Speeches and Remarks

Washington, D.C.

Thank you, Mr. Kirby. With your leadership, United has given so many young people the opportunity to soar. Through programs like your partnership with Houston High Schools, you’ve opened up a world of possibility to students across the city. 
 
I’m grateful to Chuck Robbins and the Business Roundtable for inviting me to join this event.
 
When this group puts its mind to something, it’s powerful. That’s why today, I want to talk to you about an issue that’s important to our economic success, an innovation that will help your companies grow: career-connected learning that starts in high school.
 
Last year, I met a young woman named Lilly in Arizona.
 
When she graduated high school, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to pursue. And, as one of six siblings, she didn’t want her parents to go into debt for her to go to college. She got a job, but it didn’t pay well and she couldn’t see a future for herself.
 
Looking for a way to unstick her life, she reached out to the Vice Principal at her old high school. That administrator helped Lilly apply to a free community college program.
 
And there, after a little exploring, she found a career in construction management.
 
In her area of Arizona, with the help of President Biden’s investments, construction is booming. Semiconductor factories are expanding, biomanufacturing facilities are being built, battery plants are going up, and businesses are looking to hire tens of thousands of skilled workers.
 
Lilly graduated from community college a few weeks ago, and is ready to continue in construction.
 
But Lilly almost didn’t get on this path. And a growing industry almost missed out on her talent. There are countless high school students like her across the country – who are smart, ambitious, and hardworking, but who just need guidance, who just need a program to show them the career paths available.
 
We want to help your businesses connect with those students by building career pathways earlier, starting in high school.
 
I teach at a community college not too far from here and I see first-hand how students out of high school have no idea what they’re doing next.
 
A lot of high school students don’t necessarily know how to get from earning their diplomas to earning a living. They may not even know what roles are out there.
 
That’s why we need to transform education, so that it does a better job of preparing students for careers.
 
Nearly 60 percent of graduating high school students don’t go directly to a four-year college.
 
Six out of every 10 students.
 
Are high schools designed to meet the needs of those students – the majority – who won’t go directly to a four-year university?
 
Too many schools aren’t.
 
That’s why the Biden Administration is transforming our education system – reimagining the four walls of a high school and turning them into spaces where students can try out different careers, explore their interests, and discover how to turn those interests into good-paying jobs.
 
And we need you to be a part of that vision.
 
I believe in evidence-based models, not just theories.
 
We know this works.
 
An Oregon study found that students who concentrated in a particular career area graduated high school at higher rates and went on to earn higher wages as adults.
 
So, why does high school matter to your business?
 
Not because it will change lives like Lilly’s – though it will. But because it will help your bottom line.
 
My husband has created nearly 15 million new jobs since he took office.
 
We have to make sure we’re training workers to fill them. I know you’re focused on this too – we’ve heard from many of you that with low unemployment, it can be a challenge to find the workers you need.
 
That’s why we need you to be a part of our efforts to reimagine the high school experience.
 
Work with high schools and community colleges to build a career-related curriculum that prepares students for working in your fields; create apprenticeships and other work-based learning programs across the country; and invest seriously in these programs.
 
Because ultimately, these efforts will help you find workers like Lilly, and help you grow your businesses.
 
Some of you are already doing this work.
 
IBM helped build a model for New York high schools to provide college credits and work experience.
 
Aon’s registered apprenticeship program in Chicago combines in-class learning at a local community college with on-the-job training. I saw the power of that when I visited its headquarters two years ago.
 
And last month, when I was in Wisconsin, I met leaders from one of the state’s largest health care providers, Bellin Health, who are partnering with high schools to train the next generation of workers.
 
But we need more of you to follow this example.
 
You know better than I do that to thrive, businesses have to innovate – have to be ready for every curve, ready to capture every opportunity. And there are certain moments that ask you to take a leap toward the future – to look ahead with vision. To make a change today that will open up all the possibilities of tomorrow. 
 
This is one of those moments. Career-connected learning is that change.
 
Don’t look back in 20 years and wonder why other companies left you behind – why you can’t fill the roles you need.
 
Now is the time to change how you hire – invest in the next generation that will keep growing your companies. Invest in students like Lilly.
 
Thank you.

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Alexandria, VA

Thank you, President Johnson. PTAs help raise up the voices of families and educators – giving us a place where we can stand together on the common ground we share: our love for the children we teach and raise.
 
Your work helps kids access the education they need – the one that will set them forward on a path of success. Thank you – and all the PTA leaders here – for all you do.
 
Ava Olsen, from Townville, South Carolina, is 14.
 
But her friend, Jacob, will always be six.
 
Ava will try out different clothing trends and learn to drive. She’ll have crushes and graduate from high school.
 
But Jacob, now forever dressed in his favorite Batman costume, will always be six.
 
Ava is a survivor.
 
After years of debilitating PTSD, unable to leave her home for fear of reliving those moments on the playground when she ran for her life, she returned to school. But the heaviness of that small coffin will always weigh on her heart.
 
Because Jacob will always be six.
 
Daniel Barden of Newtown, Connecticut, will always be seven.
 
Kamaiyah Perdue of East Point, Georgia, will always be four.
 
Makiyah Wilson of Washington, D.C., will always be 10.
 
The number of children we’ve lost to gun violence is unfathomable. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
 
They don’t tell us of the loved ones who must live with a black hole of grief inside them, forever trapped in that gravity.
 
They don’t tell us of the classmates and coworkers who saw the blood, who heard the shots ring out, who wake each night in a sweat, dreaming of running and running.
 
Behind those the numbers are the students who know how to hide before they can spell. The parents whose hearts are paralyzed by panic at every school “shelter in place” alert. And the pain in places where gun violence is too common to make the nightly news.
 
As a teacher, I’ve imagined the scene in my own classroom more times that I can count. At the start of each semester, I explain to my students what they should do if the worst happens.
 
We all feel the ripple effects. We’ve all lost a piece of ourselves – our security, our hope, our trust in each other.
 
We can’t let this keep happening. President Biden knows that.
 
That’s why he’s taken more executive actions on gun violence than any president in history. It’s why he’s created the first ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention – and we have leaders from that office with us today.
 
Joe worked with Congress to pass the first major gun safety law in almost 30 years.
 
Now, we’re stopping more domestic abusers from buying guns. We strengthened background checks for young people. We made historic investments in mental health programs, community violence intervention, and school security, so we can stop shootings before they begin.
 
These changes will save lives. But they’re not enough.
 
We need to pass universal background checks. We need laws that make sure guns are stored safely – so children can’t just pick them up off a night stand or take them out of a drawer.
 
And we have to ban assault weapons nationally, now.
 
That’s why it’s so important that you are stepping forward. That you’re working with Everytown to carry your message even further.
 
Because we have the power to demand more for our kids and our educators. And the Biden-Harris Administration is proud to work beside you.
 
You are the voices that can change this conversation. You are the people who will hold our leaders accountable. You are the movement that will end these ripples of gun violence.
 
Remember that progress always seems impossible until it isn’t.
 
We need our legislators and leaders to hear us – here, in Washington, and back in your home states and cities and schools.
 
Inaction is complicity.
 
We can never bring back the lives that have been taken from us. But we can stand up. Demand change. Reshape this world to be safer, more peaceful, less full of hurt and heartbreak.
 
How can we accept a world where active shooter drills are part of growing up in America? Where our children hear loud noises and duck for cover?
 
Enough is enough – enough pain, enough death. Enough funerals. I don’t want to have to put my hand on another cross with an eight-year-old’s name.
 
We have to change this. 
 
We must protect our children from gun violence.
 
Thank you.

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State Dining Room

2:50 P.M. EST
 
MR. CHOPRA:  Good afternoon. 
 
Whether it’s a credit card bill, Internet bill, grocery bill, or anything else in a monthly budget, President Biden has been focused on promoting competition, lowering costs, and stopping profiteering.
 
Today, we’re taking action to stop excessive fees in the banking industry.  We’re closing a loophole abused by the credit card industry for years to harvest billions of dollars in junk fees, reducing the typical late fee from $32 down to $8, saving Americans an estimated $10 billion each year.
 
And this is in addition to so many other actions the President is announcing today to crack down on junk fees and help consumers save real money.
 
You know, over the last decade, credit card giants have been hiking late fees every year almost in lockstep.  Even as technology has brought many of their costs down, they’ve raised interest rates, squeezing American families out of an extra $25 billion in interest charges last year alone.
 
That’s why we’re working across government to get you a better deal to make it easier to switch from your high-rate credit card, stopping bait-and-switch tactics on some credit card rewards, and going after the online tricks that drive consumers to bigger credit card issuers with worse service and terms.
 
This work is critical, especially as some of the biggest players in so many industries are looking to get even bigger and gain more power to corner the market.
 
Thank you, President Biden, for your leadership of putting a stop to this profiteering, greedflation, and other unfair practices that keep costs high for so many families.
 
It’s my pleasure to turn it over to the President of the United States.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, pal.  (Applause.)
 
It’s good to see you all and nice to see you all in one spot.
 
Look, Director, thank you for that introduction.  And thank you all for the work of the Competition Council.  It’s reducing costs and delivering results for the American people.
 
I’ve said before, capitalism without competition is — is not capitalism; it’s exploitation.  And that’s what we’ve been seeing.  Although it’s in small scale in the minds of many people, when you add up those numbers, they’re gigantic.  And we’re taking it on.
 
Here’s what’s happening: The pandemic disrupted the supply chains.  We all know that.  I — I remember — I didn’t think as many people had any idea what a supply chain was, and we all learned really quickly.
 
It drove up costs on everything from smartphones to automobiles.  But it also — now those costs are making things — have come down, but the prices haven’t come down.  They’ve stayed up.  They’ve stayed high, and the profits have soared.  And it’s time for those prices to come back down.
 
Look, the good news is inflation is the lowest it’s been in three years.  In the last — in last year alone, inflation came down by two thirds.  We have one of the lowest inflation rates in the world.
 
Many companies have done the right thing: They’ve helped lower costs for Americans.  But even as supply chains are back to normal, some companies are still not passing along the savings to their consumers.  Many corporations are raising their prices to pad their profits, charging folks more and more for less and less.
 
In fact, some of the small snack companies you won’t and — think you won’t even notice what they’re doing when they charge you just as much for the same size bag of potato chips, only it has a hell of a lot fewer chips in it.
 
I’ll tell you what — I’ll tell you who did notice: the Cookie Monster.  (Laughter.)  He pointed out cookies are — his cookies are getting smaller.  He’s paying the same price.  (Laughs.)  I was stunned when I found out that’s what actually happened.  (Laughter.)
 
But some companies are also adding junk fees — you know, the hidden costs that are added to the — your bill without your knowledge.  And some companies have been even caught breaking the law while overcharging consumers.
 
The American people are tired of being played for suckers.  I mean, it’s one thing — no matter how much money you make, no matter how rich or poor or middle class you are, you don’t like being taken advantage of.
 
That’s why today I’m launching a new Strike Force to — on Unfair and Illegal Pricing to crack down on companies who break the law while keeping prices high for American consumers.
 
The new strike force will be led by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.
 
If you keep prices high while engaging in illegal practices that are fraudulent or unfair or deceptive or anti-competitive, you — we will enforce the law.  We will enforce the law.
 
Today, we’re also announcing that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is finalizing a rule that will help stop some credit card companies from ripping you off with late fees.  Under the law, banks are not supposed to charge late fees that are higher than the cost the banks have to engage to collect the late payment.
 
But we estimate banks were generating five times more in late fees than it costs to collect late payments.  They’re padding their profit margins and charging hardworking Americans more than — a cumulative effort — a number — $14 billion in 2022. 
 
With the announcement of thi- — of this new rule, late fees are now going to be down to $8 — $8 instead of the current average of $32 late-fee payments.

This action will collectively save families $10 billion in credit card late fees every year.  That’s the average of $220 in savings annually for more than 45 million Americans who typically have to pay late fees.  That’s a lot of money.
 
And let me close with this.  Fair competition is the key to my economic vision to build an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.  And it’s working.
 
Wages are up more than prices.  Unemployment has reached historic lows.  Families are finally getting a little breathing room. 
 
Prices are still too high, and they shouldn’t be this high.  That’s why we’re going to do everything we can to keep lowering costs for working — hardworking families.
 
With that, I’m going to turn this over to Lael, the Director of National Economic Council.  But I’m supposed to leave for a meeting with — meeting with the Business Roundtable on the telephone.  But I’m going to hang around and listen a little bit. 
 
So, with your permission, I’d like to stay a few — and my staff will tell — tell me when the drop-dead hour occurs.  (Laughter.)  They’ll pass me a note.

But thank you all for all the work you’re doing.  I really mean it.  It makes a big difference. 

When I raised this issue a year or so ago with some of my team, they thought, “No one is going to care much about it.”  Well, they didn’t sit at my kitchen table when I was growing up.  You care a whole lot when you’re being played for a sucker, no matter how much money you have. 

So, thank you for what you’re doing. 
 
Lael, I’ll turn it over to you.

MS. BRAINARD:  Well, Mr. President, I think the members of your Competition Council have been very busy since you last met with them about six months ago.  We’ve also got a new member.  Ambassador Tai has joined the Competition Council as well. 
    
 And I thought what we might do is just start by hearing from several of your Cabinet members about the efforts they’ve been undertaking over the last few months and the announcements they’re making. 
 
So, I thought we would start with Secretary Vilsack to hear about the Department of Agriculture and then perhaps go to Secretary Austin to hear about the Department of Defense.

SECRETARY VILSACK:  Well, thank you very much, Madam Director.  Mr. President, I’m very pleased to be here today to report on the progress that USDA has made under the competition executive order you signed to deliver benefits for farmers, ranchers, workers, and American families. 

First, we finished the final rule on the inclusive competition and market integrity, which bans discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, disability, and more, including being a cooperative in the livestock and poultry markets. 

It’s going to prohibit retaliation against livestock producers and poultry growers for engaging in very basic activities — reporting to the government, forming an association of producers, or more. 

For example, it protects livestock producers and poultry growers’ ability to communicate with each other and other packers and poultry dealers in search of new opportunities to compete or engage in price discovery. 

The rule also stops deception, including false or misleading statements and material omissions in contracting, contract appl- — operations, and contract termination. 

As you can see from — there’s a — there will be a slide in the slide deck — we’re also working hard at two more proposed rules.  One tackles fa- — unfair and deceptive practices in poultry tournaments.  The second reaffirms the longstanding position of USDA that harm to competition along the lines of the Sherman and Clayton Acts should not be applied to Packers and Stockyard cases.

We’re very close to publishing a final rule that aligns the product of the USA label with consumer understanding of what that claim means.  We’re working on label standards and verification guidance for claims, such as animal-raised practices, so that consumers can trust those labels.
 
And lastly, we’re wrapping up the more than $1 billion of investments that you challenged us to make in meat and poultry processing infrastructure this spring and summer, focused on small, independently owned, local facilities. 
 
I’d like to highlight the steps we continue to take to promote transparency, the farmers’ voice, and research access.  With a partnership with the United States Patent and Trade Office, we’re also helping farmers and plant breeders voice their expertise in support of robust patent examination process.
 
Next, in partnership with the Patent Office, we’re working on steps to promote research access to seed germplasm.
 
All of this, Mr. President, is going to provide additional competition, more choice, and lower costs for consumers. 
 
And that’s just a few of the many ways we’re promoting competition at USDA.  From domestic and sustainable fertilizer capacity, which you ordered, to food system transformations and more, USDA is using our expertise and balance sheet to bring down prices for consumers, promote fairness for farmers and workers with the Department of Justice, and shoring up the resiliency in our food and agriculture supply chain, all of which you directed and challenged us to do.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Can I ask a question?  What kind of a response are you getting from farmers and, particularly, livestock producers?
 
SECRETARY VILSACK:  Mr. President, they welcome these changes.  For far too long, they’ve felt that they were at the mercy of a relatively small number of integrators and processors. 
 
So, to the extent that they now have more options to be able to process their — their cattle at a local and independently owned processing facilities, some of which are farmer owned; to the extent that they know they have a balanced playing field, that they understand better who they’re doing business with, they understand that they have certain rights, that they can, in fact, seek a better deal — all of that, I think, is something that’s been very much desired in the marketplace across all farm groups and across all associations.
 
So, this is very, very popular with farmers.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I remember you — you raised this with me almost four years ago on the trail in Io- — in Iowa.  And it’s good to see it’s underway.  It seems —
 
What’s the most — next most important step?  I’m not going to ask everybody these questions, but I’m just curious.  (Laughter.)
 
SECRETARY VILSACK:  I think, Mr. President, it’s basically providing an opportunity for small and mid-sized farming operations to stay in business.  Previous administrations have taken the attitude, “You’ve got to get it big or get out.”  That’s really helping the large-scale farming operations.
 
Your administration, for the first time, is creating an option so that people can stay in business and pass their farms on to their families.  This — I can’t emphasize how important this is. 
 
We’ve lost 554,000 farms since 1981.  That’s all the farmers today in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  Gone.  Your administration is trying to put a stop to that. 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.
 
MS. BRAINARD:  Yeah, I think that’s a great example of the many ways that by giving small farmers, small ranchers a fair shot, we’re also helping to bring prices down for American consumers on things like poultry and meat. 
 
One of the unique at — facets of the Competition Council is that we’ve really seen every Cabinet agency increasing competition. 
 
And I think Secretary Austin has undertaken a number of really important initiatives at the Department of Defense.  So, Mr. Secretary, perhaps you’d like to talk about those next.
 
SECRETARY AUSTIN:  Thanks, Lael.  Mr. President, as you know well, competition is vital to our defense industrial base.  And to keep America secure, we need to make our defense in- — industrial base even stronger. 
 
In January, the department released our first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy.  That’s our blueprint for building a more resilient defense industrial base that’s postured to deliver capabilities to our warfighters at speed and scale.  And that means expediting — or expanding our relationships with small and non-traditional companies and industries to diversify our supplier base and lowering barriers to enter in the defense marketplace. 
 
And so, over the next six months, Mr. President, we’ll keep pushing to implement that strategy and foster a more resilient, modern, and competitive defense industrial base. 
 
Now, Putin’s ongoing assault on Ukraine has underscored how important this is.  Our security assistance has kept — kept the Ukrainians in the fight and saved lives, and it’s also strengthened our economy.  And these investments have expanded facilities and created jobs for American workers. 
 
And the weapons that we’ve sent to Ukraine to help defend itself are made in America by American workers nationwide — from Texas, to Ohio, to Arizona. 
 
Now, Ukraine’s fight — Ukraine’s fight also shows that we urgently need to expand our own production capabilities and coordinate even more closely with our partners and allies.  And we need Congress to pass a national security supplemental and the full-year appropriations so that we can keep investing in our industrial base. 
 
And I appreciate everyone here and your support to make the President’s executive order a reality.  These initiatives will promote competition and revitalize our defense industrial base to keep America safe in the 21st century. 
 
Thanks.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I have a lot of questions.  I better not start the questions.  I’ll get in trouble.  (Laughter.)
 
3:06 P.M. EST

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Hagerstown Regional Airport
Hagerstown, Maryland

Q    Mr. President, how close are we to the ceasefire? 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  It’s in the hands of Hamas right now.  The — the Israelis have been cooperating.  There’s an offer out there that’s rational.  We don’t know what we’re — we’ll know in a couple days if it’s going to happen.  But we need the ceasefire.
 
Q    How close are we —
 
Q    (Inaudible) to the hostage deal?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I was just saying that.  The hostage deal is in the hands of Hamas right now —
 
Q    Okay.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  — because there’s been an offer — a rational offer.  The Israelis have agreed to it and — waiting to see what the — Hamas does.
 
Q    Do you think there will be a deal by Ramadan?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I — there’s got to be a ceasefire because Ramadan — if we get into a circumstance where this continues through Ramadan, Israel and Jerusalem (inaudible) — it could be very, very dangerous.  So, we’re looking — we’re trying hard for that ceasefire.
 
Q    Mr. President, what’s your message to Democrats who are concerned about your poll numbers?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  My poll numbers — the last five polls, you guys don’t report, I’m winning.  Five — five in a row.  You guys only look at the New York Times.  They’re a great paper.
 
Q    Can you get the Israelis to allow more aid into Gaza?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Pardon me?
 
Q    The Israelis, can you — are you pressuring them to get more aid into Gaza?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m working with them very hard.  We’re going to get more — we must get more aid into Gaza.  There’s no excuses.  None.
 
Q    And how is your relationship Netanyahu these days?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Like it’s always been.
 
Q    Sir?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Like it’s always been.
 
Q    Mr. President, what are you preparing for your State of the Union Address?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You’ll hear me on Thursday.  (Laughs.) 

All right.  Thank you all so very much.
 
END

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The White House

Thank you, Secretary Blinken. Tony – your steady presence, your vision and character, make you an incredible Secretary of State. Thank you for everything that you do.

Second Gentleman Emhoff – Doug – you show us how important it is to have men join this fight. You’re an advocate for women and girls, helping to lift up voices that need to be heard. And you’re the best Second Gentleman ever.

Thank you, Jen Klein and her team at the White House Gender Policy Council – the first of its kind – for their work advancing the rights of women and girls around the world.

And my gratitude to the State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, led by Ambassador Gupta, for their partnership.

A special welcome to the members of the Washington diplomatic corps.

And we have former Secretary Albright’s family with us. Alice, thank you for carrying forward her legacy.

Welcome to you all.

There is a kind of silence that hangs in the air around us, even in a crowded room.

It sits beneath the ordinary: the blurs of our conversations, between the rumble of car engines, and the pounding of rain.

It’s the silence of children lost to war and violence. Of men who no longer speak of their dreams – because they can’t picture a future ahead. Of women whose words are smothered by communities and governments who wish to hold them back. Who have wounds and spirits it will take time to mend. Who speak, but go unheard.

It’s the hush that falls when hope is hard to find – under an authoritarian thumb, when rights slip away. The silence that seems to swallow cries for justice, for freedom, for equality.

The women on this stage have refused to bend to that silence.

You’ve spoken out for yourselves – and for others in the face of fear and risk, and those who have tried to steal your voices away.

As I read your stories, I was struck by that inner strength each of you hold. A strength that you held onto, even as others hoped to censor you – hoped you would stay quiet. That helped you raise your voices, even when you were afraid. That helps you shout, even when you’re tired, and say: we cannot wait. We deserve more, now. Because change never happens on its own.

There is power in a community of women – in this community. Power when our voices come together. To hold each other up, even when we want to crumble, to heal one another, to share that inner strength. To create lasting change.

You’re giving others opportunities greater than what you had – standing behind that next generation of courageous women, so the confidence of girlhood can become the courage of womanhood. So your daughters and nieces and all the girls coming after never have to worry if their voices are too loud, never have to fear that their bodies won’t be their own, never have to shrink, so their brothers can swell.

Because of you, they will fill that silence with their ideas and their dreams. They will reach for the breadth of the world with joy that never extinguishes. Boldness that never wavers. Determination that only grows.

Together, we will keep chipping away at the quiet that haunts our world.

And while there may be those who wish for us to fall silent – we will never fall. Because the steepness of the struggle will not stop our ascent.

That’s why we lift you up today, so your great acts of courage can inspire others to perform their own – big and small. Your voices carry across oceans and continents. Calling to the women and girls who need to hear your stories. And to the men and boys who need to hear them too.
It’s a song of the future reverberating through us, so we too can speak out and be the seekers of justice, the defenders of freedom. Because our chorus can topple tyrants and demagogues, and shatter oppression.

Because your fight is all of our fight.

And we are stronger than any force that hopes to silence us.

Thank you.

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Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. 

1:31 P.M. EST

Q    Madam Vice President, you have a meeting coming up this afternoon.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yes, I do.

Q    What’s your message for Benny Gantz?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, we’re going to discuss a number of things in terms of the priorities that, certainly, we have, which includes getting a hostage deal done, getting aid in, and — and then getting that six-week ceasefire.

You know, the President and I have been very clear that Israel has a right to defend itself, that we have got to make sure that innocent civilians aren’t being killed, and that we’ve got to get these hostages out.  And that is one of the highest priorities right — that, right now, we have.

And, I’ll tell you, the President has been an extraordinary leader in getting us to this point that we have the six-week deal.  And so, Hamas needs to do its thing, as I talked about yesterday in Selma.

Q    Your remarks yesterday got a lot of attention because they were pretty sharp against Israel.  Is there any distance between you and President Biden on this issue?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  The President and I have been aligned and consistent from the very beginning.  Israel has a right to defend itself.  Far too many Palestinian civilians — innocent civilians have been killed.  We need to get more aid in.  We need to get the hostages out.  And that remains our position.

And I will tell you that it is important that we all understand that there — we’re in a window of time right now where we can actually get a hostage deal done.  We all want this conflict to end as soon as possible, and how it does matters.

So, thank you all.  Thank you.

                              END                 1:33 P.M. EST

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Edmund Pettus Bridge
Selma, Alabama 

2:50 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Can we give it up for Azali?  (Applause.)  Oh, indeed, our hopes and dreams are alive and well.

Good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon.  Please have a seat.

I’ll tell you, when I listen to Azali, I know the future of our country is bright.

So, it is so good to be back in Selma, and I want to say on behalf of the Second Gentleman and me, it is a privilege to be with so many extraordinary leaders — members of Congress, members of our administration, dedicated activists, and dear friends.

So, before I begin today, I must address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  (Applause.)  What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating.  We have seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed, women giving birth to malnourished babies with little or no medical care, and children dying from malnutrition and dehydration.

As I have said many times, too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.  And just a few days ago, we saw hungry, desperate people approach aid trucks, simply trying to secure food for their families after weeks of nearly no aid reaching Northern Gaza.  And they were met with gunfire and chaos.

Our hearts break for the victims of that horrific tragedy and for all the innocent people in Gaza who are suffering from what is clearly a humanitarian catastrophe.  (Applause.)

People in Gaza are starving.  The conditions are inhumane.  And our common humanity compels us to act.

As President Joe Biden said on Friday, the United States is committed to urgently get more lifesaving assistance to innocent Palestinians in need.

Yesterday, the Department of Defense carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian assistance, and the United States will continue these airdrops.  And we will work on a new route by sea to deliver aid.

And the Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid.  (Applause.)  No excuses.  They must open new border crossings.  They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid.  They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites, and convoys are not targeted.  And they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water, and fuel can reach those in need.

As I have said repeatedly since October 7th, Israel has a right to defend itself.  And President Joe Biden and I are unwavering in our commitment to Israel’s security. 

Hamas cannot control Gaza, and the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated.  Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that has vowed to repeat October 7th again and again until Israel is annihilated.

Hamas has shown no regard for innocent life, including for the people of Gaza, who have suffered under its rule for almost two decades.  And Hamas still holds dozens of hostages, for nearly 150 days now — innocent men and women, including American citizens, who were brutally taken from their homes and from a concert.

I will repeat: The threat of — Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated.  And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire — (applause) — for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.

This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in.  This would allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is more secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.  (Applause.)

Hamas claims it wants a ceasefire.  Well, there is a deal on the table.  And as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal.

Let’s get a ceasefire.  Let’s reunite the hostages with their families.  And let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.  (Applause.)

I will now address the occasion for our gathering today on this hallowed ground on the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where, 59 years ago, on a cold Sunday morning, 600 brave souls set out from Selma.

Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, they marched for the freedoms that were theirs by birth and theirs by right: the freedom to vote, the freedom to live without fear of violence or intimidation, the freedom to be full and equal members of our nation.

They marched peacefully.  They knew violence against them was inevitable.  They knew they would be surrounded by troopers with nightsticks.  They knew they might be trampled by horses.  Even so, they marched forward.  (Applause.)

But they were forced to retreat.  And yet, they would not be deterred, defeated, or denied.  And they returned to this bridge while many were still bound in bandages because they knew what was on the other side: a promise of a future that was more equal, more just, and more free. 

And yes, they crossed this bridge.  And in so doing, they also built a bridge.  They brought together white Americans, Black Americans, all sorts of Americans, and ministers and rabbis, and members of L- — SCLC and SNCC, and folks of all ages and backgrounds.  (Applause.)

And less than six months later, the Voting Rights Act of 1964 [1965] was signed into law.  The story of Selma — a story of our nation.  (Applause.)

Freedom is fundamental to the promise of America.  Freedom is not to be given.  It is not to be bestowed.  It is ours by right.  (Applause.)

And the power behind the promise of freedom has always been in the faith of her people and our willingness to fight for freedom, be it on the fields of Gettysburg, in the schools of Little Rock, on the streets of Ferguson, and on this bridge right here in Selma.  (Applause.)

And today, we know our fight for freedom is not over because, in this moment, we are witnessing a full-on attack on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms, starting with the freedom that unlocks all others: the freedom to vote.  The sacred freedom to vote.

Today, in states across our nation, extremists pass laws to ban drop boxes, limit early voting, and restrict absentee ballots.  In Georgia, extremists passed a law to even make it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to exercise their civic duty and right to vote.

I ask the friends here: Rev, whatever happened to “love thy neighbor”?  (Applause.)  The hypocrisy abounds. 

And do notice: The governor of Georgia signed that law on the 56th anniversary of this very march. 

Across our nation, extremists attack the integrity of free and fair elections, causing a rise of threats and violence against poll workers. 

In the face of these assaults on the freedom to vote and in honor of all those who crossed this bridge, President Biden and I will continue to demand that the United States Congress pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.  (Applause.)  The fight for freedom. 

Today, in states across our nation, extremists propose and pass laws that attack the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body — laws that would make no exception even for rape and incest. 

Here in Alabama, they attack the freedom to use IVF treatment.  Women and couples denied the ability to fulfill their dream of having a child. 

And consider the irony.  On the one hand, these extremists tell women they do not have the freedom to end an unwanted pregnancy.  And on the other hand, these extremists tell women they do not have the freedom to start a family. 

Let us agree: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body.  (Applause.) 

The fight for freedom — that every person in our nation has a right to be free from the horror of gun violence.  (Applause.)  And yet, today, these extremists stand by and refuse to pass reasonable gun safety laws to keep our children and places of worship safe. 

Freedom — that every person in our nation has a right to be free to love who they love openly and with pride.  (Applause.)  And yet, just this past year, extremists have passed or proposed hundreds of laws targeting LGBTQ people. 

Freedom — that every person in our nation has the freedom to learn and acknowledge our country’s true and full history.  (Applause.)  And yet, today, extremists pass book bans — book bans, in this year of our Lord 2024 — while they also try to erase, overlook, and rewrite the ugly parts of our past. 

Fundamental freedoms under assault.  The freedom to vote.  The freedom from fear, violence, and harm.  The freedom to learn.  The freedom to control one’s own body.  And the freedom to just simply be. 

And understand the profound impact these attacks have on the next generation of our leaders.  Just last fall, 15,000 young leaders joined me during my “Fight for Our Freedoms” college tour.  And, for them, these attacks on freedom are a lived experience. 

It is their lived experience that extremist leaders have intentionally closed polling places near college campuses and restricted the use of student IDs to vote, that it is Black voters and student voters who are most targeted by anti-voter laws.  (Applause.)

A lived experience that during the height of their reproductive years, the highest court in our land — the court of Thurgood and RBG — took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America so that, now, this generation has fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. 

Their lived experience that from kindergarten to 12th grade, they have consistently had to endure active-shooter drills while extremists refuse to pass universal background checks, red flag laws, and an assault weapons ban.  (Applause.)

Our young leaders — well, they are cleareyed about what’s at stake.  And in the spirit of a young John Lewis, I know they too will not be deterred, they will not be defeated, and they will not be denied. 

So, Selma, the challenges we currently face are not unlike the challenges faced by those 600 brave souls 59 years ago.  And in this moment, we too, then, are confronted with a fundamental question: What kind of country do we want to live in? 

Do we want to live in a country of freedom, liberty, and justice — or a country of injustice, hate, and fear?

We each have the power to answer that question with our voice, with our feet, and with our vote. 

I’ll close by sharing with you: In my West Wing office in the White House — (applause) — yeah, that’s where I work — (applause) — I hung a piece of artwork that is the first thing I see when I walk into my office in the morning.  It’s a large framed photograph taken on Bloody Sunday depicting an injured Amelia Boynton receiving care at the foot of this very bridge.  And, for me, it is a daily reminder of the struggle, of the sacrifice, and of how much we owe to those who gave so much before us. 

History is a relay race.  Generations before us carried the baton.  And now, they have passed it to us. 

So, let us continue to organize.  Let us continue to fight.  And let’s us make some good trouble along the way.  (Applause.)  

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

                               END                 3:07 P.M. EST

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South Lawn

5:59 P.M. EST
 
Q    Mr. President, when do airdrops in Gaza start?
 
Q    Do you think there will be a ceasefire deal by Ramadan?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m hoping so.  We’re still working real hard at it.  We’re not there yet.
 
Q    What is — what is the biggest hold-up right now?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m not going to tell you that because that would get involved in the negotiations.
 
Q    Mr. President, is it time to — is it time to have talks on Ukraine — to speak to President Putin about Ukraine to maybe get the peace talks?  Is it a good time —
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Speak to Putin?
 
Q    Yeah.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  About Ukraine?
 
Q    Why are you waiting to take executive action on the border?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Because we need more forces on the border.  I don’t have the authority to do that.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
Q    Do you trust Israel to investigate what happened yesterday?  Do you trust — do you trust Israel will investigate what happened yesterday?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Yes.
 
Q    When will — when can we expect the first airdrops into Gaza?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m not positive.  I think very soon.
 
Q    Will you be seeing Benny Gantz this weekend, sir?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No.
 
Q    Are you still confident you can get a ceasefire by Monday?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No, I was just saying: It looks like we’re still — it’s not there yet.  I think — I think we’ll get there, but it’s not there yet.  And I’m not — and it may not get there now.
 
Q    Will you speak to Netanyahu about yesterday’s attack?  Will you speak to Netanyahu about yesterday’s attack?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I will speak to yesterday’s attack.
 
Q    Speaker — Speaker Johnson has accused you of lying repeatedly about your interactions with your son and brother’s business partners.  What’s your re- — response to him?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Tell him to read the record of every single witness.  These guys got to stop this stuff.
 
Q    But you did interact with their partners.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I did not interact with their partners.
 
Q    You didn’t have dinner or lunch and coffee?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No.
 
Q    Mr. President, so, you think there may never be a ceasefire negotiation?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m still hoping for it.  You know, it’s not over until it’s over.
 
Q    What still needs to happen (inaudible)?  What still needs to happen in negotiations?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  What has — there has to be an agreement on the timing.  And they’re still far apart.
 
Thank you.
 
6:01 P.M. EST
 

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Oval Office

2:01 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Prime Minister Meloni, thank you for being here again. And I have to admit to you, as she walked in the door — we’re good friends — and I played Ray Charles’s “Georgia” as she walked in the door. Now, most of you don’t know Ray Charles’s “Georgia,” but anyway.

Look, Italy and the United States are strong allies and really close friends. And as you said when we first met here in the Oval, Giorgia, that we have each other’s backs. And we do. And you’ve demonstrated that from the moment you took office.

And we also have Ukraine’s back. That’s why I’m urging the House of Representatives to pass the legislation that allows us to, in a bipartisan way, continue to support Ukraine now. They need the security bill now. And the bill includes funding for Ukraine so we can help keep Putin from — his onslaught from succeeding in Ukraine.

And I want to thank you, Giorgia, for Italy’s unwavering support for Ukraine and your leadership at the G7 this year.

Today, also, we’re going to discuss the Middle East and yesterday’s tragic and alarming event in North Gaza trying to get humanitarian assistance in there. And the loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid in.

And we need to do more, and the United States will do more. In the coming days, we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of — of additional food and supplies into Ukraine [Gaza] and seek to continue to open up other avenues into Ukraine [Gaza], including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance.

In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we’re going to — we’re going to insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the — the help they need. No excuses. Because the truth is: Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now. It’s nowhere nearly enough.

Innocent lives are on the line and children’s lives are on the line, and we won’t stand by and let — until they — until we get more aid in there. We — we should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.

And I won’t stand by, we won’t let up, and we’re not going to pull out — trying to pull out every stop we can to get more assistance in.

So, and here’s the deal. We’ve been working, and hopefully we’ll know shortly. And I know you’ve been informed: We’re trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas on the hostages being returned and — and immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks and — and to allow the surge of aid through the entire Gaza Strip — not just the south but the entire Gaza Strip.

And so, Giorgia, we have a lot to discuss today. Not — and then we’ll talk about everything from China on. But I’m happy you’re here and delighted to — that you came back. I know you’re on your way to Canada, right?

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: Yeah.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Good. Well, the floor is yours, Madam.

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: Well, I’m delighted to be here today in my capacity as the G7 chair, and I look forward, Joe, to hosting you in Puglia next June for the Leaders’ Summit. I’m working on a concrete and substantial G7 Summit.

We intend, first and foremost, to reaffirm the rules-based international order, defending freedom and building peace for Ukraine. And in doing this, I think we need to tackle the narrative that wants the West against the rest.

So, the dialogue — our dialogue within the G7, within the Global South is essential.

The crisis in Middle East is of the utmost concern. We need to coordinate our actions in order to avoid an escalation. And in this regard, we do fully support the U.S. mediation efforts.

The humanitarian crisis is our number one — number one priority. Italy is concentrating its contribution on these. Meanwhile, we are cooperating with all regional actors that must be part of any future outcome.

We should work together on concrete steps to guarantee the two-state perspective, which is the only long-term, sustainable solution.

And then the Houthis’ attack on commercial vessels that endanger freedom of navigation in the Red Sea are unacceptable. EU naval operation Aspides, this — as you know, is under Italian tactical command, is an important response to the disruption of transit through the Red Sea.

Then, building on Italy’s role in the Mediterranean, the G7 will pay special attention also to the African continent. We’ve been discussing it for — many times. But I think we have to remember that Africa is not a poor continent; it is, on the contrary, incredibly rich in human and material resources. But it has been neglectic [sic] and — neglected and exploited with a predatory approach for a long time. And I want to reverse this approach, together with you, which is also a root cause of the migration crisis.

We need to support Africa’s development on an equal basis and put an end to illegal migration while fighting human trafficking. Human trafficking has become the most financially rewarding crime globally, and we cannot accept it no — any longer.

For this reason, I came here today also with a proposal to launch a global alliance against human traffickers.

The G7 will discuss artificial intelligence as well. AI is a means. It can be a good or a bad one; it depends on our capacity to govern it, to tackle the risks and the impact it can — the impact it can have, for example, on the labor market.

We want to develop AI, but, also, we want to be certain that it remains human-centered.

And then, last but not least, I came here to boost our strategic cooperation. And our relations are enriched by the presence of more than 20 million Italian Americans.

During our last meeting here in Washington, we said we wanted to improve our bilateral cooperation and our trade, and we did it. For in 2023, our bilateral trade reached the highest amount ever with 1- — $102 billion of exchange.

So, I think we did a good job, but I also think that we can do even better. And I hope this will be our mutual goal for this year.

Thank you, Joe.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, it is. And I — I tried to help; I married an Italian American.

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: (Laughs.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN: So, thank you all very much.

2:11 P.M. EST

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Ella West Gallery
Durham, North Carolina

12:59 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, Wally.

Let me first start by thanking the governor, Roy Cooper.  Many of you know, he and I served as attorneys general together many years ago.  So, I have known the governor’s work for a very long time.  And you’ve been an extraordinary partner to the President and me, leading this beautiful state of North Carolina.

And the governor, I think, every time I arrive in North Carolina as Vice President, has met me on the tarmac.  And he is keeping track of my visits and has informed me this is my 10th visit to North Carolina as Vice President.  And — and I’m really happy to be back. 

And I want to thank the Deputy Secretary, because we have done a lot of work together.  And you are always fighting for the people in a very real way, understanding the connection between access to opportunity and growth. 

And that is real, because it also understands that not everyone has access to opportunity.  But when provided with access, the talent is there, the capacity is there, the drive is there, the ambition is there, and growth and economic growth results. 

So, that is the math, in terms of what we are talking about.  It is about meeting the capacity of communities with the resources that are necessary to strengthen our economy.  And we all benefit from that work.  We all benefit from an economy that is strong. 

So, I want to take ev- — I want to thank everybody here, including all of the investors who have really — I — I was so happy to share your stories and — and to know about your passion and your commitment and your drive and — and your high level of expectation that you are also meeting with the resources that are necessary to grow and incentivize these businesses. 

And to be here on historic Black Wall Street — this district in Durham is really — it’s — it — actually, I — I just stand here thinking of what has happened here over the years, both in terms of the strength of the community and then the challenges and the obstacles that were presented to this community, but how it has rebounded in such an extraordinary way.

And as the governor has said, over the past three years, the President and I have been very intentional about the work that we are doing to invest in communities in many ways, including through small businesses. 

Thus far, we have invested more than $3 billion in the entrepreneurs and small businesses here in North Carolina.  And that investment has included billions of dollars in small business loans for thousands of small businesses in North Carolina. 

And I want to emphasize: When I say small businesses, I am including in that group entrepreneurs, those who have extraordinary ideas, often that involve technology, with an eye towards what we need to do with the climate crisis and things of that nature; startups. 

We have, through those $3 billion, also invested hundreds of millions of dollars for North Carolina Community Banks, building on the work, as the Deputy Secretary said, that I did as a senator when we invested over $12 billion nationally in community banks.  And the investment in community banks here in Durham includes 8- — $80 million for M&F Bank just down the street.

The investment of $3 billion also includes millions of dollars from the Economic Opportunity Coalition that I launched in 2022.  And this is, again, testament to the leaders who are here who are private-sector investors and are matching and working with us through federal investments to reach a capacity that is extraordinary in terms of pooling together these federal dollars with these private investments. 

And I would like to thank them, because it has been a coalition of groups that include nonprofits, banks, and technology companies who have all worked with us and worked with our administration once we created this coalition to, again, maximize the resources that can go to communities like this. 

And that brings me, then, to today, where we are announcing a new investment of $92 million primarily for early-stage startups here in North Carolina.  (Applause.) 

And we’re very excited about it because this is just further testament to the capacity is — that is here that is calling for this kind of attention and these resources.  It is testament to the innovation that is occurring right here and the need, then, for us to, from Washington, D.C., understand how the nation benefits when we show the capacity of communities when they receive this kind of support and investment.  And we are talking about clean energy companies, we are talking about AI, we are talking about technology companies in general. 

And this is in addition to the 32 — so, the $32 million from the President and — and my administration — the President and our administration matched by $60 million from private sector venture capital partners, some of whom, again, are here today. 

And separately, many here may know, the President and I, from the beginning of our administration, made a pledge, which we are on track to meet, to increase by 50 percent federal contracts going to minority-owned businesses. 

This is consistent — (applause) — with everything that is about the work that we are announcing today, in that we understand that, traditionally, minority-owned businesses have received a fraction of federal contracts — often because the relationships are not there; the access, therefore, is not there; but the talent exists. 

And so, our pledge to increase by 50 percent federal contracts going to minority-owned businesses is an acknowledgement of the fact that we must be intentional when we think about: Where are the greatest returns on investment? 

And ultimately, yes, this is about the right thing to do.  It is a good thing to do.  But ultimately, it makes economic and financial sense for us to do this work.  Because the bottom line — and yes, the bottom line, I speak in economic terms — is that this produces an extraordinary return on investment. 

And that is, as much as any other reason, why we are doing this work together with our partners. 

So, again, I want to thank everyone for your leadership, for the inspiration, and for the model that Durham is providing for the rest of the country around these kinds of partnerships.  Thank you all.  (Applause.)  

                               END                 1:07 P.M. EST

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3:41 P.M. CST

THE PRESIDENT:  Again, thank you.  And as my mother would say, please excuse my back.  I apologize.  (Laughter.)

Hello, folks.  Good afternoon.  Before we start, I’d like to say a few words about the devastating wildfires that are scorching the Texas Panhandle and northwest Oklahoma.

You know, yesterday, one of the biggest fire events in Texas history, with more than 1 million — more than 1 million acres of Texas land burned.

From the start, I directed my team to do everything possible to help protect the people and the communities threatened by these fires.

In response to specific requests from the — made from the state, we already have more than 500 federal personnel here working on fire su- — suppression.  That includes the deployment of 100 federal firefighters — and more are on the way — as well as dozens of dir- — of additional fire engines, air tankers, small planes, helicopters to help fight the flames.

And FEMA has already guaranteed that Texas and Oklahoma will be reimbursed for the costs of keeping folks safe.

And we’re grateful for the brave first responders risking their lives to save others. 

And we urge — we urge folks to listen to the warnings from the local officials.  Listen to them.

I’ve flown over a lot of these wildfires since I’ve been President.  As a matter of fact, I’ve — in a helicopter in the West to the Southwest, in the Northwest — flown over more landed burned to the ground — all the vegetation gone — than the entire state of Maryland in square footage. 

The idea there’s no such thing as climate change — I love that, man.  I love some of my neanderthal friends who still think there’s no climate change.

Well, my administration is going to keep building on the progress we’ve made fighting climate crisis.  And we’re going to keep — help folks rebuild themselves in the wake of these disasters. 

And we rebuild to the standards that are up — the up-to-date standards and building codes and the rest.  Because a lot of — if you fly over these areas that are burned to the ground, you’ll see, in the midst of 20 homes that are just totally destroyed, one home sitting there because it had the right roof on it.

And, anyway, since I took office, FEMA has provided Texas alone over $13 billion — $13 billion in three years in disaster relief after fires and winter storms across the state. 

And when disasters strike, there’s no red state or blue state where I come from.  There are just communities and families looking for help.

So, we’re standing with everyone — everyone affected by these wildfires.  And we’re going to continue to help you respond and recover.

Now, turning to the purpose of my visit.

I want to thank Congressman Gonzalez.  Where — there you are, pal.  I thanked him — (applause) — I thanked him for the passport into his district, but he’s been a great partner.

Also want to thank Mayor C- — Mayor — Mayor Cowen for his partnership.

And I want to thank County Judge Trevino — I — for over 30 — and over the 30 local officials who have joined us here today.  No one — no one works harder for a safe, secure border than all of you.

And Secretary Mayorkas has joined us today.  And he is joined by seven mayors in cities and towns across South Texas.  Four county judges here from across the state.  I told the county judge that I used to be a county official.  It’s the hardest job in American politics.  You know why?  They think you can do everything, and you don’t have the budget.  So, any rate.  (Laughter.)

But — and the two leaders from the Texas legislature — State House Leader Trey is here — Trey Martinez Fischer — and the State Senate Leader Carol Alvadaro [Alvarado].

And — hey, look, and all the other local officials that are here today, I want to say thanks. 

Folks, it’s real simple.  It’s time to act.  It’s long past time to act. 

I just received a briefing from the Border Patrol at the border as well as immigration and enforcement and asylum officers.  And they’re all doing incredible work under really tough conditions — really tough conditions.  They each told me what they re- — what — what you already know and we already know: They desperately need more resources.  I’ll say it again: They desperately need more resources.  They need more agents, more officers, more judges, more equipment in order to secure our border.

Folks, it’s time for us to move on this.  We can’t wait any longer. 

Folks, on my first day as President, I introduced a bill I sent to Congress: a comprehensive plan to fix the broken immigration system and to secure the border.  But no action was taken.

Then months ago, my team began a serious negotiation on a bipartisan group of senators — Democrat — leading conservative Republicans and Dem- — progressive Democrats — and it resulted in a compromise bill.  It’s the toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen in this country.

It’s pretty basic.  With this deal, we could hire 1,500 additional border security agents — 1,500 additional off- — and officers and between ports of entry. 

For the past four years, staffing has been roughly that — flat — just flat.  Agents working overtime, spending long hours patrolling the border, making major sacrifices.  And I know it takes a big toll on them and their families.

That’s why, in December, I signed a bill finally getting Border Patrol agents — what I’ve been pushed by and reminded by the congressman — overtime pay they deserve.  They’re finally getting overtime pay.  I — I mean, it’s ridiculous it took this long.  It was long past time, and I was proud to do it.  But we need to do more.

It’s time to step up.  It’s time to step up and provide them with significantly more personnel and capability.   

We also need more immigration judges to help handle the backlog.  There are 2 million cases — a backlog of 2 million cases.  This bipartisan deal would provide funding for a hundred more immigration judges immediately.

It would also establish new, efficient, and fair process for the government to consider asylum claims for those arriving at our border.

Today, the process to get a decision on an asylum claim takes five to seven years.  Now, you all know it down here, but the people around the country don’t understand it.  That’s far too long.  They come in.  You say — you say, “I have a credible fear,” and — and we’ve changed that standard to make it hard- — we want to change to make it harder.  And what happens?  You say, “Well, okay.  You can come in the country, but come back in five to seven years, maybe as many as eight years, and you could get a hearing from — before a judge to determine whether you can stay.”

This will encourage more people — this encourages more people to come to the country.  If they get by the first, they got another five, seven, eight years before they have to do anything because they know they cannot handle the caseloads quickly and they’ll be able to stay in this country in the meantime. 

With new policies in this bill and the addition of 4,300 additional asylum officers, we’ll be able to reduce that process to less than six months.  That would have a serious deterrent effect on those coming north.

When — when the criminal gangs say, “We’ll get you north, but it’s 8,000 bucks,” you say, “Now, wait, let me get this straight: I’m going to go north.  It’s going to cost me six, eight” — probably closer to eight, I guess — “thousand dollars, equivalent, and I’m going to get there, and in six months, they may be able to get rid of me.”  And I don’t know, man.  Six months, seven years — two different things.

A person who’s thinking about entering the United States understands the case is to be decided in a few weeks or months instead of five to seven years, they’re less likely to come in the first place.  They’re not going to pay the cartels thousands of dollars to make that journey knowing that it’ll be turned around quickly.

Look, and we also need more cutting-edge inspection machines to detect and stop fentanyl from entering the United States of America.

A year ago, I stood at a border in El Paso and I watched these machines at work.  They were able to detect everything from fentanyl to weapons to people being smuggled in cargo containers.  This — this compromise bill would provide an additional $4- — $3- — $424 million for 100 more of these machines and could save lives in the process.

This compromise legislation would also give me as president or any — the next president emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border between ports of entry when the numbers of immigrants and migrants — excuse me — overwhelm the border, starting — straining the Border Patrol’s ability to process them.

At the same time, at our legal ports of entry, like here in Brownsville, we’re making investments in infrastructure.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is going to provide nearly 4 billion new dollars to boost security, to ease waiting times at land ports of entry like Brownsville.

And I want to thank you again, Congressman Gonzalez, for helping me get that through and get that passed and — as the law.  That you get the money for the — for example, that’s how you got the money for the Gateway Bridge from that fund.

Folks, the bipartisan border security deal is a win for the American people, and it’s a win for the people of Texas.  And it’s fair for those who legitimately have a right to come here to begin with.  It’s a win for the people of Brownsville.

And I believe that’s why the Border Patrol union endorsed it.  I believe that’s why the national Chamber of Commerce — the national Chamber of Commerce endorsed it — not known as a Democratic organization, with a capital “D.” 

Look, and that’s why the Wall Street Journal endorsed it as well.  This is a truly bipartisan initiative.  That’s why the bipartisan South Texas Alliance of Cities endorsed it.

Folks, I didn’t get — I didn’t get everything I wanted in that compromise bipartisan bill, but neither did anybody else.  Compromise is part of the process.  That’s how democracy works.  That’s how it’s supposed to work.  Compromise is a very positive step on a critical issue for the country — all those issues for the country.

And folks here in Brownsville and all along the border know that.  We need to have their backs — your backs.

I want the people to understand clearly what happened here.  This bill was in the United States Senate.  It was on its way to being passed.  Then, it was derailed by rank-and-file polit- — rank partisan politics.

The U.S. Senate needs to reconsider this bill.  And those senators who opposed it need to set politics aside and pass it on the merits, not on whether it’s going to benefit one party or benefit the other party.  It’s about whether it benefits the American people.  That’s what the American people deserve.

And the Speaker of the House needs to put this bill on the floor, because if he put it on the floor unrestricted, it would pass.  The majority of Democrats and Republicans in both houses support this legislation — until someone came along and said, “Don’t do that; it’ll benefit the incumbent.”  That’s a hell of a way to do business in America for such a serious problem.

We need to act.  It’s time for the Speaker and some of my Republican friends in Congress who are blocking this bill to show a little spine.  Pass the Bipartisan Bor- — Bipartisan — remember, Bipart- — conservative leaders supported this — Border Security bill.

Let’s remember who we work for, for God’s sake.  We work for the American people.

Let me end with this.  I understand my predecessor is in Eagle Pass today.  So, here’s what I would say to Mr. Trump: Instead of playing politics with the issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me — or I’ll join you — in telling the Congress to pass this Bipartisan Border Security bill.  We can do it together.

You know and I know it’s the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen.  So, instead of playing politics with the issue, why don’t we just get together and get it done? 

And let’s remember who the heck we work for.  We work for the American people, not the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.  We work for the American people. 

And let’s remember who we are.  We’re the United States of America.  No, I mean this.  Think about this.  There’s nothing — nothing beyond our capacity — nothing — when we work together.  And of all things we should be working together on, it’s this.  And we have the formula to get it done.

God bless you all.  And may God protect our Border Patrol.  And God protect our troops.

Now I’d like to turn this over to Secretary Mayorkas.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

3:53 P.M. CST

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South Lawn

10:16 A.M. EST
 
Q    Do you expect a ceasefire by Monday, sir?  Do you still expect a ceasefire is possible by Monday, sir?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Hope springs eternal.
 
Q    And what is —
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I was on the telephone with the people in the region.  I’m still — probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
Q    What is your reaction (inaudible) in Gaza City?  More than a hundred civilians were killed.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I just — we’re checking that out right now.  But two — there’s two competing versions of what happened.  I don’t have an answer yet.
 
Q    Are you worried that will complicate these negotiations?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I know it will.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
Q    Mr. President, the Alabama ruling.  I want to ask you about the Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church said that IVF is immoral and wrong because it destroys countless human embryos.  What do you say to that?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t agree with that position.
 
10:17 A.M. EST

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State Dining Room

1:59 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Chief White, thank you for that introduction. 

And, you know, every day, you and your fellow officers put on that shield, walk out the door, and your families worry about receiving that phone call.  But thank you for your service and, I mean this sincerely, your sacrifice and the sacrifice of that of your family.  It’s not just you — your families as well. 

And thanks to the law enforcement and community leaders here today who have helped bring down violent crime rates in their cities to historic lows. 

That’s right.  We’re — we’re about to talk about what’s going to happen now.  You know, you just heard from the chief, and they salute these cities who are making historic progress here. 

Last year, the United States had one of the lowest rates of all violent crime — of all violent crimes in more than 50 years.  Murder, rape — murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery all dropped sharply, along with burglary, property crime, and theft.  And it matters.

As President, public safety — public safety and crime reduction is a top priority for my administration and for me.  And it has been for a long time, back when I was chairman of the Judiciary Committee.  

You know, since day one, my administration has been working with law enforcement, mayors, and community leaders to do what we know works to keep people and communities safe. 

As was referenced, during the pandemic, states and cities saw violent crime rising, and their budgets were strained as they faced deep cuts in law enforcement and public safety.  But we stepped up.

Thanks to my American Rescue Plan, which I might note not a single person on the other team voted for, we provided $350 billion — $350 billion that was available to deal with these issues.  You know, and the fact is that we find ourselves — they could use it to — this money to keep law enforcement on the beat and communities safe from violence. 

We invested $15 billion — $15 billion to make their communities safer, and we added billions more in grants to help.  The Justice Department invested in law enforcement and community violence interruption programs.

Because of the American Rescue Plan, we have the largest federal investment of fighting crime and preventing violent crime in any time in our history.  And that’s a big deal.

You know, we’re — we know being in law enforcement is harder than ever.  But — and we expect you to be everything to everybody.  That’s why we’ve invested in more crisis responders who work alongside police officers — as Chief said, mental health and social workers — to respond to non-violent crimes as well. 

More investments in recruiting, retaining, and training officers.  More investments in violence prevention to get guns off the streets. 

And on top of that, we’re hiring more U.S. attorneys, recruiting more U.S. marshals, and investing in more technology and training to clear the court backlogs, solve murders, and deal with apprehending violent fugitives. 

And we’re also working hard to ensure bonds of trust between officers and the people you all serve.  My budget calls for more officers on the street trained in community policing, walking the beat, working hard hand in hand with community leaders and partners and public — to gain public trust and advance public safety.

The chiefs in this room know that when their communities trust the police, we can solve a hell of a lot more crimes a hell of a lot faster. 

That’s why I signed the historic executive order to advance executive [effective] and accountable community policing, and it’s very effective so far.  You know, and I’m going to continue to call on Congress to pass the George Floyd Policing and Justice — the Justice in Policing Act so we can make police reform the law of the land.

We’ve also made historic investments in proven strategies to interrupt and prevent crime and violence in the first place.  These programs use trusted messengers, including people — people who are in the neighborhood, people who have — have been incarcerated and are released now, people who have been through it, people who know what they’re talking about. 

And we have a track record of reducing violent crime, as a consequence of that, by 30 to 60 percent where those programs exist.

And finally, my plan goes after the scourge of gun violence in America.  I’ve taken more executive actions to stop the flow of illegal guns than any other administration in history.  And we beat the NRA when I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years. 

And we’re going to finish the job.  We’re going to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines next time around because it has to be done. 

I formed the — the first-ever White House Gun Violence — White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and I thank Vice President Harris for overseeing this important effort. 

Let me close with this.  Our plan is working, but we still have much more to do, as everyone at this table knows.  And that’s why we’re here today. 

My administration is going to choose progress over politics, and communities across the country are safer as a result of that policy.  There is no greater responsibility than to ensure the safety of families, children, communities, and our nation. 

And with that, I want to turn this over to Neera Tanden, my Domestic Policy Advisor, and we’ll get this discussion going.  Okay?  Thank you.  (Applause.)

(Cross-talk.) 

MS. TANDEN:  Thank you.  I would like to invite the press to exit before we start our discussion.

(Cross-talk.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Louder.  Louder.  Can’t hear you.

MS. TANDEN:  I would like — (laughs).

(Cross-talk.)

Q    Mr. President, how did — how did your physical go today?  Are you okay?  Everything good?

THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  Everything is squared away.

Q    Anything concerning that Americans should know about, about your health?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, they think I look too young.  (Laughter.) 

Q    They think you look too young?  How —

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

No, there is nothing different than last year.

Q    Everything is great?

THE PRESIDENT:  Everything is great.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    What about on McConnell stepping down? 

Q    On McConnell stepping down?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m sorry to see McConnell step down.  He and I — I trusted him.  We’ve had a great relationship.  We fight like hell, but he never, never, never misrepresents anything.  I’m sorry to hear of him stepping down.

Thank you.

2:06 P.M. EST

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Indian Treaty Room
Eisenhower Executive Office Building

4:37 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  And, again, I want to thank all of the leaders who have convened this afternoon for the work that you continue to do.

For so many of us, and certainly for you, this is a life calling to do the work that is about upholding fundamental principles, about democracy, the importance of all people being able to express their voice in every way, including through their vote. 

There is so much about our work that we do together that really is grounded in also, I think, a common belief in the importance of self-determination and the connection between that and the right that people have to be able to express their civic duty in every way, including through their ability — unfettered ability to vote.

So, I want to thank you all.  We have often discussed that voting is a fundamental freedom that unlocks all the other freedoms.  And last month, many of us got together in the state of Georgia to address the threats to that sacred freedom. 

And so, today we gather to lay out a four-part strategy to protect the freedom to vote.  The first part is the work that the President and I have done to charge every federal agency to do all they can to make sure that every American has the information that they need to know how they can vote when they are eligible. 

And so, I can now announce as — as a follow-up to that charge that the — that HHS, Health and Human Services, will start emailing information on how to register to vote to everyone who enrolls in the ACA, the Affordable Care Act.  And last year, we had 21 million people.  So, we’re talking about a significant number of people.

The first email was actually sent last Friday.  The Social Security Administration will display signs from Vote.gov.  I’ll repeat that for those who are not in the room: Vote.gov.  And they will have that information in all Social Security offices, which are approximately 1,200 offices around the country which receive, on an annual basis, about 6 million visitors.

The Department of the Interior will participate in that the national parks will display Vote.gov information at park entrances and visitors centers. 

So, these are some examples of how our administration and the President and I have been able to — to charge federal agencies with doing the work that they rightly can do to inform the American people of their right to vote.

Second, we have been doing work to promote voter participation for students.  And, for example, we have — under the federal work study program, now allow students to get paid, through federal work study, to register people and to be nonpartisan poll workers. 

As we know, this important for a number of reasons.  One, to engage our young leaders in this process and activate them in terms of their ability to — to strengthen our communities.  But also, this is the work that we need to do knowing that so many poll workers have left this work for a variety of reasons that we will also discuss.

Third, we are doing work on behalf of our administration to protect election workers, which is obviously connected with the previous point that I made. 

In recent years, we have seen attacks on the integrity of elections.  We have seen those who would loudly attempt to interfere in the lawful votes of the American people and attempt to question the integrity of a fair and free election system.  We have seen a rise in threats against poll workers.  I, in fact, met some recently in Georgia who had harrowing experiences in terms of how they were threatened — their — their well-being, as well as their livelihood.

We have, to that end — in terms of protecting elections workers — through the Department of Justice, created the Elections Threats Taskforce, which has held over 100 events to train local officials to protect election workers.

My Chief Counsel, Erica Songer — where are you, Erica?  There she is — can share contact information at the Department of Justice for all those who might want to make sure that they have all the information that they would need to do their important work.

Fourth, we are continuing with all of the leaders here and with all the other work with the leaders here to fight voter suppression laws.  States across our nation, as we know, have been passing anti-voter laws.  The Department of Justice has challenged laws that discriminate, such as in Georgia and Texas.  And, again, Erica can provide the folks at this table with points of contacts if you have further information that the Department of Justice may need to do its important work in that regard.

And then, of course, many of us will be in Selma on Sunday to commemorate Bloody Sunday, to remember the great John Lewis and Amelia Boynton and so many others, and to issue a call, yet again, for Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

And so, this is some of the work that we will continue to do.

And I’m also pleased to announce today that we will declare three national days of action, together with the leaders here, where we can continue to do our work that is about uplifting communities, strengthening coalitions, strengthening communities around their power and ability to lead in their own communities.

And so, those three national days of action for voting will be Juneteenth, the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and, of course, National Voter Registration Day.  And I look forward to working with all the leaders here and — and others around the country to organize folks around these three days, in addition to what happens every day.

So, with that, I thank you all again.  I look forward to this conversation.

I’m now going to turn it over to the great Neera Tanden to moderate our conversation.

END                  4:44 P.M. EST

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11:43 A.M. EST
 
THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  Well, thank you all for being here.
 
Look, I want to thank the leaders for being here today.  We got a lot of work to do.  We got to figure out how we’re going to keep funding the government, which is an important problem, an important solution we need to find.  And I think we can do that.
 
And — and Ukraine — I think the need is urgent.  I hope we get to speak to that a little bit.  And I think the consequence of inaction every day in Ukraine are dire.  I’ve been speaking to some of our — our G7 partners.  And you just got back, Chuck.
 
LEADER SCHUMER:  I did.  I did.  Yeah.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  They’re very concerned.
 
And — and also, we need to — we — we need to — in terms of the supplemental, we need to deal with the Israeli portion.  But that also contains a significant portion having to do with humanitarian assistance into the Palestinian area, which I think is important.
 
And we have to replenish the air defenses for Israel, and we have to work on making sure they don’t face the threat from — they can face the threat from the — from what’s going on in the Middle East, not just from Hamas but from Iran.
 
And so — and government funding, I’m sure you guys had all — that all taken care of.  But all kidding aside, I think that it’s Congress’s responsibility to fund the government.  We got to get about doing it.  A shutdown would damage the economy significantly, and I think we all agree to that.  And we need bipartisan solutions.
 
So, I want to hear from the group.  And I want to hear from all of you here.  So, thank you all for coming.  And that’s what we’re going to be talking about.  Thank you.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
We’ll get a chance to talk afterwards.
 
11:45 A.M. EST          

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Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
New York, New York

(February 26, 2024)

5:32 P.M. EST
 
Q    Mr. President — Mr. President, you’re heading to the border on Thursday.  Why go to the border now, Mr. President?  You’re going on Thursday.  Why go now?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’ve been planning to go Thursday.  What I didn’t know is my good friend, apparently, is going. 
 
Q    And will you meet with migrants while you’re there, Mr. President?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’m not going to announce ahead of time.  Secret Service doesn’t like me announcing exactly what I’m going to do.
 
(Cross-talk.)
 
Q    Can you give us a sense of when you think that ceasefire will start, sir?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I hope by the beginning of the weekend — I mean the end of the weekend.  
 
At least, my —
 
Q    Say again.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  My National Security Advisor tells me that we’re close.  We’re close.  It’s not done yet.  And my hope is by next Monday, we’ll have a ceasefire.
 
5:34 P.M. EST

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State Dining Room

7:40 P.M. EST
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you, Gov.  I — I may be the only Irishman you ever met that’s never had a drink.  And my grandfather used to say, “Joey, if you toast with anything other than alcohol, you got to use your left hand.”  (Laughter.) 
 
Folks, Governor Cox, Governor Polis, and everyone — to all the family members that are here — and thank you, (inaudible), for being here tonight.  Appreciate it very much. 
 
You know, let me just say that we have a — we have a — a lot to do together.  The thing that makes me feel good about having the governors here is there is still the tradition of doing things together.  We fight like hell.  We make sure that we get our points across.  But at the end of the day, we know who we work for.  The objective is to get things done. 
 
And, you know, standing here in front of this portrait of the man behind me here, he — he said — and I want to make sure I get the quote exactly right.  He said, “We — the better angels” — he said, “We must address the counsel — and adjust the better angels of our nature.”  And we do the — and we do well to remember what else he said.  He said, “We’re not enemies, but [we’re] friends.”  This is in the middle of — this is in the — in the part of the Civil War.  He said, “We’re not enemies, but [we’re] friends.  We must not be enemies.” 
 
Folks — and I’ve been around.  I know I don’t look it.  I’ve been around a long while though.  (Laughter.)  And — and I mean this sincerely, we’ve gotten — politics has gotten too bitter — Democrats and Republicans.  Politics has gotten too personally — and it just is — it’s just not like it was. 
 
And, by the way, I served in times when we had very, very starnch — staunch differences.  I mean, there were incredible differences, but we always — not always, but the vast majority of the time, we looked out for a compromise when the end of the — when the end of the day came. 
 
And, you know, it seems to me that — I’ll conclude by saying, I — I’ve spent a lot of time with Xi Jinping — someone whom I have a great deal of difference with.  And I was — when I was vice president, President — my — my president was — told me that he wanted me to get to know Xi Jinping because it was clear he was going to be the head of Russia — of — of China and that he — we had a — we were having problems with Russia at the time and other countries as well.  And so, what he said was, “Get to know him.  He’s going to be there.”  I — and he couldn’t because he was the president, and he couldn’t travel.  So, I traveled 17,000 miles with him throughout the country — our country and — and in — in China, as well. 
 
We were in the Tibetan Plateau.  And he turned to me, and he said, “Can you define America for me?”  And I — given this has been documented, and it’s real — I looked at him, and I said, “Yes, I can.  In one word.”  And he looked at me.  And he said, “What’s that?”  And I said, “Possibilities.”  Possibilities. 
 
Here is to possibilities. 
 
(President Biden offers a toast.)
 
Possibilities, because there’s so — I have never been more optimistic in my life about the prospects of what we can do if we just work together.  There’s nothing beyond our capacity. 
 
So, again, to possibilities.
 
(President Biden offers a toast.)
 
7:44 P.M. EST
 
 
 
 

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East Room

11:23 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Please sit down.  Thank you. 

If I were smart, I’d leave right now.  (Laughter.)

Folks, thank you very much.  Governor Cox, Governor Polis, all the governors for being here.

I — I know you just heard — did Jill already speak — my wife? 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, what the hell am I doing here then?  (Laughter.)

You’re — (laughs) — Jill enjoys traveling to your states and — to advance priorities like education and workforce development.

And thanks to Kamala for her leadership and her incredible partnership across the board.

And to the members of our Cabinet, including former Governor — and we have two former governors here — are they both here today? — Governor Raimondo and — where — where is my Secretary of Agriculture?  Is he here?  Well, he’s going to be here tomorrow — Tom Vilsack is going to be here tomorrow.

My Republican friends, I — I’ve got bad news for you: I actually like working with you.  (Laughter.)  And it reminds me of the days I was in the Senate, you know, things — we’d argue like hell and then we’d get things done. 

And — but look, before I begin, I want to say a few words about an important anniversary that we mark tomorrow.

Two years ago, shortly before dawn, Russian troops marched across the border into Ukraine.  And Putin believed he could easily bend the will and break the resolve of the free people of Ukraine — that he could roll into Ukraine and he would roll over them.

Two years later, he remains wrong.  He didn’t do that.  He wasn’t able to do that.  Kyiv is still standing.  Ukraine is still free.  And the people of Ukraine remain unbowed and unbroken in the face of Putin’s vigorous onslaught.

This is due to their sheer bravery and their sacrifice, but it’s also due to us.  Remember, the United States pulled together a coalition of more than 50 nations — 50 nations to support Ukraine.  We unified and expanded NATO.  We can’t walk away now.  And that’s what Putin is betting on.  He’s betting on we’re going to walk away.

That’s why I’ll be speaking to the G7 folks — some of the heads of the European Union and NATO today.

That’s why I’m announcing more than 500 new sanctions — (applause) — in response — in response to Putin’s brutal war of conquest, in response to Aleksey Navalny’s death.

Because make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Aleksey’s death.

Yesterday I met with Aleksey’s wife and daughter in California where his daughter attends college.  Aleksey was an incredibly courageous man and his family is courageous as well.

I assured them his legacy will continue to live on around the world.  And we, the United States, are going to continue to ensure that Putin pays the price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.  (Applause.)

But let me be clear: The House of Representatives must pass the bipartisan national security bill.  The bill provides urgent funding for Ukraine.  And it passed overwhelmingly in the Senate.

And there’s no question — none — none — if the Speaker called a vote in the House, it would pass easily today.  Instead, they went on vacation.  I mean, it’s just — any- — well — (laughter).

Look, folks, all kidding aside, history is watching.  The clock is ticking.  Brave Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are dying.  Russia — Russia is taking Ukrainian territory for the first in many months.  But here in America, the Speaker gave the House a two-week vacation. 

They have to come back.  They have to come back and get this done, because failure to support Ukraine in this critical moment will never be forgotten in history.  It will be measured, and it will have impact for decades to come.

And I want to thank all you governors here for — and I urge you, if you agree with me — and many of you do — to urge your congressional representatives to force this bill to be brought up.  America can — to prove America can be relied on.  America stands up for freedom.  And we never bow to anyone, particularly Putin.

Look, folks, now on another important work we’re doing.

I want to thank you all for delivering historic results for the American people.  You’ve been incredible partners.

Governors know the measure of success isn’t how many partisan points we score.  It’s: Did we fix the problem?  Did we fix the problem?

We disagree on how to fix the problem many times.  We’re all here for one reason: to fix the problems — to get things done for families, for communities, for the country.

That’s why I kept my commitment to be a president for all Americans, whether you voted for me or not.  In fact, we’ve invested more, in all we passed, in red states than we have in blue states.  That’s a fact.  Billions of dollars more of what we’ve passed is invested in red states than blue states.

I came to office when the pandemic was raging and the economy was reeling.  But we’ve turned things around with your help.

The American Rescue Plan provided $350 billion to state and local governments.  And many of you — many of you put that money up for cops on the beat, bringing down violent crime across the nation, which we’ve done; to bring a half a million teachers and other school personnel back into the classrooms; to prevent foreclosures and evictions and keep 8 million families in their homes.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made the most significant investment on our nation’s infrastructure in history — s- — well — (applause).  Eisenhower’s interstate highway bill maybe do — did it as much.

But over 46,000 projects already — 46,000 — and we’re just getting started; it’s just the beginning — modernizing roads, bridges, railroads, ports, airports, public transit, clean water, high-speed Internet — affordable high-speed Internet everywhere.

I’ve stood with Governor Evers and Walz and as — rebuilding the — the Blatnik Bridge.  (Applause and laughter.)

By the way, as you know, over a billion dollars — and it’s important — from Wisconsin to Minnesota.

Governor Beshear and Governor DeWine — we’re building a bridge called the Brent Spence Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio.  (Applause.)

By the way, tens of thousands of trucks and commerce cross those bridges every day.  And we’re finally getting it done.

We’re building the nation’s first high-speed rail line in California and Nevada.  And I want to thank Governor Newsom for his leadership in that.  (Applause.)

And, by the way, I’m not sure how many people leave L.A., can do it in two hours to get there, are — whether they’re going to come back or not to — (laughter) — Las Vegas. 

But all kidding aside, we’re making the biggest investment ever in climate — climate change — ever.

I visited your states working together to respond and build and boost resilience on ex- — to extreme weather.  Spent an awful lot of time and I ma- — I’m not complaining about it; I’m just pointing it out — an awful lot of time with a lot of you governors over the last three years, dealing with the impacts of bad weather.

I’ve flown over your states, particularly in the Southwest and the West and the Northwest for — I don’t know how many times — in helicopters, looking at timber burned to the ground.  More — we’ve lost more timber, we’ve lost more forests than the entire state of Maryland makes up in land, in square miles.

We’re building cleaner, more reliable power grid; promoting clean energy and advanced manufacturing industries of the future made in America — made in America.

You know, one of the things that I didn’t know — maybe you knew, but I’ve been around a long time in the Congress.  I didn’t know when they passed the legislation relating to the right of labor to organize in the ‘30s that there’s a provision that said if the President provides — if the — if the Congress gives the President money to invest in America, to build things in America, to spend money in America — to spend money for America, they should do two things: One, they should hire Americans to do it, and, two, they should use American products.

Well, guess what?  Didn’t happen in Democrat or Republican administrations for the longest time.  And so, guess what happened?  We no longer — you know, we were no longer just closing just factories in your states.  But what was — what was happening the last 20 years in all of our states, including my state of Delaware?  People were — the business decides labor is cheaper overseas, so we export the factory and import the product. 

Well, we’re building factories here in America now, not overseas.  (Applause.) 

So far, my Invest in America agenda has attracted $650 billion — $650 billion in private investments, bringing factories, jobs back home to your states and — and restoring a sense of pride. 

How many times do you see people in your states had that factory where for — maybe it only employed 500 to 2,000 people?  And for generations, people — family after family — showed up and worked in that factory.  And all of a sudden, it’s gone.  It’s overseas.  But now they’re coming back.  They’re coming back.  And with it, pride is coming back.

For example, I was with Governor Hochul in Syracuse, New York.  You know, Micron is investing up to $100 billion to build chip factories, an ar- — (applause) — an area the size of 40 football fields.

Well, across the country, over the next 20 years, we’re going to create 50,000 jobs across the semiconductor supply chain — 50,000 jobs.  And, by the way, if you work in one of their fabs, you know how much you make?  You don’t need a college degree.  $110- to $112,000 a year.

Folks, look, we’ve ignited a manufacturing boom with your help — a semiconductor boom, a battery boom, a jobs boom.  All along the way, with your help, we’ve cut federal — we’ve cut the deficit as well.  We cut the deficit by doing all this by $1 trillion so far — the biggest reduction in history in deficit reduction.

I’ve signed legislation that’s going to cut the federal deficit by another $1 trillion over the next decade. 

It’s clear we have the strongest economy in the world.  And that’s not hyperbole.  We have the strongest economy in the world today.  Nearly 15 million new jobs created — a record.  Growth is strong.  Wages are strong, rising faster than prices.  Inflation is down.  More to do. 

And folks — folks are starting to feel it.  Positive consumer sentiment surged 30 percent in the last three months, the biggest jump in 30 years. 

We’ve got more to do.  I’m not suggesting it’s done yet.

America has filed a record 16 million new business applications — the Vice President talked about it — across the country since we came to office.  And with your help, every one — every one of those filings is an act of hope.  Think about it.  It’s an act of hope, investing all they have — this — this — they believe they can do something.

And we’re just getting started.  We’re going to keep fighting to lower the costs for families on everything from prescription drugs to housing.

For example, we capped insulin for seniors on Medicare at $35 a month instead of as much as $400 a month.  Well, let’s make that $35 available to everyone in your states — everyone.  (Applause.)

That and other actions lowering prescription drug costs are not only good for the people; they save the taxpayers billions and billions of dollars.  The action on prescription drugs thus far has already reduced the deficit by another $160 billion.  You hear me?  $160 billion.  Because Medicare is not paying out 400 bucks; they’re paying out 35 bucks.  Taxpayers are being saved money as well.

And, by the way, they’re still making a profit — in some cases, of 300 percent. 

Because we don’t have to pay these exorbitant prices, we’re also lowering housing costs to boost supply.  Today, with your help, a record 1.7 million housing units are under construction nationwide.  We know we need more.  And I’ve sent Congress an ambitious plan to do more.  I appreciate your help to get it passed.  We’re partners in this work.  And you’ve been leading the way before us, many of you.

There’s one other piece of unfinished business I want to talk about: the border.

My first day in office as president, the first bill I sent, I sent up a comprehensive plan to fix the immigration system. 

And I think I — you all have, at your table, if I’m not mistaken — because I don’t want to take the time to go into all the detail — a fact sheet on the bipartisan border deal.  And it’s entitled “Fact Sheet: Impact of Bipartisan Border Deal on Funding Border Operations.”  And it lays out all the things that it does, that — that compromise.

We introduced a comprehensive plan to fix the system.  It included funding for high-tech border security, legal pathways for DREAMEers, addressed the root causes of why so many people are fleeing the southern — to the southern border to avoid violence, corruption, political instability, and natural disasters.

Folks, Congress has had a long, proud history of — bipartisan history on immigration reforms and abiding by our international treaty obligations, which we’ve signed, relating to immigration.  These reforms made America a nation of laws, a nation of immigrants, and the strongest economy in the world.

But something changed.  Over time, our laws and our resources haven’t kept up with our immigration system and it’s broken.  And our politics has failed to fix it.

That’s why, months ago, I instructed my team to begin a series of negotiations in a bipartisan group of senators, Democrats and — led by a very conservative Republican, who did a hell of a job, to fix our immigration system.

I provided each of you, as I said, a fact sheet with the details of that bipartisan deal.

The bipartisan agreement represents the most fair and humane reforms in a long time.  I didn’t get everything I wanted in it.  It also includes the toughest set of reforms to secure the border ever in history.

The Border Patrol chief himself said, “We need more people.  We need more agents on the line.”  Our bipartisan bill got the Border Patrol the agents they need.  It funds and hires 1,500 more agents and officers — 1,500; 100 more immigration judges; 4,300 more asylum officers to get asylum decisions in months instead of years.

Right now, you can come — they come through the border on asylum, they don’t — not able to see an asylum officer.  They get a bracelet, and they get put in the country and they get — come — say, “Come back in seven years.  Come back in seven years when we’re able to hear your case.”

It provides more cutting-edge inspection machines to detect and stop fentanyl getting across the border.  It funds what — what many of you governors need to help shelter migrants.  As a — as a win for the future of the American people and a win for your states. 

But then, as we all know, petty politics intervened.  The Speaker of the House has refused to vote on the bill, even though, again, there’s significant support.

Everybo- — every Republican I’ve talk- — talk to your Republican colleagues.  There are the votes in that — on that floor to pass that bill.

All of a sudden, people started to go silent.  But they’re in a tough spot.

Tell that to the Border Patrol, that we can’t get this done.  They support this bipartisan bill. 

Tell that to the Chamber of Commerce — the National Chamber of Commerce, who supports that proposal. 

Tell that to the Wall Street Journal editorial page, which supports this. 

There are governors in this room who support it. 

Strong minorities oppose it, but a significant majority in the House and Senate support it.

Folks, doing nothing is not an option.  Compromise is part of the process.

I didn’t get everything I wanted in that deal.  We didn’t deal with DREAMers.  We didn’t do a number of things I think we should do.  But you know it’s a positive step, a significant step.  You know that.  You deal with this every day.  Some of you deal with it every single day.  You have real skin in the game.

So, if this matters to you, it this matters to your state, tell your members of Congress who are standing in the way: Show a little spine, pass the Bipartisan Security Bill, notwithstanding you may reap the wrath of one or more of your colleagues. 

Look, it’s the strongest border deal our country has ever seen.  It also includes the most fair and humane reforms for legal immigration in a long time.

Let’s get it done. 

And, by the way, speak to your agricultural communities and tell them — ask them if they need temporary workers.  Why are we making the kinds of progress we’re making economically when the rest of the world is in a standstill on agriculture, basically?

Look, let’s keep working to fix the entire system.  I hope you all can help.

Let me close with this.  I appreciate Governor Cox’s effort to make it a — make the mission of the NGA to get those of us who disagree with one another to listen to one another, to treat one another with a sense of dignity and respect.

That’s what you guys do and women do more than most.  That’s an essential part of America.  That’s how we get things done.  That’s how democracy works when it works.  It needs to be able to have that kind of exchange.

And when folks in your state look around and see more factories coming in, more shovels in the ground, more people going to work, more access to affordable Internet, I hope they feel the pride — the pride in their hometowns making a comeback, the pride in America.

Folks, I know some people think I’m a little too optimistic.  I’m an incredible optimistic.  But I hear — I’m more optimistic about this nation’s future than I’ve ever been.

We just have to remember who in the hell we are.  I mean this sincerely, from the bottom of my heart.  We’re the United States of America, for God’s sake.  Nothing, nothing, nothing is beyond our capacity.

When have we ever set a national goal we failed?  When?  When have we ever come out of a — not come out of a crisis stronger than we went into the crisis?

Nothing is beyond our capacity if we work together.  So, let’s keep working together.  Because you’re the best hope we have — the governors.

May God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you.

11:42 A.M. EST

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The White House
 

Thank you, Tom.

Governor Cox, Mr. Chairman, thank you for your work and your efforts to foster a more constructive, respectful dialogue in our debates. Joe is grateful for your leadership, and I’m grateful to you and Abby for the warm welcome in Utah last month.

Good morning. It’s great to be here with all of you.

Governor Scott, when I visited Vermont last year, what you said stayed with me. You said, “pure […] partisan politics has never contributed to real solutions.” And that, we “can, and should, prioritize progress over politics, especially on issues where the majority of Americans agree.”

That majority is an exhausted one, as Governor Cox often points out.

They’re frustrated by a Congress that is often mired in gridlock, and those who too often treat government like a sport, with an “us versus them” mindset and a knee-jerk reaction to oppose anything the other team supports.

But this room shows the nation something very different, and I wish some lawmakers on the Hill would follow your lead.

You show that we can turn down the volume, stop the shouting, and actually listen to one another, that, yes, as Governor Cox says, we can disagree without being disagreeable.

As many of you know, I’ve been teaching writing for 40 years. One day, a student named Harry, who wanted to be an auto-mechanic, raised his hand.

“Dr. B,” he said, “the only thing I need to learn how to write is ‘needs brakes.’”

He was joking, of course. But he had a point: he wasn’t just there to learn the art of writing – he was there to prepare himself for a good-paying job.

For most people, a high school diploma alone isn’t enough to find a great career. But they often don’t need a four-year degree to pursue their passions either. And as technology brings changes to so many industries, these kinds of learning paths are more important than ever.

Since he took office, my husband, President Biden, has been focused on rebuilding the middle class. And today, millions of new jobs in infrastructure, clean energy, and manufacturing are being created.

We will need to train a new generation of workers to fill them.

These positions pay well. And many of them require associate degrees, certificates, or other hands-on instruction, not four years of college.

Still, a lot of high school students don’t necessarily know how to get from earning their diplomas to earning a living. They may not even know what roles are out there.

That’s why we need to transform education, so that it does a better job of preparing students for careers.

Nearly 60 percent of graduating high school students don’t go directly to a four-year college. Six out of every 10 students.

Are high schools designed to meet the needs of those students – the majority – who won’t go directly to a four-year university?

Too many schools aren’t.

Yes, we should still expand access and affordability for students who want to go immediately to a four-year college after high school.

But we also need to dramatically expand the opportunities we provide for students who may pursue something else. And that means that everyone needs a chance to explore future careers in high school.

Career-connected learning meets that need.

I’ve seen it around the country.

In Wisconsin, Governor Evers is scaling a model for starting apprenticeships in high school in fields from finance to nursing. In Vermont, Governor Scott is investing in dual enrollment and free community college. And in Indiana, I saw how students are getting training for careers in clean energy.

These states show us what it looks like when students have access to comprehensive career advising, when they are able to take community college courses in high school and even earn a credential, and when they can earn high school course credit for working at a job.

I believe in evidence-based models, not just theories. We know this works.

An Oregon study found that students who concentrated in a particular career area graduated high school at higher rates and went on to earn higher wages as adults.

So, what can you do?

You can build out and grow career-connected programs in your state.

I know many of you are already doing this work. Some of you are providing comprehensive career advising.

Some are prioritizing access to dual enrollment. Some have impressive programs that allow students to work in real workplaces as part of their high school curriculum.

And some states are expanding credentialing opportunities, so that students can work toward obtaining a career qualification while in high school.

But not enough states are doing all of these, all at once, for every student. And that’s what’s crucial to unlocking the potential of career-connected learning.

So, I’m asking you to lean in.

Go to your businesses and tell them how apprenticeships can boost productivity and reduce turnover. Go to your community college and K-12 leaders and work with them to expand dual enrollment opportunities that connect all students to good-paying jobs.

And use my office as a partner – and a resource. Reach out to us. Let us know how we can help you and lift up the great work you’re doing.

And I hope that when this group gathers next, we have even more successes to show.

Thank you.

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East Room 

11:14 A.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everyone.  And I want to thank NGA Vice-Chair Polis for the introduction and for your friendship, and it really has been my joy and honor to work with you.  And I send best from Doug as well.  And I thank you for your principled and powerful leadership in Colorado.

And to all the governors here today, thank you for your work and for continuing to uphold important traditions, including the important tradition of us working together across party lines.  I think this is one of the few remaining professional organizations among elected leaders where there is meaningful bipartisan work that is happening, and I thank you for that.

As demonstrated by our administration’s record over the past three years, there are few leaders as committed to bipartisan collaboration than Joe Biden.

President Joe Biden knows how to work across the aisle and across every level of government to make progress.  Globally and domestically, he has a bold vision for our future.  And he has the strength — and I see it every day — and the skill and the courage and the determination to make that vision real.

We are here today because we are all united by a common and collective purpose: to create opportunity, prosperity, and progress for the American people.

As a former statewide elected leader — the Attorney General of California for two terms — I know firsthand the importance of state and federal collaboration.  And as Vice President, I have worked closely with many of you on issues like infrastructure, emergency response, and clean energy, and on two issues that I will address briefly today, access to capital and maternal mortality.

So, first, access to capital for small businesses.

I don’t need to tell the governors and the leaders here America’s small businesses employ tens of millions of workers and generate trillions of dollars for our economy every year.  And their strength, then, is essential to a broad-based economic policy of growth — growth which benefits businesses of all sizes.

Small-business owners are business leaders, and they are civic leaders.  And so, building on work that I helped lead in the United States Senate, we have increased access to capital for the small businesses of America.

President Biden and I are giving a total of $10 billion to states across our nation to invest in small businesses.

And as Vice President, I have had the honor of visiting almost half the states that are represented here today, and I’ve seen firsthand the vitality of small business and knowing that that is essential to the vitality of our communities as a whole, not to mention how the growth of these small businesses generate tax revenue, which makes up, of course, a significant portion of the annual revenue of your states.

So, for these reasons, our focus has been to nurture the ambition and ans- — aspirations of everyone from young entrepreneurs to multi-generational families to help them with their success.  And since taking office, we have seen a record number of small businesses in terms of their growth — the most small businesses ever created, in fact, in any three years in history — which is indicative of the overall growth of our economy.

In addition to access to capital, together, we have also taken on the issue of the maternal mortality crisis.  It is something we cannot talk about enough, in terms of the significance of this crisis.

For years, federal public policy has not adequately addressed that before, during, and after childbirth, American women die at a higher rate than in any other wealthy nation in the world.  The women of America die at a higher rate than the women of any other wealthy nation in the world.

Over the years, I have spoken with too many people who have suffered because of this crisis — mothers who have lost babies, men who have lost their spouse, children who have lost a parent.

And of the many factors that contribute to this crisis, one of the most significant is that millions of women in America — in particular, in low-income communities — do not have access to adequate postpartum care.

In fact, when we took office, the vast majority of American women on Medicaid were only entitled to two months of coverage for postpartum care — meaning two months after giving birth, she could lose access to lifesaving care, such as cardiac screenings, mental health counseling, and vaccinations.

When the President and I took office, only three states offered 12 months of care.  And so, I issued a challenge to every state in our nation: Extend Medicaid postpartum coverage from 2 months to 12 months.

And thanks to the leaders in this room, the governors in this room, so far, a total of 44 states have answered that challenge — (applause) — yes — including, as of today, Alaska.  And two more states are in the process of extending coverage.  And so, we — we call on the remaining states to please do the same.

In closing, these two seemingly unconnected issues, through the collaboration between our administration and the governors who are here, have contributed to the overall strength of our nation and the well-being of millions of Americans.  And I thank you for your work.

And now, I will welcome a leader who has been a great partner on maternal mortality and mental health, the Chairman of the NGA and Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

                               END                 11:20 A.M. EST  

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