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Jill and I mourn the tragic loss of two naval aviators, Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay Evans and Lieutenant Serena Wileman, who were killed when their EA-18G Growler aircraft crashed last Tuesday near Mount Rainier, Washington during a routine training mission.  They were among our nation’s finest and had just recently returned to the United States after an extended deployment to the Middle East defending against Houthi missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea.  We thank the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and Yakima County Tribal and local authorities for their efforts to locate and recover these two brave and talented young aviators.  We pray for their families, loved ones and squadron-mates, and we will always honor their service and sacrifice.  

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The post Statement from President Joe Biden on Loss of U.S. Naval Aviators in Washington appeared first on The White House.

East Room

5:50 P.M. EDT

THE FIRST LADY:  Welcome to the White House!

The poet Gwendolyn Brooks, a past recipient of the National Medal of Arts, once said that sometimes it’s easier to stay home — while it’s easier to stay home, “art urges voyages.” 

The artists, scholars, and patrons we’re honoring tonight have given us a gift: They’ve gone on those voyages.  And when they returned, they expressed our shared humanity in new ways, helping us integrate all of our hope, joy, and hard-earned wisdom into the one life we’re given and the one nation we all share.

In paintings and films, in songs and scenes, poetry and history, they’ve uncovered the memories we didn’t know we held onto and the dreams we didn’t dare say out loud.  And they remind us of the transcendent moments of truth and beauty and that they are not out of our reach.  Sometimes, they just require a voyage within ourselves of — toward the people around us.

Joe and I are so grateful to be here tonight with these extraordinary medal recipients.  (Applause.)  Each of you has helped us venture out to see our world with clarity, empathy, and courage. 

Thank you and congratulations.  (Applause.)

Now it is my pleasure to introduce the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Maria Rosi- — Rosario Jackson. 

Chair Jackson, you’ve empowered so many people to go on creative journeys, and you’ve helped us weave the arts and humanities into every part of our lives.  We are deeply grateful to have you as a champion of this community. 

Thank you.  (Applause.)

(The program continues.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Welcome to the White House, and thank you for making me look good in front of the love of my life and the life of my love — (laughter) — my daughter, Ashley Biden.  Ashley.  (Laughter and applause.)

Welcome to the White House, again, the newest recipients of the National Medal of Arts and Humanities.  And truly inspiring individuals and truly extraordinary group. 

Jill and I just welcomed each of them and their families in the Oval Office, where they received their medals and official citations. 

And just like across the country, in the Oval Office, you see deep impact of the arts, humanities on our national history.  Across from the Resolute Desk is a bust of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy.  I can see them from where I sit.  They’re two of my political heroes who often quoted the wisdom of poets and philosophers, artists and advocates. 

Just last week, I delivered a eulogy for Ethel Kennedy, which was a great honor, and — Robert Kennedy’s widow.  She was a hero in her own right who supported the arts and the humanities in advancing the causes of human rights and social justice. 

While the service was a celebration of life at a Catholic church with plenty of prayer and reflection, it was a literal concert.  Stevie Wonder, Sting, Kenny Chesney — (laughter) — St. Martin choir each performed.  It was deeply moving.  Different genres in each voice echoed through the cathedral and reverberated in our hearts.  That’s the power of the arts and humanities in America. 

And today, Jill and I are truly proud to continue that legacy by awarding two of our nation’s highest honors to 39 extraordinary Americans.  Again, congratulations to all of you.  (Applause.)  And to your families as well.  (Laughter and applause.) 

The National Medal of Arts to honor outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States and the National Humanities Medal to honor those who[se] work has depended on the nation’s understanding of humanities and broadened our citizens’ engagement with history, literature, philosophy, and so many other subjects. 

Now, I could spend all day talking about each one of you, and if it weren’t so many, I would.  (Laughter.) 

But just let me just say this.  You have broken barriers.  You’ve blazed new trails.  You redefined culture.   You are the truth-tellers, the bridge-builders, the change-seekers.  And above all, you’re the masters of your craft who have made us a better America with all you’ve done, and it’s a better America.  That’s what you’ve done.  (Applause.)  I mean it. 

Bringing all of our rich and diverse cultures to the masses; showing us the beauty of this land and the people that inhabit this land; bringing new characters to life to influence who we all can be. 

You also help us find meaning and purpose in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary, providing hope, wisdom, and laughter when we need it and we need a way forward, and transporting us through the past and the future to help us make sense of the present, because that’s what it does: make sense of the present.  With absolute courage, you combat racial stereotypes, confront ghosts of history, and speak truth to power. 

As Jill Biden’s husband, I know the power of women in this room.  (Laughter.)  I know — you think I’m kidding.  I’m not.  (Laughter.)  All the women in my family are smarter than all the men, and that’s not a joke.  (Laughter.)  You think I’m joking.  I’m not.  I know you don’t think I’m joking. 

I know the power of women in this room to get things done and uplift the next generation of pioneers, proving a woman can do anything a man can do and then some.  And that includes being president of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  Just saying. 

You know, the artist’s gift is a sixth sense to imagine something no one else can carve, paint, write, sing, dance, or film until they set their visions free — you know, our vision of our nation’s North Star, the idea that we’re all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.  We’re the most unique nation in the world.  We’re the only nation founded on an idea — an idea.  Not a joke.  An idea.  All others are geography and other ethnicities. 

But we never, never, never — we’ve never walked away from the idea that all of us are created equal and deserve to be treated that way throughout our lives.  While we’ve never fully lived up to this idea, we’ve never walked away from it either — away from it either, because of you — I mean this sincerely — because of you, the people in this room, all of you who we honor in this per- — in person today and those whose spirits are with us. 

Folks, let’s take a moment to recognize those honorees who are no longer with us: Anthony Bourdain, Selena, Ruth Asawa.  You know, they were larger than life.  We remember every song, every sculpture, every meal, every moment they shared with us.  We miss them dearly. 

Let me close with this.  I — I’m a — we have a tendency to go on too long here because you’re an incredible group.  (Laughter.)  No, you really are.  You’re an incredible group. 

It’s clear Jill and I, Kamala and Doug, our entire administration believe in the power of the arts and humanities.  And it matters.  It matters now more than ever.  This is a very consequential time for the arts and humanities in America.  Extreme forces are banning books, trying to erase history, spreading misinformation.  But because of you — I mean this — because of you, we keep our books open.  You make history.  We combat lies with truth. 

This administration supports the arts and humanities as essential pieces of America’s might and dynamism, whether it’s helping local venues and theaters get through the pandemic or opening the White House for a range of groundbreaking concerts and exhibits. 

For example, we surprised Elton John while we — with the National Humanities Medal during the concert on the South Lawn.  At the first-ever Juneteenth conference at the White House, we heard the great Jennifer Hudson sing from her soul about the glory that will come. 

And one of the things we’re most proud of is that Jill instilled a new exhibition — installed a new exhibition in the East Wing, featuring artwork from children of military families.  You know, through the eyes of a child, we see the power of the arts and humanities — through the eyes of a child — to inspire and imagine a future — a future worthy of our dreams. 

In fact, 85 years ago, a 10-year-old boy was listening to the radio.  He heard the voice of Marian Anderson standing in the light of the Lincoln Memorial from the shadow of Jim Crow and singing, “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet la- — sweet land of li- — of liberty.”  (Applause.)

Look, folks, showing her pride in America and calling for national unity, her performance is described as a “concert that sparked the Civil Rights Movement.” 

Nearly 25 years later, that 10-year-old boy stood on those same steps.  His name was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  And he  declared a dream during the March on Washington.  He asked Marian Anderson to perform once again, and she did.  She sang, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” 

My fellow Americans, today we honor that legacy, and we remember the power in all your hands — and I mean it sincerely — your hands. 

Look, I’d like to ask the following medal- — medalists to stand, if you’re able, to be recognized.

Let’s recognize the class of 2022 National Medal of Arts recipients.  The class of 2022.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 

And, folks, the class of 2022 medal recipients are here and are — you just heard them.

But the class of 2023, please — of the Arts — stand.  (Applause.) 

And, folks, you know, you’re an incredible group of people.  You know, there’s one other thing I want to say to you all, is that, you know the class of 2022 National Medal recipients — Humanities reci- — of the class of 2023 National Medal of Arts recipients.  I’d like to see you guys stand as well.

Did I already have you stand?  (Laughter.) 

2023, come on.  (Applause.)

National humanitarians — look, you guys are something else.  (Laughter.)  Class of 2023 Humanities Medal recipients are something else.  (Applause.) 

Well, I tell you what, there — congratulations, you all. 

Look, you know, there’s a — there’s a symn based — a hymn based on the 22nd Psalm of my church.  It says, “May he raise you up on eagle’s wings and bear you on the breath of dawn and let the light to shine upon you.  Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.” 

We need you.  We need you badly now.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for making us better.  I love you.

Please enjoy the reception.  God bless you all.  (Applause.)  

6:13 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at National Arts and Humanities Reception appeared first on The White House.

East Room

5:50 P.M. EDT

THE FIRST LADY:  Welcome to the White House!

The poet Gwendolyn Brooks, a past recipient of the National Medal of Arts, once said that sometimes it’s easier to stay home — while it’s easier to stay home, “art urges voyages.” 

The artists, scholars, and patrons we’re honoring tonight have given us a gift: They’ve gone on those voyages.  And when they returned, they expressed our shared humanity in new ways, helping us integrate all of our hope, joy, and hard-earned wisdom into the one life we’re given and the one nation we all share.

In paintings and films, in songs and scenes, poetry and history, they’ve uncovered the memories we didn’t know we held onto and the dreams we didn’t dare say out loud.  And they remind us of the transcendent moments of truth and beauty and that they are not out of our reach.  Sometimes, they just require a voyage within ourselves of — toward the people around us.

Joe and I are so grateful to be here tonight with these extraordinary medal recipients.  (Applause.)  Each of you has helped us venture out to see our world with clarity, empathy, and courage. 

Thank you and congratulations.  (Applause.)

Now it is my pleasure to introduce the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Maria Rosi- — Rosario Jackson. 

Chair Jackson, you’ve empowered so many people to go on creative journeys, and you’ve helped us weave the arts and humanities into every part of our lives.  We are deeply grateful to have you as a champion of this community. 

Thank you.  (Applause.)

(The program continues.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Welcome to the White House, and thank you for making me look good in front of the love of my life and the life of my love — (laughter) — my daughter, Ashley Biden.  Ashley.  (Laughter and applause.)

Welcome to the White House, again, the newest recipients of the National Medal of Arts and Humanities.  And truly inspiring individuals and truly extraordinary group. 

Jill and I just welcomed each of them and their families in the Oval Office, where they received their medals and official citations. 

And just like across the country, in the Oval Office, you see deep impact of the arts, humanities on our national history.  Across from the Resolute Desk is a bust of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy.  I can see them from where I sit.  They’re two of my political heroes who often quoted the wisdom of poets and philosophers, artists and advocates. 

Just last week, I delivered a eulogy for Ethel Kennedy, which was a great honor, and — Robert Kennedy’s widow.  She was a hero in her own right who supported the arts and the humanities in advancing the causes of human rights and social justice. 

While the service was a celebration of life at a Catholic church with plenty of prayer and reflection, it was a literal concert.  Stevie Wonder, Sting, Kenny Chesney — (laughter) — St. Martin choir each performed.  It was deeply moving.  Different genres in each voice echoed through the cathedral and reverberated in our hearts.  That’s the power of the arts and humanities in America. 

And today, Jill and I are truly proud to continue that legacy by awarding two of our nation’s highest honors to 39 extraordinary Americans.  Again, congratulations to all of you.  (Applause.)  And to your families as well.  (Laughter and applause.) 

The National Medal of Arts to honor outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States and the National Humanities Medal to honor those who[se] work has depended on the nation’s understanding of humanities and broadened our citizens’ engagement with history, literature, philosophy, and so many other subjects. 

Now, I could spend all day talking about each one of you, and if it weren’t so many, I would.  (Laughter.) 

But just let me just say this.  You have broken barriers.  You’ve blazed new trails.  You redefined culture.   You are the truth-tellers, the bridge-builders, the change-seekers.  And above all, you’re the masters of your craft who have made us a better America with all you’ve done, and it’s a better America.  That’s what you’ve done.  (Applause.)  I mean it. 

Bringing all of our rich and diverse cultures to the masses; showing us the beauty of this land and the people that inhabit this land; bringing new characters to life to influence who we all can be. 

You also help us find meaning and purpose in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary, providing hope, wisdom, and laughter when we need it and we need a way forward, and transporting us through the past and the future to help us make sense of the present, because that’s what it does: make sense of the present.  With absolute courage, you combat racial stereotypes, confront ghosts of history, and speak truth to power. 

As Jill Biden’s husband, I know the power of women in this room.  (Laughter.)  I know — you think I’m kidding.  I’m not.  (Laughter.)  All the women in my family are smarter than all the men, and that’s not a joke.  (Laughter.)  You think I’m joking.  I’m not.  I know you don’t think I’m joking. 

I know the power of women in this room to get things done and uplift the next generation of pioneers, proving a woman can do anything a man can do and then some.  And that includes being president of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  Just saying. 

You know, the artist’s gift is a sixth sense to imagine something no one else can carve, paint, write, sing, dance, or film until they set their visions free — you know, our vision of our nation’s North Star, the idea that we’re all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.  We’re the most unique nation in the world.  We’re the only nation founded on an idea — an idea.  Not a joke.  An idea.  All others are geography and other ethnicities. 

But we never, never, never — we’ve never walked away from the idea that all of us are created equal and deserve to be treated that way throughout our lives.  While we’ve never fully lived up to this idea, we’ve never walked away from it either — away from it either, because of you — I mean this sincerely — because of you, the people in this room, all of you who we honor in this per- — in person today and those whose spirits are with us. 

Folks, let’s take a moment to recognize those honorees who are no longer with us: Anthony Bourdain, Selena, Ruth Asawa.  You know, they were larger than life.  We remember every song, every sculpture, every meal, every moment they shared with us.  We miss them dearly. 

Let me close with this.  I — I’m a — we have a tendency to go on too long here because you’re an incredible group.  (Laughter.)  No, you really are.  You’re an incredible group. 

It’s clear Jill and I, Kamala and Doug, our entire administration believe in the power of the arts and humanities.  And it matters.  It matters now more than ever.  This is a very consequential time for the arts and humanities in America.  Extreme forces are banning books, trying to erase history, spreading misinformation.  But because of you — I mean this — because of you, we keep our books open.  You make history.  We combat lies with truth. 

This administration supports the arts and humanities as essential pieces of America’s might and dynamism, whether it’s helping local venues and theaters get through the pandemic or opening the White House for a range of groundbreaking concerts and exhibits. 

For example, we surprised Elton John while we — with the National Humanities Medal during the concert on the South Lawn.  At the first-ever Juneteenth conference at the White House, we heard the great Jennifer Hudson sing from her soul about the glory that will come. 

And one of the things we’re most proud of is that Jill instilled a new exhibition — installed a new exhibition in the East Wing, featuring artwork from children of military families.  You know, through the eyes of a child, we see the power of the arts and humanities — through the eyes of a child — to inspire and imagine a future — a future worthy of our dreams. 

In fact, 85 years ago, a 10-year-old boy was listening to the radio.  He heard the voice of Marian Anderson standing in the light of the Lincoln Memorial from the shadow of Jim Crow and singing, “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet la- — sweet land of li- — of liberty.”  (Applause.)

Look, folks, showing her pride in America and calling for national unity, her performance is described as a “concert that sparked the Civil Rights Movement.” 

Nearly 25 years later, that 10-year-old boy stood on those same steps.  His name was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  And he  declared a dream during the March on Washington.  He asked Marian Anderson to perform once again, and she did.  She sang, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” 

My fellow Americans, today we honor that legacy, and we remember the power in all your hands — and I mean it sincerely — your hands. 

Look, I’d like to ask the following medal- — medalists to stand, if you’re able, to be recognized.

Let’s recognize the class of 2022 National Medal of Arts recipients.  The class of 2022.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 

And, folks, the class of 2022 medal recipients are here and are — you just heard them.

But the class of 2023, please — of the Arts — stand.  (Applause.) 

And, folks, you know, you’re an incredible group of people.  You know, there’s one other thing I want to say to you all, is that, you know the class of 2022 National Medal recipients — Humanities reci- — of the class of 2023 National Medal of Arts recipients.  I’d like to see you guys stand as well.

Did I already have you stand?  (Laughter.) 

2023, come on.  (Applause.)

National humanitarians — look, you guys are something else.  (Laughter.)  Class of 2023 Humanities Medal recipients are something else.  (Applause.) 

Well, I tell you what, there — congratulations, you all. 

Look, you know, there’s a — there’s a symn based — a hymn based on the 22nd Psalm of my church.  It says, “May he raise you up on eagle’s wings and bear you on the breath of dawn and let the light to shine upon you.  Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.” 

We need you.  We need you badly now.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for making us better.  I love you.

Please enjoy the reception.  God bless you all.  (Applause.)  

6:13 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at National Arts and Humanities Reception appeared first on The White House.

People’s Light
Malvern, Pennsylvania

11:54 A.M. EDT

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s get to it.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Let’s do it.  Let’s do it.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everyone.

     AUDIENCE:  Good morning.

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Happy birthday!

     MS. LONGWELL:  Oh, happy belated birthday.  (Applause.)  Oh, yeah.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  I appreciate that.  Thank you. 

     MS. LONGWELL:  Audience members showing me up — that’s tough.  (Laughter.)

Okay.  So, I’ve got to start with the thing that brings us here today, because I’ve got to say it is unusual for somebody who was as high up in the Republican leadership as Liz Cheney was to be out here campaigning with the Democratic nominee for president. 

And so, maybe — why don’t both of you tell us, but you start: You’ve actually marshaled unprecedented support from Republicans in this election.  Why do you think that is?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Sarah.  Thank you for being here and for your work.  And the congresswoman, thank you. 

I — I have said before and it must be repeated each time: There are moments in the history of our country which challenge us, each of us, to really decide do we stand for those things that we talk about, including, in particular, country over party.  And you have been extraordinarily courageous in the way that you have done that.  And I thank you for that.  (Applause.)

So, you know, I have in my career now — whether it was as the elected district attorney, elected attorney general, and then elected United States senator, and, of course, now vice president — I’ve counted that I have taken the oath of office six times.  And for the elected leaders here, we know it is an oath that one must take sincerely and unequivocally, which is an oath, among other things, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and to understand what those principles represent and what they require of the individual who holds the office and the public trust.

And let’s not undervalue that point as well.  It is not about the individual.  It is not about what is in their personal interests.  It is about what is for and in the spirit of the public good.     

 And this is a moment in this election that presents a real contrast among how I, as one of the two nominees, and my opponent, the former president, think of that duty.  And it is a duty, by the way.  There are certain things in our lives that we have the choice if we feel like it — (laughter) — and then there are certain things that are just fundamentally a duty, like to raise our children.  Things of that nature.  It is a duty to take seriously that oath and do it for the sake of the public good and in the public trust.

And I think that at this moment, with the choice that the American people have in this election in — in two weeks and one day, this election is presenting — for the first time, probably, in certainly recent history — a very clear choice and difference between the two nominees.  And I think that is what, as much as anything, is bringing us, as Americans, together, who are understanding that we cannot, with such fundamental stakes being presented, afford to be mired in ideological differences without really staking our claim to the most fundamental ideals upon which our country stands.

MS. LONGWELL:  Thank you.  And, you know, Congresswoman Cheney, it’s a — sort of the same question to you.  But I got to ask: You know, it’s one thing for Republicans to sign a letter.  You know, we’ve seen that she has — Vice President Harris has been endorsed by 200 Republicans in the national security space, all kinds of people from George W. Bush’s administration.  There’s been a lot of people — they’ll sign letters and maybe they’ll go on T.V., they’ll release a statement.  I was just with Republican Congressman Charlie Dent — former Republican congressman here from the state.  He voted for you in his early voting. 

But you are out here campaigning.  You are out here holding events.  So, talk about why it’s been so important to you to be as involved as you are in getting Vice President Harris elected.

MS. CHENEY:  Well, thank you so much, Sarah, for the question.  And — and it’s an honor to be here today with you, Madam Vice President. 

     You know — (applause) —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.

MS. CHENEY:  — for me, every — every single thing in — in my experience and in my background has — has played a part in my decision to endorse Vice President Harris. 

And, you know, that — that begins with the fact that I’m a conservative, and I know that the most conservative of all conservative principles is being faithful to the Constitution.  And you have to choose, in this race, between someone who has been faithful to the Constitution, who will be faithful, and Donald Trump, who it’s not just us predicting how he will act.  We watched what he did after the last election.  We watched what he did on January 6th.

And so, coming to this as someone who’s been a lifelong Republican, a lifelong conservative, also as someone who spent — I spent time working overseas before I was elected to Congress, and I’ve — I’ve spent time working in countries where people aren’t free and where people are struggling for their freedom, and I know how — how quickly democracies can unravel. 

And I know that, as Americans, we can become accustomed to thinking, “Well, we don’t have to worry about that here.”  But I tell you, again, as someone who has seen firsthand how quickly it can happen, that that is what’s on the ballot.  That’s absolutely what’s on the ballot.

I also — I come to this decision as a mother.  I have five children.  And there was a moment right after January 6th when my husband and I were having dinner with our two youngest, our two sons, and I looked across the table at my — my young sons, and I thought to myself, “You know, in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, are they going to grow up in a country where we don’t have to worry about the peaceful transfer of power?  Are they going to grow up in a country where that is guaranteed?”

And — and I believe that every one of us in this election has a duty and an obligation to do what we know is right for the country, and that’s to support Vice President Harris.  So, I’m very honored to be here and to do that.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.

You know, if I can just echo the congresswoman’s point.  So, I’ve now, as vice president, met over 150 world leaders — presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, and kings — many of them multiple times, to the point we’re on a first-name basis.  And the last few times that I’ve seen them in the relative eve of this election, they are very concerned, our allies.  Because, as you know, when we walk in those rooms around the world representing the United States of America, we have traditionally been able to walk in those rooms chin up, shoulders back, with the self-appointed and earned authority to talk about the importance of democracies and rule of law.

But as all the role models here know, as a role model, people watch what you do to see if it lines up with what you say.  People around the world are watching this. 

And I — I tell you, sometimes I do fret a bit about whether we, as Americans, truly understand how important we are to the world.  I hope everyone does really understand that we represent something — imperfect though we certainly are; flawed though we may be — we represent, in terms of our ideals, the — the basis of our Constitution, we represent a gold standard. 

And when we have someone who has been president, who wants to be president again, who is saying he would be dictator on day one, would weaponize our Department of Justice — one of the principles of our democracy is that we say we have a justice system that is blind, that is not punitive against one’s enemies, they are watching.

So, this is about direct impact on the American people, and it most certainly will impact people around the world. 

MS. LONGWELL:  You know, I’m so glad you brought that up.  And I — I — as a follow-up, I would just ask Congressman Cheney too.  We live in a dangerous time.  I mean, I think Americans are watching what’s happening overseas in Ukraine, in Israel.  Republicans — we used to be the party that would be on the side of our democratic allies like Ukraine. 

Talk to me a little bit and all of us about why, from a foreign policy standpoint, you find yourself able to endorse Democrats, who w- — wouldn’t — it didn’t used to be that way.

MS. CHENEY:  Well, it — it’s not just able to endorse them.  But — but if you look at the numbers of the most senior officials who served Donald Trump — his own vice president; national security advisors; his chief of staff; you know, the — the leading generals who served him — who’ve all said he’s unfit, and people really need to stop and think about how completely unprecedented that is.

And the — the idea — when people sort of say, “Well, we might, you know, be tempted, for some reason or another, to vote for Donald Trump” — if the issue is foreign policy, I would just ask everyone: Think about how dangerous and damaging it is to have someone who’s totally erratic — totally erratic, completely unstable — someone who has aligned himself with, who idolizes tyrants.  He idolizes tyrants. 

You know, the — the — again, the choice here, with respect to national security policy, is a man who has proven — he has absolutely proven that he will not stand up, he won’t defend this nation with respect to our own Constitution and rule of law, and Vice President Harris, who has been clear in terms of support for Ukraine, in terms of recognizing and understanding across the board that America cannot maintain our own freedom and security if we walk away from our allies around the world. 

And our adversaries know that they can play Donald Trump.  They absolutely know that they can play him.  And we simply can’t afford to take that risk.

So, as someone who has spent a career on national security issues — again, this was not at all a difficult choice for me — the — the choice here is absolutely clear in terms of the necessity of supporting Vice President Harris.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And — and if I may emphasize, part of the backbone of our national security is our military.  And let’s please not overlook how someone who wants to be commander in chief and was has talked about our servicemen and women; has talked about an American hero like John McCain, who was a prisoner of war — said he didn’t respect him, didn’t like him because he got caught; has talked about our service members as — as though they are less than the most courageous of us. 

 Those who put on the uniform, who represent the United States of America, who are willing to die for the sake of everything we stand for, and he calls them “suckers” and “losers.”  These things cannot be overlooked. 

And — and I have said many times publicly, and I’ll say it again: In many, many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of him being president of the United States are brutally serious.  There are things that he says that will be the subject of skits and laughter and jokes, but words have meaning coming from someone who aspires to stand behind the seal of the president of the United States.  These are the things that are at stake.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Couldn’t agree more. 

So, I do want to ask you another question, though, before we go to the audience.  You know, you talk a lot about a new way forward.  You talk about turning the page.  What’s on the next page?  Talk to us about a —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You want a preview.

MS. LONGWELL:  Yeah.  Give me — a spoiler alert.  You know?  (Laughter.)  Just —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.

MS. LONGWELL:  — tell us — tell us what’s — what’s in the rest of the chapter.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I will say that it — it is a metaphor that is meant to also describe my intention to embark on a new generation of leadership.  And needless to say, mine will not be a continuation of the Biden administration.  I bring to it my own ideas, my own experiences.

But it is also about moving past what, frankly, I think has been the last decade of — of the American discourse being influenced by Donald Trump in a way that has had the effect of suggesting we, as Americans, should point the finger at one another, in a way that has been using the power of the presidency to demean and to divide us.

I think people are exhausted with that, rightly.  And it, frankly, does not lead to the strength of our nation to tell the American people that we must be suspicious of one another, distrust one another.

You know, yesterday, I — I did a couple of church services, and there’s a — we — many people here know the — the parable of the Good Samaritan.  And there is an essence — a piece of that, in my own words, that really requires us, I think, to see in the face of a — of a stranger, to see a neighbor.  Right?  That spirit.  And I think we need to get back to that.

The spirit of the American people is such that, you know, we are an ambitious people.  We are aspirational.  We have dreams.  And that is productive. 

It is not productive of us to be a nation of people who are pointing fingers at one another, who don’t understand that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.

So, that’s what I mean about turning the page.  And then a new generation of leadership about being ambitious, about all we have yet to do. 

Part of my economic policy — I refer to it as an opportunity economy — is about investing in American industries while leaving none of our traditional, wonderful industries behind; repurposing and retooling the factories that have led to America’s success in industry, while at the same time redefining how we are thinking about which worker has the experience and skill to do the — the job and is qualified and understanding we shouldn’t be falling into a trap that suggests only those with a college degree have the skill or the experience to do the job.  So, let’s look at how we redefine and perhaps even reorder. 

And, in fact, I’m going to start with federal jobs, and then I’m going to challenge the private sector to do the same.  Let’s look at which of those jobs would benefit from a skilled, experienced worker who perhaps went through an apprenticeship program — not a four-year college, but still had a four-year degree, in essence.

     So, these are the kinds of things that are about seeing the opportunity of this moment and investing in it.

     I’ll tell you — and I know this is a controversial topic for many of us — I love Gen Z.  (Laughter.)  Because we have Gen Zs in our lives.  We have kids who are Gen Zs.  It can be complicated, I know.  I love Gen Z.

     These young leaders are so — they’re clear-eyed.  You know, they’ve only known the climate crisis.  They’ve only known active shooter drills.  I mean, we had fire drills.  Not — not our kids, right?

     But they also — they’re — they’re so wonderfully impatient — (laughter) — ri- — no, really, that’s good.  That’s good.  They are ready to get in there.  Let’s invest in them.  Let —

     So, for example, one of my — one piece of my opportunity economy is we got to deal with the reality of where we are right now.  The American dream, for previous generations, was something that people could kind of count on.  Not so much anymore, in terms of homeownership.  We have a housing shortage in America.  We have a supply shortage.

     So, part of my plan is, hey, let’s be clear-eyed about this moment.  Let’s invest in the future.  And as a — a devout public servant, I also know the limitations of government.  I want to work with the private sector.  I have, in my career.  The skills, the breadth, the depth of — of value in those active partnerships benefit us all.

     So, part of my plan for housing is to actively partner with building developers, with homebuilders to create tax credits to increase the supply of housing in America.  My estimate is — I think we can actually do it — by 3 million by the end of my first term.

     Part of my approach that is about a new generation, potentially, of leadership and certainly a different approach: Most of my career was not spent in Washington, D.C.  I say that with pride.  (Laughter.) 

     In that, you know, most of my career was spent as a prosecutor, but I — making decisions that had a direct impact on people’s lives.  You know, I learned at a very young age, as a prosecutor, that the things that I would do with the swipe of my pen could result in someone having their liberty or not.  

     When I was attorney general of California — which is, you know, by estimates, the fifth-largest economy in the world — I was acutely aware the words I spoke could move markets. 

     I like getting things done.  And part of my approach, which is, I think, about a new generation of leadership, is: Let’s cut through the red tape.  Let’s cut through the bureaucracy while still knowing the virtues of the work that we can do in the public sector, be it public education, public health, public safety.

     MS. LONGWELL:  This is a perfect segue into our first audience question, which is going to come from Alexandra Miller from Delaware County.  Main section, right — right there. 

     Hi, Alexandra. 

     Q    Hello.  Hello, Madam Vice President and Representative Cheney.

     MS. CHENEY:  Hi there.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.

     Q    Thank you for taking my question today.  My name is Alex.  I have a 7-year-old son and a wonderful 72-year-old mother who is suffering from dementia and requires full-time care. 

     My son is in second grade, my mother is in a nursing home, and I work full time.  The costs of childcare and of eldercare are staggering.  But simultaneously, professionals that help care for both our children and our elders are generally underpaid, which makes it difficult for them to support their own families and do the jobs that they need to do. 

     How do you propose to help bridge this gap, making both child- and eldercare more affordable for hardworking families and also retaining and attracting quality talent for this — these essential jobs?

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, first of all, you’re dealing with a lot.  You’re dealing with a lot, and I just wish you strength and support.  You are a part of what we call the “sandwich generation,” which are those parents and children who are right in the middle.  They are taking care of their young children and taking care of their parents as they age.  And it’s a lot.

     And so, I actually plan to address this in a substantial way because I actually bring a personal experience to it as well.  I took care of my mother when she was sick, and that work is the work of trying to cook something that they feel like eating — right? — trying to figure out which clothes will not irritate their skin and help them put on a sweater.  It’s about trying to figure out how you can say something that brings a smile to their face or makes them laugh.  It’s about dignity. 

     Meanwhile, you have a second-grader.  You’re trying to teach that kid how to read — (laughter) — spending time with them, reminding them they are special and can be anything. 

     And in the middle of all of that, if you are working or just to have a minute to breathe, it’s a lot.  It’s a lot. 

     So, what — the way that this plays out for many people is — is one of just a couple of ways.  One, if you have the good fortune of having enough extra money, you can hire somebody to come in.  And then, exactly as you said, you — knowing what you just shared with us about yourself — would pay them the value of their work.  Or someone in this position would have to basically spend down all their savings so they could qualify for Medicaid, which means they pretty much have to get rid of everything.  Or they have to quit their job, which means one less income in their household. 

     And this is a matter — this issue, for me, is a matter of dignity — yours, your parents, and the well-being of your child and you being able to do what you naturally want to do, and which — and the thing that we should value in our society, which is someone like you who is taking on the duty and the responsibility of all of that. 

     So, my plan is that instead of those scenarios I just mapped out, we will restructure it so that Medicare covers the cost of in-home health care for your parent so that they can be at home — (applause) — and you can then have the assistance with someone who can help prepare that meal, help them get dressed, and you can still give that baby of yours all the love that they deserve.  And you can have sanity in the process.  And everyone can have dignity. 

     And so, this is — this is my approach, which is let’s just look at this as an — let’s just come at it from common sense, by the way.  It’s just common sense.  And what makes — what is a — a commonsense, practical approach to doing this, because when you are able to be productive, we all benefit, by the way.  When that child is able to have a parent who is able to help them with their reading and remind that child that they are special, we are all going to benefit from that. 

     So, thank you for raising the subject.  (Applause.)  And you take care of yourself.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Okay.  Next we’re going to call on Ashley Scott, speaking of Gen Z — although I guess I shouldn’t assume I know what generation she’s from, but she is a student from Bucks County.  Hi.

     Q    Hi, Vice President Harris and Congresswoman Cheney.  My name is Ashley Scott.  I’m from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I am Gen Z.  I’m 22 years old.  (Laughter.)

     MS. LONGWELL:  Nailed it.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good for you.  (Laughs.)

     Q    So, thank you for that compliment.  But yeah, my question is about maternal health.  Specifically, in the United States, maternal mortality is devastating.  The rates are terrible.  And I was wondering if you have a plan to combat the crisis.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Ashley, and thank you for being here and your voice.  It’s a big issue.  So, we have the very, I think, shameful distinction of — of any wealthy nation having one of, if not the highest, rate of maternal mortality. 

     And I’ve studied this issue.  I worked on it was on — when I was in the United States Senate and as vice president.  And the fact is that 90 percent of them are preventable, which tells us we can do something about it, right? 

     And it is an issue — so, Black women are three to four times more likely to die in connection with childbirth; Native women are, like, twice as likely; rural women, one and a half times as likely. 

     One of the common threads that you will see in those demographic populations is a lack of appropriate prenatal care and then care during the term of their pregnancy and then postpartum care.  And we know that when that care is available, they are having a healthier and, by the way, happier experience.  And the long-term impact to all of us as a society, much less to that family, is immense. 

     And so, the work that we have been doing and the work I intend to do going forward is to address that, right?  So, for example, in rural America, the — the way that the system has been structured — the health care system has been structured is a lot of those hospitals and clinics have had to close because of the way we — we reimburse based on population size.  And as people are leaving rural America, then the hospitals and the clinics can’t afford the overhead. 

     I’m oversimplifying but just to make the point.  So, we need to address that in terms of how we’re structuring, how we create incentives and — and give the resources to those health care facilities, be they clinics or hospitals. 

     The other piece that we have to do is really just talk more about the issue around also how, in the health care system, we are treating women and are we taking women seriously when they talk about their health care concerns. 

     So, again, personal experience, my mother had two goals in her life: to raise her two daughters, my sister and I, and to end breast cancer.  My mother was a breast cancer researcher.  And she was so passionate about women’s health care, and I remember it as a young girl and throughout my life. 

     And we still have a lot of work to do to make sure that when she walks into that clinic, that doctor’s office, that hospital, that when — that she’s taken seriously.  And — and that’s also about what we do in terms of training within the profession.  It’s also about what we do in terms of public education to get information to women so that they know that they are not just complaining and they should not suppress or subordinate what their concerns might be about themselves because they’re taking care of everybody else. 

     So, there’s a lot of work to do.  And, of course, there’s a connection between this and what we need to do since the Dobbs decision came down, when we are looking at — I’ve met with a lot of, in particular, OB-GYNs who are concerned that there are kids going through — excuse me, young people going through their medical school who are now feeling deterred from engaging in reproductive health work. 

     And reproductive health work is vast.  It is not only about abortion; it is about a whole array of care.  And we want to make sure that we’re not creating disincentives for people to go into that very, very important profession. 

     And then we also want to make sure that we are, in the whole issue of reproductive care, not suggesting to women or the people who love them that they should be judged, because there is that also when you’re talking about reproductive care, where women sometimes are made to feel or do feel embarrassed to talk about their needs as it relates to their reproductive health.

     And then, of course, I feel very strongly the government should not be telling any woman what to do with her body.  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)  And when Congress passes a law reinstating the reproductive freedoms of women, I will gladly and proudly sign it into law, because I strongly believe one does not have to give up or abandon their own faith or beliefs to agree that — not the government telling her what to do.  If she chooses, she will consult with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam, but not the government. 

     We’ve seen too much harm — real harm — happen to women and the people who love them around our country since that decision came down, including women who have died.  And I don’t think that most people who — before the Dobbs decision came down — who had strong opinions about this — I don’t think most people intended that the harm that we’ve seen would have actually happened.

     MS. CHENEY:  Can I add to this just to — because I — I think it’s such an important point.  And I think there are many of us around the country who have been pro-life but who have watched what’s going on in our states since the Dobbs decision and have watched state legislatures put in place laws that are resulting in women not getting the care they need. 

     And so, I think this — this is not an issue that we’re seeing break down across party lines —

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.

     MS. CHENEY:  — but I think we’re seeing people come together to say what has happened to women, when women are facing situations where they can’t get the care they need — where in places like Texas, for example, the attorney general is talking about suing — is suing to get access to women’s medical records — that’s not sustainable for us as — as a country, and — and it has to change.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Yeah.

     MS. LONGWELL:  So, as we come close to time here, I want to ask you both kind of a final question.  You know, I — I watch the — the conversation in the country and the way that the media covers this election, and it’s often about the race: Who’s up in a poll?  Who’s down in a poll?  And I — I don’t always feel like we’re talking about the stakes enough. 

     And Liz Cheney would not be here if she didn’t think that the stakes were very high.  And frankly, the Republicans wouldn’t be so angry at you if they didn’t think you were an effective surrogate as somebody speaking about the stakes.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Some Republicans.  Some Republicans.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Some Republicans.  Some Republicans.  #NotAllRepublicans.  (Laughter.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Because I’ve seen a lot of Republicans — just I’ve seen it and I know it happens — who thank her constantly. 

     MS. LONGWELL:  I — I know it.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Yeah.

     MS. LONGWELL:  I know it.

     MS. CHENEY:  They’re going to vote the right way on November 5th. 

     MS. LONGWELL:  That’s right.

     MS. CHENEY:  They might not think public about it, but — but they’ll do what — what they know is right.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  I agree.  I agree.  I agree.

     MS. LONGWELL:  But just to close and — and maybe starting with you, Congresswoman, so you can have the last word.  Talk to me and all of us about the stakes.  Many people in the room here are undecided voters.  What’s — what’s kind of the last pitch that you would make about why this election is so important and why you believe they should vote for the vice president here?

     MS. CHENEY:  Well, I think that in this election, and especially here in Pennsylvania, we have the opportunity to tell the whole world who we are.  And we have the chance to say, you know, we’re — we’re going to reject cruelty.  We’re going to reject the kind of vile vitriol that we’ve seen from Donald Trump.  We’re going to reject the misogyny that we’ve seen from Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.  (Applause.) 

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.

     MS. CHENEY:  And we have the chance in this race to elect somebody who you know is going to defend the rule of law.  You know Vice President Harris is going to defend our Constitution. 

     We have the chance to remind people that we are a good country.  We are a good and honorable people.  We are a great nation. 

     And — and in this race, we have the opportunity to vote for and support somebody you can count on. 

     We’re not always going to agree, but I know Vice President Harris will always do what she believes is right for this country.  She has a sincere heart, and that’s why I’m honored to be here and supporting her in this race.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I mean, I — exactly.  The — listen, so, in my career as a prosecutor — you’ve heard me say this — I — I never, ever asked a victim or a witness, “Are you a Republican or a Democrat?”  Never.  It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to ask them.  I did, every time, ask, “Are you okay?”

     And I — you know, and I feel very strongly that — for example, in — on the issue of partisanship, yes, we’re going to have disagreements, but I actively invite good ideas from wherever they come.  That’s why I’m going to have a Republican in my Cabinet, by the way — (applause) — because I want good ideas.

     And, by the way, I know it is in our best interest as a nation, in our — the interest of our strength and our future as a nation.  We need a healthy two-party system.  We need a healthy two-party system.  (Applause.)

     We need to be able to have these good, intense debates about issues that are grounded in fact.  (Laughter.)  How about that?

     MS. CHENEY:  Imagine.

.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s start there.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

     Wow.  Can you believe that’s an applause line?  (Laughter.) 

     Oy.  But, you know, it’s — (laughter) — it’s — 

     We have in our grasp in these next 13 days — 13 days, we are — or 15 days, excuse me.  I — I’m just jumping ahead.  (Laughter.)  In these next 15 days, we have in our grasp the ability to determine the course of our country. 

     You know, every election, we’ve said, “This is the one.”  This is the one.  This truly is the one. 

     I mean, to the congresswoman’s point, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff referred to Donald Trump as being “fascist to the core.”  And no one would ever accuse the former chairman of being partisan in any way.  The people who know him best — from the former chief of staff; Defense secretaries, two of them; national security advisor to the former vice president.

     And so, we have in — in our grasp — because we still have a democracy.  As the saying goes, as long as we hold on to it, we still have a democracy, which means in a democracy — and here’s the beauty of it — we each have the power to make a decision about the future of our country through our vote.

     And my request, then, of each of you who have spent time out of your busy lives to be here — and I thank you for that — is please just help us get the word out to your neighbors and friends and family members to just remind them of what is at stake and this conversation. 

     I ask for your vote.  I ask for their votes.  And I promise to be a president for all Americans.  I promise and pledge that.  (Applause.)

     MS. LONGWELL:  All right, everyone.  Congresswoman Cheney and Vice President Kamala Harris.  Thank you so much. 

     Yes, let’s give them another round of applause.  That was wonderful.  (Applause.)

     Thank you so much.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris and Liz Cheney at a Campaign Event | Malvern, PA appeared first on The White House.

People’s Light
Malvern, Pennsylvania

11:54 A.M. EDT

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s get to it.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Let’s do it.  Let’s do it.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everyone.

     AUDIENCE:  Good morning.

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Happy birthday!

     MS. LONGWELL:  Oh, happy belated birthday.  (Applause.)  Oh, yeah.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  I appreciate that.  Thank you. 

     MS. LONGWELL:  Audience members showing me up — that’s tough.  (Laughter.)

Okay.  So, I’ve got to start with the thing that brings us here today, because I’ve got to say it is unusual for somebody who was as high up in the Republican leadership as Liz Cheney was to be out here campaigning with the Democratic nominee for president. 

And so, maybe — why don’t both of you tell us, but you start: You’ve actually marshaled unprecedented support from Republicans in this election.  Why do you think that is?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Sarah.  Thank you for being here and for your work.  And the congresswoman, thank you. 

I — I have said before and it must be repeated each time: There are moments in the history of our country which challenge us, each of us, to really decide do we stand for those things that we talk about, including, in particular, country over party.  And you have been extraordinarily courageous in the way that you have done that.  And I thank you for that.  (Applause.)

So, you know, I have in my career now — whether it was as the elected district attorney, elected attorney general, and then elected United States senator, and, of course, now vice president — I’ve counted that I have taken the oath of office six times.  And for the elected leaders here, we know it is an oath that one must take sincerely and unequivocally, which is an oath, among other things, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and to understand what those principles represent and what they require of the individual who holds the office and the public trust.

And let’s not undervalue that point as well.  It is not about the individual.  It is not about what is in their personal interests.  It is about what is for and in the spirit of the public good.     

 And this is a moment in this election that presents a real contrast among how I, as one of the two nominees, and my opponent, the former president, think of that duty.  And it is a duty, by the way.  There are certain things in our lives that we have the choice if we feel like it — (laughter) — and then there are certain things that are just fundamentally a duty, like to raise our children.  Things of that nature.  It is a duty to take seriously that oath and do it for the sake of the public good and in the public trust.

And I think that at this moment, with the choice that the American people have in this election in — in two weeks and one day, this election is presenting — for the first time, probably, in certainly recent history — a very clear choice and difference between the two nominees.  And I think that is what, as much as anything, is bringing us, as Americans, together, who are understanding that we cannot, with such fundamental stakes being presented, afford to be mired in ideological differences without really staking our claim to the most fundamental ideals upon which our country stands.

MS. LONGWELL:  Thank you.  And, you know, Congresswoman Cheney, it’s a — sort of the same question to you.  But I got to ask: You know, it’s one thing for Republicans to sign a letter.  You know, we’ve seen that she has — Vice President Harris has been endorsed by 200 Republicans in the national security space, all kinds of people from George W. Bush’s administration.  There’s been a lot of people — they’ll sign letters and maybe they’ll go on T.V., they’ll release a statement.  I was just with Republican Congressman Charlie Dent — former Republican congressman here from the state.  He voted for you in his early voting. 

But you are out here campaigning.  You are out here holding events.  So, talk about why it’s been so important to you to be as involved as you are in getting Vice President Harris elected.

MS. CHENEY:  Well, thank you so much, Sarah, for the question.  And — and it’s an honor to be here today with you, Madam Vice President. 

     You know — (applause) —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.

MS. CHENEY:  — for me, every — every single thing in — in my experience and in my background has — has played a part in my decision to endorse Vice President Harris. 

And, you know, that — that begins with the fact that I’m a conservative, and I know that the most conservative of all conservative principles is being faithful to the Constitution.  And you have to choose, in this race, between someone who has been faithful to the Constitution, who will be faithful, and Donald Trump, who it’s not just us predicting how he will act.  We watched what he did after the last election.  We watched what he did on January 6th.

And so, coming to this as someone who’s been a lifelong Republican, a lifelong conservative, also as someone who spent — I spent time working overseas before I was elected to Congress, and I’ve — I’ve spent time working in countries where people aren’t free and where people are struggling for their freedom, and I know how — how quickly democracies can unravel. 

And I know that, as Americans, we can become accustomed to thinking, “Well, we don’t have to worry about that here.”  But I tell you, again, as someone who has seen firsthand how quickly it can happen, that that is what’s on the ballot.  That’s absolutely what’s on the ballot.

I also — I come to this decision as a mother.  I have five children.  And there was a moment right after January 6th when my husband and I were having dinner with our two youngest, our two sons, and I looked across the table at my — my young sons, and I thought to myself, “You know, in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, are they going to grow up in a country where we don’t have to worry about the peaceful transfer of power?  Are they going to grow up in a country where that is guaranteed?”

And — and I believe that every one of us in this election has a duty and an obligation to do what we know is right for the country, and that’s to support Vice President Harris.  So, I’m very honored to be here and to do that.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.

You know, if I can just echo the congresswoman’s point.  So, I’ve now, as vice president, met over 150 world leaders — presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, and kings — many of them multiple times, to the point we’re on a first-name basis.  And the last few times that I’ve seen them in the relative eve of this election, they are very concerned, our allies.  Because, as you know, when we walk in those rooms around the world representing the United States of America, we have traditionally been able to walk in those rooms chin up, shoulders back, with the self-appointed and earned authority to talk about the importance of democracies and rule of law.

But as all the role models here know, as a role model, people watch what you do to see if it lines up with what you say.  People around the world are watching this. 

And I — I tell you, sometimes I do fret a bit about whether we, as Americans, truly understand how important we are to the world.  I hope everyone does really understand that we represent something — imperfect though we certainly are; flawed though we may be — we represent, in terms of our ideals, the — the basis of our Constitution, we represent a gold standard. 

And when we have someone who has been president, who wants to be president again, who is saying he would be dictator on day one, would weaponize our Department of Justice — one of the principles of our democracy is that we say we have a justice system that is blind, that is not punitive against one’s enemies, they are watching.

So, this is about direct impact on the American people, and it most certainly will impact people around the world. 

MS. LONGWELL:  You know, I’m so glad you brought that up.  And I — I — as a follow-up, I would just ask Congressman Cheney too.  We live in a dangerous time.  I mean, I think Americans are watching what’s happening overseas in Ukraine, in Israel.  Republicans — we used to be the party that would be on the side of our democratic allies like Ukraine. 

Talk to me a little bit and all of us about why, from a foreign policy standpoint, you find yourself able to endorse Democrats, who w- — wouldn’t — it didn’t used to be that way.

MS. CHENEY:  Well, it — it’s not just able to endorse them.  But — but if you look at the numbers of the most senior officials who served Donald Trump — his own vice president; national security advisors; his chief of staff; you know, the — the leading generals who served him — who’ve all said he’s unfit, and people really need to stop and think about how completely unprecedented that is.

And the — the idea — when people sort of say, “Well, we might, you know, be tempted, for some reason or another, to vote for Donald Trump” — if the issue is foreign policy, I would just ask everyone: Think about how dangerous and damaging it is to have someone who’s totally erratic — totally erratic, completely unstable — someone who has aligned himself with, who idolizes tyrants.  He idolizes tyrants. 

You know, the — the — again, the choice here, with respect to national security policy, is a man who has proven — he has absolutely proven that he will not stand up, he won’t defend this nation with respect to our own Constitution and rule of law, and Vice President Harris, who has been clear in terms of support for Ukraine, in terms of recognizing and understanding across the board that America cannot maintain our own freedom and security if we walk away from our allies around the world. 

And our adversaries know that they can play Donald Trump.  They absolutely know that they can play him.  And we simply can’t afford to take that risk.

So, as someone who has spent a career on national security issues — again, this was not at all a difficult choice for me — the — the choice here is absolutely clear in terms of the necessity of supporting Vice President Harris.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And — and if I may emphasize, part of the backbone of our national security is our military.  And let’s please not overlook how someone who wants to be commander in chief and was has talked about our servicemen and women; has talked about an American hero like John McCain, who was a prisoner of war — said he didn’t respect him, didn’t like him because he got caught; has talked about our service members as — as though they are less than the most courageous of us. 

 Those who put on the uniform, who represent the United States of America, who are willing to die for the sake of everything we stand for, and he calls them “suckers” and “losers.”  These things cannot be overlooked. 

And — and I have said many times publicly, and I’ll say it again: In many, many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of him being president of the United States are brutally serious.  There are things that he says that will be the subject of skits and laughter and jokes, but words have meaning coming from someone who aspires to stand behind the seal of the president of the United States.  These are the things that are at stake.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Couldn’t agree more. 

So, I do want to ask you another question, though, before we go to the audience.  You know, you talk a lot about a new way forward.  You talk about turning the page.  What’s on the next page?  Talk to us about a —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You want a preview.

MS. LONGWELL:  Yeah.  Give me — a spoiler alert.  You know?  (Laughter.)  Just —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.

MS. LONGWELL:  — tell us — tell us what’s — what’s in the rest of the chapter.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I will say that it — it is a metaphor that is meant to also describe my intention to embark on a new generation of leadership.  And needless to say, mine will not be a continuation of the Biden administration.  I bring to it my own ideas, my own experiences.

But it is also about moving past what, frankly, I think has been the last decade of — of the American discourse being influenced by Donald Trump in a way that has had the effect of suggesting we, as Americans, should point the finger at one another, in a way that has been using the power of the presidency to demean and to divide us.

I think people are exhausted with that, rightly.  And it, frankly, does not lead to the strength of our nation to tell the American people that we must be suspicious of one another, distrust one another.

You know, yesterday, I — I did a couple of church services, and there’s a — we — many people here know the — the parable of the Good Samaritan.  And there is an essence — a piece of that, in my own words, that really requires us, I think, to see in the face of a — of a stranger, to see a neighbor.  Right?  That spirit.  And I think we need to get back to that.

The spirit of the American people is such that, you know, we are an ambitious people.  We are aspirational.  We have dreams.  And that is productive. 

It is not productive of us to be a nation of people who are pointing fingers at one another, who don’t understand that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.

So, that’s what I mean about turning the page.  And then a new generation of leadership about being ambitious, about all we have yet to do. 

Part of my economic policy — I refer to it as an opportunity economy — is about investing in American industries while leaving none of our traditional, wonderful industries behind; repurposing and retooling the factories that have led to America’s success in industry, while at the same time redefining how we are thinking about which worker has the experience and skill to do the — the job and is qualified and understanding we shouldn’t be falling into a trap that suggests only those with a college degree have the skill or the experience to do the job.  So, let’s look at how we redefine and perhaps even reorder. 

And, in fact, I’m going to start with federal jobs, and then I’m going to challenge the private sector to do the same.  Let’s look at which of those jobs would benefit from a skilled, experienced worker who perhaps went through an apprenticeship program — not a four-year college, but still had a four-year degree, in essence.

     So, these are the kinds of things that are about seeing the opportunity of this moment and investing in it.

     I’ll tell you — and I know this is a controversial topic for many of us — I love Gen Z.  (Laughter.)  Because we have Gen Zs in our lives.  We have kids who are Gen Zs.  It can be complicated, I know.  I love Gen Z.

     These young leaders are so — they’re clear-eyed.  You know, they’ve only known the climate crisis.  They’ve only known active shooter drills.  I mean, we had fire drills.  Not — not our kids, right?

     But they also — they’re — they’re so wonderfully impatient — (laughter) — ri- — no, really, that’s good.  That’s good.  They are ready to get in there.  Let’s invest in them.  Let —

     So, for example, one of my — one piece of my opportunity economy is we got to deal with the reality of where we are right now.  The American dream, for previous generations, was something that people could kind of count on.  Not so much anymore, in terms of homeownership.  We have a housing shortage in America.  We have a supply shortage.

     So, part of my plan is, hey, let’s be clear-eyed about this moment.  Let’s invest in the future.  And as a — a devout public servant, I also know the limitations of government.  I want to work with the private sector.  I have, in my career.  The skills, the breadth, the depth of — of value in those active partnerships benefit us all.

     So, part of my plan for housing is to actively partner with building developers, with homebuilders to create tax credits to increase the supply of housing in America.  My estimate is — I think we can actually do it — by 3 million by the end of my first term.

     Part of my approach that is about a new generation, potentially, of leadership and certainly a different approach: Most of my career was not spent in Washington, D.C.  I say that with pride.  (Laughter.) 

     In that, you know, most of my career was spent as a prosecutor, but I — making decisions that had a direct impact on people’s lives.  You know, I learned at a very young age, as a prosecutor, that the things that I would do with the swipe of my pen could result in someone having their liberty or not.  

     When I was attorney general of California — which is, you know, by estimates, the fifth-largest economy in the world — I was acutely aware the words I spoke could move markets. 

     I like getting things done.  And part of my approach, which is, I think, about a new generation of leadership, is: Let’s cut through the red tape.  Let’s cut through the bureaucracy while still knowing the virtues of the work that we can do in the public sector, be it public education, public health, public safety.

     MS. LONGWELL:  This is a perfect segue into our first audience question, which is going to come from Alexandra Miller from Delaware County.  Main section, right — right there. 

     Hi, Alexandra. 

     Q    Hello.  Hello, Madam Vice President and Representative Cheney.

     MS. CHENEY:  Hi there.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.

     Q    Thank you for taking my question today.  My name is Alex.  I have a 7-year-old son and a wonderful 72-year-old mother who is suffering from dementia and requires full-time care. 

     My son is in second grade, my mother is in a nursing home, and I work full time.  The costs of childcare and of eldercare are staggering.  But simultaneously, professionals that help care for both our children and our elders are generally underpaid, which makes it difficult for them to support their own families and do the jobs that they need to do. 

     How do you propose to help bridge this gap, making both child- and eldercare more affordable for hardworking families and also retaining and attracting quality talent for this — these essential jobs?

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, first of all, you’re dealing with a lot.  You’re dealing with a lot, and I just wish you strength and support.  You are a part of what we call the “sandwich generation,” which are those parents and children who are right in the middle.  They are taking care of their young children and taking care of their parents as they age.  And it’s a lot.

     And so, I actually plan to address this in a substantial way because I actually bring a personal experience to it as well.  I took care of my mother when she was sick, and that work is the work of trying to cook something that they feel like eating — right? — trying to figure out which clothes will not irritate their skin and help them put on a sweater.  It’s about trying to figure out how you can say something that brings a smile to their face or makes them laugh.  It’s about dignity. 

     Meanwhile, you have a second-grader.  You’re trying to teach that kid how to read — (laughter) — spending time with them, reminding them they are special and can be anything. 

     And in the middle of all of that, if you are working or just to have a minute to breathe, it’s a lot.  It’s a lot. 

     So, what — the way that this plays out for many people is — is one of just a couple of ways.  One, if you have the good fortune of having enough extra money, you can hire somebody to come in.  And then, exactly as you said, you — knowing what you just shared with us about yourself — would pay them the value of their work.  Or someone in this position would have to basically spend down all their savings so they could qualify for Medicaid, which means they pretty much have to get rid of everything.  Or they have to quit their job, which means one less income in their household. 

     And this is a matter — this issue, for me, is a matter of dignity — yours, your parents, and the well-being of your child and you being able to do what you naturally want to do, and which — and the thing that we should value in our society, which is someone like you who is taking on the duty and the responsibility of all of that. 

     So, my plan is that instead of those scenarios I just mapped out, we will restructure it so that Medicare covers the cost of in-home health care for your parent so that they can be at home — (applause) — and you can then have the assistance with someone who can help prepare that meal, help them get dressed, and you can still give that baby of yours all the love that they deserve.  And you can have sanity in the process.  And everyone can have dignity. 

     And so, this is — this is my approach, which is let’s just look at this as an — let’s just come at it from common sense, by the way.  It’s just common sense.  And what makes — what is a — a commonsense, practical approach to doing this, because when you are able to be productive, we all benefit, by the way.  When that child is able to have a parent who is able to help them with their reading and remind that child that they are special, we are all going to benefit from that. 

     So, thank you for raising the subject.  (Applause.)  And you take care of yourself.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Okay.  Next we’re going to call on Ashley Scott, speaking of Gen Z — although I guess I shouldn’t assume I know what generation she’s from, but she is a student from Bucks County.  Hi.

     Q    Hi, Vice President Harris and Congresswoman Cheney.  My name is Ashley Scott.  I’m from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I am Gen Z.  I’m 22 years old.  (Laughter.)

     MS. LONGWELL:  Nailed it.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good for you.  (Laughs.)

     Q    So, thank you for that compliment.  But yeah, my question is about maternal health.  Specifically, in the United States, maternal mortality is devastating.  The rates are terrible.  And I was wondering if you have a plan to combat the crisis.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Ashley, and thank you for being here and your voice.  It’s a big issue.  So, we have the very, I think, shameful distinction of — of any wealthy nation having one of, if not the highest, rate of maternal mortality. 

     And I’ve studied this issue.  I worked on it was on — when I was in the United States Senate and as vice president.  And the fact is that 90 percent of them are preventable, which tells us we can do something about it, right? 

     And it is an issue — so, Black women are three to four times more likely to die in connection with childbirth; Native women are, like, twice as likely; rural women, one and a half times as likely. 

     One of the common threads that you will see in those demographic populations is a lack of appropriate prenatal care and then care during the term of their pregnancy and then postpartum care.  And we know that when that care is available, they are having a healthier and, by the way, happier experience.  And the long-term impact to all of us as a society, much less to that family, is immense. 

     And so, the work that we have been doing and the work I intend to do going forward is to address that, right?  So, for example, in rural America, the — the way that the system has been structured — the health care system has been structured is a lot of those hospitals and clinics have had to close because of the way we — we reimburse based on population size.  And as people are leaving rural America, then the hospitals and the clinics can’t afford the overhead. 

     I’m oversimplifying but just to make the point.  So, we need to address that in terms of how we’re structuring, how we create incentives and — and give the resources to those health care facilities, be they clinics or hospitals. 

     The other piece that we have to do is really just talk more about the issue around also how, in the health care system, we are treating women and are we taking women seriously when they talk about their health care concerns. 

     So, again, personal experience, my mother had two goals in her life: to raise her two daughters, my sister and I, and to end breast cancer.  My mother was a breast cancer researcher.  And she was so passionate about women’s health care, and I remember it as a young girl and throughout my life. 

     And we still have a lot of work to do to make sure that when she walks into that clinic, that doctor’s office, that hospital, that when — that she’s taken seriously.  And — and that’s also about what we do in terms of training within the profession.  It’s also about what we do in terms of public education to get information to women so that they know that they are not just complaining and they should not suppress or subordinate what their concerns might be about themselves because they’re taking care of everybody else. 

     So, there’s a lot of work to do.  And, of course, there’s a connection between this and what we need to do since the Dobbs decision came down, when we are looking at — I’ve met with a lot of, in particular, OB-GYNs who are concerned that there are kids going through — excuse me, young people going through their medical school who are now feeling deterred from engaging in reproductive health work. 

     And reproductive health work is vast.  It is not only about abortion; it is about a whole array of care.  And we want to make sure that we’re not creating disincentives for people to go into that very, very important profession. 

     And then we also want to make sure that we are, in the whole issue of reproductive care, not suggesting to women or the people who love them that they should be judged, because there is that also when you’re talking about reproductive care, where women sometimes are made to feel or do feel embarrassed to talk about their needs as it relates to their reproductive health.

     And then, of course, I feel very strongly the government should not be telling any woman what to do with her body.  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)  And when Congress passes a law reinstating the reproductive freedoms of women, I will gladly and proudly sign it into law, because I strongly believe one does not have to give up or abandon their own faith or beliefs to agree that — not the government telling her what to do.  If she chooses, she will consult with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam, but not the government. 

     We’ve seen too much harm — real harm — happen to women and the people who love them around our country since that decision came down, including women who have died.  And I don’t think that most people who — before the Dobbs decision came down — who had strong opinions about this — I don’t think most people intended that the harm that we’ve seen would have actually happened.

     MS. CHENEY:  Can I add to this just to — because I — I think it’s such an important point.  And I think there are many of us around the country who have been pro-life but who have watched what’s going on in our states since the Dobbs decision and have watched state legislatures put in place laws that are resulting in women not getting the care they need. 

     And so, I think this — this is not an issue that we’re seeing break down across party lines —

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.

     MS. CHENEY:  — but I think we’re seeing people come together to say what has happened to women, when women are facing situations where they can’t get the care they need — where in places like Texas, for example, the attorney general is talking about suing — is suing to get access to women’s medical records — that’s not sustainable for us as — as a country, and — and it has to change.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Yeah.

     MS. LONGWELL:  So, as we come close to time here, I want to ask you both kind of a final question.  You know, I — I watch the — the conversation in the country and the way that the media covers this election, and it’s often about the race: Who’s up in a poll?  Who’s down in a poll?  And I — I don’t always feel like we’re talking about the stakes enough. 

     And Liz Cheney would not be here if she didn’t think that the stakes were very high.  And frankly, the Republicans wouldn’t be so angry at you if they didn’t think you were an effective surrogate as somebody speaking about the stakes.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Some Republicans.  Some Republicans.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Some Republicans.  Some Republicans.  #NotAllRepublicans.  (Laughter.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Because I’ve seen a lot of Republicans — just I’ve seen it and I know it happens — who thank her constantly. 

     MS. LONGWELL:  I — I know it.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Yeah.

     MS. LONGWELL:  I know it.

     MS. CHENEY:  They’re going to vote the right way on November 5th. 

     MS. LONGWELL:  That’s right.

     MS. CHENEY:  They might not think public about it, but — but they’ll do what — what they know is right.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  I agree.  I agree.  I agree.

     MS. LONGWELL:  But just to close and — and maybe starting with you, Congresswoman, so you can have the last word.  Talk to me and all of us about the stakes.  Many people in the room here are undecided voters.  What’s — what’s kind of the last pitch that you would make about why this election is so important and why you believe they should vote for the vice president here?

     MS. CHENEY:  Well, I think that in this election, and especially here in Pennsylvania, we have the opportunity to tell the whole world who we are.  And we have the chance to say, you know, we’re — we’re going to reject cruelty.  We’re going to reject the kind of vile vitriol that we’ve seen from Donald Trump.  We’re going to reject the misogyny that we’ve seen from Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.  (Applause.) 

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.

     MS. CHENEY:  And we have the chance in this race to elect somebody who you know is going to defend the rule of law.  You know Vice President Harris is going to defend our Constitution. 

     We have the chance to remind people that we are a good country.  We are a good and honorable people.  We are a great nation. 

     And — and in this race, we have the opportunity to vote for and support somebody you can count on. 

     We’re not always going to agree, but I know Vice President Harris will always do what she believes is right for this country.  She has a sincere heart, and that’s why I’m honored to be here and supporting her in this race.  (Applause.)

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I mean, I — exactly.  The — listen, so, in my career as a prosecutor — you’ve heard me say this — I — I never, ever asked a victim or a witness, “Are you a Republican or a Democrat?”  Never.  It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to ask them.  I did, every time, ask, “Are you okay?”

     And I — you know, and I feel very strongly that — for example, in — on the issue of partisanship, yes, we’re going to have disagreements, but I actively invite good ideas from wherever they come.  That’s why I’m going to have a Republican in my Cabinet, by the way — (applause) — because I want good ideas.

     And, by the way, I know it is in our best interest as a nation, in our — the interest of our strength and our future as a nation.  We need a healthy two-party system.  We need a healthy two-party system.  (Applause.)

     We need to be able to have these good, intense debates about issues that are grounded in fact.  (Laughter.)  How about that?

     MS. CHENEY:  Imagine.

.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s start there.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

     Wow.  Can you believe that’s an applause line?  (Laughter.) 

     Oy.  But, you know, it’s — (laughter) — it’s — 

     We have in our grasp in these next 13 days — 13 days, we are — or 15 days, excuse me.  I — I’m just jumping ahead.  (Laughter.)  In these next 15 days, we have in our grasp the ability to determine the course of our country. 

     You know, every election, we’ve said, “This is the one.”  This is the one.  This truly is the one. 

     I mean, to the congresswoman’s point, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff referred to Donald Trump as being “fascist to the core.”  And no one would ever accuse the former chairman of being partisan in any way.  The people who know him best — from the former chief of staff; Defense secretaries, two of them; national security advisor to the former vice president.

     And so, we have in — in our grasp — because we still have a democracy.  As the saying goes, as long as we hold on to it, we still have a democracy, which means in a democracy — and here’s the beauty of it — we each have the power to make a decision about the future of our country through our vote.

     And my request, then, of each of you who have spent time out of your busy lives to be here — and I thank you for that — is please just help us get the word out to your neighbors and friends and family members to just remind them of what is at stake and this conversation. 

     I ask for your vote.  I ask for their votes.  And I promise to be a president for all Americans.  I promise and pledge that.  (Applause.)

     MS. LONGWELL:  All right, everyone.  Congresswoman Cheney and Vice President Kamala Harris.  Thank you so much. 

     Yes, let’s give them another round of applause.  That was wonderful.  (Applause.)

     Thank you so much.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.

     MS. LONGWELL:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding on July 31, 2024.

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal, 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 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Cass, Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, and Saunders.

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

Mr. Andrew P. Meyer 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 state 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 Nebraska Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding on July 31, 2024.

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal, 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 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Cass, Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, and Saunders.

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

Mr. Andrew P. Meyer 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 state 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.

###

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:        Delegation of Authority Under Section 614(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $64 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:        Delegation of Authority Under Section 614(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $64 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post Memorandum on the Delegation of Authority Under Section 614(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 appeared first on The White House.

The Rose Garden

Have any of you ever walked through a museum and wanted to touch one of the displays?

Have you ever heard a recording from years ago and suddenly it feels like you’re in that room—like the present and the past are coming together?

Have you ever seen a picture of someone famous, and it’s helped you understand that person a little better?

That’s what was on my mind when creating this updated White House tour.

Today, with you, we are unveiling a reimagined White House tour experience.

Thank you for joining me and welcome to the White House!

As a teacher for 40 years, I know that we all learn in different ways.

Some of us learn through hearing something. Some of us through seeing or feeling something.

So, we added dynamic, flexible, and tactile tools of learning that let you follow your curiosity.

Now, you can do all the things that you’ve always wanted to do in a museum.

We made replicas, so that you can feel the features of some of the sculptures’ faces and touch the shining fabric on the furniture in the Blue Room. 

You can now hear President Roosevelt’s fireside chats in the room in which he recorded them—so you can feel as if you are there beside him.

We added screens and information, so you can read about what you see in each of the rooms.

One of my favorite parts of this new tour is walking past those glowing pictures in the Colonnade, going around the corner, and coming to that model of the White House on the wall. 

It changes every couple seconds, so you can see all the renovations that have taken place over the years.

You may not know this, but the White House didn’t always have running water or electricity. So, they had to open up the walls and add it!

That’s what you’ll learn on this tour. The rendering tells you that story: who added each piece of the house and when.

Serving as your First Lady has been an honor.

Being able to bring friends into the house is special—and that’s what we’re doing today—sharing it with all of you.

So many people put months of hard work into this project.

I’m grateful to Paul Buccieri and the History Channel, the National Park Service, the White House curators and Executive Residence Staff, ESI Design, the White House Historical Association, and presidential libraries staff for all their work.

To preserve our history, we must teach it.

We learn from the wisdom of the past and weave it into our future. And, as you walk through this house, I hope you’ll feel the history here. It’s your history—and it lives in each of you, connecting you to those who have walked here before you and to each other.

One of the things that makes this house so special is that it belongs to the American people.

And as your First Lady, it’s been a privilege to share it with all of you and keep opening the doors wider and wider.

Thank you. 

Like the Grand Canyon or Yosemite, the White House is a national park.

And I’m grateful to the National Park Service who work so hard to preserve and protect it for all of you.

They help make sure the White House is a place where you can be inspired and learn.

So, please help me welcome, National Park Service Director, Chuck Sams.

***

Thank you, Alysha.

Teaching isn’t just a job, it’s a calling. And we can all see that you were called to this profession for a reason. I’m so glad you answered that call. 

I’m grateful to everyone here for spending some of your day with us—for being a part of this moment.

And after you leave here, keep telling the world what you learned here. Keep exploring new parts of our history—keep that wisdom with you as you shape the future of our nation. And maybe one day, we’ll see one of your portraits hanging here, watching over the next generation of students.

Thank you. And enjoy the new tour!

###

The post Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at the Unveiling of the Reimagined White House Public Tour appeared first on The White House.

The Rose Garden

Have any of you ever walked through a museum and wanted to touch one of the displays?

Have you ever heard a recording from years ago and suddenly it feels like you’re in that room—like the present and the past are coming together?

Have you ever seen a picture of someone famous, and it’s helped you understand that person a little better?

That’s what was on my mind when creating this updated White House tour.

Today, with you, we are unveiling a reimagined White House tour experience.

Thank you for joining me and welcome to the White House!

As a teacher for 40 years, I know that we all learn in different ways.

Some of us learn through hearing something. Some of us through seeing or feeling something.

So, we added dynamic, flexible, and tactile tools of learning that let you follow your curiosity.

Now, you can do all the things that you’ve always wanted to do in a museum.

We made replicas, so that you can feel the features of some of the sculptures’ faces and touch the shining fabric on the furniture in the Blue Room. 

You can now hear President Roosevelt’s fireside chats in the room in which he recorded them—so you can feel as if you are there beside him.

We added screens and information, so you can read about what you see in each of the rooms.

One of my favorite parts of this new tour is walking past those glowing pictures in the Colonnade, going around the corner, and coming to that model of the White House on the wall. 

It changes every couple seconds, so you can see all the renovations that have taken place over the years.

You may not know this, but the White House didn’t always have running water or electricity. So, they had to open up the walls and add it!

That’s what you’ll learn on this tour. The rendering tells you that story: who added each piece of the house and when.

Serving as your First Lady has been an honor.

Being able to bring friends into the house is special—and that’s what we’re doing today—sharing it with all of you.

So many people put months of hard work into this project.

I’m grateful to Paul Buccieri and the History Channel, the National Park Service, the White House curators and Executive Residence Staff, ESI Design, the White House Historical Association, and presidential libraries staff for all their work.

To preserve our history, we must teach it.

We learn from the wisdom of the past and weave it into our future. And, as you walk through this house, I hope you’ll feel the history here. It’s your history—and it lives in each of you, connecting you to those who have walked here before you and to each other.

One of the things that makes this house so special is that it belongs to the American people.

And as your First Lady, it’s been a privilege to share it with all of you and keep opening the doors wider and wider.

Thank you. 

Like the Grand Canyon or Yosemite, the White House is a national park.

And I’m grateful to the National Park Service who work so hard to preserve and protect it for all of you.

They help make sure the White House is a place where you can be inspired and learn.

So, please help me welcome, National Park Service Director, Chuck Sams.

***

Thank you, Alysha.

Teaching isn’t just a job, it’s a calling. And we can all see that you were called to this profession for a reason. I’m so glad you answered that call. 

I’m grateful to everyone here for spending some of your day with us—for being a part of this moment.

And after you leave here, keep telling the world what you learned here. Keep exploring new parts of our history—keep that wisdom with you as you shape the future of our nation. And maybe one day, we’ll see one of your portraits hanging here, watching over the next generation of students.

Thank you. And enjoy the new tour!

###

The post Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at the Unveiling of the Reimagined White House Public Tour appeared first on The White House.

New Educational and Engaging Elements Added to the White House Public Tour Route; Aimed at Enhancing Civics Education for Students of All Ages; First Significant Improvement to Tour in Decades

New Expanded Public Tour Will Now Include the Diplomatic Reception Room, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt held his famous fireside chats, and Further Entry Access to Rooms

For photos of the enhanced tour elements, please visit the White House FLICKR page.

Washington, DC – First Lady Jill Biden is unveiling today a new enhanced, educational White House public tour for visitors. A classroom teacher for 40 years, Dr. Biden knows that learning has to be engaging and interactive. The public tour, which accommodates approximately 10,000 visitors per week, is a significant opportunity to educate students of all ages about the living history of the White House. The public tour of the White House has not seen significant improvements in decades, until now.

“I’ve been a classroom teacher for 40 years, and I know learning has to be interactive and engaging. It has to evoke the senses, and you have to meet students where they are, giving them what they need to spark their curiosity and imagination,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “We hope the tour inspires everyone who visits the White House to learn more about our shared history.”

The enhanced White House public tour will now:

• include more educational and engaging elements along the tour route;
• incorporate more story-telling in the tour using technology and digital components;
• provide visitors with more historic context to their tour;
• entreat the senses with compelling and tactile content; and
• present more opportunities for learning about our nation’s history, civics, and the lives of Presidents and first families, past and present.

The enhanced tour elements are supported by The History Channel, in partnership with ESI Design, which is known for its educational improvements to the Liberty Island and Ellis Island museums, which like the White House are also cared for by the National Park Service. The History Channel has previously produced short films for historic sites across the country including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the Statue of Liberty, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, and more.

“Preserving our country’s history, investing in education, and engaging the next generation is at the heart of the new expanded White House tour,” said Paul Buccieri, President & Chairman, A+E Networks Group, which includes The History Channel. “We are honored to join First Lady Jill Biden on this special initiative to enhance the White House tour experience for the American public and visitors from around the globe.”

“More than 10,000 visitors come through these doors each week on the public tour and it’s such an opportunity for students of all ages to learn about our country’s history, civics, and the lives of Presidents and their families,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “When Joe became President, I took a look at the public tour, which I’m told hasn’t seen any significant improvements in decades, and thought there
has to be a way to reimagine this tour experience, add more educational content and story-telling, while also preserving and protecting its history. So, we did.”

The First Lady added: “Throughout the past two years, we’ve been working with the National Park Service, White House Curator’s Office, White House Historical Association, presidential libraries, and The History Channel to enhance and expand the public tour of the White House. We’ve added flexible, versatile, and dynamic tools of learning to the tour; created more pathways in the house to bring people further into the rooms; expanded the tour to now include the Diplomatic Reception Room where President Roosevelt hosted his famous fireside chats; and we’ve included more educational content that visitors can touch, hear, and see up close.”

“The White House, like all national parks, are living classrooms that provide the public with inspirational and educational opportunities to connect with our nation’s shared heritage,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said. “The National Park Service is honored to support these tour and exhibit enhancements that will elevate the thrill level of walking the halls of the White House and experiencing firsthand the rooms where history has been, and continues to be, made.”

Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association said: “Dr. Biden’s passion for
education inspired this deeper engagement every visitor will now have with the White House. It has been a privilege to work with her and her team to deploy innovative and creative tools to better share the lessons and stories of White House history.”

The following enhancements have been made to the new expanded White House public tour route:

More Educational Story-telling and Civics Education Incorporated Throughout the Public Tour: The enhanced public tour now contains more historic, educational content, and story-telling elements throughout the visitor experience. For example, the Diplomatic Reception Room, used to welcome foreign dignitaries and home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats, will be open to the general public for the first time. One reader rail highlights the room’s panoramic wallpaper, Views of North America, and hosts a recreation of a 1939 Philco radio that plays snippets of various fireside chats given by FDR during his presidency.

Educational, Experiential Signage, and Video Greetings: New signage along the tour route will augment visitors’ educational experience, helping to set expectations for the tour and guiding visitors to more points of interest. The new educational content updates the 18 existing room introduction signs, with an additional six signs to mark new tour elements and critical views. As guests enter the public tour through the East Wing, they will be welcomed by a video message from the First Lady. A video from the President will greet visitors in the East Room, giving further historic context and depth to the tour.

“A Living Timeline” of White House History: Previously, the East Colonnade contained static photo collages, which were arduous to update and lacked key historic context or information. Visitors will now approach the East Colonnade and see a long corridor punctuated by permanent digital displays nestled below archways, embracing the design and feel of the previous collages. The graphic and media displays at each archway will showcase various “eras” of American history, segmented to capture historic moments of the White House and the presidency.

The Living Timeline accommodates various experience modes ranging from Tour Mode, to Residential Mode, and Special Events Mode. These modes ensure the Living Timeline is a versatile tool that can evolve with the White House and moments across history.

Three-Dimensional Architectural Model of the White House: After passing through the East Colonnade, visitors enter into the East Garden Room, where they will be greeted by a new 3D architectural model of White House’s 18-acre complex. Four supporting models depict the White House at key stages in its evolution. The dynamic model takes guests through the architectural history of the White House, beginning in 1792 and encompassing significant architectural milestones. The model is internally illuminated. Lighting cues are choreographed with a supplemental media screen that highlights important milestones pertaining to the architectural history of the White House. Over the course of the experience, visitors gain an appreciation of how the White House has evolved over time.

More Access to White House Rooms: Previously, several rooms on the public tour of the White House were roped off and visitors could only look inside. Now, visitors will be able to go further inside each room and learn more about the room and its history.

Expanded Tour Route to Now Include the Diplomatic Reception Room: Previously, the public tour route on the ground floor of the White House only included the Library, Vermeil Room, and China Room. Now, visitors will get to see the Diplomatic Reception Room, the location of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (FDR) historic “fireside chats” during the Great Depression and World War II. Audio of some of FDR’s fireside chats will play for visitors as they come through the room.

Multi-sensory Reader Rails: Once visitors go further into each room, they will be treated to multi-sensory “reader rails,” full of educational information and tactile, engaging content. These reader rails detail the historic uses of each room and highlight pertinent artifacts. Additionally, these rails offer opportunities for visitors to touch replicas of the materials in various room. This not only provides a new sensory experience for visitors, it also improves the accessibility of the experience for those who are blind or have low vision. The White House Historical Association currently provides an audio guide to the White House tour through their app, the WHExperience, which is available on whitehousehistory.org.

Dynamic Digital Partition Panel: As guests exit the Diplomatic Reception Room, they will see a dynamic digital partition panel on the left, before ascending the stairs to the State Floor. This panel is a versatile large photo frame, presenting educational content and imagery of the White House beyond the areas visible to the public tour.

East Room Welcome Pillar and Reader Rails: Speaking to visitors from the same room where Presidents have so often addressed the nation, a video from the President provides an introduction to the State Floor via a dedicated Welcome Pillar. Supporting reader rails provide educational information about the purpose and history of the East Room, the special items on display, such as the George and Martha Washington portraits featured in the center of the room, and the many momentous events that have happened there.

Additional Educational Content in the State Dining Room: As visitors enter the State Dining Room, they will be surrounded with educational content, with three reader rails. One rail exhibit highlights the history of the room itself, including the numerous State Dinners. Another rail features a quote inscribed on the mantel taken from a letter John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, on his first night at the White House. A tactile replica of the mantel’s inscription is positioned at the center of the rail, inviting visitors to feel the carving and reflect on Adams’ hope for the future. A final rail highlights art and artifacts in the room, such as the famous Lincoln Portrait, which rarely moves from its revered position over the room’s mantel.

Grand Staircase Frame: Positioned near the landing of the Grand Staircase, the Grand Frame serves as a window into special events at the White House, featuring rotating imagery of First Families at the staircase during State Dinners, holidays, or other special occasions.

###

The post First Lady Jill Biden Unveils Enhanced and Expanded White House Tour appeared first on The White House.

New Educational and Engaging Elements Added to the White House Public Tour Route; Aimed at Enhancing Civics Education for Students of All Ages; First Significant Improvement to Tour in Decades

New Expanded Public Tour Will Now Include the Diplomatic Reception Room, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt held his famous fireside chats, and Further Entry Access to Rooms

For photos of the enhanced tour elements, please visit the White House FLICKR page.

Washington, DC – First Lady Jill Biden is unveiling today a new enhanced, educational White House public tour for visitors. A classroom teacher for 40 years, Dr. Biden knows that learning has to be engaging and interactive. The public tour, which accommodates approximately 10,000 visitors per week, is a significant opportunity to educate students of all ages about the living history of the White House. The public tour of the White House has not seen significant improvements in decades, until now.

“I’ve been a classroom teacher for 40 years, and I know learning has to be interactive and engaging. It has to evoke the senses, and you have to meet students where they are, giving them what they need to spark their curiosity and imagination,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “We hope the tour inspires everyone who visits the White House to learn more about our shared history.”

The enhanced White House public tour will now:

• include more educational and engaging elements along the tour route;
• incorporate more story-telling in the tour using technology and digital components;
• provide visitors with more historic context to their tour;
• entreat the senses with compelling and tactile content; and
• present more opportunities for learning about our nation’s history, civics, and the lives of Presidents and first families, past and present.

The enhanced tour elements are supported by The History Channel, in partnership with ESI Design, which is known for its educational improvements to the Liberty Island and Ellis Island museums, which like the White House are also cared for by the National Park Service. The History Channel has previously produced short films for historic sites across the country including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the Statue of Liberty, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, and more.

“Preserving our country’s history, investing in education, and engaging the next generation is at the heart of the new expanded White House tour,” said Paul Buccieri, President & Chairman, A+E Networks Group, which includes The History Channel. “We are honored to join First Lady Jill Biden on this special initiative to enhance the White House tour experience for the American public and visitors from around the globe.”

“More than 10,000 visitors come through these doors each week on the public tour and it’s such an opportunity for students of all ages to learn about our country’s history, civics, and the lives of Presidents and their families,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “When Joe became President, I took a look at the public tour, which I’m told hasn’t seen any significant improvements in decades, and thought there
has to be a way to reimagine this tour experience, add more educational content and story-telling, while also preserving and protecting its history. So, we did.”

The First Lady added: “Throughout the past two years, we’ve been working with the National Park Service, White House Curator’s Office, White House Historical Association, presidential libraries, and The History Channel to enhance and expand the public tour of the White House. We’ve added flexible, versatile, and dynamic tools of learning to the tour; created more pathways in the house to bring people further into the rooms; expanded the tour to now include the Diplomatic Reception Room where President Roosevelt hosted his famous fireside chats; and we’ve included more educational content that visitors can touch, hear, and see up close.”

“The White House, like all national parks, are living classrooms that provide the public with inspirational and educational opportunities to connect with our nation’s shared heritage,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said. “The National Park Service is honored to support these tour and exhibit enhancements that will elevate the thrill level of walking the halls of the White House and experiencing firsthand the rooms where history has been, and continues to be, made.”

Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association said: “Dr. Biden’s passion for
education inspired this deeper engagement every visitor will now have with the White House. It has been a privilege to work with her and her team to deploy innovative and creative tools to better share the lessons and stories of White House history.”

The following enhancements have been made to the new expanded White House public tour route:

More Educational Story-telling and Civics Education Incorporated Throughout the Public Tour: The enhanced public tour now contains more historic, educational content, and story-telling elements throughout the visitor experience. For example, the Diplomatic Reception Room, used to welcome foreign dignitaries and home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats, will be open to the general public for the first time. One reader rail highlights the room’s panoramic wallpaper, Views of North America, and hosts a recreation of a 1939 Philco radio that plays snippets of various fireside chats given by FDR during his presidency.

Educational, Experiential Signage, and Video Greetings: New signage along the tour route will augment visitors’ educational experience, helping to set expectations for the tour and guiding visitors to more points of interest. The new educational content updates the 18 existing room introduction signs, with an additional six signs to mark new tour elements and critical views. As guests enter the public tour through the East Wing, they will be welcomed by a video message from the First Lady. A video from the President will greet visitors in the East Room, giving further historic context and depth to the tour.

“A Living Timeline” of White House History: Previously, the East Colonnade contained static photo collages, which were arduous to update and lacked key historic context or information. Visitors will now approach the East Colonnade and see a long corridor punctuated by permanent digital displays nestled below archways, embracing the design and feel of the previous collages. The graphic and media displays at each archway will showcase various “eras” of American history, segmented to capture historic moments of the White House and the presidency.

The Living Timeline accommodates various experience modes ranging from Tour Mode, to Residential Mode, and Special Events Mode. These modes ensure the Living Timeline is a versatile tool that can evolve with the White House and moments across history.

Three-Dimensional Architectural Model of the White House: After passing through the East Colonnade, visitors enter into the East Garden Room, where they will be greeted by a new 3D architectural model of White House’s 18-acre complex. Four supporting models depict the White House at key stages in its evolution. The dynamic model takes guests through the architectural history of the White House, beginning in 1792 and encompassing significant architectural milestones. The model is internally illuminated. Lighting cues are choreographed with a supplemental media screen that highlights important milestones pertaining to the architectural history of the White House. Over the course of the experience, visitors gain an appreciation of how the White House has evolved over time.

More Access to White House Rooms: Previously, several rooms on the public tour of the White House were roped off and visitors could only look inside. Now, visitors will be able to go further inside each room and learn more about the room and its history.

Expanded Tour Route to Now Include the Diplomatic Reception Room: Previously, the public tour route on the ground floor of the White House only included the Library, Vermeil Room, and China Room. Now, visitors will get to see the Diplomatic Reception Room, the location of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (FDR) historic “fireside chats” during the Great Depression and World War II. Audio of some of FDR’s fireside chats will play for visitors as they come through the room.

Multi-sensory Reader Rails: Once visitors go further into each room, they will be treated to multi-sensory “reader rails,” full of educational information and tactile, engaging content. These reader rails detail the historic uses of each room and highlight pertinent artifacts. Additionally, these rails offer opportunities for visitors to touch replicas of the materials in various room. This not only provides a new sensory experience for visitors, it also improves the accessibility of the experience for those who are blind or have low vision. The White House Historical Association currently provides an audio guide to the White House tour through their app, the WHExperience, which is available on whitehousehistory.org.

Dynamic Digital Partition Panel: As guests exit the Diplomatic Reception Room, they will see a dynamic digital partition panel on the left, before ascending the stairs to the State Floor. This panel is a versatile large photo frame, presenting educational content and imagery of the White House beyond the areas visible to the public tour.

East Room Welcome Pillar and Reader Rails: Speaking to visitors from the same room where Presidents have so often addressed the nation, a video from the President provides an introduction to the State Floor via a dedicated Welcome Pillar. Supporting reader rails provide educational information about the purpose and history of the East Room, the special items on display, such as the George and Martha Washington portraits featured in the center of the room, and the many momentous events that have happened there.

Additional Educational Content in the State Dining Room: As visitors enter the State Dining Room, they will be surrounded with educational content, with three reader rails. One rail exhibit highlights the history of the room itself, including the numerous State Dinners. Another rail features a quote inscribed on the mantel taken from a letter John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, on his first night at the White House. A tactile replica of the mantel’s inscription is positioned at the center of the rail, inviting visitors to feel the carving and reflect on Adams’ hope for the future. A final rail highlights art and artifacts in the room, such as the famous Lincoln Portrait, which rarely moves from its revered position over the room’s mantel.

Grand Staircase Frame: Positioned near the landing of the Grand Staircase, the Grand Frame serves as a window into special events at the White House, featuring rotating imagery of First Families at the staircase during State Dinners, holidays, or other special occasions.

###

The post First Lady Jill Biden Unveils Enhanced and Expanded White House Tour appeared first on The White House.

Every woman in every state must have reproductive freedom and access to the health care they need. That is why I have fought to lower health care costs and protect the ability of every woman to make her own decisions about her own body.
 
Today, our Administration is proposing the largest expansion of contraception coverage in more than a decade. This new proposed rule will build on our Administration’s work to protect reproductive freedom by providing millions of women with more options for the affordable contraception they need and deserve. That includes coverage for no-cost over-the-counter contraception without a prescription for the first time in our nation’s history. These lower contraception costs would be in addition to the billions of dollars that women have already saved on contraception under the Affordable Care Act which President Biden and I have strengthened since taking office.
 
While we fight to protect and expand health care, extremist so-called leaders are attacking reproductive freedom at every turn. Republicans in Congress have repeatedly blocked legislation to protect the right to contraception across the country. They have also consistently refused to protect access to IVF, and continue to propose national abortion bans.
 
President Biden and I stand with the majority of Americans – Republicans and Democrats alike – who support access to contraception. And we continue to call on Congress to pass federal legislation that restores reproductive freedom nationwide.

# # #

The post Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris on New Rulemaking to Expand Access to Contraception appeared first on The White House.

Every woman in every state must have reproductive freedom and access to the health care they need. That is why I have fought to lower health care costs and protect the ability of every woman to make her own decisions about her own body.
 
Today, our Administration is proposing the largest expansion of contraception coverage in more than a decade. This new proposed rule will build on our Administration’s work to protect reproductive freedom by providing millions of women with more options for the affordable contraception they need and deserve. That includes coverage for no-cost over-the-counter contraception without a prescription for the first time in our nation’s history. These lower contraception costs would be in addition to the billions of dollars that women have already saved on contraception under the Affordable Care Act which President Biden and I have strengthened since taking office.
 
While we fight to protect and expand health care, extremist so-called leaders are attacking reproductive freedom at every turn. Republicans in Congress have repeatedly blocked legislation to protect the right to contraception across the country. They have also consistently refused to protect access to IVF, and continue to propose national abortion bans.
 
President Biden and I stand with the majority of Americans – Republicans and Democrats alike – who support access to contraception. And we continue to call on Congress to pass federal legislation that restores reproductive freedom nationwide.

# # #

The post Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris on New Rulemaking to Expand Access to Contraception appeared first on The White House.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned more than two years ago, Republican elected officials have made clear they want to ban or restrict birth control, defund federal programs that help women access contraception, and repeal the Affordable Care Act. And Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked federal legislation to safeguard the fundamental right to birth control for women in every state. It’s unacceptable.

Today, my Administration is taking a major step to expand contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This new action would help ensure that millions of women with private health insurance can access the no-cost contraception they need. Vice President Harris and I have worked tirelessly to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act. We lowered costs for Marketplace coverage by an average of $800 per year for millions of Americans, and more Americans than ever before have signed up for health insurance through the law.  

At a time when contraception access is under attack, Vice President Harris and I are resolute in our commitment to expanding access to quality, affordable contraception. We believe that women in every state must have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including the right to decide if and when to start or grow their family. We will continue to fight to protect access to reproductive health care and call on Congress to restore reproductive freedom and safeguard the right to contraception once and for all.

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on New Action to Significantly Expand Contraception Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act appeared first on The White House.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Proposal for Most Significant Expansion of Contraception Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act in More Than a Decade

President Biden and Vice President Harris have protected and built on the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 50 million people over the past decade have had coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces, and the law has protected more than 100 million people with preexisting medical conditions. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, Affordable Care Act coverage is more affordable than ever with millions of families saving an average of $800 per year on Marketplace coverage.

The Affordable Care Act has also helped millions of women save billions of dollars on contraception—an essential component of reproductive health care that has only become more important since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. As part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ steadfast commitment to reproductive rights, the Biden-Harris Administration has further strengthened contraception access and affordability under the Affordable Care Act, through Medicare and Medicaid, through the Title X Family Planning Program, through federally qualified health centers, and for federal employees, Service members, veterans, and college students.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing a rule that would significantly increase coverage of contraception without cost sharing for 52 million women of reproductive age with private health insurance. Building on the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that most private health plans must cover contraception without cost sharing, today’s proposed rule from the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury would:

• Expand coverage of over-the-counter contraception without cost sharing. Under the proposed rule, for the first time, women would be able to obtain over-the-counter (OTC) contraception without a prescription at no additional cost. As a result, more women would be able to access and afford critical OTC medications such as emergency contraception and the first-ever daily oral contraceptive approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use without a prescription that is now widely available across the country.
  
• Make it easier to learn about coverage for OTC contraception. To help ensure that women understand this new benefit, most private health plans would be required to disclose that OTC contraception is covered without cost sharing and without a prescription—and take steps to help women learn more about their contraception coverage.
  
• Strengthen coverage of prescribed contraception without cost sharing. The proposed rule would make it easier for most women with private health insurance to obtain contraception without cost sharing that is prescribed by their health care provider. Health plans would be required to cover every FDA-approved contraceptive drug or drug-led combination product without cost sharing unless the plan also covers a therapeutic equivalent without cost sharing, eliminating barriers that some women continue to face in accessing contraception prescribed by their provider.

This proposed rule, if finalized, would be the most significant expansion of contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act since 2012, when contraception was first required to be covered. Also today, the Biden-Harris Administration is issuing new guidance to help ensure that patients can access other preventive services, such as cancer screenings, that must be covered without cost sharing under the Affordable Care Act.

The Biden-Harris Administration is issuing this proposed rule at a time when reproductive rights are under attack, and Republican elected officials remain committed to repealing the Affordable Care Act. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, dangerous and extreme abortion bans are putting women’s health and lives at risk and disrupting access to critical health care services, including contraception, as health care providers are forced to close in states across the country. At the same time, Republican elected officials in some states have made clear they want to ban or restrict birth control in addition to abortion, and Republicans in Congress have attacked contraception access nationwide by proposing to defund the Title X Family Planning Program. In contrast, President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that women in every state must have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including the right to decide if and when to start or grow their family.

Today’s announcements build on actions that the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to expand access to affordable contraception, including to implement the President’s Executive Order on Strengthening Access to Affordable, High-Quality Contraception and Family Planning Services from June 2023. The Administration has taken action to:

• Expand contraception coverage and affordability under the Affordable Care Act. The Departments of HHS, Labor, and the Treasury proposed a rule to provide a new pathway under the Affordable Care Act for women to access coverage of contraceptives when their private health coverage is exempt from covering this benefit due to a religious objection. These agencies also issued new guidance to support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved, cleared, or granted contraceptives at no additional cost under the Affordable Care Act, building on guidance issued after Roe v. Wade was overturned to clarify protections for contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Further, HHS strengthened the standard for inclusion of family planning providers in Marketplace plan provider networks and provided nearly $9 million in grant funding to support state efforts to enhance and expand coverage of, and access to, reproductive and maternal health services, including contraception. And the Internal Revenue Service issued new guidance affirming that high-deductible health plans can cover OTC contraception as preventive care.
  
• Bolster family planning services through Title X clinics. HHS continues to rebuild and grow the Title X Family Planning Program, which has played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of high-quality family planning and preventive health services for more than 50 years. During the prior administration, more than 1,000 service sites left the Title X Family Planning Program, leading to a significant decline in people served. The Biden-Harris Administration reversed the policy changes that led to those departures, strengthening the Title X Family Planning Program and helping ensure that the Program remains a critical part of the nation’s health safety net. In 2023, HHS provided about $287 million to nearly 4,000 Title X clinics across the country to provide free or low-cost voluntary, client-centered family planning and related preventive services for 2.8 million women and families—an 80 percent increase since 2020.
  
• Support family planning coverage through the Medicaid and Medicare programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance to state Medicaid programs and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to help ensure that enrollees can access family planning services. The new guidance outlined existing state obligations under federal law, highlighted strategies to enhance access to contraception, affirmed confidentiality requirements for those seeking family planning services, and shared recommendations on ways to measure quality in delivering family planning services. To help ensure that women with Medicare coverage have access to more covered types of contraception without unnecessary barriers, CMS updated its Medicare Part D formulary clinical review process for plan year 2024 and 2025 to include additional contraceptive types, such as long-acting contraceptives, and is increasing public awareness of contraceptive coverage options under Medicare Part B. The Secretary of HHS also issued a letter to state Medicaid and CHIP programs as well as private health insurers and Medicare plans about their existing obligations to cover contraception for those they serve.
  
• Increase contraception access through federal health centers. Federal health centers continue to be an important source of family planning services: in 2023, health centers provided nearly 3 million contraceptive services visits to patients, a 14 percent increase since 2020. To support health centers in providing high-quality family planning services, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided updated guidance on existing federal requirements for family planning and related services, which is a required primary health care service under federal law, as well as evidence-based recommendations and resources. HRSA also adopted new data measures for health centers that will help assess whether patients have been screened for contraception needs. Screening and data measures will help enhance the overall delivery of voluntary family planning and related services.
  
• Support contraception access for federal employees and their families. The Office of Personnel Management strengthened access to contraception for federal workers, retirees, and family members by issuing guidance to insurers participating in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to clarify standards and support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved, cleared, or granted contraceptives at no additional cost. The Office of Personnel Management also required insurers that participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to take additional steps to educate enrollees about their contraception benefits and launched a public education campaign to highlight contraception benefits available to federal employees and their families.
  
• Promote contraception access and affordability for Service members and their families and certain dependents of veterans. To improve access to contraception at military hospitals and clinics, the Department of Defense expanded walk-in contraceptive care services for active-duty Service members and other Military Health System beneficiaries and eliminated TRICARE copays for certain contraceptive services. And the Department of Veterans Affairs eliminated out-of-pocket costs for certain types of contraception through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
• Support access to affordable contraception for college students. To help increase access to contraception for college students, President Biden directed the Secretary of Education to convene institutions of higher education to share best practices and ways to help students understand their options for accessing contraception. In 2023, Vice President Harris joined a Department of Education convening of representatives from 68 colleges and universities across 32 states to discuss promising strategies for protecting and expanding access to contraception for their students. This convening followed Vice President Harris’s multiple conversations about reproductive health access with students on college campuses across the country.
  
• Enhance contraception access through technical assistance and public-private partnership. In June 2023, HHS announced a new five-year public-private partnership to expand access to contraception with Upstream, a national nonprofit organization that provides health centers with free patient-centered, evidence-based training and technical assistance to eliminate provider-level barriers to offering the full range of contraceptive options. To date, HHS has connected Upstream to more than 130 health care clinics, resulting in partnerships that will help Upstream accelerate their national expansion to reach 5 million women of reproductive age every year.
  
• Promote research and data analysis on contraception access. To document the gaps and disparities in contraception access as well as the benefits of comprehensive coverage, HHS convened leading experts to discuss the state of research, data collection, and data analysis on contraception access and family planning services. These convenings helped identify research gaps, opportunities for collaboration, and ways to bolster research efforts for both Federal agencies and external partners.

In addition to strengthening access to affordable contraception, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to implement President Biden’s threeExecutiveOrders and a Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies to protect access to reproductive health care issued since the Court overturned Roe v. Wade. To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to protect access to abortion, including FDA-approved medication abortion; defend access to emergency medical care; support the ability to travel for reproductive health care; safeguard the privacy of patients and health care providers; and ensure access to accurate information and legal resources.

The Vice President has led the White House’s efforts to partner with leaders on the frontlines of protecting access to abortion, highlighting the harm of abortion bans to women’s health at more than 100 events in more than 20 states since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and meeting with hundreds of  state legislators, health care providers, and advocates. On what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Vice President launched a nationwide Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour to continue fighting back against extreme attacks throughout America.

President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law to ensure that women in every state are able to make their own decisions about reproductive health care.

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The post FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Rule to Expand Coverage of Affordable Contraception Under the Affordable Care Act appeared first on The White House.

Jennifer Klein, Director, White House Gender Policy Council

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, the Administration is taking bold action to expand coverage of contraception for the 52 million women of reproductive age with private health insurance, marking the most significant expansion of contraception benefits under the Affordable Care Act in more than a decade. Today’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s strong record of defending access to reproductive health care and commitment to ensuring that women have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including if and when to start or grow their family.

Meanwhile, Republican elected officials continue to threaten women’s health, lives, and freedom through extreme abortion bans, some with no exceptions for rape or incest. Women are being denied essential medical care while doctors and nurses are threatened with jail time. Abortion, contraception, and IVF are under attack, while Republicans in Congress refuse to protect nationwide access to this vital reproductive health care. This extreme agenda is out-of-touch with the American people—which is why voters have overwhelmingly chosen to protect reproductive freedom in every state where abortion has been on the ballot.
President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the vast majority of Americans in supporting a woman’s right to choose, and they will continue the fight against a national abortion ban and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law once and for all.

Women’s Health and Lives at Risk
From day one, President Biden and Vice President Harris knew that state abortion bans would have devastating consequences for women’s health and lives. Since Roe was overturned, more than 1 in 3 women of reproductive age live in the more than 20 states with dangerous and extreme abortion bans in effect.

• Abortion bans are leaving women without emergency care. Courageous women and their families have shared harrowing stories about being denied urgently needed care because of state abortion bans. Women have died because they did not get the care they needed—or women only received care after developing sepsis or losing more than half of their blood. Some women are suing their states so other women with severe and dangerous pregnancy complications will not be similarly forced to the brink of death before they can receive an abortion.
  
• Abortion bans are worsening maternal mortality. States with abortion bans have higher rates of maternal mortality than states where abortion remains legal. For instance, after a dangerous Texas abortion ban went into effect in 2021, maternal mortality increased by 56% (compared to 11% nationwide). One year after Dobbs, two-thirds of OBGYNs reported that the Court’s decision worsened pregnancy-related mortality and their ability to manage pregnancy-related emergencies. And criminal and civil penalties under state abortion bans are causing doctors to flee abortion ban states, exacerbating the maternal health crisis and creating maternity care deserts that impact entire communities. 
  
• Abortion bans are making it even harder to access contraception and other essential care. Since Roe was overturned, abortion bans have caused dozens of reproductive health care clinics to shutter, jeopardizing access to abortion, contraception, and preventive care that women rely on. In states with abortion bans, there were over 4% fewer filled prescriptions for oral contraception in the first year after Roe was overturned. Some states had far greater declines: Texas, for instance, had a 28% decline in filled prescriptions for oral contraception.
  
• Abortion bans are forcing women to travel hundreds of miles for care. State abortion bans are forcing many women to travel to another state to obtain care that would have been available in their state if Roe were still the law of the land. Women in nearly a quarter of counties in America—especially in the South—have been forced to travel more than 200 miles to get the essential care they need.
  
• Abortion bans are jeopardizing our ability to train the next generation of medical providers. States with abortion bans continue to see a decrease in medical and residency student applications, especially among prospective OBGYNs. Nearly 60% of third- and fourth-year medical students said they were unlikely or very unlikely to apply to a single residency program in a state with abortion restrictions, while nearly 80% said that access to abortion care would influence where they would pursue their residency. And about 1 in 5 OBGYN residents said that the overturning of Roe changed where they had planned to practice medicine, and those who had planned to practice in a state with abortion bans were eight times more likely to change their intended practice location.

Republican Officials’ Extreme Agenda

Despite the devastating impact of state abortion bans, Republican officials continue to push for a nationwide abortion ban to restrict the rights of women in every state, deny access to emergency medical care, and eliminate access to safe and effective, FDA-approved medication abortion.

• Republicans in Congress have proposed four national abortion bans that would deny every woman in America the right to choose, regardless of where she lives. This includes a nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest that puts IVF treatment squarely at risk. House Republicans have also attacked contraception access nationwide by repeatedly proposing to defund the Title X Family Planning Program. And Senate Republicans continue to block federal legislation that would safeguard nationwide access to abortion, contraception, and IVF.
  
• Republican elected officials have enacted or enforced abortion bans in more than 20 states. Republican attorneys general have made clear they seek to access women’s medical records—even for out-of-state care—and have tried to discourage women from traveling out-of-state to receive lawful abortion care by threatening those who help them with criminal charges.
  
• Republican elected officials filed more than 350 bills restricting abortion during the 2024 legislative session. In Louisiana, Republican officials classified medications used in abortion and miscarriage management as controlled substances, making it even harder to access these critical medications during an emergency. In Florida, state officials are attempting to undermine support for a reproductive freedom ballot measure, including by threatening TV stations that run ads with criminal charges. And Republican state legislators are proposing legislation that would jeopardize access to IVF.
  
• Republican elected officials want to ban medication abortion nationwide, including in states where abortion remains lawful. They are also fighting to prevent women from receiving the emergency medical care they are entitled to under federal law— including abortion care when necessary to save a woman’s health or life.

No attempt to “rebrand” can change the fact that Republican elected officials have spent decades undermining reproductive freedom. Republican elected officials will not stop pursuing extreme policies until there is a national abortion ban in place.

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The post Interested Parties Memo: Biden-Harris Administration Expands Coverage of Contraception Under the Affordable Care Act as Republican Elected Officials Continue Attacks on Reproductive Freedom appeared first on The White House.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned more than two years ago, Republican elected officials have made clear they want to ban or restrict birth control, defund federal programs that help women access contraception, and repeal the Affordable Care Act. And Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked federal legislation to safeguard the fundamental right to birth control for women in every state. It’s unacceptable.

Today, my Administration is taking a major step to expand contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This new action would help ensure that millions of women with private health insurance can access the no-cost contraception they need. Vice President Harris and I have worked tirelessly to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act. We lowered costs for Marketplace coverage by an average of $800 per year for millions of Americans, and more Americans than ever before have signed up for health insurance through the law.  

At a time when contraception access is under attack, Vice President Harris and I are resolute in our commitment to expanding access to quality, affordable contraception. We believe that women in every state must have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including the right to decide if and when to start or grow their family. We will continue to fight to protect access to reproductive health care and call on Congress to restore reproductive freedom and safeguard the right to contraception once and for all.

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The post Statement from President Joe Biden on New Action to Significantly Expand Contraception Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act appeared first on The White House.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Proposal for Most Significant Expansion of Contraception Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act in More Than a Decade

President Biden and Vice President Harris have protected and built on the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 50 million people over the past decade have had coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces, and the law has protected more than 100 million people with preexisting medical conditions. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, Affordable Care Act coverage is more affordable than ever with millions of families saving an average of $800 per year on Marketplace coverage.

The Affordable Care Act has also helped millions of women save billions of dollars on contraception—an essential component of reproductive health care that has only become more important since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. As part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ steadfast commitment to reproductive rights, the Biden-Harris Administration has further strengthened contraception access and affordability under the Affordable Care Act, through Medicare and Medicaid, through the Title X Family Planning Program, through federally qualified health centers, and for federal employees, Service members, veterans, and college students.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing a rule that would significantly increase coverage of contraception without cost sharing for 52 million women of reproductive age with private health insurance. Building on the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that most private health plans must cover contraception without cost sharing, today’s proposed rule from the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury would:

• Expand coverage of over-the-counter contraception without cost sharing. Under the proposed rule, for the first time, women would be able to obtain over-the-counter (OTC) contraception without a prescription at no additional cost. As a result, more women would be able to access and afford critical OTC medications such as emergency contraception and the first-ever daily oral contraceptive approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use without a prescription that is now widely available across the country.
  
• Make it easier to learn about coverage for OTC contraception. To help ensure that women understand this new benefit, most private health plans would be required to disclose that OTC contraception is covered without cost sharing and without a prescription—and take steps to help women learn more about their contraception coverage.
  
• Strengthen coverage of prescribed contraception without cost sharing. The proposed rule would make it easier for most women with private health insurance to obtain contraception without cost sharing that is prescribed by their health care provider. Health plans would be required to cover every FDA-approved contraceptive drug or drug-led combination product without cost sharing unless the plan also covers a therapeutic equivalent without cost sharing, eliminating barriers that some women continue to face in accessing contraception prescribed by their provider.

This proposed rule, if finalized, would be the most significant expansion of contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act since 2012, when contraception was first required to be covered. Also today, the Biden-Harris Administration is issuing new guidance to help ensure that patients can access other preventive services, such as cancer screenings, that must be covered without cost sharing under the Affordable Care Act.

The Biden-Harris Administration is issuing this proposed rule at a time when reproductive rights are under attack, and Republican elected officials remain committed to repealing the Affordable Care Act. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, dangerous and extreme abortion bans are putting women’s health and lives at risk and disrupting access to critical health care services, including contraception, as health care providers are forced to close in states across the country. At the same time, Republican elected officials in some states have made clear they want to ban or restrict birth control in addition to abortion, and Republicans in Congress have attacked contraception access nationwide by proposing to defund the Title X Family Planning Program. In contrast, President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that women in every state must have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including the right to decide if and when to start or grow their family.

Today’s announcements build on actions that the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to expand access to affordable contraception, including to implement the President’s Executive Order on Strengthening Access to Affordable, High-Quality Contraception and Family Planning Services from June 2023. The Administration has taken action to:

• Expand contraception coverage and affordability under the Affordable Care Act. The Departments of HHS, Labor, and the Treasury proposed a rule to provide a new pathway under the Affordable Care Act for women to access coverage of contraceptives when their private health coverage is exempt from covering this benefit due to a religious objection. These agencies also issued new guidance to support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved, cleared, or granted contraceptives at no additional cost under the Affordable Care Act, building on guidance issued after Roe v. Wade was overturned to clarify protections for contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Further, HHS strengthened the standard for inclusion of family planning providers in Marketplace plan provider networks and provided nearly $9 million in grant funding to support state efforts to enhance and expand coverage of, and access to, reproductive and maternal health services, including contraception. And the Internal Revenue Service issued new guidance affirming that high-deductible health plans can cover OTC contraception as preventive care.
  
• Bolster family planning services through Title X clinics. HHS continues to rebuild and grow the Title X Family Planning Program, which has played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of high-quality family planning and preventive health services for more than 50 years. During the prior administration, more than 1,000 service sites left the Title X Family Planning Program, leading to a significant decline in people served. The Biden-Harris Administration reversed the policy changes that led to those departures, strengthening the Title X Family Planning Program and helping ensure that the Program remains a critical part of the nation’s health safety net. In 2023, HHS provided about $287 million to nearly 4,000 Title X clinics across the country to provide free or low-cost voluntary, client-centered family planning and related preventive services for 2.8 million women and families—an 80 percent increase since 2020.
  
• Support family planning coverage through the Medicaid and Medicare programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance to state Medicaid programs and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to help ensure that enrollees can access family planning services. The new guidance outlined existing state obligations under federal law, highlighted strategies to enhance access to contraception, affirmed confidentiality requirements for those seeking family planning services, and shared recommendations on ways to measure quality in delivering family planning services. To help ensure that women with Medicare coverage have access to more covered types of contraception without unnecessary barriers, CMS updated its Medicare Part D formulary clinical review process for plan year 2024 and 2025 to include additional contraceptive types, such as long-acting contraceptives, and is increasing public awareness of contraceptive coverage options under Medicare Part B. The Secretary of HHS also issued a letter to state Medicaid and CHIP programs as well as private health insurers and Medicare plans about their existing obligations to cover contraception for those they serve.
  
• Increase contraception access through federal health centers. Federal health centers continue to be an important source of family planning services: in 2023, health centers provided nearly 3 million contraceptive services visits to patients, a 14 percent increase since 2020. To support health centers in providing high-quality family planning services, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided updated guidance on existing federal requirements for family planning and related services, which is a required primary health care service under federal law, as well as evidence-based recommendations and resources. HRSA also adopted new data measures for health centers that will help assess whether patients have been screened for contraception needs. Screening and data measures will help enhance the overall delivery of voluntary family planning and related services.
  
• Support contraception access for federal employees and their families. The Office of Personnel Management strengthened access to contraception for federal workers, retirees, and family members by issuing guidance to insurers participating in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to clarify standards and support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved, cleared, or granted contraceptives at no additional cost. The Office of Personnel Management also required insurers that participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to take additional steps to educate enrollees about their contraception benefits and launched a public education campaign to highlight contraception benefits available to federal employees and their families.
  
• Promote contraception access and affordability for Service members and their families and certain dependents of veterans. To improve access to contraception at military hospitals and clinics, the Department of Defense expanded walk-in contraceptive care services for active-duty Service members and other Military Health System beneficiaries and eliminated TRICARE copays for certain contraceptive services. And the Department of Veterans Affairs eliminated out-of-pocket costs for certain types of contraception through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
• Support access to affordable contraception for college students. To help increase access to contraception for college students, President Biden directed the Secretary of Education to convene institutions of higher education to share best practices and ways to help students understand their options for accessing contraception. In 2023, Vice President Harris joined a Department of Education convening of representatives from 68 colleges and universities across 32 states to discuss promising strategies for protecting and expanding access to contraception for their students. This convening followed Vice President Harris’s multiple conversations about reproductive health access with students on college campuses across the country.
  
• Enhance contraception access through technical assistance and public-private partnership. In June 2023, HHS announced a new five-year public-private partnership to expand access to contraception with Upstream, a national nonprofit organization that provides health centers with free patient-centered, evidence-based training and technical assistance to eliminate provider-level barriers to offering the full range of contraceptive options. To date, HHS has connected Upstream to more than 130 health care clinics, resulting in partnerships that will help Upstream accelerate their national expansion to reach 5 million women of reproductive age every year.
  
• Promote research and data analysis on contraception access. To document the gaps and disparities in contraception access as well as the benefits of comprehensive coverage, HHS convened leading experts to discuss the state of research, data collection, and data analysis on contraception access and family planning services. These convenings helped identify research gaps, opportunities for collaboration, and ways to bolster research efforts for both Federal agencies and external partners.

In addition to strengthening access to affordable contraception, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to implement President Biden’s threeExecutiveOrders and a Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies to protect access to reproductive health care issued since the Court overturned Roe v. Wade. To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to protect access to abortion, including FDA-approved medication abortion; defend access to emergency medical care; support the ability to travel for reproductive health care; safeguard the privacy of patients and health care providers; and ensure access to accurate information and legal resources.

The Vice President has led the White House’s efforts to partner with leaders on the frontlines of protecting access to abortion, highlighting the harm of abortion bans to women’s health at more than 100 events in more than 20 states since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and meeting with hundreds of  state legislators, health care providers, and advocates. On what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Vice President launched a nationwide Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour to continue fighting back against extreme attacks throughout America.

President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law to ensure that women in every state are able to make their own decisions about reproductive health care.

###

The post FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Rule to Expand Coverage of Affordable Contraception Under the Affordable Care Act appeared first on The White House.