Statements and Releases

Today, we mark World Humanitarian Day and honor the brave humanitarian workers around the world who put themselves in harm’s way to help the most vulnerable. From crises in Sudan, Gaza, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and elsewhere, these humanitarian workers often operate in the most challenging circumstances, including active conflicts, to ensure that life-saving assistance reaches those who need it most. Their actions support communities in their most dire moments of need, and contribute to a safer, more secure world. Today, and every day, we owe humanitarian workers our gratitude for their service and our commitment to continue advocating for their critical work and their safety in the face of the world’s most challenging circumstances. 

The United States is committed to continuing to stand alongside humanitarian workers and dedicate critical resources to save lives and alleviate suffering worldwide. That’s why in 2023, we provided nearly $15 billion in humanitarian aid and, in 2024, we have stepped up to address the unprecedented level of need around the world. As nearly 300 million people now require humanitarian assistance and protection, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to this work and continue to urge international partners to join us in stepping up their contributions to address growing humanitarian needs around the world. Working together, we can make meaningful life-saving change in countless lives.  

On this World Humanitarian Day, and every day, we stand in solidarity with aid workers and honor their tireless efforts to save lives, alleviate suffering, and preserve human dignity. 

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We, the leaders of Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and the United States (U.S.), commemorate the tremendous progress in our trilateral cooperation in the year since our historic summit.  The spirit of the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit continues to inspire us, and the principles we established at Camp David serve as a roadmap for our unparalleled cooperation. We are working together to achieve our shared goals of advancing security and prosperity for the region and the world.

We stand by our commitment to consult on regional challenges, provocations, and threats affecting our collective interests and security. We renew our commitment to enhancing security cooperation—girded by the ironclad U.S.-Japan and U.S.-ROK alliances—deepening the alignment of our shared economic and technological priorities, increasing coordination on global health initiatives, and further expanding the robust people-to-people ties between our three countries.  Over the past year, we have demonstrated our unwavering commitment to these shared objectives through close consultation and coordination on priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

We celebrate the accomplishments of our trilateral cooperation, including the inaugural execution of the trilateral multi-domain exercise Freedom Edge, the signing of a new Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework, and the progress made by our trilateral working groups focused on combatting efforts by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction programs through cybercrime and other illicit means. We are resolved to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, remain aligned in our shared vision, and stand ready to meet the world’s greatest challenges.  We hold an unshakeable belief that cooperation between Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States is indispensable for meeting today’s challenges and will set the stage for a prosperous future.

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I congratulate President Luis Abinader on his inauguration.  Bound by our common commitment to democracy—and deep cultural ties—the Dominican Republic and the United States are close friends and partners.  As President Abinader begins his second term, we stand ready to support him and his administration in their efforts to secure a prosperous future for the people of the Dominican Republic.

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Earlier today, I received an update from my negotiating team on the ground in Doha and directed them to put forward the comprehensive bridging proposal presented today, which offers the basis for coming to a final agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release deal. I spoke separately with Amir Sheikh Tamim and President Sisi to review the significant progress made in Doha over the past two days of talks, and they expressed the strong support of Qatar and Egypt for the U.S. proposal as co-mediators in this process. Our teams will remain on the ground to continue technical work over the coming days, and senior officials will convene again in Cairo before the end of the week. They will report to me regularly. I am sending Secretary Blinken to Israel to reaffirm my iron-clad support for Israel’s security, continue our intensive efforts to conclude this agreement and to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process.

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Over the last 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have engaged in intensive talks as mediators aiming to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and release of hostages and detainees. These talks were serious and constructive and were conducted in a positive atmosphere. Earlier today in Doha, the United States with support from Egypt and Qatar, presented to both parties a bridging proposal that is consistent with the principles laid out by President Biden on May 31, 2024 and Security Council Resolution No. 2735. This proposal builds on areas of agreement over the past week, and bridges remaining gaps in the manner that allows for a swift implementation of the deal.   

Working teams will continue technical work over the coming days on the details of implementation, including arrangements to implement the agreement’s extensive humanitarian provisions, as well as specifics relating to hostages and detainees.

Senior officials from our governments will reconvene in Cairo before the end of next week with the aim to conclude the deal under the terms put forward today. As the leaders of the three countries stated last week, “There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay.  It is time to release the hostages and detainees, begin the ceasefire, and implement this agreement.”

The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions.

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Since day one of our Administration, President Joe Biden and I have made it a priority to strengthen the middle class by lowering costs, creating jobs, and advancing opportunity. That is why we fought to enact our Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that I was proud to cast the tie-breaking vote on in the Senate. In the two years since President Biden signed it into law, this landmark bill has already delivered for American families.
 
This transformational legislation is reducing the cost of health care for millions of people in communities across our nation – from capping the price of insulin at $35 a month for seniors to capping out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year for Americans on Medicare, which is expected to save nearly 19 million seniors an average of $400 per year. Additionally, Medicare is now able to negotiate lower prescription prices for millions of Americans while saving taxpayers billions by paying rates 40% to 80% lower for expensive medications used to treat conditions such as blood clots, heart disease, and cancer.
 
Our Inflation Reduction Act is also the single largest climate investment in American history. While taking on the climate crisis and lowering utility bills for families, it is helping us to rebuild American manufacturing and drive American innovation – creating good-paying union jobs, furthering economic opportunity, and contributing to the nearly $900 billion of private-sector investment since President Biden and I took office.
 
As we mark this two-year anniversary, President Biden and I recommit to doing everything in our power to ensure that families throughout our country have the freedom to thrive.

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Two years ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote in Congress. The Inflation Reduction Act is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, which has driven the fastest and most equitable recovery on record – creating good-paying jobs, expanding opportunity, and lowering costs in every corner of the country.

Already, the Inflation Reduction Act is transforming American lives by finally beating Big Pharma to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, making the largest investment in clean energy and climate action in history, creating hundreds of thousands good-paying jobs, lowering health care and energy costs, and making the tax code fairer. Visit the White House Savings Explorer to see how Americans are saving money on their annual expenses because of the Inflation Reduction Act and other Biden-Harris Administration actions.

In the two years since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law:

• Just yesterday, the President and Vice President announced that, for the first time in history, Medicare successfully negotiated lower prescription drug prices, which will save millions of seniors, people with disabilities, and other Medicare beneficiaries over $1.5 billion out-of-pocket in the first year. 
• Millions of Americans are saving an average of $800 per year on health insurance premiums because of cost savings from the American Rescue Plan that the Inflation Reduction Act extended, helping drive the nation’s uninsured rate to historic lows.
• 4 million seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries saved money on insulin because of the law’s cap at $35 for a month’s supply. 10.3 million Medicare enrollees received a free vaccine in 2023, saving them more than $400 million in out-of-pocket vaccine costs.
• The IRS successfully piloted Direct File in 12 states, saving 140,000 people an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees by enabling them to file their taxes directly with the IRS online, for free. And, the IRS has recovered over $1 billion by cracking down on millionaire tax cheats since the law passed. 
• Last year, 3.4 million Americans benefited from $8.4 billion in Inflation Reduction Act tax credits to lower the cost of clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades in their homes – significantly outpacing projections of the popularity of the tax credits in just the first year they were available.
• Since January 2024, more than 250,000 Americans have claimed the IRA’s electric vehicle tax credit, saving these buyers about $1.5 billion total. Nearly all of these buyers claimed the incentive at the point of sale.
• Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, companies have announced$900 billion in clean energy and manufacturing investments in the US, including over $265 billion in clean energy investments since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. These investments are creating over 330,000 new jobs in the United States according to an outside group. 
• Economically distressed areas are poised to benefit the most from those investments. Over 99% of high-poverty counties in the United States are benefitting from an Investing in America project funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or CHIPS and Science Act. According to Treasury Department analysis, since the Inflation Reduction Act passed, 75% of private sector clean energy investments have flowed to counties with lower than median household incomes,  and clean energy investment in energy communities has doubled.  And, the Inflation Reduction Act is the largest investment in environmental justice in history.

Additionally, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to protect the critical investments that the Inflation Reduction Act is making in the domestic clean energy economy from unfair trade practices. In May, President Biden increased tariffs on $18 billion of Chinese imports to combat China’s artificially low-priced exports in strategic sectors such as electric vehicles, batteries, and solar. These actions protect American jobs, businesses, investments, and economic growth. 

Lowering health care costs for millions of Americans

President Biden and Vice President Harris have made expanding access to high-quality, affordable health care and lowering prescription drug costs for American families a top priority. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, health care is more accessible and more affordable than ever before.  In just the last two years:

• The law enhanced the Affordable Care Act’s financial assistance that is available to consumers to purchase health insurance. Millions of Americans are saving, on average, about $800 a year on their health insurance plans, with more than 80 percent of consumers able to find health insurance for $10 or less a month. As a result, a record-breaking 21 million people signed up for ACA coverage in 2024. That’s 9 million more than when the President and Vice President took office, and more underserved communities are enrolling in coverage, with 1.7 million Black Americans and 3.4 million Latinos enrolled, a 95% and 103% increase, respectively, since 2020.
• The Inflation Reduction Act capped insulin costs at $35 for a month’s supply and making recommended adult vaccines free. Four million Medicare beneficiaries are now saving on their monthly insulin costs, and over 10 million beneficiaries received a free vaccine, saving more than $400 million in out-of-pocket cost. 
• Drug companies that increase prices faster than inflation now have to pay a rebate to Medicare—which is translating into lower out of pocket costs for seniors.
• Next year, out of pocket drug costs will be capped at $2,000 per year for Medicare beneficiaries, which is expected to save nearly 19 million seniors an average of $400 per year.
• The Inflation Reduction Act – for the first time ever – gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Just this week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new, lower prescription drug prices for all ten drugs selected for the first year of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The new, lower prices, which go into effect in 2026, will save American taxpayers $6 billion and will save seniors and people with disabilities $1.5 billion in out of pocket costs in 2026 alone. These new prices cut the list cost for drugs that treat heart disease, blood clots, diabetes, cancer, and more by nearly 40% to 80%.

Lowering energy costs with the largest climate investment in history

The Inflation Reduction Act is tackling the climate crisis by advancing clean power, cutting pollution from buildings, transportation, and industry and supporting climate-smart agriculture and forestry. The law is accelerating our progress toward President Biden and Vice President Harris’ goal of cutting U.S. climate pollution by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030.

Two years after the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has made tremendous progress implementing the climate and clean energy provisions of this law quickly and effectively. Treasury guidance is now available for nearly all of the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax provisions. On the grant, loan, and rebate side of the law, nearly two thirds of Inflation Reduction Act funding has been awarded. As an example of the Administration’s rapid progress on implementation, today the Environmental Protection Agency announced that all $27 billion in awards through their Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund are now obligated. $20 billion of these awards go toward a national clean energy financing network that will support tens of thousands of clean energy projects, reducing or avoiding millions of metric tons of carbon pollution annually over the next seven years. The other $7 billion in awards through the Solar for All program will save over $350 million each year on energy bills for over 900,000 low-income and disadvantaged households through residential solar.

In the two years since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law:

• Clean energy projects are creating more than 330,000 jobs in nearly every state in the country, according to outside groups.
• Companies have announced $265 billion in new clean energy investments in nearly every state in the nation. According to Treasury Department analysis, many of these investments are happening in underserved communities—since the IRA passed, 75% of private sector clean energy investments made since the Inflation Reduction Act passed have occurred in counties with lower than median household incomes,  and clean energy investment in energy communities has doubled.

• Last week, Treasury and IRS released new data showing that in 2023, more than 3.4 million American families saved $8.4 billion from IRA consumer tax credits on home energy technologies. These tax credits can save families up to 30% off heat pumps, insulation, rooftop solar, and other clean energy technologies.
• New York and Wisconsin have now launched home energy rebate programs, with more states expected to launch later this summer and fall. Already, 22 states have submitted their applications to DOE to receive their full rebate funding. These rebate programs help low- and middle-income families afford cost-saving electric appliances and energy efficiency improvements by providing rebates up to $14,000 per household. In total, the IRA rebates programs are expected to save consumers up to $1 billion annually in energy costs and support an estimated 50,000 U.S. jobs in residential construction, manufacturing, and other sectors.
• Since January 2024, more than 250,000 Americans have claimed the Inflation Reduction Act’s EV tax credits—either $7,500 off a qualified new electric vehicle, or up to $4,000 off a qualified used electric vehicle. In total, these taxpayers have saved about $1.5 billion and nearly all buyers claimed the incentive at the point of sale.

Making the tax system fairer and making the wealthy pay their fair share

The Inflation Reduction Act fully pays for these investments, and reduces the deficit over the long run, by cutting wasteful spending on special interests and making big corporations and the wealthy pay more of their fair share. After 55 of the biggest corporations in America paid $0 in federal income tax on $40 billion in profits in 2020, the Inflation Reduction Act requires billion-dollar corporations to pay at least 15 percent in tax. It also requires corporations to pay a 1 percent excise tax on stock buybacks, encouraging businesses to invest in their growth and productivity instead of funneling tax-preferred profits to foreign shareholders. By making large corporations pay more of their fair share, the IRA will raise around $300 billion over a decade.

The Inflation Reduction Act also makes a historic investment in modernizing the IRS, providing funding to better taxpayer experience, reduce fraud, and upgrade critical technology infrastructure. Thanks to these investments, the IRS has already:

• Improved services for millions of taxpayers. This spring, the IRS answered 3 million more phone calls than in 2022, cut phone wait times to three minutes from 28 minutes, served 200,000 more taxpayers in person, and saved taxpayers 1.4 million hours on hold last filing season. It also expanded online services, enabling 94% of taxpayers to submit forms digitally instead of via mail if they so choose.
• Successfully piloted Direct File, allowing taxpayers to easily file their taxes online and for free, directly with the IRS for the first time. Over 140,000 Americans successfully filed their taxes through Direct File this year, claiming over $90 million in refunds and saving an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees. Users said Direct File was easy and fast to use, with 90% rating their experience excellent or above average. Building on this success, the IRS has invited all 50 states and the District of Columbia to join Direct File starting in 2025.
• Collected $1 billion from 1,500 millionaire tax cheats, launched enforcement action against 25,000 millionaires who have not filed a tax return since 2017, began audits on dozens of the largest corporations and partnerships, and cracked down on high-end tax evasion like deducting personal use of corporate jets as a business expense. At the same time, the IRS is adhering to Treasury Secretary Yellen’s commitment to not increase audit rates relative to current levels for small businesses and Americans making less than $400,000 a year.

Over the next decade, the Inflation Reduction Act’s investments will enable the IRS to further crack down on wealthy and corporate tax cheats and collect over $400 billion in additional revenue.

Going forward, the IRS is on track to implement additional improvements to taxpayer experience; provide additional in-person services in rural and underserved areas; redesign notices and forms to be less confusing; and expand online and mobile-friendly tools.

Investing in America to create jobs and expand opportunity

When President Biden thinks about climate change, he thinks about jobs. Two years into implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, it’s easy to see why.

Across the nation, the Inflation Reduction Act is catalyzing a clean energy and manufacturing boom. Since President Biden took office, the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda has catalyzed nearly $900 billion in private sector investment commitments, including roughly $400 billion in clean energy across every state in the nation. That topline figure includes enough power generation to replace 40 Hoover Dams, the largest wind tower manufacturing facility in the world, the largest solar investment in US history.

Broader macroeconomic indicators also illustrate how, through tax credits and domestic content requirements within the law–we are successfully onshoring critical supply chains and encouraging a resurgence of domestic manufacturing. Real investment in manufacturing structures is at an all-time high—and has been for six quarters. Manufacturing’s contribution to GDP broke quarters for three consecutive quarters in 2023. And Americans have filed to open a record 300,000 new manufacturing businesses.

These investments are having real impacts on communities—particularly those that need it most. Public dollars are flowing disproportionately to disadvantaged and left behind communities: 99% of high-poverty counties have received funding from the infrastructure law, CHIPS Act, or Inflation Reduction Act, and non-metro communities have received nearly double the per capita funding of their urban counterparts. On the private sector side, analysis from the US Treasury tells a similar story. Since the IRA passed, 84% of announced clean investments have flowed to counties with college graduation rates below the national average, and the rate of investment in energy communities has more than doubled. 

Given these successes, it is no wonder that Republicans who voted against the bill are suddenly trying to take credit for it—and urging their leadership not to proceed with an unpopular repeal effort.

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Two years ago, I signed the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history that is lowering energy costs and creating good-paying union jobs, while taking on Big Pharma to lower prescription drug costs—with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Already, this law is lowering health care costs for millions of families, strengthening energy security, and creating more than 330,000 clean energy jobs according to outside groups.  It has also unleashed $265 billion in clean energy and manufacturing investments from the private sector in the last two years—part of the nearly $900 billion invested in America since we took office.

This historic legislation is fiscally responsible. It lowers the deficit over the long run by cutting wasteful spending on special interests and making big corporations and the wealthy pay more of their fair share. And just yesterday, my Administration announced lower prescription drug prices for the first ten drugs that have been negotiated by Medicare, which will cut the prices of drugs used to treat blood clots, heart disease, cancer, and more by nearly 40% to 80%, and save taxpayers $6 billion in the first year alone.

While Republicans in Congress try to repeal this law—which would increase prescription drug costs and take good-paying jobs away from their constituents, all to give massive tax cuts to big corporations—Vice President Harris and I will keep fighting to move our country forward by investing in America and giving families more breathing room.

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Today, during the 116th anniversary of the Springfield Race Riot, which occurred August 14-16, 1908, President Biden will sign a proclamation establishing the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Springfield, Illinois. The new national monument will tell the story of a horrific attack by a white mob on a Black community that was representative of the racism, intimidation, and violence that Black Americans experienced across the country. National outrage at the attack – which occurred just blocks away from President Abraham Lincoln’s home – spurred action on civil rights, including the creation of the organization now known as the NAACP.

By establishing the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument, President Biden is recognizing the significance of these events and the broader history of Black community resilience in the face of violent oppression. At a time when some are working to rewrite history and erase painful moments in our past, President Biden and Vice President Harris are committed to protecting places that help tell a more complete story of our nation’s history, including by recognizing difficult moments that have been ignored or obscured for far too long.

The Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument will also showcase the power of individual Americans who came together across racial lines and took action in the face of injustice. Following the riot, national leaders gathered to work together for civil rights, which led to the creation of the NAACP and helped turn the Springfield 1908 Race Riot’s legacy from one of tragedy alone to an event that led to enduring progress and change for communities nationwide.

Today’s designation furthers the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing civil rights and racial justice, including through President Biden signing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act to codify lynching as a federal hate crime, establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, and dedicating Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument

The Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument will protect 1.57 acres of federal land in Springfield, Illinois, and will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. Through the historical objects protected at this site, the monument will tell the story of the violent mob that attacked the Black community in Springfield and lynched two Black men. The Springfield 1908 Race Riot was both a tragic event, and it was emblematic of a larger series of lynchings and racist mob violence that targeted Black communities across the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Between 1882 and 1910, there were 2,503 recorded lynchings of Black people in the United States.

In August 1908, two Black men – 17-year-old Joe James and 36-year-old George Richardson –were being held in the Sangamon County Jail in Springfield based on the claims of white accusers, including one who later recanted. On Friday, August 14th, a crowd of largely young, white men gathered around the county jail demanding that the two men be released in order to be lynched. Fearing violence and hoping to defuse the situation, the county sheriff and a local white business owner worked together to have James and Richardson moved to a jail in Bloomington about 60 miles away.

Upon learning of the move, the mob became violent and began looting and burning Black-owned homes and businesses and attacking residents and business owners. Violence continued throughout the weekend despite the efforts of the Governor, state militia, and Black firefighters and community members to defend the local neighborhoods.

The riot was largely quelled by the morning of Sunday, August 16th, but not before two Black men, Scott Burton and William Donnegan, were brutally lynched. By the end of the weekend, almost three dozen businesses in the Levee neighborhood – half of them Black-owned and a majority of the rest Jewish-owned businesses – had been targeted, looted, and vandalized. In the Badlands neighborhood, dozens more homes of Black community members and Black-owned businesses were also destroyed.

Six months after these tragic days, on the centennial of President Lincoln’s birth and invoking what had happened blocks from the only home he ever owned, a diverse set of leaders from around the country, including Ida B. Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Mary Church Terrell, called to create a national organization that could counter racist policies and fight for equality across the United States. Soon after, civil rights leaders gathered in person and founded an organization that would become the NAACP. Since then, the NAACP has become a transformative and effective civil rights organization, playing key roles in successful lawsuits to challenge discrimination and segregation, including Brown v. Board of Education, and advocating to end racial injustice across America.

The Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument will be the second national monument President Biden has designated using his authority under the Antiquities Act that commemorates and preserves a place significant to civil rights history. This action builds on President Biden’s leadership in also establishing or expanding the Blackwell School National Historic Site, the Amache National Historic Site, and the Brown v. Board National Historic Park – all units of the National Park System.

The Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument weaves together two important threads in our nation’s story: the hateful violence targeted against Black Americans, and the power of dedicated individuals to come together across racial lines to transform shock and grief into hope and action. Over the coming years, the National Park Service will work with the local community and organizations to plan for interpretation, commemoration, and visitor experiences associated with the new park site, which includes the charred foundations of five former homes that were never rebuilt. Just blocks from the Lincoln Home National Historical Site, the new national monument will help tell a fuller and more complete history about the tragedy that occurred in Springfield and the work of civil rights leaders to organize and create lasting change.

The new national monument is part of the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Network, which highlights sites of historic importance to the Civil Rights Movement. It also joins an extensive network of park sites dedicated to commemorating historic places integral to civil rights and equality, such as the Manzanar National Historic Site in California, the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Park in Alabama, the Stonewall National Monument in New York, and the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in Washington, D.C.

Background on Antiquities Act Designations

President Theodore Roosevelt first used the Antiquities Act in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. Since then, 18 presidents of both parties have used this authority to protect natural and historic features in America, including the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, the Pullman National Monument, and the César E. Chávez National Monument.

The 1908 Springfield Race Riot National Monument will be President Biden’s eleventh use of the Antiquities Act and his second new national monument commemorating a site of significance to the Civil Rights Movement, following the creation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois last year.

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The President and First Lady are excited to continue the tradition of welcoming volunteer holiday decorators and volunteer holiday performers to help celebrate the holiday season at the White House. Starting today, applications are now open for those interested in volunteering for the 2024 holiday season.

The White House welcomes volunteer applicants from all U.S. states and territories, and encourages military-connected family members, educators, and students to apply. The deadline to submit a volunteer application to be a holiday decorator or holiday performer will be on Sunday, September 8, 2024 at 5:00 P.M. ET. Selected applicants will be notified on or after Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 5:00 P.M. ET.

All selected volunteers are responsible for their individual travel, accommodations, and personal expenses.

VOLUNTEER HOLIDAY DECORATOR APPLICATION

Those interested in volunteering to decorate the White House ahead of the holiday season may apply HERE. Please note each person must apply individually, and group applications will not be accepted. Holiday decorator volunteers must be over the age of 18 and must be available to be in Washington, D.C. the week of Sunday, November 24, 2024.

VOLUNTEER HOLIDAY PERFORMER APPLICATION

Performers and musical groups, including school bands, choirs, and holiday-themed entertainers, may apply HERE for the opportunity to perform during White House holiday tours. White House holiday tours range from Tuesday, December 3, 2024 to Saturday, December 21, 2024.

For any questions regarding application or process, please reach out to Volunteers@who.eop.gov.

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The United States and the Dominican Republic share a strong partnership based on democratic values and historic people-to-people ties. On the occasion of the inauguration of President Luis Abinader for his second term as the president of the Dominican Republic tomorrow, President Joe Biden sent a senior Presidential Delegation led by Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to extend his heartfelt congratulations to the government and the people of the Dominican Republic. Furthermore, the Biden-Harris Administration commits to continuing our support to the Dominican Republic in the areas of economic growth, energy, security, health, and human rights, and promoting a more democratic, secure, and prosperous Western Hemisphere.  Here are some of the examples of the strength of our partnership:

INVESTING IN PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES
 
Our two countries benefit from unique, shared bonds of friendship and community.  Millions of Dominicans enrich communities across the United States and more than 4 million U.S. citizens visit the Dominican Republic each year.    

• Investing in the Next Generation of Dominican Leaders:  Embassy Santo Domingo has a collective educational and cultural exchange program alumni community of 31,000 emerging Dominican leaders. The two leading exchange programs are the Fulbright Foreign Student program consisting of almost 900 alumni, and the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) with almost 1,000 alumni.
• English Language Education:  Embassy Santo Domingo has provided technical and funding support to bolster the Dominican government’s English language immersion program at the university level. Over 20,000 students learned advanced English thanks to this program.
• Peace Corps:  Since 1962, more than 5,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in the Dominican Republic.  Currently, 93 volunteers work throughout the country in primary and secondary schools promoting literacy, life skills, and business and work skills in their communities. 

PROMOTING INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH

The United States and the Dominican Republic are working together to promote inclusive economic growth, including through the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, launched in 2023 by President Biden and 11 regional partners, and a wide range of development programs. 

• Open Skies Agreement:  The United States and Dominican Republic signed a historic Open Skies Agreement on August 2, 2024.  Once in effect, the Agreement will expand our strong economic and commercial partnership and create new opportunities for airlines, travel companies, and customers.
• U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Support:  The Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is providing a $200 million direct loan to Banco Popular Dominicano to support the institution’s lending to small businesses and women entrepreneurs – groups often underserved by traditional financial institutions. In addition, the DFC is providing a $42 million loan portfolio guaranty to Banreservas designed to support women entrepreneurs as well as small businesses and to promote green lending.
• The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement:  This agreement, known as DR-CAFTA has created new economic opportunities by eliminating tariffs, opening markets, reducing barriers to services, and promoting transparency.  Various agencies within the United States have provided technical assistance to the Dominican Republic to address issues that arise under DR-CAFTA in areas including intellectual property, labor rights, the environment, and wildlife protection.
• Port of Manzanillo:  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $1.3 million to support the planning process of the port in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  This project advised the Dominican government on port planning and project implementation, strengthening technical capacity to meet international standards and transparently tender approximately $2.5 billion in contracts for the port.  
• Youth Opportunities:  Through its $4.6 million Youth-Led Activity, USAID focuses on strengthening institutions and improving youth-friendly services to contribute to community resilience.  We seek to expand the economic opportunities for vulnerable youth from poor and marginalized neighborhoods to ensure that youth find economic and social opportunities that offer a way of life free from crime and violence. 
• Higher Education:  USAID works with ISA University, the Technology University of Santiago, and the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo to replicate and test access and retention best practices for youth from high-risk environments. This $4.3 million investment promotes higher education attainment for these youth, improving their economic prospects and social stability.   

INVESTING IN CLEAN ENERGY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Through the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030), the United States and the Dominican Republic will deepen technological cooperation, advance the clean energy transition, and address and mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.

• Clean Energy Transition:  The Department of Energy is supporting the Caribbean’s clean energy transition through the Energy Resilience and Security in the Caribbean Fund.  This $2.5 million fund is designed to provide the technical assistance necessary to implement clean energy solutions in the Caribbean in a broad range of sectors.
• Renewable Energy:  The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) works with the Dominican Republic’s Superintendent of Electricity to support the development of battery storage regulations.  USTDA assesses gaps in existing regulations and will create a regulatory roadmap for the deployment of energy storage technologies throughout the power system. The United States seeks to help the DR government reduce the cost and environmental impact of electricity generation.
• Energy Reform:  Through USAID’s $8.8 million regional Energy Sector Reform in the Dominican Republic, programming aims to increase distributed renewable energy generation, assess where smart-grid technologies can be deployed to provide energy more efficiently, and explore renewable energy generation.  As part of this work, USAID initiated the first in a series of energy cybersecurity training workshops in the Dominican Republic in December 2022. 
• Locally-Led Resilience:  USAID, through its $2.9 million Climate Adaptation Activity, aims to enhance environmental sustainability and resilience in the Dajabón region by improving natural resource management and adopting climate-smart agricultural practices. 
• Cleaner Oceans:  USAID’s solid waste reduction programming aims to decrease waste in communities and municipalities in the Dominican Republic, leading to cleaner oceans.  This $4.4 million activity supports municipalities to effectively manage, reduce, recycle and dispose of waste.
• Energy Transition Accelerator:  At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2023, the U.S. Department of State, the Bezos Earth Fund, and the Rockefeller Foundation presented the core framework of the Energy Transition Accelerator (ETA) and welcomed the Dominican Republic’s announcement it would join the ETA as a pilot country.  The ETA is an innovative carbon finance platform aimed at catalyzing private capital to support ambitious just energy transition strategies in developing and emerging economies. 

HEALTH COLLABORATION AND FOOD SECURITY

The United States and Dominican Republic enjoy a longstanding partnership on health and food security, and our historic investment in the Dominican health and agricultural systems have impacted thousands of Dominican citizens.  

• President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Program:  The United States has invested over $270 million in the last 16 years to support the HIV response in the Dominican Republic through the PEPFAR program, implemented by USAID and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  The PEPFAR platform has allowed for health collaboration beyond HIV, including the DR’s most recent designation as a global health security intensive support partner. 
• Food Security:  Since 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service has provided over $14 million in funding to support capacity building and training programs related to food security, such as the Safe Agriculture/Food Export (SAFE) project and the Trade Safe program. 
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food for Progress Program:  The Foreign Agriculture Service has an active five-year, $13.5 million Food for Progress Program, dubbed Trade Safe. It aims to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s sanitary and phytosanitary measures as well as strengthen the local food safety systems by supporting the implementation of science-and risk-based standards.  These standards support critical regulatory improvements to facilitate increased agricultural trade between both countries.
• Resilient Agriculture: A $2.7 million, two-year USAID project launched in February 2024 will directly address the spike in food prices, crude oil, and commodities—including fertilizers and other common agricultural inputs—due to supply chain disruptions.  The project aims to mobilize funding from the private sector and will benefit 1,500 farmers, 30 percent of them women and youth.

STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND RULE OF LAW

The United States supports the Abinader administration’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, combat corruption, and improve the rule of law, as we understand these are fundamental to the Dominican Republic’s economic transformation and social cohesion.

• Procurement Transparency:  USAID’s $3.1 million Procurement Transparency Activity, implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program, works to improve transparency, efficiency, and competition in the Dominican government procurement system by making recommendations on international best practices.   
• Responsive Justice:  To improve citizen security, USAID is investing more than $9.5 million to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s existing justice system by—among other activities—helping improve criminal justice institutions’ performance; reducing crime and violence, root causes of conflict through people-centered approaches; and strengthening the government’s ability to provide legal services to vulnerable populations.

EXPANDING DEFENSE AND SECURITY COOPERATION

U.S.-Dominican defense and security ties serve as a cornerstone of our partnership.  The Department of Defense (DoD) continues to cooperate with the Dominican Republic on many shared priorities, including building Dominican domain awareness, countering drug trafficking and other forms of transnational organized crime, climate resilience, developing humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities, and building institutional capacity.  Defense and security ties serve as the cornerstone of our alliance.

As the United States and the Dominican Republic work to help enable a free and open Caribbean region, including through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), we celebrate advancements in our cooperation:

• Bilateral-Multilateral Training and Exercises:  DoD and the Dominican Armed Forces conduct subject-matter expert exchanges and key leader engagements together, in which they share best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures.  The Dominican and U.S. militaries also participate together in exercises, including CENTAM Guardian, Tradewinds, Fuerzas Comando (Commando Forces), and in security conferences promoting regional cooperation on topics such as human rights. 
• Armed Foreces Modernization:  The United States is facilitating the Dominican military’s acquisitions for modern platforms that will enhance the Dominican Armed Force’s capabilities and maintain their interoperability with U.S. and allied systems.  With the support of DoD, the Dominican Air Force established its National Southern Command at Barahona airport.
• International Military Education and Training:  DoD promotes education programs to strengthen the continued professionalism and effectiveness of the Dominican military, enabling the military to support Dominican law enforcement authorities in safeguarding citizen security and countering illicit trafficking.
• Citizen Security:  The State Department has provided comprehensive support to police transformation efforts in the Dominican Republic, including reformation of the police training curriculum to increase the focus on human rights; supporting human resource advising for career development; and providing major IT donations for data management, transparency and accountability.
• Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing:  The Treasury Department has provided technical assistance to strengthen efforts to combat money laundering and to counter terrorism financing in the Dominican Republic, and the Department of State has helped establish the country’s first Anti-Money Laundering Task Force.

ADVANCING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR RIGHTS

The United States is committed to supporting the Dominican Republic to advance our shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights and labor rights. 

• Combating Trafficking in Persons:  With over $1 million in funding from the State Department, the United States continues to support “RD SIN TRATA,” a program that aims to reduce the risk of trafficking and the revictimization of survivors by building the capacity of the Dominican Government and civil society to prevent, protect and prosecute trafficking cases and increase access to trauma-informed and victim-centered standard operating procedures for specialized shelter staff.
• Supporting Women and Care Workers: The USAID-funded Together We Care Project is working to promote better working conditions and social protections for care workers, address gender inequities in the health workforce, and formalize the domestic care economy. 
• Advancing LGBTQI+ Rights:  USAID’s $2.3 million “Being LGBTQI In the Caribbean” activity strengthens the professional and institutional capacities of civil society organizations and individual activists dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) equality within the Caribbean.

REGIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Summit of the Americas:  The United States and the Dominican Republic joined other governments to achieve bold hemispheric commitments on health and resilience, sustainability, digital transformation, the clean energy transition, and democratic governance at the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in 2022.  The United States looks forward to supporting the Dominican Republic’s agenda for the Tenth Summit of the Americas that the Dominican Republic will host in Punta Cana in 2025.
• The Alliance for Development and Democracy:  The Dominican Republic, together with Costa Rica and Panama, launched the ADD in 2021 as a new multilateral forum to promote stronger democracy and deeper commercial and economic integration.  Ecuador joined the group in 2022, and the four countries have collaborated with the United States to strengthen supply chains and improve economic competitiveness.
• Improved Stability in Haiti:  The United States and the Dominican Republic have worked together to improve stability in Haiti, including through garnering diplomatic support for the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti, working collaboratively with the Caribbean Community, and supporting trade preferences for Haiti’s manufacturing sector.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. today announced the full designation of the Presidential Delegations to Paris, France to attend the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and events of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The Honorable Tammy Duckworth, United States Senator, will lead the delegation to the Opening of the Paralympic Games. The Opening Ceremony will take place on August 28, 2024.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Denise Campbell Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco

The Honorable Tanya Bradsher, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Ms. Claudia Gordon, Chair, National Council on Disability

Mr. Brad Snyder, three-time Paralympian, six-time Paralympic gold medalist, Men’s Para Swimming and Para Triathlon, and retired U.S. Navy EOD Officer

The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, will lead the delegation to the Closing of the Paralympic Games. The Closing Ceremony will take place on September 8, 2024.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Denise Campbell Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco

The Honorable Danté Q. Allen, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of Education

Ms. Sara Minkara, U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights, U.S. Department of State

Mrs. Muffy Davis, International Paralympic Committee Governing Board Member, three-time Paralympian, and seven-time Paralympic medalist, Alpine Skiing and Cycling

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When I think of combatting the climate crisis, I think of good-paying jobs for American workers. According to a new report released this week, in the two years since I signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, companies have announced more than 330,000 new clean energy jobs. Many of these jobs are good-paying, union jobs that do not require a college degree, including electricians, construction workers, and mechanics working on innovative clean energy projects. Thanks to my Administration’s policies, these new jobs are driving a manufacturing boom and lowering costs for families by increasing access to affordable, clean energy—including wind and solar energy.

Despite this progress, House Republicans want to take our country backward and have voted dozens of times to repeal these transformative policies—even though more than half of these jobs are being created in their districts. I will continue fighting for American families by lowering utility bills and increasing access to good-paying, union jobs.

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New prices are expected to save millions of seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs in the first year of the program alone

For far too long, Americans have paid more for their prescription drugs than any developed nation. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is delivering on its promise to lower out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors and save money for Americans. That’s because Medicare has the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time in history thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law by President Biden with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Because Medicare is now able to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors and people with disabilities, American taxpayers are expected to save $6 billion on prescription drug costs, and people enrolled in Medicare are expected to save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2026 alone. President Biden and Vice President Harris took on Big Pharma and won, and now millions of seniors and others on Medicare will soon see their drug costs go down on some of the most common and expensive prescription drugs that treat heart disease, cancer, diabetes, blood clots, and more.

HHS Announces Negotiated Prices for Medicare Drugs

HHS has reached agreements with all participating manufacturers on new negotiated, lower drug prices for the first 10 drugs selected for the Medicare drug price negotiation program. After manufacturers have steadily increased the list prices of all 10 of these drugs since they went on the market, these new prices will cut the list price of these drugs between 38 and 79 percent.

The new prices will go into effect for people with Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage in 2026:

Drug NameCommonly Treated ConditionsNumber of Medicare Enrollees Who Used the Drug in 2023Drug List Price in 2023 for 30-day SupplyNegotiated Price for 2026 for 30-day SupplySavings (%)EliquisPrevention and treatment of blood clots3,928,000$521$231$290 (-56%)JardianceDiabetes; Heart failure; Chronic kidney disease1,883,000$573$197$376 (-66%)XareltoPrevention and treatment of blood clots; Reduction of risk for patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease1,324,000$517$197$320 (-62%)JanuviaDiabetes843,000$527$113$414 (-79%)FarxigaDiabetes; Heart failure; Chronic kidney disease994,000$556$178.50$377.50 (-68%)EntrestoHeart failure664,000$628$295$333 (-53%)EnbrelRheumatoid arthritis; Psoriasis; Psoriatic arthritis48,000$7,106$2,355$4,751 (-67%)ImbruvicaBlood cancers17,000$14,934$9,319$5,615 (-38%)StelaraPsoriasis; Psoriatic arthritis; Crohn’s disease; Ulcerative colitis23,000$13,836$4,695$9,141 (-66%)Fiasp; Fiasp FlexTouch; Fiasp PenFill;
NovoLog; NovoLog FlexPen; NovoLog PenFillDiabetes785,000$495$119$376 (-76%)

Source: CMS, https://www.cms.gov/files/document/fact-sheet-negotiated-prices-initial-price-applicability-year-2026.pdf

These ten drugs are among those with highest total spending in Medicare Part D. If the negotiated prices had been in effect during 2023, Medicare would have saved an estimated $6 billion. When the negotiated prices go into effect in 2026, people enrolled in Medicare Part D are estimated to save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs.

Millions of Part D enrollees that depend on these treatments to treat life-threatening conditions including diabetes, heart failure, and cancer are also expected to see lower out-of-pocket costs for these drugs. For example, a Medicare enrollee who takes Stelara for their arthritis and pays $3,459 on their drug today for a 30-day supply would pay only $1,174 in 2026. Many seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare who take these drugs will also benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket spending, which will be fully in effect in 2025, saving 19 million beneficiaries an average of $400 per year, in addition to these savings from the negotiated drug prices.

More drugs will be selected each year as part of Medicare’s drug price negotiation program. Medicare will select up to 15 additional drugs covered under Part D for negotiation in 2025, up to an additional 15 Part B and D drugs in 2026, and up to 20 drugs every year after that.

Building on Progress Lowering Health Care Costs

Every day, millions of Americans are saving money on health care costs because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions.

• People with Medicare are saving an average of $70 in out-of-pocket costs on vaccines like shingles and Tdap because President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act made recommended vaccines free for beneficiaries, including the 10.3 million enrollees who received a free vaccine in 2023.
• All 3.4 million Medicare Part D enrollees who filled an insulin prescription in 2023 had their insulin costs capped at $35 per month, saving some seniors hundreds of dollars for a month’s supply.
• Some seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries taking drugs covered under Part B for which manufacturers have hiked prices faster than inflation are saving up to $4,593 in lower coinsurance this quarter thanks to the new Medicare inflation rebates.
• Starting this year, Part D enrollees no longer pay 5% co-insurance when they reach the catastrophic phase of their benefit and have their out-of-pocket drug costs capped at about $3,500. In just the first quarter of 2024, over 260,000 people benefited from this cap.
• Millions of American are saving an average of about $800 per year on health insurance premiums because of savings from the American Rescue Plan that the Inflation Reduction Act extended, helping drive the nation’s uninsured rate to historic lows under the Biden-Harris Administration.

Check out the Biden-Harris Administration’s Savings Explorer to see how some of the Administration’s policies are helping Americans save money on annual expenses – from health care to junk fees, grocery costs and more.

Continuing to Lower Prescription Drug Costs

People with Medicare will continue to see their prescription drug costs go down as more provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act go into effect next year. Nearly 19 million seniors and other Part D beneficiaries are projected to save $400 per year on prescription drugs when the out-of-pocket cap drops to $2,000 in 2025, and 1.9 million enrollees with the highest drug costs will save an average of $2,500 per year. And the lower prices negotiated for the high-spend drugs announced today will go into effect in 2026.

The President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 builds on this success by significantly increasing the pace of negotiation, bringing more drugs into negotiation sooner after they launch, expanding the $2,000 out-of-pocket prescription drug cost cap beyond Medicare and into the commercial market, and other steps to build on the Inflation Reduction Act drug provisions. The Budget also includes proposals to curb inflation in prescription drug prices and extends the $35 cost-sharing cap for monthly prescriptions of insulin to the commercial market to lower drug costs for all Americans.

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Every American should be able to access the health care they need no matter their income or wealth. That is why President Biden and I fought to lower the costs of health care with our Inflation Reduction Act, transformational legislation that I was proud to cast the tie-breaking vote on in the Senate. During the two years since President Biden signed this landmark bill into law, we have cut prescription drug costs, capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month, and lowered premiums for seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare – helping millions of families get the care they deserve.

Today, we are building on our work to lower costs and increase access to affordable prescription drugs by announcing that the Biden-Harris Administration has reached agreements with all participating manufacturers to lower prices for the first 10 drugs selected for the Medicare price negotiation program – from those that treat cancer to those that treat diabetes, heart disease, and blood clots. Thanks to our historic work to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, millions of Americans who rely on these drugs will save on their out-of-pocket costs. While people enrolled in Medicare are expected to save $1.5 billion in 2026 alone, American taxpayers will also save an estimated $6 billion.

Today’s announcement will be lifechanging for so many of our loved ones across the nation, and we are not stopping here. Additional prescription drugs will be selected each year as part of our Medicare drug price negotiation program. This includes up to 15 additional drugs covered under Medicare Part D for negotiation in 2025, up to an additional 15 Part B and Part D drugs in 2026, and up to 20 drugs every year after that.

From my time as Attorney General of California and a U.S. Senator, I have consistently worked to lower the costs of prescription drugs and fought to protect patients. As Attorney General, I held Big Pharma accountable for their deceptive and illegal practices. The record-breaking settlements that I won – for the people – amounted to more than $7 billion against pharmaceutical companies for their unsafe and unfair tactics. President Biden and I will never stop fighting for the health, wellbeing, and financial stability of the American people.

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For years, millions of Americans were forced to choose between paying for medications or putting food on the table, while Big Pharma blocked Medicare from being able to negotiate prices on behalf of seniors and people with disabilities. But we fought back – and won.

Today, for the first time in history, my Administration is announcing that Medicare has reached agreements on new, lower prices with the manufacturers of all 10 drugs selected for the first round of drug price negotiation. When these lower prices go into effect, people on Medicare will save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs for their prescription drugs and Medicare will save $6 billion in the first year alone. It’s a relief for the millions of seniors that take these drugs to treat everything from heart failure, blood clots, diabetes, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and more – and it’s a relief for American taxpayers.

This historic milestone is only possible because of the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed with the leadership of Democrats in Congress, and with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote in the Senate – without a single Republican voting for it. We showed that major progress can be made for the American people when we work together to take on special interests, even as Big Pharma continues to go to court to try to block lower prices for consumers. But the Vice President and I are not backing down. We will continue the fight to make sure all Americans can pay less for prescription drugs and to give more breathing room for American families.

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President Biden spoke today with President José Raúl Mulino of Panama to congratulate him on a successful start to his new administration and emphasize our strong commitment to advancing the United States-Panama partnership based on shared democratic values.  The two leaders discussed joint efforts to address the challenges stemming from irregular migration through Panama, including the regularization of migrant populations and increased humane enforcement efforts. 

President Biden recognized President Mulino as a valued ally in advancing safe, orderly and humane migration throughout the hemisphere, and thanked him for the important steps that his government has taken in this regard so soon after his July 1 inauguration.  President Biden and President Mulino also discussed their shared concerns about the serious flaws that accompanied the vote-counting process following Venezuela’s July 28 election.  President Biden thanked President Mulino for his effort to advance democracy in both Panama and the hemisphere, including Panama’s efforts to mobilize regional support to restore democratic norms in Venezuela and condemn political repression.

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Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s leadership has been nothing short of historic. Since he assumed office nearly three years ago, Prime Minister Kishida and I have worked together to take the U.S.-Japan Alliance to new heights, from advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region, to standing side-by-side as steadfast, global partners. Guided by unflinching courage and moral clarity, Prime Minister Kishida has transformed Japan’s role in the world. He unveiled a momentous new national security strategy; surged support to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion; and, together with President Yoon of the Republic of Korea, has taken historic steps to usher in a new era of U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation, strengthening our collective capacity to take on common challenges. Prime Minister Kishida took these and other actions not because they were easy – but because he believes to his core that they were the right thing to do. Put simply, thanks to Prime Minister Kishida’s leadership, the future of the U.S.-Japan Alliance is stronger and brighter than ever. Prime Minister Kishida’s courageous leadership will be remembered on both sides of the Pacific for decades to come, and I will always be grateful to call him my friend.

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Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. They strengthen the middle class by creating jobs, advancing opportunity, and establishing pathways for Americans to build intergenerational wealth. That is why President Biden and I fight every day to invest in America’s small businesses, their owners and entrepreneurs, and the workers who power them.

Today, I am proud to celebrate that a record 19 million new small business applications have been filed since President Biden and I took office. Building on work that I did as a United States senator, our Administration is investing billions of dollars in community lenders, which provide capital and financial support to small business owners and entrepreneurs in overlooked and underserved communities, including in rural America. These efforts are working, as we witness record small business creation from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in entrepreneurship.

President Biden and I will continue to invest in the ambitions and aspirations of small business owners and entrepreneurs in communities across our nation as we ensure they have the resources and opportunity to not only survive but thrive. 

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This week marks 12 long, terrible years since American Austin Tice was abducted in Syria. We have repeatedly pressed the government of Syria to work with us so that we can, at last, bring Austin home. Today, I once again call for his immediate release.

The freedom of the press is essential, and journalists like Austin play a critical role informing the public and holding those in power accountable. We stand in solidarity with Austin, his family, and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. I will continue to do everything possible to advocate for and pursue his release and support his loved ones until he is safely returned home.

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