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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Francine from September 9 to September 12, 2024.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne.

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 State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne.

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

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

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more parishes and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or 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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Today, leaders from the National Security Council and the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy convened a roundtable with Federal agencies, global and domestic public health partners, advocacy organizations, and community leaders to discuss the escalating “clade I” mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and multiple other countries that have never before had mpox cases.
 
The global mpox response and domestic preparedness efforts are top priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration. Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer and Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall provided remarks during the event. Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Treasury Department also joined the convening. 
 
“By building on the lessons learned from the mpox outbreak response in 2022, the U.S. will continue to lead the way, globally and domestically, to be more prepared to respond to any biological threat,” said Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall. “We must also continue to partner with trusted community organizations, academic researchers, and civil society actors across the international community to promote the dissemination of information, support the early detection of cases, and ensure the rapid deployment of countermeasures. Doing so will keep Americans safer and more secure here at home.”
 
“Our actions today and in the coming weeks have the potential to change the course of the global clade I mpox response at home and abroad” said Jon Finer. “It is more critical than ever for the United States to be a global leader in preventing and responding to health emergencies. When the United States invests in building stronger partnerships around the world, and when we support stronger, more effective multilateral and regional institutions, not only are Americans safer, but the world is safer.”
 
The convening affirmed the United States leadership role in the global mpox response and identified efforts to bolster domestic preparedness and improve U.S. readiness for a clade I mpox case. While there are no known clade I cases in the United States at this time, federal and state leaders are working to ensure that the U.S. can rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they occur. Clade IIb mpox, which caused the 2022 global outbreak, continues to circulate at low levels in the United States and in many countries around the world.

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     It has been said that, when he was leaving the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked whether the Founding Fathers had given America a monarchy or a republic, and he replied:  “A republic, if you can keep it.”  The Founders put the power to decide our Nation’s future in the hands of “We the People.”  On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and during Constitution Week, we recommit to preserving our republic, perfecting our Union, and ensuring our democracy survives and thrives.

     Our Constitution established that our Nation would be a democracy, meaning the rule of the people — not of monarchs, the monied, or the mighty.  It gave us the separation of powers and checks and balances so that we would be a country that respects the institutions that govern a free society.  And it remains the bulwark to prevent the abuse of power and ensures that “We the People” move forward together under the law.  We are all responsible for maintaining our democracy — not only by adhering to the Constitution but also by our character and the habits of our hearts and minds.  All of us must join the march to perfect our Union by protecting and expanding our rights with each successive generation.

     I believe America is at an inflection point, one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine the fate of our Nation and the world for decades to come.  That is why we must continue to protect the rights guaranteed by our Constitution and the values that make our Nation who we are.  We must protect the right to vote — it is the threshold of democracy:  with it, anything is possible, and without it, nothing is.  Vice President Harris and I continue to call on the Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to expand voting rights and prevent voter suppression.  We will continue to work to protect women’s reproductive freedoms and their constitutional right to choose.  We continue to call on the Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in Federal law once and for all.  And we will continue to preserve and strengthen our democracy and will never walk away from the values that have made us the greatest Nation in the history of the world:  freedom and liberty.

     Today, we also celebrate the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  From those who were born in this country to our naturalized citizens, America remains a great country because we are a good people.  We are a Nation of promise and possibilities, of dreamers and doers, and of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.  May we welcome our Nation’s newest citizens, whose stories embody the hope of the American Dream and whose contributions strengthen our country. 

     On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and during Constitution Week, we recognize that the power to build a freer, more prosperous, and more just future lies in the hands of the American people.  And we recommit to fulfilling the sacred tasks of our time — to ensure democracy prevails and to preserve our constitutional protections for generations to come.  

     To honor the timeless principles enshrined in our Constitution, the Congress has, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36 U.S.C. 106), designated September 17 as “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and authorized the President to issue a proclamation calling on United States officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on that day.  By joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 108), the Congress further requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as “Constitution Week.”

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2024, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and September 17 through September 23 as Constitution Week.  On this day and during this week, we celebrate our Constitution and the rights of citizenship that we enjoy together as the proud people of this Nation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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   American democracy begins and ends with the ballot box — putting the right to vote and the right to decide our Nation’s future in the hands of “We the People.”  Voting defines our threshold of liberty and makes everything possible.  On National Voter Registration Day, we recommit to protecting the sacred right to vote, and we encourage every eligible American to register to vote.

     Today, there are forces trying to take us back in time.  They are trying to suppress voters and subvert elections.  They are supporting unlimited dark money and extreme gerrymandering to try to influence the election system in their favor.  We saw it on January 6, 2021, when a violent mob of insurrectionists and election deniers breached the Capitol.  It is a solemn reminder that the work to secure our democracy and protect our fundamental rights and freedoms is not over in this country.  Each generation must join the work to preserve our democratic values and norms.

     That is why, when I came into office, I was determined to secure the right to vote and the right to have every vote counted.  I signed an Executive Order that directed the entire Federal Government to work on promoting non-partisan access to voter registration and election information.  So far, Federal agencies have worked to make voter registration more accessible for veterans and college students.  The Department of Justice has doubled its voting rights enforcement staff.  United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has worked to ensure that all newly naturalized citizens understand the privilege of voting and have the opportunity to register.  And the Department of the Interior is working to increase Indigenous peoples’ access to voter registration.  Furthermore, Vice President Kamala Harris declared National Voter Registration Day to be one of three National Days of Action on Voting Rights, calling on all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to come together to encourage voter registration.  This year, one of my guests at the State of the Union was one of the brave Americans who marched in Selma, Alabama, nearly 60 years ago on “Bloody Sunday.”  Thanks to these activists who fought tirelessly for the right to vote — from Seneca Falls, New York, to Selma, Alabama — the 19th Amendment was ratified and the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.  But to fully secure the right to vote in every State, the Congress must take action and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

     Today, I am thinking of a quote from Benjamin Franklin.  When he was asked if the Founding Fathers had given America a monarchy or a republic, he responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”  On National Voter Registration Day, we are reminded that our republic is in our hands and it is incumbent upon us to maintain it.  It is in that spirit that we encourage every eligible American to ensure they are registered to vote.  You can verify that your registration is accurate and up to date and offer to help your neighbors do the same.  For more information, visit Vote.gov. 

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2024, as National Voter Registration Day.  I call on all eligible Americans to observe this day by ensuring that they are accurately registered and by committing to cast a ballot in upcoming elections.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
 

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Three years ago, President Biden and our Australian and United Kingdom partners committed to AUKUS, an enhanced security partnership that promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable. As this partnership has grown, it has strengthened the security of our allies in the region as well as our own security here at home. Over the past three years, our countries have made significant strides in supporting Australia’s acquisition of a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability. Australian sailors are now enrolled in U.S. and UK nuclear power training schools, Australian personnel are embedded in U.S. shipyards, and each of our countries have made significant investments to strengthen our respective defense industrial bases creating thousands of highly-skilled jobs. AUKUS partners recently implemented sweeping changes in each of our export control regimes opening up defense trade between our three countries. Through deep integration of our innovation communities, AUKUS partners are steadily developing and deploying advanced capabilities for our warfighters. These efforts will continue in the years to come as we collaborate and invest in this historic partnership.

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Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1:46 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Please — please have a seat.  (Applause.)

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

Now, look, I love Kamala — (applause) —

AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you all.

AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT:  As the saying goes, you all brung me to the dance.  (Laughter.)

Folks, I want to get something straight at the outset.  I love Kamala — (applause) — but Delaware State is the best HBCU in America.  (Applause.)

They’re the ones — oh, you think I’m kidding?  I was a 29-year-old kid, and they embraced me.  They embraced me like you can’t imagine.  And we won — the second youngest person in American history — because of a HBCU called Delaware State.  (Applause.) 

And, by the way, I hired a young man from Delaware State named Tony Allen.  (Applause.)  Came to work for me.  While there, I encouraged him to continue to get his d- — extend his degree.  He got his doctorate and left.  He became president himself.  (Laughter.)

I don’t how the hell that happened so quick.  (Laughter.)  But, Tony, thank you, man.  I’ve been introduced countless times but never quite like that.  And I mean it, Tony.  From the bottom of my heart, I’m deeply moved.  By God’s grace, we were true friends, and Delaware State will always have a special place in my heart, for real. 

And to the presidents and administrators of our 101 Historic Black Colleges and Universities, it’s an honor to celebrate — and I mean celebrate — HBCU Week with you.  (Applause.)

Before I begin, I want to make a quick reference on the — on the — the attempted assassination against our former president in Florida yesterday. 

I commend the Secret Service for the expert handling of the situation.  (Applause.)  And the former president was protected from harm, and the subject is — and is — the subject is in custody.  And acting head of the Secret Service is in Florida today assessing what happened and determining whether any further adjustments need to be made to ensure the safety of our former president. 

Let me just say: There is no — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart; those of you who know me — many of you do — no place in political violence — for political violence in America.  None.  Zero.  Never.  (Applause.)

I’ve always condemned political violence, and I always will.  In America — in America, we resolve our differences peacefully at the ballot box, not at the end of a gun. 

America has suffered too many times the tragedy of an assassin’s bullet.  It solves nothing and just tears the country apart.  We must do everything we can to prevent it and never give it any oxygen. 

Folks, now to today’s event. 

It’s an honor to recognize HBCU excellence in our nation.  I see excellence in it every single day.  I see it this weekend at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation — (applause) — I tell you what — the foundation gala — only about 3,500 people there.  (Laughter.)  And I was happy — and I’ve been wanting to do this — to celebrate the first-ever White House brunch to celebrate Black excellence — Black excellence — (applause) — which many of you and your alumni attended.  It’s about trying to point out what’s already been done.

I’m proud to have the most diverse administration in history that taps into the full — (applause) — I mean it.  I made a commitment: My administration was going to look like America.  It taps into the full talents of our nation, including graduates of HBCUs, like our amazing vice president is.  (Applause.)

Folks, together, Kamala and I know that an education makes a person free.  HBCU’s education makes you fearless, as well.  It matters.  (Applause.)  I mean it.

More than 180 years, born under the shadow of slavery and Jim Crow, HBCUs have instilled a sense of purpose and freedom, a commitment to make a difference for all their students; to lift up not just yourselves but others along the way.  Institutions grounded in the belief that every American of every race and every background, every zip code — and you know me; I mean this — should have a fair and equal chance to go as far as their God-given talents can take them.  (Applause.)  That’s who we are.  That’s what we stand for.

But as I’ve said before, we face an inflection point in history.  It comes along every six or seven generations.  One of those rare moments in our history when the deci- — when the decisions we make now — right now — are going to determine the fate of our nation and the world for the next decades — for six, seven decades to come.  And I mean it. 

When I wasn’t going to run for president again after my son died coming back from Iraq, I decided that I was going to write another book.  I was going to write a book about the inflection points in world history, how it changed history, going all the way back to dealing with the printing press and how it’s changed everything.

But, look, we’re still in the battle — we’re still in the battle for the very soul of America. 

In 2020, I ran — and I give you my word this was the reason.  I ran to redeem the soul of America, to restore decency and dignity to the office of the presidency.  (Applause.)  I ran to rebuild and expand the backbone of America: the middle class.  And I ran to unite the country and remind ourselves that we can do anything we want to do when we do it together. 

Four years later, we’ve made incredible progress, because Kamala and I kept our commitment to you to ensure that all our students and all of our college and universities should be able to succeed.  That’s why I signed an executive order reestablishing the White House Initiative on HBCUs after my predecessor allowed it to lapse. 

Thank you, Dr. Trent, for leading it.  (Applause.)  I can’t see you out there, but I’m sure you’re there. 

And thank you, Tony and Dr. Glover, for leading my presidential board on HBCUs.  (Applause.)

I’m also proud to lead the first administration in history to have a working group from the Divine Nine in the White House.  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I — I got it, man.  I may — may be a white boy, but I ain’t stupid.  (Laughter and applause.)  I figured out real quick.  (Laughter.)  And, by the way, as an official group in the White House. 

Together, we get to work — we got to work right away with our signature investment in addressing one of the most pressing issues for HBCUs.  We all know — and I mean this sincerely — that HBO — HBCU students are just as capable as any other students.  (Applause.)  No, but — but HBCUs don’t have the endowments like many other college and universities that are able to fund research labs, improve campus infrastructure, and so much more. 

That’s why I’m proud to be delivering on a record $17 billion — (applause) — $17 billion for HBCUs — the most ever any administration has ever, ever, ever, ever committed.  (Applause.) 

Stay where you were. 

And we’ve already distributed well over a billion. 

Folks, look, I want to make something clear at the outset.  If you notice, the spending we’ve done —

I asked them to hold back there.

But the spending we’ve done has not fundamentally increased the deficit like that other guy did.  (Laughter.)  It — no, no, seriously.  It grows the economy. 

The more educated — how can we lead the world without being the most educated nation in the world?  How can we lead the world without reaching out to the young people of this country to improve their capacity?

You know, it’s helped everything from — HBCUs to do everything from providing financial aid via Pell Grants to building new housing and research labs to prepare Black students for jobs and industries of the future in high-demand fields like cybersecurity, engineering, biochemistry, health care, and so much more. 

But that’s not all.  Together, we spearheaded one of the most sig- — equitable economic recoveries in history.  

How — as I said, how can we be the strongest economy in the world and lead the world without the best education system, without — taps into the talents of every student in our — I mean, every student?

In fact, my Council of Economic Advisers issued a report this spring on the economic power of HBCUs.  Here’s what they found.  They found HBUs — HBCUs are engines of economic mobility in our country, raising the standard of living for everybody.  For real.  Despite representing only 3 percent of the college and universities in America, HBCUs are responsible for 40 percent of all Black engineers — (applause); 50 percent of all Black teachers — (applause); 70 percent of all [Black] doctors and dentists — (applause); and 80 percent of all Black judges, and I’m increasing that number too.  (Applause.)  

But that’s not all.  My CHIPS and Science Act, which I was committed to — finally got it done — will ensure we create more hubs of innovation at HBCUs, create pathways to develop more researchers, and grow a diverse semiconductor workforce here at home.  (Applause.)

For example, I was in New York where I announced a significant chips investment in — with Micron, a leading semiconductor company, that parented and partnered with Norfolk State University — (applause) — to build a 6,000-square-foot high-tech facility for students and other researchers. 

My National Science Foundation just awarded $2 million to Clark Atlanta University — (applause) — to support their work in the HBCU CHIPS Network, fueling semiconductor research and development and a workforce capacity at HBCUs.  This is in addition to last week’s announcement of $10.5 million for National Science Foundation grants to facilitate STEM research at more than a dozen HBCUs — (applause) — including Central State University, a project to build a semiconductor R&D capacity.

I’m also excited to announce that four HBCUs — Fort Valley State University — (applause); Rust College; Savannah State University; and Shaw University — (applause) — are receiving additional critical funding to boost their STEM programs, prepare their students for these incredible opportunities.  (Applause.)  And moving forward, I’ve encouraged semiconductor companies to continue to create and expand partnerships with HBCUs as they invest in American manufacturing. 

And Vice President Harris and the National Space Council she leads are ensuring the federal government inju- — industry partner and HB[C]Us collaborate on opportunities for space-related technologies and innovation — the future. 

And, folks, my Office of Science and Technology Policy is developing and sharing the best approaches across the entire government, how to expand STEM research and investments in HBCUs. 

In addition, my administration continues to diversify the federal workforce, starting by opening doors of opportunity like the HBCU Scholar Program — (applause) — that celebrates its 10th anniversary. 

I want to congratulate the 2024 cohorts of scholars — (applause) — the largest cohort, all of whom are with us.  Stand up, if you’re here.  (Applause.)  All right. 

If I’m still around when one of you are president, make sure you don’t say, “Who?  Joe who?”  Okay?  When you — (laughter). 

We also know that Black studies show Black students who have Black teachers are significantly more likely to graduate from high school and to enro- — we’ve known this for a long time — enroll in college. 

That’s why my Department of Ed- — of Education has provided $450 million to ensure that teachers in our schools reflect diversity in our co- — (applause).   These small things matter a lot.

For example, this funding has gone toward the Augustus F. Hawkins program, which is preparing the next generation of teachers at HBCUs.  We’re the first administration to secure funding for this program, providing almost $40 million to date. 

And today, I’m proud to announce four more HBCUs: Grambling State University.  (Applause.) 

Morehouse College.  Oh, I’m so tired of hearing about Morehouse, man.  (Laughter and applause.)  I did the commencement at Morehouse.  One grad came up and said — came up to me, “Mr. President, you’re not a Morehouse man.”  The closest I get was doing a — doing the commencement.  (Laughter.) 

North Carolina Central University.  (Applause.)

And Prairie View A&M University.  (Applause.)

They’re being awarded new grants to increase tea- — to increase teacher diversity. 

But we know that while a college degree is still a ticket to the middle class, that ticket is becoming too expensive.  That’s why we increased the maximum Pell Grant by $900 a year — (applause) — the largest increase in a decade.  It matters because HBCUs have twice the percentage of Pell Grant students as non-HBCUs. 

And my administration has also relieved the debt of 5 million Americans, including a significant number of Black borrowers.  (Applause.)  That means you can now start a business, you can buy a home, save for your children’s school, give back to your community. 

And it grows the economy for everybody.  It (inaudible) cost.  It grows the economy. 

There’s so much more we’re doing to help more HBU — HBCU students walk into a life of generational wealth and to be providers for their families, leaders of the communities, dreamers and doers of the nation.  In fact, in just four years working with HBCU leaders, we’re making the most significant investment in Black America ever in American history.  (Applause.)

But, look, we have to be honest about the forces we face.  We gather together in a year when we commemorate two of our nation’s most historic achievements: the 70th anniversary of Brown v. the Board of Educationthat desegregated our public schools.  It laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and it [that] outlawed discrimination in employment and public places, and which we’ve just observed its 60th anniversary. 

Instrumental in both achievements was Thurgood Marshall, an alum of Lincoln University and Howard Law School — (applause) — by the way, Lincoln is closer to Wilmington than it is to Philly; I — (laughter) — been there many times — and generations of HB[C]U educators and students come — who came before. 

It opens the doors of hope and opportunity for a generation of Black Americans and for the entire United States of America.  It really does.

But today, affirmative action and the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion are under attack like not long since I started as a young civil rights guy.  Books are being banned.  History is being erased.  HBUs — HBCUs have received bomb threats.  And right now, lies and hate are being spread about Haitian Amer- — Haitian Americans in Ohio.  It’s wrong.  It’s simply wrong, and it must stop. 

There are those who want a country for some of us but not for all of us.  But I’ve always believed that the promise of America — and I mean this sincerely — is big enough for everyone to succeed.  (Applause.)  No, I really mean it.  Everyone. 

And there’s been no more important voice for that truth than the Black community and our HBCUs.  That’s what I see in your students: future doctors and researchers curing cancer, artists shaping our culture, fearless journalists and intellectuals challenging convention, preachers and advocates inspiring us all. 

You prove that Black history is American history.  It is American history.  (Applause.)  And Black excellence is American excellence.  (Applause.)

Let me tell you something.  If I show up on your campus, you better be nice to me.  (Laughter and applause.)

Look, let me close with this.  Mary McLeod Bethune was the high- — (applause) — was highest-ranking Black woman in Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration.  A pioneering educator, activist, she founded the proud HBCU Bu- — Bethune-Cookman University.  And here’s what she said.  She said, “The freedom gates are half-ajar.  We must pry them fully open.”  (Applause.)  That’s what I’m trying to do: pry them fully open. 

For over 180 years, HB[C]Us have been prying open freedom’s gates.  For the past four years, Kamala and I, with the help of all you and great leaders out there in — sitting that I served with in the — the Congress and the Senate, are pushing right alongside them.  And God willing, as a HBCU graduate, the future president of the United States is going to soon be sitting behind the Resolute Desk pushing the gates of freedom open once and for all.  (Applause.)

Folks, you’ve probably heard me say this before.  We just have to remember who the hell we are.  (Applause.)  No, I mean it.  We’re the United States of America.  There is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together — nothing, nothing, nothing.  (Applause.)  We’re the only nation in history that’s come out of every crisis stronger than we went in.  That’s because of you, because of all of us.  We’re a diverse nation; therein lies our strength when we unite.

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

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

Every time I’d walk out of my Grandfather Finnegan’s home up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he’d yell, “Joey, keep the faith.”  And my grandmother would yell, “No, Joey.  Spread it.”

Go spread the faith.  (Applause.)

2:07 P.M. EDT 

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Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.

8:37 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, CBC.  (Applause.)  Hello, hello, hello. 

Please have a seat.  I’m honored to be with so many friends.  The CBC, you put your trust in me.  You’ve always had my back, and I’d never forget it. 

CBC chairman, Steven Horsford; Terri Sewell, CBC founding chair — foundation chair; and Leader Hakeem Jeffries.  (Applause.)  This evening’s performer and hosts: Fantasia, Sherri Shepherd, Roy Wood, Jr. — Roy has become a friend.  He did the White House Correspondents’ Dinner together, and he hosted the White House Juneteenth event. 

Yesterday, I was proud to host — and very proud, I mean it sincerely — the first-ever White House brunch celebration of Black excellence for — (applause) — more than 1,000 of you attended in this CBC week. 

And tonight, I’m honored to join your dinner tonight.  Congratulations to tonight’s honorees.  And thank you to all the CBC members, staff, and alumni, including those who serve across my administration, including the former chair and former HUD secretary, Marcia Fudge — (applause) — and especially — and especially our incredible vice president, Kamala Harris.  (Applause.)  Best decision I made.

We also keep in our prayers CBC titans most recently lost: Eddie Bernice Johnson, Donald Payne Jr., Sheila Jackson Lee.  (Applause.)  Their memories and their legacies, the legacy of the CBC, remind me of a parable in scri- — scripture: With just the smallest amount of faith the size of a mustard seed, anything — anything is possible.  Our dreams — our wildest dreams of our ancestors can take root and grow into a bountiful and beautiful harvest to come.  That’s what I want to talk to you about very briefly tonight — what I see in all of you. 

As I’ve said before, we face an inf- — inflection point.  It comes around every five or six generations — one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine — literally determine the fate of the nation and the world for decades to come.  We’re — continue to be in the battle for the very soul of America. 

In 2020, I ran for president to redeem the soul of America — to restore decency and some dignity to the office of the presidency.  (Applause.)  I ran to rebuild the backbone of America: the middle class.  And I ran to unite the country and remind ourselves, when we’re together, we — not a damn thing we can’t do.  (Applause.)

Together, in 2020, we started that work by protecting our democracy.  Kamala and I received 81 million votes in 2020 — (applause) — the most ever, led by Black voters all across America.  And Donald Trump lost and became a defeated president.  (Applause.)

In the past four years, we showed democracy can deliver for our people.  Donald Trump’s failed presidency eroded trust in whether democracy could meet the needs in the nation.  We know that trust was eroding long before he took office. 

What’s democracy if justice, opportunity, freedom are denied to too many people for too long? 

But Kamala and I made a commitment to you to prove that democracy is the way, to reject the zero-sum view of America that says, “If you win, I lose.  If you succeed, I fail.  If you get ahead, I fall behind” — maybe worst of all, “If I hold you down, I lift myself up” — instead of embracing the bigger and broader view of America: If any one of us do well, we all do well. 

With the help of the CBC, we went big and we went bold.  And, yes, the result — yes, we are better off today than we were four years ago.  (Applause.) 

And I’m being very sincere when I say a big reason why: The Congress boasts the highest number of Black members in American history.  (Applause.)  Together, we’ve delivered one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever — a future harvest of endless possibilities. 

COVID no longer controls our lives.  Together, we spearheaded the most equitable economic recovery in American history, historic low Black unemployment, record growth in Black small businesses.  We put more money in the pockets, and we cut back on child poverty for Blacks in half.  (Applause.)

The racial wealth gap is the smallest in 20 years.  And we’re — we’re finally — I’ve been fighting for this a long, long time — we’re finally reconnecting Black neighborhoods that were cut off by old highways and dis- — disinvested decades ago. 

We’re removing every poisonous lead pipe in America so every child in America can drink clean water without fear of brain damage.  (Applause.)

We’re d- — we’re delivering affordable high-speed broadband so no child has to do their homework outside a McDonald’s parking lot.  (Applause.)

We’re protecting and expanding Obamacare.  And after all the years, I finally beat Big Pharma and significantly lowered drug prices for seniors.  (Applause.)  And before — before w- — too long, we’re going to make sure that’s available to every single person in America, not just seniors.

We’re putting homeownership within reach.  That’s how we build generational wealth.  (Applause.) 

We’re making the most significant investment ever in climate, including the most significant action on environment ever. 

We’ve relieved student debt for 5 million borrowers and a significant number of Black borrowers.  (Applause.) 

When I set out to do this a long time ago, finally got it done: We’re investing a record $17 billion in HBCUs.  (Applause.)

We took executive action on police reform and continue calling for the law to be written as the law of the land. 

We’ve started the process for reclassifying marijuana and pardoned thousands of convictions for mere possession, because no one should be jailed for simply — simply using marijuana or have a barrier to a job, housing, loans, or other opportunities because of that.  (Applause.)

And something I’m really proud of: Together, we put the first Black woman on the Supreme Court of the United States, as I promised I would.  (Applause.)

I’m excited to announce tonight that we’ve selected the first class of Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows — (applause) — who will learn how to establish and protect freedom and justice and equity not just at home but around the world. 

There’s so much more we’re doing to help people walk into a life of generational wealth, to be the providers for their families, leaders in their communities, dreamers and doings — doers of our nation. 

In fact, in just four years, with the leadership of the CBC, we’re making the most significant investments in Black America ever in all of American history.

But let’s be clear.  There are old ghosts in new garments trying to seize your power and extremists coming for your freedoms, making it harder for you to vote and have your vote counted; closing doors of opportunity; attacking affirmative action and the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion; banning books; erasing history. 

My predecesse- — my predecessor calls the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6th “patriots.”  But when peaceful protestors march for justice for George Floyd, Trump wanted to send in the military, but they wouldn’t go.  He says immigrants — Black and brown immigrants “poison the blood” of our country. 

Right now, his running mate is attacking Hara- — Haitian Americans in Ohio.  It’s wrong.  It’s got to stop.  (Applause.)  Any president should reject hate in America and incite — not incite it.

Folks, to win this battle for the soul of the nation, we have to preserve our democracy.  We must speak out against lies and hate told for power and profit.  We must show up.  We must look to the future. 

And I’m looking to you to help lead the way.  You’ve helped push us forward to be the country we say we are — a country of freedom, justice, and equality — proving that Black history is American history and Black excellence is American excellence.  (Applause.)

Let me close with this.  The Psalms teach us, and I quote, “I’ve been young, and now I’m old” — which is true — (laughter) — “and yet, I have not seen the righteous forsaken.”  “I have not seen the righteous forsaken.”  (Applause.)

In 1971, as a 28-year-old kid, I decided to run for the United States Senate because of segregation in my city — my state.  Thirteen Black members of Congress came together then to establish the Congressional Black Caucus.  That same year, a founding member of the CBC began exploring a historic run for president. 

I knew Shirley Chisholm.  I served with her.  (Applause.)  She was righteous.  She planted bushes full of mustard seed of faith.  In the course of the last 50 years, I’ve seen those seeds weather storm and strife and blossom into something amazing. 

I’ve served as vice president with the first Black president and a former CBC member.  (Applause.)  I am president alongside the first Black [vice] president and former CBC member.  And God willing, she will become the first woman of the Uni- — president of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  And Hakeem will become the first Black speaker of the House.  (Applause.)

But, folks, we have work to do.  So, my challenge to you is to keep the faith and do the work.  Because we know faith without works is dead.  (Applause.) 

In this moment, I think of what Shirley said.  She said, quote, “Freedom is an endless horizon, and there are many roads that lead to it.” 

For the last four years, I’ve been honored to stand by a true partner who has helped us lead to the horizon of freedom, a journey where character in public life still matters in America. 

Kamala Harris meets the highest standards of character.  I’ve served with her.  I know her.  I trust her.  And I’ll be proud to stand on the steps of the United States Capitol and watch her take the oath of office as president of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Kamala Harris, for the people.  (Applause.)

8:49 P.M. EDT 

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9:06 A.M. EDT
    
Q    Do you have any more information on the assassination attempt?
    
THE PRESIDENT:  I think the — thank God the president is okay.  I think we got a full report so far.  We’ll go down there tonight.

But one thing I want to make clear: The Service needs more help.  And it — I think the Congress should respond to their needs, if they, in fact, need more Service people.  So, that’s what we’re going to be talking about.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
Q    Are you saying they need more money or they need more personnel?  They need more money?  What kind of help do you say they need?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I think they need some more pers- — I think they may need — they may — they’re deciding whether they need more personnel or not.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
9:07 A.M. EDT

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Council on Foreign Relations, New York, New York
 
As Prepared for Delivery

I appreciate the kind invitation to join you for this discussion of the US economy.

The Decline in Inflation amid an Expansion

Today, we are at an important turning point. Inflation is coming back down close to normal levels, and it is important to safeguard the important labor market progress we have made.

A few years ago, many were convinced that the combination of a large decline in inflation with a sustained expansion that we are seeing today couldn’t happen. They predicted inflation could only be brought back down at the cost of considerable dislocation in the labor market. They predicted a major slowdown would be required to bring inflation down.

Instead, inflation has come back down close to its level just before the pandemic, while we have maintained the lowest average unemployment of any administration in over 50 years, and real GDP has grown by 2.9 percent per year on average. December 2020 was the last month in which US employment declined; since then, employment has expanded for 43 months in a row. Consumers have remained resilient, small business creation has reached record highs, and incomes have risen by more than prices for median American households.

In short, the US economy achieved better unemployment and growth outcomes than predicted 2 years ago, while inflation came down in line with forecasts, as shown in Figure 1. The fact that inflation came down while employment continued to expand provides good evidence that the inflation surge was associated with several overlapping shocks associated with the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that dissipated over time.

In addition, the US has seen a stronger recovery than comparable countries, while inflation rose and fell in a similar pattern across countries, as shown in Figure 2. The fact that comparable countries experienced the same surge in inflation, while the recovery was stronger in the US, suggests that government policy differences mattered. While we must continue our work to lower costs, Administration policies to protect balance sheets and support small businesses, families, workers, and communities played an important role in supporting the broad-based recovery in the US, and early investments in fixing supply chains helped ease shortages and price pressures, along with ongoing supply-side investments.

The Shocks That Caused Inflation to Surge

As the inflation surge got underway, there was an important debate over whether it was primarily attributable to overall excess demand or to shocks that would dissipate over time. This had important implications for the stance of government policy.

In 2022, I highlighted three sets of shocks: shocks to supply chains and commodities; shifts in the ability of workers to participate in the labor force; and changes in the composition of demand. It now seems clear that these shocks played an outsized role in the inflation surge.

Supply Chains and Commodities Disruptions

Shipping bottlenecks and production stoppages constrained the supplies of key inputs like semiconductors and consumer products like autos, appliances, and electronics. The resulting inflation was exacerbated when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent global food and energy prices soaring.

At the sectoral level, it is now clear that price increases were concentrated in the sectors that had lower or even negative output growth between 2021 and 2023. This is what we’d expect to find if supply shocks, rather than overall excess demand, were the major driver of inflation. And this is corroborated at the aggregate level, where supply chain disruptions spiked and then moved back down to pre-pandemic levels, and inflation followed the same pattern with a lag, as we can see in Figure 3.

As inflation rose, many argued that the surge in inflation was caused by excessive growth, but we saw the opposite. Inflation skyrocketed in 2022 as growth and productivity went negative following the Russia commodities price surge. And inflation fell during 2023 and 2024, when growth and productivity took off.

Shift from Services to Goods

Inflation was exacerbated by a shift in demand away from services sectors to the goods sectors that were experiencing severe supply constraints. Due to the pandemic, people went out to eat less and bought more kitchen appliances, they relied on transportation services less and bought cars, and they went out to gyms less and bought exercise equipment. In response, prices rose rapidly for those goods where supply struggled to catch up. And the price of services did not fall to compensate for the surge in goods prices, so the overall rate of inflation rose. Later, as the share of spending on services moved back up towards pre-pandemic levels, the prices of services rose as the supply of services took time to respond, especially since capacity had contracted in areas like flights, hotels, and restaurants.

Housing saw a large shift in demand that put strains on existing supply. The jump in people working from home shifted demand to larger homes and changed the geography of many cities. Some estimates suggest that pandemic shifts account for more than half of the housing inflation we observed.

Labor Supply Shifts

Labor supply also saw large shifts over this period. There was an immediate drop in labor supply during the lockdown period, as workers went home and some retired early, and the subsequent waves of the pandemic kept labor market participation at lower levels.

In light of the highest quit rates on record, some commentators labeled this shift a “Great Resignation.” But ultimately we saw a “Great Rebound” with the highest hires rates on record, as a wave of people switched jobs to better, more productive ones. Many others started new businesses, and we have now seen a record 19 million new business applications. This reallocation actually led to improvements in incomes and balance sheets for many Americans relative to pre-pandemic levels, even after accounting for inflation.

Policy

The choices by workers and small businesses to pursue new opportunities brings us to the important role of government policy. The President and Vice President never wavered in their determination to support the recovery, fix supply chains and shortages, and support investments that will create opportunity for the future. Policy actions jumpstarted a broad-based recovery that lifted small businesses, working families, and the middle class, while making critical investments in the future.

First, the Administration took decisive action to support families, workers, businesses, and communities through the severe pandemic-related and geopolitical shocks. Support for the recovery helped to prevent the labor market scarring that can hurt workers throughout their careers. It enabled small businesses to reopen and start up in record numbers. It supported families and childcare to enable parents to get back to work. It helped bolster household and small business balance sheets, instead of saddling them with unmanageable debts due to circumstances beyond their control, which would have held the economy back.

Second, the President made a clear commitment to respect the independence of the Federal Reserve in fighting inflation. This was an important contrast to his predecessor, who repeatedly criticized Federal Reserve monetary policy during the previous administration.

Third, the Administration mounted a comprehensive effort to address price pressures by fixing supply chains, addressing commodities price spikes, and taking on affordability challenges for working families.

Gas prices at the pump are lower today than they were before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices soaring. This did not happen by accident. The Administration’s use of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve helped stabilize global energy markets while also earning a return for taxpayers; domestic oil production is strong; and we have made historic investments in the clean energy transition that will help diminish US reliance on volatile global energy markets over time.

We launched the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force and worked with business and labor leaders to fix supply chains and unclog our ports, trucking networks, and shipping lines, making sure packages arrived in time for the holidays. We passed ocean shipping reform legislation and helped to reduce shipping costs for American manufacturers, farmers, and consumers. The number of ships waiting in the Port of Los Angeles has fallen from a peak of over 100 back down to pre-pandemic levels. We are investing in the long-term resilience of our supply chains, making a generational investment in infrastructure that will make it more cost effective for businesses to get goods to market and serve their customers.

The President and Vice President secured critical investment laws that are positioning America to be a global leader in the clean energy transition and in semiconductors and technologies such as AI, while creating good jobs and strong pathways to the middle class here in America. And these investments were paid for by improving tax fairness and by reducing spending on a bipartisan basis through the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The President and Vice President are working to address longstanding affordability challenges that have for too long limited economic security and mobility for middle-class and working families. They secured lower health insurance premiums for millions of Americans. And they passed historic legislation to cap the cost of insulin and out of pocket drug costs and negotiate prices on key prescription drugs for seniors, while also lowering the deficits.

We must continue to work together to tackle longstanding affordability challenges for middle-class families. We know that America needs more housing to address housing affordability challenges. That’s why it is critical to move forward on an ambitious plan to bring housing costs down by building millions of new affordable homes and providing incentives for states and localities to remove outdated obstacles to building.

It’s also essential we continue to enable more workers to participate in the labor force and to make it easier and more affordable to raise a family. We know that investing in children improves both their well-being and their future employment opportunities, and supporting child care expands access to better employment opportunities, especially for parents of young children. That is why it is critical to move forward on expanding the Child Tax Credit and ensuring childcare is affordable and accessible.

This is very different from an approach that would weaken our economy by undermining the independence of the Federal Reserve and the rule of law, add trillions to the debt, and impose what amounts to a sales tax of $4,000 on middle-class families.

Conclusion

Americans have been through a lot of hardship as a result of the pandemic. Together with American workers, businesses, and families, we have made important progress. With inflation coming back down close to normal levels, the focus now must be on safeguarding the important labor market progress we have made. And it is critical to continue our work together to address affordability challenges and create more opportunities for working families and the middle class.
 
Figures

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Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced additional federal investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) totaling $1.3 billion. With these new investments, combined with the previously announced $16 billion in total federal investments in HBCUs, the Biden-Harris Administration has set another record of over $17 billion in federal investments in HBCUs from Fiscal Years (FY) 2021 through current available data for FY 2024.

Investments in HBCUs continue to be one of the most powerful engines of economic mobility for students and their families and have proven to more than pay for themselves. Despite representing only 3% of colleges and universities, HBCUs provide college access to twice as many Pell Grant-eligible low- and middle- income students as non-HBCU institutions. HBCUs have produced an astonishing 40% of all Black engineers, 50% of all Black teachers, 70% of all Black doctors and dentists, 80% of all Black judges, and the first Black American and first woman to be Vice President of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris. HBCUs foster more upward mobility than most US colleges: about 30% of HBCU students move up at least two income quintiles compared to 18% for non HBCUs. And research by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) found that, compared to the Ivy League and other top-ranked non-HBCU institutions, HBCUs help more than five times as many students move from the bottom 40% to the top 60% of U.S. household.

A report by the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) published in May further underscores this point. The report found that, even in the face of historic underfunding, HBCU enrollment was associated with an increased likelihood of completing a bachelor’s degree and higher household income, and noted that HBCUs have seen a surge in applications and enrollment in recent years – indicating that students increasingly recognize and appreciate their value.

But beyond just serving as an engine of economic mobility for students and their families, HBCUs make a substantial contribution to the national economy. New research by the UNCF finds that HBCUs generate $16.5 billion annually in economic impact on communities across the United States, as well as over 136,000 jobs, and $146 billion in collective lifetime earnings for their graduates.

As a component of this outsized economic impact, HBCUs play a significant role in the research and development (R&D) that drives vital progress in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As such, the Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to expand the capacity of HBCUs to offer high quality STEM education programs and to compete for federal R&D dollars. In the first six months of the Administration, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act – which requires federal research agencies to provide funding and other support for expanding the R&D capacity of HBCUs. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked diligently to implement this law.

The Biden Harris Administration has advanced racial equity, economic opportunity, and educational excellence through HBCUs since Day One, including by reestablishing the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Biden-Harris Administration is the most diverse administration in history and many members are HBCU graduates, including Vice President Kamala Harris,  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Willie Phillips.

The additional $1.3 billion in federal investments announced today will further build on the Administration’s commitments and on HBCUs’ demonstrated track record of delivering excellence. These investments include:

• $188 million in competitive grants to HBCUs through the Department of Education, including grants that will support R&D capacity building.

• $1.1 billion in funding to support students at HBCUs directly through need-based grants and other federal programs, including Pell Grants.

While there is more work to be done, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to build on an unprecedented track record of delivering for HBCUs and the students and communities they serve:

• The Department of Defense U.S. Air Force established the first-ever HBCU-led University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). Led by Howard University with seven other HBCUs and funded at $90 million over five years, this program will focus on advancing the deployment of autonomous technologies for Air Force missions. Participating HBCUs include Bowie State University, Delaware State University, Florida Memorial University, Hampton University, Jackson State University, Norfolk State University, Tuskegee University, and Tougaloo College.

• The Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration established the first-ever Connecting-Minority-Communities program delivering funding for 43 HBCUs to purchase high-speed internet, purchase equipment, and hire IT personnel to tackle the digital divide impacting HBCUs.

• The Department of Commerce CHIPS for America hosted the launch of the HBCU CHIPS Network, a collaboration of several HBCUs and the Georgia Institute of Technology to increase the coordination of the resources at HBCUs and jointly contribute to workforce and research development needs of the semiconductor industry. Chips are critical in powering our consumer electronics, automobiles, data centers, critical infrastructure, and virtually all military systems.

• The Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will provide $4.2 million in grant funding to HBCUs, through the EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Center program.

• The Department of Agriculture announced a $262.5 million investment to support 33 projects across U.S. institutions of higher education designed to train the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals. Through the USDA NextGen program, the projects are led by 1890 land-grant institutions (historically Black land-grant universities), 1994 land-grant institutions (Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)), and institutions of higher education located in the Insular Areas. This historic investment will provide training and support to more than 20,000 future food and agricultural leaders through 33 projects executed by more than 60 institutions across 24 states and Insular Areas.

• The Department of Energy announced the inaugural $7.75 million Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Clean Energy Education Prize, a competition that will support HBCUs in developing programming to strengthen the participation of K-12 and community college students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The competition, which has announced its first 10 winning HBCU teams, is supporting the creation of clean energy community networks to inspire the next generation of students to work in STEM fields related to clean energy.

• The Department of Education provided nearly $25 million to HBCUs under the Research and Development Infrastructure program to transform their research infrastructure, including strengthening research productivity, faculty expertise, physical infrastructure, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding.

• The Department of Education announced nearly $2.3 million in new grant awards for the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program, which strengthens science and engineering education programs and reduces barriers to entry in STEM careers for students of color, particularly women. Four HBCU grantees across three states (Georgia, Mississippi, and North Carolina) will receive a total of more than $1 million in funding.

• The Department of Education announced nearly $15 million in new grants under the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program to prepare the next generation of teachers at HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions. These new awards include four HBCU grantees across four states (Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas), receiving a total $1.6 million in funding. This brings the total investment in Hawkins to $38 million under the Biden-Harris Administration, which is the first Administration to secure funding for the Hawkins program.  

• The Department of Transportation announced Prairie View A&M University in Texas as the first-ever HBCU to lead a University Transportation Center. Prairie View A&M and 11 other HBCUs were among 34 schools to receive a portion of a $435 million grant for development of interoperable technology systems, which allow equipment, software, and applications to work together, communicate, and exchange data.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is pioneering efforts to close opportunity gaps in STEM, including nearly $12 million for eight HBCUs to support programs in artificial intelligence and machine learning and create a more diverse pipeline of talent for careers in data-intensive space-based Earth science.

• The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs established the Executive HBCU Space Lab, a new collaboration between HBCUs, the Federal government, and industry partners to increase HBCU engagement in space-related federal contracting. The Executive HBCU Space Lab is a solutions-oriented initiative that will release resources including SpaceTechConnect, a free platform to highlight space-related capabilities at HBCUs.

• The Executive HBCU Space Lab will release a federal contracting playbook to equip HBCUs with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively secure and manage federal contracts, ensuring they fully leverage opportunities to benefit their institutions and communities.

• The Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences established HBCU-Connect, a new initiative with HBCUs to inspire the development of environmental health science leaders from diverse backgrounds. HBCU-Connect is a multifaceted effort to strengthen ties between the institute and faculty and students at academic institutions that are often underrepresented in the sciences.

• The Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau launched the Maternal Health Research Collaborative for MSIs, providing roughly $30 million in research support to seven HBCUs over five years. The funding will build capacity of HBCUs to conduct Black maternal health research to fully understand and address the root causes of disparities in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health outcomes; and to find community-based solutions to address these disparities and advance health equity.

• The Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to HBCUs totaled $147.5 million to support research, training, research capacity building, and outreach efforts. NIH funding included endowment awards to strengthen the research infrastructure of the HBCU award recipients to conduct minority health and health disparities research. Other NIH funding has assisted several HBCUs in contributing towards building a diverse scientific workforce, including mentorship and student training programs and career development opportunities for faculty.

• The National Science Foundation has awarded $10.5 million for Ideas Lab projects, under its Advancing Research Capacity at HBCUs through Exploration and Innovation (ARC-HBCU) opportunity, to assess and address research capacity needs, increase access to research facilities and build human capital at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Among the awards include a $3 million award to Central State University and a consortium of six HBCUs to advance research capacity in semiconductors. The consortium includes North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Fayetteville State University, Hampton University, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Coppin State University, and Meharry Medical College.

• The National Science Foundation, as part of Growing Research Access for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity (GRANTED) initiative, awarded an Atlanta-based HBCU consortium a $14 million competitive grant to establish a hub that promotes equity in the national research ecosystem and serves as a model for other HBCUs and emerging research institutions. The consortium includes Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.

• Micron and GlobalFoundries, two leading semiconductor companies, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, recently announced their Minority Serving Institution Semiconductor Network, an investment of over $10 million across 15 schools, including HBCUs. Micron and its partners have come together to focus additional funding toward student programming and infrastructure at HBCUs, HSIs, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) to diversify the semiconductor workforce and bring attention to education equity in STEM degrees. 

• The National Science Foundation announced a new $2 million grant award to Clark Atlanta University under the HBCU CHIPS Network. The HBCU CHIPS Network, which was launched in February, is a collaboration with over 30 HBCUs and Georgia Institute of Technology to increase the coordination that supports semiconductor workforce development. HBCU partners include Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Delaware State University, Jackson State University, Norfolk State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

• The National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM (CoSTEM), in support of the CHIPS and Science Act, established an Interagency Working Group (IWG) on HBCU, TCU, and MSI STEM Achievement. The Council provides a coordinated federal approach to carry out sustained outreach activities to increase clarity, transparency, and accountability for federal research agency investments in STEM education and research at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, including such institutions in rural areas. In May 2024, CoSTEM issued a report and recommendation on advancing research capacity at high-research activity status HBCUs. Federal agencies, the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs, and the White House Initiative on HBCUs will work together to issue additional recommendations and advance the model best practices recommended in the report.

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced awards totaling $5.5 million for HBCUs to conduct housing and community development research to support the production of affordable housing, support homeownership, advance use of renewable energy, and address infrastructure inequity affecting underserved communities.

• The Department of Justice (DOJ) has increased both the number of HBCUs applying for grants and its HBCU approval rate. Over the past five years, DOJ’s grant awards to HBCUs have increased 83% (from $900,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 to $5.2 million in FY23).

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I am deeply disturbed by the possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today. As we gather the facts, I will be clear: I condemn political violence. We all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence.
 
I am thankful that former President Trump is safe. I commend the U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement partners for their vigilance. As President Biden said, our Administration will ensure the Secret Service has every resource, capability, and protective measure necessary to carry out its critical mission.

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Presidential Determination
No.        2024-12        

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:       Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2025

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 706(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228) (FRAA), I hereby identify the following countries as major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries (including countries that are a significant direct source of precursor chemicals used in the production of certain drugs and substances significantly affecting the United States):  Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

A country’s presence on the foregoing list is not necessarily a reflection of its government’s counterdrug efforts or level of cooperation with the United States.  The list is not a sanction or penalty.  Consistent with the statutory definition of a major drug transit or major illicit drug producing country set forth in sections 481(e)(2) and 481(e)(5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (Public Law 87-195) (FAA), the reason countries are placed on the list is the combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs or precursor chemicals to be transited or produced, even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control and law enforcement measures.  The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263) amended the definition of major drug source countries to include source countries of precursor chemicals used to produce illicit drugs significantly affecting the United States. 

Pursuant to section 706(2)(A) of the FRAA, I hereby designate Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela as having failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to both adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements and to take the measures required by section 489(a)(1) of the FAA.  Included with this determination are justifications for the designations of Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela, as required by section 706(2)(B) of the FRAA.  I have also determined, in accordance with provisions of section 706(3)(A) of the FRAA, that United States programs that support Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela are vital to the national interests of the United States.

Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2023 — a decrease of 3 percent from the 111,029 deaths estimated in 2022.  This is the first annual decrease in drug overdose deaths since 2018 and a sign that my Administration’s historic investments are having an impact.  Federally funded State Opioid Response grant programs have contributed to the prevention of over 600,000 potentially fatal overdoses and delivered nearly 10 million naloxone kits since 2020.  Naloxone is available over-the-counter for the first time, thanks to actions taken by the Food and Drug Administration.  Our workforce of addiction professionals continues to grow, providing the essential prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support services the American people need. 

We are also taking unprecedented action to disrupt the supply of fentanyl, other deadly drugs, and precursor chemicals.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has stopped more fentanyl at ports of entry over the last 2 years than in the previous 5 years combined, keeping tens of millions of fentanyl-laced pills and thousands of pounds of fentanyl powder away from our communities.  In 2023 alone, CBP seized approximately 1.2 billion doses of fentanyl.  In just the last 5 months, over 442 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl were seized at United States borders.  In 2021, I signed an Executive Order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade and have since sanctioned more than 300 persons and entities under this authority, thus cutting them off from the United States’ financial system.  The Department of Justice has successfully arrested and prosecuted high-level drug cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers — placing dangerous traffickers behind bars.

While we expand our efforts at home, we also recognize this problem as a global one that requires a coordinated international response. 

For this reason, my Administration launched a Global Coalition in July 2023 uniting more than 150 countries from every region of the world to address synthetic drug threats.  Participation in this group has tripled in the past 12 months — evidence that every continent is experiencing an alarming increase in the manufacturing, trafficking, and consumption of dangerous illicit synthetic drugs.  I have also engaged with leaders across the world to spur additional global action in the fight against synthetic opioids, negotiated the resumption of bilateral counternarcotics cooperation with the PRC, and established a Trilateral Fentanyl Committee with the Governments of Mexico and Canada.

While the challenges we face are more significant than ever, increased global awareness has yielded enhanced international action.  In March, the United Nations (UN) Commission on Narcotic Drugs adopted a United States-sponsored resolution on preventing and responding to overdoses to drive international data collection and information sharing on this issue that remains deeply personal to the American people.  The Commission also voted to place international controls on chemicals used to manufacture illicit fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA, making it harder for trafficking networks to use these substances to create and distribute these dangerous synthetic drugs.

Fostering robust, long-term partnerships with crucial allies such as Mexico is imperative for effectively combating the fentanyl epidemic and dismantling the sophisticated criminal organizations that exploit it for financial gain.  The U.S.‑Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities is the foundation for our bilateral efforts to protect our people, prevent trans-border crime, and pursue criminal networks.  Through trilateral mechanisms such as the North American Drug Dialogue and the Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, the United States, Mexico, and Canada have strengthened cooperation to address illicit drug production, advance public health, increase collaboration on the control of precursor chemicals, and engage with the private sector to combat the production of illicit synthetic drugs.  Our security cooperation has led to significant interdiction efforts in Mexico.  For example, United States‑donated canines supported the seizure of more than 3 million fentanyl pills in Mexico in 2023 alone.  We will continue our close partnership with Mexico to prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals and drug-related equipment; improve interdiction, investigations, and criminal justice outcomes; disrupt illicit finance; advance border integration; and build public trust in security and justice institutions.   

In South America, coca cultivation and cocaine production have reached record highs, necessitating urgent action by countries in the region.  Colombia, a strong partner, continues to work closely with the United States to reduce cocaine production, conduct drug smuggling interdiction operations, and dismantle the criminal organizations involved in cocaine trafficking.  United States assistance has led to increased interdictions, with the Colombian National Police seizing more than 841 metric tons of pure cocaine and cocaine base in 2023 — a 10 percent increase from the previous year.  The new metrics for measuring progress agreed upon during the U.S.-Colombia High Level Dialogue in May 2024 demonstrate our renewed bilateral commitment to a holistic approach to address the production and trafficking of cocaine, while providing security, justice, and licit economic opportunities for Colombia’s vulnerable rural populations.  We are also collaborating to combat crimes that wreak havoc on Colombia’s environment and provide significant funding to criminal organizations, including those involved in cocaine production and illegal mining.  The United States welcomed the release of Colombia’s 10-year drug strategy in 2023 and now urges the Colombian government to resource it adequately and expedite its implementation. 

Peru also remains a committed partner in reducing the production and trafficking of cocaine, and our first High Level Dialogue in May 2024 marked a positive step in our bilateral counternarcotics cooperation. 

While the Government of Bolivia has taken positive steps to address coca cultivation, it must do more to safeguard the country’s licit coca markets from criminal exploitation, reduce illicit coca cultivation that continues to exceed legal limits under Bolivia’s domestic laws for medical and traditional use, improve efforts to locate and interdict chemicals diverted through black market channels for processing cocaine, and expand cooperation with international partners to disrupt transnational criminal networks. 

Opium poppy cultivation for the production of illicit opioids and methamphetamine in Afghanistan continues to require global attention and action.  This past year has seen continued steps from Afghanistan to strengthen drug control and curb the production of illicit opioids and methamphetamine, including through the maintenance of an existing ban on poppy cultivation and efforts to reform drug policies.  However, I will reconsider Afghanistan’s status in each annual review to assess whether it is upholding its international drug control commitments. 

The PRC has worked with the United States to coordinate efforts to counter the global manufacturing and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, including fentanyl, since the Woodside Summit between President Biden and President Xi in November 2023.  Over the last year, the PRC took significant steps to reduce the flows of precursor chemicals to illicit drug producers known to be trafficking synthetic drugs, such as illicit fentanyl, into the United States.  These steps included the PRC issuing a public notice to the PRC chemical industry warning against illicit trade in precursor chemicals and pill press equipment; taking public law enforcement actions against illicit precursor chemical suppliers; removing web‑based advertisements; and scheduling 46 synthetic drugs effective July 1, 2024, some of which had been controlled internationally by the UN.  The United States and the PRC also launched the U.S.–PRC Counternarcotics Working Group, a valuable mechanism for sharing law enforcement information, tackling the illicit financing of illicit drugs, and ensuring ongoing coordination on shared challenges.  That said, sustained enforcement and regulatory action will be necessary to significantly reduce the PRC’s role as a source of precursor chemicals used in the production, sale, and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs significantly impacting the United States. 

You are authorized and directed to submit this designation, with the Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela memoranda of justification, under section 706 of the FRAA, to the Congress, and to publish this determination in the Federal Register.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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I have been briefed by my team regarding what federal law enforcement is investigating as a possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today. A suspect is in custody, and I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe. I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened. As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety.

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Washington Hilton

Washington, DC

3:24 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everyone.  (Applause.)  Good afternoon.  Please have a seat.  Good afternoon.  Please have a seat.  (Applause.) 

Thank you all.  (Applause.)  Thank you, guys.  Thank you, guys. 

Well, it’s good to see everyone so energetic this afternoon.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Please have a seat.  Please have a seat.     

Good afternoon to everyone.  And I want to thank a number of people before I begin.  I want to thank Chair Jaime Harrison for all you are doing and have done for our party.  (Applause.)  He has been working around the clock.  I see Jaime everywhere I go around the country, and he has definitely put us on the path to victory in November.  (Applause.)

I want to thank all our event hosts and chairs and all the elected leaders who are here, members of the Congressional Black Caucus who are here.  (Applause.)  And we are going to be together tonight, celebrating at the Phoenix Awards.  And I thank you all for the work that you are doing every day.

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You know!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You know. 

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You know!  (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)  And to everyone here, there’s a — there’s so many friends that are in this room and people that I have known forever.  And I want to thank you all, including the women that I went to Howard University with — (applause) — when we joined our sorority.  (Laughs.)

So, friends, here, let’s level set: Fifty-two days to go.  (Applause.)  Fifty-two days to go.  And I know the folks who are here, and many of us — most of us have been involved in these elections every four years.  And every four years, we say, “This is the one.”  This here is the one.  (Applause.)  This is the one. 

This is probably the most important election of our lifetime and in the life of our country for so many critical reasons.  And as you all know, this campaign and this election cycle really is about two very different visions for our country — a contrast that was very clear, I think, in the debate on Tuesday night.  (Applause.)

So, on Tuesday, I — I talked about my plans on how we will bring down costs, how we will build our economy, how we will predi- — protect reproductive freedom and keep our nation safe.  (Applause.)

But that is not what we heard from Donald Trump.  Instead, it was the same old, tired show.  He was running from that same tired playbook that we’ve heard for years.  No plans did he offer for how he would address the needs of the American people.

 You know, at one point, I spoke to people who supported him before and invited them to think about how, when he has his rallies, he will talk full time about fictional characters — (laughter) — about windmills causing cancer.  He will talk about himself and his grievances full time, but he will not talk about you and your needs and your desires and your concerns and your dreams and your ambitions. 

And that point, as much as anything else, is what brings this election cycle and our campaign into stark relief.  This has to be about the people — the people — the people of America.  (Applause.)  And for that reason, I say — and I’ve been doing rallies since the debate, and I’m going to stay on the road for the next 52 days — (applause) — but for that reason, I say: It is time to turn the page.  It is time to turn the page, because America is ready for a new way forward.  (Applause.)  We are ready for a new way forward.

And we are ready for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic about what we can do together.  And that is why Democrats, Republicans, independents are supporting our campaign, because they know while Donald Trump is trying to pull our nation backward, we are fighting for the future with a sense of optimism, with a sense of joy, dare I say.  (Applause.)

And we are fighting for a future with affordable childcare, with paid leave and affordable health care; a future where we will build what I call an “opportunity economy” so that every American has an opportunity to own a home, to build wealth, to start a business. 

Because, look, I am a — I grew up a middle-class kid.  My mother — many of you know my sister, Maya — our mother, she worked very hard, and she was able to save up so that by the time I was a teenager, she was able to buy our first home.  I know where I come from.  I know where I come from.  (Applause.)

But — and on the other side, as I mentioned the other night, you got somebody who, on a silver platter, was handed $400 million and filed bankruptcy six times.  So, when you look at how we each come at our perspective on the needs, the wants, or just even — just measure us based on a level of empathy or concern or care about the well-being of other people — and we know the contrast is stark, and we know Donald Trump has a very different plan than ours. 

Look, for example, at Project 2025.  On a number of levels, including — I was in Pennsylvania yesterday.  I was talking to folks there.  Folks are very concerned, because he will again give billionaires and big corporations massive tax cuts, while making life far more expensive for the middle class. 

He intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.  Remember what that was like?  Many people here actually live in D.C.  You’ll remember — I remember quite well, because I was in the United States Senate.  He tried, when he was president, 60 times to end the Affordable Care Act. 

I was on the Senate floor as a United States senator in the middle of the night when — do you guys remember? — and we were waiting for that one last vote from the late, great John McCain.  (Applause.)  Remember that?  And remember when he busted through the doors of the chamber and went to the well of the Senate and said, “No, you don’t.  No, you don’t.”  (Applause.)  Because he, like we, understand that when we’re talking about something like the Affordable Care Act, we are talking about the needs of so many people who deserve to be seen and supported. 

He wants to impose what I call a “Trump sales tax,” which would cost the average family, as economists have measured, nearly $4,000 more a year. 

 And then we look at, again, what he was talking about on the ACA the other night.  So, he said he intends to replace it.  So, he’s saying that again: He intends to replace it.  And then remember what he said about how he was going to do it?  (Laughter.)  Yeah, you guys watched the debate.  The “concepts” — “concepts of a plan” — I’m quoting — “concepts of a plan.”  No actual plan. 

He’s going to threaten the health insurance coverage of 45 million people in our country based on a concept.  And what that would mean is taking us back to those days when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was like? 

Well, as I say everywhere I go: We are not going back.  (Applause.)  We are not going back.  Because — because ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom, like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.  (Applause.)

And we know how we got here on that issue, because Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade.  And as he intended, they did.  And now, more than 20 states in our nation have a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions for rape or incest, which is immoral.

And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will so proudly sign that bill into law.  (Applause.)  I will proudly sign that bill into law. 

Across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on attack on other hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights, like the freedom to vote.  I was just talking with some folks from Georgia.  I mean, they passed a law in Georgia that make it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to vote.  The hypocrisy abounds.  You know, whatever happened to “love thy neighbor,” right?  (Applause.) 

Full-on attack on the freedom to vote.  Attacks on the freedom to be safe from gun violence, the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride.  (Applause.) 

And the consequence of these attacks are very real, in terms of what has been, then, restrictions on rights but also, I believe, an intention to create fear in our country; an intention to divide us; an intention to have us, as Americans, pointing fingers at each other.  That’s not a sign of strength in a leader, to pit the people of our country against each other, to make the people of our country live in a state of fear that their fundamental freedom to be would be attacked. 

This is what we’re up against.  You know, I talked at the convention about the fact that he is an unserious man — (laughter) — but the consequences of what he says and what he does are extraordinarily serious — extraordinarily serious.  (Applause.)

And so, we all here know — and it’s why you all have taken the time to be with me on this afternoon — we all know there is so much on the line in this election.  And this election is different in many ways but in one very, very specific and profound way, very different from 2016 or 2020, which is this: Two months ago, the United States Supreme Court told the former president that he is effectively immune no matter what he does in the White House. 

Now, let’s put this in the context that it deserves.  This is a man who said he would be a dictator on day one.  Right?  This is a man who has said he would weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies. 

So, imagine the meaning of that court ruling on this individual and what we know he has done and is prepared to do.  Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. 

And we have heard from the people who saw him every day at the White House — his national security advisor, defense secretary, his chief of staff, his vice president — and they have all warned — with great courage that they are speaking openly and publicly, they have warned us, the American people, that Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States.  (Applause.)

So, we know what is at stake.  All of that tells us what is at stake. 

But I will say this to all the friends here: All of that being said, we are not fighting against something as much as we are fighting for something.  (Applause.)  We are fighting for something.  We love our country.  That’s why we are here together.  (Applause.)  We love our country.  And I do believe it is one of the highest forms of patriotism to fight for the ideals of our country — to fight to realize the promise of America. 

 So, that’s what this is about.  That’s what this is about, as much as anything else: fighting for the promise of America with a sense of optimism, with a sense of ambition, with a sense of joy and hope about what we are and what we have yet to do.  (Applause.)  That’s what this is about. 

So, Election Day is in 52 days — 52 days.  And early voting starts even sooner.  So, Arizona, early voting starts in 25 days; in Michigan, vote by mail in 12 days; in Wisconsin, mail ballots drop this upcoming Thursday.  The clock is ticking.  (Laughter.)

So, that being said, in the next 52 days — you all have done so much by being here and what you’ve already given and what you’ve given up to be here — but I’m going to ask you for more.  (Laughter.)  I — I am going to ask you, and I ask you now, that in the next 52 days, as you are able, please join our team in our battleground states to help register folks to vote and get them to the polls.  (Applause.) 

As you are able, please sign up to make calls.  You can do it from home.  You don’t need to go anywhere to do it. 

And talk with your neighbors and your friends about the stakes.  And, you know, here is how I define “neighbor.”  I — I believe that the strength of our spirit is such that in the face of a stranger, we should see a neighbor, right?  So, talk with your neighbors, whoever they voted for last time.  Seriously. 

Let’s talk about the things that we care most about.  Because in the midst of this moment, where these forces are trying to divide us, I know that we all here know that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us. 

And I think about our election as, yes, we have to win.  And we will win, by the way.  (Applause.)  We will win.  We will win. 

And in the process of getting there, let’s build community.  Let’s build coalitions.  Right?  Let’s — let’s bring folks together, because the effect of that will last beyond the next 52 days and will be in the best interest of the strength and well-being of our nation. 

And that’s, after all, what a democracy is about — everyone participating, seeing themselves in each other, and just being active, knowing that we, each of us, can make a difference.  That’s the beauty of our democracy.  Every individual can make a difference and strengthen this beautiful nation of ours. 

So, this is our fight.  The baton is now in our hands.  We stand on the broad shoulders of so many who came before us.  The baton is now in our hands in this fight for the future and for freedom. 

     And as I say at every rally when I finish speaking: When we fight —

     AUDIENCE:  We win!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.  (Applause.)  

God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  

                             END                3:40 P.M. EDT

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Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.

8:50 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good evening, CBC.  (Applause.)

Can we please give it up for our president, Joe Biden?  (Applause.)

Oh, it’s good to be back.  Please have a seat, everyone.  Please have a seat. 

I have to — I have to say —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)  (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.)  It is so good to be back.

And I — let me just say, about Joe Biden, I ha- — (applause).  (Laughs.)

Hello to all my Divine Nine brothers and sisters — (laughs) — and my sorors — (applause) — and to all my HBCU brothers and sisters.  (Applause.)

But let me just talk for a moment about Joe Biden.  I — it has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as his vice president.  And I’ll tell you, I have worked very closely with him.  Whether we are in the Oval Office or the Situation Room, Joe Biden is always fighting for the American people.  And I do know that history will show what we here all know: He has been one of the most transformative presidents in American history.  (Applause.)

And so, I thank you, Joe Biden, for everything you are and everything you have yet to do. 

And thank you, also, to all the leaders of CBC — Chair Steven Horsford, CBCF Chair Terri Sewell, and ALC Cochairs Troy Carter and Lucy McBath — for your years of service to CBC and to our nation.  (Applause.)

I also want to thank Hakeem Jeffries, who will be the next speaker of the House.  (Applause.)  Yes, he will.  And nobody knows how to quote Biggie better than Hakeem.  (Laughter.)

Assistant Leader Joe Neguse, thank you for your leadership.  (Applause.)

And I cannot go further without thanking the great, great Congressman Jim Clyburn.  (Applause.)

So, tonight, I must also speak the names of incredible leaders who were my friends, who were our friends, and with whom I had the honor of closely working over the years: Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson — (applause); Donald Payne Jr.; and Sheila Jackson Lee.  (Applause.)  And I know that their work will live on through ours.

And, finally, to all the members of the CBC, over the years, we have worked so closely together on so many important issues, from addressing the crisis of maternal mortality to expanding access to capital for small businesses to defending the sacred freedom to vote.  And I thank you, CBC, always, for that partnership and your leadership as a proud — I’m going to say — still a member of CBC.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

So, for more than half a century — everyone here knows — the Congressional Black Caucus has served as the conscience of the Congress and of our nation.  And as a proud former CBC member, I know firsthand: America relies on the leaders in this room not only for a conscience but for a vision. 

The CBC has always had a vision for the future of our nation.  A future where we can see what is possible unburdened by what has been.  A future where we fulfill the promise of America: a promise of freedom, opportunity, and justice — not just for some but for all.  (Applause.)

And today, that vision, our vision, is under profound threat.  While we move and fight to move our nation forward toward a brighter future, Donald Trump and his extremist allies intend to take our nation backward.  They will give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations, cut Social Security and Medicare, and end the Affordable Care Act, which the CBC fought so hard to pass. 

But we are not going back.  (Applause.)  We are not going back.  No, we will chart a new way forward. 

We, together, have a vision of a future for our country where no person has to go broke just because they got sick.  We have a vision that understands, then, the importance of strengthening the Affordable Care Act. 

Remember they tried to name it “Obamacare” thinking people wouldn’t like it?  People love it.  (Applause.)  He wants to talk about “people love it.”  People love the ACA.  Even though the former president tried almost 60 times to get rid of it, it is intact, helping hundreds of millions of people in our country. 

We have a vision of our country where we understand that the access to health care should not be a privilege just of those who can afford it; it should be a right.  And that is why, together, we capped the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors and we’ll cap the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans.  (Applause.)

We actually have a plan for health care, not just “concepts of a plan.”  (Laughter and applause.)  “Concepts.” 

We have a vision of a future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by but to get ahead.  And so, we will build, yes, what I call an opportunity economy, so every person has an opportunity to own a home, start a business, and build intergenerational wealth, including my plan to help create 25 million new small businesses in the next four years.  (Applause.)

Ours is a vision of a future where we protect our most fundamental freedoms, including the freedom to vote, which is why we will finally pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.  (Applause.) 

And we will continue to fight for the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government telling her what to do — (applause) — because we here know one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do.  (Applause.)  And, CBC, when you pass a bill to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)

So, to continue to realize our vision for the future of our nation, we have some hard work ahead of us, but I know we like hard work.  Hard work is good work.  Hard work is joyful work.  And generations of Americans before us led the fight for freedom and for the future, and now the baton is in our hands. 

I truly believe that America is ready to turn the page on the politics of division and hate.  And to do it, our nation is counting on the leadership in this room. 

So, to everyone here, no matter what state or district you live in or represent, I thank you in advance for your work — the work you have done and will continue to do to register people to vote and to get folks to the polls. 

Each of us has a job to do.  And the bottom line is we know what we stand for, and that’s why we know what we fight for. 

And when the CBC fights —

AUDIENCE:  We win.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.  (Applause.)

I thank you. 

God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.

Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)

END                  9:00 P.M. EDT

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On Thursday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan welcomed 20 leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for a round table discussion.  The discussion focused on two areas: increasing pathways for HBCU students into national security fields, and identifying areas through which federal agencies can support HBCUs in managing their unique security challenges.  This discussion followed up on a round table Mr. Sullivan hosted with HBCU presidents in February 2023.
 
During the conversation, Mr. Sullivan shared the progress that national security and foreign policy Departments and Agencies have made implementing benchmarks directed by President Biden in his White House Memorandum on Revitalizing America’s Foreign Policy and National Security Workforce, Institutions, and Partnerships.  Mr. Sullivan reported the addition of more than 4,000 paid internships across agencies including the State Department, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Intelligence Community (IC).  He also described the expansion of Centers of Academic Excellence on HBCU campuses for training and research on the challenges of the future.  Mr. Sullivan affirmed that the Administration is eager to continue making progress on addressing obstacles to HBCU student recruitment and hiring.  HBCU presidents shared their desire to expand partnerships with Federal agencies to support groundbreaking research and improve programs to meet national security needs.  
 
HBCU presidents also spoke about security challenges facing their institutions, most notably the challenges and concerns associated with both domestic violent extremism and racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism.  They expressed gratitude for the support that local and regional federal law enforcement liaisons have provided to HBCUs’ threat prevention partnership and coordination efforts.  Mr. Sullivan discussed with HBCU leaders existing and new U.S. Government resources available to all college campuses, including HBCUs, to help to bolster their preparedness and resilience against both physical and cyber-attacks, as well as training, toolkits, and grant funding available for security hardening.  Some of these resource include the DHS Prevention Resource Finder, the U.S. Department of Education’s Free to Learn: Leading Inclusive Learning Environments in Higher Education Resource Guide, an HBCU Bomb Threat Resource Guide, and CISA’s K-12 School Security Guide Companion for School-Based Law Enforcement and School Resource Officers. 
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has consistently demonstrated its commitment to supporting the vital mission of HBCUs, having invested a record over $16 billion dollars in HBCUs, including nearly $4 billion in emergency support and recovery funding through the American Rescue Plan.
 
The roundtable participants included:

• Chris Rey, J.D., President, Barber-Scotia College (NC)
• Dr. Roslyn Artis, President, Benedict College (SC)
• Dr. Darren Martin, President, Bluefield State University (WV)
• Dr. Aminta H. Breaux, President, Bowie State University (MD)
• Dr. Morakinyo A.O. Kuti, President, Central State University (OH)
• Dr. Monique Guillory, President, Dillard University (LA)
• Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr., President, Grambling State University (LA)
• Darrell K. Williams, President, Hampton University (VA)
• Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, President, Harris-Stowe State University (MO)
• Dr. Ben Vinson, III, President, Howard University (DC)
• Dr. Bobbie Knight, President, Miles College (AL) 
• Dr. David Kwabena Wilson, President, Morgan State University (MD)
• Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, President, Norfolk State University (VA)
• Dr. Maurice D. Gipson, President, Philander Smith University (AR)
• Dr. Tomikia LeGrande, President, Prairie View A&M University (TX)
• Dr. Marcus Burgess, Interim President, St. Augustine’s University (NC)
• Dr. Adena Loston, President, St. Philip’s College (TX)
• Dr. Mark Brown, President, Tuskegee University (AL)
• Dr. Herman Felton, Jr., President, Wiley College (TX)
• Dr. Vann R. Newkirk, Sr., President, Wilberforce University (OH)

From the White House:

• Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs 
• Jen Daskal, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
• Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & National Security Council Chief of Staff & Counselor
• Amanda Mansour, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Partnerships & Global Engagement, National Security Council
• Brent Robinson, Director for Partnerships & Global Engagement, National Security Council
• Bintou Njie, Special Advisor to the Vice President for Africa
• Dr. Dietra Trent, Executive Director for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

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From worker heat exhaustion to bridge failures, extreme heat is increasingly placing strain on lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. Earlier this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the United States just experienced its fourth-hottest summer on record.  Globally, August 2024 was the warmest August in the agency’s 175-year record.

Recognizing that extreme heat is the deadliest type of disaster among all weather-related hazards, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted the first-ever White House Summit on Extreme Heat, bringing together over 100 participants from around the country and across the government. The Summit, announced by President Biden earlier in the summer, convened federal agencies and White House senior staff alongside leaders – including workers exposed to extreme heat, healthcare professionals, emergency responders, and researchers and innovators – who represent many of the communities that are fighting on the front lines of extreme heat to discuss lessons learned from this year’s extreme heat, highlight Administration progress in tackling extreme heat and advancing environmental justice, and amplify successful best practices to manage extreme heat that have been locally tailored and community driven.

At the Summit, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi also announced a new Extreme Heat Call to Action, which calls upon state, local, Tribal and Territorial governments, along with the private sector and non-profit organizations to lead by example and use all of the tools at their disposal to protect people from extreme heat looking ahead to 2025. The Call to Action invites interested organizations to submit a commitment to take action in advance of the 2025 heat season, including a wide range of approaches and tools which could be used to protect people and resources from extreme heat, such as actions highlighted in the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit and the National Heat Strategy:

• Long-term adaptation and resilience actions, like improving tree canopy and installing new cooling infrastructure;
• Heat planning actions, like running a heat tabletop exercise or creating a community phone tree in partnership with trusted community partners;
• Heat preparedness actions, like equipping emergency responders and healthcare providers with new resources to address extreme heat;
• Heat response actions, like opening new Resilience Hubs or cooling centers during extreme heat events; and
• Heat recovery actions, such as establishing new ways to track progress on key heat and health metrics.

The White House will collect submissions for the Call to Action through November 1, 2024, which may include information about the goals that communities have set and the new actions they are planning in advance of future extreme heat events. As part of this effort, the White House hopes to understand and amplify a number of promising commitments and actions. 

The White House also announced the publication of a Draft Community Heat Action Checklist, a new tool for local governments taking their first critical steps towards planning and preparing for extreme heat. This document supplements existing tools on Heat.gov helping communities map, understand, and address their heat risk. It also builds on major investments by the Biden-Harris Administration relevant to understanding, preventing, and responding to extreme heat—including investments in urban and community forests, green and resilient building retrofits, lowering cooling costs for American families, and in protecting our nation’s workers from extreme heat. This work also advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to align climate resilience investments across the public and private sector through common principles and opportunities for action to build a climate-resilient nation through the National Climate Resilience Framework, the federal interagency National Heat Strategy, and other regulatory actions.

Additionally, given that climate change is fueling extreme heat both at home and abroad, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) issued a toolkit to Mission leaders that will help ensure the well-being of Agency workforce members during extreme heat events across the world. The toolkit outlines key measures Missions can take to prepare for and respond to extreme heat. USAID also announced more than $18 million in humanitarian assistance to populations experiencing the increasingly severe impacts of climate change – including extreme heat and drought.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda includes more than $50 billion to help Americans in every state become more resilient to climate impacts like hurricanes, wildfires, drought, and extreme heat. The Extreme Heat Summit will highlight how those investments are moving the country forward in heat response and inspire communities nationwide to take additional future steps.

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Classic Elements Bookstore
Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Q    Madam Vice President, how are you feeling about Pennsylvania?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I am feeling very good about Pennsylvania because there are a lot of people in Pennsylvania who deserve to be seen and heard.  That’s why I’m here in Johnstown.  And I will be continuing to travel around the state to make sure that I’m listening as much as we are talking.

And ultimately, I feel very strongly that — got to earn every vote, and that means spending time with folks in the communities where they live.  And — and so, that’s why I’m here.  And we’re going to be spending a lot more time in Pennsylvania.

Thank you.

                              END

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom at the White House. The leaders had an in-depth discussion on a range of foreign policy issues of mutual interest.  They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend against Russia’s aggression.  They expressed deep concern about Iran and North Korea’s provision of lethal weapons to Russia and the People’s Republic of China’s support to Russia’s defense industrial base. They reiterated their ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, the urgent need for a ceasefire deal that will free the hostages and enable increased relief in Gaza, and the need for Israel to do more to protect civilians and address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. They also condemned Iran-backed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. They discussed U.S.-UK cooperation on clean energy and advanced technologies, on AUKUS, as well as opportunities to deepen our strong U.S.-UK economic ties. President Biden underscored his support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and its role in maintaining peace and stability in Northern Ireland.

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September 13, 2024

Presidential Determination

No.        2024-11        

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY

SUBJECT:       Continuation of the Exercise of Certain

              Authorities Under the Trading With the Enemy Act

Under section 101(b) of Public Law 95-223 (91 Stat. 1625; 50 U.S.C. 4305 note), and a previous determination on September 13, 2023 (88 FR 64347, September 18, 2023), the exercise of certain authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act is scheduled to expire on September 14, 2024.

I hereby determine that the continuation of the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba for 1 year is in the national interest of the United States.

Therefore, consistent with the authority vested in me by section 101(b) of Public Law 95-223, I continue for 1 year, until September 14, 2025, the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba, as implemented by the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515.

The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register.                             

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR

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