Presidential Actions

Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)
 
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660 of March 6, 2014, which was expanded in scope in Executive Order 13661, Executive Order 13662, and Executive Order 14065, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13685 and Executive Order 13849, is to continue in effect beyond March 6, 2024. 
 
The actions and policies of persons that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, as well as the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation, including its purported annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660 with respect to Ukraine.
 
                                      Sincerely,
 
 
 
                                      JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
 

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     On March 6, 2014, by Executive Order 13660, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of persons that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets. 

     On March 16, 2014, the President issued Executive Order 13661, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, and found that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets. 

     On March 20, 2014, the President issued Executive Order 13662, which further expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, as expanded in scope in Executive Order 13661, and found that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation, including its purported annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine, continue to undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets.

     On December 19, 2014, the President issued Executive Order 13685, to take additional steps to address the Russian occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.

     On September 20, 2018, the President issued Executive Order 13849, to take additional steps to implement certain statutory sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation.

     On February 21, 2022, the President issued Executive Order 14065, which further expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, as expanded in scope in Executive Orders 13661 and 13662, and relied on for additional steps taken in Executive Orders 13685 and 13849, and found that the Russian Federation’s purported recognition of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic or Luhansk People’s Republic regions of Ukraine contradicts Russia’s commitments under the Minsk agreements and further threatens the peace, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and thereby constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

     The actions and policies addressed in these Executive Orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, which was expanded in scope in Executive Order 13661, Executive Order 13662, and Executive Order 14065, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13685 and Executive Order 13849, must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2024. 

     Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660.

     This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.



                                     JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.



THE WHITE HOUSE,
    March 4, 2024.

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

Consistent with subsection 204(b) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(b), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order that terminates the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 of March 6, 2003, and revokes that order, Executive Order 13391 of November 22, 2005, and Executive Order 13469 of July 25, 2008.

The declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13288 with respect to the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions, as relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13391 and as expanded by Executive Order 13469, should no longer be in effect.   

Although I continue to be concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe, particularly with respect to acts of violence and other human rights abuses against political opponents and with respect to public corruption, including misuse of public authority, I have determined that the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13288 is no longer needed.  Moreover, the United States Government will continue to use existing sanctions authorities to hold accountable persons involved in corruption and serious human rights abuse in Zimbabwe.

Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to terminate the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288, and revoke that order, Executive Order 13391, and Executive Order 13469.

I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.


                                      Sincerely,



                                      JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 etseq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

     I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13288 of March 6, 2003, with respect to the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions, as relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13391 of November 22, 2005, and as expanded by Executive Order 13469 of July 25, 2008, should no longer be in effect.  Although I continue to be concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe, particularly with respect to acts of violence and other human rights abuses against political opponents and with respect to public corruption, including misuse of public authority, the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13288 is no longer needed.  Accordingly, I hereby terminate the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288, and revoke that order, Executive Order 13391, and Executive Order 13469, and further order:

     Section 1.  Pursuant to section 202(a) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1622(a)), termination of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288, as relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13391, and as expanded by Executive Order 13469, shall not affect any action taken or proceeding pending not finally concluded or determined as of the date of this order, any action or proceeding based on any act committed prior to the date of this order, or any rights or duties that matured or penalties that were incurred prior to the date of this order.

     Sec. 2.  (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 B. BIDEN JR.



THE WHITE HOUSE,
    March 4, 2024.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Vermont and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm and flooding from December 18 to December 19, 2023.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storm and flooding in the counties of Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor.

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

Mr. William F. Roy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

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On Read Across America Day, we celebrate the power of literacy to expand our minds and our understanding of the world around us.  We salute all the parents, educators, authors, librarians, and mentors who encourage our children to read, and we appreciate the literature that dares them to think big.

For so many children, their dreams begin with a book.  Whether it is through the stories they listen to at bed time or a trip to the local library, books introduce children to new ideas, cultures, and perspectives.  They feed the imagination and stoke the fires of innovation that help them understand our world as it is and pioneer ways to make it better.  I know firsthand how reading can change lives:  the First Lady, a lifelong book lover, pursued a career as an educator because she wanted to share the gift of reading with people who “didn’t know that joy.”  As a community college professor, she continues to share that gift and remains committed to supporting all the teachers who do the same for their students.

The First Lady and I recognize there is still more work to do to improve literacy across the country.  For more than a decade, studies show that reading competency of American students has been on the decline — and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic only made things worse.  That is why, since day one of my Administration, we have been committed to supporting educators and improving literacy — from our youngest readers to adults.

To get our schools back open and running during the pandemic, my American Rescue Plan secured $130 billion, putting more teachers in our classrooms and more counselors in our schools.  This funding is providing high-quality tutoring, expanding summer and after-school programming, and increasing student engagement.  Over the past 3 years, school districts have added more than 610,000 educators and staff.  Our National Partnership for Student Success is working to add another 250,000 caring adults in tutoring, mentoring, and other critical support roles.  That equals hundreds of thousands of additional professionals who are giving students the support they deserve. 

We also know that early education is a powerful stepping stone for academic success.  Research shows that children who start school at 3 and 4 years old are more likely to graduate from high school and further their education.  It is a big reason why I am working to ensure that every child in America has access to high-quality preschool. 

We are also supporting adults in their efforts to become better readers through my Administration’s Adult Education State Grants.  These grants support adult literacy programs and provide the skills and resources needed to gain employment — from obtaining a secondary school diploma to transitioning to a postsecondary school. 

This Read Across America Day, we must also acknowledge a difficult truth — that our children are growing up in a country where some extremist politicians are banning books in grade schools and high schools.  In America, we do not ban books.  Rather, we celebrate the full diversity of stories and perspectives — and their potential to expand our horizons.

Dr. Seuss once wrote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”  Today, may we celebrate the power that is unleashed by reading — discovering the comfort of words in times of sorrow, finding inspiration to fuel our imagination, or having a clear-eyed understanding of our past so we can forge a future of limitless possibilities.

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 March 2, 2024, as Read Across America Day.  I call upon children, families, educators, librarians, public officials, and all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March, 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-eighth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR

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     As my Administration continues to build an economy that works for everyone, we cannot let fraud, cybercrimes, or unfair business practices interrupt the progress we have made.  During National Consumer Protection Week, we recommit to protecting the rights of consumers and spreading awareness about the resources people have to defend themselves from predatory acts.

     Since I took office, we have made enormous progress in building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up.  To date, we have created nearly 15 million jobs, driven stable economic growth, and brought down inflation by two-thirds from its peak.  Still, I know we have more work to do to protect the progress we have made by defending American consumers from unfair business practices.

     In my first year in office, I issued an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, which directs and encourages Federal agencies to find ways to address powerful corporations’ use of their market dominance to inflate prices of consumer goods and services.  These corporations are also decreasing the quality of goods and services, deterring innovation, and limiting job mobility.  Since then, agencies across the Federal Government have taken decisive action to encourage competition and lower costs for American households. 

     The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are cracking down on anticompetitive mergers, price fixing and price gouging, and other unfair practices that harm consumers.  The Department of Agriculture has joined the effort to enforce antitrust and consumer protection laws in food and agriculture, which not only protect American families but farmers as well.  At the same time, the FTC is working on a rule that would, if finalized as proposed, put an end to noncompete agreements, which restrict 30 million workers from switching jobs, even if they have opportunities that offer better pay and benefits.  The FTC is also engaged in a rulemaking that proposes to require that companies make it as easy to cancel an online enrollment as it was to sign up so you are not left paying unwanted subscription fees because of a difficult cancellation process.  The FTC is working with law enforcement to counter predatory student loan scams, mortgage scams, and identity theft.

     My Administration is fighting to eliminate hidden junk fees that some banks, airlines, health care companies, and other organizations use to rip off their customers.  Since 2021, 15 of the 20 largest banks have responded to my call to stop charging customers for bounced checks and reduce overdraft fees, saving Americans $5.5 billion annually in eliminated junk fees.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule that will slash credit card late fees from an average of $31 when I took office to a new cap of $8, which will save Americans more than $9 billion annually.  The CFPB is also taking steps to cut the average overdraft fee by more than half, down from its typical amount of over $30, a move that would save $150 per year for the more than 20 million households that pay these fees.  The CFPB has also banned banks and credit unions from charging fees for basic services, like checking an account balance or retrieving old bank records.  In addition, it has proposed a new rule that would make it easier for customers to switch banks, encouraging them to compete for customers based on the quality of their services.  

     The Department of Labor proposed a new rule that would, if finalized as proposed, minimize junk fees in retirement products by requiring financial advisers to provide retirement advice in the best interest of the saver.  The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Treasury have proposed a rule that would protect Americans from getting ripped off by health plans offering junk insurance that discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and trick consumers into buying insurance that provides little or no coverage when they need it most.  Further, the Department of Transportation has challenged airlines to improve unfair business practices.  Some airlines have already responded by eliminating fees that charge parents just to sit next to their child on a plane.  Many have also begun guaranteeing free rebooking and reimbursement for hotels, meals, and ground transportation if a flight cancellation or delay is the airline’s fault.  Just last year, we saw the lowest rate of flight cancellations in a decade.  

     The FTC has enhanced its translation resources to make it easier for consumers to submit fraud reports and learn how to spot and avoid scams in languages other than English.  Meanwhile, we are continuing to work with partners across the Government and in our communities to amplify and expand language access for consumers.  Last year, the FTC proposed a rule that would ban hidden fees across the economy and require all companies to show consumers the all-in pricing of products upfront.

     The American people should never be played like suckers.  It is up to each of us to protect one another from harmful anticompetitive business practices.  This National Consumer Protection Week, I encourage every American to visit consumer.ftc.gov to learn more about the resources available to defend the rights of consumers.  I also encourage people to report cases of suspected fraud, issues with a consumer financial product, aggressive debt collection, inaccurate credit reporting, or unfair medical billing and other issues by visiting consumerfinance.gov/complaint online.  

     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 March 3, 2024, through March 9, 2024, as National Consumer Protection Week.  I call upon government officials, industry leaders, and advocates across the Nation to share information about consumer protection and provide our citizens with information about their rights as consumers.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March, 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-eighth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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     Dana Lynn Banks, of Pennsylvania, to be United States Director of the African Development Bank for a term of five years, vice Oren E. Whyche-Shaw.

     Judy W. Chang, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2029, vice Allison Clements, term expiring.

     Mary E. Daschbach, of Rhode Island, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Togolese Republic.

     Troy Fitrell, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Seychelles.

     Joshua M. Harris, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

     Elizabeth K. Horst, of Minnesota, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

     David Rosner, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2027, vice Richard Glick, term expired.

     Lindsay S. See, of West Virginia, to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2028, vice James P. Danly, term expired.

     Martin Joseph Walsh, of Massachusetts, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2029, vice Donald Lee Moak, term expired.

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     During Women’s History Month, we celebrate the courageous women who have helped our Nation build a fairer, more just society. 

     Throughout history, the vision and achievements of powerful women have strengthened our Nation and opened the doors of opportunity wider for all of us.  Though their stories too often go untold, all of us stand on the shoulders of these sung and unsung trailblazers — from the women who took a stand as suffragists, abolitionists, and labor leaders to pioneering scientists and engineers, groundbreaking artists, proud public servants, and brave members of our Armed Forces.

     Despite the progress that these visionaries have achieved, there is more work ahead to knock down the barriers that stand in the way of women and girls realizing their full potential — in a country founded on freedom and equality, nothing is more fundamental.  That is why my Administration has put women and girls at the heart of everything we do.  When I first came into office, I established the White House Gender Policy Council to advance their rights and opportunities across domestic and foreign policy.  I also released the Nation’s first-ever National Gender Strategy to advance gender equity and equality across my Administration — from women’s economic security and leadership opportunities to freedom from gender-based violence and equal access to education and health care.  Women are seated at every table where decisions are made in my Administration — from our first female Vice President, Kamala Harris, to a record number of female cabinet secretaries to the most diverse set of judges ever nominated to the Federal bench, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

     If we want to have the strongest economy in the world, we cannot leave women — half of our workforce — behind.  Since I have been in office, the economy has created nearly 15 million jobs, and we have seen the lowest unemployment rate among women in more than five decades.  As we implement major pieces of legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, we are ensuring that women get their fair share of opportunities.  We are increasing their access to new jobs in sectors where women have been historically underrepresented, like manufacturing, construction, and clean energy.  We are championing equal pay, including issuing new regulations that advance pay equity and pay transparency for Federal workers and employees of Federal contractors.  

     We are making sure women have access to the resources they need to enter and remain in the workforce, including high-quality, affordable child care.  My Administration’s American Rescue Plan helped working mothers, especially during the most challenging times of the pandemic, by keeping the doors of 220,000 child care centers open — 90 percent of which are owned and staffed by women.  Our Child Tax Credit cut the number of children in poverty by 50 percent and provided breathing room for 65 million children and their families, and we will keep fighting to restore it.  I have also signed legislation that provides new protections for pregnant and postpartum workers. 

     To promote the health and wellness of women in America, under the leadership of Vice President Harris, we launched the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis to combat the high incidence of maternal mortality — especially for Black, Native, and rural women — due to systemic inequities in quality health care.  We have expanded access to health care services for women veterans — the fastest growing group of veterans receiving services at the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Last fall, we launched the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research to change how we approach and fund women’s health research, and pioneer the next generation of discoveries in women’s health care.

     Further, Vice President Harris and I are fighting to protect women’s reproductive freedom.  In 2022, the Supreme Court made an extreme decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, reversing nearly five decades of recognizing a woman’s constitutional right to choose and make deeply personal decisions about her health care.  Now, tens of millions of women live in States with an extreme and dangerous abortion ban currently in effect.  Across the country, women are being turned away from emergency rooms, forced to go to court to seek permission for the medical attention they need, and made to travel hundreds of miles for care.  This is unacceptable.  That is why I have taken action to safeguard access to reproductive care, including abortion and contraception.  Vice President Harris and I will keep calling on the Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in Federal law — the only way to ensure women in every State have the right to choose.

     As we lift up women’s health and economic prosperity, we also have to protect their physical security.  As a United States Senator, I was proud to write the Violence Against Women Act, which helped change the culture of silence around the scourge of gender-based violence in America.  When we reauthorized the law, we increased our total investment in prevention and support to $700 million for 2023 alone — the highest funding ever to protect women from gender-based violence in nearly 30 years.  I have also spearheaded historic military justice reforms to better protect survivors and ensure that, in cases of gender-based violence, prosecutorial decisions are fully independent from the chain of command.  Last year, my Administration released the first-ever National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, advancing a comprehensive Government-wide approach to preventing and addressing gender-based violence across the United States.

     Globally, my Administration is supporting initiatives that help expand access to child care, end gender-based violence, cut the digital gender divide in half, promote women’s leadership, and more.  Thanks to the leadership of Vice President Harris, we have galvanized more than $2.9 billion in investments to advance the economic status of women around the world and ensure they play a meaningful role in the industries of the future.  

     This Women’s History Month, may we recognize the long, storied history of great women helping to realize our Nation’s founding promise and highest aspirations.  May we all continue working to build a world worthy of the dreams and goals of all women and girls.

     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 March 2024 as Women’s History Month.  I call upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.  I also invite all Americans to visit WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the vital contributions of women to our Nation’s history. 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of February, 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-eighth.


                                       JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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The second leading cause of cancer death in the United States today is colorectal cancer, and approximately 150,000 people in this country will be diagnosed with the disease this year.  During National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we honor all the Americans we have lost to this cancer, those currently living with or surviving it, and the loved ones who stand firmly by their side.  We recommit to supporting all those helping drive progress against cancer and delivering incredible care to those facing this disease.  We affirm our goal of ending cancer as we know it, once and for all.

As a country, we have made impressive progress in the struggle to end cancer over the past several decades due to advancements in prevention, early-detection measures, and new medicines and therapies.  Despite remarkable breakthroughs, every year, more Americans are diagnosed with cancer under the age of 50.  Earlier detection and improved treatment of colorectal cancer continue to be critical goals of medical research.  Further progress is also needed to improve outcomes for those who are disproportionately impacted by this disease — including Americans over the age of 45, Native Americans, Black Americans, and people with a family history of colorectal cancer.  

There is still more work to be done to ensure more Americans can prevent, detect, treat, and survive colorectal cancer.  That is why the First Lady and I reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the ambition to cut the cancer death rate by at least half in the next 25 years and improve the experience of patients and families touched by cancer.  I worked with the Congress to secure $2.5 billion in bipartisan funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).  The scientists, innovators, and public health professionals funded by ARPA-H are working day and night to create a quantum leap in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer and other deadly, life-threatening, and life-altering diseases.  Along the way, they are forging partnerships to deliver results to the people who need them most.  ARPA-H is also partnering with the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, and other agencies to develop a new Biomedical Data Fabric Toolbox for Cancer, which will ensure that knowledge gained through research is available to as many experts as possible, with the goal of delivering groundbreaking innovations to patients sooner. 

My Administration is also working tirelessly to get patients and their loved ones some much-needed breathing room by making cancer treatments more affordable.  I was proud to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act by expanding health care coverage to millions of Americans.  Millions of people are saving $800 per year on health insurance premiums as a result of this extension.  In addition, through the Inflation Reduction Act, the total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors and others with Medicare will be capped at $2,000 per year — including amounts they are required to pay for expensive cancer medications.  For those on Medicare, we have also expanded access to health services that make it easier for patients and their families to navigate the complexities of cancer care.  That includes dental services for people receiving certain kinds of cancer treatment, guidance from individuals who can help coordinate between health care teams, and community-based social services that can provide support outside of the health care system.

The independent United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends regular colorectal cancer screenings for all Americans starting at age 45.  Colonoscopies and other preventive practices can detect cancer early, averting the disease before it starts.  It is also recommended that all Americans should consult a doctor if they experience symptoms such as blood in their stool, a change in bowel activity, abdominal pain, bloating, persistent cramps, or unexplained weight loss.  As part of my Administration’s efforts to ensure people are able to receive timely screening, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently finalized a rule stating that no Medicare beneficiary has to pay for a diagnostic colonoscopy after a positive non-invasive screening test, like at-home stool-based tests.

Nearly every family in America has been touched by cancer ‑- including mine.  During National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, let us recognize the absolute courage and strength of patients, survivors, and their families by coming together as a country to provide the support and hope they need. 

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 March 2024 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  I encourage all citizens, government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups to join in activities that will increase awareness and prevention of colorectal cancer.  I also encourage Americans to visit HealthCare.gov and learn more about signing up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of February, 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-eighth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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During Irish-American Heritage Month, we honor our Irish ancestors, all those who carry on their legacies, and the values that have always bound Ireland and the United States together.

These values — including determination, decency, and dignity — have been passed down from generation to generation in families like my own and have been grafted into the American character.  Last year, I had the honor of visiting the home of some of my Irish ancestors, including the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth.  As I traveled across Ireland, I learned the true meaning of the Gaelic expression, “a hundred thousand welcomes.”  I was reminded that everything between Ireland and America runs deep — from our history and sorrow to our future and joy.  But more than anything, hope is what beats in the hearts of all of our people.

For centuries — even during times of darkness and despair — hope has kept us marching forward toward a better future.  It is what led so many of our Irish ancestors to leave the only place they had ever called home and seek a new beginning in the United States.  It is what drove generations of Irish immigrants to help build the foundations of America with grit and persistence, even as they endured discrimination and were denied opportunity.  It is what continues to drive tens of millions of Irish Americans across our country to stand up for greater dignity, liberty, and possibilities for all.  As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of United States-Irish diplomatic relations this year, hope remains the bedrock of our partnership, as evidenced by our work together to stand with the brave people of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, combat the climate crisis, and advance workers’ rights across both of our nations.

In the years ahead, I look forward to strengthening the partnership and friendship between the people of Ireland and America even further.  United by history, heritage, and hope, nothing is beyond our reach.

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 March 2024 as Irish-American Heritage Month.  I call upon all Americans to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of February, 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-eighth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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  This month, we honor the American Red Cross for its humanitarian commitment to serve communities across the United States and around the world.  We celebrate each and every selfless employee and volunteer as an ambassador of American generosity, who upholds a sacred mandate to leave no person behind.   

     Founded more than 140 years ago by Clara Barton, the American Red Cross has led with compassion and care, assisting neighbors and fellow Americans when they find themselves in some of the most agonizing circumstances they have ever faced.  Throughout the biggest cities and the smallest towns, American Red Cross workers perform heroic acts of service across the United States and abroad.  When wildfires devour neighborhoods, tornadoes uproot towns, earthquakes devastate homes and businesses, hurricanes whip beachfronts, and rivers rise and ruin neighborhoods and city streets, Red Cross volunteers are there to provide food, create temporary shelters, and help people recover and rebuild.  While climate change has led to the increasing intensity and frequency of the world’s natural disasters, Red Cross volunteers continue to serve as beacons of light, bringing hope to those facing some of the darkest hours and offering life-saving support at home and overseas.

     During American Red Cross Month, I encourage everyone who is able to give blood and volunteer to help local communities in need.  You can learn more about the process of donating blood online at redcross.org.  Let us all use the dedication of the American Red Cross as an example this month and recommit in our own lives to lead with compassion and care.  When we see others who are struggling, let us embody the generosity of the American spirit and resolve to lend them a helping hand.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America and Honorary Chair of the American Red Cross, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2024 as American Red Cross Month.  I encourage all Americans to observe this month with relevant programs, ceremonies, and activities and to support the work of service and relief organizations.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of February, 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-eighth.

                          JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

                   

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TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:


     Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order that expands the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13873 of May 15, 2019 (Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain), and further addressed with additional measures in Executive Order 14034 of June 9, 2021 (Protecting Americans’ Sensitive Data from Foreign Adversaries).

     The continuing effort of certain countries of concern to access Americans’ sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data increases the ability of countries of concern to engage in a wide range of malicious activities, including espionage, influence, kinetic, or cyber operations, or to identify other potential strategic advantages over the United States.

     To address this threat and to take further steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13873, the order authorizes the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, to issue, subject to public notice and comment, regulations to prohibit or otherwise restrict the large-scale transfer of Americans’ personal data to countries of concern and to provide safeguards around other activities that can give those countries access to sensitive data.  Section 2(b) of the order authorizes the Attorney General, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all other powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the order.

     In addition, section 2(d) of the order authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in coordination with the Attorney General and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, to propose, seek public comment on, and publish security requirements that address the unacceptable risk posed by restricted transactions, as identified by the Attorney General.  Section 2(e) of the order authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General, to take such actions, including promulgating rules, regulations, standards, and requirements; issuing interpretive guidance; and employing all other powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes described in section 2(d) of the order.

     I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
    February 28, 2024.

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     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

     I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, hereby expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13873 of May 15, 2019 (Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain), and further addressed with additional measures in Executive Order 14034 of June 9, 2021 (Protecting Americans’ Sensitive Data from Foreign Adversaries).  The continuing effort of certain countries of concern to access Americans’ sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data increases the ability of countries of concern to engage in a wide range of malicious activities.  Countries of concern can rely on advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to analyze and manipulate bulk sensitive personal data to engage in espionage, influence, kinetic, or cyber operations or to identify other potential strategic advantages over the United States.  Countries of concern can also use access to bulk data sets to fuel the creation and refinement of AI and other advanced technologies, thereby improving their ability to exploit the underlying data and exacerbating the national security and foreign policy threats.  In addition, access to some categories of sensitive personal data linked to populations and locations associated with the Federal Government — including the military — regardless of volume, can be used to reveal insights about those populations and locations that threaten national security.  The growing exploitation of Americans’ sensitive personal data threatens the development of an international technology ecosystem that protects our security, privacy, and human rights.

     Accordingly, to address this threat and to take further steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13873, it is hereby ordered that:

     Section 1.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to restrict access by countries of concern to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data when such access would pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.  At the same time, the United States continues to support open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure flows of data across borders, as well as maintaining vital consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relationships that the United States has with other countries.

     The continuing effort by countries of concern to access Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data threatens the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Such countries’ governments may seek to access and use sensitive personal data in a manner that is not in accordance with democratic values, safeguards for privacy, and other human rights and freedoms.  Such countries’ approach stands in sharp contrast to the practices of democracies with respect to sensitive personal data and principles reflected in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Declaration on Government Access to Personal Data Held by Private Sector Entities.  Unrestricted transfers of Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data to such countries of concern may therefore enable them to exploit such data for a variety of nefarious purposes, including to engage in malicious cyber-enabled activities.  Countries of concern can use their access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data to track and build profiles on United States individuals, including Federal employees and contractors, for illicit purposes, including blackmail and espionage.  Access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data by countries of concern through data brokerages, third-party vendor agreements, employment agreements, investment agreements, or other such arrangements poses particular and unacceptable risks to our national security given that these arrangements often can provide countries of concern with direct and unfettered access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data.  Countries of concern can use access to United States persons’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data to collect information on activists, academics, journalists, dissidents, political figures, or members of non-governmental organizations or marginalized communities in order to intimidate such persons; curb dissent or political opposition; otherwise limit freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, or association; or enable other forms of suppression of civil liberties.

     This risk of access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data is not limited to direct access by countries of concern.  Entities owned by, and entities or individuals controlled by or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of, a country of concern may enable the government of a country of concern to indirectly access such data.  For example, a country of concern may have cyber, national security, or intelligence laws that, without sufficient legal safeguards, obligate such entities and individuals to provide that country’s intelligence services access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data.

     These risks may be exacerbated when countries of concern use bulk sensitive personal data to develop AI capabilities and algorithms that, in turn, enable the use of large datasets in increasingly sophisticated and effective ways to the detriment of United States national security.  Countries of concern can use AI to target United States persons for espionage or blackmail by, for example, recognizing patterns across multiple unrelated datasets to identify potential individuals whose links to the Federal Government would be otherwise obscured in a single dataset.

     While aspects of this threat have been addressed in previous executive actions, such as Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015 (Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), as amended, additional steps need to be taken to address this threat.

     At the same time, the United States is committed to promoting an open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet; protecting human rights online and offline; supporting a vibrant, global economy by promoting cross-border data flows required to enable international commerce and trade; and facilitating open investment.  To ensure that the United States continues to meet these important policy objectives, this order does not authorize the imposition of generalized data localization requirements to store Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data within the United States or to locate computing facilities used to process Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data within the United States.  This order also does not broadly prohibit United States persons from conducting commercial transactions, including exchanging financial and other data as part of the sale of commercial goods and services, with entities and individuals located in or subject to the control, direction, or jurisdiction of countries of concern, or impose measures aimed at a broader decoupling of the substantial consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relationships that the United States has with other countries.  In addition, my Administration has made commitments to increase public access to the results of taxpayer-funded scientific research, the sharing and interoperability of electronic health information, and patient access to their data.  The national security restrictions established in this order are specific, carefully calibrated actions to minimize the risks associated with access to bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data by countries of concern while minimizing disruption to commercial activity.  This order shall be implemented consistent with these policy objectives, including by tailoring any regulations issued and actions taken pursuant to this order to address the national security threat posed by access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data by countries of concern.

     Sec. 2.  Prohibited and Restricted Transactions.  (a)  To assist in addressing the national emergency described in this order, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall issue, subject to public notice and comment, regulations that prohibit or otherwise restrict United States persons from engaging in any acquisition, holding, use, transfer, transportation, or exportation of, or dealing in, any property in which a foreign country or national thereof has any interest (transaction), where the transaction:

          (i)    involves bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data, as further defined by regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to this section;

          (ii)   is a member of a class of transactions that has been determined by the Attorney General, in regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to this section, to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States because the transactions may enable countries of concern or covered persons to access bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data in a manner that contributes to the national emergency described in this order;

          (iii)  was initiated, is pending, or will be completed after the effective date of the regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to this section;

          (iv)   does not qualify for an exemption provided in, or is not authorized by a license issued pursuant to, the regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to this section; and

           (v)    is not, as defined by regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to this section, ordinarily incident to and part of the provision of financial services, including banking, capital markets, and financial insurance services, or required for compliance with any Federal statutory or regulatory requirements, including any regulations, guidance, or orders implementing those requirements.

    (b)  The Attorney General, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, is authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all other powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this order.  Executive departments and agencies (agencies) are directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement the provisions of this order.

     (c)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall publish the proposed rule described in subsection (a) of this section for notice and comment.  This proposed rule shall:

          (i)     identify classes of transactions that meet the criteria specified in subsection (a)(ii) of this section that are to be prohibited (prohibited transactions);

          (ii)    identify classes of transactions that meet the criteria specified in subsection (a)(ii) of this section and for which the Attorney General determines that security requirements established by the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in accordance with the process described in subsection (d) of this section, adequately mitigate the risk of access by countries of concern or covered persons to bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data (restricted transactions);

          (iii)   identify, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, countries of concern and, as appropriate, classes of covered persons for the purposes of this order;

          (iv)    establish, as appropriate, mechanisms to provide additional clarity to persons affected by this order and any regulations implementing this order (including by designations of covered persons and licensing decisions);

           (v)     establish a process to issue (including to modify or rescind), in concurrence with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, and in consultation with the heads of other relevant agencies, as appropriate, licenses authorizing transactions that would otherwise be prohibited transactions or restricted transactions;

          (vi)    further define the terms identified in section 7 of this order and any other terms used in this order or any regulations implementing this order;

          (vii)   address, as appropriate, coordination with other United States Government entities, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the Office of Foreign Assets Control within the Department of the Treasury, the Bureau of Industry and Security within the Department of Commerce, and other entities implementing relevant programs, including those implementing Executive Order 13873; Executive Order 14034; and Executive Order 13913 of April 4, 2020 (Establishing the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector); and

          (viii)  address the need for, as appropriate, recordkeeping and reporting of transactions to inform investigative, enforcement, and regulatory efforts.

     (d)  The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, shall, in coordination with the Attorney General and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, propose, seek public comment on, and publish security requirements that address the unacceptable risk posed by restricted transactions, as identified by the Attorney General pursuant to this section.  These requirements shall be based on the Cybersecurity and Privacy Frameworks developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

          (i)   The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, shall, in coordination with the Attorney General, issue any interpretive guidance regarding the security requirements.

          (ii)  The Attorney General shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security acting through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, issue enforcement guidance regarding the security requirements.

     (e)  The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including promulgating rules, regulations, standards, and requirements; issuing interpretive guidance; and employing all other powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes described in subsection (d) of this section. 

     (f)  In exercising the authority delegated in subsection (b) of this section, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, may, in addition to the rulemaking directed in subsection (c) of this section, propose one or more regulations to further implement this section, including to identify additional classes of prohibited transactions; to identify additional classes of restricted transactions; with the concurrence of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, to identify new or remove existing countries of concern and, as appropriate, classes of covered persons for the purposes of this order; and to establish a mechanism for the Attorney General to monitor whether restricted transactions comply with the security requirements established under subsection (d) of this section.

     (g)  Any proposed regulations implementing this section:

          (i)    shall reflect consideration of the nature of the class of transaction involving bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data, the volume of bulk sensitive personal data involved in the transaction, and other factors, as appropriate;

          (ii)   shall establish thresholds and due diligence requirements for entities to use in assessing whether a transaction is a prohibited transaction or a restricted transaction;

          (iii)  shall not establish generalized data localization requirements to store bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data within the United States or to locate computing facilities used to process bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data within the United States;

          (iv)   shall account for any legal obligations applicable to the United States Government relating to public access to the results of taxpayer-funded scientific research, the sharing and interoperability of electronic health information, and patient access to their data; and

          (v)    shall not address transactions to the extent that they involve types of human ‘omic data other than human genomic data before the submission of the report described in section 6 of this order.

     (h)  The prohibitions promulgated pursuant to this section apply except to the extent provided by law, including by statute or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date of the applicable regulations directed by this order.

     (i)  Any transaction or other activity that has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions promulgated pursuant to this section is prohibited.

     (j)  Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions promulgated pursuant to this section is prohibited.

     (k)  In regulations issued by the Attorney General under this section, the Attorney General may prohibit United States persons from knowingly directing transactions if such transactions would be prohibited transactions under regulations issued pursuant to this order if engaged in by a United States person.

     (l)  The Attorney General may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of the authorities conferred on the Attorney General pursuant to this section within the Department of Justice.  The Secretary of Homeland Security may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of the authorities conferred on the Secretary of Homeland Security pursuant to this section within the Department of Homeland Security.

     (m)  The Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, is hereby authorized to submit recurring and final reports to the Congress related to this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)).

Sec. 3.  Protecting Sensitive Personal Data.  (a)  Access to bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data by countries of concern can be enabled through the transmission of data via network infrastructure that is subject to the jurisdiction or control of countries of concern.  The risk of access to this data by countries of concern can be, and sometime is, exacerbated where the data transits a submarine cable that is owned or operated by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a country of concern, or that connects to the United States and terminates in the jurisdiction of a country of concern.  Additionally, the same risk of access by a country of concern is further exacerbated in instances where a submarine cable is designed, built, and operated for the express purpose of transferring data, including bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data, to a specific data center located in a foreign jurisdiction.  To address this threat, the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (Committee) shall, to the extent consistent with its existing authority and applicable law:

          (i)    prioritize, for purposes of and in reliance on the process set forth in section 6 of Executive Order 13913, the initiation of reviews of existing licenses for submarine cable systems that are owned or operated by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a country of concern, or that terminate in the jurisdiction of a country of concern;

          (ii)   issue policy guidance, in consultation with the Committee’s Advisors as defined in section 3(d) of Executive Order 13913, regarding the Committee’s reviews of license applications and existing licenses, including the assessment of third-party risks regarding access to data by countries of concern; and

          (iii)  address, on an ongoing basis, the national security and law enforcement risks related to access by countries of concern to bulk sensitive personal data described in this order that may be presented by any new application or existing license reviewed by the Committee to land or operate a submarine cable system, including by updating the Memorandum of Understanding required under section 11 of Executive Order 13913 and by revising the Committee’s standard mitigation measures, with the approval of the Committee’s Advisors, which may include, as appropriate, any of the security requirements contemplated by section 2(d) of this order.

     (b)  Entities in the United States healthcare market can access bulk sensitive personal data, including personal health data and human genomic data, through partnerships and agreements with United States healthcare providers and research institutions.  Even if such data is anonymized, pseudonymized, or de-identified, advances in technology, combined with access by countries of concern to large data sets, increasingly enable countries of concern that access this data to re-identify or de-anonymize data, which may reveal the exploitable health information of United States persons.  While the United States supports open scientific data and sample sharing to accelerate research and development through international cooperation and collaboration, the following additional steps must be taken to protect United States persons’ sensitive personal health data and human genomic data from the threat identified in this order:

          (i)   The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider taking steps, including issuing regulations, guidance, or orders, as appropriate and consistent with the legal authorities authorizing relevant Federal assistance programs, to prohibit the provision of assistance that enables access by countries of concern or covered persons to United States persons’ bulk sensitive personal data, including personal health data and human genomic data, or to impose mitigation measures with respect to such assistance, which may be consistent with the security requirements adopted under section 2(d) of this order, on the recipients of Federal assistance to address this threat.  The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall, in consultation with each other, develop and publish guidance to assist United States research entities in ensuring protection of their bulk sensitive personal data.

          (ii)  Within 1 year of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall jointly submit a report to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) detailing their progress in implementing this subsection.

     (c)  Entities in the data brokerage industry enable access to bulk sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data by countries of concern and covered persons.  These entities pose a particular risk of contributing to the national emergency described in this order because they routinely engage in the collection, assembly, evaluation, and dissemination of bulk sensitive personal data and of the subset of United States Government-related data regarding United States consumers.  The Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is encouraged to consider taking steps, consistent with CFPB’s existing legal authorities, to address this aspect of the threat and to enhance compliance with Federal consumer protection law, including by continuing to pursue the rulemaking proposals that CFPB identified at the September 2023 Small Business Advisory Panel for Consumer Reporting Rulemaking.

Sec. 4.  Assessing the National Security Risks Arising from Prior Transfers of United States Persons’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data.  Within 120 days of the effective date of the regulations issued pursuant to section 2(c) of this order, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall recommend to the APNSA appropriate actions to detect, assess, and mitigate national security risks arising from prior transfers of United States persons’ bulk sensitive personal data to countries of concern.  Within 150 days of the effective date of the regulations issued pursuant to section 2(c) of this order, the APNSA shall review these recommendations and, as appropriate, consult with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of relevant agencies on implementing the recommendations consistent with applicable law.

Sec. 5.  Report to the President.  (a)  Within 1 year of the effective date of the regulations issued pursuant to section 2(c) of this order, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall submit a report to the President through the APNSA assessing, to the extent practicable:

          (i)   the effectiveness of the measures imposed under this order in addressing threats to the national security of the United States described in this order; and

          (ii)  the economic impact of the implementation of this order, including on the international competitiveness of United States industry.

     (b)  In preparing the report described in subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General shall solicit and consider public comments concerning the economic impact of this order.

Sec. 6.  Assessing Risks Associated with Human ‘omic Data.  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, the Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall submit a report to the President, through the APNSA, assessing the risks and benefits of regulating transactions involving types of human ‘omic data other than human genomic data, such as human proteomic data, human epigenomic data, and human metabolomic data, and recommending the extent to which such transactions should be regulated pursuant to section 2 of this order.  This report and recommendation shall consider the risks to United States persons and national security, as well as the economic and scientific costs of regulating transactions that provide countries of concern or covered persons access to these data types.

Sec. 7.  Definitions.  For purposes of this order:

     (a)  The term “access” means logical or physical access, including the ability to obtain, read, copy, decrypt, edit, divert, release, affect, alter the state of, or otherwise view or receive, in any form, including through information technology systems, cloud computing platforms, networks, security systems, equipment, or software.

     (b)  The term “bulk” means an amount of sensitive personal data that meets or exceeds a threshold over a set period of time, as specified in regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this order.

      (c)  The term “country of concern” means any foreign government that, as determined by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2(c)(iii) or 2(f) of this order, has engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons, and poses a significant risk of exploiting bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data to the detriment of the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons, as specified in regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this order.

     (d)  The term “covered person” means an entity owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a country of concern; a foreign person who is an employee or contractor of such an entity; a foreign person who is an employee or contractor of a country of concern; a foreign person who is primarily resident in the territorial jurisdiction of a country of concern; or any person designated by the Attorney General as being owned or controlled by or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a country of concern, as acting on behalf of or purporting to act on behalf of a country of concern or other covered person, or as knowingly causing or directing, directly or indirectly, a violation of this order or any regulations implementing this order.

     (e)  The term “covered personal identifiers” means, as determined by the Attorney General in regulations issued pursuant to section 2 of this order, specifically listed classes of personally identifiable data that are reasonably linked to an individual, and that — whether in combination with each other, with other sensitive personal data, or with other data that is disclosed by a transacting party pursuant to the transaction and that makes the personally identifiable data exploitable by a country of concern — could be used to identify an individual from a data set or link data across multiple data sets to an individual.  The term “covered personal identifiers” does not include:

          (i)   demographic or contact data that is linked only to another piece of demographic or contact data (such as first and last name, birth date, birthplace, zip code, residential street or postal address, phone number, and email address and similar public account identifiers); or

          (ii)  a network-based identifier, account-authentication data, or call-detail data that is linked only to another network-based identifier, account-authentication data, or call-detail data for the provision of telecommunications, networking, or similar services.

     (f) The term “entity” means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization.

     (g)  The term “foreign person” means any person that is not a United States person.

     (h)  The term “human genomic data” refers to data representing the nucleic acid sequences that constitute the entire set or a subset of the genetic instructions found in a cell.

          (i)  The term “human ‘omic data” means data generated from humans that characterizes or quantifies human biological molecule(s), such as human genomic data, epigenomic data, proteomic data, transcriptomic data, microbiomic data, or metabolomic data, as further defined by regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this order, which may be informed by the report described in section 6 of this order.

     (j)  The term “person” means an individual or entity.

     (k)  The term “relevant agencies” means the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Office of the National Cyber Director, the Office of Management and Budget, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and any other agency or office that the Attorney General determines appropriate.

     (l)  The term “sensitive personal data” means, to the extent consistent with applicable law including sections 203(b)(1) and (b)(3) of IEEPA, covered personal identifiers, geolocation and related sensor data, biometric identifiers, human ‘omic data, personal health data, personal financial data, or any combination thereof, as further defined in regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this order, and that could be exploited by a country of concern to harm United States national security if that data is linked or linkable to any identifiable United States individual or to a discrete and identifiable group of United States individuals.  The term “sensitive personal data” does not include:

          (i)    data that is a matter of public record, such as court records or other government records, that is lawfully and generally available to the public;

         (ii)   personal communications that are within the scope of section 203(b)(1) of IEEPA; or

         (iii)  information or informational materials within the scope of section 203(b)(3) of IEEPA.

     (m)  The term “United States Government-related data” means sensitive personal data that, regardless of volume, the Attorney General determines poses a heightened risk of being exploited by a country of concern to harm United States national security and that:

          (i)    a transacting party identifies as being linked or linkable to categories of current or recent former employees or contractors, or former senior officials, of the Federal Government, including the military, as specified in regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this order;

          (ii)   is linked to categories of data that could be used to identify current or recent former employees or contractors, or former senior officials, of the Federal Government, including the military, as specified in regulations issued by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this order; or

          (iii)  is linked or linkable to certain sensitive locations, the geographical areas of which will be specified publicly, that are controlled by the Federal Government, including the military.

     (n)  The term “United States person” means any United States citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident; any individual admitted to the United States as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158; any entity organized solely under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches); or any person in the United States.

Sec. 8.  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)  Nothing in this order shall prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the United States Government by employees, grantees, or contractors thereof, or transactions conducted pursuant to a grant, contract, or other agreement entered into with the United States Government.

     (c)  Any disputes that may arise among agencies during the consultation processes described in this order may be resolved pursuant to the interagency process described in National Security Memorandum 2 of February 4, 2021 (Renewing the National Security Council System), or any successor document.

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

     (e)  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,
    February 28, 2024.

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NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

     Georgia N. Alexakis, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, vice Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, retiring.

     Matthew L. Gannon, of Iowa, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa for the term of four years, vice Peter E. Deegan, Jr., resigned.

     Krissa M. Lanham, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, vice Douglas L. Rayes, retiring.

     Nancy L. Maldonado, of Illinois, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, vice Ilana Diamond Rovner, retiring.

     Angela M. Martinez, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, vice James Alan Soto, retiring.

     Sparkle L. Sooknanan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, vice Florence Y. Pan, elevated.

     David C. Waterman, of Iowa, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa for the term of four years, vice Marc Krickbaum, resigned.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of New Hampshire and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm and flooding from December 17 to December 21, 2023.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storm and flooding in the counties of Carroll, Coos, and Grafton.

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

Mr. William F. Roy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)
 
As I reported previously, since at least November 2023, Yemen‑based Houthi militants have engaged in a series of attacks against United States military forces, including ships and aircraft, and against maritime commercial shipping operating in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.  These attacks pose a threat to the safety of United States forces and commercial ships and their crews, regional political and economic stability, and navigational rights and freedoms.  The Houthi militants continue to pose a threat of future attacks against United States forces and military vessels and against other maritime traffic in the region.
 
On February 24, 2024, at my direction, United States forces, as part of a multinational operation alongside the United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, conducted discrete strikes against Houthi underground storage sites and locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities, attack capabilities, unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities, and command and control facilities in Yemen that support and facilitate Houthi militants’ attacks in the Red Sea region.  I directed the strikes in order to protect and defend our personnel and assets, to degrade and disrupt the ability of the Houthi militants to carry out future attacks against the United States and against vessels operating in the Red Sea region that could further destabilize the region and threaten United States strategic interests.  The strikes were taken to degrade Houthi capacity to conduct future attacks and were conducted in a manner designed to limit the risk of escalation and avoid civilian casualties.
 
I directed this military action consistent with my responsibility to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive and to conduct United States foreign relations.  The United States took this necessary and proportionate action consistent with international law and in the exercise of the United States’ inherent right of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.  The United States stands ready to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats or attacks.
 
I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148).  I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.
 
                              Sincerely,
 
 
 
                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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   During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we shine a light on these serious health conditions, which impact nearly 1 in 10 people across America, and reaffirm our commitment to improving access to mental health services, treatment, recovery, and support. 

     Eating disorders are serious and life-threatening, but with early intervention, a full recovery is possible.  Unfortunately, the stigmatization experienced by people struggling with eating disorders often prevents them from seeking health care and support.  When left untreated, eating disorders can have devastating effects on the human body.  Each of us has the power to show compassion to those who are struggling, help break down the barriers standing in the way of recovery, and create a culture that treats everyone with dignity and respect.

     My Administration is taking action to support all those living with eating disorders.  Federal agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health have been working to improve the detection and prevention of eating disorders so we can save lives by developing effective therapies and interventions.  Through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and funding for the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, we are working to expand access to new tools and trainings for health care providers, families, caregivers, and community members so they can better detect and treat eating disorders.  We are helping schools hire more mental health counselors, social workers, and nurses to make sure that young people have the support they need to live full and healthy lives.

     At its core, tackling the mental health crisis is about providing hope.  That is why my Administration is investing billions of dollars to improve access to mental health services, helping people get the care they deserve.  Across the United States, we are expanding the number of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics that provide 24/7 care regardless of a person’s ability to pay.  We are expanding training for health care professionals; integrating mental health services into primary care settings; improving coverage of mental health conditions; strengthening enforcement of parity laws; and addressing the harms of bullying and social media that fuel eating disorders, depression, and self-harm. 

     As Americans, we have a duty to reach out to one another and leave no one behind.  Let us extend a helping hand to those struggling with an eating disorder and ensure that they have access to the treatment they deserve.  This week, we recommit to showing compassion and empowering our fellow Americans to ask for help when they need it.  For those in need of support, visit samhsa.gov/find-support or call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for confidential, free, 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year information and referral services.  For anyone experiencing a crisis, immediate and confidential help is also available by calling or texting 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

     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 February 26 through March 3, 2024, as National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.  I encourage citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other interested groups to join in activities that will increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent eating disorders and that will improve access to care and other support services for those currently living with an eating disorder.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of February, 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-eighth.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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On February 15, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of North Dakota and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe winter storm and straight-line winds from December 25 to December 27, 2023.
 
Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm and straight-line winds in the counties of Barnes, Cass, Dickey, Grant, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman, and Traill.
 
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
 
Mr. James R. Stephenson of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 
 
Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

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On March 1, 1996, by Proclamation 6867, a national emergency was declared to address the disturbance or threatened disturbance of international relations caused by the February 24, 1996, destruction by the Cuban government of two unarmed, United States-registered civilian aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba.  On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was expanded to deny monetary and material support to the Cuban government.  On February 24, 2016, by Proclamation 9398, and on February 22, 2018, by Proclamation 9699, the national emergency was further modified based on continued disturbances or threatened disturbances of the international relations of the United States related to Cuba.  The Cuban government has not demonstrated that it will refrain from the use of excessive force against United States vessels or aircraft that may engage in memorial activities or peaceful protest north of Cuba.

     Further, the unauthorized entry of any United States-registered vessel into Cuban territorial waters continues to be detrimental to the foreign policy of the United States because such entry could facilitate a mass migration from Cuba.  It continues to be United States policy that a mass migration from Cuba would endanger United States national security by posing a disturbance or threatened disturbance of the international relations of the United States.

     Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing the national emergency with respect to Cuba and the emergency authority relating to the regulation of the anchorage and movement of vessels set out in Proclamation 6867, as amended by Proclamation 7757, Proclamation 9398, and Proclamation 9699.

     This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,    
February 21, 2024.

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