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12:55 P.M. EDT
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I just have one thing at the top, and then I’ll turn it over to the Admiral.
 
Starting today, the President will kick off his three-day swing through Pennsylvania.  As you know, we’re on our way to his hometown of Scranton, where he will deliver remarks at a campaign event.  I’ll refer you to the campaign for more details on the event.
 
Tomorrow, the President will travel to Pittsburgh, where he will participate in two campaign events.  I’ll refer you to the campaign for more details.
 
President Biden is investing in Pennsylvania, and it’s working.  The unemployment rate in the state is near a record low of 3.4 percent, down from 7.4 percent when he took office. 
 
Four hundred and eighty thousand applications have been filed to start new businesses.  That’s up 36 percent. 
 
He invested $16 billion in roads, bridges, public transit, replacing lead pipes, and other infrastructure.
 
Thanks to the President — to the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, 2.9 million seniors are saving money on Medicare from the 35 bucks cap of insulin to free vaccines to lower drug prices.  And 420,000 Pennsylvanians have health insurance — health — health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
 
On Thursday, the President will travel to Philadelphia for campaign events, as I mentioned.  The President will remain focused on the historic economic progress from the last three years.  And this week, you’ll hear directly from him in stops across the state on how his administration is doing exactly that.
 
With that, as you can see, the Admiral is here to take any questions you may have on the Middle East and anything else.
 
Go ahead.
 
MR. KIRBY:  Thanks, Karine.  I can just go right into questions.
 
Q    As Israel — as Israel considers whether to attack Iran, what advice has the U.S. given the Israelis?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Well, again, these are going to be Israeli decisions to make and for them to speak to one way or the other. 
 
In the President’s call with the Prime Minister on Saturday night, he lauded the commendable effort to successfully knock down the vast, vast majority of missiles and drones that Iran threw at them.  And — and, again, our view was it was an incredible success, and that success alone sends a lot of strong messages to Iran and to our partners in the region, as well as to Israel, about how strong they are and how — how utterly Iran failed.
 
The President does not want to see — and he said this before: He does not want to see a war with Iran.  Don’t want to see the conflict widen or deepen.
 
Q    John, yesterday, I believe you said that you would — that the President would not support a standalone bill.  We see that Speaker Johnson is suggesting four standalone bills, I believe.  Would you all be opposed to a series of standalone bills?
 
MR. KIRBY:  We — we do not — we don’t support a standalone bill that only funds Israel, because Ukraine needs munitions too.
 
Now, look, I think we still have to see the Speaker’s proposal in more detail.  The important thing is that the House moves this week to help us get security assistance for Israel, Ukraine, and also for the Indo-Pacific.  They need to move this week. 
 
And as for the details, we’ll wait and see what the Speaker comes up with.
 
Q    So, you’re okay with four bills?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Again, we’re going to wait and pass judgment after we’ve had a chance to take a look closer at the Speaker’s proposal.
 
The important thing is that our allies, like Ukraine and Israel, who are under the gun — literally, under the gun — get the security assistance they need as quickly as possible.  So, we want them to move this week.
 
Q    And, right now, you’re not sure of the details of the bills — if they’re something the White House can support at this point?
 
MR. KIRBY:  I think we just need to see more right now than we do — I think we need to see more than we have right now to be able to — it does appear, at first blush, that the Speaker’s proposals will, in fact, help us get aid to Ukraine, aid to Israel, and needed resources to the Indo-Pacific for a wide range of contingency — contingencies there.  At first blush, it looks like that.  We just want to get more detail.
 
Q    So, whether it’s all together or separate is not a deal-breaker per se?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Again, at first blush, it looks like the Speaker’s proposal does cover those immediate needs, and they are immediate needs, but we’re waiting to get a little bit more detail before we — we say one way or the other.
 
Q    John, the Speaker said that it would include loans to Ukraine and other, I think, accountability measures that the White House before has said that, you know, would complicate the — the distribution of aid. 
 
MR. KIRBY:  Yeah, yeah.
 
Q    Have you had a chance to evaluate those at all?  And — and can you talk about what the President said to the Speaker in their phone conversation yesterday?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Same answer as I gave before.  I think, again, it appears at first blush that these proposals do get the necessary security assistance to Ukraine and Israel at a critical time right now.  We want to learn a little bit more. 
 
I won’t go into more detail about the conversation with the Speaker.  I think Karine has already talked to you guys about that.  And I’ll leave it at that. 
 
Except that — the only thing I would say is that the President stressed very strongly that we’ve got to move this national security supplemental funding as quickly as possible.  We need to see the House move this week.
 
Q    And I know —
 
Q    Is — is the President watching or being briefed on former President Trump’s trial in Manhattan?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  The President is going to Pennsylvania today, and he’s going to do a three-stop tour.  He’s going to focus on how he’s continuing to help the American people.  And you’ll hear directly from him today.  That’s his focus.  His focus is on the American people.
 
I don’t have anything else.
 
Q    It’s been 11 days since the World Central Kitchen’s — the investigation into the World Central Kitchen strike was released.  Why is the U.S. review of that report taking so long?
 
MR. KIRBY:  We’re — we’re still taking a look at that.  I don’t think we’ve — haven’t come to any conclusions one way or another about it.  I think you can expect we want to — want to do this in a thoughtful way.
 
Q    I heard what you said earlier that, you know, Israel’s response will be its own.  But has Israel told the U.S. what it’s planning to do at this point?
 
MR. KIRBY:  I will refer you to the Israelis to speak to their decision-making process.  That’s really for them to speak to, not us.
 
Q    Going back to Ukraine for a second, John.  What’s the situation on the ground?  How under stress is the Ukrainian military?
 
MR. KIRBY:  It’s incredible the — the stress that they’re under, particularly in the Donbas area where the Russians continue to push west out of Avdiivka.  They keep making — it’s not a lot of progress every day, but it’s a little bit of progress every day.  They’re pushing back against the deeper defensive lines of the Ukrainians. 
 
And it’s not just in the east.  There is some movement down in the south as well.  But just as critically, the se- — you know, Saturday night when we were watching 300 missiles and drones getting launched from Iran into Israeli, Mr. Putin was still firing those same Iranian drones and missiles into Ukraine at various sites, knocking out their energy infrastructure, going after the defense industrial base. 
 
So, it’s a very active scene in Ukraine and the need is acute there as well, which is why we said earlier we wouldn’t support a standalone Israel bill that — because it wouldn’t account for what Ukraine needs.
 
Now, again, the Speaker has put forward a proposal that would factor in Ukraine, so we’ll have to see what that looks like.
 
Q    Yesterday, Ukraine’s president gave an interview to PBS News in which he wondered why, essentially, allies could not shoot down missiles over Ukraine — similar he gave the example to Iran — and he raised that in the interview.
 
MR. KIRBY:  And I mentioned this yesterday, I think.  I mean, it’s a different fight altogether.  The President has been very clear that there won’t be U.S. boots on the ground.  The United States will not get involved in a combat role in the war in Ukraine.  It’s a different fight.  It’s a different —
 
Q    (Inaudible.)
 
MR. KIRBY:  It’s a different — we — we have long said we’re not going to be involved in a combat role in Ukraine.  The President has been very — very, very consistent on that.
 
Q    Is it different just because Russia has nukes?
 
MR. KIRBY:  It’s — we’ve been very consistent on that.  It’s a different fight altogether, a different set of circumstances.
 
Q    Because of the nuclear issue or because of like, different —
 
MR. KIRBY:  Different set of circumstances.
 
Q    Any update on the Rafah meeting?
 
MR. KIRBY:  No update on the meeting to speak to today, Steve.  We’re still hoping to have another round. 
 
I will add that after the virtual meeting, there were — I’m sorry — there were technical talks at a lower level on the staff.  Those talks continued between the Israelis and the United States.  And we’re hoping to get another meeting on — for Rafah here in coming days.  But I don’t have anything on the schedule.
 
Q    Has there been any communications with Iran since the attack that happened over the weekend —
 
MR. KIRBY:  Not that I’m aware of.
 
Q    — through the — through those indirect channels?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Not that I’m aware of.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Okay?
 
Q    What was the — oh, sorry.  Last thing.  What was the President’s reaction to the protests about Gaza yesterday that shut down major thoroughfares in big cities?
 
MR. KIRBY:  I haven’t had a chance to speak to the President about his personal reaction to — to that.  You know, and I think Karine has already talked very much about the protest activity.  And I’ll — I’ll leave it to her.
 
Thank you.
 
Q    Karine, will the President talk about the U.S. Steel-Nippon merger at all when he’s in Pennsylvania?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, I don’t have anything to share about that.  But obviously, the President’s commitment to steel workers continues and stand.  He’s a union guy.  But I don’t have anything to share about tomorrow’s event.
 
We’ll certainly have more later today.  We’ll have a press call.  So, I would urge you and your colleagues to certainly join the press call later today.
 
Q    Do you know when the last time was the President spent the night in his hometown?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  The last time he’s been to Scranton?
 
Q    For the night.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  The night?  Oh, that’s a good question.  I do not know.  I can find out for you.
 
Q    To what extent is this sort of a homecoming for him going back to his hometown?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I think you’ll hear directly from the President.  This is going to be — this is a homecoming for sure.  I had an opportunity to talk to him about it this morning.
 
Going back to Scranton is always — it always feels good to go see where he spent a lot of his childhood.  And so, you all will be able to see that directly.
 
I got to be careful because it is a — that portion is a campaign portion.  So, I would — we’ll certainly refer you to the campaign.  But it al- — always feels good to be back in S- — Pennsylvania.  Always feels good to be back to Scranton for this President.
 
Q    Inflation has been a stubborn concern for a lot of Americans.  You know, do — does the President think that his tax plans will, you know, help alleviate some of those concerns by, you know, pulling more taxes from the — from the wealthy?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, the President’s tax cuts for working families and the middle class are fully paid for by making billionaires and big corporation pay for their share — fair share.  His tax plan would lower costs for families with lower taxes, lower healthcare costs, and lower utility bills.  That’s the President’s focus. 
 
And unfortunately, what we’re seeing from congressional Republicans, they want to give big tax breaks for mil- — billionaires and — and corporations.  They see a total opposite way of giving Americans breathing room.  They are not doing that, and we’re trying to do that.
 
Q    So, I guess what I’m trying to say is: Americans are concerned about inflation.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah.
 
Q    The President wants to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations.  How is that addressing their concerns about the economy?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I think our focus when it comes to the economy — we say this all the time — is building an economy from the bottom up, middle out and making sure that we’re continuing to lower costs.  That’s the thing — right? — that is the thing that Americans care about when we talk about the economy: How do we lower costs? 
 
And this is something that the President has continued to do over the last three years — right? — whether it’s healthcare from — you know, beating Big Pharma; whether it’s doing everything that we can to lower the cost at the pump — at the gas pumps because of Ukraine, because of COVID.  And so, he’s going to stay really focused on that.  You hear us talk about junk fees.  And so, look, that’s going to be his focus, is continuing to do that. 
 
I do want to say, I think we had confirmed that the President spoke to Speaker Johnson, and Speaker Johnson shared the plan with him.  Obviously, we’re going to look at the details of — of that plan.  But you heard from the Admiral, you heard from National Security Council, you heard from the President over the weekend how important it is to move forward with that — that — for getting aid to Ukraine and, obviously —
 
Q    Was it accurate that — was it accurate that Speaker Johnson initiated the call?  I believe he told Fox News he called the President. 
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yes, I can confirm that.  I just don’t want to go into details of the — of the call.  And the Speaker did share the plan with the President.
 
Q    Splitting it in four pieces seems kind of risky, right?  I mean —
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Look, want to be super mindful.  We’re going to see the details of — of what he is planning.  But we’ve been really clear: We want to see all of the parts that the President has talked about, getting that really important funding for Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific, obviously that humanitarian aid that’s needed right now — dire situation in Gaza, as we talked about.  We do not want to see a standalone.  We want to see all of these components move forward. 
 
But we want to be super mindful here.  We’re going to see the details — what’s — what’s in writing — the details of the — of the plan.  But, obviously, we want to see what — what the Speaker has to share.
 
Q    Karine, a — a second Republican — House Republican endorsed the motion to vacate against Speaker Johnson over the Ukraine funding.  If the Speaker does push forward with this, you know, effort to get the Ukraine aid, would the President recommend Democrats come to his aid if there’s a challenge to his leadership?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah, again, as you know, Justin, I get this question often, and — and we’ve been very consistent.  We don’t get involved when it comes to congressional leadership, how they choose their leadership.  That is something for Congress to decide on. 
 
And, obviously, you know, Leader — Leader Jeffries, who is the Democratic Leader in the House, that’s something for he and his caucus to — to decide.  I just don’t want to get involved — we’ve been very — or speak to it.  We’ve been very, very clear about that.
 
I think we’re going to have to sit.  All right? 
 
Q    Okay.
 
Q    Thanks, Karine.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Thanks guys.
 
Q    Thank you, Karine.  Thank you so much.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  You’re very welcome.
 
1:07 P.M. EDT

The post Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby En Route Avoca, PA appeared first on The White House.

12:55 P.M. EDT
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I just have one thing at the top, and then I’ll turn it over to the Admiral.
 
Starting today, the President will kick off his three-day swing through Pennsylvania.  As you know, we’re on our way to his hometown of Scranton, where he will deliver remarks at a campaign event.  I’ll refer you to the campaign for more details on the event.
 
Tomorrow, the President will travel to Pittsburgh, where he will participate in two campaign events.  I’ll refer you to the campaign for more details.
 
President Biden is investing in Pennsylvania, and it’s working.  The unemployment rate in the state is near a record low of 3.4 percent, down from 7.4 percent when he took office. 
 
Four hundred and eighty thousand applications have been filed to start new businesses.  That’s up 36 percent. 
 
He invested $16 billion in roads, bridges, public transit, replacing lead pipes, and other infrastructure.
 
Thanks to the President — to the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, 2.9 million seniors are saving money on Medicare from the 35 bucks cap of insulin to free vaccines to lower drug prices.  And 420,000 Pennsylvanians have health insurance — health — health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
 
On Thursday, the President will travel to Philadelphia for campaign events, as I mentioned.  The President will remain focused on the historic economic progress from the last three years.  And this week, you’ll hear directly from him in stops across the state on how his administration is doing exactly that.
 
With that, as you can see, the Admiral is here to take any questions you may have on the Middle East and anything else.
 
Go ahead.
 
MR. KIRBY:  Thanks, Karine.  I can just go right into questions.
 
Q    As Israel — as Israel considers whether to attack Iran, what advice has the U.S. given the Israelis?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Well, again, these are going to be Israeli decisions to make and for them to speak to one way or the other. 
 
In the President’s call with the Prime Minister on Saturday night, he lauded the commendable effort to successfully knock down the vast, vast majority of missiles and drones that Iran threw at them.  And — and, again, our view was it was an incredible success, and that success alone sends a lot of strong messages to Iran and to our partners in the region, as well as to Israel, about how strong they are and how — how utterly Iran failed.
 
The President does not want to see — and he said this before: He does not want to see a war with Iran.  Don’t want to see the conflict widen or deepen.
 
Q    John, yesterday, I believe you said that you would — that the President would not support a standalone bill.  We see that Speaker Johnson is suggesting four standalone bills, I believe.  Would you all be opposed to a series of standalone bills?
 
MR. KIRBY:  We — we do not — we don’t support a standalone bill that only funds Israel, because Ukraine needs munitions too.
 
Now, look, I think we still have to see the Speaker’s proposal in more detail.  The important thing is that the House moves this week to help us get security assistance for Israel, Ukraine, and also for the Indo-Pacific.  They need to move this week. 
 
And as for the details, we’ll wait and see what the Speaker comes up with.
 
Q    So, you’re okay with four bills?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Again, we’re going to wait and pass judgment after we’ve had a chance to take a look closer at the Speaker’s proposal.
 
The important thing is that our allies, like Ukraine and Israel, who are under the gun — literally, under the gun — get the security assistance they need as quickly as possible.  So, we want them to move this week.
 
Q    And, right now, you’re not sure of the details of the bills — if they’re something the White House can support at this point?
 
MR. KIRBY:  I think we just need to see more right now than we do — I think we need to see more than we have right now to be able to — it does appear, at first blush, that the Speaker’s proposals will, in fact, help us get aid to Ukraine, aid to Israel, and needed resources to the Indo-Pacific for a wide range of contingency — contingencies there.  At first blush, it looks like that.  We just want to get more detail.
 
Q    So, whether it’s all together or separate is not a deal-breaker per se?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Again, at first blush, it looks like the Speaker’s proposal does cover those immediate needs, and they are immediate needs, but we’re waiting to get a little bit more detail before we — we say one way or the other.
 
Q    John, the Speaker said that it would include loans to Ukraine and other, I think, accountability measures that the White House before has said that, you know, would complicate the — the distribution of aid. 
 
MR. KIRBY:  Yeah, yeah.
 
Q    Have you had a chance to evaluate those at all?  And — and can you talk about what the President said to the Speaker in their phone conversation yesterday?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Same answer as I gave before.  I think, again, it appears at first blush that these proposals do get the necessary security assistance to Ukraine and Israel at a critical time right now.  We want to learn a little bit more. 
 
I won’t go into more detail about the conversation with the Speaker.  I think Karine has already talked to you guys about that.  And I’ll leave it at that. 
 
Except that — the only thing I would say is that the President stressed very strongly that we’ve got to move this national security supplemental funding as quickly as possible.  We need to see the House move this week.
 
Q    And I know —
 
Q    Is — is the President watching or being briefed on former President Trump’s trial in Manhattan?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  The President is going to Pennsylvania today, and he’s going to do a three-stop tour.  He’s going to focus on how he’s continuing to help the American people.  And you’ll hear directly from him today.  That’s his focus.  His focus is on the American people.
 
I don’t have anything else.
 
Q    It’s been 11 days since the World Central Kitchen’s — the investigation into the World Central Kitchen strike was released.  Why is the U.S. review of that report taking so long?
 
MR. KIRBY:  We’re — we’re still taking a look at that.  I don’t think we’ve — haven’t come to any conclusions one way or another about it.  I think you can expect we want to — want to do this in a thoughtful way.
 
Q    I heard what you said earlier that, you know, Israel’s response will be its own.  But has Israel told the U.S. what it’s planning to do at this point?
 
MR. KIRBY:  I will refer you to the Israelis to speak to their decision-making process.  That’s really for them to speak to, not us.
 
Q    Going back to Ukraine for a second, John.  What’s the situation on the ground?  How under stress is the Ukrainian military?
 
MR. KIRBY:  It’s incredible the — the stress that they’re under, particularly in the Donbas area where the Russians continue to push west out of Avdiivka.  They keep making — it’s not a lot of progress every day, but it’s a little bit of progress every day.  They’re pushing back against the deeper defensive lines of the Ukrainians. 
 
And it’s not just in the east.  There is some movement down in the south as well.  But just as critically, the se- — you know, Saturday night when we were watching 300 missiles and drones getting launched from Iran into Israeli, Mr. Putin was still firing those same Iranian drones and missiles into Ukraine at various sites, knocking out their energy infrastructure, going after the defense industrial base. 
 
So, it’s a very active scene in Ukraine and the need is acute there as well, which is why we said earlier we wouldn’t support a standalone Israel bill that — because it wouldn’t account for what Ukraine needs.
 
Now, again, the Speaker has put forward a proposal that would factor in Ukraine, so we’ll have to see what that looks like.
 
Q    Yesterday, Ukraine’s president gave an interview to PBS News in which he wondered why, essentially, allies could not shoot down missiles over Ukraine — similar he gave the example to Iran — and he raised that in the interview.
 
MR. KIRBY:  And I mentioned this yesterday, I think.  I mean, it’s a different fight altogether.  The President has been very clear that there won’t be U.S. boots on the ground.  The United States will not get involved in a combat role in the war in Ukraine.  It’s a different fight.  It’s a different —
 
Q    (Inaudible.)
 
MR. KIRBY:  It’s a different — we — we have long said we’re not going to be involved in a combat role in Ukraine.  The President has been very — very, very consistent on that.
 
Q    Is it different just because Russia has nukes?
 
MR. KIRBY:  It’s — we’ve been very consistent on that.  It’s a different fight altogether, a different set of circumstances.
 
Q    Because of the nuclear issue or because of like, different —
 
MR. KIRBY:  Different set of circumstances.
 
Q    Any update on the Rafah meeting?
 
MR. KIRBY:  No update on the meeting to speak to today, Steve.  We’re still hoping to have another round. 
 
I will add that after the virtual meeting, there were — I’m sorry — there were technical talks at a lower level on the staff.  Those talks continued between the Israelis and the United States.  And we’re hoping to get another meeting on — for Rafah here in coming days.  But I don’t have anything on the schedule.
 
Q    Has there been any communications with Iran since the attack that happened over the weekend —
 
MR. KIRBY:  Not that I’m aware of.
 
Q    — through the — through those indirect channels?
 
MR. KIRBY:  Not that I’m aware of.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Okay?
 
Q    What was the — oh, sorry.  Last thing.  What was the President’s reaction to the protests about Gaza yesterday that shut down major thoroughfares in big cities?
 
MR. KIRBY:  I haven’t had a chance to speak to the President about his personal reaction to — to that.  You know, and I think Karine has already talked very much about the protest activity.  And I’ll — I’ll leave it to her.
 
Thank you.
 
Q    Karine, will the President talk about the U.S. Steel-Nippon merger at all when he’s in Pennsylvania?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, I don’t have anything to share about that.  But obviously, the President’s commitment to steel workers continues and stand.  He’s a union guy.  But I don’t have anything to share about tomorrow’s event.
 
We’ll certainly have more later today.  We’ll have a press call.  So, I would urge you and your colleagues to certainly join the press call later today.
 
Q    Do you know when the last time was the President spent the night in his hometown?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  The last time he’s been to Scranton?
 
Q    For the night.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  The night?  Oh, that’s a good question.  I do not know.  I can find out for you.
 
Q    To what extent is this sort of a homecoming for him going back to his hometown?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I think you’ll hear directly from the President.  This is going to be — this is a homecoming for sure.  I had an opportunity to talk to him about it this morning.
 
Going back to Scranton is always — it always feels good to go see where he spent a lot of his childhood.  And so, you all will be able to see that directly.
 
I got to be careful because it is a — that portion is a campaign portion.  So, I would — we’ll certainly refer you to the campaign.  But it al- — always feels good to be back in S- — Pennsylvania.  Always feels good to be back to Scranton for this President.
 
Q    Inflation has been a stubborn concern for a lot of Americans.  You know, do — does the President think that his tax plans will, you know, help alleviate some of those concerns by, you know, pulling more taxes from the — from the wealthy?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, the President’s tax cuts for working families and the middle class are fully paid for by making billionaires and big corporation pay for their share — fair share.  His tax plan would lower costs for families with lower taxes, lower healthcare costs, and lower utility bills.  That’s the President’s focus. 
 
And unfortunately, what we’re seeing from congressional Republicans, they want to give big tax breaks for mil- — billionaires and — and corporations.  They see a total opposite way of giving Americans breathing room.  They are not doing that, and we’re trying to do that.
 
Q    So, I guess what I’m trying to say is: Americans are concerned about inflation.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah.
 
Q    The President wants to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations.  How is that addressing their concerns about the economy?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I think our focus when it comes to the economy — we say this all the time — is building an economy from the bottom up, middle out and making sure that we’re continuing to lower costs.  That’s the thing — right? — that is the thing that Americans care about when we talk about the economy: How do we lower costs? 
 
And this is something that the President has continued to do over the last three years — right? — whether it’s healthcare from — you know, beating Big Pharma; whether it’s doing everything that we can to lower the cost at the pump — at the gas pumps because of Ukraine, because of COVID.  And so, he’s going to stay really focused on that.  You hear us talk about junk fees.  And so, look, that’s going to be his focus, is continuing to do that. 
 
I do want to say, I think we had confirmed that the President spoke to Speaker Johnson, and Speaker Johnson shared the plan with him.  Obviously, we’re going to look at the details of — of that plan.  But you heard from the Admiral, you heard from National Security Council, you heard from the President over the weekend how important it is to move forward with that — that — for getting aid to Ukraine and, obviously —
 
Q    Was it accurate that — was it accurate that Speaker Johnson initiated the call?  I believe he told Fox News he called the President. 
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yes, I can confirm that.  I just don’t want to go into details of the — of the call.  And the Speaker did share the plan with the President.
 
Q    Splitting it in four pieces seems kind of risky, right?  I mean —
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Look, want to be super mindful.  We’re going to see the details of — of what he is planning.  But we’ve been really clear: We want to see all of the parts that the President has talked about, getting that really important funding for Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific, obviously that humanitarian aid that’s needed right now — dire situation in Gaza, as we talked about.  We do not want to see a standalone.  We want to see all of these components move forward. 
 
But we want to be super mindful here.  We’re going to see the details — what’s — what’s in writing — the details of the — of the plan.  But, obviously, we want to see what — what the Speaker has to share.
 
Q    Karine, a — a second Republican — House Republican endorsed the motion to vacate against Speaker Johnson over the Ukraine funding.  If the Speaker does push forward with this, you know, effort to get the Ukraine aid, would the President recommend Democrats come to his aid if there’s a challenge to his leadership?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah, again, as you know, Justin, I get this question often, and — and we’ve been very consistent.  We don’t get involved when it comes to congressional leadership, how they choose their leadership.  That is something for Congress to decide on. 
 
And, obviously, you know, Leader — Leader Jeffries, who is the Democratic Leader in the House, that’s something for he and his caucus to — to decide.  I just don’t want to get involved — we’ve been very — or speak to it.  We’ve been very, very clear about that.
 
I think we’re going to have to sit.  All right? 
 
Q    Okay.
 
Q    Thanks, Karine.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Thanks guys.
 
Q    Thank you, Karine.  Thank you so much.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  You’re very welcome.
 
1:07 P.M. EDT

The post Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby En Route Avoca, PA appeared first on The White House.

Scranton Cultural Center
Scranton, Pennsylvania

2:29 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Scranton.  (Applause.)

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  I think I should go home now, except I’m already home. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)  Please, take a seat if you have one.

Amy, thank you for that introduction and for your work as an educator.  You know, it was great to meet your family, including your husband, Michael, whose uncle Jimmy McNulty was the former mayor and grew up with me in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

You know, thanks to the mayor, Paige C- — C- — excuse me, I’m going to — I was going to talk about the old mayor — Paige Cognetti, for that welcome.  And she’s been incredible.  She’s been with me all along the way.

It’s always great to be with one of America’s best governors, and I mean this sincerely: Josh Shapiro.  (Applause.)  He’s the best.  Stand up, Josh.  Get up. 

I think — I think Josh and a lot of people are always tired of hearing me talk about Scranton, but it — but, you know, Scranton is a place that climbs into your heart and it never leaves.  I mean that sincerely.  It’s home, that’s a special thing that’s etched into your heart. 

For me, it was 2446 North Washington Avenue, just a block away from Amy’s house.  (Laughter.)

We used to come back after morning mass at St. Paul’s on Sunday — St. Clare’s wasn’t built until I had moved — and my grandfather, who worked for the newspaper, and my uncles would hold court around a kitchen table with a guy who was sort of the — the David Broder of the — of the Pennsylvania pr- — Scranton press.  You think I’m kidding.  It wasn’t, but anyway.  And he would — they’d — they’d come and have breakfast at the table.  And a kid could wander around the table where the adults were sitting, but you could — but you could never sit at the table. 

And I’d walk up and stand next to my grandpop and — while he was — while they were having conversation, and they were talking about what — they’d talk about what was going on in the neighborhood.  They’d talk about what was going on in the world.  They were all learned men.  And — and I learned a lot here in Scranton.  

I learned that money doesn’t determine your worth.  My grandfather would tell me, “Joey, nobody — nobody is more worthy than you, and everyone is your equal.”  And that was a —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  No, that was — (applause) —

I learned that no one’s looking for a handout.  All anybody wants is a fair shot — a fair shot at making it, and they deserve a fair shot. 

My dad had a saying.  He’d say, “Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about your dignity.  It’s about respect.  It’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, ‘Honey, it’s going to be okay,’ and mean it.” 

You know, people like Donald Trump learned very different lessons.  He learned the best way to get rich is inherit it.  (Laughter.)  Not a bad way.  I’m not —

He learned that paying taxes was something people who worked for a living did, not him. 

He learned that telling people “you’re fired” was something to laugh about. 

I guess that’s how you look at the world when you’re in Park Avenue and Mar-a-Lago.  But if you grew up in a place like Scranton, nobody handed you anything.  You paid your taxes.  You made sure being told “you’re fired” wasn’t entertainment; it was a nightmare that people worried about.  

And all people knew — all I knew about the people like Trump who looked down on us were the people that haven’t changed.  They wouldn’t welcome us in their homes and their clubs. 

Folks, where we come from matters. 

When I look at the economy, I don’t see it through the eyes of Mar-a-Lago.  I see it through the eyes of Scranton — and that’s not hyperbole; that’s a fact — where honesty and decency matter, where faith matters, where family is everything, where we grew up knowing in our homes that Wall Street didn’t build this country.  The middle class built this country, and unions built the middle class.  (Applause.)

We know the best way to build an economy is from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.  Because when you do that, the poor have a ladder up, the middle class does well, and the wealthy still do very well.  We all do well. 

That’s a stark contrast from my opponent.  He looks at the economy from Mar-a-Lago, where he and his rich friends embrace the failed trickle-down policies that have failed working families for more than 40 years. 

Scranton values or Mar-a-Lago values: These are the competing visions for our economy, and they raise questions of fundamental fairness at the heart of this campaign that I want to talk to you about a little bit today.

Folks, does anybody really think that the present tax code is fair?  Raise your hand if you think it’s fair.  I’m not joking.  Well, neither do I.  (Laughter.)

I’m a capitalist.  If you want to — if you’re able to go out and make a million bucks, fine.  That’s okay.  But just make sure you pay your fair share in taxes.  (Applause.)

A fair tax code is how we invest in the things that make this country strong: healthcare, education, defense, and so much more. 

But here’s the deal.  For more than 40 years, our Republican friends have promised that the best way to grow the economy is from the top down.  But here’s what they don’t tell you: It’s never worked.  The benefits don’t trickle down.  

When the very wealthy pay less in taxes, then we have to borrow more and invest less in the things that families really need, from schools, to hospitals, healthcare, roads, bridges, and so much more.  

Think what’s happens when that factory closes in Scranton or anywhere around the country, when the school is underfunded, when inequity grows larger and larger. It puts the middle class further in th- — out of reach and rips the dignity and pride and hope out of communities all across the country, including right here in Pennsylvania.

Folks, trickle-down economics failed the middle class.  It failed America.  And the truth is, Donald Trump embodies that failure.  He wants to double down on trickle down. 

His failure starts with his $2 trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefitted the wealthiest and biggest corporations and exploded the federal debt when he was president.  Donald Trump added more to the national debt than any President of the United States in a term in all of American history — more to the national debt.

Meanwhile, when the pandemic hit, Trump failed the most basic duty any president owes the American people: a duty to care and a duty to respond.  Remember when he told us, “Don’t worry; this will all be over by Easter”?  Remember when he told us, literally, inject bleach?  (Laughter.)

Bless me, Father.  (The President makes the sign of the cross.)  (Laughter and applause.)

Look, think about it.  Think about it.  Because he failed to care, not only did people die, but millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes, their livelihoods.  On Trump watch — on Trump is [Trump’s] watch, for the four years he was president, we lost — nearly 3 million jobs were lost.  275,000 of those jobs lost right here in Pennsylvania.  In the Scranton area, Trump lost 17,400 jobs.  180,000 manufacturing jobs lost nationwide, including 37,000 manufacturing jobs right here in Pennsylvania. 

There are only two presidents on record in all of American history that left office with fewer jobs than when they entered office: Herbert Hoover and, yes, Donald “Herbert Hoover” Trump.  (Laughter and applause.)

Look, Trump is running again on the same trickle-down — failed trickle-down policies.  Nothing has changed. 

Just a few months ago, at a closed-door event in Mar-a-Lago, he told his millionaire and billionaire donors the following — this is a quote — “You’re rich as hell, and we’re going to give you tax cuts,” end of quote.  And then they all laughed about it, not because they didn’t think it would happen, because they knew it will happen if he’s elected. 

How does that make me feel?  How does it make you feel?  How does it make the people I grew up with feel?  I think it’s outrageous.

Trump wants to renew another round of billionaire tax breaks and corporate giveaways.  And, look, I come from the corporate state of the world: Delaware.  I represented it for 36 years.  They’re entitled to make a fair profit.  It makes sense.  There is more corporations incorporated in Delaware than every other state in the nation combined.  But this is ridiculous, what’s going on now. 

You know, there are about 1,000 billionaires — billionaires in America.  Do you know what the average federal tax rate for a billionaire is today in America?  For real: 8.3 percent.  (Laughter.)  That’s how much federal ta- — no, I’m serious.  Not a joke.  Far less than the vast majority of Americans pay in federal taxes. 

No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a nurse, a sanitation worker.  (Applause.)  I mean it. 

And that tax break that he passed several years ago is about to expire.  But Trump wants to give another billionaire tax break. 

Listen to what he says.  Trump says his MAGA friends want to, quote, “terminate” — I love his terminology — “terminate” the Affordable Care Act.  That would mean over 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions who now have healthcare because of the Affordable Care Act would lose their coverage.  One hundred million.  It means millions of young people would be kicked off their parents’ healthcare policies once they turn 26.

The Affordable Care Act is paid for by a surtax on the very wealthy investment income.  Trump wants to get rid of that, and as a consequence, would cost millions of American who lose coverage an average of an additional $6,000 a year to maintain their healthcare.  It would mean billionaires would get, as a consequence of not having to pay the tax anymore, another $3.5 million tax cut per billionaire. 

You heard me right.  Billionaires would each get an additional tax cut every year of $3.5 million.  That’s 70 times what a typical family here in Scranton makes in one year. 

I have a better idea.  As soon as I came into office, I expanded tax credits through the Affordable Care Act and saved millions of Americans another $800 per person per year on their healthcare premiums.  (Applause.) 

Healthcare should be a basic right.  Those tax credits are going to expire next year though.  And I want to make those tax credits permanent.  It’s the first thing I’ll do if I’m reelected is make them permanent.  (Applause.)  

Folks, and my plan calls for a minimum federal income tax of 25 percent — just 25 percent on billionaires.  Well below the top rate, but fair, and they can afford it.  Do you know how much money that would raise?  That would raise $500 billion over the next 10 years.  Five hundred billion dollars.  (Applause.)  It would be a drop in the bucket for them.  They wouldn’t have to sell one single bit of their assets.

And imagine what we could do for America.  Imagine a future with affordable childcare, paid leave, homecare, eldercare, and more, like every major country in the world has.  Of all this is not only good for families.  It creates jobs.  It generates growth.  It generates income.  It generates economic vitality.

Because guess what?  When you have childcare and you don’t have to go out and hire somebody, you can go to work.  It ge- — I asked the Treasury Department to do a study: What would — what would — what’s the effect of this?  The effects of what I’m talking about is increase — increase economic growth. 

We have the most successful economy in the world today. 

But, folks, how does Trump pay for these billionaire tax cuts?  Well, Trump recently said Social Security and Medicare, quote — here’s his quote: “There’s a lot you can do in terms of cutting,” end of quote. 

Well, right on cue, the MAGA Republicans in Congress released their budget, which hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention.  The budget they proposed for next year would raise the retirement age of Social Security and would slash Medicare. 

Think about that for a second.  MAGA Republicans want billionaires to pay less in taxes, want seniors to work longer before they can retire on Social Security benefits, and they want to cut Medicare. 

I got a better idea.  Let’s protect Social Security and Medicare and make the very wealthy begin to pay their fair share — (applause) — in high taxes.

And, by the way, whether you’re liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, or independent — whatever you are, think about it.  We’re not asking much.  Just asking for just basic fairness. 

You know, I’ve already been delivering real results in a fiscally responsible way.  But I know not everyone is feeling it. 

Just the other day, a defeated-looking guy came up to me and asked if I could help.  He was drowning in debt.  I said, “I’m sorry, Donald, but I can’t help you.”  (Laughter and applause.)  Nothing I can do.  (Applause.)

Look, on a serious note, since I came to office — (laughter) — I’ve already cut the federal deficit.  You know, all the stuff they talk about what we’ve done — and I’m going to be self-serving a little bit: Every other — every objective alternative points out we’ve had the most successful economy of any major economy in the world so far.  A lot more to do, but guess what?  During the whole time, I’ve been able to cut the federal deficit at the same exact time by over $1 trillion — $1 trillion.  (Applause.)

And I signed a bipartisan budget deal that will cut another trillion dollars over the next decade as well.  And I know what to cut.  (Applause.)  I want to cut the federal deficit even more by making big corporations and the very wealthy begin to finally pay their fair share.  We’re not asking anything that’s unusual.

Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 will pay an additional penny.  I hope you’re all able to make $400,000.  (Laughter.)  I never did.  But they’re not going to pay an extra penny in federal taxes.  That’s a promise.  Nobody.  Not one penny. 

You know, I have to say: If Trump’s stock in the Truth Social — his — his company — drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his.  (Laughter and applause.)  It’s possible.

Folks, look, I want to cut taxes on hardworking folks here in Scranton and all across the country, in Claymont — where I moved from Scranton to Claymont, in Delaware — all across the country, like Amy’s family. 

In fact, the Child Tax Credit I extended during the pandemic put up to $300 per child — per child [a month] in the pockets of around 40 million working families, and it literally cut child poverty in half.  And we still reduced the deficit.  (Applause.)  We still reduced the deficit.  That included helping 1.4 million families and nearly 2.4 million children right here in Pennsylvania. 

Republicans refused to extend it, which raised taxes on working families.  I want to restore it — restore the expanded Child Care Tax Credit, because no child should live in poverty in this country — no child.  (Applause.)

We’ve got a lot more work to do.  I know the cost of housing is so important.  I want to provide families like Amy’s a $10,000 tax credit to help them buy their first home or trade up for a little more space.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, no, it’s important.  And, by the way, it will grow the economy.

When Trump was president in 2020, 55 of the largest corporations in America of the Fortune 500 made $40 billion in profit and paid zero — zero in federal income taxes. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Sinful.  Sinful.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, guess what?  I came along and took care of the sin.  (Applause.)  Not anymore. 

Thanks to the law that I wrote and signed, big corporations now have to pay a minimum — they should be paying more — a minimum of 15 percent tax.  It was a start but not enough. 

By doing that 15 percent tax, they pay for every program that people are now benefitting from and still cut the deficit by $70 billion.  (Applause.) 

And, by the way, that 15 percent is still less than working people play in federal tax- — pay in federal taxes.  It’s time to raise the corporate tax — minimum tax to at least 21 percent so every big corporation finally has to pay their fair share.

But, you know, Trump and his MAGA friends want to get rid of the corporate minimum tax. 

With the same law, I gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drugs, which is why those of you have diabetes and need insulin, instead of paying 400 bucks a month, you’re now paying $35 a month for insulin.  (Applause.)

I’ve been working on taking on Big Pharma my whole career.  But guess what?  If I put you on Air Force One, we flew out of here, and you went — you name — you took a prescription you had from a drug company in America, I will take you to any city you name, whether it’s Berlin, whether it’s in Canada, whether it’s in Hungary.  Wherever it is.  And you’ll pay 40, 60 percent less for that same exact prescription.  Not a joke. 

And, by the way, when we in fact reduce some — there’s much more to come in that healthcare proposal — that Medicare proposal. 

For example, seniors, beginning in 2024 [2025], no matter how much their prescription drug costs are, they’ll never have to pay more than $2,000 a year, no matter what.  (Applause.)

And, by the way, companies will still make money.  They’ll still make a significant profit — still make a significant profit.  It helps reduce the — and, by the way, when we do this, it has a benefit, and that’s already part of the law I passed.  But guess what?  Not only does it reduce the federal deficit — help with the prescription holder, it reduces the federal debt. 

You know how much the first tranche of this has done?  It’s reduced the federal debt by $160 billion.  (Applause.)  Why?  Because Social Security — Medicare does not have to pay out $400 a month.  They’re paying out $35 a month.  (Applause.) 

But Trump has committed, if he’s reelected, from — gets elected again, he wants to get rid of the law and give Big Pharma the power again to charge again whatever you want, which will also increase the deficit.

Folks, are we going to let that happen?

AUDIENCE:  Nooo —

THE PRESIDENT:  We can’t.

And that same law empowers the IRS to go after the super wealthy.  You know, what — you ever — it’s amazing how the — we had passed legislation increasing the number of auditors.  Guess who wanted them all cut?  No, I’m not joking.  Republicans. 

Why?  Because it takes an awful lot of sophistication to be able to go through the tax returns of these billionaires to know what’s going on. 

But while you work hard and pay your taxes, Trump wants to give his billionaire friends the power to avoid paying even what they already owe, not what they should be paying.

I know you — if you didn’t know better, you’d think I’m making this up, but you can check it all out. 

Folks, he’s coming for your money, your healthcare, and your Social Security.  And we’re not going to let it happen.  (Applause.)  We’re not going to — can’t let it happen.  

Look, let me close with this.  As you obne- — observed — I can’t hide it, Scranton fills me with enormous pride.  My mom didn’t live in Scranton permanently since 1954.  I swear to God, whenever she was asked, no matter where we were, “Mrs. Biden, where do you live?  Where are you from?”  She’d say, “Scranton.”  (Laughter.)

Do you know anybody who’s from Scranton that still doesn’t brag about being from Scranton?  (Laughter.)

Look, because I see here what I saw in Claymont, Delaware, where we moved — it used to be a big steel town with 4,000 workers — all gone now.  Although, we’re back for — with other growth.  In Claymont, Delaware, and what I see in so many towns around America: a deep pride — a deep, deep pride in your work, a deep pride in your family, a deep pride in your community and in your country. 

I’ve always thought the World War Two monument downtown by City Hall says so much about Scranton.  My Uncle Ambrose Finnegan — Bosie Finnegan from North Washington — he served and died in World War Two.  Right after D-Day, on Sunday, all four of my mother’s brothers signed up to go fight in the military.  In those days, you could do it — brothers could go off to war together.  Fathers and brothers could do the same.

And that war — I — and everybody called him Bosie Finnegan.  Bosie was a hell of an athlete, but Bosie joined the Army Air Corps before there was an Air Force.  And his name is etched on the monument down by City Hall.  Here in Scranton, I grew up understanding we have many obligations as a country, but we only have — and I got in trouble for saying this from the time I was a young senator.  We only — we have many obli- — we have only one truly sacred obligation, and that is to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home or if they don’t come home. (Applause.)

I don’t want to lose my temper on this.  But I think about that statue in town now that I’m Commander-in-Chief.  And I had them double-check if my memory was correct that Uncle Bosie, Ambrose J. Finnegan’s name is etched on that statue. 

I have to say, there are a lot of things that Donald Trump has said and done that I find extremely offensive.  But one that offends me the most is when he refused, as president, to visit an American cemetery outside of Paris when he was president.  Why?  He said that those soldiers who gave their lives were, quote — it was his quote — “suckers” and “losers.”  “Suckers” and “losers,” he said it. 

Who the hell does he think he is?  Who does he think he is?  These were heroes.  (Applause.) 

These soldiers were heroes, just as every American who has served this nation.  (Applause.)  Believing otherwise, that alone is disqualifying for someone to seek this office.  Thank God I wasn’t standing next to him.  (Applause.)

But as I’ve said, Donald Trump looks at the world differently than you and me.  He wakes up in the morning in Mar-a-Lago thinking about himself, how he can help his billionaire friends gain power and control and force their extreme agenda on the rest of us. 

Listen to what he says.  He says, quote, “I’ll be dictator on day one.”  Quote, “I am your retribution.”  He promises, quote, “a bloodbath” if he loses.  This guy denies January 6th.  Listen — listen to what he says, because you know he means it.  

I wake every morning thinking about how to make life better, like you do, for working- and middle-class families here in Scranton and all across the country, where the power and the freedom rest with you and “We the People.” 

Maybe that’s why millions of everyday power- — folks are powering our campaign.  So far, 1.6 million people have contributed to our campaign, with 550,000 brand new this time around.  (Applause.)  And they’re new contributors.  But guess what?  97 percent of these contributions were under $200.  It matters.  You matter. 

My grandfather would tell me when I walked out the door in North Scran- — in North — North Scra- — in North Washington Avenue in Scranton, he’d yell, “Joey, keep the faith,” when I was a kid.  And my grandmother would yell, “No, Joey, spread it.  Spread it.”  (Applause.) 

Let’s keep the faith.  Let’s spread it.  Let’s remember who we are.  We are the United States of America.  (Applause.)  There is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity than when we act together.

God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  (Applause.)

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you, folks.  (Applause.) 

Thank you.

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.

 2:58 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Event | Scranton, PA appeared first on The White House.

Scranton Cultural Center
Scranton, Pennsylvania

2:29 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Scranton.  (Applause.)

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  I think I should go home now, except I’m already home. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)  Please, take a seat if you have one.

Amy, thank you for that introduction and for your work as an educator.  You know, it was great to meet your family, including your husband, Michael, whose uncle Jimmy McNulty was the former mayor and grew up with me in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

You know, thanks to the mayor, Paige C- — C- — excuse me, I’m going to — I was going to talk about the old mayor — Paige Cognetti, for that welcome.  And she’s been incredible.  She’s been with me all along the way.

It’s always great to be with one of America’s best governors, and I mean this sincerely: Josh Shapiro.  (Applause.)  He’s the best.  Stand up, Josh.  Get up. 

I think — I think Josh and a lot of people are always tired of hearing me talk about Scranton, but it — but, you know, Scranton is a place that climbs into your heart and it never leaves.  I mean that sincerely.  It’s home, that’s a special thing that’s etched into your heart. 

For me, it was 2446 North Washington Avenue, just a block away from Amy’s house.  (Laughter.)

We used to come back after morning mass at St. Paul’s on Sunday — St. Clare’s wasn’t built until I had moved — and my grandfather, who worked for the newspaper, and my uncles would hold court around a kitchen table with a guy who was sort of the — the David Broder of the — of the Pennsylvania pr- — Scranton press.  You think I’m kidding.  It wasn’t, but anyway.  And he would — they’d — they’d come and have breakfast at the table.  And a kid could wander around the table where the adults were sitting, but you could — but you could never sit at the table. 

And I’d walk up and stand next to my grandpop and — while he was — while they were having conversation, and they were talking about what — they’d talk about what was going on in the neighborhood.  They’d talk about what was going on in the world.  They were all learned men.  And — and I learned a lot here in Scranton.  

I learned that money doesn’t determine your worth.  My grandfather would tell me, “Joey, nobody — nobody is more worthy than you, and everyone is your equal.”  And that was a —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  No, that was — (applause) —

I learned that no one’s looking for a handout.  All anybody wants is a fair shot — a fair shot at making it, and they deserve a fair shot. 

My dad had a saying.  He’d say, “Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about your dignity.  It’s about respect.  It’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, ‘Honey, it’s going to be okay,’ and mean it.” 

You know, people like Donald Trump learned very different lessons.  He learned the best way to get rich is inherit it.  (Laughter.)  Not a bad way.  I’m not —

He learned that paying taxes was something people who worked for a living did, not him. 

He learned that telling people “you’re fired” was something to laugh about. 

I guess that’s how you look at the world when you’re in Park Avenue and Mar-a-Lago.  But if you grew up in a place like Scranton, nobody handed you anything.  You paid your taxes.  You made sure being told “you’re fired” wasn’t entertainment; it was a nightmare that people worried about.  

And all people knew — all I knew about the people like Trump who looked down on us were the people that haven’t changed.  They wouldn’t welcome us in their homes and their clubs. 

Folks, where we come from matters. 

When I look at the economy, I don’t see it through the eyes of Mar-a-Lago.  I see it through the eyes of Scranton — and that’s not hyperbole; that’s a fact — where honesty and decency matter, where faith matters, where family is everything, where we grew up knowing in our homes that Wall Street didn’t build this country.  The middle class built this country, and unions built the middle class.  (Applause.)

We know the best way to build an economy is from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.  Because when you do that, the poor have a ladder up, the middle class does well, and the wealthy still do very well.  We all do well. 

That’s a stark contrast from my opponent.  He looks at the economy from Mar-a-Lago, where he and his rich friends embrace the failed trickle-down policies that have failed working families for more than 40 years. 

Scranton values or Mar-a-Lago values: These are the competing visions for our economy, and they raise questions of fundamental fairness at the heart of this campaign that I want to talk to you about a little bit today.

Folks, does anybody really think that the present tax code is fair?  Raise your hand if you think it’s fair.  I’m not joking.  Well, neither do I.  (Laughter.)

I’m a capitalist.  If you want to — if you’re able to go out and make a million bucks, fine.  That’s okay.  But just make sure you pay your fair share in taxes.  (Applause.)

A fair tax code is how we invest in the things that make this country strong: healthcare, education, defense, and so much more. 

But here’s the deal.  For more than 40 years, our Republican friends have promised that the best way to grow the economy is from the top down.  But here’s what they don’t tell you: It’s never worked.  The benefits don’t trickle down.  

When the very wealthy pay less in taxes, then we have to borrow more and invest less in the things that families really need, from schools, to hospitals, healthcare, roads, bridges, and so much more.  

Think what’s happens when that factory closes in Scranton or anywhere around the country, when the school is underfunded, when inequity grows larger and larger. It puts the middle class further in th- — out of reach and rips the dignity and pride and hope out of communities all across the country, including right here in Pennsylvania.

Folks, trickle-down economics failed the middle class.  It failed America.  And the truth is, Donald Trump embodies that failure.  He wants to double down on trickle down. 

His failure starts with his $2 trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefitted the wealthiest and biggest corporations and exploded the federal debt when he was president.  Donald Trump added more to the national debt than any President of the United States in a term in all of American history — more to the national debt.

Meanwhile, when the pandemic hit, Trump failed the most basic duty any president owes the American people: a duty to care and a duty to respond.  Remember when he told us, “Don’t worry; this will all be over by Easter”?  Remember when he told us, literally, inject bleach?  (Laughter.)

Bless me, Father.  (The President makes the sign of the cross.)  (Laughter and applause.)

Look, think about it.  Think about it.  Because he failed to care, not only did people die, but millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes, their livelihoods.  On Trump watch — on Trump is [Trump’s] watch, for the four years he was president, we lost — nearly 3 million jobs were lost.  275,000 of those jobs lost right here in Pennsylvania.  In the Scranton area, Trump lost 17,400 jobs.  180,000 manufacturing jobs lost nationwide, including 37,000 manufacturing jobs right here in Pennsylvania. 

There are only two presidents on record in all of American history that left office with fewer jobs than when they entered office: Herbert Hoover and, yes, Donald “Herbert Hoover” Trump.  (Laughter and applause.)

Look, Trump is running again on the same trickle-down — failed trickle-down policies.  Nothing has changed. 

Just a few months ago, at a closed-door event in Mar-a-Lago, he told his millionaire and billionaire donors the following — this is a quote — “You’re rich as hell, and we’re going to give you tax cuts,” end of quote.  And then they all laughed about it, not because they didn’t think it would happen, because they knew it will happen if he’s elected. 

How does that make me feel?  How does it make you feel?  How does it make the people I grew up with feel?  I think it’s outrageous.

Trump wants to renew another round of billionaire tax breaks and corporate giveaways.  And, look, I come from the corporate state of the world: Delaware.  I represented it for 36 years.  They’re entitled to make a fair profit.  It makes sense.  There is more corporations incorporated in Delaware than every other state in the nation combined.  But this is ridiculous, what’s going on now. 

You know, there are about 1,000 billionaires — billionaires in America.  Do you know what the average federal tax rate for a billionaire is today in America?  For real: 8.3 percent.  (Laughter.)  That’s how much federal ta- — no, I’m serious.  Not a joke.  Far less than the vast majority of Americans pay in federal taxes. 

No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a nurse, a sanitation worker.  (Applause.)  I mean it. 

And that tax break that he passed several years ago is about to expire.  But Trump wants to give another billionaire tax break. 

Listen to what he says.  Trump says his MAGA friends want to, quote, “terminate” — I love his terminology — “terminate” the Affordable Care Act.  That would mean over 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions who now have healthcare because of the Affordable Care Act would lose their coverage.  One hundred million.  It means millions of young people would be kicked off their parents’ healthcare policies once they turn 26.

The Affordable Care Act is paid for by a surtax on the very wealthy investment income.  Trump wants to get rid of that, and as a consequence, would cost millions of American who lose coverage an average of an additional $6,000 a year to maintain their healthcare.  It would mean billionaires would get, as a consequence of not having to pay the tax anymore, another $3.5 million tax cut per billionaire. 

You heard me right.  Billionaires would each get an additional tax cut every year of $3.5 million.  That’s 70 times what a typical family here in Scranton makes in one year. 

I have a better idea.  As soon as I came into office, I expanded tax credits through the Affordable Care Act and saved millions of Americans another $800 per person per year on their healthcare premiums.  (Applause.) 

Healthcare should be a basic right.  Those tax credits are going to expire next year though.  And I want to make those tax credits permanent.  It’s the first thing I’ll do if I’m reelected is make them permanent.  (Applause.)  

Folks, and my plan calls for a minimum federal income tax of 25 percent — just 25 percent on billionaires.  Well below the top rate, but fair, and they can afford it.  Do you know how much money that would raise?  That would raise $500 billion over the next 10 years.  Five hundred billion dollars.  (Applause.)  It would be a drop in the bucket for them.  They wouldn’t have to sell one single bit of their assets.

And imagine what we could do for America.  Imagine a future with affordable childcare, paid leave, homecare, eldercare, and more, like every major country in the world has.  Of all this is not only good for families.  It creates jobs.  It generates growth.  It generates income.  It generates economic vitality.

Because guess what?  When you have childcare and you don’t have to go out and hire somebody, you can go to work.  It ge- — I asked the Treasury Department to do a study: What would — what would — what’s the effect of this?  The effects of what I’m talking about is increase — increase economic growth. 

We have the most successful economy in the world today. 

But, folks, how does Trump pay for these billionaire tax cuts?  Well, Trump recently said Social Security and Medicare, quote — here’s his quote: “There’s a lot you can do in terms of cutting,” end of quote. 

Well, right on cue, the MAGA Republicans in Congress released their budget, which hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention.  The budget they proposed for next year would raise the retirement age of Social Security and would slash Medicare. 

Think about that for a second.  MAGA Republicans want billionaires to pay less in taxes, want seniors to work longer before they can retire on Social Security benefits, and they want to cut Medicare. 

I got a better idea.  Let’s protect Social Security and Medicare and make the very wealthy begin to pay their fair share — (applause) — in high taxes.

And, by the way, whether you’re liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, or independent — whatever you are, think about it.  We’re not asking much.  Just asking for just basic fairness. 

You know, I’ve already been delivering real results in a fiscally responsible way.  But I know not everyone is feeling it. 

Just the other day, a defeated-looking guy came up to me and asked if I could help.  He was drowning in debt.  I said, “I’m sorry, Donald, but I can’t help you.”  (Laughter and applause.)  Nothing I can do.  (Applause.)

Look, on a serious note, since I came to office — (laughter) — I’ve already cut the federal deficit.  You know, all the stuff they talk about what we’ve done — and I’m going to be self-serving a little bit: Every other — every objective alternative points out we’ve had the most successful economy of any major economy in the world so far.  A lot more to do, but guess what?  During the whole time, I’ve been able to cut the federal deficit at the same exact time by over $1 trillion — $1 trillion.  (Applause.)

And I signed a bipartisan budget deal that will cut another trillion dollars over the next decade as well.  And I know what to cut.  (Applause.)  I want to cut the federal deficit even more by making big corporations and the very wealthy begin to finally pay their fair share.  We’re not asking anything that’s unusual.

Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 will pay an additional penny.  I hope you’re all able to make $400,000.  (Laughter.)  I never did.  But they’re not going to pay an extra penny in federal taxes.  That’s a promise.  Nobody.  Not one penny. 

You know, I have to say: If Trump’s stock in the Truth Social — his — his company — drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his.  (Laughter and applause.)  It’s possible.

Folks, look, I want to cut taxes on hardworking folks here in Scranton and all across the country, in Claymont — where I moved from Scranton to Claymont, in Delaware — all across the country, like Amy’s family. 

In fact, the Child Tax Credit I extended during the pandemic put up to $300 per child — per child [a month] in the pockets of around 40 million working families, and it literally cut child poverty in half.  And we still reduced the deficit.  (Applause.)  We still reduced the deficit.  That included helping 1.4 million families and nearly 2.4 million children right here in Pennsylvania. 

Republicans refused to extend it, which raised taxes on working families.  I want to restore it — restore the expanded Child Care Tax Credit, because no child should live in poverty in this country — no child.  (Applause.)

We’ve got a lot more work to do.  I know the cost of housing is so important.  I want to provide families like Amy’s a $10,000 tax credit to help them buy their first home or trade up for a little more space.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, no, it’s important.  And, by the way, it will grow the economy.

When Trump was president in 2020, 55 of the largest corporations in America of the Fortune 500 made $40 billion in profit and paid zero — zero in federal income taxes. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Sinful.  Sinful.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, guess what?  I came along and took care of the sin.  (Applause.)  Not anymore. 

Thanks to the law that I wrote and signed, big corporations now have to pay a minimum — they should be paying more — a minimum of 15 percent tax.  It was a start but not enough. 

By doing that 15 percent tax, they pay for every program that people are now benefitting from and still cut the deficit by $70 billion.  (Applause.) 

And, by the way, that 15 percent is still less than working people play in federal tax- — pay in federal taxes.  It’s time to raise the corporate tax — minimum tax to at least 21 percent so every big corporation finally has to pay their fair share.

But, you know, Trump and his MAGA friends want to get rid of the corporate minimum tax. 

With the same law, I gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drugs, which is why those of you have diabetes and need insulin, instead of paying 400 bucks a month, you’re now paying $35 a month for insulin.  (Applause.)

I’ve been working on taking on Big Pharma my whole career.  But guess what?  If I put you on Air Force One, we flew out of here, and you went — you name — you took a prescription you had from a drug company in America, I will take you to any city you name, whether it’s Berlin, whether it’s in Canada, whether it’s in Hungary.  Wherever it is.  And you’ll pay 40, 60 percent less for that same exact prescription.  Not a joke. 

And, by the way, when we in fact reduce some — there’s much more to come in that healthcare proposal — that Medicare proposal. 

For example, seniors, beginning in 2024 [2025], no matter how much their prescription drug costs are, they’ll never have to pay more than $2,000 a year, no matter what.  (Applause.)

And, by the way, companies will still make money.  They’ll still make a significant profit — still make a significant profit.  It helps reduce the — and, by the way, when we do this, it has a benefit, and that’s already part of the law I passed.  But guess what?  Not only does it reduce the federal deficit — help with the prescription holder, it reduces the federal debt. 

You know how much the first tranche of this has done?  It’s reduced the federal debt by $160 billion.  (Applause.)  Why?  Because Social Security — Medicare does not have to pay out $400 a month.  They’re paying out $35 a month.  (Applause.) 

But Trump has committed, if he’s reelected, from — gets elected again, he wants to get rid of the law and give Big Pharma the power again to charge again whatever you want, which will also increase the deficit.

Folks, are we going to let that happen?

AUDIENCE:  Nooo —

THE PRESIDENT:  We can’t.

And that same law empowers the IRS to go after the super wealthy.  You know, what — you ever — it’s amazing how the — we had passed legislation increasing the number of auditors.  Guess who wanted them all cut?  No, I’m not joking.  Republicans. 

Why?  Because it takes an awful lot of sophistication to be able to go through the tax returns of these billionaires to know what’s going on. 

But while you work hard and pay your taxes, Trump wants to give his billionaire friends the power to avoid paying even what they already owe, not what they should be paying.

I know you — if you didn’t know better, you’d think I’m making this up, but you can check it all out. 

Folks, he’s coming for your money, your healthcare, and your Social Security.  And we’re not going to let it happen.  (Applause.)  We’re not going to — can’t let it happen.  

Look, let me close with this.  As you obne- — observed — I can’t hide it, Scranton fills me with enormous pride.  My mom didn’t live in Scranton permanently since 1954.  I swear to God, whenever she was asked, no matter where we were, “Mrs. Biden, where do you live?  Where are you from?”  She’d say, “Scranton.”  (Laughter.)

Do you know anybody who’s from Scranton that still doesn’t brag about being from Scranton?  (Laughter.)

Look, because I see here what I saw in Claymont, Delaware, where we moved — it used to be a big steel town with 4,000 workers — all gone now.  Although, we’re back for — with other growth.  In Claymont, Delaware, and what I see in so many towns around America: a deep pride — a deep, deep pride in your work, a deep pride in your family, a deep pride in your community and in your country. 

I’ve always thought the World War Two monument downtown by City Hall says so much about Scranton.  My Uncle Ambrose Finnegan — Bosie Finnegan from North Washington — he served and died in World War Two.  Right after D-Day, on Sunday, all four of my mother’s brothers signed up to go fight in the military.  In those days, you could do it — brothers could go off to war together.  Fathers and brothers could do the same.

And that war — I — and everybody called him Bosie Finnegan.  Bosie was a hell of an athlete, but Bosie joined the Army Air Corps before there was an Air Force.  And his name is etched on the monument down by City Hall.  Here in Scranton, I grew up understanding we have many obligations as a country, but we only have — and I got in trouble for saying this from the time I was a young senator.  We only — we have many obli- — we have only one truly sacred obligation, and that is to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home or if they don’t come home. (Applause.)

I don’t want to lose my temper on this.  But I think about that statue in town now that I’m Commander-in-Chief.  And I had them double-check if my memory was correct that Uncle Bosie, Ambrose J. Finnegan’s name is etched on that statue. 

I have to say, there are a lot of things that Donald Trump has said and done that I find extremely offensive.  But one that offends me the most is when he refused, as president, to visit an American cemetery outside of Paris when he was president.  Why?  He said that those soldiers who gave their lives were, quote — it was his quote — “suckers” and “losers.”  “Suckers” and “losers,” he said it. 

Who the hell does he think he is?  Who does he think he is?  These were heroes.  (Applause.) 

These soldiers were heroes, just as every American who has served this nation.  (Applause.)  Believing otherwise, that alone is disqualifying for someone to seek this office.  Thank God I wasn’t standing next to him.  (Applause.)

But as I’ve said, Donald Trump looks at the world differently than you and me.  He wakes up in the morning in Mar-a-Lago thinking about himself, how he can help his billionaire friends gain power and control and force their extreme agenda on the rest of us. 

Listen to what he says.  He says, quote, “I’ll be dictator on day one.”  Quote, “I am your retribution.”  He promises, quote, “a bloodbath” if he loses.  This guy denies January 6th.  Listen — listen to what he says, because you know he means it.  

I wake every morning thinking about how to make life better, like you do, for working- and middle-class families here in Scranton and all across the country, where the power and the freedom rest with you and “We the People.” 

Maybe that’s why millions of everyday power- — folks are powering our campaign.  So far, 1.6 million people have contributed to our campaign, with 550,000 brand new this time around.  (Applause.)  And they’re new contributors.  But guess what?  97 percent of these contributions were under $200.  It matters.  You matter. 

My grandfather would tell me when I walked out the door in North Scran- — in North — North Scra- — in North Washington Avenue in Scranton, he’d yell, “Joey, keep the faith,” when I was a kid.  And my grandmother would yell, “No, Joey, spread it.  Spread it.”  (Applause.) 

Let’s keep the faith.  Let’s spread it.  Let’s remember who we are.  We are the United States of America.  (Applause.)  There is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity than when we act together.

God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  (Applause.)

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you, folks.  (Applause.) 

Thank you.

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.

 2:58 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Event | Scranton, PA appeared first on The White House.

New York, New York

Thanks so much, Jason. It’s great to be with all of you today. I want to commend the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy for everything you do to advance the policy conversation on the most pressing global climate and clean energy issues.

We’re coming together at a moment when the realities of the climate crisis have never been more clear—and when our ability to address those realities has never been greater.

I. Climate Imperative

July of last year was the hottest month on record. 2023 was the hottest year on record. Last month was the hottest March on record.

And each month in between July and March was the hottest ever recorded on our planet.

Meanwhile, the ocean—which absorbs the majority of the Earth’s warming—has been shattering temperature records for over a year.

This isn’t a fluke—this is the climate crisis. And it’s affecting all corners of the globe.

Let’s just take one of the most common—and the most deadly—consequences: extreme heat.

According to a World Weather Attribution study, climate change made the scorching heat wave in West Africa in February ten times more likely.

Last year, one single heat event in India killed more than 100 people…and Iran hit a heat index of 152 degrees Fahrenheit or 67 degrees Celsius—nearing the limit for human survival.

Here in the United States, Phoenix had 31 straight days of temperatures at or above 110 degrees Fahrenheit last summer—contributing to nearly 600 deaths.

And in Europe—the fastest warming continent in the world—more than 61,000 people are estimated to have succumbed to the record-breaking summer heat of 2022.

These are not future projections. This is happening right now.

The economic toll in developed and developing countries alike is staggering.

Meanwhile, global emissions keep rising—reaching a record level last year.

While it’s true that we have made progress since Paris…we still have a lot more work to do to ensure a safe future for humanity.

II. Era of Climate Action

President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken on the climate crisis from Day 1…

By rejoining the Paris Agreement and making climate a top priority in international diplomacy…

By mobilizing a whole-of-government approach to cutting carbon pollution across every sector…in power…transportation …buildings…industry…agriculture and forestry…

And by passing the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in climate and clean energy in history.

The law is unleashing private sector deployment of clean energy while boosting innovation to develop the next generation of technologies that we’ll need to get to net zero.

In the time that President Biden has been in office, private companies have announced over $380 billion in new clean energy investments.

And just since the IRA passed, over 270,000 clean energy jobs have been created across the nation.

All in all, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and strong new emission reduction standards in the power and transportation are putting America on a path to reach President Biden’s climate goal of cutting our carbon pollution in half by 2030.

Here in the United States, we’ve backed up our ambition with action—and we need to see that around the world as well.

New climate targets—Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs—are due to be submitted under the Paris Agreement early next year.

Those NDCs need to be aligned with a 1.5 degree world. And while ambitious NDCs are necessary, they are not sufficient.

They need to be backed up with domestic policies that spur innovation and accelerate deployment of clean energy in countries at all stages of development.

Even as we invest in America to build a clean energy economy—and even as we work with our allies and partners to build more resilient, secure clean energy supply chains—we have no intention of pulling the ladder up behind us.

Every nation deserves the ability to build a clean energy economy that will protect its own citizens and support long-term growth…

The ability to build industries that can innovate, scale, and compete on a level playing field.

The ability to participate fully in building a clean energy future that prevents the worst impacts of climate change and protects the most vulnerable communities.

That’s why the United States will continue to drive a virtuous cycle of innovation and investment that lowers the cost of clean energy technologies in a fair and transparent way…

While at the same time we will continue to use our public and private dollars to support countries embarking on their own clean energy transitions—and continue to encourage multilateral institutions to make important reforms necessary to do the same.

I’ll have more to say about that in a minute.

III. The Trade Problem

But even as we increase investment at home and abroad, there’s still an elephant in the room…one that’s producing a lot of emissions…and that is global trade.

We have to take a serious look at our international economic systems, including trade—and harness them for climate action.

Our current global trading system was built to promote open and competitive markets—which it has done well—but it wasn’t built to curb emissions.

In fact, by many measures, global trade is a huge contributor to the climate problem.

Emissions from shipping and aviation are a major factor.

These emissions have received a lot of attention and they’ve been the subject of a lot of productive international cooperation to reduce emissions through the production of sustainable fuels and electrification where possible.

But we can’t just look at how we move goods around the world—we have to look at what goods we’re moving.

And when you seriously account for the emissions embodied inside tradable goods… the emissions from the production processes that create the commodities and manufactured products that we buy and sell on the global market… then traded goods account for about twenty-five percent of all global emissions.

To put it another way, if the global trade of goods was its own country, it would be the second-largest carbon polluter in the world after the PRC.

The United States alone imported over 1 gigaton of emissions from traded products—just in the year 2019. That’s the same amount of emissions we expect to reduce in 2030 thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This needs to change if we are to get the climate crisis under control.

Right now, our existing trade policies and the international rules that govern them don’t pay enough attention to the emissions embodied in tradeable goods.

We don’t have uniform standards or consistent, reliable data about embodied emissions.

Global trading rules incentivize carbon leakage—when manufacturing-related emissions from a country with stronger climate policies shift to a country with weaker policies.

There is no penalty for what I like to call carbon dumping—when high emissions in production are exported back into countries with stronger climate policies.

That’s bad news for climate.

It’s also bad news for competition—setting up a race away from robust, resilient, and diverse supply chains to those concentrated in countries with lax standards.

We have a system where transparent, well-structured, targeted incentives to spur fair market development and private-sector investment in clean energy are subject to challenge.

Meanwhile, countries collectively spent $1 trillion to subsidize fossil fuels in 2022 alone, and those policies have proven nearly impossible to eliminate despite near consensus on the need to.

Let me give you an example of what can happen when policy doesn’t take sufficient account of embodied carbon in tradeable goods.

The U.S. used to be the world’s largest producer of aluminum. But after decades of outsourcing and non-market behavior by some countries, only four primary aluminum smelters now remain in the U.S. 

Today, over half of the world’s aluminum is made in China, where the average ton of aluminum produces 60% more emissions than it does in the U.S. 

This is a bad story for the American workers who lost their jobs and the American communities that were hollowed out.

But it’s also bad for the world as a whole. Globally, aluminum production is substantially dirtier than it needs to be.

It’s what we call a “race to the bottom”—our relatively cleaner industrial base shrunk, while the emissions embodied in our imports swelled.

IV. Announcing Task Force

Instead, we need a smart, 21st century-approach to climate and trade policy that launches a “race to the top” for climate action…a global trading system that slashes pollution, creates a fair and level playing field, protects against carbon dumping, supports good manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity, and rewards every country that’s doing the right thing—no matter their stage of development.

We’re not claiming to have all the answers…but we’re ready to accelerate progress in turning conversations about climate-smart trade tools and policies into practice.

Today, we are announcing a new White House Climate and Trade Task Force, which will have three focus areas.

First, developing our climate and trade policy toolkit—with an open mind about what features and approaches will be most effective at addressing carbon leakage, carbon dumping, and embodied carbon in general.

We’re drawing on lessons we’ve learned from the ongoing negotiations, led by U.S. Trade Representative Katharine Tai, for a Global Arrangement on Steel and Aluminum between the EU and the US.

We’re open to proposals from our colleagues on Capitol Hill and policy thought leaders from inside and outside government.

We’re ready to deepen dialogue with our partners and allies around the world, from the UK to Australia to the EU as it pursues its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Second, the Task Force will focus on ensuring that we have credible, robust, and granular data to implement smart climate and trade policies.

We will work closely with trade partners to develop standardized and authoritative ways of measuring embodied emissions so that each country can harness comparative advantages in clean manufacturing.

And we’ll take steps internationally to promote common measurement and high standards on embodied emissions.

And third, the Task Force will identify what more we can do at home and abroad to further position producers to thrive in this new race-to-the-top environment. 

Here in the U.S., we want our manufacturers to be the cleanest and most competitive in the world.

As part of that effort, we recently announced $6 billion in grants from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to reduce emissions from the industrial sector.

One of the awards will build a new green aluminum smelter that will avoid approximately 75 percent of the emissions of a conventional facility.

It will also be the first new smelter built in the United States in 45 years.

We will continue to build on the success of our Buy Clean Initiative, which harnesses the purchasing power of the federal government to boost lower-carbon construction materials.  

And even as we continue our efforts to build out transmission and get clean energy projects up and running faster…we will also explore novel policy levers to help secure affordable supplies of clean electricity for energy-intensive manufacturers.

V. International Support

But we’re not just about positioning America to compete.

Everything we’re doing to implement the Inflation Reduction Act…deploy the clean energy that’s already available…and develop and scale newer technologies…all of that is increasing supply and lowering costs for the entire world.

The Boston Consulting Group projects that the Inflation Reduction Act will drive down the cost of certain clean energy technologies by as much as 25 percent.

It’s important to understand what the Inflation Reduction Act is not doing.

President Biden’s Investing in America approach is not intended to industrially target any sector, including the clean energy sector, in order to dominate the global market.

We are not over-subsidizing domestic industry at any cost, or creating an oversupply of clean energy products, or trying to drive competitors out of the market.

The fact that our transparent, well-structured, targeted incentives are now subject to a challenge at the WTO by the People’s Republic of China—which has spent decades engaged in non-market policies and practices that have distorted the global market for clean energy products like solar, batteries, and critical minerals—is beyond ironic.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act and other investments in clean energy—including strong support for research, development, and demonstration—we’re making clean energy technologies more accessible to more nations…speeding deployment…and lowering emissions globally…all while creating high-quality production and encouraging high labor standards.

The Rhodium Group found that for every ton of carbon pollution reduced at home because of the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ll slash up to 2.9 tons of carbon pollution outside of the U.S.

That’s in large part because of how our investments will lower costs for next-generation technologies like clean hydrogen electrolyzers.

In addition to creating benefits outside our borders, we’re supporting a range of international initiatives to support developing countries in securing the capital they need to decarbonize industry and invest in their clean energy future.

At COP28 in Dubai, Vice President Harris launched the Clean Energy Supply Chain Collaborative to work together with like-minded countries to create high-quality, secure, and diverse clean energy supply chains for several critical technologies, including batteries, electrolyzers, and sustainable aviation fuels.

We also announced up to $568 million in new lending from Treasury through the Clean Technology Fund to support clean energy projects in eligible countries.

Led by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the U.S. continues to support the important evolution of Multilateral Development Banks, including the World Bank, to effectively tackle 21st century global challenges like the climate crisis.

This is being discussed at the Spring Bank Meetings this week in D.C.

And as we approach COP29 at the end of this year, countries need to work together to set a new collective, quantified goal to boost global climate finance…moving beyond the $100 billion goal set at previous COPs.

We have an opportunity to reimagine a goal that’s ambitious…realistic…and that’s more effective in expanding the ecosystem of international, domestic, public, and private contributors.

We can draw some inspiration from the Convention on Biological Diversity framework that was agreed in Montreal in 2022—which focused on international support and mobilization while capturing the range of finance that is required to unlock the needed trillions in private sector investment.

We’re serious about supporting climate and trade policies that work domestically, crafted in partnership with the labor movement…the climate movement…U.S. industry…and Congress.

We’re serious about helping developing countries secure the financing and resources they need to build strong, sustainable economies.

And we’re serious about mobilizing a global coalition of partners and allies who are ready to build a modern international trade system that confronts the climate crisis head-on.

VI. Conclusion

As I see it, we have two choices.

We can maintain the status quo—a race to the bottom—with trade policies that reward countries that use dirty production and non-market practices to gain a competitive advantage.

Or, we can work together to create a race to the top in global trade…one that rewards countries that are leading on climate action through transparent, market-based policies and practices.

A system that’s coordinated…consistent…and sends a powerful market signal to countries and companies alike.

A new global dynamic where cutting emissions isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the only thing to do to compete and thrive.

The stakes couldn’t be higher.

But I believe if we make the right choice, we can create and maintain millions of good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy of the future…

We can mobilize billions in private investment in countries around the world…

We can maximize the impact of billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded domestic and international climate investments…

We can accelerate technological innovation and position nations to overcome the challenges of today and tomorrow…

And we can protect our planet for ourselves and for our children.

All of this is possible—as long as we do it together.

So let’s start today. Thank you.

###

The post Remarks as Prepared for John Podesta Columbia Global Energy Summit appeared first on The White House.

New York, New York

Thanks so much, Jason. It’s great to be with all of you today. I want to commend the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy for everything you do to advance the policy conversation on the most pressing global climate and clean energy issues.

We’re coming together at a moment when the realities of the climate crisis have never been more clear—and when our ability to address those realities has never been greater.

I. Climate Imperative

July of last year was the hottest month on record. 2023 was the hottest year on record. Last month was the hottest March on record.

And each month in between July and March was the hottest ever recorded on our planet.

Meanwhile, the ocean—which absorbs the majority of the Earth’s warming—has been shattering temperature records for over a year.

This isn’t a fluke—this is the climate crisis. And it’s affecting all corners of the globe.

Let’s just take one of the most common—and the most deadly—consequences: extreme heat.

According to a World Weather Attribution study, climate change made the scorching heat wave in West Africa in February ten times more likely.

Last year, one single heat event in India killed more than 100 people…and Iran hit a heat index of 152 degrees Fahrenheit or 67 degrees Celsius—nearing the limit for human survival.

Here in the United States, Phoenix had 31 straight days of temperatures at or above 110 degrees Fahrenheit last summer—contributing to nearly 600 deaths.

And in Europe—the fastest warming continent in the world—more than 61,000 people are estimated to have succumbed to the record-breaking summer heat of 2022.

These are not future projections. This is happening right now.

The economic toll in developed and developing countries alike is staggering.

Meanwhile, global emissions keep rising—reaching a record level last year.

While it’s true that we have made progress since Paris…we still have a lot more work to do to ensure a safe future for humanity.

II. Era of Climate Action

President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken on the climate crisis from Day 1…

By rejoining the Paris Agreement and making climate a top priority in international diplomacy…

By mobilizing a whole-of-government approach to cutting carbon pollution across every sector…in power…transportation …buildings…industry…agriculture and forestry…

And by passing the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in climate and clean energy in history.

The law is unleashing private sector deployment of clean energy while boosting innovation to develop the next generation of technologies that we’ll need to get to net zero.

In the time that President Biden has been in office, private companies have announced over $380 billion in new clean energy investments.

And just since the IRA passed, over 270,000 clean energy jobs have been created across the nation.

All in all, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and strong new emission reduction standards in the power and transportation are putting America on a path to reach President Biden’s climate goal of cutting our carbon pollution in half by 2030.

Here in the United States, we’ve backed up our ambition with action—and we need to see that around the world as well.

New climate targets—Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs—are due to be submitted under the Paris Agreement early next year.

Those NDCs need to be aligned with a 1.5 degree world. And while ambitious NDCs are necessary, they are not sufficient.

They need to be backed up with domestic policies that spur innovation and accelerate deployment of clean energy in countries at all stages of development.

Even as we invest in America to build a clean energy economy—and even as we work with our allies and partners to build more resilient, secure clean energy supply chains—we have no intention of pulling the ladder up behind us.

Every nation deserves the ability to build a clean energy economy that will protect its own citizens and support long-term growth…

The ability to build industries that can innovate, scale, and compete on a level playing field.

The ability to participate fully in building a clean energy future that prevents the worst impacts of climate change and protects the most vulnerable communities.

That’s why the United States will continue to drive a virtuous cycle of innovation and investment that lowers the cost of clean energy technologies in a fair and transparent way…

While at the same time we will continue to use our public and private dollars to support countries embarking on their own clean energy transitions—and continue to encourage multilateral institutions to make important reforms necessary to do the same.

I’ll have more to say about that in a minute.

III. The Trade Problem

But even as we increase investment at home and abroad, there’s still an elephant in the room…one that’s producing a lot of emissions…and that is global trade.

We have to take a serious look at our international economic systems, including trade—and harness them for climate action.

Our current global trading system was built to promote open and competitive markets—which it has done well—but it wasn’t built to curb emissions.

In fact, by many measures, global trade is a huge contributor to the climate problem.

Emissions from shipping and aviation are a major factor.

These emissions have received a lot of attention and they’ve been the subject of a lot of productive international cooperation to reduce emissions through the production of sustainable fuels and electrification where possible.

But we can’t just look at how we move goods around the world—we have to look at what goods we’re moving.

And when you seriously account for the emissions embodied inside tradable goods… the emissions from the production processes that create the commodities and manufactured products that we buy and sell on the global market… then traded goods account for about twenty-five percent of all global emissions.

To put it another way, if the global trade of goods was its own country, it would be the second-largest carbon polluter in the world after the PRC.

The United States alone imported over 1 gigaton of emissions from traded products—just in the year 2019. That’s the same amount of emissions we expect to reduce in 2030 thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This needs to change if we are to get the climate crisis under control.

Right now, our existing trade policies and the international rules that govern them don’t pay enough attention to the emissions embodied in tradeable goods.

We don’t have uniform standards or consistent, reliable data about embodied emissions.

Global trading rules incentivize carbon leakage—when manufacturing-related emissions from a country with stronger climate policies shift to a country with weaker policies.

There is no penalty for what I like to call carbon dumping—when high emissions in production are exported back into countries with stronger climate policies.

That’s bad news for climate.

It’s also bad news for competition—setting up a race away from robust, resilient, and diverse supply chains to those concentrated in countries with lax standards.

We have a system where transparent, well-structured, targeted incentives to spur fair market development and private-sector investment in clean energy are subject to challenge.

Meanwhile, countries collectively spent $1 trillion to subsidize fossil fuels in 2022 alone, and those policies have proven nearly impossible to eliminate despite near consensus on the need to.

Let me give you an example of what can happen when policy doesn’t take sufficient account of embodied carbon in tradeable goods.

The U.S. used to be the world’s largest producer of aluminum. But after decades of outsourcing and non-market behavior by some countries, only four primary aluminum smelters now remain in the U.S. 

Today, over half of the world’s aluminum is made in China, where the average ton of aluminum produces 60% more emissions than it does in the U.S. 

This is a bad story for the American workers who lost their jobs and the American communities that were hollowed out.

But it’s also bad for the world as a whole. Globally, aluminum production is substantially dirtier than it needs to be.

It’s what we call a “race to the bottom”—our relatively cleaner industrial base shrunk, while the emissions embodied in our imports swelled.

IV. Announcing Task Force

Instead, we need a smart, 21st century-approach to climate and trade policy that launches a “race to the top” for climate action…a global trading system that slashes pollution, creates a fair and level playing field, protects against carbon dumping, supports good manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity, and rewards every country that’s doing the right thing—no matter their stage of development.

We’re not claiming to have all the answers…but we’re ready to accelerate progress in turning conversations about climate-smart trade tools and policies into practice.

Today, we are announcing a new White House Climate and Trade Task Force, which will have three focus areas.

First, developing our climate and trade policy toolkit—with an open mind about what features and approaches will be most effective at addressing carbon leakage, carbon dumping, and embodied carbon in general.

We’re drawing on lessons we’ve learned from the ongoing negotiations, led by U.S. Trade Representative Katharine Tai, for a Global Arrangement on Steel and Aluminum between the EU and the US.

We’re open to proposals from our colleagues on Capitol Hill and policy thought leaders from inside and outside government.

We’re ready to deepen dialogue with our partners and allies around the world, from the UK to Australia to the EU as it pursues its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Second, the Task Force will focus on ensuring that we have credible, robust, and granular data to implement smart climate and trade policies.

We will work closely with trade partners to develop standardized and authoritative ways of measuring embodied emissions so that each country can harness comparative advantages in clean manufacturing.

And we’ll take steps internationally to promote common measurement and high standards on embodied emissions.

And third, the Task Force will identify what more we can do at home and abroad to further position producers to thrive in this new race-to-the-top environment. 

Here in the U.S., we want our manufacturers to be the cleanest and most competitive in the world.

As part of that effort, we recently announced $6 billion in grants from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to reduce emissions from the industrial sector.

One of the awards will build a new green aluminum smelter that will avoid approximately 75 percent of the emissions of a conventional facility.

It will also be the first new smelter built in the United States in 45 years.

We will continue to build on the success of our Buy Clean Initiative, which harnesses the purchasing power of the federal government to boost lower-carbon construction materials.  

And even as we continue our efforts to build out transmission and get clean energy projects up and running faster…we will also explore novel policy levers to help secure affordable supplies of clean electricity for energy-intensive manufacturers.

V. International Support

But we’re not just about positioning America to compete.

Everything we’re doing to implement the Inflation Reduction Act…deploy the clean energy that’s already available…and develop and scale newer technologies…all of that is increasing supply and lowering costs for the entire world.

The Boston Consulting Group projects that the Inflation Reduction Act will drive down the cost of certain clean energy technologies by as much as 25 percent.

It’s important to understand what the Inflation Reduction Act is not doing.

President Biden’s Investing in America approach is not intended to industrially target any sector, including the clean energy sector, in order to dominate the global market.

We are not over-subsidizing domestic industry at any cost, or creating an oversupply of clean energy products, or trying to drive competitors out of the market.

The fact that our transparent, well-structured, targeted incentives are now subject to a challenge at the WTO by the People’s Republic of China—which has spent decades engaged in non-market policies and practices that have distorted the global market for clean energy products like solar, batteries, and critical minerals—is beyond ironic.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act and other investments in clean energy—including strong support for research, development, and demonstration—we’re making clean energy technologies more accessible to more nations…speeding deployment…and lowering emissions globally…all while creating high-quality production and encouraging high labor standards.

The Rhodium Group found that for every ton of carbon pollution reduced at home because of the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ll slash up to 2.9 tons of carbon pollution outside of the U.S.

That’s in large part because of how our investments will lower costs for next-generation technologies like clean hydrogen electrolyzers.

In addition to creating benefits outside our borders, we’re supporting a range of international initiatives to support developing countries in securing the capital they need to decarbonize industry and invest in their clean energy future.

At COP28 in Dubai, Vice President Harris launched the Clean Energy Supply Chain Collaborative to work together with like-minded countries to create high-quality, secure, and diverse clean energy supply chains for several critical technologies, including batteries, electrolyzers, and sustainable aviation fuels.

We also announced up to $568 million in new lending from Treasury through the Clean Technology Fund to support clean energy projects in eligible countries.

Led by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the U.S. continues to support the important evolution of Multilateral Development Banks, including the World Bank, to effectively tackle 21st century global challenges like the climate crisis.

This is being discussed at the Spring Bank Meetings this week in D.C.

And as we approach COP29 at the end of this year, countries need to work together to set a new collective, quantified goal to boost global climate finance…moving beyond the $100 billion goal set at previous COPs.

We have an opportunity to reimagine a goal that’s ambitious…realistic…and that’s more effective in expanding the ecosystem of international, domestic, public, and private contributors.

We can draw some inspiration from the Convention on Biological Diversity framework that was agreed in Montreal in 2022—which focused on international support and mobilization while capturing the range of finance that is required to unlock the needed trillions in private sector investment.

We’re serious about supporting climate and trade policies that work domestically, crafted in partnership with the labor movement…the climate movement…U.S. industry…and Congress.

We’re serious about helping developing countries secure the financing and resources they need to build strong, sustainable economies.

And we’re serious about mobilizing a global coalition of partners and allies who are ready to build a modern international trade system that confronts the climate crisis head-on.

VI. Conclusion

As I see it, we have two choices.

We can maintain the status quo—a race to the bottom—with trade policies that reward countries that use dirty production and non-market practices to gain a competitive advantage.

Or, we can work together to create a race to the top in global trade…one that rewards countries that are leading on climate action through transparent, market-based policies and practices.

A system that’s coordinated…consistent…and sends a powerful market signal to countries and companies alike.

A new global dynamic where cutting emissions isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the only thing to do to compete and thrive.

The stakes couldn’t be higher.

But I believe if we make the right choice, we can create and maintain millions of good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy of the future…

We can mobilize billions in private investment in countries around the world…

We can maximize the impact of billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded domestic and international climate investments…

We can accelerate technological innovation and position nations to overcome the challenges of today and tomorrow…

And we can protect our planet for ourselves and for our children.

All of this is possible—as long as we do it together.

So let’s start today. Thank you.

###

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As part of Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, The Military Children’s Corner features artwork from ten military-connected children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In honor of Month of the Military Child, First Lady Jill Biden announced today a new installment of The Military Children’s Corner, an art display at the White House dedicated to our nation’s military children. Titled A View from My Window, Dr. Biden’s second installation features artwork created by ten military children that depicts their unique experiences serving alongside their parent or family member in uniform.

“Through every new deployment, neighborhood, and school, military children serve alongside their parents. In the artwork we feature in The Military Children’s Corner, we see a glimpse of the world through their eyes,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “This Month of the Military Child – and every month – may we recognize their service and sacrifice, and continue giving military children the recognition, support, and opportunities they deserve.”

Unveiled in September 2023, The Military Children’s Corner is part of Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. This is a continuation of Dr. Biden’s tradition of leveraging art as an educational tool to help Americans learn about the experiences of the four million military-connected children whose parents are active-duty service members, National Guard or reservists, or veterans. A View from my Window was created in partnership with the National Military Family Association (NMFA) and Bloom, a program of NMFA dedicated to elevating the voices of military teens.

The Military Children’s Corner features artwork from the following military children:

• Addison, age 14, Joint Base Charleston – Summerville, SC 
• Ayslin, age 15, White Sands Missile Range – Farmington, NM
• Elisabeth, age 16, Fort Leavenworth – Leavenworth, KS
• Elyse, age 13, Army Garrison Wiesbaden – Wiesbaden, Germany 

• Evelyn, age 17, United Nations Command Korea – Seoul, South Korea 
• Gabriella, age 17, U.S. Army – Flower Mound, TX
• Hannah, age 16, Naval Base Kitsap – Silverdale, WA 
• Lara, age 15, Pentagon – Arlington, VA 

• Sammi, age 13, Pentagon – Arlington, VA
• Scarlett, age 12, Fort Knox – Fort Knox, KY

Images of The Military Children’s Corner are available to download on The White House’s Flickr page.

The Military Children’s Corner is located in the East Colonnade and is among the first displays visitors see when they enter the East Wing of the White House. The display case was designed to replicate the look and feel of bulletin boards commonly found in elementary schools, making this White House display welcoming to visitors of all ages.

As a military mom and educator for more than 30 years, Dr. Biden has previously debuted temporary art installations at the White House to help Americans learn more about the unique experiences of our military-connected families. In April 2022, to celebrate the Month of the Military Child, Dr. Biden partnered with Military Child Education Coalition to create a display in the East Wing featuring artwork created by military-connected children across the country and those stationed around the world. In April 2023, Dr. Biden debuted an installation inspired by a poem called “My Military Suitcase,” which featured miniature wooden suitcases designed by military and veteran children to reflect their journeys as military-connected families. In September 2023, Dr. Biden unveiled a permanent White House art display dedicated to military-connected children.

Background on the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative 

Joining Forces is Dr. Biden’s initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military-connected families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces centers on the needs of this population in the areas of: Economic Opportunity; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.

As First Lady, Dr. Biden has visited over 25 military installations; worked with Joining Forces partners to support over 30 events with the military-connected community; and helped coordinate the Administration’s efforts to increase and raise awareness of resources and support for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

###

The post First Lady Jill Biden Unveils New Installation of The Military Children’s Corner in Celebration of Month of the Military Child appeared first on The White House.

As part of Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, The Military Children’s Corner features artwork from ten military-connected children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In honor of Month of the Military Child, First Lady Jill Biden announced today a new installment of The Military Children’s Corner, an art display at the White House dedicated to our nation’s military children. Titled A View from My Window, Dr. Biden’s second installation features artwork created by ten military children that depicts their unique experiences serving alongside their parent or family member in uniform.

“Through every new deployment, neighborhood, and school, military children serve alongside their parents. In the artwork we feature in The Military Children’s Corner, we see a glimpse of the world through their eyes,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “This Month of the Military Child – and every month – may we recognize their service and sacrifice, and continue giving military children the recognition, support, and opportunities they deserve.”

Unveiled in September 2023, The Military Children’s Corner is part of Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. This is a continuation of Dr. Biden’s tradition of leveraging art as an educational tool to help Americans learn about the experiences of the four million military-connected children whose parents are active-duty service members, National Guard or reservists, or veterans. A View from my Window was created in partnership with the National Military Family Association (NMFA) and Bloom, a program of NMFA dedicated to elevating the voices of military teens.

The Military Children’s Corner features artwork from the following military children:

• Addison, age 14, Joint Base Charleston – Summerville, SC 
• Ayslin, age 15, White Sands Missile Range – Farmington, NM
• Elisabeth, age 16, Fort Leavenworth – Leavenworth, KS
• Elyse, age 13, Army Garrison Wiesbaden – Wiesbaden, Germany 

• Evelyn, age 17, United Nations Command Korea – Seoul, South Korea 
• Gabriella, age 17, U.S. Army – Flower Mound, TX
• Hannah, age 16, Naval Base Kitsap – Silverdale, WA 
• Lara, age 15, Pentagon – Arlington, VA 

• Sammi, age 13, Pentagon – Arlington, VA
• Scarlett, age 12, Fort Knox – Fort Knox, KY

Images of The Military Children’s Corner are available to download on The White House’s Flickr page.

The Military Children’s Corner is located in the East Colonnade and is among the first displays visitors see when they enter the East Wing of the White House. The display case was designed to replicate the look and feel of bulletin boards commonly found in elementary schools, making this White House display welcoming to visitors of all ages.

As a military mom and educator for more than 30 years, Dr. Biden has previously debuted temporary art installations at the White House to help Americans learn more about the unique experiences of our military-connected families. In April 2022, to celebrate the Month of the Military Child, Dr. Biden partnered with Military Child Education Coalition to create a display in the East Wing featuring artwork created by military-connected children across the country and those stationed around the world. In April 2023, Dr. Biden debuted an installation inspired by a poem called “My Military Suitcase,” which featured miniature wooden suitcases designed by military and veteran children to reflect their journeys as military-connected families. In September 2023, Dr. Biden unveiled a permanent White House art display dedicated to military-connected children.

Background on the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative 

Joining Forces is Dr. Biden’s initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military-connected families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces centers on the needs of this population in the areas of: Economic Opportunity; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.

As First Lady, Dr. Biden has visited over 25 military installations; worked with Joining Forces partners to support over 30 events with the military-connected community; and helped coordinate the Administration’s efforts to increase and raise awareness of resources and support for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

###

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Today, the White House launched the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy (GHSS) to protect the health, lives, and economic well-being of the American people and people throughout the world.

President Biden came to office determined to guide our country through – and ensure we emerged stronger from – the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic profoundly affected every individual, community and country, causing millions of deaths, significant societal disruptions, and trillions of dollars in economic losses globally.  Since day one, the President has directed his Administration to protect the American people from future health threats, recognizing that a biological threat anywhere can turn into a health emergency everywhere. Over the past three years, the Biden-Harris Administration has actively advanced a bold agenda to achieve the vision of a world free from pandemics and other health security threats. While the United States has made notable progress over the past three years, there is more work ahead.

THE NEW GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY STRATEGY
The new Global Health Security Strategy articulates a whole-of-government, science-based approach to strengthening global health security. 

Building on progress achieved since 2019 and incorporating lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Health Security Strategy lays out a path to deliver on the goals in the 2022 National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan and the bipartisan Global Health Security and International Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Act of 2022, which was enacted as part of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. ­It places county-driven action, equity, and inclusion at its core to ensure the world is better prepared to prevent and respond to health emergencies, including pandemics. The Strategy also envisions using United States leadership to drive global action toward shared goals, including stronger investment and commitment by other countries.

The 2024 U.S. Global Health Security Strategy sets out three goals to guide the United States’ affirmative agenda to advance global health security:

• Strengthen Global Health Security Capacities through Bilateral Partnerships. The most effective way to mitigate the impact of health security threats is to prevent, detect and contain them at their source. The Strategy focuses on working with countries around the world to ensure they are better able to prevent, detect, and respond to global health security threats. We are announcing today that the United States has expanded our formal global health security partnerships from 19 countries to 50 countries.  Over the next five years, the United States will:
  • Work with these 50 partners to build, further strengthen, and sustain a level of demonstrated capacity in at least five GHS areas;
  • Promote country-led processes as essential to achieving sustainable progress toward the GHS goals;
  • Incorporate gender-responsive and social inclusion considerations into GHS programming, to reduce public health risks and adverse health impacts on marginalized populations; and
  • Track progress toward closing gaps in preparedness and response capacities, and share those results publicly.  

These will further accelerate country implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) and contribute towards achieving the G7 Pact for Pandemic Readiness Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) targets.

• Catalyze Political Commitment, Financing, and Leadership to Achieve Health Security.  The United States works alongside partners to catalyze and sustain political leadership, commitment, and financing in health security at local, national, regional, and global levels. Over the next five years the United States will:
  • Continue to drive efforts to strengthen global policies, including through negotiations on a Pandemic Accord and targeted amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR);
  • Support fit-for-purpose institutions that can drive innovation, offer reliable public health guidance, and implement a rapid response to global health emergencies;
  • Further strengthen our efforts to expand equitable access to medical countermeasures; and
  • Accelerate commitments made by the G7 including achieving the milestones of the G7 Pact for Pandemic Readiness to provide support to assist at least 100 low- and middle-income countries in building the core capacities required in the IHR.

The United States will also continue to deliver on the commitment to transform financing for global health security.  The COVID-19 response highlighted limitations in the GHS financing ecosystem.  In a health emergency, countries need to be able to quickly access financing to fortify their health systems, procure medical countermeasures, and launch an effective response.  The United States is the world’s leading investor in health security, and it is a top priority of the United States to collaborate with countries, regional and multilateral partners, including public and private sector organizations, to identify and strengthen solutions to enhance access to financing for pandemic preparedness and response.  To overcome the cycle of crisis and complacency in investing in health security capacity, the United States led the way to establish the historic Pandemic Fund in 2022, and we are dedicated to working with all partners to ensure the Fund excels in its mission to support countries most in need.  Simultaneously, the United States continues to support efforts to transform international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, and to clarify and strengthen the pandemic preparedness and response efforts of multilateral development banks and development financing institutions to better address crises, including pandemics.

• Increase Linkages Between Health Security and Complementary Programs to Maximize Impact. The United States is committed to better maximizing linkages between global health security programs and other health, development and security programs. Building stronger relationships between these programs will lead to more sustainability, make better use of existing resources, and drive better outcomes. Over the next five years, the United States will:
  • Better integrate and leverage global health programs – including PEPFAR, TB, PMI, and health system strengthening efforts including regulatory systems and MCM manufacture, procurement and delivery;
  • Better integrate and leverage development programs, including humanitarian and disaster response; food security; water sanitation and hygiene; and community leadership;
  • Further strengthen a One Health approach to GHS, including integrating infectious disease data from human, animal, plant and environment sectors; and
  • Strengthen research networks, including for global clinical trials.

Collectively, these actions will make the United States, and the world, safer from the risk posed by pandemics and other health security events.

###

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Today, the White House launched the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy (GHSS) to protect the health, lives, and economic well-being of the American people and people throughout the world.

President Biden came to office determined to guide our country through – and ensure we emerged stronger from – the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic profoundly affected every individual, community and country, causing millions of deaths, significant societal disruptions, and trillions of dollars in economic losses globally.  Since day one, the President has directed his Administration to protect the American people from future health threats, recognizing that a biological threat anywhere can turn into a health emergency everywhere. Over the past three years, the Biden-Harris Administration has actively advanced a bold agenda to achieve the vision of a world free from pandemics and other health security threats. While the United States has made notable progress over the past three years, there is more work ahead.

THE NEW GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY STRATEGY
The new Global Health Security Strategy articulates a whole-of-government, science-based approach to strengthening global health security. 

Building on progress achieved since 2019 and incorporating lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Health Security Strategy lays out a path to deliver on the goals in the 2022 National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan and the bipartisan Global Health Security and International Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Act of 2022, which was enacted as part of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. ­It places county-driven action, equity, and inclusion at its core to ensure the world is better prepared to prevent and respond to health emergencies, including pandemics. The Strategy also envisions using United States leadership to drive global action toward shared goals, including stronger investment and commitment by other countries.

The 2024 U.S. Global Health Security Strategy sets out three goals to guide the United States’ affirmative agenda to advance global health security:

• Strengthen Global Health Security Capacities through Bilateral Partnerships. The most effective way to mitigate the impact of health security threats is to prevent, detect and contain them at their source. The Strategy focuses on working with countries around the world to ensure they are better able to prevent, detect, and respond to global health security threats. We are announcing today that the United States has expanded our formal global health security partnerships from 19 countries to 50 countries.  Over the next five years, the United States will:
  • Work with these 50 partners to build, further strengthen, and sustain a level of demonstrated capacity in at least five GHS areas;
  • Promote country-led processes as essential to achieving sustainable progress toward the GHS goals;
  • Incorporate gender-responsive and social inclusion considerations into GHS programming, to reduce public health risks and adverse health impacts on marginalized populations; and
  • Track progress toward closing gaps in preparedness and response capacities, and share those results publicly.  

These will further accelerate country implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) and contribute towards achieving the G7 Pact for Pandemic Readiness Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) targets.

• Catalyze Political Commitment, Financing, and Leadership to Achieve Health Security.  The United States works alongside partners to catalyze and sustain political leadership, commitment, and financing in health security at local, national, regional, and global levels. Over the next five years the United States will:
  • Continue to drive efforts to strengthen global policies, including through negotiations on a Pandemic Accord and targeted amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR);
  • Support fit-for-purpose institutions that can drive innovation, offer reliable public health guidance, and implement a rapid response to global health emergencies;
  • Further strengthen our efforts to expand equitable access to medical countermeasures; and
  • Accelerate commitments made by the G7 including achieving the milestones of the G7 Pact for Pandemic Readiness to provide support to assist at least 100 low- and middle-income countries in building the core capacities required in the IHR.

The United States will also continue to deliver on the commitment to transform financing for global health security.  The COVID-19 response highlighted limitations in the GHS financing ecosystem.  In a health emergency, countries need to be able to quickly access financing to fortify their health systems, procure medical countermeasures, and launch an effective response.  The United States is the world’s leading investor in health security, and it is a top priority of the United States to collaborate with countries, regional and multilateral partners, including public and private sector organizations, to identify and strengthen solutions to enhance access to financing for pandemic preparedness and response.  To overcome the cycle of crisis and complacency in investing in health security capacity, the United States led the way to establish the historic Pandemic Fund in 2022, and we are dedicated to working with all partners to ensure the Fund excels in its mission to support countries most in need.  Simultaneously, the United States continues to support efforts to transform international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, and to clarify and strengthen the pandemic preparedness and response efforts of multilateral development banks and development financing institutions to better address crises, including pandemics.

• Increase Linkages Between Health Security and Complementary Programs to Maximize Impact. The United States is committed to better maximizing linkages between global health security programs and other health, development and security programs. Building stronger relationships between these programs will lead to more sustainability, make better use of existing resources, and drive better outcomes. Over the next five years, the United States will:
  • Better integrate and leverage global health programs – including PEPFAR, TB, PMI, and health system strengthening efforts including regulatory systems and MCM manufacture, procurement and delivery;
  • Better integrate and leverage development programs, including humanitarian and disaster response; food security; water sanitation and hygiene; and community leadership;
  • Further strengthen a One Health approach to GHS, including integrating infectious disease data from human, animal, plant and environment sectors; and
  • Strengthen research networks, including for global clinical trials.

Collectively, these actions will make the United States, and the world, safer from the risk posed by pandemics and other health security events.

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Today, I am proud to announce that my Administration is releasing a new Global Health Security Strategy—outlining actions the United States will take over the next five years to prevent, detect, and effectively respond to biological threats wherever they emerge.

This has been a priority for me since day one. Every American experienced the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. And every American saw how this global health challenge had local consequences—on our hospitals, our schools, our businesses, and our communities. No sector of society was immune. That’s why—as my Administration worked to end the COVID-19 pandemic—we’ve also focused on ensuring our nation is prepared for any future pandemic, outbreak, or biological threat.

This new Global Health Security Strategy lays out how we will deliver on this goal. It will help drive comprehensive and cohesive efforts across our government, while generating greater support from foreign partners, the private sector, and civil society to ensure long-term impact. It will help protect people—across our nation and around the world—from security threats, particularly those posed by infectious diseases. And it will make the United States stronger, safer, and healthier than ever before at this critical moment.

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The post Statement from President Joe Biden on the Release of the Global Health Security Strategy appeared first on The White House.

Today, I am proud to announce that my Administration is releasing a new Global Health Security Strategy—outlining actions the United States will take over the next five years to prevent, detect, and effectively respond to biological threats wherever they emerge.

This has been a priority for me since day one. Every American experienced the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. And every American saw how this global health challenge had local consequences—on our hospitals, our schools, our businesses, and our communities. No sector of society was immune. That’s why—as my Administration worked to end the COVID-19 pandemic—we’ve also focused on ensuring our nation is prepared for any future pandemic, outbreak, or biological threat.

This new Global Health Security Strategy lays out how we will deliver on this goal. It will help drive comprehensive and cohesive efforts across our government, while generating greater support from foreign partners, the private sector, and civil society to ensure long-term impact. It will help protect people—across our nation and around the world—from security threats, particularly those posed by infectious diseases. And it will make the United States stronger, safer, and healthier than ever before at this critical moment.

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The post Statement from President Joe Biden on the Release of the Global Health Security Strategy appeared first on The White House.

We applaud the House’s bipartisan passage of legislation to reauthorize one of our nation’s most critical intelligence authorities, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).  The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act ensures that the Intelligence Community has the tools that it needs to identify and disrupt threats to the American people from hostile nation states, terrorist organizations, hackers, spies, and more.  It also includes some of the most significant reforms in the history of FISA to strengthen oversight of how the authority is used and to protect privacy.  We encourage the Senate to swiftly pass this bill before the authority expires on April 19.

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The post Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the House’s Bipartisan Vote to Reauthorize of FISA Section 702 appeared first on The White House.

We applaud the House’s bipartisan passage of legislation to reauthorize one of our nation’s most critical intelligence authorities, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).  The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act ensures that the Intelligence Community has the tools that it needs to identify and disrupt threats to the American people from hostile nation states, terrorist organizations, hackers, spies, and more.  It also includes some of the most significant reforms in the history of FISA to strengthen oversight of how the authority is used and to protect privacy.  We encourage the Senate to swiftly pass this bill before the authority expires on April 19.

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The post Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the House’s Bipartisan Vote to Reauthorize of FISA Section 702 appeared first on The White House.

President Biden welcomed Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the White House today.  President Biden congratulated the Czech Republic, a stalwart Ally, on celebrating 25 years in NATO and on the recent passage of legislation requiring it to spend at least 2 percent of its GDP on defense.  The leaders reaffirmed their iron-clad commitment to the NATO Alliance, which makes us all safer.  President Biden also welcomed the Czech decision earlier this year to purchase 24 U.S. F-35s, a $4.5 billion deal that contributes to U.S. jobs, bolsters the Czech Republic’s defense modernization, and deepens the U.S.-Czech defense relationship.

The leaders underscored their unwavering support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal invasion.  They also coordinated on challenges in the Middle East. The two condemned the blatant and unprecedented attacks against Israel by Iran and its proxies.  They also discussed Israel’s right to self-defense against the threats it faces in accordance with international law and efforts to expand humanitarian aid to Gaza.  The leaders also spoke about the U.S.-Czech energy security relationship, deepening strategic ties, and shared democratic values.  President Biden and Prime Minister Fiala also announced their countries’ intent to sign a memorandum of understanding on countering foreign information manipulation that will help defend democratic institutions from foreign disinformation.

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The post Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic appeared first on The White House.

President Biden welcomed Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the White House today.  President Biden congratulated the Czech Republic, a stalwart Ally, on celebrating 25 years in NATO and on the recent passage of legislation requiring it to spend at least 2 percent of its GDP on defense.  The leaders reaffirmed their iron-clad commitment to the NATO Alliance, which makes us all safer.  President Biden also welcomed the Czech decision earlier this year to purchase 24 U.S. F-35s, a $4.5 billion deal that contributes to U.S. jobs, bolsters the Czech Republic’s defense modernization, and deepens the U.S.-Czech defense relationship.

The leaders underscored their unwavering support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal invasion.  They also coordinated on challenges in the Middle East. The two condemned the blatant and unprecedented attacks against Israel by Iran and its proxies.  They also discussed Israel’s right to self-defense against the threats it faces in accordance with international law and efforts to expand humanitarian aid to Gaza.  The leaders also spoke about the U.S.-Czech energy security relationship, deepening strategic ties, and shared democratic values.  President Biden and Prime Minister Fiala also announced their countries’ intent to sign a memorandum of understanding on countering foreign information manipulation that will help defend democratic institutions from foreign disinformation.

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The post Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic appeared first on The White House.

Southwest Career and Technical Academy

Las Vegas, NV

12:46 P.M. PDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi, everyone.  (Applause.)

Good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon. 

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Hello, everybody.  We ready to go?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yes.  (Applause.)

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  All right.  Let’s get this started.

So, I first want to thank Attorney General Ford, who is here with us, and Representative Titus for joining us today.  (Applause.) 

And thank you so much, Madam Vice President.  So, good to see you again.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Good to see you again.  And it’s —

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  So —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — great to be back in Las Vegas.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Yes.  So, I want to talk about the fact that you travel around this country connecting with communities and young leaders.  And, in fact, just this past fall, you did the “Fight for Our Freedoms” college tour, where I hear you engaged with over 15,000 students on college campuses across the country on the most urgent issues before us — in particular, the fight for our most fundamental freedoms.

One freedom that you’re focused on is the freedom to be safe from gun violence.  And tragically, we know all too well how important this issue is because our communities have faced it firsthand right here in Nevada.

You’ve been a leader on so many issues throughout your career, including this one.  So, it’s no surprise that you were named to oversee the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.  (Applause.)  That deserves claps.

So, my question is: What can we do to end this senseless violence that is harming our communities?  And what is the administration doing to lead on this issue?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  And, Angela, I want to thank you for your leadership.  Moms Demand Action, the work that you — there is Students Demand Action, just the whole group — for years, you all just show up and remind people of the real impact of gun violence in America on parents, on students, on children.  And so, I thank you for your leadership.

Xochitl, it’s so good to see you again.  And thank you for being here and being a part of this —

MS. GOMEZ:  Thank you.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — and using your voice in such a courageous way. 

And it is wonderful to be back in Nevada and here in Las Vegas.  So, thank you all for being here.

So, you know, I just actually met, before I came on stage, with three students who survived the December shooting at UNLV.  And they’re so courageous, these young leaders.  And their stories, sadly, are the stories of so many young people in our country and the stories that I heard continuously during the college tour.

And their stories reflect a very tragic fact, which is that in America today, the number-one cause of death of our children — the number-one cause of death of the children of America is gun violence — not car accidents, not some form of cancer.  Gun violence. 

Today in America, one in five people has a family member that was killed by gun violence.

And, you know, it doesn’t have to be this way.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

During the college tour — and it was — it was universities, it was colleges, it was state colleges, it was trade schools — college-aged young leaders.  And I would ask every — in every room that I went, I would ask, “Please raise your hand” — I’d look at the students, the young people — “Please raise your hand if at any time between kindergarten and 12th grade, you had to endure an active shooter drill.”

In fact, I’ll ask the students right now.  Anybody who’s here, if at any point between kindergarten and 12th grade, did you have to endure an active shooter drill? 

I’d like the older adults and the press to look at what we’re seeing — the number of hands that go up. 

When I would talk with young people — I talked with one particular younger student and — on the subject of active shooter drills, and that student said to me, “Yeah, I — that’s why I don’t like going to fifth period.”  And I said, “Why, sweetheart?  Why don’t you like going to fifth period?”  “Well, because, in that classroom, there’s no closet to hide in.”

The idea that our children and our young people are sitting in a room where they are supposed to be enjoying the wonders of the world and exploring with enthusiasm all that there is to learn and that any part of their mind is also concerned that someone might bust into the classroom — so, this issue is tragic on every level.

I was just recently in Parkland, Florida, and I met with the parents and family members of the victims of that horrendous mass shooting.  I also — they’ve — they’ve preserved the school, the building where it happened.  It’s going to be destroyed soon.  But they’ve — they’ve preserved it in a way that it has stopped at a moment in time.

And so, I walked through the hallways and into the classrooms where that shooting took place, which was maintained as — as basically a crime scene.  And I will — I want to spare anybody here the — the image of what I saw, but I’m not going to, because I think people have to understand the significance of this.

It was a moment frozen in time.  So, there was blood in the hallways.  There were sheets of homework that were spewn around the classrooms, chairs and desks that were upturned.  There wa- — backpacks.  Th- — it happened Valentine’s, and so Valentine’s wishes. 

This is what we’re talking about.  And it doesn’t have to be this way. 

On this issue, we have within our grasp, within our means things that we can do that can mitigate against, that can reduce the likelihood of these things happening. 

I don’t need to tell Nevada this — 1 October, the tragedy of that.  But thankfully, the leaders of Nevada, starting, I would say, with so many of our young leaders — Moms Demand Action and others — pushed for things like safe storage laws, saying we can put in place some smart rules to reduce the likelihood of gun violence.

And let me just be clear: Part of what I think has bogged this situation down and has not allowed for the kind of smart policy that we know can happen is because people, some, are pushing a false choice which suggests you’re either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away.  I’m in favor of the Second Amendment, and I believe we need assault weapon bans.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Right.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We need background checks — universal background checks.  We need red-flag laws.  (Applause.)

But, you know — and then we — one of the things that I announced last week that we’re — we’ve been very proud to do — President Joe Biden, me, and our administration — is to close the gun show loophole.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Yes.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, I was talking with my team about it, and I said, “You know, I’ve been working on this thing for a long time.”  They said, “What a- — what are you talking about?”  Well, they found the pris- — press clippings, because back in 2007 — I know half this room was not born then.  (Laughter.)  Back in 2007, when I was the elected DA of San Francisco, I was out at the place called the Cow Palace in San Francisco protesting the gun show loopholes.

And so, we’ve — so many of us — have been in this movement for a long time to — to close that loophole, which essentially is this: Gun dealers — registered gun dealers are required to do background checks. 

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That’s right.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  But if a gun dealer is — is selling guns at a — let’s call it a flea market or a gun show, they bypass the requirement to do background checks.  And, of course, where do you think the bad guys are going to go to get their guns?  The place where nobody’s going to check into their background.  Right?

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Right.  Right.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And so, we have finally closed that — that loophole.  And — and I say that to say also that those of us who are in this movement, we do see progress and, therefore, we cannot give up.  We cannot give up.  (Applause.)

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That’s right.  We absolutely see progress.

Before I ask the next question, I just want to honor survivors that are amongst us —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  — and those that have been taken from us too soon.  You are the heart and soul of this movement and why we get up and put one foot in front of the other and do this work every single day.  So, thank you so much.

So, Madam Vice President, one important solution for gun violence prevention that doesn’t get enough credit or attention, which you spoke about, is secure firearm storage.  So, Nevada has passed a few secure storage measures into law over the past several years, which shows how communities and advocates and state and local leaders can prevent a tragedy that can strike when guns are not properly stored, whether it’s a child that finds a firearm and hurts themselves or someone else or someone that may take this firearm or steal it to commit a crime.

So, why is secure storage so important for gun safety and gun violence prevention, especially when we are thinking about the young leaders here today?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Secure storage is exactly what it suggests.  It’s about the responsibility that any gun owner should feel and have to secure that gun so that children, young people, those who don’t have the authority to use the gun don’t have access to it.  It’s just — it’s just that basic. 

Put it in a lockbox, because — especially if a young person is just curious or, you know, wants to, you know, play with a gun — let’s not make it too easy to get. 

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That’s right.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And that’s what secure storage is about. 

You know, the — the numbers that I have seen suggest that as many as 75 percent of school shootings resulted from an — from a gun that was not secured.  Tragically, as many as 80 percent of youth suicide is a gun that was not secured.

So, I, again, applaud the leaders of Nevada for saying, “Hey, it’s — you know, just — I’m not saying I’m going to take your gun.  Just, you got a gun; lock it up.”

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That’s right.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And, also, secure storage includes keeping ammunition separate from the gun, because we also want to just make sure that there would have to be some level of — of thought and reflection that goes into anyone pulling a gun out and thinking about using it.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That’s right.  Yes.  Thank you so much, Vice President.

MS. GOMEZ:  Madam Vice President, gun violence and so many other things in our lives cause trauma and impact our mental health.  This is especially true for young people like me and I’m sure a lot of the students in this room.  You know, our generation has grown up with active shooter drills and so much more, and I know this firsthand, sad- — sadly.  And I know that you care about this and have brought attention to the issue. 

So, I guess I want — want to know: What is the administration doing to help address this and better help and support our mental health? 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Xochitl.  We are talking about trauma and a profound amount of trauma that exists in our communities as a result of gun violence, whether it be the trauma that is associated with a child having to go to school and endure active shooter drills and always having on their mind, at some point, being nervous or concerned that their life might be in danger just by going to school.  

There’s the trauma associated with parents, who — many will say a silent prayer when they drop their kids off at school that that child will come home at the end of the day safe.

There is the trauma associated with everyday gun violence in America, which far too many communities are experiencing.

And a lot of that trauma goes undiagnosed and untreated.  And as I was — as I do talk with many survivors of gun violence, you know, trauma is — it’s on — it’s a big wound that is invisible to the eye but can be very present.  And we got to help people find productive ways of healing.

And so, mental health is about recognizing that the body doesn’t just start from the neck down when we talk about healthcare; there’s also the healthcare we need from the neck up, and that’s mental health care. 

And so, the work that we’ve been doing as an administration is to deal with this on a number of levels, and one is that in our Bipartisan Safe Communities Act that we got passed — the first meaningful gun safety legislation in 30 years, that President Biden and are proud that we could get passed with bipartisan support, which (inaudible) —

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That deserves applause.  (Applause.) 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  (Laughter.) 

And so, part of what we did there is we put a billion dollars into getting resources to public and — and — schools — to public schools to hire mental health counselors in public schools. 

But to the point of even just talking with the — the young leaders that I just spoke with from UNLV, we still have so much more work to do to make sure that mental health services are available to meet the demand.

One of the things I love about Gen Z — and I love many things about Gen Z — your generation is willing to talk about mental health and the need for support.  You know, older generations still kind of have a stigma about it.  Younger generations are so much smarter on this subject, which is they want to talk about it.  But when they talk about it, we — those of us who are in a position to do something about it — got to make sure the resources are there for them.

And so, there is still a lot more work to be done.  But it makes a difference, because it is about healing.  It’s about creating safe spaces where people can talk about their fears and not feel that they’re being judged.  And that’s very important. 

Everyone, I believe, has a right to feel and be safe.  And there are many ways we will get there, and one of them is to make sure people have the support they need to deal with the emotional impact of this.  Yeah.

MS. GOMEZ:  That’s — yeah.  (Applause.)

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Yes, claps.

MS. GOMEZ:  Madam Vice President, you are an inspiration.  You know, personally — I’m sure like a lot of us here in this room — I look up to you.  You know, this room is full of passionate young leaders, and you have called on us to take charge.

So, I guess, I — we — we’d like to know: What advice would you like to leave us with today?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I’ve got plenty of advice.  How much time do you have?  (Laughter.)

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Let’s hear it.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, let me start with a — a challenge that I would issue, and I did it — I started it during the college tour.  But for all the young leaders here who are thinking about your life and your — your role of leadership as you go on in life, I’m going to challenge you to consider a profession in the mental health — the mental health professions, of which there are many. 

But do think about that, because one of the most effective ways that we offer mental health is to do it based on peer support, which is people who have gone through something are usually best equipped to help people who are going through that thing.  And so, I would challenge you then.

Okay.  So, let’s see.  Let me start with this: Never allow yourself to be limited by other people’s limited ability to imagine who can do what.  Do you understand what I’m saying?  I see everybody nodding over there.  (Laughter.)  You know what I’m saying.

Don’t ever listen to people who look at you and say, “Ah, you’re too young.”  “Ah, nobody like you has ever done that before.”  “Ah, wait, your turn.”  “Ah, it’s going to be so much work.” 

Don’t you listen to that.  Don’t you ever listen to that.

I like to say I eat “no” for breakfast.  (Laughter.)  I don’t hear “no” until maybe it’s spoken the 10th time.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  I’m going to use that now. 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I eat “no” for breakfast.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  I’m going to use that. 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Remember your power right now.  You know, there’s something that’s been happening in our country over the last several years that I think is so unfortunate and — and very upside down, which is that some would suggest that the measure of your strength is based on who you beat down, instead of understanding the true measure of an individual’s strength, I believe, is based on who you lift up.  It — (applause) — right?  Truly. 

And if you ever question your strength as an individual, see what happens when you help someone — just one person — with anything and what that does for them.  That’s your strength, and it’s a superpower.  It’s a superpower to have some level of concern and consideration for the well-being of other people and then take it upon yourself to do something about that.

More advice?  Okay, yes.  (Laughter.) 

Don’t you ever let anybody tell you who you are.  You tell them who you are. 

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  That’s right.  (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  A piece of advice my mother gave me: You may be the first to do many things; make sure you’re not the last.  Okay?  (Applause.)  Okay.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  I hope you’re taking notes, y’all.  I hope you’re taking notes.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, I think I’m going to end with that one.  (Laughter.)  I could keep rolling. 

But — but, you know, dream with ambition.  I say, to each one of you, dream with ambition.  Ambition is a good thing.  It’s good to believe that you can do something and then go for it.  Go for it, and know that you will have a community of people — sometimes you don’t see them, but you got to know it — that will applaud you as you go out there and go for it.

You know, and — and remember that there may be many times where you might be the only one in a room — be it a boardroom, a meeting room — who looks like you or who has had your life experience.  But I want all the young people to look around this auditorium to know that we will all be in that room with you.

So, never feel alone in a way that allows a circumstance to make you feel small.  Know that you have a community of people who applaud your ambition and want you to go out there and go for it.  Okay? 

Always remember that —

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Thank you so much.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — because our country will be the better for all that you guys do.

So, there we go.  That’s it.  Enough of that.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:   Yes, I appreciate you, Madam Vice President.  Thank you so much for your leadership.  And thank you for imparting such wisdom on these young students. 

I watch you all the time and follow you, and I see your passion for young leaders.  You understand how important it is to pour into them because that is the strength of this country.  Right?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  That’s right.  That’s right.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  So —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And the future of our country, starting right now.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  100 percent, I’m with you. 

Well, thank you so much.  I appreciate it.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Thank you, Xochitl.

MS. GOMEZ:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

MS. FERRELL-ZABALA:  Thank you, everybody, for being here. 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, all.

END                1:09 P.M. PDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris in a Moderated Conversation with Angela Ferrell-Zabala and Xochitl Gomez on the Impact of The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act appeared first on The White House.

Bottega Exchange

Las Vegas, Nevada

2:44 P.M. PDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Can we hear it for Joi?  (Applause.)

Hi, everyone.  Please have a seat.  Have a seat. 

Joi, you are — and I — and I got to meet that baby girl of yours.  Oh, my god, she’s precious.  To you and your husband and to your family, I thank you for your courage and your willingness to share your story.

And to everyone here, I thank you for your leadership and your work and all that you are doing on behalf of so many people who deserve to be seen, deserve to be heard, and whose voices are so important about what this issue means. 

I want to thank the leaders who are here.  I don’t want to miss anybody.  I hope I don’t.  But I do know that Arizona Senator Burch is here.  Where are you?   Hi.  There you are.  (Applause.)  We were just together on Friday in Tucson. 

I’m — you know, again, if I could just take a moment to say that I have met some extraordinary people over the course of these last two years, who have been willing to share something that is so personal and would otherwise be very private — it’s their business — it’s not everybody’s business; it’s their business — and, because of what has happened, have decided to share your stories because you know how many other people are being affected who may not have the ability to stand before a microphone and the press and talk about these things.

And that takes a lot, because you’re going through your own experience and you’re sharing it with perfect strangers.  And so, I want to thank you guys. 

And there’s so many other people who, over the course of these last two years, have been sharing their story so that we understand this is not about politics, this is not about ideology.  This is about the fact that far too many people are suffering and should not have to.

So, thank you guys.  And thank you again to Senator Burch.  (Applause.)

Congresswoman Dina Titus, I thank you always for your leadership in this beautiful state of Nevada.  (Applause.)  Nevada State Party Chair Daniele — where is she? — thank you very much — Monroe-Moreno.  (Applause.)

My dear friend, the Attorney General, General Ford, I thank you — (applause) — for fighting for justice every day and fighting for the — the spirit behind the principles that were the foundation for our country and are enshrined in the Constitution of the United States.  I thank you for your work.

And then Senator Jacky Rosen could not be here, but let’s get her reelected, please, to the United States Senate.  (Applause.)

So, I was in Tucson on Friday, and we talked about it, and I’m going to just share a little bit about what is obvious to everyone here.  Freedom is fundamental to the promise of America.  When we talk about the promise of America, foundationally, we believe in freedom.  We know that the strength of our nation has been a function of many things, including our commitment to the expansion of rights.

But for the first time in a very long time, we are seeing a full-on attent — intent to restrict rights, to take rights. 

We just witnessed the highest court in our land, almost two years ago — the court of Thurgood and RBG — take a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America. 

And thereafter, in state after state, laws being proposed and passed that would criminalize healthcare providers — I mean, literally laws that are providing for prison time for doctors and nurses — in Texas, for life — laws that would punish women, laws that are meant to judge and make people feel as though they’ve done something wrong and as though they are alone and should be embarrassed, laws that are immoral.

An example being those that make no exception even for rape or incest, which means you are telling a survivor of a crime — a violation to their body — violence to their body — that they don’t have the right to determine what happens to their body next.  Immoral.

So, we are here to say that we’re not going to stand for this.  It is not okay, and we are prepared to organize and to take to the streets and to knock on doors and to text folks and to let everyone know their power at this moment to protect the rights of the people of our country. 

And so, I wanted to stop by here to thank, in particular, the organizers and volunteers that are doing this work in preparation for the ballot initiative coming up in November here in Nevada.  (Applause.) 

And, look, they’re holding up their clipboards.  Exactly.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

And you guys are making such a difference, because it is also about reminding folks that we’re all in this together and reminding folks it doesn’t have to be this way.  It doesn’t have to be this way. 

But, you know, the thing about a democracy that is founded on the notion of individual rights and liberties and freedoms is that we got to fight and be vigilant to maintain those rights and freedoms.  Right?

You know, the nature of democracy is such that it’s really — there’s a duality to it.  When a democracy is intact, oh, the strength — the strength that it invests in its people, in protection of their individual rights and liberties and freedoms — the strength it gives its people.  And it is very fragile.  A democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.  (Applause.)

And that’s what you all are doing.  That’s what — and that’s what we’re doing together.  That’s what we’re doing together.

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And we are going to win across — we’re going to win this ballot initiative.  And Joe Biden and I are going back to the White House.  

But let me just tell you — (applause) — and here’s the thing about this election in terms of that point about the White House and who sits in those seats — I know that the speakers mentioned it earlier.  On this issue of — of the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body, the right to have access to reproductive healthcare, the right to have that autonomy and that authority and not have it be taken from their government, not having people who sit up in a — in a statehouse telling people what they’re supposed to do and what is in their best interest as though the women of America don’t know what is in their own best interest — on the issue of this subject and then the upcoming election, let us be clear: There is a direct track between what we have seen in states like Arizona, what the people of Nevada are fighting for, and who the previous president was.

Let’s not forget, Donald Trump made clear his intention to select three members of the United States Supreme Court so that they would overturn the protections of Roe v. Wade.  It was his stated intention, and they did as he intended.

And you all — many of you may remember, I was in the United States Senate at the time and served on the Judiciary Committee and would raise the subject.  Sadly, a lot of us could see what was going to come, and exactly what we feared happened because there was a president who has the power to select members of the United States Supreme Court who intended to undo these protections.

Let’s be clear, then, that when he sits back and most recently says, “Well, I believe that the states should make these decisions,” he says — right?  Okay.  So, you believe that the states have a right to reinstate laws from the 1800s to criminalize healthcare providers, to provide up to prison for life, no exception for crimes of violence to someone’s body.

So, let’s all be clear: What we are seeing in these states that we are talking about are Trump abortion bans, and he can’t get away from that.  Those are Trump abortion bans. 

And this election is about many, many important issues, including the ability of the people to organize in support of what we believe to be foundational values and principles about who we are as America. 

And when we look at our power, let’s not forget the power of the people, and let’s not overlook the momentum we’ve already achieved.  I’ll remind us: When this issue has been on the ballot —

(A child in the audience cries.)

Yes, my love.  (Laughter.)   

When this issue has been on the ballot — from Kentucky to California, from Virginia to Ohio, when this issue has been on the ballot, the voters voted in favor of freedoms — in red state and blue — making clear, by the way, this is not a partisan issue — making clear there is a consensus among the American people that it is wrong to take rights from the people of our country.

So, momentum is on our side.  We have 205 days until the election.  Yes, I am counting.  (Laughter.)

And I do believe that the work that we are doing and are committed to doing — because you’re here — over these next 205 days is not only important, but it’s — it’s fun.  (Laughs.) 

Isn’t it fun to work on a campaign?  (Applause.)  Isn’t it fun to meet people you may not have otherwise ever met before who all come together in a place like this, who are all carrying those — those boards, just working together because we believe in each other and we know the power that we have, especially when we come together?

And so, I just want to leave everyone with this thought, which is there is so much good in our country and in the world, but we can’t take anything for granted. 

And this is an extraordinary group of leaders who are doing this work here in this beautiful state of Nevada, who are going to have an impact, for the most part, on people that you may never meet, people who may never know your name, but who are forever going to be benefited because of the work that you all are doing.  (Applause.) 

And so, I came by to thank you for all that you are doing in defense of our country and each other.  And let’s just carry on.  And we’re going to take this to November.

And we’re going to reelect Jacky Rosen to the United States Senate.  (Applause.)  And we’re going to get this ballot measure passed.  And we’re going to reelect Joe Biden as President of the United States, and I’m going to head back too.  (Applause.) 

Thank you all very much.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

END                     2:56 P.M. PDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Reproductive Freedoms Organizing Event appeared first on The White House.

Bottega Exchange

Las Vegas, Nevada

2:44 P.M. PDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Can we hear it for Joi?  (Applause.)

Hi, everyone.  Please have a seat.  Have a seat. 

Joi, you are — and I — and I got to meet that baby girl of yours.  Oh, my god, she’s precious.  To you and your husband and to your family, I thank you for your courage and your willingness to share your story.

And to everyone here, I thank you for your leadership and your work and all that you are doing on behalf of so many people who deserve to be seen, deserve to be heard, and whose voices are so important about what this issue means. 

I want to thank the leaders who are here.  I don’t want to miss anybody.  I hope I don’t.  But I do know that Arizona Senator Burch is here.  Where are you?   Hi.  There you are.  (Applause.)  We were just together on Friday in Tucson. 

I’m — you know, again, if I could just take a moment to say that I have met some extraordinary people over the course of these last two years, who have been willing to share something that is so personal and would otherwise be very private — it’s their business — it’s not everybody’s business; it’s their business — and, because of what has happened, have decided to share your stories because you know how many other people are being affected who may not have the ability to stand before a microphone and the press and talk about these things.

And that takes a lot, because you’re going through your own experience and you’re sharing it with perfect strangers.  And so, I want to thank you guys. 

And there’s so many other people who, over the course of these last two years, have been sharing their story so that we understand this is not about politics, this is not about ideology.  This is about the fact that far too many people are suffering and should not have to.

So, thank you guys.  And thank you again to Senator Burch.  (Applause.)

Congresswoman Dina Titus, I thank you always for your leadership in this beautiful state of Nevada.  (Applause.)  Nevada State Party Chair Daniele — where is she? — thank you very much — Monroe-Moreno.  (Applause.)

My dear friend, the Attorney General, General Ford, I thank you — (applause) — for fighting for justice every day and fighting for the — the spirit behind the principles that were the foundation for our country and are enshrined in the Constitution of the United States.  I thank you for your work.

And then Senator Jacky Rosen could not be here, but let’s get her reelected, please, to the United States Senate.  (Applause.)

So, I was in Tucson on Friday, and we talked about it, and I’m going to just share a little bit about what is obvious to everyone here.  Freedom is fundamental to the promise of America.  When we talk about the promise of America, foundationally, we believe in freedom.  We know that the strength of our nation has been a function of many things, including our commitment to the expansion of rights.

But for the first time in a very long time, we are seeing a full-on attent — intent to restrict rights, to take rights. 

We just witnessed the highest court in our land, almost two years ago — the court of Thurgood and RBG — take a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America. 

And thereafter, in state after state, laws being proposed and passed that would criminalize healthcare providers — I mean, literally laws that are providing for prison time for doctors and nurses — in Texas, for life — laws that would punish women, laws that are meant to judge and make people feel as though they’ve done something wrong and as though they are alone and should be embarrassed, laws that are immoral.

An example being those that make no exception even for rape or incest, which means you are telling a survivor of a crime — a violation to their body — violence to their body — that they don’t have the right to determine what happens to their body next.  Immoral.

So, we are here to say that we’re not going to stand for this.  It is not okay, and we are prepared to organize and to take to the streets and to knock on doors and to text folks and to let everyone know their power at this moment to protect the rights of the people of our country. 

And so, I wanted to stop by here to thank, in particular, the organizers and volunteers that are doing this work in preparation for the ballot initiative coming up in November here in Nevada.  (Applause.) 

And, look, they’re holding up their clipboards.  Exactly.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

And you guys are making such a difference, because it is also about reminding folks that we’re all in this together and reminding folks it doesn’t have to be this way.  It doesn’t have to be this way. 

But, you know, the thing about a democracy that is founded on the notion of individual rights and liberties and freedoms is that we got to fight and be vigilant to maintain those rights and freedoms.  Right?

You know, the nature of democracy is such that it’s really — there’s a duality to it.  When a democracy is intact, oh, the strength — the strength that it invests in its people, in protection of their individual rights and liberties and freedoms — the strength it gives its people.  And it is very fragile.  A democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.  (Applause.)

And that’s what you all are doing.  That’s what — and that’s what we’re doing together.  That’s what we’re doing together.

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And we are going to win across — we’re going to win this ballot initiative.  And Joe Biden and I are going back to the White House.  

But let me just tell you — (applause) — and here’s the thing about this election in terms of that point about the White House and who sits in those seats — I know that the speakers mentioned it earlier.  On this issue of — of the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body, the right to have access to reproductive healthcare, the right to have that autonomy and that authority and not have it be taken from their government, not having people who sit up in a — in a statehouse telling people what they’re supposed to do and what is in their best interest as though the women of America don’t know what is in their own best interest — on the issue of this subject and then the upcoming election, let us be clear: There is a direct track between what we have seen in states like Arizona, what the people of Nevada are fighting for, and who the previous president was.

Let’s not forget, Donald Trump made clear his intention to select three members of the United States Supreme Court so that they would overturn the protections of Roe v. Wade.  It was his stated intention, and they did as he intended.

And you all — many of you may remember, I was in the United States Senate at the time and served on the Judiciary Committee and would raise the subject.  Sadly, a lot of us could see what was going to come, and exactly what we feared happened because there was a president who has the power to select members of the United States Supreme Court who intended to undo these protections.

Let’s be clear, then, that when he sits back and most recently says, “Well, I believe that the states should make these decisions,” he says — right?  Okay.  So, you believe that the states have a right to reinstate laws from the 1800s to criminalize healthcare providers, to provide up to prison for life, no exception for crimes of violence to someone’s body.

So, let’s all be clear: What we are seeing in these states that we are talking about are Trump abortion bans, and he can’t get away from that.  Those are Trump abortion bans. 

And this election is about many, many important issues, including the ability of the people to organize in support of what we believe to be foundational values and principles about who we are as America. 

And when we look at our power, let’s not forget the power of the people, and let’s not overlook the momentum we’ve already achieved.  I’ll remind us: When this issue has been on the ballot —

(A child in the audience cries.)

Yes, my love.  (Laughter.)   

When this issue has been on the ballot — from Kentucky to California, from Virginia to Ohio, when this issue has been on the ballot, the voters voted in favor of freedoms — in red state and blue — making clear, by the way, this is not a partisan issue — making clear there is a consensus among the American people that it is wrong to take rights from the people of our country.

So, momentum is on our side.  We have 205 days until the election.  Yes, I am counting.  (Laughter.)

And I do believe that the work that we are doing and are committed to doing — because you’re here — over these next 205 days is not only important, but it’s — it’s fun.  (Laughs.) 

Isn’t it fun to work on a campaign?  (Applause.)  Isn’t it fun to meet people you may not have otherwise ever met before who all come together in a place like this, who are all carrying those — those boards, just working together because we believe in each other and we know the power that we have, especially when we come together?

And so, I just want to leave everyone with this thought, which is there is so much good in our country and in the world, but we can’t take anything for granted. 

And this is an extraordinary group of leaders who are doing this work here in this beautiful state of Nevada, who are going to have an impact, for the most part, on people that you may never meet, people who may never know your name, but who are forever going to be benefited because of the work that you all are doing.  (Applause.) 

And so, I came by to thank you for all that you are doing in defense of our country and each other.  And let’s just carry on.  And we’re going to take this to November.

And we’re going to reelect Jacky Rosen to the United States Senate.  (Applause.)  And we’re going to get this ballot measure passed.  And we’re going to reelect Joe Biden as President of the United States, and I’m going to head back too.  (Applause.) 

Thank you all very much.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

END                     2:56 P.M. PDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Reproductive Freedoms Organizing Event appeared first on The White House.

Today, the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden Jr., welcomed the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, Mohammed Shia’a Al-Sudani, to the White House.  The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the enduring strategic partnership between Iraq and the United States and discussed their visions for comprehensive bilateral cooperation under the 2008 U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement.  The President and Prime Minister agreed on the importance of working together to advance regional stability and reinforce and respect Iraqi sovereignty, stability, and security.

President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani affirmed that a diversified and growing Iraqi economy, integrated with the region and the global economic system, is the foundation for lasting stability in the region and prosperity for the Iraqi people.  The two leaders exchanged views on how political, economic, and security cooperation between the United States and Iraq could advance shared goals, including the development of a strong and stable Iraqi nation that promotes peace and progress throughout the broader Middle East.

Energy and Environment

President Biden applauded Iraq’s progress towards energy self-sufficiency, and the two leaders discussed Prime Minister Sudani’s interest in future opportunities for cooperation to ensure Iraq becomes self-sufficient by 2030, with help from U.S. companies.  President Biden affirmed continued U.S. support for Iraq’s efforts to modernize its energy sector, reduce methane emissions, improve public health, more reliably provide electricity for the Iraqi people, and complete the electrical grid connections with neighboring countries, including the ongoing efforts to connect Iraq’s grid with Jordan and GCC countries.  The two leaders discussed future plans to develop Iraq’s resources in a manner that ensures all Iraqis benefit from their country’s natural wealth, consistent with Iraq’s constitution. 

Prime Minister Sudani and President Biden affirmed the importance of ensuring Iraqi oil can reach international markets and expressed their desire to reopen the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline. 

Regional Integration and Political Cooperation

President Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for Iraq in strengthening relations with the international community and states of the region to ensure security, stability, and enhanced prosperity for its peoples.  President Biden pledged continued U.S. support for greater economic integration of Iraq with the Middle East region. 

President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani discussed their shared view that the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR) is integral to Iraq’s overall prosperity and stability.  In that vein, the President commended the Prime Minister’s and Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) efforts to reach durable agreements that resolve longstanding challenges, including the recent arrangement to pay two months of KRG civil servant salaries, and encouraged continued progress.  The President also affirmed U.S. support for strengthening democracy in Iraq, including free, fair, and transparent regional elections in the IKR.

Economy and Finance

President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani discussed Iraq’s progressive efforts to reform the financial and banking sector to connect Iraq to the international economy and increase trade while shielding the Iraqi people from the harmful impacts of corruption and money-laundering.  Through 2023 and 2024, banks in Iraq have expanded their correspondent relationships with international financial institutions to enable trade financing, with the majority of trade finance now occurring through these channels.  The two leaders affirmed the importance of these and other measures to improve the investment climate in Iraq to attract foreign capital and promote economic growth.  The United States and Iraq commit to strengthen their cooperation to achieve greater transparency and collaboration against money-laundering, financing terrorism, fraud, corruption, and sanctionable activity that could undermine the integrity of both countries’ financial systems.  The two sides also committed to support the Central Bank of Iraq to fully wind down the wire auction mechanism by the end of 2024 and transition to direct correspondent relationships between Iraqi and international banks, a transformation that will connect Iraqi people and businesses with the international economy.

The Lasting Defeat of ISIS

President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani discussed their commitment to a stable and secure Iraq.  They agreed that Iraq’s security forces must be able to ensure that ISIS can never again reconstitute inside Iraq to threaten the Iraqi people, the region, or the international community, including the United States.  President Biden reiterated his belief that a strong Iraq, capable of self-defense, is critical to regional stability and committed to bolstering the capabilities of security forces across all of Iraq to secure the country’s territory and people.

Nearly ten years after establishing the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, the two leaders discussed the Coalition’s successes in both Iraq and Syria, where all Iraqi security forces including in Kurdistan were critical to the territorial defeat of ISIS.  Both leaders paid tribute to the sacrifices made by Iraqi, United States, and other friendly countries’ military personnel serving side-by-side as partners during the historic campaign against ISIS, as well as the civilians killed by ISIS, including the massacres at Camp Speicher, Mount Sinjar, and Hit.  Prime Minister Sudani emphasized the national effort that was required to defeat ISIS and discussed his affirmative agenda to continue rebuilding Iraq and restore its position as an engine of stability and growth for the broader Middle East.  President Biden noted that the enduring defeat of ISIS would help ensure Iraq’s, the region’s, and the world’s security in the future, as well as its ability to fulfill the Iraqi people’s aspirations to develop economically, attract foreign investment, and provide regional leadership.

Enduring Bilateral Security Cooperation

President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani also discussed the natural evolution of the global D-ISIS Coalition in light of the significant progress that has been made in ten years.  The two leaders expressed their commitment to the ongoing Higher Military Commission (HMC) process and its results, and the three working groups that will assess: the continued threat from ISIS, operational and environmental requirements, and bolstering Iraq’s security force capabilities.  The two leaders affirmed they would review these factors to determine when and how the mission of the Global Coalition in Iraq would end, and transition in an orderly manner to enduring bilateral security partnerships, in accordance with Iraq’s Constitution and the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement.

The leaders further affirmed their intent to convene later this year the U.S.-Iraq Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue (JSCD) for talks on the future of the bilateral security partnership.

Strategic and Enduring Partnership

President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani renewed their commitment to bilateral partnership for the benefit of their two nations and decided to expand cooperation in all areas discussed in the Higher Coordinating Committee (HCC) meetings co-chaired by the U.S. Secretary of State and Iraqi Minister of Planning.  The two leaders affirmed their intent to continue their consultations on a shared vision for comprehensive, productive partnership to advance common goals.

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