Statements and Releases

Since the horrific attack conducted by a homegrown violent extremist inspired by ISIS took place in New Orleans on January 1, President Biden has directed his team to provide every possible resource to support the state and local response, as well as the victims and their families. The President and members of the Administration have been in contact with the Governor of Louisiana, the Mayor of New Orleans, and other state and local officials to ensure they have the resources and support they need in the wake of this attack.

Today, the President is committing additional federal resources to help the city of New Orleans prepare for upcoming major events including Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl.

• The Mardi Gras parades and certain related events occurring in New Orleans from February 21 to March 4 have been upgraded to a Special Event Assessment Rating of 1 (SEAR 1). Super Bowl LIX is also a SEAR 1 event. The Biden-Harris Administration has determined that these significant events require extensive federal interagency support, and will use every tool available to fill local capability shortfalls to assure safe and secure events.
• The federal government provides a federal coordination team and specialized assistance for all SEAR 1 events. Federal assistance could include explosive detection canine teams, cyber risk assessments, venue screening and field intelligence teams, and air security and tactical operations support in addition to the support already provided by state and local governments. More information on SEAR events is available here.

Since January 1, under the Biden-Harris Administration’s leadership, the federal government has driven actions to investigate the attack and provide resources to the victims, their families, and the New Orleans community.

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense are coordinating on all aspects of the investigation.
• The FBI is operating a command post in its New Orleans office that includes federal personnel as well as state and local authorities.
• The FBI has deployed additional special agents, analysts, and bomb technicians to assist in the investigation and liaise with local authorities. 
• The FBI’s Victim Services Division has engaged the FBI Language Services Section (LSS) to provide interpretation services in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Vietnamese, as needed.
• On January 3, theU.S. Small Business Administration announced that small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Louisiana may now apply for federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by this attack.
• On January 5, the FBI opened a Family Assistance Center at St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church in New Orleans where Victims Services Officers are providing assistance to survivors, the family members of those deceased, and other members of the community impacted by the tragedy. This assistance includes lodging assistance, creditor/financial assistance, crisis intervention, and the provision of on-site mental health services, and other programs to support healing and recovery.

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Today, U.S. National Security Advisor (APNSA) Jake Sullivan met with Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi as the United States and India continue to forge a strategic technology partnership that benefits both of our countries and our partners around the world.  APNSA Sullivan and NSA Doval launched the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in 2022 at the direction of President Biden and Prime Minister Modi.  In the intervening years, our two nations have taken significant steps forward together to integrate our technology and defense supply chains in recognition that, now more than ever, we need to work with our partners to build a trusted and resilient innovation base.

During their capstone meeting, APNSA Sullivan and NSA Doval underscored the vital importance of our efforts to jointly produce and develop strategic technologies that will allow us to deliver secure, reliable, and cost-competitive technology solutions for the world. As the United States and India deepen collaboration across key sectors – from space to semiconductors, biotechnology, cybersecurity, advanced telecommunications, and clean energy – we have seen the promise of our partnership deliver results.  Our partnership has also anchored multilateral work with like-minded nations from across the Indo-Pacific and Europe, including the Bio-5 Biopharmaceutical Supply Chain Consortium, the U.S.-India-ROK Technology Trilateral, and ongoing cooperation with Australia and Japan through the Quad.

Finally, APNSA Sullivan and NSA Doval reaffirmed our shared resolve to adapt and strengthen our technology protection toolkits and discussed efforts to address national security concerns associated with overcapacity in key technology sectors.  At the same time, they commended the progress we have made to address long-standing barriers to bilateral strategic trade, technology, and industrial cooperation.

The two national security leaders expressed their confidence that the bridges we have built across our governments, industry, and academia will endure and reflected on the significant achievements we have driven across every dimension of the technological enterprise – from the seabed to the stars, and beyond.  This includes:

Launching a New Era in Space Technology Cooperation

• Announcing the first-ever joint effort between American and Indian astronauts at the International Space Station with the launch of Axiom-4 scheduled to take place this spring, which will mark a significant milestone in the U.S.-India human spaceflight partnership and space exploration; 
• Reducing barriers to collaboration around commercial space technology following the U.S. government’s recent conclusion of updates to Missile Technology Control Regime export policy, which will open the door to additional technology licensing and co-development opportunities in support of the U.S.-India space partnership;
• Working toward the launch of a new bilateral space accelerator to promote commercial space cooperation, including around lunar exploration, human spaceflight, geospatial data and services, and the co-development of technology;
• Celebrating the conclusion of a Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation to deepen interoperability in space and working toward the imminent completion of additional agreements to commence advanced training for ISRO astronauts and ground personnel at the NASA Johnson Space Center and for joint experiments at the International Space Station;
• Preparing for the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, a jointly developed satellite that will map the entirety of the Earth’s surface twice every 12 days as the United States and India work together to combat climate change and other global challenges, this spring;
• Deciding to hold the first bilateral experts’ exchange on space situational awareness and space traffic coordination in the first half of this year.  This exchange builds upon the two nations’ shared commitment to pursue opportunities for deeper collaboration to ensure safe and sustainable space operations;
• Exploring additional avenues for cooperation in space exploration technologies, including docking and interoperability demonstration missions, as well as India’s participation in the United States Traffic Coordination System for Space program. 
  

Deepening Defense Innovation and Industrial Cooperation

• Welcoming the advancement of discussions between Ultra Maritime and Bharat Dynamics Limited to enhance undersea domain awareness through a first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production of U.S. sonobuoys in support of the U.S. and Indian defense industrial bases;
• Welcoming India’s acquisition of the MQ-9B platforms, the possible co-production of land warfare systems, and progress on other co-production initiatives outlined in the U.S.-India Roadmap for Defense Industrial Cooperation;
• Celebrating the third edition of the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit which took place at Stanford University in September 2024, and highlighting the continued progress under INDUS-X, including the Gurukul Educational Sessions and the launch of a third joint challenge on space situational awareness in low earth orbit;
• Welcoming the completion of an upgraded Memorandum of Understanding between the Defense Innovation Unit and the Defense Innovation Organization to expand cooperation on defense innovation and deepen collaboration between the U.S. and Indian startup ecosystems;
• Deepening cooperation between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and India’s Innovations for Defense Excellence to accelerate the joint adoption of cutting-edge commercial technologies for military solutions and capability enhancement of both countries’ defense ecosystems;
• Noting continued progress in the discussions between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the co-production of GE F414-INS6 engines to power India’s future fighter fleet;
• Expanding defense industrial partnerships, such as the launch of an AI Multi-Doman Situational Awareness product jointly developed by General Atomics and 114ai to support joint all domain command and control.
  

Building a Clean Energy and a Critical Minerals Partnership for the 21st Century

• Advancing discussions to unlock new commercial partnerships around the deployment of small modular reactor technology in India;
• Reflecting the progress the United States and India have made—and will continue to make—as strategic partners and countries with a shared commitment to peaceful nuclear cooperation, NSA Sullivan announced US efforts to finalize necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains;
• Commending the signing of a bilateral Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Mines, and driving additional areas of cooperation in critical mineral supply chains such as for graphite, gallium, and germanium;
• Advancing collaboration between U.S. and Indian organizations and companies for carrying out research studies for beneficiation and co-development of processing technologies for critical minerals, including lithium, titanium, gallium, and vanadium;
• Building a collaborative program between the Geological Survey of India and the U.S. Geological Survey on exploration, characterization and evaluation of rare earth elements and critical mineral deposits.
  

Promoting Strategic Semiconductor Supply Chain Partnerships

• Advancing a strategic semiconductor partnership between the U.S. Space Force and 3rdiTech to establish a compound semiconductor fabrication plant in India to manufacture infrared, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide semiconductors that will be used in national security-relevant platforms; this includes favorably reviewing a technical assistance agreement and export licenses to promote technology transfers;
• Building on the U.S.-India Semiconductor Supply Chain and Innovation Partnership MOU and promoting secure, resilient, and sustainable semiconductor supply chains through continued collaboration between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the India Semiconductor Mission, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology including facilitating investments in semiconductor manufacturing and strengthening R&D collaboration around state-of-the-art semiconductor and packaging technologies.
  

Building New Collaboration around AI, Advanced Computing, and Quantum

• Developing a government-to-government framework for promoting reciprocal investments in AI technology and aligning protections around the diffusion of AI technology;
• Strengthening cooperation around the national security applications of AI, following the U.S. government’s recent issuance of a National Security Memorandum on AI last fall, and promoting safe, secure, and trustworthy development of AI;
• Noting the importance of sustained engagement for cooperation on Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) as agreed to in the second meeting of the U.S.-India Quantum Coordination Mechanism held last August, during which both countries committed to achieving concrete outcomes;
• Initiating new cooperation in quantum science and technology, including through a workshop on post-quantum cryptography and quantum hardware held at the University of California, Los Angeles in September 2023 and facilitating visits of Indian technical experts from academia and the private sector to visit U.S. national laboratories and quantum institutions.
  

Bridging our People, Talent, and Innovation Bases

• Celebrating progress toward opening U.S. Consulate Bengaluru in early 2025 and continuing work to establish new Indian Consulates in Boston and Los Angeles;
• Advancing a “Bio-X” initiative that would promote biotechnology cooperation by leveraging the synergies between domestic programs and enhancing the competitiveness of the biotechnology industries in both countries;
• Celebrating steps that expand of the ability of top AI scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from India to come to the United States, including rulemaking that modernized the U.S. H-1B application process, recent clarifications of the rules for O-1 visas and other visa categories, and other efforts that have streamlined visa processing;
• Noting the recently launched U.S.-India Advanced Materials R&D Forum, which convened its inaugural meeting in November 2024, to expand collaboration between U.S. and Indian universities, national laboratories, and private sector researchers.
  

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National Security Advisor of India Shri Ajit Doval met with U.S. National Security Advisor Mr. Jake Sullivan in New Delhi on 6 January, 2025.  NSA Sullivan was accompanied by a delegation of senior U.S. government officials. 

The two NSAs have engaged regularly in a high-level dialogue through extensive discussions on a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda.  Following the launch of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) by Prime Minister Modi and President Joseph Biden on the side lines of the Quad Summit in Tokyo on 24 May 2022, the two NSAs have driven concrete initiatives between the two countries across a range of areas including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, Telecommunications, Defence and Space. 

The current visit gave them the opportunity to review ongoing progress in their high-level dialogue, including in diverse fields such as Defence, Cyber and Maritime Security.  

US NSA Jake Sullivan briefed the Indian side on the updates brought out by the Biden administration to U.S. missile export control policies under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) that will boost US commercial space cooperation with India. Reflecting the progress the United States and India have made—and will continue to make—as strategic partners and countries with a shared commitment to peaceful nuclear cooperation, NSA Sullivan announced US efforts to finalize necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains.

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President Biden has now conserved over 670 million acres of America’s lands and waters, more than any other president in history

Today President Biden will take action to protect the entire U.S. East coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, and additional portions of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska from future oil and natural gas leasing. In protecting more than 625 million acres of the U.S. ocean from offshore drilling, President Biden has determined that the environmental and economic risks and harms that would result from drilling in these areas outweigh their limited fossil fuel resource potential. With these withdrawals, President Biden is protecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and local economies – including fishing, recreation, and tourism – from oil spills and other impacts of offshore drilling.

Nearly forty percent of Americans live in coastal counties that rely on a healthy ocean to thrive. With today’s action, President Biden is ensuring that these regions can remain healthy and safe from the risk of oil spills resulting from development that would do little, if anything, to meet the nation’s energy needs.

Nearly 400 municipalities and over 2,300 elected local, state, Tribal, and federal officials across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts have formally opposed the expansion of offshore drilling in these areas in view of its severe environmental, health, and economic threats. Nearly every Governor along the East and West Coasts – Republicans and Democrats alike – has expressed concerns about expanded oil and gas drilling off their coastlines. In Alaska, the new Northern Bering Sea protections are consistent with a long-standing request from more than 70 coastal Tribes based on the need to help sustain a vital and threatened ocean area, and the natural resources it contains that Indigenous communities have stewarded and relied on for subsistence since time immemorial.

Following this action, President Biden will have conserved more lands and waters than any other U.S. president in history.

Protecting the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Northern Bering Sea from Offshore Drilling

Using his authority under Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, President Biden is issuing two Presidential Memoranda to protect all U.S. Outer Continental Shelf areas off the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and additional portions of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska from future oil and natural gas leasing. The withdrawals have no expiration date, and prohibit all future oil and natural gas leasing in the areas withdrawn. President Biden first used this authority in January of 2021 when he restored protections for part of the Northern Bering Sea, and again in March 2023 to withdraw 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea from future oil and gas leasing, which completed protections for the entire U.S. Arctic Ocean.

Today’s action will safeguard three distinct ocean and coastal regions:

• The entire eastern U.S. Atlantic coast and the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. President Biden is protecting approximately 334 million acres of the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from Canada to the southern tip of Florida, and the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. There are currently no active oil and natural gas leases in Federal waters off the eastern Atlantic coast. The southern section of this withdrawal matches a previous Congressional withdrawal enacted by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, and a subsequent time-limited 12(a) withdrawal issued by the previous administration that would have expired in 2032 without today’s protections. Today’s withdrawal builds on those prior withdrawals and helps safeguard the multi-billion-dollar fishing and tourism economies in these states.  
  
  
• The Pacific Coast along California, Oregon, and Washington. This withdrawal protects nearly 250 million acres of Federal waters off the West Coast of the mainland U.S. that are prime habitat for seals, sea lions, whales, fish, and countless seabirds. The State of California has had a moratorium on issuing new leases in its state waters since 1969, and the last Federal lease sale in the area being withdrawn was offshore of Southern California in 1984. The Governors of these states have called for full protection of their coasts for decades.

• The remaining portion of the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area in Alaska. This withdrawal will protect 44 million acres of the Northern Bering Sea in far northwest Alaska that is home to fish, sea birds, and other wildlife and where there are no existing oil and gas leases. The Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area was established in 2016 and includes one of the largest marine mammal migrations in the world – beluga and bowhead whales, walruses, and seals travel the funnel of the Bering Strait each year to feed and breed in the Arctic. This is an area where oil and gas development would pose severe dangers to coastal communities, and where the health of these waters is critically important to food security and to the culture of more than 70 coastal Tribes, including the Yup’ik, Cup’ik, and Inupiaq people who have relied on these resources for millennia. The Alaskan Congressional delegation has opposed previous proposals to allow oil and gas leasing and drilling in the area.

Building on a Historic Ocean Conservation and Climate Legacy

Today’s actions build upon the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious climate agenda and unprecedented commitment to protect America’s natural wonders now and for future generations. The withdrawals advance two important Biden-Harris Administration priorities: honoring and protecting areas of significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples as well as States and other stakeholders; and helping to ensure our oceans and coasts are resilient to the threats of climate change and nature loss. 

The Biden-Harris Administration’s climate and conservation record includes creating three new national marine sanctuaries and a new national estuarine research reserve, including the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Central California; advancing designations for four additional sanctuaries; safeguarding Bristol Bay salmon fisheries; approving more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind projects, enough to power more than 6 million homes; investing $2.6 billion in coastal communities; and releasing the first-ever U. S. Ocean Climate Action Plan.

With today’s withdrawals, President Biden has now conserved more than 670 million acres of U.S. lands, waters, and ocean – more than any president in history. This includes establishing or expanding ten national monuments and restoring protections for three more; creating six new national wildlife refuges; protecting the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, the nation’s most visited wilderness area; and withdrawing Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Pactola Reservoir in South Dakota, and Thompson Divide in Colorado from further mineral, oil, and gas leasing.  

These actions are helping advance the President’s America the Beautiful initiative, which is supporting locally led conservation efforts with a goal to protect, conserve, and restore at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

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I am taking action to protect the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea from oil and natural gas drilling and the harm it can cause. My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs. It is not worth the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren.

From California to Florida, Republican and Democratic Governors, Members of Congress, and coastal communities alike have worked and called for greater protection of our ocean and coastlines from harms that offshore oil and natural gas drilling can bring. In Alaska, dozens of Tribes have fought to protect the Northern Bering Sea, a vital ocean ecosystem that supports their traditional ways of life. Vice President Harris and I have listened. In balancing the many uses and benefits of America’s ocean, it is clear to me that the relatively minimal fossil fuel potential in the areas I am withdrawing do not justify the environmental, public health, and economic risks that would come from new leasing and drilling.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a man-made catastrophe that took the lives of eleven people and spilled millions of barrels of oil into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, is a solemn reminder of the costs and risks of offshore drilling to the health and resilience of our coasts and fisheries and underscores the importance of the legal protections I am putting in place today. It is also one of the reasons why on my watch we have strengthened offshore safety standards for workers and communities on the front lines of existing operations nationwide, and rapidly accelerated the development of safer and cleaner energy sources, including the approval of eleven offshore wind projects.

From Day One, I have delivered on the most ambitious climate and conservation agenda in our country’s history. And over the last four years, I have conserved more than 670 million acres of America’s lands and waters, more than any other president in history. Our country’s remarkable conservation and restoration progress has been locally led by Tribes, farmers and ranchers, fishermen, small businesses, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the country. Together, our “America the Beautiful” initiative put the United States on track to meet my ambitious goal to conserve at least 30 percent of our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030. 

We do not need to choose between protecting the environment and growing our economy, or between keeping our ocean healthy, our coastlines resilient, and the food they produce secure and keeping energy prices low. Those are false choices. Protecting America’s coasts and ocean is the right thing to do, and will help communities and the economy to flourish for generations to come.

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Yesterday, I was proud to sign into law the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act, authorizing the placement of a monument honoring the women’s suffrage movement on the National Mall. In addition to commemorating the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument will recognize the generations of women who fought to ensure an equal voice for women in our democracy and honor the leaders who fought for the enfranchisement of all women long after the 19th Amendment was ratified. Vice President Harris and I are committed to defending equal rights for all Americans, to strengthening the federal government’s recognition of women’s contributions to our nation’s history, and to inspiring the next generation to create a more equal future for all.

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Today, President Biden named nineteen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.

President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else. These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.

The awards will be presented at the White House on January 4, 2025. The following individuals will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom:

José Andrés 

José Andrés is a renowned Spanish-American culinary innovator who popularized tapas in the United States. His World Central Kitchen provides large-scale relief to communities affected by natural disasters and conflict around the world.

Bono

Bono is the frontman for legendary rock band U2 and a pioneering activist against AIDS and poverty. He brought together politicians from opposing parties to create the United States PEPFAR AIDS program, and is co-founder of campaigning organizations ONE and (RED).

Ashton Baldwin Carter (posthumous)

Ash Carter served as the 25th Secretary of Defense and devoted his career to making the nation safer for all. Throughout his career, he served under 11 Secretaries of Defense in both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Secretary Clinton made history many times over decades in public service, including as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate. After serving as Secretary of State, she became the first woman nominated for president by a major United States political party.

Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox is an actor who has won five Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy Award. He is a world-renowned advocate for Parkinson’s disease research and development.

Tim Gill

Tim Gill is a visionary entrepreneur whose work has advanced LGBTQI rights and equality. After transforming the publishing industry through groundbreaking software, he leveraged his success to secure key victories in the fight for marriage equality and anti-discrimination protections.

Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall is a world-renowned ethologist and conservationist whose research transformed our understanding of primates and human evolution. She is a passionate advocate for empowering individuals and communities to protect and preserve the natural world.

Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumous)

Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer transformed the struggle for racial justice in America. As a founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, she challenged the exclusion of Black voices in the political system and laid the groundwork for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is a legendary retired basketball player who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships. Off the court, he is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who supports underserved communities through his Magic Johnson Foundation.

Robert Francis Kennedy (posthumous)

Robert Francis Kennedy is remembered as an Attorney General who fiercely combatted racial segregation, and as a United States Senator who sought to address poverty and inequality in the country. His legacy continues to inspire those committed to justice, equality, and public service.

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren is a fashion designer who redefined the fashion industry with a lifestyle brand that embodies timeless elegance and American tradition. He has influenced culture, business, and philanthropy, notably in the fight against cancer and the preservation of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional soccer. He supports healthcare and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

William Sanford Nye

Bill Nye has inspired and influenced generations of American students as “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” His dedication to science education continues through his work as CEO of the Planetary Society and as a vocal advocate for space exploration and environmental stewardship.

George W. Romney (posthumous)

George Romney was a businessman who served as the chairman and president of American Motors Corporation. A public servant, he later served as both the 43rd Governor of Michigan and the 3rd Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

David M. Rubenstein

David Rubenstein is co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, where he built one of the most successful global investment firms. He is renowned for his philanthropy and generous support for the restoration of historic landmarks and the country’s cultural institutions.

George Soros

George Soros is an investor, philanthropist, and founder of the Open Society Foundations. Through his network of foundations, partners and projects in more than 120 countries, Soros has focused on global initiatives that strengthen democracy, human rights, education, and social justice.

George Stevens, Jr. 

George Stevens, Jr. is an award-winning writer, director, author, and playwright. His career has been dedicated to preserving and celebrating the best of American film and the performing arts, including by founding the American Film Institute and creating the Kennedy Center Honors.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is an actor, director, and producer who has won two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globes, and the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also served as National Spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for over 25 years.

Anna Wintour

Anna Wintour is a renowned fashion icon who has led Vogue as editor-in-chief since 1988. A champion for philanthropic causes, she is also the leading architect behind the annual Met Gala fundraiser and chief content officer of Condé Nast.

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National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to New Delhi, India on January 5-6 for a capstone meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that will span a range of issues across the breadth of the U.S.-India partnership – from space, defense, and strategic technology cooperation to shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.  During his visit, Mr. Sullivan will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other Indian leaders. He will also visit the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he will meet with young Indian entrepreneurs and give a speech outlining the significant steps the United States and India have taken together to strengthen our innovation alliance under the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

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Today, President Biden announced the latest recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation—our nation’s highest honors for exemplary achievement and leadership in science and technology.
 
For 65 years, the President of the United States has bestowed the National Medal of Science on those deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions to science in service to the United States. This medal was established by Congress in 1959 and is administered by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
 
Since it was first awarded in 1985, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation has recognized American innovators whose vision, intellect, creativity, and determination have strengthened America’s economy and improved our quality of life. The medal was established by Congress in 1980 and is administered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

President Biden often says that America can be defined in a single word: possibilities. Those who earn these awards embody the promise of America by pushing the boundaries of what is possible. These trailblazers have harnessed the power of science and technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver innovative solutions for Americans and for communities around the world.

These medalists have made discoveries that are helping us meet the climate crisis, treat crippling disease, create lifesaving vaccines, pioneer the way we communicate, and significantly improve our understanding of the universe and our place within it. Their accomplishments advance American leadership in science, technology, and innovation, and their work inspires the next generation of American leaders.

The new recipients are listed below.

Recipients of the National Medal of Science

• Richard B. Alley
• Larry Martin Bartels
• Bonnie L. Bassler
• Angela Marie Belcher
• Helen M. Blau
• Emery Neal Brown
• John O. Dabiri
• Ingrid Daubechies
• Cynthia Dwork
• R. Lawrence Edwards
• Wendy L. Freedman
• Keivan G. Stassun
• G. David Tilman
• Teresa Kaye Woodruff

Recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation

• Martin Cooper
• Jennifer A. Doudna
• Eric R. Fossum
• Paula T. Hammond
• Kristina M. Johnson
• Victor B. Lawrence
• David R. Walt
• Paul G. Yock
• Feng Zhang

National Medal of Technology and Innovation Organization Recipients

• Moderna, Inc.

• Pfizer Inc.

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On January 3, 2025, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will award the Medal of Honor to seven U.S. Army Soldiers:  Private Bruno R. Orig (posthumous), Private First Class Wataru Nakamura (posthumous), Corporal Fred B. McGee (posthumous), Private First Class Charles R. Johnson (posthumous), retired General Richard E. Cavazos (posthumous), Captain Hugh R. Nelson, Jr. (posthumous), and Specialist Fourth Class Kenneth J. David.    

Private Bruno R. Orig will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with Company G, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division in the vicinity of Chipyong-ni, Korea, on February 15, 1951.  While returning from a wire laying mission, Private Orig observed a number of his comrades who had been wounded in a fierce enemy attack that was still in progress. With complete disregard for his own safety, he went to the aid of these men and remained in an exposed position in order to administer first aid.  With the assistance of several comrades from the company command post, he began removing the wounded to a place of safety.  While returning from one of these trips, he noticed that all except one man of a machine-gun crew had been wounded. Without hesitation, he volunteered to man the weapon. Remaining in this position, he placed such effective fire on the enemy that a withdrawing friendly platoon was able to move back without a single casualty.  Private Orig continued to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy until their company positions were overrun. Later that day, when the lost ground was recaptured, Private Orig was found dead beside his weapon, and the area in front of his gun was littered with enemy dead. 

Private First Class Wataru Nakamura will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division in the vicinity of P’ungch’on-ni, Korea on May 18, 1951.  At daybreak on May 18, 1951, Private First Class Nakamura volunteered to check and repair a communications line between his platoon and the command post. As he made his way along the line in the early morning half-light, he was brought under fire by an enemy force that had surrounded friendly positions and was threatening to break the company defense lines. Immediately, without regard for his own safety and without waiting for help, he rushed the enemy with fixed bayonet engaged.  Singlehandedly, he attacked and destroyed a hostile machine-gun nest and drove the enemy from several of the bunkers they had captured.  When his ammunition was depleted, he withdrew under intense enemy fire.  Then he met an ammunition party ascending the hill. Quickly briefing the officer in charge, Private Nakamura rearmed himself and, covered by the fire of the officer in charge and two comrades, returned to the attack.  In a fierce charge, he killed three of the enemy in one bunker and killed and seriously wounded another in the last enemy-held bunker.  Continuing to press the attack, he was killed by an enemy grenade. 

Corporal Fred B. McGee will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity near Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea, on June 16, 1952, in an assault on enemy fortified positions.  As gunner on a light machine gun in a weapons squad, Corporal McGee delivered a heavy volume of supporting fire from an exposed position despite intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire directly on his location. Though forced to move his gun several times, he continued to support the assault and give covering fire to the assault elements of his platoon.  When his squad leader was wounded, he assumed command and moved the squad even farther forward to a more exposed position in order to deliver neutralizing fire on an enemy machine gun that was sweeping another assault platoon with deadly flanking fire.  When Corporal McGee’s machine gunner was mortally wounded, he took over the gun. On order, he directed his squad to withdraw and voluntarily remained behind to help evacuate the wounded and dead.      Though he was wounded in the face, he heroically exposed himself by standing straight up in intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire and attempting to evacuate the body of the company runner.   Forced to abandon the body of the company runner, he aided in moving a wounded man to the rear to safety through a huge volume of enemy mortar and artillery fire.

Private First Class Charles R. Johnson will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity beyond the call of duty while serving as a Browning Automatic Rifleman with Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, Republic of Korea, June 11-12, 1953.  During the night of June 11, Chinese forces attacked Private First Class Johnson’s unit during a massive nighttime assault. During the ensuing battle, overwhelming numbers of Chinese troops assaulted the trenches and bunkers that were defended by Private First Class Johnson and his squad.  Wounded from a direct artillery hit on his bunker and subsequently from a hand grenade thrown inside the bunker, Private First Class Johnson, without regard for his own injuries, administered first aid to those more seriously injured.  Understanding the seriousness of the situation and under direct fire from the enemy, Private First Class Johnson personally dragged a wounded soldier to the safety of a secure bunker, stopping intermittently to aid injured soldiers and kill several enemy members in hand-to-hand combat.  Recognizing their untenable situation and disregarding his personal safety, Private First Class Johnson exited the bunker, placing himself between the enemy and his injured comrades to hold off the enemy as best as he could.  Private First Class Johnson’s brave and selfless efforts were credited with saving the lives of as many as 10 soldiers.   Private First Class Johnson was killed in action in the early morning of June 12, 1953.

Then-First Lieutenant Richard E. Cavazos will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as the Company Commander, Company E, 2d Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, on June 14 and 15, 1953, in the vicinity of Sagimak, Korea.  On the night of June 14, 1953, Lieutenant Cavazos led his men in a raid on the entrenched enemy, upon whom heavy casualties were inflicted.  When a heavy barrage was laid on the position by the enemy, Lieutenant Cavazos withdrew the company and regrouped his men.  Lieutenant Cavazos twice more led the company through the heavy barrage in assaults on the enemy position, each time destroying vital enemy equipment and personnel.  When the United Nations element was ordered to withdraw, Lieutenant Cavazos remained alone on the enemy outpost to search the area for missing men. Exposed to heavy hostile fire, Lieutenant Cavazos located five battle casualties.  He evacuated them, one at a time, to a point on the reverse slope of the hill from which they could be removed to safety.  Lieutenant Cavazos then made four more trips between the United Nations position and the enemy-held hill, searching for casualties and evacuating scattered groups of men who had become confused. Not until he was assured that the hill was cleared did he get treatment for the wounds sustained during the action.  Lieutenant Cavazos went on to serve for over thirty years, attaining the rank of four-star General.  He retired from military service in 1984 and died on October 29, 2017, in San Antonio, Texas, at age 88.  On May 9, 2023, Fort Hood was renamed Fort Cavazos in honor of General Cavazos.   

Captain Hugh R. Nelson, Jr. will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a member of the 114th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light) on June 5, 1966, near Moc Hoa, Republic of Vietnam.  Captain Nelson was acting as Aircraft Commander of an armed Huey helicopter when it was struck by hostile gun fire, crash landed in the middle of many enemy positions, and had all weapons destroyed in the crash. Captain Nelson exited the aircraft to aid his three wounded comrades: two Specialists and a pilot. He ignored his own injuries, debarked the aircraft, and started to evacuate his fellow soldiers.

Proceeding to the left side of the aircraft, he removed a dazed Specialist who had been pinned in the cargo compartment. After placing the Specialist on the ground and observing that the injured pilot had managed to get out of the aircraft, he climbed into the severely damaged helicopter to assist the other Specialist who was still trapped in the aircraft.  Although the enemy began a heavy volume of automatic and small arms fire at a range of approximately 30 feet from the aircraft, he continued his brave efforts until he freed the second trapped Specialist.  He then forced the second Specialist to the ground while using his own body as a human shield to cover his comrade. Captain Nelson was killed by the gun fire, while the Specialist survived. He saved the life of his fellow soldier at the sacrifice of his own.  Captain Nelson’s selfless sacrifice allowed his wounded comrade to use a smoke grenade to signal supporting aircraft in the area, which responded immediately and successfully evacuated the three wounded crew members and Captain Nelson’s remains.    

Then-Private First Class Kenneth J. David will receive the Medal of Honor for acts of gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a radio-telephone operator during contact with an enemy force near Fire Support Base Maureen, Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam, on May 7, 1970.  Private First Class David’s company came under an intense attack from a large hostile force, which resulted in numerous friendly casualties.  He immediately took up a position to engage the enemy in such a way to draw fire away from his comrades.  Without regard for his own life, he moved to a position in front of the perimeter and just to the south. Surrounded on three sides by the larger enemy force, he engaged them with his rifle and hand grenades.  When the enemy attempted to concentrate their fire on the wounded, Private First Class David jumped from his position and yelled to draw the fire back to himself. During this time, he was wounded by an incoming satchel charge.  His comrades came to his aid, but he assured them he was able to continue the fight. He continued to draw the enemy fire away from the friendly Medevac helicopters that were trying to land. It was not until the last helicopter was landing that he retreated from his position in front of the perimeter and continued laying down fire until finally being evacuated himself.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEDAL OF HONOR:

The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty while:

• engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

• engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or

• serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life.  There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

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President Biden and Vice President Harris have been instrumental in remedying historical injustices and advancing equality for LGBTQI+ Americans. Today, the White House is recognizing the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic track record as the most pro-equality Administration in American history:

• Enshrining the right to marriage in Federal law. The Respect for Marriage Act enshrined into law the right to Federal recognition of marriage for same-sex and interracial couples, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. This legislation strengthened civil rights protections and ensured that the promise of equality is promised to all families. The right to marriage confers vital legal protections, dignity, and full participation in our society.
• Protecting LGBTQI+ service members and veterans. In October 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that it concluded its proactive review of discharge records for former Service members who had received a less than honorable discharge due to their sexual orientation under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. As a result of DOD’s new actions, 96% of individuals who were administratively separated on the basis of their sexual orientation and who served for long enough to receive a merit-based characterization of service now have an honorable discharge. In addition, this past spring,the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expanded access to care and benefits for some former Service members who received a less than honorable discharge based on homosexual conduct. Furthermore, in June 2024, President Biden issued a categorical pardon for certain former Service members convicted of crimes based on their sexual orientation. And in his first week in office, the President rescinded the discriminatory ban on transgender Service members.
• Supporting community safety and security. In June 2023, the President established the LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership. The partnership is a collaboration between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security, which work hand-in-hand with LGBTQI+ community organizations to provide critical safety resources to ensure these organizations can remain safe spaces for the community. Ahead of Pride Month 2024, the partnership released a new guide of key security resources for the LGBTQI+ community and provided briefings on these resources throughout June.
• Advancing a federal blood donation policy based on science, not stigma. The Food and Drug Administration announced a new policy for assessing blood donor eligibility using a set of individual risk-based questions to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV. The new policy ends identity-based restrictions on blood donation by gay and bisexual men.
• Signing historic Executive Orders. Starting on Day One of his Administration, President Biden signed several historic Executive Orders to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and advance equality for LGBTQI+ individuals. These Executive Orders formed the basis for dozens of executive actions the Biden-Harris Administration has taken to advance civil rights and improve the lives of LGBTQI+ Americans.
• Implementing a new National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The White House Office of National AIDS Policy launched a revised National HIV/AIDS Strategy that sets bold new national targets to end the HIV epidemic and includes transgender people as a priority population for the first time. In September, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy convened the ¡Adelante! Summit to accelerate the nation’s HIV response in Latino communities. Latino gay men now represent the highest number of new HIV cases in the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Appointing historic LGBTQI+ leaders. The Biden-Harris Administration includes barrier-breaking LGBTQI+ leaders, including the first openly LGBTQI+ Cabinet Secretary, White House Press Secretary, and White House Communications Director, the two first openly transgender people to ever be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and the first out lesbian to achieve the rank of Ambassador.
• Protecting against discrimination in health care, education, grantmaking, and foster care. The Biden-Harris Administration has finalized several rules to offer protections to LGBTQI+ people against discrimination in health care, education, and other areas.  The HHS Office for Civil Rights published a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act that guarantees critical protections to LGBTQI+ people against discrimination in health care. The rule protects individuals from discrimination regardless of the type of care they are seeking. Pursuant to decisions by courts, some of the rule’s provisions are stayed or enjoined. Still, the Administration has appealed those decisions and continues to defend the rule. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released a final rule under Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs receiving federal funding and strengthens civil rights protections for all, including for LGBTQI+ students and staff. Pursuant to federal court orders, the final rule is enjoined in 26 states and certain schools. Notwithstanding those injunctions, the final rule is in effect in most schools in 24 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The HHS Office for Civil Rights published a final rule affirming non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in HHS-funded programs. This protects against discrimination in programs such as Head Start, Family Violence Prevention and Services Act grant programs, and the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant, consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County.

• Strengthening mental health resources and protections for LGBTQI+ youth. To address the disproportionate mental health challenges facing LGBTQI+ youth, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration added dedicated crisis counseling services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults to 988, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In addition, HHS released a final rule that strengthens protections for LGBTQI+ youth in foster care, who are some of the most vulnerable children in the country, which is expected to protect tens of thousands of LGBTQI+ children in foster care each year.
• New clinical guidelines to prevent STIs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance for a post-exposure prophylaxis strategy that significantly reduces the risk of bacterial sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs), particularly among gay and bisexual men and transgender women, marking a critical step forward in STI prevention efforts and strengthening the nation’s sexual health response.
• Addressing book bans. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights appointed a Coordinator to advance public understanding of the civil rights and other impacts of book restrictions. The Coordinator leads community-based trainings on the civil rights laws enforced by the Office for Civil Rights. In a blog post, the Coordinator discussed how book bans, which disproportionately target works written by or about members of the LGBTQI+ community and people of color, may create a hostile school environment and implicate federal civil rights laws.
• Historic engagements with the LGBTQI+ community. In September, President Biden became the first sitting President to sit down with an LGBTQI+ newspaper, The Washington Blade.

• Promoting human rights for LGBTQI+ people globally. The Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons is driving rapid response to proposed anti-LGBTQI+ legislation around the world. With the encouragement of the United States, a growing number of nations have decriminalized same-sex conduct, and together, we are working to hold accountable perpetrators of discrimination and abuse. For example, as directed by President Biden, departments and agencies took steps to encourage the repeal of Uganda’s anti-homosexuality act.

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Today, President Biden will announce eight recipients of the Medal of Valor.

Pursuant to the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001, which President Biden co-sponsored when serving as a Senator, the President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a Medal of Valor to a public safety officer for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty. It is the nation’s highest award for valor by a public safety officer.

The nominees were recommended by the Attorney General and the Medal of Valor Review Board, whose members are appointed to four-year terms by the President, the Senate majority and minority leaders, the Speaker of the House, and the House minority leader. The medal recipients have exhibited exceptional courage—disregarding their own personal safety—in attempting to save or protect human life. 

The President previously awarded Medals of Valor in 2023 for the 2021-2022 class of nine recipients and in 2022 for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 classes of 15 recipients during ceremonies held at the White House. The President also presented the medals as Vice President in 2010, 2013, and 2015.

The awards will be presented at the White House on January 3, 2024. The following individuals will be awarded the Medal of Valor:

Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, Officer Rex Engelbert, and Detectives Michael Collazo, Ryan Cagle, and Zachary Plese

On March 27, 2023, Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, Officer Rex Engelbert, and Detectives Michael Collazo, Ryan Cagle, and Zachary Plese of the Nashville, Tennessee, Police Department ran towards gunfire to take down an active shooter at The Covenant School, a Nashville elementary school. The heavily-armed shooter had already killed six people, including three nine-year-old students. The officers rushed to the scene, and as they arrived, the shooter opened fire on them. Still, the officers entered the school, cleared classroom after classroom, and ran towards the sounds of gunfire where they encountered the shooter. They took down the shooter. Later that day, the President addressed the nation and commended the police for their swift response and bravery.

Sergeant Tu Tran

On February 22, 2023, Sergeant Tu Tran of the Police Department of Lincoln, Nebraska put his life in danger to courageously save a woman drowning in a frigid pond. Sergeant Tran jumped into the deep water and swam over 30 feet to the middle of the pond where the woman’s vehicle was submerging. He opened the rear door and pulled the woman out before the vehicle fully submerged. Sergeant Tran brought the woman to safety on shore, where she was treated by medics and survived. Sergeant Tran attended the 2024 State of the Union address as a guest of Nebraska Senators Pete Ricketts (R) and Deb Fischer (R).

Lieutenant John Vanderstar

On October 23, 2022, Lieutenant John Vanderstar of the Fire Department of the City of New York rushed into a burning apartment and through flames to rescue a mother and her child, saving both. Upon entering the apartment, without hesitation and without water to hold back the fire, he pushed to the back bedroom, where he found a suffocating mother with a child laying on top of her. He dragged them to the window for fresh air. Once other firefighters arrived with a hose to push back the fire, Lieutenant Vanderstar raced out of the apartment with the child, handing her to paramedics. The mother and child both survived.

Firefighter Brendan Gaffney

On February 5, 2023, firefighter Brendan Gaffney of the Fire Department of the City of New York rushed through an apartment building fire twice to save two unconscious victims. In the apartment, Gaffney moved through the raging fire into a bedroom using a removed door as a shield, where he found a pregnant woman and a child, both unconscious. He first shielded the child with his own body to get him to safety. Gaffney then ran through the fire again and rescued the woman. He performed CPR on the woman while waiting for paramedics. The woman and child both survived.

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As I have said many times, steel production—and the steel workers who produce it—are the backbone of our nation.  A strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains.  That is because steel powers our country: our infrastructure, our auto industry, and our defense industrial base. Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure.

For too long, U.S. steel companies have faced unfair trade practices as foreign companies have dumped steel on global markets at artificially low prices, leading to job losses and factory closures in America. I have taken decisive action to level the playing field for American steelworkers and steel producers by tripling tariffs on steel imports from China.  With record investments in manufacturing, more than 100 new steel and iron mills have opened since I took office, and U.S. companies are producing the cleanest steel in the world. Today, the domestic steel industry is the strongest it has been in years.

We need major U.S. companies representing the major share of US steelmaking capacity to keep leading the fight on behalf of America’s national interests. As a committee of national security and trade experts across the executive branch determined, this acquisition would place one of America’s largest steel producers under foreign control and create risk for our national security and our critical supply chains.

So, that is why I am taking action to block this deal. It is my solemn responsibility as President to ensure that, now and long into the future, America has a strong domestically owned and operated steel industry that can continue to power our national sources of strength at home and abroad; and it is a fulfillment of that responsibility to block foreign ownership of this vital American company. U.S. Steel will remain a proud American company – one that’s American-owned, American-operated, by American union steelworkers – the best in the world.  

Today’s action reflects my unflinching commitment to utilize all authorities available to me as President to defend U.S. national security, including by ensuring that American companies continue to play a central role in sectors that are critical for our national security. As I have made clear since day one: I will never hesitate to act to protect the security of this nation and its infrastructure as well as the resilience of its supply chains.

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Today, President Biden is taking action to recognize the cultural heritage of the Indigenous Peoples and communities of the Pacific Islands by renaming the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument as the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, and becoming the first President to formally honor the Hui Panalāʻau, Native Hawaiians sent to secure United States territorial claim to the islands in the run up to World War II. This action builds on President Biden’s historic record of delivering for Indigenous communities across the country.

In March 2023, the President issued a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce to collaborate with Indigenous cultural leaders to inform renaming of the existing Pacific Remote Islands National Monument to honor the area’s heritage, ancestral pathways, and stopping points for Pacific Island voyagers, and to inform posthumous recognition for the Hui Panalāʻau.

Today’s action supports President Biden’s commitment to telling a fuller story of our Nation’s history and builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to advance opportunity, including for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities.

Renaming of the Marine National Monument

The Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument encompasses approximately 490,000 square miles of open ocean, coral reef, and island habitats in the Pacific Ocean and includes seven National Wildlife Refuges associated with Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Atoll. The national monument is home to one of the largest collections of tropical islands, coral reef, seamounts, and deep sea protected areas on the planet, and provides large migration and foraging ranges for sea turtles, marine mammals, whales, sharks, and manta rays.

At President Biden’s direction, the Udall Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), led an 18-month collaborative renaming process to engage Indigenous Peoples and other Pacific Island communities on developing a recommendation for a new name for the Marine National Monument. This included participating in the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, where the Administration convened sessions with the Pacific Island delegations, cultural practitioners, voyagers, language experts, and the broader Pacific Island community to seek comment and input on a new name.

The renaming of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument reaffirms the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to recognize and acknowledge the tradition of voyaging and other cultural and ancestral connections to the monument area and the historic and scientific objects it contains as core to Pacific Island communities’ heritage. The name also honors the many people, cultures, languages, and resources that have existed in the region for thousands of years and will continue to thrive in the future.

President George W. Bush first established this marine national monument in 2009, and President Barack Obama designated a marine national monument expansion area in 2014. Today’s action applies the new name to the existing monument, without altering its boundaries or any applicable requirements.

Recognition for the Hui Panalāʻau

From 1935 to 1942, the United States government sent 135 mainly Native Hawaiian men – known collectively as the Hui Panalāʻau – to live for six weeks to several months at a time on the uninhabited Pacific equatorial islands of Howland, Baker, Jarvis, Enderbury, and Canton to claim the islands for the United States. Today, President Biden issued a Presidential Message officially recognizing for the first time their contributions to the United States.

Beginning in 1935, the United States government recruited young Hawaiian students and recent graduates of the Kamehameha School for Boys to serve a colonization mission to the uninhabited islands. Although military interests justified occupation of the islands, the Hui Panalāʻau members were not informed of the true nature of the project. The men recorded weather conditions, cultivated plants, maintained a daily log, recorded the types of fish that they caught, observed bird life, and collected specimens for the Bishop Museum on O’ahu, and also endured personal sacrifice and hardship living on the islands. Several Hui Panalāʻau members died on the islands, including in an attack by the Empire of Japan the day after the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration acknowledges the accomplishments and sacrifices of the members of the Hui Panalā‘au, and extends to them and their families the deep appreciation of the people of the United States. The United States also extends condolences to the families of Carl Kahalewai, Joseph Keliihananui, and Richard Whaley for the loss of their loved ones in the service of the United States. The previously unsung contributions and sacrifices of these young men and their loved ones must be recognized as a part of the history of our Nation and of their beloved home, Hawai‘i.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) conducted a thorough review of records relevant to the Equatorial Pacific colonization program and was able to verify a participant roster that reflects, to the very best of their ability, a list of 135 individuals involved in this United States Government project. NARA corroborated this list with individual employment records. The records are from the Office of the Territories: Central Classified Files Relating to the Equatorial Islands, and this series consists of 15 containers which are fully digitized and available in the National Archives Catalog.

Today, the United States honors their memory for their service and sacrifices for our Nation:

Ahia, Charles; Ahia, Henry; Akaka, Lewellyn; Akana, Albert; Akana, Bernard; Akana, George; Akana, Theodore; Anahu, William; Anakalea, Joseph; Au, Charles; Aune, Edward; Awana, Theodore; Beatty, Rupert; Bederman, Thos. W.; Bell, Kenneth; Blake, Hartwell; Boyd, Andrew; Braun, Charles; Braun, Clarence; Bruhn, James Ferdinand; Burke, Eugene; Burke, Walter; Bush, Harry; Calley, Chas. D., Jr.; Carroll, James; Chang, Herbert; Ching, Archie; Ching, Lawrence; Cockett, Frank; Cockett, Herbert; Collins, Austin; Cowden, Lawrence; Coyle, James W.; Duff, Leonard; Dyen, Samuel; Faufata, Folina; Feigenbaum, Ralph; Fialkowaski, Henry; Graf, Wyman; Haili, Jacob; Hall, Bernard H.; Harbottle, Isaac; Harris, Arthur; Hartwell, David Kawila; Henderson, Waldron; Hooper, Herbert; Hutchinson, William; Jacobson, Victor; Jensen, Hans P.; Jensen, Karl Emil; Kaahea, Henry; Kahalewai, Carl; Kahalewai, Samuel; Kahanu, George; Kahapea, Alexander; Kahapea, William; Kaina, Wm.; Kalama, David H.; Kalama, Samuel; Kalama, Solomon; Kamakaiwi, James C., Jr.; Kaninau, Charles; Kauahikaua, Archie; Kaulu, Albert Kelii; Keliihananui, Jos. K.; Kepoo, Joseph; Kilbey, John Gibson; Kim, Bak Sung; Kim, Harold; Kim, Joseph; Kim, Victor; King, Kenneth Lum; Kinney, James; Knell, Henry Crockett; Lawler, Vernon; Lee, Francis; Lee, Frederick; Lee, Henry Kong; Leong, Ah Kin; Lieson, Robert W.; Lum, Harold Chin; Lum, Kam; Lum, Paul Yat; Lum, Yau Fai; MacKellar, Ian; Mahikoa, Henry; Makua, Blue; Markham, Wm. S.; Mattson, Elvin K.; McCorriston, Edward M.; Medeiros, Henry; Newton, Edmond; Ohumukini, Henry; Opiopio, Killarney; Paoa, Melvin; Paquette, Maurice; Pea, Aki Kini Levi; Pea, Wm. Kane; Pease, James K.; Phillips, Manley Woodrow; Phillips, Paul Gordon; Piianai, Abraham; Pires, Manuel; Rahe, Bernard; Renken, Ernest Kalane; Riley, James Jos.; Roberts, John; Roberts, Oliver K.; Robinson, Alexander; Ruddle, Francis; Smith, Henry M.; Sproat, Manuel; Stein, Charles; Stillman, Francis; Stillman, Geo. C.L.; Suares, Louis; Summers, Carl; Surber, George; Tavares, William; Theiss, Harry; Toomey, Daniel; Toomey, John Kauwe; Toomey, William; Victor, Gabriel; Waiwaiole, Luther; West, George; Whaley, Richard; Wilhelm, Frederick; Williamson, Elmer; Wilson, Ralph; Wong, Alexander; Wood, Joshua; Yomes, William; Young, Edward; and Zagara, Dominic P.

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WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden named twenty recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal.

The Presidential Citizens Medal is awarded to citizens of the United States of America who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. President Biden believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others. The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice.

The awards will be presented at the White House on January 2, 2025. The following individuals will be awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal:

Mary L. Bonauto

Attorney and activist Mary Bonauto first fought to legalize same-sex marriage in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine before arguing before the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges, which established marriage equality as the law of the land. Her efforts made millions of families whole and forged a more perfect Union.

Bill Bradley

Raised in small-town Missouri, Bill Bradley showed a dedication to basketball that would define his courage, discipline, and selflessness. A two-time NBA Champion and Hall-of-Fame New York Knick, he served three terms as a United States Senator from New Jersey and was a candidate for president, advancing tax reform, water rights, civil rights, and more, while still today seeking to deepen our common humanity with humility and heart.

Frank K. Butler, Jr.

As a pioneering innovator, Navy Seal, and leader in dive medicine, Dr. Frank Butler introduced Tactical Combat Casualty Care to the medical world that set new standards for tourniquet use not only for injuries in war, but injuries across daily civilian life. He has transformed battlefield trauma care for the United States military and saved countless lives.

Elizabeth L. Cheney

Throughout two decades in public service, including as a Congresswoman for Wyoming and Vice Chair of the Committee on the January 6 attack, Liz Cheney has raised her voice—and reached across the aisle—to defend our Nation and the ideals we stand for: Freedom. Dignity. And decency. Her integrity and intrepidness remind us all what is possible if we work together.

Christopher J. Dodd

Chris Dodd has served our Nation with distinction for more than 50 years as a United States Congressman, Senator, respected lawyer, and diplomat. From advancing childcare, to reforming our financial markets, to fostering partnerships across the Western Hemisphere—he has stood watch over America as a beacon to the world.

Diane Carlson Evans

After serving as an Army nurse during the Vietnam War, Diane Carlson Evans founded the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation to ensure female service members received the recognition they deserve—one of our Nation’s most sacred obligations. Her duty and devotion embody the very best of who we are as Americans.

Joseph L. Galloway (posthumous)

From Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, Joe Galloway spent decades sharing first-hand accounts of horror, humanity, and heroism in battle. Known as the soldier’s reporter and the soldier’s friend, he embedded with American troops, rescued wounded soldiers under fire, and became the only civilian awarded a Bronze Star for combat valor by the United States Army as one of the most respected war correspondents of his era.

Nancy Landon Kassebaum

The first woman to represent Kansas, Nancy Kassebaum was a force in the United States Senate. From supporting a woman’s right to choose to reforming health care, she stood up for what she believed in even if it meant standing alone, and she reached across the aisle to do what she believed was right.

Ted Kaufman

For decades, including as a United States Senator from Delaware, Ted Kaufman has served the Nation with honesty and integrity. A master of the Senate who championed everyday Americans and public servants, he’s been at the forefront of consequential debates about the courts, the financial system, and more.

Carolyn McCarthy

As a nurse, Carolyn McCarthy had an instinct to heal and serve. When her husband and son were shot on a local commuter train, she became an advocate so persuasive that she was recruited to run for Congress. She served 18 years, championing gun safety measures including improved background checks, as a citizen legislator devoted to protecting our Nation’s welfare.

Louis Lorenzo Redding (posthumous)

A groundbreaking civil rights advocate, Louis was the first Black attorney admitted to the bar in Delaware, where he argued against segregation in the seminal cases of Bulah v. Gebhart and Belton v. Gebhart—laying the legal framework for Brown v. Board of Education. A towering figure and a generous mentor, he opened doors of equity and opportunity for all Americans.

Bobby Sager

A Boston native, Bobby Sager travels the world as a photographer and philanthropist grounded in family and empathy, wielding his camera and influence to connect with people in war-torn countries, capture their hope and humanity, and inspire others to take action and see a fuller portrait of the planet we all share.

Collins J. Seitz (posthumous)

As a state judge in Delaware, Judge Seitz became the first judge in America to integrate a white public school, dismantling the doctrine of “separate but equal” with exacting detail and reverence for the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of our Constitution. His brave ruling tore down walls of separation to help us see each other as fellow Americans.

Eleanor Smeal

From leading massive protests and galvanizing women’s votes in the 1970s to steering progress for equal pay and helping the Violence Against Women Act become law, Ellie Smeal forced the Nation to not only include women in political discourse but to value them as power brokers and equals. Her strategic vision over more than 40 years embodies the American pursuit to create a fairer, more just world.

Bennie G. Thompson

Born and raised in a segregated Mississippi, as a college student inspired by the Civil Rights movement, Bennie Thompson volunteered on campaigns and registered southern Black voters. That call to serve eventually led him to Congress, where he chaired the House January 6th Committee—at the forefront of defending the rule of law with unwavering integrity and a steadfast commitment to truth.

Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi (posthumous)

In a shameful chapter in our Nation’s history, Mitsuye Endo was incarcerated alongside more than 120,000 Japanese Americans. Undaunted, she challenged the injustice and reached the Supreme Court. Her resolve allowed thousands of Japanese Americans to return home and rebuild their lives, reminding us that we are a Nation that stands for freedom for all.

Thomas J. Vallely

A United States Marine during the Vietnam War, Thomas Vallely has never given up on peace. Over the course of five decades, he has brought Vietnam and the United States together—establishing Fulbright University Vietnam, fostering greater economic and cultural exchange, and overcoming the perils of the past to seize the promise of the future. His service remains a symbol of American leadership in the world.

Frances M. Visco

As president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Fran Visco has fought tirelessly and fearlessly to increase Federal funding for breast cancer research, early detection education, and access to women’s healthcare. As a breast cancer survivor, she turned pain into purpose, changed the landscape of breast cancer advocacy, and has become a powerful symbol of hope for the Nation.

Paula S. Wallace

A lifelong educator and trailblazer of the arts, Paula Wallace dreamt of a school that would transform how we think about professional education. By establishing the esteemed Savannah College of Art and Design and serving as its president, she has guided thousands of students into creative industries.

Evan Wolfson

By leading the marriage equality movement, Evan Wolfson helped millions of people in all 50 states win the fundamental right to love, marry, and be themselves. For 32 years, starting with a visionary law school thesis, Evan Wolfson worked with singular focus and untiring optimism to change not just the law, but society—pioneering a political playbook for change and sharing its lessons, even now, with countless causes worldwide.

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I have been continually briefed since early this morning by federal law enforcement leadership and my homeland security team, including Secretary of Homeland Security Ali Mayorkas, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, and the Mayor of New Orleans regarding the horrific incident that occurred there overnight. The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation and is investigating this incident as an act of terrorism. I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury. I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind. 

I will continue to receive updates throughout the day, and I will have more to say as we have further information to share. In the meantime, my heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.

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I believe that health care should be a right – not a privilege – and throughout my presidency I have advanced that goal. This week, we take another step closer to an America where everyone can afford the quality health care they need, as Medicare’s new $2,000 cap on prescription drug costs from my Inflation Reduction Act goes fully into effect.

Before I took office, people with Medicare who took expensive drugs could face a crushing burden, paying $10,000 a year or more in copays for the drugs they need to stay alive. When I took on Big Pharma and won, we changed that, capping seniors’ out-of-pocket spending on drugs they get at the pharmacy for the first time ever. Costs were capped at about $3,500 in 2024, and in just the first six months of the year, this policy saved people with Medicare $1 billion in cost-sharing. On January 1, 2025, the cap on drug costs fully phases in, and costs are now capped at $2,000 per year. As a result, 19 million people are expected to save an average of $400 each. That’s a game changer for the American people.

My Inflation Reduction Act has changed Medicare for the better, and as a result Americans will have more money back in their pockets in the years to come.

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Today, I am proud to announce nearly $2.5 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, as the Ukrainian people continue to defend their independence and freedom from Russian aggression.  

Since Russia launched its further assault against Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has rallied the world to stand with the Ukrainian people, and it has been a top priority of mine to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to prevail. Today’s announcement—which includes an additional $1.25 billion drawdown package for the Ukrainian military and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package—builds on this effort and will provide Ukraine with both an immediate influx of capabilities that it continues to use to great effect on the battlefield and longer-term supplies of air defense, artillery, and other critical weapons systems.

As I committed earlier this year, the Department of Defense has now allocated all remaining USAI funds appropriated by Congress in the supplemental that I signed in April, and my Administration is fully utilizing the funding appropriated by Congress to support the drawdown of U.S. equipment for Ukraine. I’ve directed my Administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible—including drawing down older U.S. equipment for Ukraine, rapidly delivering it to the battlefield, and then revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base to modernize and replenish our stockpiles with new weapons. The Department of Defense is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles which will strengthen Ukraine’s hand as it heads into the winter.  At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office.

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President Jimmy Carter was guided by a deep and abiding faith — in God, in America, and in humanity. 
 
Jimmy Carter’s life is a testament to the power of service — as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, the 76th Governor of Georgia, and the 39th President of the United States. He reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion.
 
As President, he protected our air and water, promoted transparency in government, and brokered an historic peace treaty between Egypt and Israel at Camp David.  
 
Throughout his life, President Carter was strengthened by the love and support of his partner of 77 years, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, whose life President Biden and I had the opportunity to celebrate in Georgia last year. After leaving office, President Carter continued his fight for peace, democracy, and human dignity through the Carter Center.
 
I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of President Carter.
 
Doug and I send our love and prayers to the Carter family.  

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Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian.

Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.  

With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.

He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.

We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts.

To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.

And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.

To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country.

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