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Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Cecile Richards. Cecile fearlessly led us forward to be the America we say we are. Carrying her mom’s torch for justice, she championed some of our Nation’s most important civil rights causes. She fought for the dignity of workers, defended and advanced women’s reproductive rights and equality, and mobilized our fellow Americans to exercise their power to vote. She was a leader of utmost character and I know that her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. Jill and I are sending our love and strength to her husband Kirk, her children Daniel, Hannah, and Lily, her grandson Teddy, and the entire Richards family.

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The post Statement from President Joe Biden on the Passing of Cecile Richards appeared first on The White House.

Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy.

Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.

In certain cases, some have even been threatened with criminal prosecutions, including General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, and the members and staff of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions.

General Milley served our nation for more than 40 years, serving in multiple command and leadership posts and deploying to some of the most dangerous parts of the world to protect and defend democracy. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he guided our Armed Forces through complex global security threats and strengthened our existing alliances while forging new ones.

For more than half a century, Dr. Fauci served our country. He saved countless lives by managing the government’s response to pressing health crises, including HIV/AIDS, as well as the Ebola and Zika viruses. During his tenure as my Chief Medical Advisor, he helped the country tackle a once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States is safer and healthier because of him.

On January 6, 2021, American democracy was tested when a mob of insurrectionists attacked the Capitol in an attempt to overturn a fair and free election by force and violence. In light of the significance of that day, Congress established the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol to investigate and report upon the facts, circumstances, and causes of the insurrection. The Select Committee fulfilled this mission with integrity and a commitment to discovering the truth. Rather than accept accountability, those who perpetrated the January 6th attack have taken every opportunity to undermine and intimidate those who participated in the Select Committee in an attempt to rewrite history, erase the stain of January 6th for partisan gain, and seek revenge, including by threatening criminal prosecutions.

I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing. Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong—and in fact have done the right thing—and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.

That is why I am exercising my authority under the Constitution to pardon General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee. The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense. Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.

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Royal Missionary Baptist Church
North Charleston, South Carolina

10:53 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hey, folks.  It’s going to be quick because I got to be downstairs, but thank you very much for being here.

This morning, the deal that I first put forward last May for the Middle East has finally come to fruition.

The ceasefire has gone into effect in Gaza, and today, we’re seeing hostages being released — three Israeli women, held against their will in the dark tunnels for 470 days.  Four more women will be released in seven days; three additional hostages every seven days thereafter, including at least two American citizens, in this first phase.

We pray for them and their families for their — their — going to be a long recovery ahead.

By the 16th day of the deal, talks will begin in the second phase.

This phase includes the release of Israeli soldiers and a permanent end to the war without Hama- — without Hamas in power or able to th- — threaten Israel. 

Hundreds of trucks are entering Gaza as I speak.  They’re carrying assistance for civilians, who have suffered enormously from the war that Hamas started on October 7th, 2023, nearly 15 months ago.  Today alone we anticipate several hundred trucks will enter the Gaza Strip as I’m — probably as I’m speaking.

And after so much pain, destruction, and loss of life, today, the guns in Gaza have gone silent.

This was the deal that I outlined for the world back on May 31st — many of you covered it at the time.  I was endor- — I — it was endorsed overwhelmingly by folks around the world, including the U.N. Security Council unanimously endorsed the deal.  And developed a — in coordination with — I developed it in coordination with Egypt, Qatar, and Israel.

I’ve worked in foreign policy for decades, and this is one of the toughest negotiations I’ve been part of.

Many of you who’ve followed these negotiations will attest that the road to this deal has been not easy at all and a long road.  But we’ve reached the point today because of the pressure Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States.

Some said my policy of a firm support for Israel is relentlessly pursuing diplomacy risked drawing America into a wider war in the region.

I listened to those voices, many of whom I respected a great deal.  But I concluded abandoning the course I was on would not have led us to the ceasefire we’re seeing today, but instead, it would have risked the wider war in the region that so many feared.

Now the region has been fundamentally transformed. 

Hamas’s long-time leader, Sinwar, is dead.  Hamas sponsors in the Middle East have been badly weakened by Israel, backed by the United States.

Hezbollah, one of Hamas’s biggest backers, was significantly weakened on the battlefield and its leadership was destroyed.

Even as we worked for diplomatic solutions in Lebanon, we provided ongoing assistance and support to Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah, including its efforts to take out the terror inf- — the terror infrastructure along the border between Israel a- — and Lebanon.

Israel’s campaign was extens- — extremely successful.  So much so that by the end of November, the United States had brokered a ceasefire in Lebanon. 

Hezbollah did what it said it would never do: It cut its — its — cut its deal and abandoned Hamas.  

And today, Lebanon — in Lebanon, there’s finally a new president and prime minister, both of whom support a sovereign Lebanon without Hezbollah ruling the show — running the show or playing any part in it. 

The Assad regime next door in Syria is gone, removing Iran’s ready access to Lebanon.

Iran is in the weakest position in decades after the U.S. military helped defend Israel from Iranian missiles and supported Israel’s military response inside Iran.

Just look across the region.

In Lebanon, there’s an opportunity for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah.  In Syria, a future free from the Assad — the tyranny of Assad.  For the Palestinian people, a credible path to a state of their own.  And for the f- — for the region — and the future of normalization and integration of Israel with all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, with whom I’ve spoken with.

You know, we’ve had many difficult days since Hamas began this terrible war.  We’ve encountered roadblocks and setbacks, but we haven’t given up.

And a special thanks to my team, particularly Brett McGurk, who many of you know, who spent weeks and months working nonstop to reach this deal, many of — many of those weeks and months out of the — out of the country.

Today’s ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages is a result of a principled and effective policy that we pre- — I presided over for months.  And we got it — we got here without a wider war in the Middle East many predicted.  

And now it falls on the next administration to help iml- — implement this deal.

I was pleased to have our teams speak as one voice in the final days.  It was both necessary and effective, and unprecedented.  But success is going to require persistence and continuing support for our friends in the region and the belief in diplomacy backed by deterrence.

So, as we reflect on the news from Gaza today, we also remember all the victims of this war.  They were — we are mindful — we are mindful that the pursuit of a lasting peace, while never easy or quick, must always be our calling.  

So, thank you all for listening.  May God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  I’m looking forward to this deal being fully implemented.

And I’m sorry I’m not going to take any questions now because I’m waiting — there’s a whole congregation waiting for me, and I’m sure the remainder of the day I’ll have an opportunity to speak with you.

Thank you very much.

Q    Can you say anything about the condition of the hostages that were released today and the others that are yet to be released?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, I — I’ve just got a call saying the three are released into Gaza to the — out of the hands of — of the — of their captors, and they appear to be in good health, but it’s early to tell.  They’re literally being — they may be across the border, out of the Gaza Strip into Israel now; I’m not certain.

Thank you.

Q    Sir, any concerns about Hamas regrouping?

THE PRESIDENT:  No.

Q    Will you remain in the — in the — involved in the deal as it moves forward?

THE PRESIDENT:  No way out.  I’m proud of the deal.

10:59 A.M. EST

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Royal Missionary Baptist Church
North Charleston, South Carolina

12:31 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello.  (Applause.)  Please.  Please, sit. 

Before I — before I begin, let me tell you what I told Jim about 20 minutes ago. 

I used to start off, as a young kid getting involved in the civil rights — my state, Delaware, to its great shame was a — was a — anyway, fought on the wrong side of the w- — (laughs).  My state was segregated by law.  My state, Delaware, was no different in terms of its laws than South Carolina or any other Southern state.  And like two other states, just couldn’t figure out how to get in the fight on the side of the South because it was cut off.  But the southern two parts of my state, they talk funny like y’all do down here.  (Pronounced in an accent.)  You know what I mean?  (Laughter.)

And — but all kidding aside, I — I used to — I used to go, when I got engaged to — in the c- — I — I didn’t plan on — I love reading these biographies on how I knew I was going to be president, going to run for president, et cetera.  Truth of the matter was that I’m a kid who — we talk about impediments; I used to ta- — t- — ta- — talk — talk like that.  I used to stutter.  Came from — came from a — a — you know, came from a place called Claymont, Delaware.  A lot of steel town — it all went bankrupt.  Come from Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Things didn’t work out so well because of the economy. 

But you know what?  Every time — every time I spent time in the Black church — I was telling Jim — I think of one thing: the word “hope.”  (Applause.)  No, not a joke. 

Pastor Holt, thank you for allowing me to be back at this pulpit.  And, Senator, thank you for that introduction.  I appreciate it. 

You know, you made a really moving sermon, Pastor.  And — and thank you, for the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church, for welcoming me back to Charleston to worship with you. 

I prayed with you here in February of 2020 when I was running for president.  On my final full day as president, of all the places I wanted to be was back here with you.  (Applause.)

I first got involved — first got involved in public life because of the Civil Rights Movement.  I — I’d attend 7:30 mass at my church, then I’d go to another morning service at the AME Church in Delaware — the Black church, the spiritual home of the Black experience that helped redeem the soul of the nation, literally. 

That’s the truth we honor on the weekend we celebrate one of the political heroes — my political heroes, many of yours — Dr. Martin Luther King.

I have two busts in my office that I can see from my desk.  I had two political heroes growing up: Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy.  (Applause.)  No, I’m serious.  S- — you’ve been in my office, Jim.  There’s two busts fr- — that I see from my desk.

On Sundays, we often reflect on resurrection and redemption.  We remember Jesus was buried on Friday and he rose on Sunday.  We don’t talk enough about Saturday, when his disciples felt all hope was lost. 

Our lives and in the lives of the nation, we have those Saturdays; we bear — to bear witness of the day before glory, and some people’s pain — are in pain and they can’t look away.  But what — the work we do on S- — Saturday is going to determine whether we move a- — with pain or purpose. 

How can faith get a person, get a nation through what’s to come?

Here’s what my faith has taught me.  Scripture says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another person.”  (Applause.)  That’s what faith and friendship has taught me. 

And friends in South Carolina, like Jim and Emily Clyburn, I could not be standing here, I would not be standing — that’s not hyperbole — I would not be staying here in this pulpit were it not for Jim Clyburn.  (Applause.)

And although somewhat presumptuous of me, neither of us would be standing here without Emily, who we all miss dearly, and who actually made Jim endorse me.  (Laughter.) 

Thank you, Emily.  (Laughter and applause.)

South Carolina friends like Fritz and Peatsy Hollings, who believed in me when I got through one of the most difficult times of my life.  When I was a 26-year- — -9-year-old kid, I got a phone call saying my wife and daughter were dead and my two boys were not likely to live. 

Well, guess what?  Jim, Emily, Fritz and Peatsy, and so many friends in South Carolina have always been there for me, and especially in those Saturdays when I felt all hope was gone; those days when I buried pieces of my soul — my wife, my daughter, my son, Beau, who was the attorney general of Delaware; when I felt like there was just a black hole in my chest sucking me into it — anger and rage that I felt at the time. 

But then, friends — your friends bear witness.  They see your pain.  They pick you up to help you get to Sa- — to Sunday, from pain to purpose.  (Applause.)

I felt that faith of pres- — friendship when I prayed with this congregation — when they play- — played with the congregation and prayed with the congregation of Mother Emanual.

I went there and tried to confront [comfort] them on my own Saturday, but it was they who ended up comforting me, as we arrived together and found grace together.  Moving from pain to purpose strengthened my faith in the service of others, to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and all thy mind” and “love thy neighbor as thyself.” 

Very easy to say, but very hard to do.

But in the words — in those words are the essence of the gospel, is the essence of the American promise: the idea, as was mentioned earlier, that we’re all created equal in the image of God and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. 

My dad used to say, “The greatest sin of all is the abuse of power.”  (Applause.)

We’ve never fully lived up to that commitment, but we’ve never walked away from it either because of you and your ancestors before us, who followed light of the North Star even in the darkness. 

After this service, I’ll be visiting the International African American Museum.  It captures the ongoing story of redemption.  I’ll tour the exhibits, and I’ll speak about the power of history to make real the promise of America for all Americans.  But this morning, I’d like to talk about the essential piece of redemption — the power of mercy and justice.

With experience, wisdom, conscience, compassion, and science, we know how healing and restoration from harm is a pathway to the kind of communities we want to live in, where there’s fairness, justice, accountability in the system; where the people we love go through hard times, fall down, make mistakes, but we’re right there to help them get back up.  (Applause.)

We don’t turn on each other.  We lean into each other.  That’s the sacred covenant of our nation.  We pledge an allegiance, not just to an idea but to each other.  That’s who we’re pledging allegiance to. 

That’s how I viewed my decision to issue more inv- — individual pardons and commutations than any president in American history.  (Applause.)  To inspire an end to federal death penalty by commuting most of those sentences to life in prison without parole.  To commute the sentence of individuals serving disproportionately hard, long, and harsh sentences for non-violent drug offenses compared to the sentence they would have received today in commuting [committing] that crime.  To show mercy for individuals who either did their time or a signi- — a significant amount of time and have shown significant remorse and rehabilitation.  To understand that supervision after release is critical to provide accountability and support, while knowing that government supervision over a very long time serves neither the interest of the person or the public. 

These decisions are difficult.  Some have never been done before.  But in my experience, with my conscience, I believe, taken together, justice and mercy requires as a nation to bear witness; to see people’s pain, not to look away; and do the work to move pain to purpose, to show we can get a person, a nation, to a day of redemption. 

But we know the struggle toward redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing, the distance is short between peril and possibility, but faith — faith teaches us the America of our dreams is always closer than we think.  That’s the faith we must hold on to for the Saturdays to come. 

We must hold on to hope.  We must stay engaged.  We must always keep the faith in a better day to come. 

I’m not going anywhere.  (Applause.)  I’m not kidding.

So, to the — (applause) — to the people of South Carolina, thank you for keeping the faith.  It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president, the highest honor for Jill and our family. 

And as I close out this journey with you — (applause) — I’m just as passionate about our work as I was as a 29-year-old kid when I got elected and wasn’t old enough to serve yet.

I’m in no ways tired.  (Applause.) 

I’ve always heard before, “We’ve come too far from where we started.  Nobody told me the road would be easy.”  (Applause.)  “I don’t believe — I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.”  (Applause.)

My fellow Americans, I don’t think the good Lord brought us this far to leave us behind.  (Applause.)

As we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and generations before and since — women and men, enslaved and free — we have to remember one of his favorite hymns: “Precious Lord, take my hand through the storm, through the night, and lead me into the light.” 

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

I owe you big.  As they say where I come from, you all — you the guys that brought me to the dance. 

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

12:44 P.M. EST

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Cross Hall

2:02 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  And it’s a very good afternoon, because at long last, I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.

For more than 15 months of conflict that began with Hezbollah’s [Hamas’s] brutal massacre on October the 7th; more than 15 months of terror for the hostages, their families, the Israeli people; and more than 15 months of suffering by the innocent people of Gaza, fighting in Gaza will stop and soon the hostages will return home to their families.

The elements of this deal were what I laid out in detail this past May, which was embraced by countries around the world and endorsed overwhelmingly by the U.N. Security Council.

The deal is structured in three phases.

Phase one will last six weeks.  It includes a full and complete ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and — and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded. 

And I’m proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in phase one as well.  And the vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home.

In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

And during phase one, the Palestinians can also return to their neighborhoods in all the areas of Gaza, and the surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin, and the innocent people can have a greater access to these vital supplies.

You know, during the next six weeks, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase two, which is a permanent end of the war.  Let me say that again: a permanent end of the war.

There are a number of details to negotiate to move from phase one to phase two, but the plan says if negotiations take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue, as long as the negotiations continue.

I’ve spoken to the amir of Kuwait [Qatar] and the president of Egypt, and we have pledged to make sure the negotiations will keep moving forward for as long as it takes.

Then, when phase two begins, there will be an exchange of — for a release of the remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and all remaining Israeli forces will be withdrawn from Gaza and the temporary ceasefire will become permanent.

And finally, phase three.  Any final remains of hostages who have been killed will be returned to their families and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin.

This — this is the ceasefire agreement I introduced last spring.  Today, Hamas and Israel have agreed to that ceasefire agreement and the whole — ending the war.

You know, those of you have followed the negotiations can attest, the road to this deal has not been easy.  I’ve worked in foreign policy for decades.  This is one of the toughest negotiations I’ve ever experienced.  And we reached this point because — because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States. 

Hamas’s longtime leader, Sinwar, was killed.  Hamas’s strongest supporter, Iran, launched attacks in Israel.  And those attacks failed after my administration organized a coalition of nations to stop them. 

And after I ordered the U.S. ships and planes to come to Israel’s defense, we also shaped Israel’s strong and calibrated response, destroying Iran’s air defenses but avoiding an escalatory cycle of an all-out war.

The United States also organized a coalition of 20 countries to stand up to attacks by the Houthis, including their missile attacks in Israel. 

Then Hezbollah, another of Hamas’s strongest backers, was significantly weakened on the battlefield and its leadership was destroyed. 

With our support, Israel s- — Israel negotiated a ceasefire with them.  And after that, Lebanon finally elected a new president who’s not — who’s not beholden to Hezbollah, and he can begin a new chapter for the Lebanese people.

All told, these developments in the region, which the United States helped to shape, changed the equation.  And so, now the terror network that once protected and sustained Hamas is far weaker.  Iran is weaker.  Iran is weaker than it’s been in decades.  Hezbollah is badly degraded.

And after more than 15 months of war, Hamas’s senior leaders are dead, thousands of Hamas fighters are dead, and the military formations have been destroyed. 

With nowhere to turn, Hamas finally agreed to releasing hostages.

You know, there was no other way for this war to end than with a hostage deal, and I’m deeply satisfied this day has come — finally come for the sake of the people of Israel and the families waiting in agony and for the sake of the innocent people in Gaza who suffered unimaginable devastation because of the war.

The Palestinian people have gone through hell.  Too many innocent people have died.  Too many communities have been destroyed.  In this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.  They can look to a future without Hamas in power.

You know, the Bible says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”  Many peacemakers helped make this deal happen, including an extraordinary team of American diplomats who have worked nonstop for months to get this done.  Secretary Blinken led the effort.  Secretary Jake Sullivan — not — National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, Jon Finer, Brett McGurk, Amos Hochstein, and the vice president worked relentlessly as we worked to deliver this deal.

I’d also note this deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented, for the most part, by the next administration.  In these past few days, we’ve been speaking as one team.  This has been time of real turmoil in the Middle East, but as I prepare to leave office, our friends are strong, our enemies are weak, and there’s a genuine opportunities for a new future. 

In Lebanon, there’s an opportunity for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah; in Syria, a future free from the tyranny of Assad; and for the Palestinian people, a credible — a credible pathway to a state of their own; and for the region, a future of normalization, integration of Israel and all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia. 

At the G20 in Delhi in September ’23, I rallied key countries behind a vision of an economic corridor from India across the Middle East to Europe.  That vision can now become a reality. 

There are risks as well, including ISIS and Iran, even in a badly weakened state, but — but we’re handing off the — to the next team a real opportunity for a better future for the Middle East.  I hope they will take it. 

Let me close with this.  My f- — my friend for years in the United States Senate, former Senator George Mitchell, who did so much to forge peace in Northern Ireland, once said di- —

about diplomacy — said it is a “700 days of failure and 1 day of success.”  “Seven hundred days of failure and one day of success.” 

Well, we’ve had many difficult days since Hamas began its terrible war.  We’ve encountered roadblocks and setbacks, but we’ve not given up.  And now, after more than 40- — 400 days of struggle, a day of success has arrived. 

God bless all the hostages and their families.  May God protect the troops of all those who work for peace.

Q    Mr. President, how can you see the future of Gaza now — as you are saying, the implementation of this deal will be in the hands of the next administration and, basically, they will shape the future of Gaza.  So, how do you see this future?

And also, how much credit do you give to give to the Trump team for this deal?  Trump is already taking credit for it. 

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, you know, this is the exact framework of the deal I proposed back in May — exact — and — and we got the world to endorse it.

Secondly, it’s America’s support for Israel that helped them badly weaken Hamas and its backers and create the conditions for this deal.

And thirdly, I knew this deal would have to be implemented by the next team, so I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure we’re all speaking with the same voice, because that’s what American presidents do.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    Mr. President, can you tell us how many —  

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.

Q    — Americans will be in the — how many Americans will be released when the hostages are being released?

THE PRESIDENT:  All the exact detail of how many of — people are being held and how many bodies will be returned and all this will all be forthcoming — all of it, all of it. 

Thank you.

Q    Mr. President, what’s your level of confidence that this deal will hold?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m confident. 

Thank you.

Q    Who does the history books credit for this, Mr. President: you or Trump?

THE PRESIDENT:  Is that a joke? 

Q    No.

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh.

Thank you.

2:13 P.M. EST

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By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.  Revocation.  Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of Executive Order 13961 of December 7, 2020 (Governance and Integration of Federal Mission Resilience), are hereby revoked.  Sections 2, 6, and 8 of Executive Order 13961 are renumbered as Sections 1, 2, and 3, respectively.  Section 1 of Executive Order 13961, as renumbered, is amended by striking the clause “To achieve this policy, in conjunction” and inserting in its place the words “In conjunction”.  Section 2(b) of Executive Order 13961, as renumbered, is amended by striking the clause “the Executive Committee established in section 3 of this order” and inserting in its place the words “the Restricted Principals Committee described in section 3 of the National Security Memorandum of January 19, 2025 (National Continuity Policy)”.

Sec. 2.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 19, 2025.

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By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.  Policy.  Well-designed programs that support local and Tribal leaders in left-behind communities can lead to stronger economic outcomes, strengthen regional assets, and reduce regional inequality.  It is the policy of my Administration to take a whole-of-government approach to defining, coordinating, and increasing the accessibility of existing and future programs that help left-behind communities.

Sec. 2.  Definitions.  For purposes of this order:

     (a)  The term “covered communities” means:

(i)    municipalities or other local areas within an economically distressed region;

(ii)   communities in Community Disaster Resiliency Zones;

(iii)  regions served by any of the following Federal programs:  the Energy Communities Interagency Working Group Priority Energy Communities, the Economic Development Administration Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs, the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines, the Department of Housing and Urban Development Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance Program, or the Economic Development Administration Recompete Pilot Program; or

(iv)  rural communities identified by the Secretary of Agriculture and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

     (b)  “Economically distressed region” means a region described by section 301 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3161), section 29(j) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722b(j)(1)), or 49 U.S.C. 6702(a)(1), or that meets the definition of “persistent poverty county” in section 736 of Division A of Public Law 117-328.

(c)  “Implementing agencies” means the Department of the Treasury, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Small Business Administration.

(d)  “Place-based economic development” means policies and programs administered by the Federal Government that target defined regions, including Tribal lands, and use a coordinated approach that represents the interests of community members and community-based organizations in covered communities to:

(i)    improve physical infrastructure;

(ii)   support workforce development to fill locally and regionally demanded well-paying jobs;

(iii)  connect regions to new economic opportunities;

(iv)   increase the capacity of unions, labor organizations, community organizations, and the general public to negotiate legally binding agreements with investors, project developers, and companies to deliver locally defined benefits to local communities;

(v)    increase research and development capacity to accelerate local and regional innovation; or

(vi)   strengthen rural, Tribal and community systems.

Sec. 3.  Strengthening Federal Collaboration on Economic Development.  (a)  The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall, where appropriate and consistent with applicable law, coordinate Federal investments with implementing agencies and develop and implement policy recommendations, including on meaningful community engagement, related to place-based economic development focused on covered communities.

(b)  Within 1 year of the date of this order, consistent with applicable law, including section 103 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3133), the Secretary of Commerce, through the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, shall work with implementing agencies to:

(i)    improve the quality, frequency, and accessibility of engagement with State, Tribal, territorial, local, and non-profit organizations in covered communities;

(ii)   support localized, community economic development that helps generate private investments that benefit left-behind communities, such as workforce training, resilient physical infrastructure, affordable energy, civic infrastructure, affordable housing, childcare, and transportation;

(iii)  develop an interagency technical assistance network in local geographies to enable interested communities and organizations to access information and resources from across the Federal Government through a single point of entry; and

(v)    identify geographies served by overlapping Federal place-based economic development programs to facilitate coordination of funding opportunities and post-award implementation, consistent with applicable law.

     (c)  Implementing agencies shall, to the extent appropriate and consistent with applicable law, include in forthcoming funding opportunities requirements, application evaluation factors, or incentives that provide a preference for applications from entities in and serving covered communities.

Sec. 4.  Supporting Award Access in Economically Distressed Regions.  (a)  Implementing agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, assist potential grant applicants, including in economically distressed regions, in understanding and applying for Federal grants.  Implementing agencies’ activities may include:

(i)    conducting proactive engagement with communities and organizations to promote opportunities for Federal assistance;

(ii)   providing guidance and technical assistance to applicants; and

(iii)  identifying resources across the agencies’ technical assistance programs and offices for support.

(b)  Within 1 year of the date of this order, implementing agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, consider signing a memorandum of agreement to exchange information, tools, and leading practices to ensure applicants to under-resourced programs are made aware of, and may be considered for, similar programs at other agencies.

Sec. 5.  Promoting Disaster Resilience and Long-Term Economic Development Post-Disaster.  In coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, implementing agencies that have field offices in economically distressed regions or Community Disaster Resilience Zones that have received a major disaster declaration within the past 3 years shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:

(a)  seek input from local organizations on needs for and barriers to long-term economic resilience;

(b)  identify funding opportunities to address long-term economic development and infrastructure needs; and

(c)  provide targeted support for navigating the application process for funding opportunities.

     Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 19, 2025.

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America is a country built on the promise of second chances. As President, I have used my clemency power to make that promise a reality by issuing more individual pardons and commutations than any other President in U.S. history. Today, I am exercising my clemency power to pardon 5 individuals and commute the sentences of 2 individuals who have demonstrated remorse, rehabilitation, and redemption. These clemency recipients have each made significant contributions to improving their communities.

On background from the White House:

President Biden is pardoning the following 5 individuals:
 
Darryl Chambers – Wilmington, Delaware

Darryl Chambers is a gun violence prevention advocate who was previously convicted of a non-violent drug offense, and was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in 1998. Shortly after his release, he joined the HOPE Commission, a nonprofit in Wilmington, Delaware committed to community development and violence reduction. He has studied and written about violence prevention, including in his book Murder Town, USA. He has furthered his education and is pursuing a doctoral degree in sociology and criminal justice. In addition to founding the Center for Structural Equity, he is also the executive director of the Youth Empowered to Strive and Succeed Program. Advocates, lawmakers, and his mentees praise him for his commitment to the Wilmington community, efforts to reduce violence, and helping youth transform their lives.
 
Marcus Mosiah Garvey – Posthumously Granted 
 
Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940) was a renowned civil rights and human rights leader who was convicted of mail fraud in 1923, and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. President Calvin Coolidge commuted his sentence in 1927. Notably, Mr. Garvey created the Black Star Line, the first Black-owned shipping line and method of international travel, and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which celebrated African history and culture. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described Mr. Garvey as “the first man of color in the history of the United States to lead and develop a mass movement.” Advocates and lawmakers praise his global advocacy and impact, and highlight the injustice underlying his criminal conviction.
 
Ravidath “Ravi” Ragbir – Brooklyn, New York

Ravi Ragbir, a well-known advocate for immigrant and faith communities, was previously convicted of a non-violent offense in 2001. He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. Since his release, Mr. Ragbir has advocated for vulnerable immigrant communities and families in New York and New Jersey. Previously, he served as the Executive Director of the New Sanctuary Coalition, an interfaith network of congregations, organizations, and individuals that support immigrant communities. He has received numerous awards, including from the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Advocates, religious organizations, and lawmakers commend his efforts to promote justice and human dignity. 
 
Don Leonard Scott, Jr. – Portsmouth, Virginia

Don Scott was previously convicted of a non-violent drug offense in 1994. He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. Since his release, he has practiced as an attorney and was elected to the Virginia legislature in 2019. In 2024, he became the first Black Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. Mr. Scott is a U.S. Navy veteran who donated his kidney to his next-door neighbor in 2021. His supporters have highlighted his dedication to public service, his remorse and redemption, and his tireless commitment to improving the lives of those around him.
 
Kemba Smith Pradia – Ashburn, Virginia

Kemba Smith Pradia is a criminal justice advocate who was previously convicted of a non-violent drug offense in 1994. She was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment. President Clinton commuted her sentence in 2000. Since her release, she has been outspoken on issues related to criminal justice, domestic violence, women’s empowerment, and racial equity through her non-profit foundation. She has also worked with nationally-recognized civil rights and criminal justice organizations, testified before Congress and the United Nations, and was appointed to the Virginia Sentencing Commission and Virginia Parole Board. Advocates and lawmakers praise her effort to transform her life and heal from the traumatic experiences of her past, as well as her fierce and courageous advocacy for incarcerated persons and survivors of domestic violence.  
 
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In addition, President Biden is commuting the sentences of the following 2 individuals so that their sentences expire on February 18, 2025:
 
Robin Peoples (BOP No. 05707-027)

Robin Peoples is currently serving a 111-year sentence for crimes he committed in the late 1990s. Mr. Peoples would likely face a significantly lower sentence under current law and policy. While in custody, he has demonstrated remarkable rehabilitation and courage. Mr. Peoples’s clemency petition has received overwhelming support from the civil rights community, government officials, friends, and family members. Mr. Peoples’s supporters describe him as a model inmate, an inspiring mentor, and someone deserving of a second chance.
 
Michelle West (BOP No. 17809-039)

Michelle West is currently serving a life sentence for crimes she committed between 1987 and 1993. During her three decades of incarceration, Ms. West has demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation and personal transformation. Ms. West’s clemency petition has received overwhelming support from the civil rights community, women’s rights advocates, former fellow inmates, and lawmakers. Supporters describe Ms. West as a role model who has built a 31-year record of rehabilitation and redemption.

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Past administrations cut public investment and gave tax breaks to the wealthy. These trickle-down economic policies left behind too many communities across the country. Infrastructure deteriorated, manufacturers shipped jobs abroad, economic opportunity dwindled, and regional inequality grew. China’s unfair trade practices further undermined American manufacturers and workers in industrial communities.

President Biden came into office with a new vision and promised to invest in every community across the country, particularly left-behind communities, such as economically distressed areas, factory towns, and coal communities. Over the past four years, in every piece of economic legislation, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly to deliver a surge in resources and supports to local leaders, workers, and businesses, enabling communities to turn setback into comeback. In the first three years of the Biden-Harris Administration, left-behind counties experienced their strongest three-year period of job creation and business growth since the turn of the century, growing four times faster per year than under the first three years of the previous administration.

To cement this legacy and drive continued progress for communities across the country, today, President Biden will sign a new Executive Order to help left-behind communities make a comeback. The Executive Order follows the Department of Commerce’s recent announcement of $235 in new awards for critical regional economic development initiatives and the re-authorization of the Economic Development Administration.

EXECUTIVE ORDER ON HELPING LEFT-BEHIND COMMUNITIES MAKE A COMEBACK

Today, President Biden will sign his landmark Executive Order on Helping Left-Behind Communities Make a Comeback, which will help ensure that the federal government continues to direct investments and resources to left-behind and distressed communities that deserve renewed economic opportunity. Specifically, this Executive Order:

• Prioritizes left-behind communities for economic development funding opportunities. The Order prioritizes communities facing economic distress, undergoing industrial transitions, emerging as innovation hubs, and rebuilding from natural disasters.
• Directs whole-of-government coordination of federal investments in left-behind communities that are receiving multiple economic development awards. The Order encourages agencies to work directly with communities on a cohesive strategy to improve local economic conditions.
• Establishes a “No Wrong Door” approach. This Order directs federal agencies to identify and guide communities to economic development resources in other federal agencies, including technical assistance programs and offices. This approach is critical so individuals and communities do not have to navigate the complicated maze of different agencies. Economically distressed communities often have limited capacity to identify federal grant funding. 
• Strengthens resilience in disaster prone and affected communities. The Order directs federal agency field staff in areas that have recently suffered from natural disasters to identify funding opportunities to address long-term economic development, infrastructure, and resiliency needs.

ANNOUNCING $235 MILLION IN NEW AWARDS

Earlier this week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a total of $235 million in new awards to support critical regional economic development initiatives.

The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration announced $210 million across six new awards under the flagship Tech Hubs program, bringing the total amount of Tech Hubs funding announced to date to over $700 million. The Tech Hubs program invests in regions across the country that have the assets to become globally competitive in industries of the future, strengthening national and economic security while ensuring the benefits of innovation reach communities all across America. Tech Hubs awards fund consortia with public, private, and academic partners. The awards will support:

• American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Tech Hub (WA) – $48 million: Led by American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center, this Tech Hub aims to develop new domestic supply chains to meet the immediate demand for high-rate production of advanced composite aerostructures in defense and commercial markets.
• Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub (OR) – $45 million: Led by Oregon State University, this Tech Hub aims to establish global leadership in the development, scaling, and commercialization of microfluidics technology for use in semiconductor cooling, continuous flow processing, and biotechnology.
• Birmingham Biotechnology Hub (AL) – $44 million: Led by Southern Research Institute, this Tech Hub aims to become a global leader in drug, vaccine, and diagnostics development by applying artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biotechnology to increase diverse representation in clinical genomic data and clinical trials.
• Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub (MO) – $28 million: Led by the University of Missouri System, this Tech Hub aims to position south-central Missouri as a global leader in critical minerals processing to provide the materials needed to support battery technology.
• Vermont Gallium Nitride Tech Hub (VT) – $24 million: Led by the University of Vermont, this Tech Hub seeks to accelerate the development and adoption of high power, high frequency electronic devices using Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor chips.
• Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub (ME) – $22 million: Led by the Maine Technology Institute, this Tech Hub aims to become a global leader in forest-based biomaterial production and manufacturing by extracting biological building blocks from forests, manipulating them for use, and manufacturing environmentally sustainable products from those components.

The Economic Development Administration also awarded a total of $25 million across eight awards under the Good Jobs Challenge to support high-quality, locally led workforce training programs that lead to workers placed into good jobs. These new awards expand EDA’s Good Jobs Challenge portfolio to 35 states and one territory and increase the portfolio’s overall job placements target to 53,000.

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S RECORD OF INVESTING IN LEFT-BEHIND COMMUNITIES

This Executive Order and $235 million in new awards build on four years of actions taken by the Biden-Harris Administration to invest in left-behind communities.

Supporting communities through industrial transitions:

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is mobilizing historic levels of private sector investment in the United States, bringing manufacturing back to America, and creating good-paying jobs. President Biden is committed to ensuring that these new private sector investments flow to communities that are undergoing industrial transitions and have faced prior job losses in the manufacturing and energy sectors.

In February 2021, President Biden established the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) to deliver resources to the coal, oil and gas, and power plant communities that have powered our country for generations but faced increasing unemployment and economic distress in recent decades. The Energy Communities IWG is helping local leaders in Energy Communities create good-paying jobs, spur economic revitalization, remediate environmental degradation, and support energy workers. Key accomplishments of the Energy Communities IWG include:      

• Awarding over $54 billion in federal investments to Energy Communities, such as the $4 billion set aside in Inflation Reduction Act tax credits for clean energy manufacturing investments in Energy Communities;
• Catalyzing $315 billion in announced job-creating private sector investments in clean energy and manufacturing;
• Launching Rapid Response Teams to provide on-the-ground assistance to local leaders in the Energy Communities that have faced the most significant declines in economic opportunity; and
• Forging a partnership with AmeriCorps to place 150 full-time AmeriCorps members in nine federally designated Energy Communities.

President Biden has made strategic investments to ensure that the future of the global auto industry is made in historic American auto communities by American workers. For example, the Biden-Harris Administration announced over $1 billion in financing to support small- and medium-sized auto suppliers, a $52 million grant to the Detroit Regional Partnership to unite around and implement a common vision for Detroit’s legacy automotive industry, billions of dollars in awards to support new electric vehicle and battery materials manufacturing sites in the American Midwest, and new workforce development initiatives to prepare workers for these good-paying jobs.

Helping economically distressed regions turn setback into comeback:

The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes that distressed communities suffering from a downward spiral of disinvestment may not have the capacity to access the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments. President Biden has launched and expanded programs to equip distressed communities with the resources they need to make a comeback, including:

• Regional Commissions – Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Structured as federal-state partnerships servicing different regions of the country, Regional Commissions make place-based investments in technical assistance, capacity building, economic development, workforce, and infrastructure. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law appropriated the six Regional Commissions over $1 billion in additional funding to help local economies and distressed communities attract historic public and private investments in manufacturing, infrastructure, and clean energy. President Biden also secured the authorization of the Great Lakes Authority, which, once operational, will serve the Midwest.
• Good Jobs Challenge – American Rescue Plan: The Good Jobs Challenge is a $525 million program supporting 40 regional, industry-led workforce training systems that will      place a total of 50,000 workers into good jobs, helping to accelerate local economic growth and rebuild resilient regional economies. The program places an emphasis on supporting historically underserved populations and distressed communities, including rural, urban-core, disaster-impacted, and coal communities. Most awardees are leveraging the funding to offer flexible workforce solutions such as technology or language support, affordable childcare, and transportation services.
• Recompete Pilot Program (“Recompete”) – CHIPS & Science Act: Recompete is investing in six distressed communities across the country to support innovative strategies to create good-paying jobs and stimulate local economic growth. These awards are supporting workforce training, wraparound services, critical infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and small business creation.

The Rural Partners Network: This is a whole-of-government initiative that sends federal staff to 25 rural communities across the country. Rural communities such as the Tri-County North Delta, which borders the Mississippi River, are getting help accessing federal resources through local federal offices or federal partnerships with the local chamber of commerce, higher-education institutions, philanthropies, and workforce development organizations.

Investing in innovation in places across the country:

Before President Biden came to office, innovation had begun to concentrate on the coasts of our country. From 2005 to 2017, just five metro areas represented more than 90 percent of the nation’s innovation-sector growth. This left entire regions out of a critical driver of economic development and put America at a disadvantage by failing to invest in the talent and ideas that are located across the country. The President’s innovation and manufacturing programs target places that have been overlooked for too long – including rural communities, Energy Communities, and employment distressed regions.

The Biden-Harris Administration has pursued a consortia-based approach to investing in innovation in regions across the country, which equips community leaders with competitively awarded federal funding to implement locally tailored solutions. Consortia of businesses, local governments, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and labor are implementing projects to stimulate innovation and economic growth such as developing workforce training, building new laboratories, and incubating startups. These consortia-based innovation programs include:

• Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) – American Rescue Plan: BBBRC awarded $1 billion to 21 coalitions to transform their regional economies by growing a particular local industry – including transportation, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing. To grow these critical industries, awardees are investing in workforce training, wraparound services, industrial site redevelopment, and small business incubators and accelerators. Two years into the five-year implementation period, these 21 regional coalitions have catalyzed $2.2 billion in local private investment, generated 1,300 new jobs, and helped create 275 new businesses.
• Regional Technology & Innovation Hubs Program (“Tech Hubs”) – CHIPS & Science Act: The Tech Hubs program is investing in regions across the country that have the assets necessary to become globally competitive hubs in industries of the future – strengthening U.S. economic and national security, while ensuring that innovation helps drive economic growth in communities across America. This program designated 31 Tech Hubs that consist of consortia with public, private, and academic partners, 18 of which received large-scale implementation grants totaling more than $700 million. Over one-third of awardees serve small and rural communities.
• Regional Innovation Engines Program (“NSF Engines”) – CHIPS & Science Act: NSF Engines is investing at least $200 million in ten regional innovation initiatives across the country. The funding is focused on places that have not fully benefitted from technology-driven economic growth over the past decades. Each awardee is leveraging their private, public, and nonprofit sectors to research solutions and train their workforce for key sectors such as energy storage, regenerative medicine, and textile manufacturing innovation.
• Microelectronics Commons (“ME Commons”) – CHIPS & Science Act: ME Commons is designed to advance America’s microelectronics capabilities through a collaborative national network of innovation hubs.

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When I took office, too many American communities had been left behind. Decades of trickle-down economics offshored manufacturing jobs, slashed public investment, and hollowed out communities that were once the backbone of our nation’s growth. My Administration has made historic investments to help left-behind communities, such as distressed areas, factory towns, and coal communities, turn setbacks into comebacks.

Today, I am signing an Executive Order to ensure this support continues, and that left-behind communities have access to the resources they need. Thanks to policies like these, and the commitment of local leaders, places across the country – rural and urban, red and blue – have renewed hope.

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