Feed aggregator

Ahead of World AIDS Day, we remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses—honoring their courage and contributions as essential to the progress made thus far. We also stand in solidarity with the more than 39 million people with HIV around the world. Four years ago, the Biden-Harris Administration renewed and strengthened the government’s bipartisan commitment to ending the HIV epidemic. Since then, significant progress has been made through a whole-of-society approach, unprecedented investments, and a steadfast commitment to leading with science, advancing equity, and addressing HIV stigma and discrimination.

Domestically, the implementation of the updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) has not only focused on reducing new HIV infections and improving health outcomes for people with HIV but also expanded efforts to address social determinants of health, reform outdated HIV criminalization laws, and strengthen partnerships with communities and organizations nationwide.

Globally, under the Biden-Harris Administration, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) released a five-year strategy with five strategic pillars and three enablers designed to end global HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

PEPFAR—the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history—has saved more than 25 million lives and enabled more than 7.8 million babies to be born HIV-free across 55 countries since its inception in 2003.

These actions collectively contribute to bending the trajectory of the epidemic toward its eventual end. The latest HIV incidence estimates are continuing to move in the right direction overall, although disparities continue in the U.S.

• In 2022, HIV incidence among people ages 13 and older decreased 12% compared with 2018 in the U.S., driven by a 30% decrease among young people aged 13-24 years.
• In 2022, new HIV infections among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) were approximately 16% lower for Black men and 20% lower for White men compared to 2018. There was no decrease in new HIV infections among Hispanic/Latino men, who accounted for 39% of estimated new HIV infections among gay, bisexual, and other MSM in 2022.
• Data also show significant declines geographically in the U.S., with estimated new HIV infections decreasing 16% in the South in 2022 compared with 2018.
• Data show that the rate of HIV-related deaths declined 25%, highlighting the effectiveness of early diagnosis and linking people to care and treatment.
• As of 2022, 36% of people who could benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) were prescribed this medication, up for 25% in 2020. 

Over the past year the Administration acted to:

Expand Equitable Treatment and Prevention of HIV in the U.S.

• Increase Access to HIV Prevention. The U.S. government is committed to expanding access to HIV prevention medications, including long-acting injectable PrEP. The White House continues to work with federal agencies, policymakers, and Congress to expand access to PrEP for uninsured and underinsured individuals, including the proposed 10-year $9.8 billion National PrEP Program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new PrEP pilot program in five jurisdictions to accelerate PrEP uptake and improve patient access and utilization. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a National Coverage Determination for Medicare Part B coverage of PrEP. This ensures that all Medicare recipients can receive PrEP medication and additional critical services like counseling sessions, HIV testing, and vaccination at no cost. Additionally, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury released FAQs to clarify that long-acting injectable PrEP, as well as related baseline and monitoring services, must be covered without cost sharing.
• Implementing the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the EHE initiative in 2019 to advance innovative, community-driven solutions that leverage science in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and response in regions with the greatest need. In jurisdictions receiving EHE funding, HIV incidence decreased 21% among those ages 13 and older in 2022 compared with the 2017 EHE baseline year. Between 2021-2023, more than 61,000 people were prescribed PrEP in the CDC EHE-funded programs. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers provided PrEP services to 183,000 patients with EHE funding in 2021-2023. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program supported over 22,000 clients new to care and re-engaged 19,000 clients through EHE, with 79.2% of those new to treatment achieving viral suppression in 2022. With EHE funding, 406 community health centers conducted a cumulative 7.2 million HIV tests, substantially increasing the proportion of their patients aware of their HIV status. Indian Health Service EHE-supported sites performed over 20,000 HIV tests, and the CDC distributed over 600,000 free HIV self-tests. Between 2017 and 2022, the initiative prevented 9,500 new HIV infections in the EHE jurisdictions, saving over $5.1 billion in lifetime HIV medical costs – a figure projected to grow with continued efforts.

Strengthen Global Efforts for HIV Prevention and Treatment

• Leading the Global Fight to End HIV/AIDS as a Public Health Threat by 2030. Through PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria (Global Fund), the American people have supported the HIV response in more than 100 countries, investing more than $26 billion over the past four years. 
• Providing Greater Access to HIV Prevention. UNAIDS data show there were 52% fewer new HIV infections in 2023 than in 2010 across PEPFAR-supported countries, compared with a 39% reduction globally, demonstrating the impact of PEPFAR support to HIV prevention interventions. PEPFAR supported HIV testing for 83.8 million people, an increase of 12 million compared to last year. PEPFAR also supported 35.1 million voluntary medical male circumcisions for HIV prevention since 2007, including 2.7 million in FY 2024. PEPFAR is delivering on the growing demand across partner countries for highly effective PrEP for HIV prevention. In the last four years, new annual PrEP initiations supported by PEPFAR have increased by more than 500%, reaching 2.5 million people protected from HIV infection in FY 2024.  PEPFAR is providing long-acting, injectable PrEP in five countries and is actively working on expansion plans for innovations in long–acting, injectable PrEP that can  contribute toward ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat. 
• Expanding Access to HIV Treatment. Over the last four years, PEPFAR added more than 2.1 million people with HIV on life-saving antiretroviral treatment. As of July 2024, PEPFAR is currently ensuring HIV treatment for more than 20.6 million people, including 566,000 children, and more than 14.6 million people are now receiving treatment via multi-month dispensing. 
• Supporting the Global Fund. The United States is the largest single investor in the Global Fund, a critical partner to achieving our goal of ending HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria as public health threats by 2030.  Over the last two decades, investments in the Global Fund have cut the combined death rate from HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria by 61% and have helped save 65 million lives.

Ensure Accessible Healthcare and Support Services

• PEPFAR Initiatives to Support Equitable HIV Care. PEPFAR launched several major initiatives aimed at addressing health equity for vulnerable populations globally – including adolescent girls and young women, children and key populations.   In FY24, PEPFAR also provided support to 6.6 million orphans and vulnerable children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and their caregivers. Some PEPFAR initiatives include:

• The $40 million Safe Births, Healthy Babies initiative to accelerate progress to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission in three high burden countries.
• The $8 million Nursing Leadership Initiative to equip nurses in Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia with the skills and capacities they need to deliver high-quality HIV services across seven PEPFAR-supported countries.
• The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) program    reached 2.3 million adolescent girls and young women across 15 countries with comprehensive HIV prevention services, including nearly 475,000 who started PrEP in the past year.
• The Key Populations Action Plan to address the HIV service equity gaps among key population groups that face disproportionate risks of HIV infection and challenges in accessing services.
• Advancing Cervical Cancer Prevention for Women with HIV. Cervical cancer is an AIDS-defining illness, where women with HIV are up to six times more likely to develop persistent precancerous lesions and progress to cervical cancer, often with more aggressive forms and higher mortality. To address this significant health threat, in 2018, PEPFAR, the George W. Bush Institute and UNAIDS established the Go Further Partnership to eliminate cervical cancer among women living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. Go Further partner countries have made tremendous progress and have performed nearly 10 million cervical cancer screens. As of June 2024, PEPFAR reached more than 6.3 million women HIV with cervical cancer prevention services and treated more than 350,000 precancerous lesions.
• PEPFAR’s Commitment to Health Equity. The first pillar of the PEPFAR Strategy focuses on health equity, including advancing gender equitable programs, engaging youth, ending HIV/AIDS in children, promoting key population leadership, ensuring holistic combination prevention, and dismantling structural barriers.
• Sustaining Quality-of-Life for People Living with HIV in the U.S. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy includes five quality of life indicators – overall health, mental health, food insecurity, stable housing, and employment. In observance of World AIDS Day, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy will be hosting a Quality-of-Life Symposium for people with HIV, researchers, federal partners, and public health experts to explore how the HIV service community can increase its focus on ensuring overall wellness for people with HIV across the lifespan and address social determinants of health. 
• Supporting the Aging HIV Community. Agencies across the U.S. government are working to address medical and social support needs of people aging with HIV and long-term HIV survivors. HRSA, CDC, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have all increased their efforts to conduct additional research, highlight best practices and provide tailored care and support services.
• Ensuring Equitable Access to Care. The NHAS Federal Implementation Plan prioritizes access to PrEP in vulnerable communities, promotes compliance with civil rights laws (including language access services and disability rights), and assists state and local governments in protecting people with HIV from violence, retaliation, and discrimination. Domestic HIV programs, including the EHE initiative continuously strive to create and enhance healthcare systems that provide high quality, affordable, and culturally appropriate prevention, testing, and care for all individuals, especially the priority and key populations identified in the NHAS.

Increase Awareness and End Stigma and Discrimination

• CDC Updates HIV Testing Guidance to Remove Age Limit. CDC updated its HIV testing guidance, removing the previous upper age limit of 64 for routine HIV screening. Under the new guidance, all patients aged 15 and older are encouraged to get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine healthcare. This change is a significant step toward addressing HIV testing stigma by normalizing HIV screening as a lifelong practice and helps promote earlier diagnosis and treatment across all age groups, ultimately supporting efforts to end the HIV epidemic.
• Reform of HIV Criminalization Laws. For the first time, the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget invests in state and local efforts to promote equity and protect civil rights through a new $10 million Department of Justice grant program to support modernization of outdated state criminal statutes with a discriminatory impact on people with HIV. Outdated HIV criminalization laws do not reflect our current understanding of HIV transmission, discourage HIV testing, and exacerbate the challenges faced by people with HIV. The Department of Justice reached a landmark settlement with Shelby County, Tennessee, ending discriminatory enforcement of a law that imposed higher criminal penalties for prostitution for people with HIV.

• Adoption of Science Informed Treatment and Messaging. PEPFAR and domestic HIV programs have adopted HIV interventions such as PrEP along with the complementary, life-affirming message of U=U (undetectable =untransmittable) to dismantle stigma and discrimination for people with HIV. U=U means that a person with an undetectable viral load cannot be transmit HIV to other sexual partners.
• Organ Donation between Patients Living with HIV. An NIH-funded clinical trial confirmed that kidney transplantation is safe between donors and recipients with HIV—a practice currently only permitted in the United States under a research protocol. This research was made possible by the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (HOPE) implemented in 2015 to legalize transplants between donors and recipients living with HIV. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a final rule that will expand access to kidney and liver transplants for people with HIV by removing clinical research requirements for these transplants.

Prioritize Community-Driven Responses

• Mobilizing Rising HIV Leaders. In July, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy hosted The White House Rising Leaders Summit: Shaping the Future of HIV Today. The Summit convened young emerging leaders in public health from diverse communities. The event generated actionable ideas to advance the vision and goals of the Administration’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), solidifying the Administration’s commitment to nurturing innovative leadership in the fight against HIV. Globally, PEPFAR launched a $20 million Youth Initiative to elevate youth leadership in the HIV response to reduce new HIV infections and increase awareness of HIV status among adolescents and young people.
• Hispanic/Latino Community Engagement.  In September, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy hosted a Summit on HIV in Hispanic/Latino Communities called, “¡Adelante!” The Summit occurred at a critical moment when Hispanic/Latino people, representing about 19% of the U.S. population, accounted for nearly 32% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2022, with Hispanic/Latino gay men now representing the highest number of new HIV cases in the country. It brought together federal agencies, cross-sector partners, and individuals with lived experience to amplify diverse voices, generate actionable solutions, and drive collective action. This Summit reinforced the Administration’s commitment to accelerating the nation’s HIV response in Hispanic/Latino communities and ensuring sustained impact through collaboration and equity-focused strategies.
• Making the HIV Response More Sustainable. Over the last four years, PEPFAR increased its partnerships with local organizations by 29%, and in FY24 PEPFAR has directly supported more than 380 local partners to build long-term sustainable capacity in partner countries. PEPFAR is focused on ensuring that the large majority of HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs in 2030 and beyond will be led and delivered by governments or by other domestic entities with community engagement and government accountability. PEPFAR also partnered with UNAIDS to launch the development of Sustainability Roadmaps in all PEPFAR-supported countries.

Advance HIV Research and Innovation

• Temporary HIV Remission for Infants. An NIH-supported clinical trial found that, infants who started antiretroviral therapy soon after birth were later able to pause treatment and remain free of detectable HIV for more than a year. Typically, without treatment HIV replication in infants is rapid and detectable within weeks. These findings suggest very early treatment enables the infant immune system to temporarily promote HIV remission.
• Long-Acting HIV Treatment Reduces Barriers. NIH-funded research found long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy can better maintain viral suppression in people with HIV who experience barriers to daily pill taking. This research builds on the 2021 FDA approval of long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy that determined these drugs to be safe and effective—a drug development milestone underpinned by U.S. government supported basic science on HIV’s molecular structure.
• HIV Treatment During Pregnancy. An NIH-sponsored study adds to the evidence-base that oral and long-acting injectable PrEP is safe before and during pregnancy. Multiple other studies have also confirmed the safety of oral, long-acting, and vaginal ring PrEP formulations during pregnancy.
• Bridging the Research to Practice Gap. The use of implementation science is essential to test interventions in community settings and address specific challenges with appropriately tailored approaches. The NIH supported 265 implementation science projects that have paired researchers with community partners to test, evaluate, and adapt HIV-related interventions in the EHE jurisdictions.
• Innovative Models for Leveraging Pharmacies in HIV Services. Several NIH-funded EHE projects aim to identify innovative models to leverage pharmacies for HIV testing, prevention (including HIV PrEP), and care through partnerships between academic institutions and state and local leaders. This work includes advancing workforce training curricula to enable pharmacy students, pharmacists, pharmacies, and pharmacy systems to deliver the spectrum of needed HIV services with ease, equity, and effectiveness.
• Catalyzing Regional Manufacturing in Africa. In 2022, PEPFAR announced bold manufacturing targets to procure 15 million HIV tests produced in Africa by 2025 and work alongside partners to shift two million patients on first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) to African-produced products by 2030. Since 2023, PEPFAR procured nearly 100,000 HIV tests from Africa-based manufacturers and worked with partners to launch an Expert Review Panel for Diagnostics for African manufacturers of HIV rapid tests in order to accelerate the availability of HIV rapid tests produced across the continent.

###

The post FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration’s Efforts to End HIV/AIDS At Home and Abroad appeared first on The White House.

Ahead of World AIDS Day, we remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses—honoring their courage and contributions as essential to the progress made thus far. We also stand in solidarity with the more than 39 million people with HIV around the world. Four years ago, the Biden-Harris Administration renewed and strengthened the government’s bipartisan commitment to ending the HIV epidemic. Since then, significant progress has been made through a whole-of-society approach, unprecedented investments, and a steadfast commitment to leading with science, advancing equity, and addressing HIV stigma and discrimination.

Domestically, the implementation of the updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) has not only focused on reducing new HIV infections and improving health outcomes for people with HIV but also expanded efforts to address social determinants of health, reform outdated HIV criminalization laws, and strengthen partnerships with communities and organizations nationwide.

Globally, under the Biden-Harris Administration, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) released a five-year strategy with five strategic pillars and three enablers designed to end global HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

PEPFAR—the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history—has saved more than 25 million lives and enabled more than 7.8 million babies to be born HIV-free across 55 countries since its inception in 2003.

These actions collectively contribute to bending the trajectory of the epidemic toward its eventual end. The latest HIV incidence estimates are continuing to move in the right direction overall, although disparities continue in the U.S.

• In 2022, HIV incidence among people ages 13 and older decreased 12% compared with 2018 in the U.S., driven by a 30% decrease among young people aged 13-24 years.
• In 2022, new HIV infections among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) were approximately 16% lower for Black men and 20% lower for White men compared to 2018. There was no decrease in new HIV infections among Hispanic/Latino men, who accounted for 39% of estimated new HIV infections among gay, bisexual, and other MSM in 2022.
• Data also show significant declines geographically in the U.S., with estimated new HIV infections decreasing 16% in the South in 2022 compared with 2018.
• Data show that the rate of HIV-related deaths declined 25%, highlighting the effectiveness of early diagnosis and linking people to care and treatment.
• As of 2022, 36% of people who could benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) were prescribed this medication, up for 25% in 2020. 

Over the past year the Administration acted to:

Expand Equitable Treatment and Prevention of HIV in the U.S.

• Increase Access to HIV Prevention. The U.S. government is committed to expanding access to HIV prevention medications, including long-acting injectable PrEP. The White House continues to work with federal agencies, policymakers, and Congress to expand access to PrEP for uninsured and underinsured individuals, including the proposed 10-year $9.8 billion National PrEP Program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new PrEP pilot program in five jurisdictions to accelerate PrEP uptake and improve patient access and utilization. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a National Coverage Determination for Medicare Part B coverage of PrEP. This ensures that all Medicare recipients can receive PrEP medication and additional critical services like counseling sessions, HIV testing, and vaccination at no cost. Additionally, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury released FAQs to clarify that long-acting injectable PrEP, as well as related baseline and monitoring services, must be covered without cost sharing.
• Implementing the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the EHE initiative in 2019 to advance innovative, community-driven solutions that leverage science in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and response in regions with the greatest need. In jurisdictions receiving EHE funding, HIV incidence decreased 21% among those ages 13 and older in 2022 compared with the 2017 EHE baseline year. Between 2021-2023, more than 61,000 people were prescribed PrEP in the CDC EHE-funded programs. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers provided PrEP services to 183,000 patients with EHE funding in 2021-2023. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program supported over 22,000 clients new to care and re-engaged 19,000 clients through EHE, with 79.2% of those new to treatment achieving viral suppression in 2022. With EHE funding, 406 community health centers conducted a cumulative 7.2 million HIV tests, substantially increasing the proportion of their patients aware of their HIV status. Indian Health Service EHE-supported sites performed over 20,000 HIV tests, and the CDC distributed over 600,000 free HIV self-tests. Between 2017 and 2022, the initiative prevented 9,500 new HIV infections in the EHE jurisdictions, saving over $5.1 billion in lifetime HIV medical costs – a figure projected to grow with continued efforts.

Strengthen Global Efforts for HIV Prevention and Treatment

• Leading the Global Fight to End HIV/AIDS as a Public Health Threat by 2030. Through PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria (Global Fund), the American people have supported the HIV response in more than 100 countries, investing more than $26 billion over the past four years. 
• Providing Greater Access to HIV Prevention. UNAIDS data show there were 52% fewer new HIV infections in 2023 than in 2010 across PEPFAR-supported countries, compared with a 39% reduction globally, demonstrating the impact of PEPFAR support to HIV prevention interventions. PEPFAR supported HIV testing for 83.8 million people, an increase of 12 million compared to last year. PEPFAR also supported 35.1 million voluntary medical male circumcisions for HIV prevention since 2007, including 2.7 million in FY 2024. PEPFAR is delivering on the growing demand across partner countries for highly effective PrEP for HIV prevention. In the last four years, new annual PrEP initiations supported by PEPFAR have increased by more than 500%, reaching 2.5 million people protected from HIV infection in FY 2024.  PEPFAR is providing long-acting, injectable PrEP in five countries and is actively working on expansion plans for innovations in long–acting, injectable PrEP that can  contribute toward ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat. 
• Expanding Access to HIV Treatment. Over the last four years, PEPFAR added more than 2.1 million people with HIV on life-saving antiretroviral treatment. As of July 2024, PEPFAR is currently ensuring HIV treatment for more than 20.6 million people, including 566,000 children, and more than 14.6 million people are now receiving treatment via multi-month dispensing. 
• Supporting the Global Fund. The United States is the largest single investor in the Global Fund, a critical partner to achieving our goal of ending HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria as public health threats by 2030.  Over the last two decades, investments in the Global Fund have cut the combined death rate from HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria by 61% and have helped save 65 million lives.

Ensure Accessible Healthcare and Support Services

• PEPFAR Initiatives to Support Equitable HIV Care. PEPFAR launched several major initiatives aimed at addressing health equity for vulnerable populations globally – including adolescent girls and young women, children and key populations.   In FY24, PEPFAR also provided support to 6.6 million orphans and vulnerable children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and their caregivers. Some PEPFAR initiatives include:

• The $40 million Safe Births, Healthy Babies initiative to accelerate progress to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission in three high burden countries.
• The $8 million Nursing Leadership Initiative to equip nurses in Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia with the skills and capacities they need to deliver high-quality HIV services across seven PEPFAR-supported countries.
• The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) program    reached 2.3 million adolescent girls and young women across 15 countries with comprehensive HIV prevention services, including nearly 475,000 who started PrEP in the past year.
• The Key Populations Action Plan to address the HIV service equity gaps among key population groups that face disproportionate risks of HIV infection and challenges in accessing services.
• Advancing Cervical Cancer Prevention for Women with HIV. Cervical cancer is an AIDS-defining illness, where women with HIV are up to six times more likely to develop persistent precancerous lesions and progress to cervical cancer, often with more aggressive forms and higher mortality. To address this significant health threat, in 2018, PEPFAR, the George W. Bush Institute and UNAIDS established the Go Further Partnership to eliminate cervical cancer among women living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. Go Further partner countries have made tremendous progress and have performed nearly 10 million cervical cancer screens. As of June 2024, PEPFAR reached more than 6.3 million women HIV with cervical cancer prevention services and treated more than 350,000 precancerous lesions.
• PEPFAR’s Commitment to Health Equity. The first pillar of the PEPFAR Strategy focuses on health equity, including advancing gender equitable programs, engaging youth, ending HIV/AIDS in children, promoting key population leadership, ensuring holistic combination prevention, and dismantling structural barriers.
• Sustaining Quality-of-Life for People Living with HIV in the U.S. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy includes five quality of life indicators – overall health, mental health, food insecurity, stable housing, and employment. In observance of World AIDS Day, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy will be hosting a Quality-of-Life Symposium for people with HIV, researchers, federal partners, and public health experts to explore how the HIV service community can increase its focus on ensuring overall wellness for people with HIV across the lifespan and address social determinants of health. 
• Supporting the Aging HIV Community. Agencies across the U.S. government are working to address medical and social support needs of people aging with HIV and long-term HIV survivors. HRSA, CDC, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have all increased their efforts to conduct additional research, highlight best practices and provide tailored care and support services.
• Ensuring Equitable Access to Care. The NHAS Federal Implementation Plan prioritizes access to PrEP in vulnerable communities, promotes compliance with civil rights laws (including language access services and disability rights), and assists state and local governments in protecting people with HIV from violence, retaliation, and discrimination. Domestic HIV programs, including the EHE initiative continuously strive to create and enhance healthcare systems that provide high quality, affordable, and culturally appropriate prevention, testing, and care for all individuals, especially the priority and key populations identified in the NHAS.

Increase Awareness and End Stigma and Discrimination

• CDC Updates HIV Testing Guidance to Remove Age Limit. CDC updated its HIV testing guidance, removing the previous upper age limit of 64 for routine HIV screening. Under the new guidance, all patients aged 15 and older are encouraged to get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine healthcare. This change is a significant step toward addressing HIV testing stigma by normalizing HIV screening as a lifelong practice and helps promote earlier diagnosis and treatment across all age groups, ultimately supporting efforts to end the HIV epidemic.
• Reform of HIV Criminalization Laws. For the first time, the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget invests in state and local efforts to promote equity and protect civil rights through a new $10 million Department of Justice grant program to support modernization of outdated state criminal statutes with a discriminatory impact on people with HIV. Outdated HIV criminalization laws do not reflect our current understanding of HIV transmission, discourage HIV testing, and exacerbate the challenges faced by people with HIV. The Department of Justice reached a landmark settlement with Shelby County, Tennessee, ending discriminatory enforcement of a law that imposed higher criminal penalties for prostitution for people with HIV.

• Adoption of Science Informed Treatment and Messaging. PEPFAR and domestic HIV programs have adopted HIV interventions such as PrEP along with the complementary, life-affirming message of U=U (undetectable =untransmittable) to dismantle stigma and discrimination for people with HIV. U=U means that a person with an undetectable viral load cannot be transmit HIV to other sexual partners.
• Organ Donation between Patients Living with HIV. An NIH-funded clinical trial confirmed that kidney transplantation is safe between donors and recipients with HIV—a practice currently only permitted in the United States under a research protocol. This research was made possible by the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (HOPE) implemented in 2015 to legalize transplants between donors and recipients living with HIV. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a final rule that will expand access to kidney and liver transplants for people with HIV by removing clinical research requirements for these transplants.

Prioritize Community-Driven Responses

• Mobilizing Rising HIV Leaders. In July, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy hosted The White House Rising Leaders Summit: Shaping the Future of HIV Today. The Summit convened young emerging leaders in public health from diverse communities. The event generated actionable ideas to advance the vision and goals of the Administration’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), solidifying the Administration’s commitment to nurturing innovative leadership in the fight against HIV. Globally, PEPFAR launched a $20 million Youth Initiative to elevate youth leadership in the HIV response to reduce new HIV infections and increase awareness of HIV status among adolescents and young people.
• Hispanic/Latino Community Engagement.  In September, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy hosted a Summit on HIV in Hispanic/Latino Communities called, “¡Adelante!” The Summit occurred at a critical moment when Hispanic/Latino people, representing about 19% of the U.S. population, accounted for nearly 32% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2022, with Hispanic/Latino gay men now representing the highest number of new HIV cases in the country. It brought together federal agencies, cross-sector partners, and individuals with lived experience to amplify diverse voices, generate actionable solutions, and drive collective action. This Summit reinforced the Administration’s commitment to accelerating the nation’s HIV response in Hispanic/Latino communities and ensuring sustained impact through collaboration and equity-focused strategies.
• Making the HIV Response More Sustainable. Over the last four years, PEPFAR increased its partnerships with local organizations by 29%, and in FY24 PEPFAR has directly supported more than 380 local partners to build long-term sustainable capacity in partner countries. PEPFAR is focused on ensuring that the large majority of HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs in 2030 and beyond will be led and delivered by governments or by other domestic entities with community engagement and government accountability. PEPFAR also partnered with UNAIDS to launch the development of Sustainability Roadmaps in all PEPFAR-supported countries.

Advance HIV Research and Innovation

• Temporary HIV Remission for Infants. An NIH-supported clinical trial found that, infants who started antiretroviral therapy soon after birth were later able to pause treatment and remain free of detectable HIV for more than a year. Typically, without treatment HIV replication in infants is rapid and detectable within weeks. These findings suggest very early treatment enables the infant immune system to temporarily promote HIV remission.
• Long-Acting HIV Treatment Reduces Barriers. NIH-funded research found long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy can better maintain viral suppression in people with HIV who experience barriers to daily pill taking. This research builds on the 2021 FDA approval of long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy that determined these drugs to be safe and effective—a drug development milestone underpinned by U.S. government supported basic science on HIV’s molecular structure.
• HIV Treatment During Pregnancy. An NIH-sponsored study adds to the evidence-base that oral and long-acting injectable PrEP is safe before and during pregnancy. Multiple other studies have also confirmed the safety of oral, long-acting, and vaginal ring PrEP formulations during pregnancy.
• Bridging the Research to Practice Gap. The use of implementation science is essential to test interventions in community settings and address specific challenges with appropriately tailored approaches. The NIH supported 265 implementation science projects that have paired researchers with community partners to test, evaluate, and adapt HIV-related interventions in the EHE jurisdictions.
• Innovative Models for Leveraging Pharmacies in HIV Services. Several NIH-funded EHE projects aim to identify innovative models to leverage pharmacies for HIV testing, prevention (including HIV PrEP), and care through partnerships between academic institutions and state and local leaders. This work includes advancing workforce training curricula to enable pharmacy students, pharmacists, pharmacies, and pharmacy systems to deliver the spectrum of needed HIV services with ease, equity, and effectiveness.
• Catalyzing Regional Manufacturing in Africa. In 2022, PEPFAR announced bold manufacturing targets to procure 15 million HIV tests produced in Africa by 2025 and work alongside partners to shift two million patients on first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) to African-produced products by 2030. Since 2023, PEPFAR procured nearly 100,000 HIV tests from Africa-based manufacturers and worked with partners to launch an Expert Review Panel for Diagnostics for African manufacturers of HIV rapid tests in order to accelerate the availability of HIV rapid tests produced across the continent.

###

The post FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration’s Efforts to End HIV/AIDS At Home and Abroad appeared first on The White House.

11:10 A.M. EST

Q    Mr. President, what are you thankful for?  What are you thankful for this year?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m thankful for — for my family.  I’m thankful for a peaceful transition of the presidency.  And I’m thankful for the fact that, I think, with the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbors and a little bit of luck, we’re going to get some more progress in the Middle East.  And I’m really thankful for being able to get the first piece done on Lebanon.  There’s a lot to be thankful for.

I mean, look, we’re the United States of America.  I know I’ve said this a thousand times — some of you have heard me say it more than once — but I really believe there’s nothing beyond our capacity — nothing beyond our capacity when we work together.  So, that’s the hope: We’re going to be able to do that.

So, that’s what I’m thankful for.

Q    Mr. President, have you spoken with the three formerly detained Americans who have returned from China?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, I have.  I spoke with all three of them.  You know, one was there only three years, but he was for a life sentence.  Other one was there for — I think it was a total of 20-some years.  Anyway, they’re long, long stays.  And I’m really happy they’re home. 

I got to talk to them all when they landed in Alaska.  They’re reu- — reunited with their families.  And — and it’s — I was very — very happy to be able to get it done.

Q    (Inaudible) tariffs with Canada and — and Mexico that the President-elect is talking about? 

THE PRESIDENT:  I hope he rethinks it.  I — I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do. 

You know, look, one of the things you’ve heard me say before that we — we’re — we have an unusual situation in America.  We’re surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada.  And the last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships.  I think we’ve got them in a good place.  I think the —

And, by the way, you know, the cooperation with the outgoing president — incoming president, the illegal crossings are down considerably to what they were back in — when he was in office. 

There’s a lot more to do.  But I — I just think — I hope they reconsider.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    President-elect Trump proposed tariffs on China as well.  Are you worried about that as well or that relationship?

THE PRESIDENT:  I — I — we have reached a relationship where there’s a status quo ante with regard to China.  China has — is — we’ve set up a hotline between President Xi and myself, as well as through our military — a direct line. 

The one thing I’m confident about Xi is he doesn’t want to make a mistake.  And I mean that sincerely.  And I’m not saying that he is our best buddy, but he — he understands what’s at stake. 

And that’s why I’ve spent so much time, as you know, getting the situation in the South Pacific, as well as in the Indian Ocean, in the (inaudible).  So, a combination of Japan, Australia, India.  I mean, things are moving in the right direction, with the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbors.

One last question. 

Q    Mr. President, there are many Americans who are worried about the future this holiday season.  What is your message to them?

THE PRESIDENT:  My message is to just remember who we are. 

Look, you all have a very tough job.  And I’m not being solicitous — a really tough job.  Think about it.  If — we — I — I remember a couple weeks ago, the survey done: How do people feel about where they are?  It was at 62 percent and (inaudible) percent thought they were doing pretty well.  What do they think about the direction of the country?  Thirty-five percent — only thirty-five percent or so thought it was moving in the right direction. 

I think there’s an explanation for that.  If you think about it, what do you — I’m — it’s not a criticism of the press — and I mean this; you know me too well — (laughs) — is that you turn on the television and you don’t see a lot of good news.  Even the stuff that is good news doesn’t seem to sell very well.  And so, when you turn on the TV, everything looks bad.  Everything looks bad. 

And now you have — I forget what the number is, but an exceedingly small number of people watching mainstream television and reading the newspapers.  I forget the number, but you know better than I would.  And they’re way down. 

So, where — where do you get your news?  And what — and how do you know what you’re getting is not just what you’re looking for as opposed to what’s happening?  Not because of you.  Not — I’m not being critical of the press. 

I’ve talked to too many of you privately.  You’ve been around a long time, and you got a hell of a job. 

I mean, you know — anyway, I don’t think — I want to make sure this transition goes smoothly.  I want to make sure it goes smoothly.  And all the talk about what he’s going to do or not do, I think there may be a little bit of internal reckoning on his — in his party, what — what he is going to do or not do.

So, it remains to be seen.  And — and the Congress is — is so razor thin across the board, it’s going to be a — I think it’s going to require what usually happens in these cases: some real compromise.  But we’ll see.  We’ll see.

And on Thanksgiving, I’m hopeful.

Thank you so much.

11:15 A.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden in Press Gaggle | Nantucket, MA appeared first on The White House.

Joint Base Andrews
Prince George’s County, Maryland

4:39 P.M. EST

Q    Mr. President, what does this mean for getting the rest of the hostages home, sir? 

The hostages.  What does today mean for the rest of the hostages to come home?

THE PRESIDENT:  A lot of pressure on Hamas to set them free.

Q    If you would come closer, sir, you could — you could hear us better and vice versa.

How are you feeling today with the announcement, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  Good, just like I told you today.

Q    Is Trump starting a trade war, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  I have no comment on that.

4:39 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden Before Air Force One Departure | Joint Base Andrews, MD appeared first on The White House.

11:10 A.M. EST

Q    Mr. President, what are you thankful for?  What are you thankful for this year?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m thankful for — for my family.  I’m thankful for a peaceful transition of the presidency.  And I’m thankful for the fact that, I think, with the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbors and a little bit of luck, we’re going to get some more progress in the Middle East.  And I’m really thankful for being able to get the first piece done on Lebanon.  There’s a lot to be thankful for.

I mean, look, we’re the United States of America.  I know I’ve said this a thousand times — some of you have heard me say it more than once — but I really believe there’s nothing beyond our capacity — nothing beyond our capacity when we work together.  So, that’s the hope: We’re going to be able to do that.

So, that’s what I’m thankful for.

Q    Mr. President, have you spoken with the three formerly detained Americans who have returned from China?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, I have.  I spoke with all three of them.  You know, one was there only three years, but he was for a life sentence.  Other one was there for — I think it was a total of 20-some years.  Anyway, they’re long, long stays.  And I’m really happy they’re home. 

I got to talk to them all when they landed in Alaska.  They’re reu- — reunited with their families.  And — and it’s — I was very — very happy to be able to get it done.

Q    (Inaudible) tariffs with Canada and — and Mexico that the President-elect is talking about? 

THE PRESIDENT:  I hope he rethinks it.  I — I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do. 

You know, look, one of the things you’ve heard me say before that we — we’re — we have an unusual situation in America.  We’re surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada.  And the last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships.  I think we’ve got them in a good place.  I think the —

And, by the way, you know, the cooperation with the outgoing president — incoming president, the illegal crossings are down considerably to what they were back in — when he was in office. 

There’s a lot more to do.  But I — I just think — I hope they reconsider.

(Cross-talk.)

Q    President-elect Trump proposed tariffs on China as well.  Are you worried about that as well or that relationship?

THE PRESIDENT:  I — I — we have reached a relationship where there’s a status quo ante with regard to China.  China has — is — we’ve set up a hotline between President Xi and myself, as well as through our military — a direct line. 

The one thing I’m confident about Xi is he doesn’t want to make a mistake.  And I mean that sincerely.  And I’m not saying that he is our best buddy, but he — he understands what’s at stake. 

And that’s why I’ve spent so much time, as you know, getting the situation in the South Pacific, as well as in the Indian Ocean, in the (inaudible).  So, a combination of Japan, Australia, India.  I mean, things are moving in the right direction, with the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbors.

One last question. 

Q    Mr. President, there are many Americans who are worried about the future this holiday season.  What is your message to them?

THE PRESIDENT:  My message is to just remember who we are. 

Look, you all have a very tough job.  And I’m not being solicitous — a really tough job.  Think about it.  If — we — I — I remember a couple weeks ago, the survey done: How do people feel about where they are?  It was at 62 percent and (inaudible) percent thought they were doing pretty well.  What do they think about the direction of the country?  Thirty-five percent — only thirty-five percent or so thought it was moving in the right direction. 

I think there’s an explanation for that.  If you think about it, what do you — I’m — it’s not a criticism of the press — and I mean this; you know me too well — (laughs) — is that you turn on the television and you don’t see a lot of good news.  Even the stuff that is good news doesn’t seem to sell very well.  And so, when you turn on the TV, everything looks bad.  Everything looks bad. 

And now you have — I forget what the number is, but an exceedingly small number of people watching mainstream television and reading the newspapers.  I forget the number, but you know better than I would.  And they’re way down. 

So, where — where do you get your news?  And what — and how do you know what you’re getting is not just what you’re looking for as opposed to what’s happening?  Not because of you.  Not — I’m not being critical of the press. 

I’ve talked to too many of you privately.  You’ve been around a long time, and you got a hell of a job. 

I mean, you know — anyway, I don’t think — I want to make sure this transition goes smoothly.  I want to make sure it goes smoothly.  And all the talk about what he’s going to do or not do, I think there may be a little bit of internal reckoning on his — in his party, what — what he is going to do or not do.

So, it remains to be seen.  And — and the Congress is — is so razor thin across the board, it’s going to be a — I think it’s going to require what usually happens in these cases: some real compromise.  But we’ll see.  We’ll see.

And on Thanksgiving, I’m hopeful.

Thank you so much.

11:15 A.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden in Press Gaggle | Nantucket, MA appeared first on The White House.

Joint Base Andrews
Prince George’s County, Maryland

4:39 P.M. EST

Q    Mr. President, what does this mean for getting the rest of the hostages home, sir? 

The hostages.  What does today mean for the rest of the hostages to come home?

THE PRESIDENT:  A lot of pressure on Hamas to set them free.

Q    If you would come closer, sir, you could — you could hear us better and vice versa.

How are you feeling today with the announcement, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  Good, just like I told you today.

Q    Is Trump starting a trade war, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  I have no comment on that.

4:39 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden Before Air Force One Departure | Joint Base Andrews, MD appeared first on The White House.

The Biden-Harris Administration is increasing small business lending limits and helping small businesses compete for federal contracting opportunities

Small businesses are the engines of our economy and the heart and soul of our communities. Today, the White House announced new actions by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to increase access to federal lending and contracting opportunities for small businesses. SBA is announcing it is making it easier for traditionally underserved small businesses to access capital from mission-oriented lenders by increasing the cap on their SBA 7(a) loans from $350,000 to $500,000. OMB is releasing procurement guidance on both upcoming contracts and subcontracting opportunities to better enable federal agencies to support small business trying to compete for the over $700 billion in federal contracts. And federal agencies are leveraging small disadvantaged businesses at record rates to improve resilience in federal research and development (R&D) supply chains.

President Biden and Vice President Harris invested a record $56 billion in SBA-backed capital in small businesses last year—and have overseen a small business boom. American entrepreneurs have filed over 20 million new business applications, the most in any single Presidential term in history. And these applications are leading historic business creation, with new establishment growth higher under President Biden than at any point in the last quarter-century. Entrepreneurs are thriving across communities, with business ownership doubling among Black families, hitting a 30-year high for Hispanic families, exceeding a 30-year high for Asian Americans, and surpassing pre-pandemic levels for women business owners. The Biden-Harris agenda continues to make sure that small businesses in every corner of the country—rural, suburban, urban, and everywhere in between—have the resources they need to grow and thrive.

In advance of Small Business Saturday, the Biden-Harris Administration is doubling down on investments in entrepreneurs by taking the following actions:

• Expanding caps on critical lending programs. Today, the SBA is announcing an increase of the maximum loan amount backed by their Community Advantage Small Business Lending Companies (CA SBLCs) from $350,000 to $500,000 for active lenders in good standing. These mission-based non-depository lenders—often Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)—focus on providing access to capital to underserved businesses and underinvested businesses, ensuring that women, people of color, veterans, rural, and low- and moderate-income communities have access to SBA-backed capital. This step builds on prior action by the Biden-Harris Administration to support small businesses through CA SBLCs, including making the program permanent following a successful pilot launched by the Obama-Biden Administration.

• Improving forecasting of upcoming federal contracting opportunities. OMB is issuing guidance to federal procurement officials to strengthen government-wide procurement forecasts. Agencies have long been required to prepare annual forecasts of upcoming federal contract opportunities for businesses, but variance in the quality and timeliness has made it difficult for small businesses to prepare their proposals and more effectively compete against larger businesses. Today’s memo will help align timelines and expectations, better enabling small business to understand when new opportunities will become available and plan ahead to compete for federal awards.

• Increasing access to federal subcontracting opportunities. In 2023, small businesses received a record $86 billion in subcontract awards from the federal government. Building on this success, OMB is issuing guidance to federal agencies on ways to continue to expand subcontracting opportunities for small businesses, the primary gateway for them to compete as prime contractors. This also improves the resilience of supply chains for critical government needs by increasing competition and expanding the pool of businesses engaged in federal contracts. This guidance describes promising policies and strategies adopted by forward-thinking agencies, and encourages federal procurement officials to recognize prime contractors who meet or exceed their subcontracting plan goals and work to strengthen their small business supply chains.

• Leveraging Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs) to meet research and development (R&D) Needs. Federal R&D investments are integral to maintaining American leadership in emerging science and technology. The Biden-Harris Administration has made significant progress in leveraging the talents of SDBs for federal R&D contracts, with two-year average annual spending at $2.5 billion in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023—an all-time high and nearly $450 million a year more than in 2020. Following OMB’s call for agencies to strategically build out resilience within specific supply chains, the White House, SBA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released an internal set of best practices to help agencies reach even greater heights in the R&D sector, including actions to strengthen planning, outreach, and use of the resources available through the 8(a) Program.

Both of OMB’s actions build on significant work by the Biden-Harris Administration to help small and underserved businesses access federal contract opportunities, including awarding a record $178.6 billion in federal contracting opportunities to small businesses (28.4% of eligible federal dollars) and a record $76.2 billion to small disadvantaged businesses (12.1% of eligible federal dollars).

###

The post FACT SHEET: Ahead of Small Business Saturday, the Biden-Harris Administration Takes New Actions to Increase Federal Support for Small Businesses appeared first on The White House.

The Biden-Harris Administration is increasing small business lending limits and helping small businesses compete for federal contracting opportunities

Small businesses are the engines of our economy and the heart and soul of our communities. Today, the White House announced new actions by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to increase access to federal lending and contracting opportunities for small businesses. SBA is announcing it is making it easier for traditionally underserved small businesses to access capital from mission-oriented lenders by increasing the cap on their SBA 7(a) loans from $350,000 to $500,000. OMB is releasing procurement guidance on both upcoming contracts and subcontracting opportunities to better enable federal agencies to support small business trying to compete for the over $700 billion in federal contracts. And federal agencies are leveraging small disadvantaged businesses at record rates to improve resilience in federal research and development (R&D) supply chains.

President Biden and Vice President Harris invested a record $56 billion in SBA-backed capital in small businesses last year—and have overseen a small business boom. American entrepreneurs have filed over 20 million new business applications, the most in any single Presidential term in history. And these applications are leading historic business creation, with new establishment growth higher under President Biden than at any point in the last quarter-century. Entrepreneurs are thriving across communities, with business ownership doubling among Black families, hitting a 30-year high for Hispanic families, exceeding a 30-year high for Asian Americans, and surpassing pre-pandemic levels for women business owners. The Biden-Harris agenda continues to make sure that small businesses in every corner of the country—rural, suburban, urban, and everywhere in between—have the resources they need to grow and thrive.

In advance of Small Business Saturday, the Biden-Harris Administration is doubling down on investments in entrepreneurs by taking the following actions:

• Expanding caps on critical lending programs. Today, the SBA is announcing an increase of the maximum loan amount backed by their Community Advantage Small Business Lending Companies (CA SBLCs) from $350,000 to $500,000 for active lenders in good standing. These mission-based non-depository lenders—often Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)—focus on providing access to capital to underserved businesses and underinvested businesses, ensuring that women, people of color, veterans, rural, and low- and moderate-income communities have access to SBA-backed capital. This step builds on prior action by the Biden-Harris Administration to support small businesses through CA SBLCs, including making the program permanent following a successful pilot launched by the Obama-Biden Administration.

• Improving forecasting of upcoming federal contracting opportunities. OMB is issuing guidance to federal procurement officials to strengthen government-wide procurement forecasts. Agencies have long been required to prepare annual forecasts of upcoming federal contract opportunities for businesses, but variance in the quality and timeliness has made it difficult for small businesses to prepare their proposals and more effectively compete against larger businesses. Today’s memo will help align timelines and expectations, better enabling small business to understand when new opportunities will become available and plan ahead to compete for federal awards.

• Increasing access to federal subcontracting opportunities. In 2023, small businesses received a record $86 billion in subcontract awards from the federal government. Building on this success, OMB is issuing guidance to federal agencies on ways to continue to expand subcontracting opportunities for small businesses, the primary gateway for them to compete as prime contractors. This also improves the resilience of supply chains for critical government needs by increasing competition and expanding the pool of businesses engaged in federal contracts. This guidance describes promising policies and strategies adopted by forward-thinking agencies, and encourages federal procurement officials to recognize prime contractors who meet or exceed their subcontracting plan goals and work to strengthen their small business supply chains.

• Leveraging Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs) to meet research and development (R&D) Needs. Federal R&D investments are integral to maintaining American leadership in emerging science and technology. The Biden-Harris Administration has made significant progress in leveraging the talents of SDBs for federal R&D contracts, with two-year average annual spending at $2.5 billion in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023—an all-time high and nearly $450 million a year more than in 2020. Following OMB’s call for agencies to strategically build out resilience within specific supply chains, the White House, SBA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released an internal set of best practices to help agencies reach even greater heights in the R&D sector, including actions to strengthen planning, outreach, and use of the resources available through the 8(a) Program.

Both of OMB’s actions build on significant work by the Biden-Harris Administration to help small and underserved businesses access federal contract opportunities, including awarding a record $178.6 billion in federal contracting opportunities to small businesses (28.4% of eligible federal dollars) and a record $76.2 billion to small disadvantaged businesses (12.1% of eligible federal dollars).

###

The post FACT SHEET: Ahead of Small Business Saturday, the Biden-Harris Administration Takes New Actions to Increase Federal Support for Small Businesses appeared first on The White House.

Overnight, Russia carried out a horrific aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities report that Russia launched nearly 200 missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, depriving Ukrainian civilians of access to electricity. This attack is outrageous and serves as yet another reminder of the urgency and importance of supporting the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian aggression. 

On this day, my message to the Ukrainian people is clear: the United States stands with you. Earlier this year, and at my direction, the United States began prioritizing air defense exports so they go to Ukraine first. The Department of Defense has delivered hundreds of additional air defense missiles to Ukraine, as a consequence of this decision, and further deliveries are underway. For months, my Administration has been working to help Ukraine increase the resilience of its energy grid in preparation for the winter, and the Department of Defense continues to surge other critical capabilities to Ukraine, including artillery, rockets, and armored vehicles.

Russia continues to underestimate the bravery, resilience, and determination of the Ukrainian people. The United States stands with more than 50 countries in support of Ukraine and its fight for freedom. 

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on Russia’s Attack on Ukraine appeared first on The White House.

Overnight, Russia carried out a horrific aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities report that Russia launched nearly 200 missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, depriving Ukrainian civilians of access to electricity. This attack is outrageous and serves as yet another reminder of the urgency and importance of supporting the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian aggression. 

On this day, my message to the Ukrainian people is clear: the United States stands with you. Earlier this year, and at my direction, the United States began prioritizing air defense exports so they go to Ukraine first. The Department of Defense has delivered hundreds of additional air defense missiles to Ukraine, as a consequence of this decision, and further deliveries are underway. For months, my Administration has been working to help Ukraine increase the resilience of its energy grid in preparation for the winter, and the Department of Defense continues to surge other critical capabilities to Ukraine, including artillery, rockets, and armored vehicles.

Russia continues to underestimate the bravery, resilience, and determination of the Ukrainian people. The United States stands with more than 50 countries in support of Ukraine and its fight for freedom. 

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on Russia’s Attack on Ukraine appeared first on The White House.

Via Teleconference

9:18 A.M. EST

MODERATOR:  All right, so good morning, everyone.  Thank you again for joining us on somewhat of a short notice here.  We will be speaking about Venezuela this morning. 

And on the line, not for reporting purposes, we will have [senior administration official].  We will also have [senior administration official].  And we will also have [senior administration official]. 

We will be on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and the call will be embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. 

At the end of the call, I can also email, also under embargo, some of our press releases for you to use in your reporting, but the embargo will lift on all documents and the backgrounder at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time.  

With that, I will turn it over to my colleague.  Over to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  Thank you very much.  And good morning, everyone.  Really appreciate your time.  We know that most of you are headed into the Thanksgiving holiday. 

The purpose of the call today is to discuss some actions we’re taking related to Venezuela.  Tomorrow, November 28th, will mark four months to the day from Venezuela’s presidential election, which took place on July 28th, and it was an election in which the Venezuelans voted resoundingly to make Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the president-elect.

As we in the U.S. administration have said many times before, we believe it’s extremely important that the voices of the Venezuelan people are heard and that their votes are fairly counted and respected. 

In the months since July 28th, we have given Nicolas Maduro and his representatives every opportunity to do the right thing, and we have incentivized the possibility of democratic steps.  Instead, Maduro and his representatives decided to use violent repression and to seize power at all costs.  This is not something the United States will stand for, and nor will other countries in the region stand for this. 

Therefore, the United States has taken steps to increase pressure against Maduro and his representatives, who are responsible for the electoral fraud that took place on July 28th and afterwards, and the brutal repression that we’ve seen in the last few months. 

For this reason, today I’m joined by colleagues from the Department of State and Treasury to inform you of actions the U.S. government will be taking to continue to hold Maduro and its representatives accountable. 

First, the Department of the Treasury will sanction 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro.  This includes 15 leaders of the Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian National Police, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, Bolivarian militia, and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. 

All of these entities are part of Maduro’s security apparatus and are responsible for violently repressing peaceful protesters and carrying out arbitrary detentions. 

We have also included Maduro-aligned officials who have been responsible for anti-democratic acts. 

Concurrently, the Department of State imposed new restrictions on — new visa restrictions on a significant number of Maduro alliance officials who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and are responsible for acts of repression. 

The steps that we are taking today build on multiple actions that we have taken already to hold the current and former Venezuelan officials accountable for undermining democracy in Venezuela and to hold them accountable for violating human rights.  These actions will follow on similar sanctions and visa restrictions that we announced last September.

To date, we have sanctioned 180 Venezuelan officials and 100 Venezuelan entities.  Additionally, we regularly take actions to enforce our sanctions policy to demonstrate to Maduro and his cronies that their undemocratic governance has consequences.  This included, last September, the seizure of Maduro’s illegally acquired aircraft. 

It’s important to point out that the United States does not stand alone in expressing our concerns with Maduro’s anti-democratic actions and in our call for the restoration of democratic norms.

I am now going to pass the floor to my colleagues from Department of State and from Treasury, who can discuss the further efforts that we are taking to rally support of the international community for Venezuela’s return to democratic norms, as well as additional information on these sanctions actions.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Good morning.  As [senior administration official] mentioned, tomorrow marks four months since Venezuela’s presidential election.  It also marks four months of Nicolas Maduro’s refusal to recognize the will of the Venezuelan people and his brutal repression of those defending the true results of the election.

We have witnessed the Venezuelan people’s courage and commitment to democracy in the face of repression, threats, unjust detentions, and censorship.  They overcome daily adversity as they clamor for a democratic transition and their rights to freedom of expression.

Maduro and his representatives continue to ignore calls from their own people and the international community for transparency, and instead use brute force to silence dissenters.  And they fail to present evidence that supports any shred of Maduro’s false claim to victory.

Democratic governments in the region and around the world press Maduro as a united front for transparency and a restoration of democracy in Venezuela.  The Organization of American States, for example, adopted a U.S.-led resolution on this topic by consensus.  More than 50 countries supported Panama’s statement of concern in New York, outside the U.N. Security Council.  And at the U.N. General Assembly in September, more than 50 countries and the EU called on Venezuela to end political repression and respect the results of the election. 

Just this week, at the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy, G7 countries called on Venezuela to release political prisoners and respect the voters’ decision for democratic change. 

As [senior administration official] already noted, today we are using our sanctions authorities to impose costs on 21 Maduro-aligned individuals for their myriad abuses against the Venezuelan people and attempts to steal the election. 

Our sanctions policy seeks to incentivize democratic actions in Venezuela, the only path to resolve Venezuela’s political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.

We will continue to promote accountability for Maduro and his representatives so long as they continue repressing the Venezuelan people.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you all for joining today.  As my colleagues mentioned, today the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, is sanctioning 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro. 

These individuals are sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13692, as amended, for being current or former officials of the government of Venezuela.  They have supported and carried out Maduro’s orders to repress civil society in his efforts to fraudulently declare himself the winner of Venezuela’s July 28th presidential election, thus ignoring the will of the overwhelming majority of Venezuelan voters who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as their next president. 

Following this election, Venezuelan security forces have arbitrarily arrested democratic opposition supporters en masse, violently suppressed protests, and denied individuals the right to assemble peacefully without backlash.  These tactics also involved issuing an unjustified arrest warrant against President-elect Urrutia, prompting his departure from Venezuela. 

The United States joins other democracies in the region and across the world in condemning this subversion of democratic norms.  We stand with the Venezuelan people and support those seeking to restore democracy in Venezuela. 

The Biden-Harris administration will continue to use our tools to hold Maduro and his cronies accountable, and support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people. 

The individuals sanctioned today are senior Venezuelan officials, including from the Maduro-aligned Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian National Police, militia, National Intelligence Service, and General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. 

Again, these individuals are being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13692.

To date, OFAC has sanctioned over 150 Venezuelan individuals and 100 Venezuelan entities to target current or former officials for taking anti-democratic actions and violating human rights. 

Since the July 28th election, Maduro and his representatives have indiscriminately arrested Venezuelans for exercising their political and civil rights, and deployed a range of intimidation tactics to silence the opposition. 

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more of them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be reported to OFAC.

Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (transiting) the United States that involve any property or interest in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

We take these actions very seriously by Maduro and his cronies, and will continue to hold those responsible who are not abiding by the will of the people.  Thank you.

MODERATOR:  Thank you very much for those opening remarks.  For those who joined just a couple of minutes late, just a reminder that this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials.  It is embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time today. 

With that, I’ll turn it over to questions.  Please raise your hand and we will unmute you.  Please state your name and your outlet.

With that, we’ll go to Gabe. 

Q    Hi there.  Good morning.  Gabe Gutierrez with NBC.  Appreciate you doing this.

Question: Have you spoken to the incoming Trump transition team about Venezuela specifically?  And how aligned are you with them on, you know, these sanctions and the policy?

And also, while I have you, can anybody from NSC offer up any more information on the three Americans that have just been released from China?  Thank you.

MODERATOR:  We’ll take the China question and we’ll get back to you, and our colleagues at the press team can send you a statement. 

We’ll take your first question.  Over to [senior administration officials].

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  I’ll jump in here.  So we’re undertaking these actions with respect to Venezuela as part of the Biden administration’s engagement in advancing democracy in Venezuela and also holding the Venezuelan regime and regime actors accountable for practices that include political repression, subverting the democratic will of the people, and things that run — and issues that run counter to good governance in Venezuela. 

So these actions, you know, are part of our overall policy framework.  We obviously are aware that there will be a change in administration on January 20th.  And at that juncture, a new administration can take up this issue of Venezuela.

MODERATOR:  All right, we’ll go to the next question.  We’ll go to Juan Merlano.

Q    Thank you, Vanessa.  Thank you, everybody.  This

is Juan Merlano, Caracol TV, Colombia.  And Happy Thanksgiving, by the way.

[Senior administration official], maybe you can help us with this.  Is there any plan to have a meeting between President Biden and President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia before he tries to go back to Venezuela?  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  So I can’t speak further to President Biden’s schedule at this time.  However, the Biden administration in both word and deed has been very supportive of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in terms of respecting the electoral victory that he achieved on July 28th.  And recently, we’ve also proclaimed that we view Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to be the president-elect in Venezuela. 

And so, these policies of continuing to support the will of the Venezuelan people are going to remain central to how the Biden administration engages with the issue of Venezuela.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll just add that Secretary Blinken and other U.S. senior officials have spoken with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia on multiple occasions, and we continue to be in close touch with him and with Maria Corina Machado and other opposition figures in Venezuela.  And we prioritize their views and insights as we look to find a positive way forward.

MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  We’ll go to Celia Mendoza.  Please state your outlet. 

Q    Hi.  Thank you so much.  Celia Mendoza, Voice of America. 

So my question goes a little bit more into — we understand that Nicolas Maduro has not responded to pressure.  What these new sanctions could do for him to change his course?  As we see it right now, he keeps jailing people; he keeps moving forward with his government; is expected for him to be taking power for the next six years in January.  How does the administration see the last few months of the Biden-Harris strategy to actually impact or make a dent on what so far has not been any advancement?

And then, the other part of that question is: Where is the conversations that were initially talked with Mexico, Colombia, Brazil?  So far, we have not seen any advancement on that front.  Would it be possible to reengage those countries, before the administration leaves, to be able to see any changes? 

Just yesterday, the government in Diosdado Cabello said that they were going to do a trial against Maria Corina Machado, who’s still in the country, and they said they will do it even if she’s not present, which, of course, is a signal that they will go after her.  And the prospective of that happening within the next few months looks like imminent if we follow what he has done.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So I think it’s important to recognize that Nicolas Maduro, with those around him, have never been more politically isolated.  Scores of countries have come out and recognized that all indications are that Edmundo Gonzalez won the election.  They’ve called on Maduro to substantiate his position.  He’s never been able to provide any evidence to refute Edmundo Gonzalez’s overwhelming more than 2-to-1 victory in the election on July 28th.

The countries around Venezuela have said that they are not going to recognize Nicolas Maduro as president of Venezuela absent the provision of some evidence to demonstrate that.

The international coalition of countries that seeks democracy in Venezuela is strong, it is large, and it will continue to press Maduro and those around them to come to the table and talk about a democratic transition. 

The frontline states have a special role to play in that process.  Countries like Colombia and Brazil, in particular, with borders with Venezuela, are influential, and they’ve continued to raise concerns in ways that we have not seen previously.  This is very important for the future of Venezuela, the welfare of the Venezuelan people.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And if I could, I’ll just add to that that these actions that are being taken today are directed towards the Maduro regime but also towards specific individuals and entities in the Maduro regime that have been found credibly accused of perpetrating in acts of repression and contravening the will of the Venezuelan people. 

And so, I really do encourage you and everyone on this call to read the OFAC press release, which details the fact that you’ve got people who are, you know, in some cases, operating regional command zones that have been under the jurisdiction of Maduro, that have targeted innocent civilians for repression and reprisals.  It also includes senior officials in the Venezuelan government who have strong ties to Diosdado Cabello, a senior regime figure. 

And so, I think that the signal that these sanctions will send is not merely about holding Nicolas Maduro accountable, but that, in fact, regime officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold this regime based on repressive tactics will also find themselves in the crosshairs of these sanctions.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We’ll go to David Alandete.  Please state your outlet.

Q    Thank you so much.  This is David Alandete from Diario ABC in Spain. 

I just have a question regarding European recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez, (inaudible) Spain, but there is still delay in the Spanish government recognizing him as president-elect.  And I wanted to know if you expect this to happen before the end of President Biden’s term, and if it would be helpful for these efforts, given the fact that the European Parliament and the Spanish Senate, separately, have recognized him.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, thanks so much.  Those decisions are sovereign decisions for each country to make.  But as you rightly point out, key institutions in Europe have already called Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the president-elect.  And the pressure that that puts on the Maduro authorities is significant. 

We believe that it reflects the reality of the will of Venezuelan voters, and we believe that it’s urgent that all the countries that are committed to seeing democratic change in Venezuela publicly continue to press for that and to express their concern publicly and privately with Maduro authorities.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And I’d also like to take this opportunity to highlight that, yesterday, the G7 foreign ministers put out a statement — which was released by the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the high representative of the European Union — which treats, among other subjects, the topic of Venezuela. 

Regarding Venezuela, the G7 foreign ministers said that:

“On July 28th, the Venezuelan people made a clear choice in the polls, voting for democratic change and supporting Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia by a significant majority, according to publicly available electoral records.  We will continue to support efforts by regional partners to facilitate a Venezuelan-led democratic and peaceful transition that will ensure respect for the will of the voters. 

We are deeply troubled by the continued violations and abuses of human rights, including arbitrary detentions and severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms, targeting in particular political opponents, civil society, and independent media.  All unjustly detained political prisoners must be released.” 

And so, that is a statement — that includes all the G7 foreign ministers, including the high representative of the European Union.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We’ll go to Karen DeYoung.

Q    Hi, it’s Karen DeYoung at the Washington Post.  I have a couple of questions.  First, has any consideration been given to lifting licenses, such as General License 41, or any individual licenses that have been given to the energy production and export, or any other part of the Venezuelan economy?

Secondly, on the recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez as the president, [senior administration official] said that this imposes significant pressure.  But I wonder if you could talk about exactly what it means.  If one goes back to the period of Juan Guaidó, what that actually accomplished and what you expect the recognition to accomplish. 

And finally, after the election, the United States tried to hold some meetings with representatives of Maduro.  I wonder if you could tell me when you last met with any representatives of the Maduro government.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  I’ll take question one and three and then let [senior administration official] comment. 

So in terms of the licenses and overall U.S. sanctions and licensing policy, this is something that is under continual review by us as we seek to achieve our foreign policy objectives in Venezuela. 

And so, we are obviously always evaluating events on the ground in Venezuela, how that corresponds to our sanctions policy, what steps that we can take that may provoke greater divisions in the regime as well. 

And so, this is something we’re going to continue to review moving forward and certainly all the way to the end of this administration.

And then, with respect to direct talks with Maduro authorities, we really can’t comment on diplomatic — discreet diplomatic discussions.  But what we can say is that we remain in constant contact with a wide range of allies in the region and beyond, with respect to developments in Venezuela.

MODERATOR:  [Senior administration official], are you trying to speak?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I was thinking, I think [senior administration official] covered it all, so I don’t think I have anything to add.

MODERATOR:  Great.  More chance for questions. 

We’ll go next to Carla Angola.  Please state your outlet.

Q    Good morning.  Thank you for doing this.  My first question is — Carla Angola from EVTV.

The president of Venezuela has reported that he’s willing to return to the country on January 10 to take office.  Would the United States be willing to accompany him, from a logistical point of view, on that return and protect his physical integrity?  Or would you participate in some way in the operation to return home the president-elect, Edmundo Gonzalez? This is my first one.

And regarding the license to Chevron, at first, this administration assured that Maduro would not have any profit from the sale of that oil.  But on the contrary, some suspect that the license granted to Chevron is allowing Maduro to finance the repression of innocent people.  Does this administration plan to suspend that license before leaving the White House?  Thank you so much.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, let me just note, in terms of the logistics question that was asked: The United States government has not received a request from Edmundo Gonzalez for assistance in his transportation, and we did not participate in his departure from Venezuela, and we were not asked to do so.  If we were to receive a request from him, we would consider that.  But, you know, we don’t recognize the Maduro authorities, so it’s something that, you know, we’re not in touch with them on these types of issues. 

And I’ll leave the rest for [senior administration official].

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks.  I’ll just share that as we review our overall sanctions policy and licensing policy towards Venezuela, this is under constant monitoring and review, and we are willing to calibrate and adjust as needed in order to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives.

MODERATOR:  Great.  We have time for one, maybe two questions if we go through them quickly.

We’ll go to Eric Bazail-Eimil.

Q    Hi.  Thanks for doing this.  Eric Bazail-Eimil from Politico.

Look, can I just get more clarity on why, at this point, the administration is still reviewing those licenses and isn’t more actively pursuing energy sanctions?  There’s only a month left until — about a month, with a rounding error, for, you know, the handover to occur.  And energy sanctions seem to be the only thing that have gotten Maduro to go to the negotiating table in the past.  So I’m curious if you could just explain that.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  Well, I think that there’s — you know, first of all, there’s a number of things that have moved Maduro to the negotiating table at different junctures, which includes international pressure, their desire to seek some sort of legitimacy, obviously a desire that is not being met, given the malfeasance that followed the July 28th election. 

And so, we review this policy on a comprehensive basis, both the sanctions, of which there are still quite extensive sanctions towards Venezuela at a sectoral level, and also, as we’re discussing today, at an individual level, targeted at regime officials who have committed human rights abuses. 

But we also have a number of other aspects of our policy towards Venezuela which are critical to our overall shaping of this policy. 

And so, this is something that we’re going to continue to look at very carefully, both with respect to U.S. foreign policy interests and in consultation with a wider set of partners and allies.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I would just add that just because we have not taken an action so far, does not mean that we will not take an action in the future — though, obviously, as we said many times, we do not preview our sanctions decisions.

MODERATOR:  Great.  And with that, we’ll go with one last question.  We’ll go to Regina Garcia Cano.  Please state your outlet. 

Q    Hi there.  Thank you for doing this.  I have a follow-up on that, on licenses. 

The opposition advisors to Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez have openly said that they would like to see particularly the Chevron license canceled, and I’m sure they’ve expressed that to you directly. 

The explanation for that license, at least in writing, when it was issued was all about democracy and getting to have a more free and fair election.  We already saw what happened on July 28th. 

So with those 45 days left between now and January 10th, when the next presidential term starts in Venezuela, you say you’re still reviewing and that you haven’t taken it doesn’t mean that you won’t take it in the future.  But why — you know, if it was based in the idea of democracy, why is that still in place?  That was, at least in writing, the argument for this.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  As we said previously, we are continually reviewing our sanctions policy to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives.

MODERATOR:  Great.  Thank you.  That’s all the time we have for today.  Thanks again for joining us.

Again, the call was embargoed until — it is embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and it is attributable to senior administration officials.  We will have a transcript also on our WhiteHouse.gov website later this afternoon.

Thanks again, and happy holidays.

9:53 A.M. EST          

The post Background Press Call on Venezuela appeared first on The White House.

Via Teleconference

9:18 A.M. EST

MODERATOR:  All right, so good morning, everyone.  Thank you again for joining us on somewhat of a short notice here.  We will be speaking about Venezuela this morning. 

And on the line, not for reporting purposes, we will have [senior administration official].  We will also have [senior administration official].  And we will also have [senior administration official]. 

We will be on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and the call will be embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. 

At the end of the call, I can also email, also under embargo, some of our press releases for you to use in your reporting, but the embargo will lift on all documents and the backgrounder at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time.  

With that, I will turn it over to my colleague.  Over to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  Thank you very much.  And good morning, everyone.  Really appreciate your time.  We know that most of you are headed into the Thanksgiving holiday. 

The purpose of the call today is to discuss some actions we’re taking related to Venezuela.  Tomorrow, November 28th, will mark four months to the day from Venezuela’s presidential election, which took place on July 28th, and it was an election in which the Venezuelans voted resoundingly to make Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the president-elect.

As we in the U.S. administration have said many times before, we believe it’s extremely important that the voices of the Venezuelan people are heard and that their votes are fairly counted and respected. 

In the months since July 28th, we have given Nicolas Maduro and his representatives every opportunity to do the right thing, and we have incentivized the possibility of democratic steps.  Instead, Maduro and his representatives decided to use violent repression and to seize power at all costs.  This is not something the United States will stand for, and nor will other countries in the region stand for this. 

Therefore, the United States has taken steps to increase pressure against Maduro and his representatives, who are responsible for the electoral fraud that took place on July 28th and afterwards, and the brutal repression that we’ve seen in the last few months. 

For this reason, today I’m joined by colleagues from the Department of State and Treasury to inform you of actions the U.S. government will be taking to continue to hold Maduro and its representatives accountable. 

First, the Department of the Treasury will sanction 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro.  This includes 15 leaders of the Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian National Police, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, Bolivarian militia, and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. 

All of these entities are part of Maduro’s security apparatus and are responsible for violently repressing peaceful protesters and carrying out arbitrary detentions. 

We have also included Maduro-aligned officials who have been responsible for anti-democratic acts. 

Concurrently, the Department of State imposed new restrictions on — new visa restrictions on a significant number of Maduro alliance officials who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and are responsible for acts of repression. 

The steps that we are taking today build on multiple actions that we have taken already to hold the current and former Venezuelan officials accountable for undermining democracy in Venezuela and to hold them accountable for violating human rights.  These actions will follow on similar sanctions and visa restrictions that we announced last September.

To date, we have sanctioned 180 Venezuelan officials and 100 Venezuelan entities.  Additionally, we regularly take actions to enforce our sanctions policy to demonstrate to Maduro and his cronies that their undemocratic governance has consequences.  This included, last September, the seizure of Maduro’s illegally acquired aircraft. 

It’s important to point out that the United States does not stand alone in expressing our concerns with Maduro’s anti-democratic actions and in our call for the restoration of democratic norms.

I am now going to pass the floor to my colleagues from Department of State and from Treasury, who can discuss the further efforts that we are taking to rally support of the international community for Venezuela’s return to democratic norms, as well as additional information on these sanctions actions.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Good morning.  As [senior administration official] mentioned, tomorrow marks four months since Venezuela’s presidential election.  It also marks four months of Nicolas Maduro’s refusal to recognize the will of the Venezuelan people and his brutal repression of those defending the true results of the election.

We have witnessed the Venezuelan people’s courage and commitment to democracy in the face of repression, threats, unjust detentions, and censorship.  They overcome daily adversity as they clamor for a democratic transition and their rights to freedom of expression.

Maduro and his representatives continue to ignore calls from their own people and the international community for transparency, and instead use brute force to silence dissenters.  And they fail to present evidence that supports any shred of Maduro’s false claim to victory.

Democratic governments in the region and around the world press Maduro as a united front for transparency and a restoration of democracy in Venezuela.  The Organization of American States, for example, adopted a U.S.-led resolution on this topic by consensus.  More than 50 countries supported Panama’s statement of concern in New York, outside the U.N. Security Council.  And at the U.N. General Assembly in September, more than 50 countries and the EU called on Venezuela to end political repression and respect the results of the election. 

Just this week, at the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy, G7 countries called on Venezuela to release political prisoners and respect the voters’ decision for democratic change. 

As [senior administration official] already noted, today we are using our sanctions authorities to impose costs on 21 Maduro-aligned individuals for their myriad abuses against the Venezuelan people and attempts to steal the election. 

Our sanctions policy seeks to incentivize democratic actions in Venezuela, the only path to resolve Venezuela’s political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.

We will continue to promote accountability for Maduro and his representatives so long as they continue repressing the Venezuelan people.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you all for joining today.  As my colleagues mentioned, today the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, is sanctioning 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro. 

These individuals are sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13692, as amended, for being current or former officials of the government of Venezuela.  They have supported and carried out Maduro’s orders to repress civil society in his efforts to fraudulently declare himself the winner of Venezuela’s July 28th presidential election, thus ignoring the will of the overwhelming majority of Venezuelan voters who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as their next president. 

Following this election, Venezuelan security forces have arbitrarily arrested democratic opposition supporters en masse, violently suppressed protests, and denied individuals the right to assemble peacefully without backlash.  These tactics also involved issuing an unjustified arrest warrant against President-elect Urrutia, prompting his departure from Venezuela. 

The United States joins other democracies in the region and across the world in condemning this subversion of democratic norms.  We stand with the Venezuelan people and support those seeking to restore democracy in Venezuela. 

The Biden-Harris administration will continue to use our tools to hold Maduro and his cronies accountable, and support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people. 

The individuals sanctioned today are senior Venezuelan officials, including from the Maduro-aligned Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian National Police, militia, National Intelligence Service, and General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. 

Again, these individuals are being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13692.

To date, OFAC has sanctioned over 150 Venezuelan individuals and 100 Venezuelan entities to target current or former officials for taking anti-democratic actions and violating human rights. 

Since the July 28th election, Maduro and his representatives have indiscriminately arrested Venezuelans for exercising their political and civil rights, and deployed a range of intimidation tactics to silence the opposition. 

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more of them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be reported to OFAC.

Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (transiting) the United States that involve any property or interest in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

We take these actions very seriously by Maduro and his cronies, and will continue to hold those responsible who are not abiding by the will of the people.  Thank you.

MODERATOR:  Thank you very much for those opening remarks.  For those who joined just a couple of minutes late, just a reminder that this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials.  It is embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time today. 

With that, I’ll turn it over to questions.  Please raise your hand and we will unmute you.  Please state your name and your outlet.

With that, we’ll go to Gabe. 

Q    Hi there.  Good morning.  Gabe Gutierrez with NBC.  Appreciate you doing this.

Question: Have you spoken to the incoming Trump transition team about Venezuela specifically?  And how aligned are you with them on, you know, these sanctions and the policy?

And also, while I have you, can anybody from NSC offer up any more information on the three Americans that have just been released from China?  Thank you.

MODERATOR:  We’ll take the China question and we’ll get back to you, and our colleagues at the press team can send you a statement. 

We’ll take your first question.  Over to [senior administration officials].

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  I’ll jump in here.  So we’re undertaking these actions with respect to Venezuela as part of the Biden administration’s engagement in advancing democracy in Venezuela and also holding the Venezuelan regime and regime actors accountable for practices that include political repression, subverting the democratic will of the people, and things that run — and issues that run counter to good governance in Venezuela. 

So these actions, you know, are part of our overall policy framework.  We obviously are aware that there will be a change in administration on January 20th.  And at that juncture, a new administration can take up this issue of Venezuela.

MODERATOR:  All right, we’ll go to the next question.  We’ll go to Juan Merlano.

Q    Thank you, Vanessa.  Thank you, everybody.  This

is Juan Merlano, Caracol TV, Colombia.  And Happy Thanksgiving, by the way.

[Senior administration official], maybe you can help us with this.  Is there any plan to have a meeting between President Biden and President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia before he tries to go back to Venezuela?  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  So I can’t speak further to President Biden’s schedule at this time.  However, the Biden administration in both word and deed has been very supportive of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in terms of respecting the electoral victory that he achieved on July 28th.  And recently, we’ve also proclaimed that we view Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to be the president-elect in Venezuela. 

And so, these policies of continuing to support the will of the Venezuelan people are going to remain central to how the Biden administration engages with the issue of Venezuela.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll just add that Secretary Blinken and other U.S. senior officials have spoken with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia on multiple occasions, and we continue to be in close touch with him and with Maria Corina Machado and other opposition figures in Venezuela.  And we prioritize their views and insights as we look to find a positive way forward.

MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  We’ll go to Celia Mendoza.  Please state your outlet. 

Q    Hi.  Thank you so much.  Celia Mendoza, Voice of America. 

So my question goes a little bit more into — we understand that Nicolas Maduro has not responded to pressure.  What these new sanctions could do for him to change his course?  As we see it right now, he keeps jailing people; he keeps moving forward with his government; is expected for him to be taking power for the next six years in January.  How does the administration see the last few months of the Biden-Harris strategy to actually impact or make a dent on what so far has not been any advancement?

And then, the other part of that question is: Where is the conversations that were initially talked with Mexico, Colombia, Brazil?  So far, we have not seen any advancement on that front.  Would it be possible to reengage those countries, before the administration leaves, to be able to see any changes? 

Just yesterday, the government in Diosdado Cabello said that they were going to do a trial against Maria Corina Machado, who’s still in the country, and they said they will do it even if she’s not present, which, of course, is a signal that they will go after her.  And the prospective of that happening within the next few months looks like imminent if we follow what he has done.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So I think it’s important to recognize that Nicolas Maduro, with those around him, have never been more politically isolated.  Scores of countries have come out and recognized that all indications are that Edmundo Gonzalez won the election.  They’ve called on Maduro to substantiate his position.  He’s never been able to provide any evidence to refute Edmundo Gonzalez’s overwhelming more than 2-to-1 victory in the election on July 28th.

The countries around Venezuela have said that they are not going to recognize Nicolas Maduro as president of Venezuela absent the provision of some evidence to demonstrate that.

The international coalition of countries that seeks democracy in Venezuela is strong, it is large, and it will continue to press Maduro and those around them to come to the table and talk about a democratic transition. 

The frontline states have a special role to play in that process.  Countries like Colombia and Brazil, in particular, with borders with Venezuela, are influential, and they’ve continued to raise concerns in ways that we have not seen previously.  This is very important for the future of Venezuela, the welfare of the Venezuelan people.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And if I could, I’ll just add to that that these actions that are being taken today are directed towards the Maduro regime but also towards specific individuals and entities in the Maduro regime that have been found credibly accused of perpetrating in acts of repression and contravening the will of the Venezuelan people. 

And so, I really do encourage you and everyone on this call to read the OFAC press release, which details the fact that you’ve got people who are, you know, in some cases, operating regional command zones that have been under the jurisdiction of Maduro, that have targeted innocent civilians for repression and reprisals.  It also includes senior officials in the Venezuelan government who have strong ties to Diosdado Cabello, a senior regime figure. 

And so, I think that the signal that these sanctions will send is not merely about holding Nicolas Maduro accountable, but that, in fact, regime officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold this regime based on repressive tactics will also find themselves in the crosshairs of these sanctions.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We’ll go to David Alandete.  Please state your outlet.

Q    Thank you so much.  This is David Alandete from Diario ABC in Spain. 

I just have a question regarding European recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez, (inaudible) Spain, but there is still delay in the Spanish government recognizing him as president-elect.  And I wanted to know if you expect this to happen before the end of President Biden’s term, and if it would be helpful for these efforts, given the fact that the European Parliament and the Spanish Senate, separately, have recognized him.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, thanks so much.  Those decisions are sovereign decisions for each country to make.  But as you rightly point out, key institutions in Europe have already called Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the president-elect.  And the pressure that that puts on the Maduro authorities is significant. 

We believe that it reflects the reality of the will of Venezuelan voters, and we believe that it’s urgent that all the countries that are committed to seeing democratic change in Venezuela publicly continue to press for that and to express their concern publicly and privately with Maduro authorities.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And I’d also like to take this opportunity to highlight that, yesterday, the G7 foreign ministers put out a statement — which was released by the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the high representative of the European Union — which treats, among other subjects, the topic of Venezuela. 

Regarding Venezuela, the G7 foreign ministers said that:

“On July 28th, the Venezuelan people made a clear choice in the polls, voting for democratic change and supporting Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia by a significant majority, according to publicly available electoral records.  We will continue to support efforts by regional partners to facilitate a Venezuelan-led democratic and peaceful transition that will ensure respect for the will of the voters. 

We are deeply troubled by the continued violations and abuses of human rights, including arbitrary detentions and severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms, targeting in particular political opponents, civil society, and independent media.  All unjustly detained political prisoners must be released.” 

And so, that is a statement — that includes all the G7 foreign ministers, including the high representative of the European Union.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We’ll go to Karen DeYoung.

Q    Hi, it’s Karen DeYoung at the Washington Post.  I have a couple of questions.  First, has any consideration been given to lifting licenses, such as General License 41, or any individual licenses that have been given to the energy production and export, or any other part of the Venezuelan economy?

Secondly, on the recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez as the president, [senior administration official] said that this imposes significant pressure.  But I wonder if you could talk about exactly what it means.  If one goes back to the period of Juan Guaidó, what that actually accomplished and what you expect the recognition to accomplish. 

And finally, after the election, the United States tried to hold some meetings with representatives of Maduro.  I wonder if you could tell me when you last met with any representatives of the Maduro government.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  I’ll take question one and three and then let [senior administration official] comment. 

So in terms of the licenses and overall U.S. sanctions and licensing policy, this is something that is under continual review by us as we seek to achieve our foreign policy objectives in Venezuela. 

And so, we are obviously always evaluating events on the ground in Venezuela, how that corresponds to our sanctions policy, what steps that we can take that may provoke greater divisions in the regime as well. 

And so, this is something we’re going to continue to review moving forward and certainly all the way to the end of this administration.

And then, with respect to direct talks with Maduro authorities, we really can’t comment on diplomatic — discreet diplomatic discussions.  But what we can say is that we remain in constant contact with a wide range of allies in the region and beyond, with respect to developments in Venezuela.

MODERATOR:  [Senior administration official], are you trying to speak?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I was thinking, I think [senior administration official] covered it all, so I don’t think I have anything to add.

MODERATOR:  Great.  More chance for questions. 

We’ll go next to Carla Angola.  Please state your outlet.

Q    Good morning.  Thank you for doing this.  My first question is — Carla Angola from EVTV.

The president of Venezuela has reported that he’s willing to return to the country on January 10 to take office.  Would the United States be willing to accompany him, from a logistical point of view, on that return and protect his physical integrity?  Or would you participate in some way in the operation to return home the president-elect, Edmundo Gonzalez? This is my first one.

And regarding the license to Chevron, at first, this administration assured that Maduro would not have any profit from the sale of that oil.  But on the contrary, some suspect that the license granted to Chevron is allowing Maduro to finance the repression of innocent people.  Does this administration plan to suspend that license before leaving the White House?  Thank you so much.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, let me just note, in terms of the logistics question that was asked: The United States government has not received a request from Edmundo Gonzalez for assistance in his transportation, and we did not participate in his departure from Venezuela, and we were not asked to do so.  If we were to receive a request from him, we would consider that.  But, you know, we don’t recognize the Maduro authorities, so it’s something that, you know, we’re not in touch with them on these types of issues. 

And I’ll leave the rest for [senior administration official].

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks.  I’ll just share that as we review our overall sanctions policy and licensing policy towards Venezuela, this is under constant monitoring and review, and we are willing to calibrate and adjust as needed in order to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives.

MODERATOR:  Great.  We have time for one, maybe two questions if we go through them quickly.

We’ll go to Eric Bazail-Eimil.

Q    Hi.  Thanks for doing this.  Eric Bazail-Eimil from Politico.

Look, can I just get more clarity on why, at this point, the administration is still reviewing those licenses and isn’t more actively pursuing energy sanctions?  There’s only a month left until — about a month, with a rounding error, for, you know, the handover to occur.  And energy sanctions seem to be the only thing that have gotten Maduro to go to the negotiating table in the past.  So I’m curious if you could just explain that.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  Well, I think that there’s — you know, first of all, there’s a number of things that have moved Maduro to the negotiating table at different junctures, which includes international pressure, their desire to seek some sort of legitimacy, obviously a desire that is not being met, given the malfeasance that followed the July 28th election. 

And so, we review this policy on a comprehensive basis, both the sanctions, of which there are still quite extensive sanctions towards Venezuela at a sectoral level, and also, as we’re discussing today, at an individual level, targeted at regime officials who have committed human rights abuses. 

But we also have a number of other aspects of our policy towards Venezuela which are critical to our overall shaping of this policy. 

And so, this is something that we’re going to continue to look at very carefully, both with respect to U.S. foreign policy interests and in consultation with a wider set of partners and allies.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I would just add that just because we have not taken an action so far, does not mean that we will not take an action in the future — though, obviously, as we said many times, we do not preview our sanctions decisions.

MODERATOR:  Great.  And with that, we’ll go with one last question.  We’ll go to Regina Garcia Cano.  Please state your outlet. 

Q    Hi there.  Thank you for doing this.  I have a follow-up on that, on licenses. 

The opposition advisors to Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez have openly said that they would like to see particularly the Chevron license canceled, and I’m sure they’ve expressed that to you directly. 

The explanation for that license, at least in writing, when it was issued was all about democracy and getting to have a more free and fair election.  We already saw what happened on July 28th. 

So with those 45 days left between now and January 10th, when the next presidential term starts in Venezuela, you say you’re still reviewing and that you haven’t taken it doesn’t mean that you won’t take it in the future.  But why — you know, if it was based in the idea of democracy, why is that still in place?  That was, at least in writing, the argument for this.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  As we said previously, we are continually reviewing our sanctions policy to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives.

MODERATOR:  Great.  Thank you.  That’s all the time we have for today.  Thanks again for joining us.

Again, the call was embargoed until — it is embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and it is attributable to senior administration officials.  We will have a transcript also on our WhiteHouse.gov website later this afternoon.

Thanks again, and happy holidays.

9:53 A.M. EST          

The post Background Press Call on Venezuela appeared first on The White House.

     This Thanksgiving, as families, friends, and loved ones gather in gratitude, may we all celebrate the many blessings of our great Nation.
     Thanksgiving is at the heart of America’s spirit of gratitude — of finding light in times of both joy and strife.  The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving to honor a successful harvest, made possible by the generosity and kindness of the Wampanoag people.  On the way to Valley Forge, as General George Washington and his troops continued the fierce struggle for our Nation’s independence, they found a moment for Thanksgiving.  And amid the fight to preserve our Union during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday, finding gratitude in the courage of the American people who sacrifice so much for our country.
     We are a good Nation because we are a good people.  The First Lady and I remain inspired by the everyday Americans who lift this country up and push us forward.  Today, so many are among their family and friends, celebrating the love that binds them and creating new traditions that will carry on for generations.  To anyone with an empty seat at the dinner table, grieving the loss of a loved one, the First Lady and I hold you in our hearts and prayers.
     America is a Nation of promise and possibilities — and that is because, every day, ordinary Americans are doing extraordinary things.  Our service members and veterans have given all, risked all, and dared all to keep our Nation free.  Our first responders, firefighters, and police officers risk their lives every day to keep the rest of us safe.  I can see the best of America in them and in our workers and union leaders, public servants and teachers, doctors and scientists, and all who give their heart and soul to ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect.  And I find hope in our Nation’s families, who sacrifice so much to achieve the American Dream and build a future worthy of our highest aspirations.
     This Thanksgiving — the last one I will declare as President — I express my gratitude to the American people.  Serving as President has been the honor of a lifetime.  America is the greatest country on Earth, and there is so much to be grateful for.  May we celebrate all that unites us — because there is nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2024, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  I encourage the people of the United States of America to join together and give thanks for the friends, neighbors, family members, and communities who have supported each other over the past year in a reflection of goodwill and unity.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                        JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation on Thanksgiving Day, 2024 appeared first on The White House.

     This Thanksgiving, as families, friends, and loved ones gather in gratitude, may we all celebrate the many blessings of our great Nation.
     Thanksgiving is at the heart of America’s spirit of gratitude — of finding light in times of both joy and strife.  The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving to honor a successful harvest, made possible by the generosity and kindness of the Wampanoag people.  On the way to Valley Forge, as General George Washington and his troops continued the fierce struggle for our Nation’s independence, they found a moment for Thanksgiving.  And amid the fight to preserve our Union during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday, finding gratitude in the courage of the American people who sacrifice so much for our country.
     We are a good Nation because we are a good people.  The First Lady and I remain inspired by the everyday Americans who lift this country up and push us forward.  Today, so many are among their family and friends, celebrating the love that binds them and creating new traditions that will carry on for generations.  To anyone with an empty seat at the dinner table, grieving the loss of a loved one, the First Lady and I hold you in our hearts and prayers.
     America is a Nation of promise and possibilities — and that is because, every day, ordinary Americans are doing extraordinary things.  Our service members and veterans have given all, risked all, and dared all to keep our Nation free.  Our first responders, firefighters, and police officers risk their lives every day to keep the rest of us safe.  I can see the best of America in them and in our workers and union leaders, public servants and teachers, doctors and scientists, and all who give their heart and soul to ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect.  And I find hope in our Nation’s families, who sacrifice so much to achieve the American Dream and build a future worthy of our highest aspirations.
     This Thanksgiving — the last one I will declare as President — I express my gratitude to the American people.  Serving as President has been the honor of a lifetime.  America is the greatest country on Earth, and there is so much to be grateful for.  May we celebrate all that unites us — because there is nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2024, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  I encourage the people of the United States of America to join together and give thanks for the friends, neighbors, family members, and communities who have supported each other over the past year in a reflection of goodwill and unity.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                        JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation on Thanksgiving Day, 2024 appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and ordered Federal assistance to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto from August 13 to August 16, 2024.

Federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Ernesto in the municipalities of Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Añasco, Barranquitas, Canóvanas, Ceiba, Coamo, Comerío, Corozal, Hormigueros, Jayuya, Las Marías, Loíza, Manatí, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayagüez, Naguabo, Orocovis, San Lorenzo, San Sebastián, Santa Isabel, Vega Alta, Vieques, Villalba, and Yabucoa.

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

Mr. David Miller, Jr. of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Puerto Rico Major Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and ordered Federal assistance to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto from August 13 to August 16, 2024.

Federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Ernesto in the municipalities of Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Añasco, Barranquitas, Canóvanas, Ceiba, Coamo, Comerío, Corozal, Hormigueros, Jayuya, Las Marías, Loíza, Manatí, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayagüez, Naguabo, Orocovis, San Lorenzo, San Sebastián, Santa Isabel, Vega Alta, Vieques, Villalba, and Yabucoa.

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

Mr. David Miller, Jr. of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Puerto Rico Major Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today’s data show inflation has fallen to 2.3%, similar to the level before the pandemic, while our economy has continued to expand by nearly 3% per year. After a hard-fought recovery, we are making progress for working families. Gas prices are close to $3.00 per gallon—the lowest for any Thanksgiving week since the pandemic—and the cost of a Thanksgiving meal has fallen two years in a row, providing needed relief during the holidays. Household incomes are up almost $4,000 more than prices during this Administration. Let’s build on this progress and lower costs for key items like housing and medicine, and not squander it with sweeping policies that would raise prices for working families.

###

The post Statement from National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard on October 2024 PCE and Third Quarter 2024 GDP appeared first on The White House.

Today’s data show inflation has fallen to 2.3%, similar to the level before the pandemic, while our economy has continued to expand by nearly 3% per year. After a hard-fought recovery, we are making progress for working families. Gas prices are close to $3.00 per gallon—the lowest for any Thanksgiving week since the pandemic—and the cost of a Thanksgiving meal has fallen two years in a row, providing needed relief during the holidays. Household incomes are up almost $4,000 more than prices during this Administration. Let’s build on this progress and lower costs for key items like housing and medicine, and not squander it with sweeping policies that would raise prices for working families.

###

The post Statement from National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard on October 2024 PCE and Third Quarter 2024 GDP appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and ordered Federal assistance to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the remnants of Hurricane Helene from September 27 to September 30, 2024.

Federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Helene in the counties of Anderson, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Bracken, Breathitt, Carter, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Powell, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Washington, and Wolfe.

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

Ms. Mary Hernandez-Marrero of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Kentucky Major Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and ordered Federal assistance to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the remnants of Hurricane Helene from September 27 to September 30, 2024.

Federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Helene in the counties of Anderson, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Bracken, Breathitt, Carter, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Powell, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Washington, and Wolfe.

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

Ms. Mary Hernandez-Marrero of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Kentucky Major Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.