the Apulia-G7 Leaders’ Communiqué, together with international partners, we remain determined to provide military, budget, humanitarian, and reconstruction support to Ukraine and its people and are strongly committed to helping Ukraine meet its urgent short-term financing needs and to assisting with Ukraine’s long-term recovery and reconstruction.

We dispel any false notion that time is on Russia’s side or that Russia can prevail by causing Ukraine to fail economically. Russia’s war of aggression has wrought tremendous damage upon Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Today, we reaffirm a series of commitments to counter its effects.

First, Russia’s responsibility under international law to pay for the damage it is causing is clear. We reaffirm that, consistent with all applicable laws and our respective legal systems, Russia’s sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia ends its aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine.

Second, we commit to use our economic assistance to ensure Ukraine maintains macro-financial stability, to repair and build critical infrastructure including in the energy sector, to boost economic growth, to support social resilience as well as the implementation of priority reforms. These include improving the business climate, strengthening anti-corruption efforts, implementing the justice system reform and promoting of the rule of law within the context of the EU accession process. We will also support Ukraine to ensure rapid and transparent absorption of donor financing.

Third we are continuing our joint work to implement the decision made at the G7 Summit in Apulia to launch Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans for Ukraine by the end of the year, in order to make available approximately USD 50 billion in additional funding to Ukraine. The loans will be serviced and repaid by the future flows of extraordinary revenues stemming from the immobilization of Russian sovereign assets held in the European Union and other relevant jurisdictions. Part of these funds will be directed to military assistance to Ukraine. We will maintain solidarity in our commitment to providing this support to Ukraine.

Fourth, we will continue to pursue our vision also by strategizing, coordinating and steering our support for Ukraine’s economic recovery and reconstruction through the Ukraine Donor Platform. This will include catalyzing private sector contributions as well as leveraging bilateral, European Union, and international financial institution funding, and encouraging Ukraine’s reform agenda in view of the country’s accession path to the EU. We will continue to support Ukraine’s human capital through our ongoing response to humanitarian needs and social protection.

Finally, we will continue to assess and monitor progress on these commitments through Ukraine Donor Platform meetings and the annual Ukraine Recovery Conference, the next edition of which will be hosted by Italy in 2025.

In order to implement the above-mentioned commitments,we will each work to provideUkraine withspecific, bilateral support aligned with this joint declaration and with the bilateral security agreements and arrangements that have been negotiated and signed with Ukraine.

For its part, Ukraine is committed to implementing its economic, judiciary, anti-corruption, corporate governance, defense, public administration, public investment management and law enforcement reforms. These reforms are necessary and will be vital to enabling long-term support for Ukrainian reconstruction and recovery.

Our message is clear: we remain committed to the strategic objective of a free, independent, democratic and sovereign Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders, that is prosperous and able to defend itself. We highlight the importance of an inclusive and gender-responsive recovery and the need to address the different needs of women, children and disabled persons as well as other population groups who have been disproportionately affected by Russia’s war of aggression. Through our collective support for Ukrainian reconstruction and recovery, we will ensure that Russia fails in its objectives to subjugate Ukraine – and that Ukraine emerges from Russia’s war of aggression with a modernized, vibrant, inclusive society and innovative economy, resilient to Russian threats. Other countries that wish to contribute to this effort in support of Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction and recovery may join this Joint Declaration at any time.

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Today, we stand together to lift up and reflect on the progress we are making as a nation – progress propelled by the hard work of the American people, endowed with the inventiveness to imagine a better future and inspired with the willingness to roll up our sleeves and build it.

Over the last few years, we have come together around this hopeful calling – united in this important task at this important time. We are building back not only from an awful economic crisis, but also from decades of underinvestment in our infrastructure, our communities, and our industrial strength – truly, an underinvestment in America.

So many times, each of us has driven by that idled factory or blighted plot, some place where the loss of opportunity is fenced in and the chance for a comeback seemingly fenced out. These are monuments to underinvestment and a failed economic policy that promised prosperity will just trickle down – but never delivered.

Fortunately, if we invest in America, there is a better way forward.

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, that is exactly where we are headed – bringing down the barriers to economic opportunity, lowering costs for American families, and, in just three and a half years, creating 16 million jobs with rising wages and with unemployment at its lowest level in 50 years.

We see the bet on America’s promise, our potential and possibilities, paying off as we reclaim the lead in the global race on clean energy and in the interconnected fight against the pollution that fuels the climate crisis.

And we see that bet paying off as we find solutions to what felt like unsolvable problems.

Today, finally, America is leading in the race to innovate the technologies needed to tackle climate pollution in the industrial sector.

The largest source of global climate pollution and the source of about 30 percent of U.S. climate pollution, the industrial sector has long been considered “hard to decarbonize.”

But we’re changing the game. To meet our climate goals, we are innovating and modernizing the way we make steel, aluminum, cement, and other bedrock materials of our economy.

The transformation is underway, and not by accident. The Biden-Harris Administration has deployed all tools in its policy toolbox to expand clean manufacturing. Buoyed by this support, American manufacturers and workers are stepping up.

Yet, as they reach for scale, their efforts have found some critical scaffolding missing – an inability to measure progress.

The U.S. government lacks a comprehensive emissions intensity measurement system. That has been an inhibitor.

Today, we are making progress to help fill that gap – to build the data infrastructure we need to drive forward our clean manufacturing strategy.

We are launching a new and critical effort at the Department of Energy – a pilot program that will offer data tools to track and accelerate reductions in industrial emissions, and to ensure that clean manufacturing remains competitive.

It is a meaningful move to build not just a foundation, but a launch pad for our ambition in this space.

Before offering more details on this data effort, let me describe how this data puzzle piece fits into our broader clean manufacturing strategy.

To fuel today’s industrial transformation, the Biden-Harris Administration is currently deploying the largest investment in clean manufacturing in U.S. history.

These investments are supporting game-changing projects that transform how we manufacture materials that form the backbone of our economy.

A couple of projects will make the U.S. one of the first nations in the world to convert clean hydrogen into clean steel.

One project will build a new clean aluminum smelter – the first primary aluminum smelter to be built in the U.S. in 45 years – which will avoid about 75 percent of the emissions of a conventional facility.

Other projects will virtually eliminate the emissions associated with making cement – a millennia-old process that is responsible for about 8 percent of global, human-caused carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, we’re pairing this supply push with a demand pull. We’re working to ensure that there’s a market on the other end of these investments for the clean steel and cement that’s produced.

Buy Clean, a flagship initiative of the Biden-Harris Administration, leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to spur demand for low-emissions construction materials. When the government buys steel for federal buildings or concrete for highways, Buy Clean ensures that we support businesses that are investing in clean production.

Right now, agencies are deploying more than $4 billion under Buy Clean to support government purchases of low-emissions materials. And we’ve recruited a dozen states to do the same, harnessing the power of their procurement as a spur for innovation and scale.

As we invest in clean manufacturing, we are reminded of the importance to not let unfair trade undercut this industrial transformation.

For too long, trade policies that ignore climate change have incentivized a shift in energy-intensive manufacturing to countries with lower standards and higher climate pollution.

We need to level the playing field, and we need to level it up.

Take a look at aluminum. The U.S. used to be the world’s biggest producer of aluminum. Many of our aluminum smelters were powered by clean hydropower. But starting in the 1990s, smelter after smelter closed down under divestment and unfair trade. Each closure spelled lost jobs for workers and lost tax revenue for industrial communities. Today, we have only four primary aluminum smelters left in the country – four.  

As U.S. production declined, production in China rose to take its place, driven in part by China’s non-market policies. Today, more than half of the world’s aluminum is made in China. That’s an industrial competitiveness problem. It’s also a climate problem. Because the average ton of aluminum made in China is 65 percent more emissions-intensive than in the U.S.

This race to the bottom has undercut our climate goals, the competitiveness of clean manufacturers, and the good jobs they offer to industrial workers and communities.

Our workers and communities deserve a race to the top – one that supports climate action across borders while buttressing our investments to expand clean manufacturing at home.

That is why earlier this year we created the new White House Task Force on Climate, Trade, and Industrial Competitiveness. To develop tools and approaches that will help close the climate loophole in our trade policies. To ensure a level playing field for our clean manufacturers and workers. To accelerate industrial decarbonization globally.

We want to work with trade partners, Congress, and industry, labor, and environmental stakeholders to help build a new trade framework that actually rewards clean manufacturing.

The Task Force is taking a strategic, cross-governmental approach, building on decades of research and policy expertise. The work of the Task Force includes: identifying and developing data and methodologies for measuring the emissions intensity of traded goods; identifying opportunities to accelerate industrial decarbonization in emissions-intensive, trade exposed sectors; exploring a broad set of potential climate and trade policy options that help us achieve both our domestic and international climate goals; and coordinating engagement with key stakeholders, Congress, and trading partners.

The Task Force is working with like-minded trade partners and allies at all levels of development to develop compatible approaches that foster a level playing field, incentivize industrial decarbonization, reduce the emissions embodied in traded goods, and ensure developing countries have the opportunity and capacity to participate in this low-carbon trade system.

We are engaging with them as they pursue similar efforts, including on questions of data and methodologies, administrability, and policy design. We seek to build a fair and compatible framework for supporting and rewarding clean manufacturing, not a patchwork of divergent approaches.

Data is one area that has been a priority for us – an area we see as primed for progress. Reliable, transparent emissions intensity data is the foundation of effective climate-aligned trade policies. As you know, part of the work of our Task Force is to help ensure that we have credible, robust, and granular data for climate and trade policies.

In addition, as we invest billions in new, emissions-cutting technologies for manufacturing, policymakers and manufacturers need reliable estimates of how quickly we’re reducing the emissions intensity of essential materials.

So do the buyers of these materials. Global demand is rising for steel, aluminum, cement, and other materials that are made with a low level of emissions. New climate-focused trade policies around the world, national green procurement efforts such as Buy Clean, industry commitments, and consumer preferences are all driving this rising demand for clean manufacturing.

As the market for clean manufacturing grows, the United States, our trading partners, and consumers need an accurate and transparent system for measuring the emissions intensity of energy-intensive industrial products.

So far, the United States has not had a comprehensive emissions intensity measurement system.

But today we can report progress to help fill in this missing puzzle piece. The pilot program that the Department of Energy is announcing today will help coordinate data sources across the federal government to assemble rigorous, timely, and accurate emissions intensity statistics.

These metrics will support our climate and clean manufacturing goals alike. An accurate, whole-of-government emissions intensity framework will help to incentivize further reductions in industrial emissions and support the competitiveness of clean manufacturing as the emissions intensity of traded goods becomes increasingly important.

The White House Task Force on Climate, Trade, and Industrial Competitiveness looks forward to continued work with Congress and industry, labor unions, environmental advocates, and academic stakeholders to develop the data infrastructure we need. In fact, we will be following up today’s announcement with a webinar laying out more details and drawing our stakeholders in to be even closer thought partners.

Critically, we also look forward to continued work with trade partners to explore compatible, coordinated approaches to emissions intensity data so we can avoid a patchwork of divergent approaches.

With solid data, we can accelerate the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive clean manufacturing strategy – an interlocking mix of investment, procurement, and trade policies to tackle a major source of climate pollution while boosting a major source of good jobs.

Working together, we can win the industrial transformation we need for a livable climate and a more equitable economy. We can launch the race to the top that our workers and communities deserve.

The promise is what I saw last year in Toledo, Ohio. What was once a brownfield is now the site of a new manufacturing plant, where union steel workers are forging a cleaner product than what we used to import from overseas. The Hot Briquetted Iron from that Cleveland Cliffs factory is the start of a supply chain critical to U.S. automotive manufacturing – for UAW workers an hour away in Michigan making next generation vehicles and helping America lead that global industry. This is the real promise: not just steel in the ground, but steel in the spine of the American middle class. A real chance to win the future.

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InterContinental New York Barclay
New York, New York

2:17 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, General Secretary, it’s great to see you again, have you here in the United States.  We appreciate it.

Is this simultaneous interpretation?

One year ago, in Hanoi, we began a new era of relations with Vietnam and the United States, and we elevated our partnership to the highest level as possible.  Since then, we’ve been — I’ve been very proud of the progress we’ve made.

First of all, we made historic investments in semiconductors and supply chains.  And I want to note this was made possible through our CHIPS and Science Act here at home.

Second, we launched unprecedented cooperation on cybersecurity.

And third, we stood united building a more open and secure Indian Ocean committed to freedom of navigation and the rule of law.

And finally, we continue our pathbreaking work to heal the wounds of war.  I’m proud that we, the United States, have committed $215 million to complete the detox — the tox- — the detox remediation, as well as — as we have many more things to do as well.

Secretary General, as I — or General Secretary, I should say — I suggested at the U.N. address, there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we work together.  So, we welcome you all and looking forward to our conversation.

The floor is yours.

GENERAL SECRETARY LÂM:  (As interpreted.)  It’s a great pleasure to meet with you again, Mr. President.  Well, this is the third time we met.  As the Vietnamese proverb says, “It feels like a destined encounter.”

First, on behalf of the party, the state, and people of Vietnam and the family of the late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, I wish to convey our heartfelt gratitude to you, Mr. President, for your sincere condolences on his passing and thank you for dispatching State Secretary Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to pay their respects.

We deeply value the warm regards from the United States and from you personally, President Biden, towards late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.  And even during his lifetime, the late general secretary often spoke of you with fond memories and sincere appreciation.

His historic visit to the U.S. in 2015 followed by your visit to Vietnam in September last year were historic milestones and have significantly advanced the growth of the Vietnam-U.S. relations, resulting in a higher level of the relations that we enjoy today.

We appreciate very much your liking towards Vietnam, and your historic contributions have been pivotal in elevating our bilateral relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership as we enjoy today. 

Thank you very much, once again, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you.  And, again, welcome.  And welcome to all of you. 

Thank you.

2:22 P.M. EDT

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American Climate Corps Has Already Put 15,000 Young Americans to Work as Part of Its Inaugural Cohort

Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps Announce a New Environmental Justice Climate Corps; the Department of Housing and Urban Development Joins the Interagency American Climate Corps Initiative

Since taking office, President Biden has delivered on the most ambitious climate, clean energy, conservation, and environmental justice agenda in history – signing into law the largest investment in climate action ever, protecting more than 42 million acres of public lands and waters, creating good-paying clean energy jobs, and establishing the Justice40 Initiative, which sets the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

As part of his historic commitment to tackle the climate crisis, President Biden launched the American Climate Corps (ACC) to mobilize the next generation of clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience workers, with a goal to put 20,000 young people to work in the clean energy and climate resilience economy in the initiative’s first year. Today, in celebration of Climate Week, the White House is announcing that more than 15,000 young Americans have been put to work in high-quality, good-paying clean energy and climate resilience workforce training and service opportunities through the American Climate Corps – putting the program on track to reach President Biden’s goal of 20,000 members in the program’s first year ahead of schedule.

Across the country, American Climate Corps members are working on projects to tackle the climate crisis, including restoring coastal ecosystems, strengthening urban and rural agriculture, investing in clean energy and energy efficiency, improving disaster and wildfire preparedness, and more. The American Climate Corps is giving a diverse new generation of young people the tools to fight the impacts of climate change today and the skills to join the clean energy and climate-resilience workforce of tomorrow.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is making several additional announcements:

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and AmeriCorps are Announcing a New Environmental Justice Climate Corps, which will put more than 250 American Climate Corps members to work over the next three years providing technical assistance to community-based organizations in environmental justice communities – helping them access resources to carry out locally driven projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, improve public health and safety, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. Environmental Justice Climate Corps members will be paid a living allowance and reimbursed for selected living expenses. In total, this allowance is equivalent to receiving more than $25 per hour throughout their year of service. They will also obtain the benefits of AmeriCorps VISTA service—including the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, which is valued at $7,395 in FY24, and streamlined pathways into certain federal jobs—and gain mentorship and professional development opportunities. Applications for the Environmental Justice Climate Corps will open in early 2025, with a goal for its first cohort to start later that year.The partnership with EPA is AmeriCorps’ largest environmental partnership in the agency’s history and will build on the success of three other partnerships announced under the American Climate Corps: AmeriCorps NCCC Forest Corps, Working Lands Climate Corps and Energy Communities AmeriCorps, which together will support more than 500 new ACC positions over the coming years.

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is Joining the ACC Interagency Initiative. Joining the seven initial signatories of the December 2023 ACC Memorandum of Understanding, today HUD will become the eighth federal agency member of the ACC Interagency Initiative. This step brings the ACC to the communities HUD serves, building upon the Department’s commitment to using low- and zero-carbon energy and supporting communities to increase their resilience, advance environmental justice, and create good jobs for residents.

• The American Climate Corps is Fostering Federal-State Partnerships by establishing a partnership with state service commissions, which support national service in states across the country, to grow the number of state climate corps and strengthen existing state climate corps programs. Together, the American Climate Corps, state-level climate corps programs, and state national service leadership are committed to strengthening state climate corps, supporting impactful program implementation, and leveraging state and local partnerships to scale climate corps efforts across the country. To date, 14 states have launched their own state-based climate corps programs, including New Jersey who just today announced the creation of the New Jersey Climate Corps. 

• American Climate Corps Will Host a Virtual Job Fair. The American Climate Corps is working to ensure that its members have a pathway to good-paying jobs following their terms of service, which is why later this year, ACC will host a virtual job fair for current and past members to learn about high-quality career opportunities in the clean energy and climate resilience economy. The virtual job fair will bring together the private sector, labor unions, and the public sector, including Federal agencies, to showcase career pathways available to ACC members.

Today’s announcements build on a year of successful program implementation, including:

• Launch of the American Climate Corps Tour. This fall, to showcase ACC members’ important work across the nation, the American Climate Corps and senior Biden-Harris Administration officials is embarking on a national tour and visiting ten locations to highlight ACC members’ impact in communities across the country.The tour is making stops at a range of ACC project sites and featuring remarks by representatives of the Biden-Harris Administration and other Federal, state, and local elected officials. Visits include ACC member swearing-in ceremonies, service projects, and roundtables with ACC members.

• Creation of the American Climate Corps Storytellers Project. Inspired by the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project, the ACC launched the Storytellers Project, engaging artists and storytellers to capture the impact of President Biden’s American Climate Corps.The ACC Storytellers Project solicited applications from artists across the country. Ten accomplished storytellers were selected to document the impact of the American Climate Corps in communities across the country through photographs, videos, and other visual art mediums. 

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Our nation’s lakes, rivers, streams, estuaries, and wetlands are fundamental to the health, prosperity, and resilience of our communities and are held sacred by many Tribal Nations. They are not only the sources of clean drinking water that flows into the taps of our homes, but are also economic drivers supporting jobs and outdoor recreation across the nation. By absorbing and storing carbon, our nation’s waterways and wetlands – and the forests, grasslands, and farmlands they nourish – also play a critical role in the fight against climate change.

Since Day One, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to secure clean water for all communities, protect our vital freshwater resources, and mitigate the impacts of drought. Given that communities often acutely experience the climate crisis through water-related impacts – from floods and droughts to polluted drinking sources and waterways – this Administration is making historic investments through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to protect, conserve, and restore our freshwater basins and ecosystems.

Meanwhile, many Republicans in Congress continue to deny the very existence of climate change and remain committed to repealing the President’s Inflation Reduction Act – the biggest climate protection bill ever – which would undermine the health, safety, and economic vitality of their own constituents.

Today, during Climate Week, the White House is announcing new funding and whole-of-government initiatives that build upon its ambitious freshwater agenda and help restore and conserve our freshwater resources and address climate impacts felt across the nation:

• Investing in Long-Term Colorado River Basin Resilience: The Biden-Harris Administration is leading a comprehensive effort to make Western communities more resilient to climate change and address the ongoing megadrought across the region, including the Colorado River Basin, by harnessing the full resources of President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda. The Administration’s investments in the Lower Colorado River Basin bridge the immediate need for water conservation while moving toward improved system efficiency and more durable long-term solutions. Overall, the funding for long-term water conservation initiatives in the Lower Basin is expected to save more than 1 million acre-feet of water, putting the Basin on a path to a more resilient and sustainable water future.
  • The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation is announcing the execution of the first three contracts for long-term water conservation under the Lower Colorado Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program. Totaling approximately $107 million, taken together these first three projects – all with the Gila River Indian Community in the Lower Colorado River Basin of Arizona – will provide over 73,000 acre-feet of water conservation to support the sustainability of Lake Mead while also helping ensure long-term water resilience for the Community. The Bureau of Reclamation is also working on the companion program for the Upper Basin, which will provide additional water savings for the Basin’s long-term sustainability.
  • The Bureau of Reclamation is working with the following sponsors in the Lower Colorado Basin to negotiate water conservation contracts for ten additional proposed projects, including:
    • City of Phoenix
    • City of Tucson
    • Coachella Valley Water District
    • Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association & Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District
    • San Diego County Water Authority
    • Southern Nevada Water Authority
    • The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
    • Town of Gilbert
• The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation is also signing agreements with the Imperial Irrigation District and the Bard Water District in partnership with the Metropolitan Water District in California to ensure the conservation of up to 717,100acre-feet of water by 2026. This water will remain in Lake Mead in an effort to benefit the Colorado River System and its users.
• Investing in Indian Country: The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation has announced historic Tribal water infrastructure investments totaling over $1.2 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, Reclamation Water Settlement funding, and annual appropriations. This includes a new investment of $9.4 million for Tribal drought relief and technical assistance projects that will restore wetlands, improve irrigation efficiency, and support groundwater monitoring.
  
  
• Reconnecting Waterways and Restoring Aquatic Ecosystems: With over $3 billion in funding for ecosystem restoration and fish passage projects, the Investing in America agenda is helping secure cleaner rivers, safer communities, greater recreational opportunities, and improved fish and wildlife habitat, driving change across the landscape for people, communities, species, and ecosystems.
  • The Administration is announcing a suite of 10 transformational fish passage projects that to date have received over $150 million from eight Federal agencies. When completed, these fish passage and aquatic connectivity projects – located in communities from Maine to Ohio to California – will reconnect nearly 5,000 miles of rivers and streams across the United States. Reconnecting waterways allows natural functions to be restored in freshwater systems, improving their climate resilience and water quality, and therefore their ability to protect communities from catastrophic floods, droughts, catastrophic wildfire, and water pollution. Improving fish passage and reconnecting aquatic systems is one of the most effective ways to help conserve vulnerable species, while building safer infrastructure for communities and improving climate resilience. To date, the Administration has spent over $970 million on more than 600 fish passage projects in 45 states across the country.
  • The Department of the Interior today is announcing an additional $92 million in new resources from the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program to help restore important salmon and other native fish habitat across the West. These projects, when complete, will provide increased water quality, floodplain stability, and drought resiliency.
    
    
• Collaborating with Stakeholders to Protect Freshwater Systems: At a Climate Week NYC event focused on the Global Freshwater Challenge, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory announced a doubling of new partners in the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge – a nationwide initiative to protect, restore, and reconnect 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of our nation’s rivers and streams by 2030. Over 100 members from across the country initially signed on to support freshwater restoration in their communities. That number has now more than doubled to over 211, including 14 states, 16 Tribal entities, 27 local governments, and 79 private sector members.
  
  

Today’s announcements build on recent actions that deliver on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring safe drinking water, including providing approximately $1 billion in funding to bring safe, clean water to Tribal communities; finalizing the first-ever standard to protect communities from toxic “forever chemicals,” along with rulemakings to hold polluters responsible for PFAS cleanup and to enhance safeguards against dangerous chemical spills in our nation’s waters; and continuing to deliver on President Biden’s goal to replace every lead pipe in America in the next decade. The Department of the Interior has invested more than $6.95 billion to fund over 831 Western water projects through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act; the Environmental Protection Agency has leveraged more than $9 billion in the last two years alone to communities across the West; and other agencies from the Department of Agriculture to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue to make investments that increase water availability, reduce water use, and enhance resilience.

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Congressional Republican efforts to repeal the ACA would have a devastating impact on small businesses across the country

President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care is a right, not a privilege, and their administration has driven the uninsured rate to the lowest point in history. New data released today by the Treasury Department illustrates just how critical those steps have been to America’s small businesses – and how devastating it would be if Congressional Republicans succeed in their efforts to repeal the ACA, roll back protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and increase American’s health care costs by failing to extend the ACA premium tax credits that President Biden and Vice President Harris passed, that are lowering health care costs by hundreds of dollars per year for millions of Americans. The fact is that millions of small business owners would lose health insurance if the ACA is repealed.
 
Statement from the President: “Every time someone starts a new small business, it’s an act of hope and confidence in our economy. Thanks to my and Vice President Harris’s work to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act, more Americans have the freedom to start small businesses and chase their dreams – without having to worry about how they receive health insurance for their family. As a result, more Americans – and more small business owners – have signed up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace than ever before. That’s 618,590 small business owners in Florida, 450,010 in California, 423,790 in Texas, and 168,070 in Georgia who have benefited from this quality, affordable health coverage. Congressional Republicans have a different vision and have voted more than 50 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Their agenda would strip millions of small business owners of their health coverage, gut protections for pre-existing conditions, and threaten the small business boom seen under my Administration. Vice President Harris and I won’t let it happen on our watch.”
 
Statement for the Vice President: “Small business owners and entrepreneurs are the engine of America’s economy. We are ensuring small businesses have access to affordable health care so they can focus on starting and growing businesses, not on whether they can afford health coverage. I’m proud that over 4 million small business owners and self-employed workers have coverage through the ACA, up from 3.3 million in 2022. I will always support small businesses and invest in entrepreneurs by strengthening and expanding the ACA, and by rejecting Republican efforts to repeal it.”
 
The Treasury Department’s report shows that 4.2 million small business owners and self-employed workers have coverage through the ACA Marketplaces, up from 3.3 million in 2022 and 1.4 million in 2014.  In fact, entrepreneurs are about three times as likely as other Americans to have health insurance in the Marketplace, with nearly 1 in 5 getting coverage there. The vast majority of these entrepreneurs – 82% in 2022 – claim the ACA premium tax credit to reduce their cost of coverage by an average of about $700 each year. The ACA was designed to finally provide a reliable source of health insurance for people who don’t get coverage through their jobs – after decades of facing high health care prices or outright coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions – and this report makes clear that system is working to support American entrepreneurship.
 
Ensuring American small business owners can access affordable health insurance is yet another example of the many ways that the Biden-Harris Administration has supported a small business boom.  Since President Biden took office, Americans have filed more than 19 million new business applications, the most on record. This small business boom has been powered by landmark investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and domestic manufacturing made through the Biden-Harris Investing in America agenda, expanding access to capital and enabling all-time high levels of federal contracting with small businesses
 
But Congressional Republicans continue their efforts to strip this progress away.  They have voted more than 50 times to repeal the ACA. They continue advance proposals that would strip coverage away, and undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Millions of America’s small businesses owners and self-employed workers would find their health insurance disrupted if those plans succeed. And their plan to end the expansion of the ACA premium tax credits would raise taxes and heath care costs for millions of small business owners, including middle-class small business owners. Unlike Congressional Republicans, President Biden and Vice President Harris have committed to never raising taxes on households making less than $400,000, and are fighting to extend the premium tax credit enhancements.
 
Number of small businesses owners and self-employed workers with Marketplace coverage in each state in 2022: 

StateEntrepreneurs with Marketplace CoverageStateEntrepreneurs with Marketplace CoverageAK4,820MT12,500AL49,020NC134,260AR18,490ND7,550AZ41,550NE23,240CA450,010NH14,650CO42,750NJ72,890CT28,340NM8,860DC4,120NV24,350DE6,200NY59,200FL618,590OH51,520GA168,070OK39,040HI8,060OR34,200IA18,740PA88,700ID13,880RI6,230IL76,920SC59,160IN32,650SD9,770KS23,870TN66,270KY16,480TX423,790LA26,780UT36,320MA50,130VA66,110MD38,240VT7,170ME15,460WA53,130MI65,490WI45,790MN25,730WV5,040MO56,070WY7,120MS27,130Other1,100Total3,285,550

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The Plaza Hotel
New York, New York

5:08 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  If I — thank you.  (Applause.) 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  If I were smart, I’d leave now.  (Laughter.)

Thank you all so very much. 

Mr. Mayor, Michael, thank you.  You know, I awarded the Presidential Medar [Medal] of — of Freedom because you’ve literally revolutionized our economy.  It’s not hyperbole.  You transformed how we consume information.  You challenged and solved the toughest issues.  And thank you for hosting this important forum. 

And thank all the business leaders here today, and thank my Cabinet members for their work as well.  Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is here.  The EPA administrator, Michael Regan, is here. 

You know, four years ago, Kamala and I inherited the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 

I got to hold a minute here and tell you a little story.  When I — when I — I sat in the Oval Office every morning at 9 o’clock and then ended the day with Barack for eight years.  And there was only one — there was only one portrait above the fireplace: a portrait of George Washington — fairly small but a beautiful portrait. 

And so, I — when — I didn’t realize it at the time, all the times I’d been in the Oval, that the incoming president cannot go into the Oval on the 20th until after 4 o’clock, and the outgoing president has to leave by 10:00, although the outgoing president never showed up.  Anyway.  (Laughter.)

But — so, I asked my brother Jim, who has better taste than I do, to pick what we needed for th- — to pick what desk you want, what rug you — you know, the things you want in your office.  And I said I only wanted a couple things.  I wanted to make sure I had the Resolute Desk, and I wanted a — looking next to the — at the — next to the fireplace, I wanted a — the bust of Martin Luther King, who was one of my heroes as I was coming up as a young civil rights guy, and Bobby Kennedy. 

I have great — great admir- — admiration for John Kennedy, but I could never picture him at my kitchen table.  Any rate.  (Laughter.)  

So, we’re standing — I walk in, and my brother is showing me, and I look up, and there’s this giant portrait of Franklin Roosevelt.  And — and Jon Meacham was on the phone — on the speaker.  And I said, “Why Franklin Roosevelt?  I admire him, but why Franklin Roosevelt?”  He said, “Well, no one has inherited an economy in more disarray than when Franklin Roosevelt was president.”  I said, “Isn’t that wonderful?”  (Laughter.)  Swear to God.  True story.  (Laughter.)

I looked to the left, there’s Abraham Lincoln.  I said, “Why Abraham Lincoln?  I admire the hell out of Lincoln, but why?”  He said, “The country has never been as divided since the Civil War.”  (Laughter.)  I said, “I’m the hell out of here.”  Anyway.  (Laughter.) 

But, look, a lot has changed.  A lot has changed.  When we came into office, the climate is in crisis and one existential threat that faced all the nations. 

Mayor Bloomberg, Michael, you’ve con- — you’ve convened leadership — national and international levels — to lead the charge and change the mindset. 

You know, I just met with the president of the UAE, who was a massive investor in clean energy around the world.  That’s what he wanted to talk to me about. 

I just hosted a three-day conference with the Quad in Delaware, it — with the prime minister of India, Australia, and Japan, three of the fastest-growing economies in the world.  They understand you can’t remain dependent on fossil fuels.  They need to lead the clean energy future. 

I had a discussion with the president of Kenya, whom I hosted in the state — for a state visit.  Kenya is also a global leader in clean energy.  Together — together, we’ve launched the U.S.-Kenya Climate and Clean Energy In- — Industrial Partnership. 

All this matters.

Now I want to pivot to home here.  Since I’ve been president, I’ve flown over more wildfires — unfortunately, this is the God’s truth — in helicopters, from Arizona, Idaho, Mo- — all the way to Montana, and I’ve — more acreage I’ve looked down on — seen more acreage burned on the ground — to the ground than the entire state of Maryland, in terms of area.  Just wildfires. 

They — they — I — we — I’ve toured the community ravaged by tornadoes and floods and more than — more — that cost lives and livelihoods, it costs taxpayers billions of dollars in damage. 

But when Kamala and I came into office, there was no real plan in place to do anything about it.  As a government, we were doing nothing — virtually nothing. 

We were determined not only to deliver immediate economic relief to the American people but to transform our — how our economy works in the long term; to write a new economic playbook to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up instead of the top down — that way, workers do well, no one is left behind, and the wealthy still do very well; and wanted to leave no — and foster fair competition; invest in all of America and all Americans. 

And I’ve been pointing out, when it comes to the climate, every time I talk about it — whether I was trying to convince labor or business to come along, I’d say, “When I think climate, I think jobs.  I think jobs.”  And I mean it — good union-paying jobs. 

In fact, I’m proud to have kept my commitment to bring unions and business to — to the climate table.  That’s what we’re seeing. 

Rather than the climate conservation about sacrifice — con- — conversation about sacrifice, we’re focused on doing less.  Kamala and I have pursued an ambitious climate policy focused on growth.  And the public and private sector led — lead to all the — you — all of you in this audience, you’ve led, building our economic capacity.

Together, we’ve proven that a strong middle class, thriving innovation, and manufacturing are the key to winning climate here at home and abroad.

Here — here are the key climate pages from the new economic playbook.  We rejoined the Paris Agreement immediately after my predecessor had walked away.  We got to work planning private capital off — pulling private capital off the sidelines, getting our workers in the game, and, once again, leading the world on climate.  Bringing jobs back home — manufacturing and technology we invented here in the United States decades ago, bringing it back.  We’re bringing back hope and pride in communities, opening shuttered factories in zip codes too often left behind. 

I might point out I was criticized very much for having done more to invest in red states than blue states, but I made a commitment that when I ran, I’d be president for all people — all people, whether they voted for me or not.  And we’re doing that in what I call Investing in America agenda. 

I wrote and signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant climate law ever passed in the history of the world.  We were told it couldn’t get done, but we did it.  More than $369 billion in climate and en- — and clean energy.  The si- — not a single Republican voted for it. 

But the In- — the Inflation Reduction Act lowers energy costs for families with rebates and tax credits to install rooftop solar and energy-efficient appliances, weatherizing your windows and doors and high-tech insulation and more efficient heating and cooling systems, and so much more.  And you get a tax credit for doing it.

The groundbreaking laws also catalyze clean energy innovation in areas like battery technology, nuclear energy, geothermal that will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for American workers. 

In fact, along with other historic investments in infrastructure — and our infrastructure bill was a trillion three hundred billion dollars in science and technology — private companies in the United States and globally have announced investments of nearly $1 trillion in clean energy manufacturing here in America in the last three years.  (Applause.)

And you all are the leaders of that.  You’re the ones.  And we’re just getting started.

In the face of the dangerous and deadly impacts of climate change, we’re also making our cities and towns more resilient. 

This is a new formula on climate: creating jobs, reducing pollution, cleaning up our water and air, improving our quality of life, building a better America.

For example, a once-in-a-generation modernization of our grid means this year we’ll add more new electric capacity than we have in two decades, and 96 percent of what it — that will be clean energy.  (Applause.)

I went to the University of Delaware, and the university professor was the first professor — the first solar-powered building that inspired residential solar adaptation. 

And more than 80 percent of the solar panels and — and components are manufactured in China though, but now we’re turning that around.  American solar panel manufacturing is up four times what it was four years ago, with more to come. 

America inher- — invented the lithium-ion battery technology that’s powering our clean energy transformation, including electric vehicles and the grid.  But when Kamala and I came into office, America was barely making any — any of these batteries, while other countries were commercializing them.  But not anymore.  (Applause.)

There are more than 14 gigafactories — massive, large-scale factories op- — opening or under construction to make advanced batteries here in America and more to come.  We’re also making the battery components here in America, making sure that we — the supply chain starts in America. 

And all of this is helping power an electric revolution in transportation.  We’ve quadrupled the development of electric vehicles since I took office.  We’re deploying a fleet of clean school busses that will not only — will not pollute the air.  Our Postal Service is going fully electric.  We’ve invested $45 billion in electric trains in America, because if a person can choose between a car and a train to get to their destination in the same time, 70 to 80 percent of that — they will take the train, and it’s 70 to 80 percent less pollution than driving the same distance. 

And we now have tools to lower emissions from building materials.  For the first time ever, we’re beginning to produce clean steel, cement, and aluminum.  I think most Americans had no idea how much pollution has occurred when you — when you make cement. 

Well, the American people know how much pollution heavy industries produce, since each one produces as much pollution as a small country. 

We’re now making the most significant investment ever in rural America.  Eighty thousand farms across America are implementing climate-smart agriculture — cover crops, nutrient management, storing carbon in the soil — which creates new sources of wealth for farmers, families at the same time.

We’re also carrying out the most ambitious conservation agenda in a long time.  We’re on track to conserve — a commitment I made — 30 percent of all our lands and waters by the year 2030.  Since taking office, my administration has already conserved over 42 million acres. 

The Inflation Reduction Act is also the most significant law ever advancing environmental justice for disadvantaged and so-called fence-line communities, like Cancer Alley in Louisiana or Route 9 corridor in Delaware.  We’re making sure these communities receive 40 percent of the benefits in — of the key investments in pollution reduction, clean energy, and infrastructure. 

All this matters.  It matters a great deal. 

In just under four years, the economy has created nearly 16 million jobs — the most ever in a single presidential term. 

In just two years since the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ve created more than 330,000 clean energy jobs.  (Applause.)

I should say “you’ve created.”  You created that.

Clean energy jobs are growing twice as fast in the economy — as the economy overall.  Clean energy workers are joining unions at the highest level in history. 

And I’m really proud to have launched the American Climate Corps, patterned after the Peace Corps and America Corps [AmeriCorps], to put tens of thousands of young people on the path to good-paying clean energy jobs to improve our environment and grow our economy. 

And, you know, the United States has reasserted America’s position as a global leader in climate.  We’re leading an all-out effort to partner with nations to reduce global emissions, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

You all remember when Putin invaded Ukraine, which sent food and energy prices soaring around the world and showing just how volatile and fragile a fossil fuel-based economy can be.  The United States rallied the world against Putin’s aggression.  We’ve led the world in releasing oil reserves and stabilizing global energy markets while also working quickly as possible to deploy clean energy resources. 

You know, I convened summit leaders on climate and the American Leaders’ Summit — or the African Leaders’ Summit, I should say.  In COP28, the United States galvanized the world to commit for the first time to transition away from unabated fossil fuels. 

Across the board, America’s climate leadership is encouraging American companies to invest in private capital for clean energy development into low- to middle-income nations and so much more. 

I thank the business leaders who are here today for leading the way, and I mean that. 

All this historic climate change is in stark contrast to my predecessor.  He says he’d re- — repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.  He’d let our factories shut down.  He’d move the world backwards.  His denial of climate change condemns our future generations to a more dangerous world. 

And, by the way, windmills do not cause cancer.  (Laughter and applause.)

I think we’ve laid out a better choice.  And today, we are better positioned than any other nation in the world to fo- — to promote a clean energy future.  In fact, it’s the perfect time to go big. 

The market for clean energy is booming.  Inflation is way down in America.  The Federal Reserve just announced lowering interest rate, and I — I predict they’ll go fur- — further down. 

We should give business even more confidence to invest trillions of dollars that are on the sidelines in the clean energy industries of the future. 

I’m doing my part.  Now I’m calling on other companies with the capital in the room to invest more and do more.  Now is the time. 

Let me close with this.  Four years though, we’ve gone from historic crisis to histor- — historic process — progress and in doing it with a new playbook based on one of the oldest truths of our nation: invest in America, believe in America, believe in possibilities, and share it with the world. 

That’s what I see — if I could see all of you — when I look at all of you.  (Laughter.) 

I really mean this.  I know I only look like I’m 40 years old, but I’m a little older.  (Laughter.)  You know, I’ve been doing this a long time — 51 years in elective office, and — (applause) — that’s hard to say.  That’s hard to say.

But I give you my word as a Biden: I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s future. 

And, Michael, let me go back to you.  Your initiative, your commitment, your vision, your dedication have literally changed the world and gone a long way to encourage the Americans to be convinced once again that there’s — we can do anything.  We just have to remember who the hell we are.  We’re the United States of America.  There is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.

Folks, as a student of history, we’re the only nation in the world that’s come out of every major crisis we’ve entered stronger than we went in — every single time.  Every single time. 

You know, this assembly in this room, you’re the leaders not only in America, you’re the world.  The rest of the world looks to us. 

And it’s not about my being president.  I give you my word.  Think about it.  If we didn’t lead, who the hell leads?  Who fills the vacuum without America leading? 

That’s who we are.  That’s our obligation.  And that’s our — an incredible opportunity. 

So, folks, I really am optimistic.  I really mean it.  You listened, and I didn’t even go into all of the things that are going on in the rest of the world in terms of how they want to transition away from — from fossil fuels: want to use peaceful nuclear technology, a whole range of things, hydrogen.  So many things are on the table. 

And we can do this.  We really can.  And we owe it to our children.  And, quite frankly, we owe it to lead the world. 

If my mom was here, she’d say, “Joey, end it.  Okay?”  (Laughter.)  And I will.

So, God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.

Thank you very, very much.  (Applause.)

Every time — every time I’d walk out of my Grandfather Finnegan’s house up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he’d yell, “Joey, keep the faith.”  My grandmother would yell, “No, Joey, spread it.”  Let’s spread the faith.  (Applause.)

Thank you.

5:26 P.M. EDT

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Good afternoon.  I am Liz Sherwood-Randall, President Biden’s Homeland Security Advisor.  
 
In closing, on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration, I want to thank each of you for joining us here today. In particular, I want to express our gratitude to each of the Heads of State and Government and your cabinet members who accepted President Biden’s invitation to participate and make an enduring commitment to this vital endeavor.  
 
This is the first ever gathering on this scale of leaders from every continent across the planet who are dedicated to the fight against fentanyl and synthetic drugs.  And that reflects how seriously we take the threat that it is creating in our respective homelands.
 
As you may know, I have devoted much of my life to countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I view fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The lessons from that enduring challenge are directly relevant to the fight against illicit fentanyl and synthetic drugs today.
 
This is a global problem that requires a global solution.  None of us can meet it effectively alone. We need to weave a strong and resilient web of committed countries, and we need to work in close collaboration with partners in international organizations and the private sector.  That is the only way we can meet the moment.  And the moment is now. We are in a fight to save lives.
 
So I especially want to thank each of the Coalition Members whose leaders have agreed to mobilize new initiatives to: 
 
Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other illicit goods 


Detect emerging drug trends; and


Prevent and treat those affected by this crisis, through increased public health interventions and distribution of life-saving medications.
 
Because of the new initiatives, we will be doing even more than we have already done to map and disrupt transit routes, establish early warning systems to detect new drug trends before they reach crisis levels, and prevent deaths by expanding treatment, training more health care workers, and distributing life-saving medications.

I urge each of you to participate in these accelerated efforts.  And I also encourage each of you to sign on to the Member Pledge that we shared with you. This pledge to take additional steps in each of our countries reinforces our collective commitment to turn words into concrete actions.  Together we can make a real difference in our communities by disrupting drug traffickers and protecting our people from harm.

On behalf of President Biden, thank you again for joining us here in New York today, and I look forward to our ongoing work together. 

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding from June 20 to July 8, 2024.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Boyd, Clay, Dakota, Dawson, Douglas, Fillmore, Holt, Howard, Lincoln, McPherson, Nance, Nemaha, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Thomas, and Washington.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Mr. Andrew P. Meyer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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 a major disaster exists in the State of Kansas and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding from June 26 to July 7, 2024.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Chase, Clark, Comanche, Doniphan, Finney, Geary, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Meade, Scott, Thomas, and Wabaunsee.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Mr. Andrew P. Meyer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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 a major disaster exists in the State of New York and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby from August 8 to August 10, 2024.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby in the counties of Allegany, Broome, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Ontario, Steuben, St. Lawrence, and Yates.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Ms. Lai Sun Yee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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 a major disaster exists for the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by wildfires from June 22 to July 8, 2024.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals for the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the wildfires.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.

Ms. Tonia Pence of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribal Nation and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

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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10:38 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hey, guys.  How are you doing?  (Laughter.)  Holy mackerel.  I like your tie.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Can you guys say thank you?

THE PRESIDENT:  “Dad, you didn’t tell me the president was going to talk to me.”

Please, have a seat. 

Well, good morning.  For the first time — for the first time in National Women’s Soccer League history, welcome to the White House to the 2023 championships [champions] the Gotham F.C.  (Applause.)  
It’s so good to be joined by so many friends from New York and New Jersey — (applause) — team owners, the Tisch family — 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  God love you.  We go back a long way.  (Laughter.)  Led by Carolyn.  

And — and the team — the fellow team governors and investors, Ed, as well as the great Sue Bird — (applause) — was here a few years ago to celebrate the Seattle Storm’s WNBA championship, and she’s simply incredible.  No, you are.  I tell you what, man.  (Applause.) 

I also want to thank the founding team owners, and good friends of mine, the Murphys and, particularly, Tammy, to continues the — to be the champions for women’s sports.  They couldn’t be here today because they are representing the great state of New Jersey on a trade mission abroad.  

But I also want to thank New Jersey’s newest United States senator, George Helmy.  Where — where are you, George?  (Applause.)  There you are, George.  George, you don’t get to take the trophy home.  (Laughter.) 

And, of course, a special thanks to the incredible players.  You know — (applause) — one thing is clear: This organization is no stranger to adversity.  In 2022, Gotham placed last in the entire league.  There were doubts about turning things around.  But you never gave up.  You never gave up.  And you kept the faith, as my mother would say.  You retooled the roster, hired a new coach.  Something clicked.  

 And after a tough season, you were in — the final team to make the playoffs.  But as the saying goes, winners simply win.  Back-to-back playoff wins holding North Carolina and Portland scoreless and then beating Seattle to win it all.  The new Tiffany trophy is one at — new home now in Gotham.  

Look, just yesterday, you clinched the playoff spot, so maybe you’ll be back here next year.  (Applause.)  Now, if you are, I won’t be president but ask if I can come and listen.  (Laughter.) 

What’s really important is your championship win also set an attendance record.  I think it’s fair to say everyone — everyone watches women’s sports.  (Applause.)  It’s about time.   

I got some All-State soccer players as well as — a goalie as well as lacrosse champions in my family.  And, by the way, in my family, we have a — an advantage: All the women are smarter than all the men — (laughter) — including me. 

Look, and when fans watch you play, they also see the power of the example off the field as well.  It matters.  And I really mean it.  You lead the way in providing sports medicine and health care focused on women.  My wife is deeply involved in trying to make sure there’s enough attention paid and research done on women’s diseases as men.  As a matter of fact, we’re going to the United Nations after this to make that very case.

You helped establish the Players Association fighting for the dignity of work all across the league.  And most powerful — I’m — you know, I get — I get categorized as the most pro-union president in American history.  I am, and I approve of what you’re doing, man.  (Laughter.)    

You know, and your teammate Midge came to the White House with the U.S. Women’s National Team to highlight the campaign and equal — for equal pay.  That’s happening too.  Matter of fact, it’s going to get unequal here; you’re going to be paid a hell of a lot more, I think (inaudible).

But let’s be clear.  And I mean this sincerely.  I was raised by my best friend in the world, who is my sister.  She — she — anyway.  I won’t get into all that, but — (laughter) — you know, I mean this sincerely: A woman can do anything a man can do — anything a man can do, including being president of the United States.  (Applause.)  

Let me close by thanking you all.  You really represent our nation with such dignity.  You inspire all of us — and you really do; you’re an inspiration.  Think — I bet you wh- — you can’t walk down the street in your hometown without some young girl coming up to you just wanting to talk to you, just wanting to touch you, just wanting to hold your hand.  It’s amazing.  

And congratulations to the Bats of Gotham.  You like being called the “Bats of Gotham”?  (Laughter.)

GOTHAM FC PLAYERS:  Batties.  

MS. PURCE:  The Batties.  

THE PRESIDENT:  (Inaudible.)  

MS. KRIEGER:  Batties.

MS. PURCE:  The Batties.  

THE PRESIDENT:  I like that.  (Laughter.)

Look, I’m going to turn it over to the top Bat — no, the top — (laughter) — to Ali, last year’s team captain, who, by the way, I watched in 2015 win the World Cup in — when I was vice president — in Canada.  Ali, it’s great to see you again, kiddo.  (Laughter.)  The floor is yours.  (Applause.)

MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  

THE PRESIDENT:  I like your kicks.

MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  They’re — I wore them for you, so — (laughter).  Yeah.

Mr. President and esteemed guests, thank you for hosting Gotham FC, the reigning NWSL champions.  (Applause.)  

We are deeply honored to be the first NWSL team to receive this recognition, marking a pivotal moment for women’s sports.  

Firstly, I have to thank my teammates for their grit and perseverance to enable us to be the champions standing here today.  (Applause.)

Starting the 2023 season, coming off of the last place finish — from worst to first — (laughter) — nobody backed this team to do what we did.

Reflecting on my career, I recall times when women’s soccer lacked coverage and support.  Our progress since those days have been remarkable, from our humble beginnings to becoming champions.  

Both Gotham and the NWSL have seen tremendous growth with more fans, greater engagement, and increased recognition.  

Yet, despite these strides, we are reminded that our work is far from over.  

Every time we step on the field, we think of young girls who dream the future in sports.  This moment is not just about titles or trophies, it’s about paving the way for them.  Being the first is historic, but it’s even more important that we ensure we are not the last.  

We all know that we are committed to build on this momentum for future generations. 

As a token of our appreciation and commitment to advancing women’s sports, we are delighted to present you with a Gotham FC jersey.  (Applause.)

We expect you to be wearing that under the suit soon, okay?  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll wear it over it.

MS. KRIEGER:  Yeah, great.  (Laughter.)

On behalf of my exceptional teammates and the entire organization, thank you again for this incredible honor, for sup- — and for supporting the growth of women’s sports.  

THE PRESIDENT:  All right.

MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  You know, I thought when I got to be president, I’d get to do things that I wanted to do, but my staff tells me what I can’t do.  (Laughter.)  But I’m going to do it anyway.  All the young women — young kids out there that are wa- — are out there, come on up and do this when we — stand behind me when we do this.  Come on.

AUDIENCE:  Aww.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  And the guys.  Come on.  (Applause.)  

(The president greets children coming to the stage.)

THE PRESIDENT:  All right.

MS. KRIEGER:  So, our head coach, Juan Carlos Amorós, and the — the championship 2023 MVP, Midge Purce.  (Applause.) 

(The president is presented with a Gotham FC jersey.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

10:49 A.M. EDT

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1:57 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  To all the — my fellow leaders from nations around the world, thank you for being here.  It makes a big difference.

A couple of years ago, a father who I got to meet from a small town here in the United States wrote me a letter about his daughter.  Her name was Courtney.  She was bright and smart, she had a laugh that was contagious, and wanted to travel the world.  But in high school, she became addicted to pills. 

Her father eventually brought her to a treatment facility, but his insurance company wouldn’t cover the cost.  They said, quote, “It wasn’t a matter of life and death.”

A month later, Courtney died from a fe- — fentanyl overdose.  She was just 20 years old — 20 years old. 

In his letter that he wrote to me, he described life without his child.  He said, and I quote, “There is no greater pain.”  “There is no greater pain.”

I told him I know what it’s like, having lost several children myself — two children.  There is no greater pain.  They still live in your heart, but there’s no greater pain.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s why we’re here. 

Too many people all across our nation have stories like this.  Too many families have suffered unbearable pain and unbearable loss. 

Opioids are the deadliest drug threat in our history.  I’ve been working on drug control for a long, long time — since the days I was a senator, but this is the deadliest of them all.

For years, too little has been done to beat this threat here at home and around the world. 

In fact, before I came to office, overdose deaths in our country were increasing by more than 30 percent year over year. 

But when I became president, I made beating the opioid endemic [epidemic] a central part of the Unity Agenda, something that our entire nation could rally around and has. 

For over the last four years, we’ve turned that agenda into action.  My administration made Nal- — excuse me, Na- — made Naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal medicine, available over the counter.  You can purchase it over the counter for the first time.  We invested over $80 billion across 50 states to expand access to addiction treatment and support.  I issued an executive order that cut cartel leaders off from fina- — our financial system, including issuing 300 sanctions.  And I’ve deployed hundreds of advanced X-ray ou- — machines to stop the threat of pills and powder coming across our border. 

Because I want to be clear: This is — this is a national security threat. 

In July of this year, I signed a national security memorandum.  It officially recognized that fact, that it is a national security threat.  It calls on every part of our government to do more to stop fentanyl and protect our homeland from this threat. 

But as all of you know, this a global challenge and it requires a global solutions. 

So, we established the Tri- — the Trilateral Fentanyl Committee with Canada and Mexi- — and Mexico to stop narcotics from crossing our border. 

I reignited counternarcotics cooperation with China to increase law enforcement cooperation and tackle the supply chains of precursor chemicals and pill presses. 

And I directed my team to build this coalition — this Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drugs.  As all of you here know, this coalition now has, as the secretary of State said, 150 nations as part of it. 

The result of these efforts: More fentanyl has been seized at our border in the last two years than the previous five years combined — in the previous five years combined.  Nearly 60,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized.  That’s enough to kill every single American many times over. 

Dozens of major cartel leaders and traffickers are now behind bars. 

And I’m proud to announce, for the first time in five years, overdose deaths are actually coming down across America.  The latest data shows a 10 percent drop.  That’s the largest decrease on record. 

Folks, this matters.  These aren’t just facts and figures.  They’re families — families who don’t have to bear the loss of a child, a parent, a spouse — families who are kept whole. 

But there are too many that are still dying.  There’s so much more that needs to be done. 

So, my message today is very simple: We can’t let up.  We cannot let up.

Drug manufacturers and cartels continue to adapt their practices, develop new chemicals, move fast to evade our efforts.  We have to move faster.

They continue to exploit the global supply chains to expand their networks.  We’ve got to cut them off. 

They continue to fuel violence, corruption, and instability.  We’ve got to protect our people and our communities. 

So, that’s why I’m calling on every nation here to commit to our new global coalition pledge.  This lays out the action we must all take to seize more drugs, stop more cartels, save more lives. 

I also want to thank the leaders here who are stepping up and launching a new initiatives today to advance coalition efforts all across three key — key areas.  First, disrupting supply chain, including production and distribution of illicit — of illicit drugs.  Secondly, detecting emerging drug threats and increasing information sharing across all our countries.  And thirdly, preventing more deaths by treating more people through public health interventions, increased access to lifesaving medications.

It’s possible.  It’s about disrupt, detect, prevent, and treat. 

Together, we’re making it clear: Enough is enough is enough. 

Let me close with this.  As leaders, we all have one solemn responsibility: protect our people from harm. 

Together, through this coalition, I believe we can do just that.  We can disrupt the cycle of violence and instability that drug cr- — traffickers create.  We can get our people the care they need and deserve.  We can save lives, but only — but only if we come together and work together.  The choice is ours. 

And I believe there can be only one answer: We can, we will, and we must. 

So, thank you all for being here.  Let’s get to work.

And I want to — you to hear from other leaders in this room as well. 

So, thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)  

2:04 P.M. EDT

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Today, President Biden hosted a Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, which the President directed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to launch in June 2023, in order to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis.  In just over a year, the Global Coalition has grown to include 159 countries and 15 international organizations working together to disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs; detect emerging drug threats; and prevent and treat through effective public health interventions.
 
With the Summit as a motivating force, 11 core Coalition countries announced new initiatives that will advance the work of the Coalition, including efforts to disrupt the supply chain of fentanyl and enhance public health interventions.  These international commitments complement intensive work being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over-the-counter.
 
As a result of these efforts, we are starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30% year over year.  Now, the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics show an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of 10% in the 12 months ending April 2024. 
 
These aren’t just numbers – these are lives.
 
Background on the Global Coalition
 
The 159 countries and 15 international organizations that are now part of the Coalition are working together on three key lines of effort:

1. Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs;
   
2. Detect emerging drug threats; and
   
3. Prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. 

For the past year, three working groups and seven sub-working groups have met monthly to create detailed plans of action.  These working groups have made tangible progress, including implementing new efforts to increase seizures of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals at ports of entry, sharing best practices with respect to the identification of emerging drug threats, and taking actions to schedule an increasing number of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, thus subjecting these drugs and chemicals to increased controls. 

New Initiatives Being Announced

At today’s Summit, 11 core countries announced new initiatives that will move the work of each of the Coalition’s core lines of effort even further:

1. Australia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom will lead new efforts to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.  These efforts include the development of regional coalitions to disrupt the transit routes for illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, and associated equipment, protect against the diversion of chemicals for illicit use, and improve the detection and disruption of production sites.
   
2. Italy and Ghana will lead new initiatives to detect emerging drug trends, to include Italy helping other Coalition countries to develop early warning systems to identify emerging drug patterns.
   
3. Canada and the United Arab Emirates will work to prevent and treat the overdose epidemic, including by expanding public health interventions and making life-saving medications widely available.

Core Coalition countries also signed a Coalition Pledge agreeing to take additional actions to regulate all relevant drugs and precursor chemicals, take needed steps to fill gaps in their own domestic authorities, expand public-private partnerships to more effectively combat the supply chain for illicit fentanyl, develop mechanisms to monitor real-time data on trends in illicit drug use, and expand access to treatment.  At the Summit, President Biden called on all other Coalition countries to likewise sign this pledge.

Domestic Actions to Fight Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids

Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made disrupting the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic drugs a core priority.  As part of their Unity Agenda for the Nation, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it a priority to invest in public health and to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs.  And those efforts have paid off:

1. Border officials have stopped more illicit fentanyl at ports of entry in the past two fiscal years than in the previous five fiscal years combined.  In the past 11 months, over 974 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl were seized at U.S. ports of entry.
   
2. The Biden-Harris Administration deployed cutting-edge drug detection technology across our southwest border, adding dozens of new inspection systems, with dozens more coming online in the next few years.
   
3. The Biden-Harris Administration has made naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, widely available over the counter, and has invested over $82 billion in treatment – 40 percent more than the previous Administration.
   
4. In 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade, and the Administration has since sanctioned over 300 persons and entities under this authority, thereby cutting them off from the United States’ financial system.
   
5. The Biden-Harris Administration has prosecuted dozens of high-level Mexican cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers, including Chapitos leader Nestor Isidro “El Nini” Perez Salas, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación’s top chemical brokers—placing dangerous drug traffickers behind bars.  Just last week, the son of a fugitive Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación boss, Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera, was convicted for his violent acts, including the deadly downing of a military helicopter in Mexico, in support of his father’s drug trafficking organization.

 
In July, President Biden issued a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) calling on all relevant Federal departments and agencies to do even more to stop the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in our country.  The NSM directs increased intelligence collection, more intensive coordination and cooperation across departments and agencies, and additional actions to disrupt the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl.  And the Biden-Harris Administration has called on Congress to pass the Administration’s “Detect and Defeat” counter-fentanyl legislative proposal to increase penalties on those who bring deadly drugs into our communities and to close loopholes that drug traffickers exploit.
 
As stated above, these measures are having an effect.
 
Provisional CDC data show a 10% drop in overdose deaths in the 12 months leading up to April 2024 – the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.
 
Other International Engagements
 
Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the United States has engaged around the world – both as part of the Coalition and in numerous bilateral and multilateral engagements – to spur global action in the fight against synthetic opioids.
 
In early 2023, President Biden, together with the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada, directed the establishment a Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, and the Biden-Harris Administration engages regularly with both countries to tackle the supply chain for fentanyl.
 
In November 2023, President Biden negotiated the resumption of counternarcotics cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), spurring the creation of a U.S. – PRC Counternarcotics Working Group that has led to increased cooperation on law enforcement actions and ongoing efforts to shut down companies that fuel illicit fentanyl and synthetic drug trafficking and cause deaths in the United States.  
 
The United States and India have worked together to increase counternarcotics cooperation, including by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding and Framework for ongoing work to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs just this past week. 
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has worked extensively with law enforcement partners across the globe to hold drug traffickers to account.  These partnerships pay dividends – including by generating support for extraditions that have enabled the United States to put dozens of cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers behind bars.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo on October 1, 2024, in Mexico City, Mexico.

Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Ken Salazar, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico

The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Honorable Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The Honorable Isabel Casillas Guzman, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration

The Honorable Chris Murphy, United States Senator, Connecticut

The Honorable Nanette Barragán, United States Representative, 44th District of California and Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

The Honorable Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President and White House Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor

The Honorable Carlos Elizondo, Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary

The Honorable Regina Romero, Mayor of Tucson, Arizona

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met with President Surangel Whipps, Jr. of Palau, President Wesley Simina of Micronesia, and President Hilda Heine of Marshall Islands today in New York at the United Nations to celebrate the renewal of the Compacts of Free Association and Compact-related agreements, which will reinforce the uniquely close relationships between the United States and the Freely Associated States for another 20 years. The President underscored his commitment to providing health care support to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Freely Associated States, which serve at higher per capita rates than most U.S. states. The President thanked the leaders of the Freely Associated States for their continued support of the United States’ growing engagement with the Pacific Islands. The leaders reaffirmed the need to cooperate on issues of mutual importance to all four countries, including the impacts of climate change and sea level rise.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh to congratulate him on his recent appointment as the head of the interim government.  Both leaders affirmed the close partnership between the United States and Bangladesh, which is rooted in shared democratic values and strong people-to-people ties. President Biden welcomed further engagement between the two governments and offered continued U.S. support as Bangladesh implements its new reform agenda. 

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