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Dear Mr. Chairman:  (Dear Madam Chair:)

In accordance with section 508 of the Global Fragility Act of 2019 (GFA) (Title V of Div. J, P.L. 116-94), I am transmitting the Progress Report for implementing the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability in GFA priority countries (Haiti, Libya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea) and the sub-region of Coastal West Africa (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo).

I am enclosing a copy of the unclassified Progress Report.  I am also enclosing the associated Annexes, which are for official use only and not for public distribution unless otherwise marked.

                              Sincerely,

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Dear Mr. Chairman:  (Dear Madam Chair:)

In accordance with section 508 of the Global Fragility Act of 2019 (GFA) (Title V of Div. J, P.L. 116-94), I am transmitting the Progress Report for implementing the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability in GFA priority countries (Haiti, Libya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea) and the sub-region of Coastal West Africa (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo).

I am enclosing a copy of the unclassified Progress Report.  I am also enclosing the associated Annexes, which are for official use only and not for public distribution unless otherwise marked.

                              Sincerely,

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post Letter to the Chairmen and Chair of Certain Congressional Committees in Accordance with Section 508 of the Global Fragility Act of 2019 appeared first on The White House.

This action will strengthen the federal workforce and streamline the pathway into service for 23,000 trained AmeriCorps alumni annually

Today, President Biden signed an Executive Order allowing agencies to more quickly hire individuals who have completed an AmeriCorps program. This action honors the service of AmeriCorps members who have worked full-time to address the most pressing challenges facing communities across the country. It also strengthens our civil service by enabling streamlined hiring from a pool of skilled and qualified individuals with a proven commitment to national service.

This action follows a recommendation from the congressionally chartered and bipartisan National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. At a time when only 8.7% of the federal workforce is under age 30, this Executive Order will make it easier for agencies to employ qualified and diverse young people with a strong commitment to service. It will also improve recruitment for AmeriCorps and increase the return on the federal government’s existing investment in recruiting and training AmeriCorps members.

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The post President Biden Signs Executive Order to Facilitate Hiring of Alumni of Full-Time AmeriCorps Programs appeared first on The White House.

This action will strengthen the federal workforce and streamline the pathway into service for 23,000 trained AmeriCorps alumni annually

Today, President Biden signed an Executive Order allowing agencies to more quickly hire individuals who have completed an AmeriCorps program. This action honors the service of AmeriCorps members who have worked full-time to address the most pressing challenges facing communities across the country. It also strengthens our civil service by enabling streamlined hiring from a pool of skilled and qualified individuals with a proven commitment to national service.

This action follows a recommendation from the congressionally chartered and bipartisan National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. At a time when only 8.7% of the federal workforce is under age 30, this Executive Order will make it easier for agencies to employ qualified and diverse young people with a strong commitment to service. It will also improve recruitment for AmeriCorps and increase the return on the federal government’s existing investment in recruiting and training AmeriCorps members.

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President Isaac Herzog of Israel to thank him for his partnership and friendship, their twelfth conversation since she took office. The Vice President reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. The Vice President and President Herzog discussed the ceasefire and hostage deal that has been reached between Israel and Hamas thanks to the efforts of President Biden, and she expressed that we expect it to be implemented fully and on schedule.  The Vice President welcomed that the deal would return hostages to their families, bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza through a surge in humanitarian aid, and form the basis for a lasting end to the war and security for Israel.  The Vice President also expressed her belief that the ceasefire and hostage deal can be the foundation on which we build to create a more peaceful future for Israeli and Palestinian people, and her intent to continue working to achieve a future of greater peace, dignity, and security for all people in the region.
 

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The post Readout of Vice President Harris’s Call with President Herzog of Israel appeared first on The White House.

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President Isaac Herzog of Israel to thank him for his partnership and friendship, their twelfth conversation since she took office. The Vice President reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. The Vice President and President Herzog discussed the ceasefire and hostage deal that has been reached between Israel and Hamas thanks to the efforts of President Biden, and she expressed that we expect it to be implemented fully and on schedule.  The Vice President welcomed that the deal would return hostages to their families, bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza through a surge in humanitarian aid, and form the basis for a lasting end to the war and security for Israel.  The Vice President also expressed her belief that the ceasefire and hostage deal can be the foundation on which we build to create a more peaceful future for Israeli and Palestinian people, and her intent to continue working to achieve a future of greater peace, dignity, and security for all people in the region.
 

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Vice President and King Abdullah discussed their work together to strengthen U.S.-Jordan ties across numerous meetings and phone calls. The Vice President and King Abdullah discussed the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, and expressed their expectation that it will be implemented fully and on schedule. The Vice President welcomed that the deal would return hostages to their families, bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza through a surge in humanitarian aid, and form the basis for a lasting end to the war. The Vice President noted that, in her conversations with King Abdullah and leaders across the region, her unwavering focus has been to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination. The Vice President expressed appreciation for Jordan’s role in helping to facilitate aid to Palestinian civilians and the King’s leadership in advancing regional peace and stability. The Vice President also expressed her belief that the ceasefire and hostage deal can be the foundation on which we build to create a more peaceful future for Israeli and Palestinian people, and her intent to continue working to achieve a future of greater peace, dignity, and security for all people in the region.
 

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The post Readout of Vice President Harris’s Call with King Abdullah II of Jordan appeared first on The White House.

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Vice President and King Abdullah discussed their work together to strengthen U.S.-Jordan ties across numerous meetings and phone calls. The Vice President and King Abdullah discussed the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, and expressed their expectation that it will be implemented fully and on schedule. The Vice President welcomed that the deal would return hostages to their families, bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza through a surge in humanitarian aid, and form the basis for a lasting end to the war. The Vice President noted that, in her conversations with King Abdullah and leaders across the region, her unwavering focus has been to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination. The Vice President expressed appreciation for Jordan’s role in helping to facilitate aid to Palestinian civilians and the King’s leadership in advancing regional peace and stability. The Vice President also expressed her belief that the ceasefire and hostage deal can be the foundation on which we build to create a more peaceful future for Israeli and Palestinian people, and her intent to continue working to achieve a future of greater peace, dignity, and security for all people in the region.
 

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Adding to his legacy of conserving more lands and waters than any President in history, two days ago President Biden signed proclamations creating the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in California. These two monuments together conserve 848,000 acres of lands in California and will protect clean water for communities, honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, and enhance access to nature.

Establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument is President Biden’s capstone action to create the largest corridor of protected lands in the continental United States, covering nearly 18 million acres stretching approximately 600 miles. The Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor stretches from Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southwestern Utah, to which President Biden restored protections in 2021; through Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona and Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada, both established by President Biden in 2023; and reaches the deserts and mountains of southern California that are being protected with the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. 

President Biden and Vice President Harris’s record-setting environmental legacy includes conserving more lands and waters, deploying more clean energy, and making more progress in cutting climate pollution and advancing environmental justice than any previous administration. Following last week’s actions to protect the East and West coasts and the Northern Bering Sea from offshore oil and natural gas drilling, President Biden has now protected 674 million acres of U.S. lands and waters.

Leaders from California and across the country applauded the announcement:

Elected Officials

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA)

“California is now home to two new national monuments that honor the tribes that have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Thanks to President Biden and the leadership of California tribes and local communities, we’re protecting 840,000 acres of some of our state’s most culturally significant lands. This is a huge boost for our efforts to protect 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA)

“Establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument is another major victory for safeguarding California’s public lands for generations to come. This historic announcement accelerates our state’s crucial efforts to fight the climate crisis, protect our iconic wildlife, preserve sacred tribal sites, and promote clean energy, while expanding equitable access to nature for millions of Californians. This designation reflects years of tireless work from tribal leaders to protect these sacred desert landscapes. President Biden has joined California leaders in championing our treasured natural wonders, and I applaud him for further cementing his strong public lands legacy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA)

“Designating Chuckwalla National Monument is a victory for conservation, climate resilience, and expanded access to nature. I am glad these lands will now be protected for generations to come.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25)

“I am thrilled that President Biden has designated the Chuckwalla National Monument using the Antiquities Act. After years of negotiation and bringing several communities together, this achievement was made possible through the leadership and partnership of many organizations, tribes, and community leaders. Chuckwalla National Monument will pave the way for the future of conservation and renewable energy. I greatly appreciate Senators Padilla and Butler for their support and partnership over the last several years.” [Statement, 1/07/2025]

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA-2)

“Designation of the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments is yet another win for Indigenous and community conservation efforts championed by the Biden-Harris administration,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “The new Chuckwalla National Monument will protect sacred and ecologically invaluable lands that have been home to the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano peoples since time immemorial. Likewise, Sáttítla, also known as the Medicine Lake Highlands, has been a spiritual center for the Pit River and Modoc Tribes for millennia. I’m grateful to the community leaders and elected officials that listened to Indigenous communities and worked tirelessly to protect these lands so that the ancestral homelands, cultural resources and traditions, and sacred sites of the region are protected for generations to come.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

James Ramos, Assembly Member, Serrano/Cahuilla Tribe and Chair of the California Legislative Native American Caucus

“The California Legislature expressed strong bipartisan support for establishing Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments by passing Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs) 16 and 17 last year. These new monuments include lands long-valued and cherished by California’s First Peoples for their cultural and sacred significance. I am glad to see these irreplaceable natural and cultural treasures join our nation’s network of national monuments.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Casey Glaubman, Councilmember, Mt. Shasta City and Executive Director, Friends of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center

“As an avid explorer, runner, and lover of the outdoors, I couldn’t be more excited about the designation of Sáttítla National Monument. This new designation will ensure that these treasured public lands will endure for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Waymond Fermon, Councilmember, Indio City

“Chuckwalla National Monument will help provide access to nature, protect places for outdoor recreation, boost our economy, and benefit businesses. In under an hour’s drive, residents of my community of Indio can experience the beauty of the monument and explore nature close to home. National monument status ensures that places beloved for outdoor recreation are here for current and future generations to enjoy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Evan Trubee, Owner, Big Wheel Tours and Councilmember, Palm Desert City

“I am thrilled to celebrate the new Chuckwalla National Monument. Protecting public lands here in the Coachella Valley will preserve the wildlife and beautiful landscapes that make our desert home unique. It will help ensure access to the outdoors for our local communities and protect the nature that draws visitors to Riverside and Imperial Counties.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Tribal Nations

Statement from the Tribal Council of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe

 “The protection of the Chuckwalla National Monument brings the Quechan people an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. Tribes being reunited as stewards of this landscape is only the beginning of much-needed healing and restoration, and we are eager to fully rebuild our relationship to this place. This action is part of a greater movement around the country to reconnect Tribes to their ancestral homelands whilst ensuring they have the authority to guide management decisions with federal and state agencies. We, along with our sister Tribes, are dedicated to taking our spirit back, culture back, language back, and land back. This national monument designation cements into history our solidarity and collective vision for our peoples. While we celebrate, we also hold the truth that there is still much work to do to fully re-immerse ourselves as stewards within this ecosystem. The essence of who we are lies in the landscapes of Chuckwalla and Avi Kwa Ame. Every trail, every living being, and every story in these places is connected to a rich history and heritage that runs in our DNA. That is why we look forward to the day when we can celebrate adding the proposed Kw’tsán National Monument for protection, as well. Our Tribe believes that this effort is proof that Together We Progress. We extend a hand of immense gratitude to the Biden Administration, to our allies, partners, and communities that showed up to protect the Chuckwalla region. We thank you on behalf of the generations of today and for all our relations that will look after this land in the future.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Yatch Bamford, Chairman, Pit River Nation

“For generations, my people have fought to protect Sáttítla, and today we celebrate the voices of our Ancestors being heard. Sáttítla Highlands National Monument is a victory not just for Tribal Nations but for every American who understands the value of clean water, healthy lands, and preserving the true history of these United States of America.  These designations demonstrate what is possible when we center Indigenous leadership and honor the deep connections between Tribes and their homelands. We thank President Biden for listening to the many diverse voices that called for this designation and for standing in solidarity with the Pit River Nation.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Erica Schenk, Chairwoman of the Cahuilla Band of Indians

“The Cahuilla Band of Indians strongly applauds the creation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. The area includes village sites, camps, quarries, food processing sites, power places, trails, glyphs, and story and song locations, all of which are evidence of the Cahuilla peoples’ and other Tribes’ close and spiritual relationship to these desert lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Darrell Mike, Chairman, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians 

“Our histories, stories, trails, songs, and traditional knowledge are alive in these lands. The animals, plants, insects, canyons, mountains, and other natural features in this region are foundational components to our cultural identity and existence as Tribal people. To us, cultural and natural resources are inseparable. They connect us to our ancestors and sustain our livelihoods and traditional practices today. The biodiversity and cultural resources present in this proposed monument are worthy of robust and proper protections.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Robert Burkybile, Chief, Modoc Nation

“Modoc Nation shared the sacred landscapes of the Medicine Lake Highlands with the Pit River Tribe. Our Pit River neighbors refer to this land as Sáttítla; it seems the traditional Modoc word for this land may have been lost following the attempted extermination and eventual forced removal of the Modoc people from our lands. Modoc Nation celebrates the designation of our shared sacred land as a national monument, and looks forward to participating in a new land management planning process.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Brandy McDaniels, Sáttítla National Monument Lead, Pit River Nation

“We could not be more excited that federal leaders are hearing our call to protect these sacred lands. There has been overwhelming support for this monument, as demonstrated at the USDA’s listening session recently. We have many diverse voices that are passionate about protecting what makes this region unique and following decades of defending our ancestral homelands, the Pit River Nation welcomes the news that our voices and the voices of our Ancestors are finally being heard.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Joseph DL Mirelez, Chairman, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians

“For thousands of years, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians have called the lands in the Chuckwalla National Monument home. We are happy to see the designation protect this area that contains thousands of cultural places and objects of vital importance to the history and identity of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Amelia Flores, Chairwoman, Colorado River Indian Tribes

“The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) celebrates the permanent and long-term protection of ancestral lands and the cultural landscape through the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. CRIT has worked tirelessly to preserve and protect water, resources, and sacred sites. This designation clearly affirms CRIT’s spiritual, cultural, and ancestral connection to these lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jack Potter, Chairman, Redding Rancheria

“Redding Rancheria celebrates the designation of the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, and supports all Tribes working to protect their lands. Tribes revere our lands as historic places of learning and sacred practice. Just as other American cultures might seek to protect a historic church or university, tribal communities wish to preserve our culture by protecting the sacred land where we learn, heal, gather medicine, and honor The Creator. We thank President Biden for honoring and protecting our sacred space for generations to come.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Michael Madrigal (Cahuilla), Board President, Native American Land Conservancy 

“The Native American Land Conservancy celebrates the creation of Chuckwalla National Monument. We are grateful to the many Tribal Nations that engaged in the effort and called for the preservation and stewardship of this cultural landscape. It is heartening to see more Tribal communities involved in public land issues in recent years. Indigenous people must be heard and actively involved in all spaces that discuss the management of our homelands. We will continue to support Tribal communities and their many efforts to preserve cultural, natural, and spiritual values which are the foundations of our existence.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Conservation and Climate Leaders

Gene Karpinski, President, League of Conservation Voters

“LCV is forever grateful for President Biden and Secretary Haaland’s steadfast leadership and commitment to protecting our communities, climate, and sacred and treasured places. We are thrilled to celebrate today’s designations of the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments, and proud to support the Tribal and local leaders who advocated tirelessly to make them happen. These monuments protect and honor living landscapes that are rich in cultural, recreational, and ecological resources that continue to sustain the well-being and survival of Indigenous peoples today. Sáttítla Highlands National Monument offers protections for a unique volcanic landscape which is home to critical water resources for millions of people, as well as agriculture and fish populations, and Chuckwalla National Monument provides a poignant example of how clean energy and conservation practices can coexist to simultaneously tackle the climate crisis and build climate resilience.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Ben Jealous, Executive Director, Sierra Club

“Our public lands tell the history of America. They must be protected for us to learn from, and to be enjoyed and explored, for this generation and those to come. Throughout his time in office, President Biden has not only recognized that, he has acted with urgency. Today, the Sierra Club celebrates President Biden’s bold actions to, once again, protect and preserve America’s natural and cultural resources. From the ecologically rich Chuckwalla deserts in the south to the primordial network of Sáttítla aquifers in the north to the fragile habitats and ecosystems of the southwest, communities and wildlife will continue to benefit from the clean water, protected landscapes and more equitable access to nature these monuments preserve. For years, Tribes and Indigenous voices have called for these landscapes to be protected. As he has throughout his presidency, President Biden answered those calls. Each new national monument adds a chapter to the story our public lands tell. We must continue the work to expand that story, protect the lands and waters that make this country special and preserve the historical, cultural and spiritual connections the original stewards of these landscapes continue to have with these places.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO, National Audubon Society

“We are grateful that the administration has heeded the call of thousands of Californians to protect our fragile deserts. This historic designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument not only ensures the preservation of the area’s rich biodiversity but also provides a critical sanctuary in addressing the climate crisis and supports the livelihoods of underserved communities. The expansion of protected areas underscores our commitment to collaborative habitat conservation, emphasizing partnerships with Indigenous peoples and local communities. We deeply appreciate the dedication of the administration and California’s congressional leadership in conserving these irreplaceable lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Nicole Gentile, Senior Director of Conservation, Center for American Progress

“These designations honor the culture, history, and conservation efforts of numerous Tribes while safeguarding culturally and environmentally rich landscapes from the threat of large-scale development. Chuckwalla National Monument protects some of the most connected, diverse, and rare ecosystems in the West. At the same time, the new monument broadens access to nature for people across southwestern California. President Biden committed to protecting nature and prioritizing environmental justice, and these designations help him do just that. With just a few weeks left in his term, designating these monuments helps to solidify his legacy as one of the country’s greatest conservation presidents.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Theresa Pierno, President and CEO, National Parks Conservation Association

“Chuckwalla National Monument is a cornerstone in a vast network of protected landscapes across the Southwest. Stretching from Joshua Tree to the Grand Canyon to Bears Ears, this corridor forms the largest swath of protected lands in the continental U.S. This designation protects an extraordinary stretch of the California desert, preserving a landscape shaped by millennia for those who find inspiration in the timeless beauty of our national parks. This 18-million-acre corridor links the Mojave Desert to the Colorado Plateau, providing safe migration routes for wildlife like the iconic desert bighorn sheep and ensuring clean water flows through the Colorado River and its tributaries. It protects sacred sites central to Tribal nations for countless generations, and welcomes millions of visitors each year, inspiring exploration and bringing lasting economic strength to surrounding communities. NPCA has been proud to work locally and nationally for decades to preserve the extraordinary landscapes in the California desert and beyond.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

David Seabrook, Interim President, The Wilderness Society

“The significance of the dual designations of Sáttítla Highlands and Chuckwalla National Monuments in California is as enormous as the state itself—from the cool, northern headwaters of Medicine Lake Highlands to the Joshua Tree desert refuge in the south. These connected landscapes are crucial for both human and wildlife communities alike. We applaud President Biden for taking meaningful action to safeguard these culturally and ecologically unique regions and for listening to Tribal and local community members who have called for their protection so that their connections to this land last for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Raisa Lee, Senior Director of Development, Clearway Energy Group

“Chuckwalla National Monument is a testament to the reality that conservation and clean energy progress go hand in hand. We are grateful to Senator Padilla and Representative Ruiz for their tireless and collaborative work to protect biological and cultural areas while helping meet the nation’s growing demand for reliable, low-cost energy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Adam Cramer, CEO, Outdoor Alliance

“Outdoor Alliance is thrilled to see the designation of Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument. Today’s designations expand protections for some of California’s most popular outdoor landscapes. We are grateful for the work of Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, and Governor Newsom, and are especially grateful to the Biden administration for their commitment to conservation and communities.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Katie Goodwin, Western Regional Director, Access Fund

“Access Fund appreciates the work and commitment of Tribal leaders, Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, and Governor Newsom, to protect the unique landscapes of the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla National Monument. These monuments will safeguard sacred, cultural, and historic sites and protect critical habitat and biodiversity. The monument will ensure these lands remain accessible, enjoyable, and protected for current and future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Steve Messer, President, California Mountain Biking Coalition

“We appreciate the tireless efforts of the advocates and tribal leaders who have worked to protect special places like Chuckwalla, and thank Senator Padilla, Congressman Ruiz, and the Biden Administration for taking action. We also appreciate the Pit River Tribe’s advocacy for Sáttítla National Monument in the Medicine Lakes area in far Northern California. These designations not only support California’s 30×30 conservation goals but can also support local economies, enhance opportunities for recreation, and ensure these lands remain accessible, enjoyable, and protected for future generations. They also respect tribal sovereignty, and will ensure the continued cultural stewardship practices by the original stewards of these lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Megan Fiske, California Stewardship Manager, Winter Wildlands Alliance

“Winter Wildlands Alliance is grateful to see another successful effort to preserve and protect lands in California with the adoption of the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla National Monument. We extend our gratitude to Senator Padilla and Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, Governor Newsom and the Biden administration for supporting these critical efforts, moving us closer to our 30×30 goals. Protecting the unique landscapes throughout California, from the mountains to the desert, is crucial to preserving biodiversity and providing equitable access to our public lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jennifer Savage, California Policy Associate Director, Surfrider Foundation

“The dedication of the Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument demonstrates a much needed commitment to preserving healthy ecosystems and safeguarding natural spaces from the mountains to the sea. We commend Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, Governor Newsom, and the Biden Administration for their leadership in making this designation a reality.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Theresa L. Lorejo-Simsiman, California Stewardship Director, American Whitewater

“American Whitewater is thrilled to see the designation of both the Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument in California. We are grateful for the leadership and commitment of Senator Padilla and former Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, Governor Newsom and the Biden administration to conserve these natural landscapes for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO, Trust for Public Land

“The designation of the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments in California marks an historic step toward protecting lands of profound cultural, ecological, and historical significance for all Americans. These monuments honor the enduring stewardship of Tribal Nations and the tireless efforts of local communities and conservation advocates who fought to safeguard these irreplaceable landscapes for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director, Center for Western Priorities

“With these proclamations, President Biden has secured his legacy as one of America’s great conservation presidents. It’s not enough to protect iconic landmarks and features—we must preserve the linkages between ecosystems and landscapes that support wildlife, clean air, and water that communities depend on. We thank President Biden for taking another big step toward achieving the national goal of protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters, and for honoring and respecting Indigenous peoples’ advocacy and heritage.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Eric Hanson, Chair, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers California Chapter

“As hunters and anglers, we understand the vital importance of conserving intact ecosystems for wildlife, habitat, and for future generations. BHA has long advocated for large-landscape conservation measures where hunters have a seat at the table, so we applaud President Biden’s decision to establish a national monument where our North American hunting traditions can endure and where BHA and partner organizations can continue to roll up our sleeves to improve wildlife habitat on the ground.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Janessa Goldbeck, USMC Veteran and CEO, Vet Voice Foundation

“The Chuckwalla National Monument simply wouldn’t exist without the leadership of Congressman Raul Ruiz. We’re honored to have joined forces with Tribes, community leaders, outdoor enthusiasts, fellow veterans, and Congressman Ruiz’s dedicated team to make this designation a reality under President Biden. This milestone is a lasting victory for all—veterans, non-veterans, and future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jamie Asbury, General Manager, Imperial Irrigation District (IID)

“IID was one of the early supporters of legislation by Congressman Ruiz to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument for its importance to the region. We applaud the announcement made today by President Biden to make this designation official.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Linda Castro, Assistant Policy Director, CalWild

“CalWild is extremely pleased that the Biden administration has heeded the call of six Tribal nations, hundreds of local small businesses, elected officials, historical societies, veterans, clergy, and other diverse interests to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument. After more than five years of work we are delighted to join these constituencies in thanking President Biden for protecting California’s desert public lands for us and for future generations to visit and enjoy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Dr. Jun Bando, Executive Director, California Native Plant Society

“The California Native Plant Society is thrilled and grateful to see these national monument designations, which have received overwhelming community support, give rare plant species a fighting chance for survival, and honor knowledges held by the land’s original stewards since time immemorial. California faces the highest risks for species extinction in the nation, and habitat loss is the leading cause. Protecting intact habitat, like Chuckwalla and Sáttítla, is essential to stopping the extinction crisis and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Lisa Belenky, Senior Counsel, Center for Biological Diversity

“I’m grateful the president designated these two national monuments, protecting rare wildlife, stunning landscapes and sacred lands in California for future generations. Chuckwalla National Monument includes lands sacred to native peoples and it’s home to wildlife the Center has worked to protect for decades, including bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, desert kit foxes and the monument’s namesake Chuckwalla lizards.  The Sáttítla National Monument is a stunning landscape sacred to the Pit River Tribe that provides habitat for Pacific fishers and northern spotted owls. Protecting these lands also safeguards aquifers providing clean water to millions of people.” [Statement, 1/8/2024]

Phil Francis, Chair, Executive Council Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks

“We celebrate the designations of the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. The efforts to protect these landscapes were led by Tribes and broadly supported by elected officials, businesses, local community members, and outdoor enthusiasts. The Chuckwalla National Monument will safeguard hundreds of thousands of acres of desert land that serves as a habitat for an incredible amount of biodiversity, protect numerous historic sites and resources, and preserve a landscape that is culturally significant for many Tribes. The Sáttítla Highlands National Monument will help to protect lands that are critical to the protection of water and wildlife and sacred for the Pit River and Modoc Nations, as well as for surrounding Tribal Peoples. We thank President Biden for taking action to protect these lands for future generations.” [Statement, 1/14/2025]

Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Conservation Lands Foundation

“President Joe Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to protect Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments is the culmination of years of strong Tribal leadership, bipartisan collaboration and heartfelt advocacy from local communities, businesses and elected officials. Today’s action honors Indigenous cultural connections, conserves vital habitats, expands outdoor access, and strengthens local economies.” [Statement, 1/14/2025]

Laura Deehan, California State Director, Environment America

“These designations mean a brighter and safer future for California’s wildlife and public lands. Thanks to Tribal leaders, local coalitions and our state and Congressional champs, our state has made a huge stride today toward safeguarding more nature. The Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments are two of the most stunning and ecologically crucial regions in our state. The Chuckwalla National Monument is a perfect example of reconnecting nature. The region hosts one of the greatest densities of desert tortoises in the world and connecting their habitats will give these threatened tortoises better opportunities to survive and thrive. The forests and clear waters of the Sáttítla monument area will be a safe home for generations of bears, birds and fish; and the communities of northern California will have clean water for decades into the future. We are thrilled that President Biden, Secretary Deb Haaland, Secretary Tom Vilsack and other decision-makers recognized these stunning wildlife habitats and natural landscapes should be safeguarded.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

LD Delano, Board Chair, Great Old Broads for Wilderness

“Great Old Broads for Wilderness joins with the many conservation organizations, Tribal groups, and residents across the state of California in celebrating today’s designation of Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument. Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California preserves the cultural heritage sites of five Indigenous tribes, supports a critical desert ecosystem, and provides recreation opportunities for historically underrepresented communities. Northern California’s Sáttítla National Monument preserves and protects the ancestral homeland of the Pit River Tribe—and one of the most important sources of clean, cool groundwater for people and wildlife in the region—from potential development. We thank President Biden for using his authority under the Antiquities Act to preserve these special landscapes for future generations, and for his administration’s commitment over the past four years to the conservation of our wild public lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Maite Arce, President and CEO, Hispanic Access Foundation

“The designations of Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttitla National Monument reflect the power of collaborative advocacy and the importance of protecting landscapes that hold profound cultural, ecological, and recreational significance. These designations honor the leadership of Tribal nations, and broad support from a coalition of advocates, including Latino communities who have long championed safeguarding these lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Anna Peterson, Executive Director, The Mountain Pact

“Public lands lie at the heart of our communities, and we are thrilled that President Biden has provided permanent protections for two of the West’s most priceless landscapes. Permanently protecting these sacred lands will not only honor long standing efforts to protect these lands from industrial development, but also ensures current and future generations can continue practicing time honored traditions on unspoiled lands. We thank President Biden for designating a Chuckwalla National Monument in the California desert. This new monument will protect important heritage values tied to the land such as multi-use trail systems established by Indigenous peoples, sacred sites and objects, traditional cultural places, geoglyphs, petroglyphs, pictographs, plants, and wildlife. Permanently protecting these lands will also help protect vast desert ecosystems and critical habitat for species like the chuckwalla lizard and desert tortoise, and migration corridors for desert bighorn sheep. We also thank the President for hearing the calls from the Pit River Tribe and designating a Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in Northern California. This culturally significant, geologically unique, and life-sustaining region is critical for the health of the Californians who rely on Sátíttla as a source of fresh drinking water, and for the Indigenous peoples who have called this land home since time immemorial. Public lands contribute to our local economies, shape our culture, and give our communities the opportunity to connect with nature. At a time when climate change is already threatening so many of the lands in California that sustain life and connect so many people to their cultural heritage, it is of utmost importance that we do everything in our power to protect the places that hold such ecological, biological, and cultural significance.” [Statement, 1/14/2025]

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The post WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: President Biden Builds on Historic Conservation Legacy, Establishes Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments in California appeared first on The White House.

Adding to his legacy of conserving more lands and waters than any President in history, two days ago President Biden signed proclamations creating the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in California. These two monuments together conserve 848,000 acres of lands in California and will protect clean water for communities, honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, and enhance access to nature.

Establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument is President Biden’s capstone action to create the largest corridor of protected lands in the continental United States, covering nearly 18 million acres stretching approximately 600 miles. The Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor stretches from Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southwestern Utah, to which President Biden restored protections in 2021; through Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona and Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada, both established by President Biden in 2023; and reaches the deserts and mountains of southern California that are being protected with the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. 

President Biden and Vice President Harris’s record-setting environmental legacy includes conserving more lands and waters, deploying more clean energy, and making more progress in cutting climate pollution and advancing environmental justice than any previous administration. Following last week’s actions to protect the East and West coasts and the Northern Bering Sea from offshore oil and natural gas drilling, President Biden has now protected 674 million acres of U.S. lands and waters.

Leaders from California and across the country applauded the announcement:

Elected Officials

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA)

“California is now home to two new national monuments that honor the tribes that have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Thanks to President Biden and the leadership of California tribes and local communities, we’re protecting 840,000 acres of some of our state’s most culturally significant lands. This is a huge boost for our efforts to protect 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA)

“Establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument is another major victory for safeguarding California’s public lands for generations to come. This historic announcement accelerates our state’s crucial efforts to fight the climate crisis, protect our iconic wildlife, preserve sacred tribal sites, and promote clean energy, while expanding equitable access to nature for millions of Californians. This designation reflects years of tireless work from tribal leaders to protect these sacred desert landscapes. President Biden has joined California leaders in championing our treasured natural wonders, and I applaud him for further cementing his strong public lands legacy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA)

“Designating Chuckwalla National Monument is a victory for conservation, climate resilience, and expanded access to nature. I am glad these lands will now be protected for generations to come.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25)

“I am thrilled that President Biden has designated the Chuckwalla National Monument using the Antiquities Act. After years of negotiation and bringing several communities together, this achievement was made possible through the leadership and partnership of many organizations, tribes, and community leaders. Chuckwalla National Monument will pave the way for the future of conservation and renewable energy. I greatly appreciate Senators Padilla and Butler for their support and partnership over the last several years.” [Statement, 1/07/2025]

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA-2)

“Designation of the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments is yet another win for Indigenous and community conservation efforts championed by the Biden-Harris administration,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “The new Chuckwalla National Monument will protect sacred and ecologically invaluable lands that have been home to the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano peoples since time immemorial. Likewise, Sáttítla, also known as the Medicine Lake Highlands, has been a spiritual center for the Pit River and Modoc Tribes for millennia. I’m grateful to the community leaders and elected officials that listened to Indigenous communities and worked tirelessly to protect these lands so that the ancestral homelands, cultural resources and traditions, and sacred sites of the region are protected for generations to come.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

James Ramos, Assembly Member, Serrano/Cahuilla Tribe and Chair of the California Legislative Native American Caucus

“The California Legislature expressed strong bipartisan support for establishing Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments by passing Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs) 16 and 17 last year. These new monuments include lands long-valued and cherished by California’s First Peoples for their cultural and sacred significance. I am glad to see these irreplaceable natural and cultural treasures join our nation’s network of national monuments.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Casey Glaubman, Councilmember, Mt. Shasta City and Executive Director, Friends of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center

“As an avid explorer, runner, and lover of the outdoors, I couldn’t be more excited about the designation of Sáttítla National Monument. This new designation will ensure that these treasured public lands will endure for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Waymond Fermon, Councilmember, Indio City

“Chuckwalla National Monument will help provide access to nature, protect places for outdoor recreation, boost our economy, and benefit businesses. In under an hour’s drive, residents of my community of Indio can experience the beauty of the monument and explore nature close to home. National monument status ensures that places beloved for outdoor recreation are here for current and future generations to enjoy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Evan Trubee, Owner, Big Wheel Tours and Councilmember, Palm Desert City

“I am thrilled to celebrate the new Chuckwalla National Monument. Protecting public lands here in the Coachella Valley will preserve the wildlife and beautiful landscapes that make our desert home unique. It will help ensure access to the outdoors for our local communities and protect the nature that draws visitors to Riverside and Imperial Counties.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Tribal Nations

Statement from the Tribal Council of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe

 “The protection of the Chuckwalla National Monument brings the Quechan people an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. Tribes being reunited as stewards of this landscape is only the beginning of much-needed healing and restoration, and we are eager to fully rebuild our relationship to this place. This action is part of a greater movement around the country to reconnect Tribes to their ancestral homelands whilst ensuring they have the authority to guide management decisions with federal and state agencies. We, along with our sister Tribes, are dedicated to taking our spirit back, culture back, language back, and land back. This national monument designation cements into history our solidarity and collective vision for our peoples. While we celebrate, we also hold the truth that there is still much work to do to fully re-immerse ourselves as stewards within this ecosystem. The essence of who we are lies in the landscapes of Chuckwalla and Avi Kwa Ame. Every trail, every living being, and every story in these places is connected to a rich history and heritage that runs in our DNA. That is why we look forward to the day when we can celebrate adding the proposed Kw’tsán National Monument for protection, as well. Our Tribe believes that this effort is proof that Together We Progress. We extend a hand of immense gratitude to the Biden Administration, to our allies, partners, and communities that showed up to protect the Chuckwalla region. We thank you on behalf of the generations of today and for all our relations that will look after this land in the future.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Yatch Bamford, Chairman, Pit River Nation

“For generations, my people have fought to protect Sáttítla, and today we celebrate the voices of our Ancestors being heard. Sáttítla Highlands National Monument is a victory not just for Tribal Nations but for every American who understands the value of clean water, healthy lands, and preserving the true history of these United States of America.  These designations demonstrate what is possible when we center Indigenous leadership and honor the deep connections between Tribes and their homelands. We thank President Biden for listening to the many diverse voices that called for this designation and for standing in solidarity with the Pit River Nation.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Erica Schenk, Chairwoman of the Cahuilla Band of Indians

“The Cahuilla Band of Indians strongly applauds the creation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. The area includes village sites, camps, quarries, food processing sites, power places, trails, glyphs, and story and song locations, all of which are evidence of the Cahuilla peoples’ and other Tribes’ close and spiritual relationship to these desert lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Darrell Mike, Chairman, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians 

“Our histories, stories, trails, songs, and traditional knowledge are alive in these lands. The animals, plants, insects, canyons, mountains, and other natural features in this region are foundational components to our cultural identity and existence as Tribal people. To us, cultural and natural resources are inseparable. They connect us to our ancestors and sustain our livelihoods and traditional practices today. The biodiversity and cultural resources present in this proposed monument are worthy of robust and proper protections.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Robert Burkybile, Chief, Modoc Nation

“Modoc Nation shared the sacred landscapes of the Medicine Lake Highlands with the Pit River Tribe. Our Pit River neighbors refer to this land as Sáttítla; it seems the traditional Modoc word for this land may have been lost following the attempted extermination and eventual forced removal of the Modoc people from our lands. Modoc Nation celebrates the designation of our shared sacred land as a national monument, and looks forward to participating in a new land management planning process.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Brandy McDaniels, Sáttítla National Monument Lead, Pit River Nation

“We could not be more excited that federal leaders are hearing our call to protect these sacred lands. There has been overwhelming support for this monument, as demonstrated at the USDA’s listening session recently. We have many diverse voices that are passionate about protecting what makes this region unique and following decades of defending our ancestral homelands, the Pit River Nation welcomes the news that our voices and the voices of our Ancestors are finally being heard.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Joseph DL Mirelez, Chairman, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians

“For thousands of years, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians have called the lands in the Chuckwalla National Monument home. We are happy to see the designation protect this area that contains thousands of cultural places and objects of vital importance to the history and identity of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Amelia Flores, Chairwoman, Colorado River Indian Tribes

“The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) celebrates the permanent and long-term protection of ancestral lands and the cultural landscape through the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. CRIT has worked tirelessly to preserve and protect water, resources, and sacred sites. This designation clearly affirms CRIT’s spiritual, cultural, and ancestral connection to these lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jack Potter, Chairman, Redding Rancheria

“Redding Rancheria celebrates the designation of the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, and supports all Tribes working to protect their lands. Tribes revere our lands as historic places of learning and sacred practice. Just as other American cultures might seek to protect a historic church or university, tribal communities wish to preserve our culture by protecting the sacred land where we learn, heal, gather medicine, and honor The Creator. We thank President Biden for honoring and protecting our sacred space for generations to come.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Michael Madrigal (Cahuilla), Board President, Native American Land Conservancy 

“The Native American Land Conservancy celebrates the creation of Chuckwalla National Monument. We are grateful to the many Tribal Nations that engaged in the effort and called for the preservation and stewardship of this cultural landscape. It is heartening to see more Tribal communities involved in public land issues in recent years. Indigenous people must be heard and actively involved in all spaces that discuss the management of our homelands. We will continue to support Tribal communities and their many efforts to preserve cultural, natural, and spiritual values which are the foundations of our existence.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Conservation and Climate Leaders

Gene Karpinski, President, League of Conservation Voters

“LCV is forever grateful for President Biden and Secretary Haaland’s steadfast leadership and commitment to protecting our communities, climate, and sacred and treasured places. We are thrilled to celebrate today’s designations of the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments, and proud to support the Tribal and local leaders who advocated tirelessly to make them happen. These monuments protect and honor living landscapes that are rich in cultural, recreational, and ecological resources that continue to sustain the well-being and survival of Indigenous peoples today. Sáttítla Highlands National Monument offers protections for a unique volcanic landscape which is home to critical water resources for millions of people, as well as agriculture and fish populations, and Chuckwalla National Monument provides a poignant example of how clean energy and conservation practices can coexist to simultaneously tackle the climate crisis and build climate resilience.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Ben Jealous, Executive Director, Sierra Club

“Our public lands tell the history of America. They must be protected for us to learn from, and to be enjoyed and explored, for this generation and those to come. Throughout his time in office, President Biden has not only recognized that, he has acted with urgency. Today, the Sierra Club celebrates President Biden’s bold actions to, once again, protect and preserve America’s natural and cultural resources. From the ecologically rich Chuckwalla deserts in the south to the primordial network of Sáttítla aquifers in the north to the fragile habitats and ecosystems of the southwest, communities and wildlife will continue to benefit from the clean water, protected landscapes and more equitable access to nature these monuments preserve. For years, Tribes and Indigenous voices have called for these landscapes to be protected. As he has throughout his presidency, President Biden answered those calls. Each new national monument adds a chapter to the story our public lands tell. We must continue the work to expand that story, protect the lands and waters that make this country special and preserve the historical, cultural and spiritual connections the original stewards of these landscapes continue to have with these places.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO, National Audubon Society

“We are grateful that the administration has heeded the call of thousands of Californians to protect our fragile deserts. This historic designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument not only ensures the preservation of the area’s rich biodiversity but also provides a critical sanctuary in addressing the climate crisis and supports the livelihoods of underserved communities. The expansion of protected areas underscores our commitment to collaborative habitat conservation, emphasizing partnerships with Indigenous peoples and local communities. We deeply appreciate the dedication of the administration and California’s congressional leadership in conserving these irreplaceable lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Nicole Gentile, Senior Director of Conservation, Center for American Progress

“These designations honor the culture, history, and conservation efforts of numerous Tribes while safeguarding culturally and environmentally rich landscapes from the threat of large-scale development. Chuckwalla National Monument protects some of the most connected, diverse, and rare ecosystems in the West. At the same time, the new monument broadens access to nature for people across southwestern California. President Biden committed to protecting nature and prioritizing environmental justice, and these designations help him do just that. With just a few weeks left in his term, designating these monuments helps to solidify his legacy as one of the country’s greatest conservation presidents.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Theresa Pierno, President and CEO, National Parks Conservation Association

“Chuckwalla National Monument is a cornerstone in a vast network of protected landscapes across the Southwest. Stretching from Joshua Tree to the Grand Canyon to Bears Ears, this corridor forms the largest swath of protected lands in the continental U.S. This designation protects an extraordinary stretch of the California desert, preserving a landscape shaped by millennia for those who find inspiration in the timeless beauty of our national parks. This 18-million-acre corridor links the Mojave Desert to the Colorado Plateau, providing safe migration routes for wildlife like the iconic desert bighorn sheep and ensuring clean water flows through the Colorado River and its tributaries. It protects sacred sites central to Tribal nations for countless generations, and welcomes millions of visitors each year, inspiring exploration and bringing lasting economic strength to surrounding communities. NPCA has been proud to work locally and nationally for decades to preserve the extraordinary landscapes in the California desert and beyond.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

David Seabrook, Interim President, The Wilderness Society

“The significance of the dual designations of Sáttítla Highlands and Chuckwalla National Monuments in California is as enormous as the state itself—from the cool, northern headwaters of Medicine Lake Highlands to the Joshua Tree desert refuge in the south. These connected landscapes are crucial for both human and wildlife communities alike. We applaud President Biden for taking meaningful action to safeguard these culturally and ecologically unique regions and for listening to Tribal and local community members who have called for their protection so that their connections to this land last for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Raisa Lee, Senior Director of Development, Clearway Energy Group

“Chuckwalla National Monument is a testament to the reality that conservation and clean energy progress go hand in hand. We are grateful to Senator Padilla and Representative Ruiz for their tireless and collaborative work to protect biological and cultural areas while helping meet the nation’s growing demand for reliable, low-cost energy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Adam Cramer, CEO, Outdoor Alliance

“Outdoor Alliance is thrilled to see the designation of Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument. Today’s designations expand protections for some of California’s most popular outdoor landscapes. We are grateful for the work of Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, and Governor Newsom, and are especially grateful to the Biden administration for their commitment to conservation and communities.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Katie Goodwin, Western Regional Director, Access Fund

“Access Fund appreciates the work and commitment of Tribal leaders, Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, and Governor Newsom, to protect the unique landscapes of the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla National Monument. These monuments will safeguard sacred, cultural, and historic sites and protect critical habitat and biodiversity. The monument will ensure these lands remain accessible, enjoyable, and protected for current and future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Steve Messer, President, California Mountain Biking Coalition

“We appreciate the tireless efforts of the advocates and tribal leaders who have worked to protect special places like Chuckwalla, and thank Senator Padilla, Congressman Ruiz, and the Biden Administration for taking action. We also appreciate the Pit River Tribe’s advocacy for Sáttítla National Monument in the Medicine Lakes area in far Northern California. These designations not only support California’s 30×30 conservation goals but can also support local economies, enhance opportunities for recreation, and ensure these lands remain accessible, enjoyable, and protected for future generations. They also respect tribal sovereignty, and will ensure the continued cultural stewardship practices by the original stewards of these lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Megan Fiske, California Stewardship Manager, Winter Wildlands Alliance

“Winter Wildlands Alliance is grateful to see another successful effort to preserve and protect lands in California with the adoption of the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla National Monument. We extend our gratitude to Senator Padilla and Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, Governor Newsom and the Biden administration for supporting these critical efforts, moving us closer to our 30×30 goals. Protecting the unique landscapes throughout California, from the mountains to the desert, is crucial to preserving biodiversity and providing equitable access to our public lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jennifer Savage, California Policy Associate Director, Surfrider Foundation

“The dedication of the Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument demonstrates a much needed commitment to preserving healthy ecosystems and safeguarding natural spaces from the mountains to the sea. We commend Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, Governor Newsom, and the Biden Administration for their leadership in making this designation a reality.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Theresa L. Lorejo-Simsiman, California Stewardship Director, American Whitewater

“American Whitewater is thrilled to see the designation of both the Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument in California. We are grateful for the leadership and commitment of Senator Padilla and former Senator Butler, Representative Ruiz, Governor Newsom and the Biden administration to conserve these natural landscapes for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO, Trust for Public Land

“The designation of the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments in California marks an historic step toward protecting lands of profound cultural, ecological, and historical significance for all Americans. These monuments honor the enduring stewardship of Tribal Nations and the tireless efforts of local communities and conservation advocates who fought to safeguard these irreplaceable landscapes for future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director, Center for Western Priorities

“With these proclamations, President Biden has secured his legacy as one of America’s great conservation presidents. It’s not enough to protect iconic landmarks and features—we must preserve the linkages between ecosystems and landscapes that support wildlife, clean air, and water that communities depend on. We thank President Biden for taking another big step toward achieving the national goal of protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters, and for honoring and respecting Indigenous peoples’ advocacy and heritage.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Eric Hanson, Chair, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers California Chapter

“As hunters and anglers, we understand the vital importance of conserving intact ecosystems for wildlife, habitat, and for future generations. BHA has long advocated for large-landscape conservation measures where hunters have a seat at the table, so we applaud President Biden’s decision to establish a national monument where our North American hunting traditions can endure and where BHA and partner organizations can continue to roll up our sleeves to improve wildlife habitat on the ground.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Janessa Goldbeck, USMC Veteran and CEO, Vet Voice Foundation

“The Chuckwalla National Monument simply wouldn’t exist without the leadership of Congressman Raul Ruiz. We’re honored to have joined forces with Tribes, community leaders, outdoor enthusiasts, fellow veterans, and Congressman Ruiz’s dedicated team to make this designation a reality under President Biden. This milestone is a lasting victory for all—veterans, non-veterans, and future generations.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Jamie Asbury, General Manager, Imperial Irrigation District (IID)

“IID was one of the early supporters of legislation by Congressman Ruiz to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument for its importance to the region. We applaud the announcement made today by President Biden to make this designation official.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Linda Castro, Assistant Policy Director, CalWild

“CalWild is extremely pleased that the Biden administration has heeded the call of six Tribal nations, hundreds of local small businesses, elected officials, historical societies, veterans, clergy, and other diverse interests to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument. After more than five years of work we are delighted to join these constituencies in thanking President Biden for protecting California’s desert public lands for us and for future generations to visit and enjoy.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Dr. Jun Bando, Executive Director, California Native Plant Society

“The California Native Plant Society is thrilled and grateful to see these national monument designations, which have received overwhelming community support, give rare plant species a fighting chance for survival, and honor knowledges held by the land’s original stewards since time immemorial. California faces the highest risks for species extinction in the nation, and habitat loss is the leading cause. Protecting intact habitat, like Chuckwalla and Sáttítla, is essential to stopping the extinction crisis and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Lisa Belenky, Senior Counsel, Center for Biological Diversity

“I’m grateful the president designated these two national monuments, protecting rare wildlife, stunning landscapes and sacred lands in California for future generations. Chuckwalla National Monument includes lands sacred to native peoples and it’s home to wildlife the Center has worked to protect for decades, including bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, desert kit foxes and the monument’s namesake Chuckwalla lizards.  The Sáttítla National Monument is a stunning landscape sacred to the Pit River Tribe that provides habitat for Pacific fishers and northern spotted owls. Protecting these lands also safeguards aquifers providing clean water to millions of people.” [Statement, 1/8/2024]

Phil Francis, Chair, Executive Council Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks

“We celebrate the designations of the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. The efforts to protect these landscapes were led by Tribes and broadly supported by elected officials, businesses, local community members, and outdoor enthusiasts. The Chuckwalla National Monument will safeguard hundreds of thousands of acres of desert land that serves as a habitat for an incredible amount of biodiversity, protect numerous historic sites and resources, and preserve a landscape that is culturally significant for many Tribes. The Sáttítla Highlands National Monument will help to protect lands that are critical to the protection of water and wildlife and sacred for the Pit River and Modoc Nations, as well as for surrounding Tribal Peoples. We thank President Biden for taking action to protect these lands for future generations.” [Statement, 1/14/2025]

Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Conservation Lands Foundation

“President Joe Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to protect Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments is the culmination of years of strong Tribal leadership, bipartisan collaboration and heartfelt advocacy from local communities, businesses and elected officials. Today’s action honors Indigenous cultural connections, conserves vital habitats, expands outdoor access, and strengthens local economies.” [Statement, 1/14/2025]

Laura Deehan, California State Director, Environment America

“These designations mean a brighter and safer future for California’s wildlife and public lands. Thanks to Tribal leaders, local coalitions and our state and Congressional champs, our state has made a huge stride today toward safeguarding more nature. The Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments are two of the most stunning and ecologically crucial regions in our state. The Chuckwalla National Monument is a perfect example of reconnecting nature. The region hosts one of the greatest densities of desert tortoises in the world and connecting their habitats will give these threatened tortoises better opportunities to survive and thrive. The forests and clear waters of the Sáttítla monument area will be a safe home for generations of bears, birds and fish; and the communities of northern California will have clean water for decades into the future. We are thrilled that President Biden, Secretary Deb Haaland, Secretary Tom Vilsack and other decision-makers recognized these stunning wildlife habitats and natural landscapes should be safeguarded.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

LD Delano, Board Chair, Great Old Broads for Wilderness

“Great Old Broads for Wilderness joins with the many conservation organizations, Tribal groups, and residents across the state of California in celebrating today’s designation of Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla National Monument. Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California preserves the cultural heritage sites of five Indigenous tribes, supports a critical desert ecosystem, and provides recreation opportunities for historically underrepresented communities. Northern California’s Sáttítla National Monument preserves and protects the ancestral homeland of the Pit River Tribe—and one of the most important sources of clean, cool groundwater for people and wildlife in the region—from potential development. We thank President Biden for using his authority under the Antiquities Act to preserve these special landscapes for future generations, and for his administration’s commitment over the past four years to the conservation of our wild public lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Maite Arce, President and CEO, Hispanic Access Foundation

“The designations of Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttitla National Monument reflect the power of collaborative advocacy and the importance of protecting landscapes that hold profound cultural, ecological, and recreational significance. These designations honor the leadership of Tribal nations, and broad support from a coalition of advocates, including Latino communities who have long championed safeguarding these lands.” [Statement, 1/7/2025]

Anna Peterson, Executive Director, The Mountain Pact

“Public lands lie at the heart of our communities, and we are thrilled that President Biden has provided permanent protections for two of the West’s most priceless landscapes. Permanently protecting these sacred lands will not only honor long standing efforts to protect these lands from industrial development, but also ensures current and future generations can continue practicing time honored traditions on unspoiled lands. We thank President Biden for designating a Chuckwalla National Monument in the California desert. This new monument will protect important heritage values tied to the land such as multi-use trail systems established by Indigenous peoples, sacred sites and objects, traditional cultural places, geoglyphs, petroglyphs, pictographs, plants, and wildlife. Permanently protecting these lands will also help protect vast desert ecosystems and critical habitat for species like the chuckwalla lizard and desert tortoise, and migration corridors for desert bighorn sheep. We also thank the President for hearing the calls from the Pit River Tribe and designating a Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in Northern California. This culturally significant, geologically unique, and life-sustaining region is critical for the health of the Californians who rely on Sátíttla as a source of fresh drinking water, and for the Indigenous peoples who have called this land home since time immemorial. Public lands contribute to our local economies, shape our culture, and give our communities the opportunity to connect with nature. At a time when climate change is already threatening so many of the lands in California that sustain life and connect so many people to their cultural heritage, it is of utmost importance that we do everything in our power to protect the places that hold such ecological, biological, and cultural significance.” [Statement, 1/14/2025]

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The post WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: President Biden Builds on Historic Conservation Legacy, Establishes Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments in California appeared first on The White House.

State Dining Room

11:36 A.M. EST
 
THE FIRST LADY:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Please.  Thanks.  Please sit.

Sheila, thank you.

You know, I met — first met Sheila when she was a senior military spouse when General Casey was the chief of staff of the Army.  And I always learned so much and drew comfort and strength from you, Sheila. 

Our Joining Forces executive director, Rory Brosius, had — has been — or had been a part of this initiative from the early days, and she led us forward from 2021 to 2023 with grace and compassion and determination.  (Applause.)

So, when it came time for a new executive director, I knew exactly who to call.  (Laughter.)  Because for any Joining Forces issue, we — we’d always call Sheila and ask for her thoughts and her guidance. 

So, I invited Sheila for tea, without telling her what I had in mind — (laughter) — and she walked out as our new executive director.  (Laughter and applause.)

Sheila, when I asked you to — to come lead Joining Forces, you didn’t hesitate.  As you said, it was, like, four seconds.  Like, “Yes, I’ll do it.”  (Laughter.)  And everyone in this room is so grateful for your leadership and your kindness and your friendship. 

Thank you.  I love you.  (Applause.)
 
So, to everybody else, welcome to the White House!  (Laughter.)  And I think this may be the last time I get to say that from this stage. 
 
So, this is the final event I will host here as first lady.  And I knew I wanted to celebrate you –the advocates, business leaders, senior spouses, and so many military families who have been with Joining Forces. 
 
It’s because of you that we’ve made so much progress on employment and entrepreneurship, on military child education, on health and well-being for the whole family. 
 
 Just 1 percent of our nation serves in uniform so that the other 99 percent may live in freedom.  We owe it to them to make sure that they, and their families, have the support that they need. 
So, in 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and I launched Joining Forces.  And we made a commitment that we wouldn’t tell the military families what they needed.  We would ask them about the challenges they faced and do everything that we could to lighten the load of all that they carried. 

And after the Obama-Biden administration, I knew that I had to continue this work.  And one of the first things I did when Joe was sworn in as president was establish Joining Forces back in the White House — (applause) — with an executive director serving as a commissioned officer, a senior member of the White House team.

It was important that everyone understand that this work was critical to the Biden-Harris administration. 

We saw a new opportunity to write a new chapter for this initiative.  And along with so many of you in this room, we were determined to put an end to those excuses we’d often hear when trying to break down barriers for this community — things like, “Oh, it’s too complicated” or “We don’t know how.”

We came together to say military families deserve as much commitment from us as they give to us.  (Applause.)

Like the spouses who work for the federal government, you told me how hard it was for you to keep those jobs when you moved. 

And in 2023, Joe signed the most far-reaching executive order ever on federal employment for military and veteran spouses to expand opportunities to help you further the careers you have all worked so hard to build.  And believe me, I understood that.

And over the years, I’ve met with so many children of military families.  You know, they might not wear a uniform, but they serve too. 

So, I’ve brought military kids to the White House for, I think, every holiday celebration, displaying their art on the public tour so that everyone could learn about their experiences, and increased support for military caregiving children, which was so important.  (Applause.)  

Parents, you explained how tough it is to piece together childcare that’s affordable, especially as you move from base to base.  And that’s why the Biden administration lowered the cost of childcare for military families and expanded parental leave for service members.  (Applause.)

And this past fall, we also brought universal pre-K to military bases around the world. (Applause.) 

And the moms and dads of military kids with disabilities, you told me how your kids move to new schools, but their individualized education programs don’t move as easily.  So, I understood that, as a teacher.

The federal government and the nonprofit and private sectors are working to pilot seamless and secure data transfers of those specialized service.  (Applause.)  That way — that way, military kids and all students who move frequently will be closer to getting the services they need on the first day at a new school.

The military community is the one that the Bidens are humbled and proud to serve, to call our own. 

You know, at just 17 years old, my father decided that he wanted to fight in World War II.  And back then — and I guess it’s the same today — he was too young to e- — enlist at 17, so he had to get my grandmom’s permission to join.  (Laughter.) 

So, she signed the papers.  And my father served as a Naval — Navy signalman in the Pacific.  And his service shaped his life, and mine as well. 

And I’m proud that Joining Forces is part of what has defined my time at the White House.  

It’s been the honor of my life to serve as first lady and to support the military community that defends our nation and keeps it strong. 

For every new recruit who takes the oath to protect and defend the Constitution…

For every parent who knows the swell of fear and pride seeing their son or daughter in uniform, like I have…

For every military child who saves up all their stories to share during those few precious phone calls with a parent serving overseas, you all know this…

We must make sure that America lives up to their devotion and the sacrifices that they make — the sacrifices that all of you make every day. 

With all of my heart, thank you for your service.

May God bless your families.

I love you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END                 11:45 A.M. EST

The post Remarks by First Lady Jill Biden at a Joining Forces Celebration appeared first on The White House.

Today, Joining Forces, along with the Department of Defense and Department of Education (ED), announced new actions to support military children with disabilities and ensure they receive the services they need when they move schools. Together, these actions will address delays in services due to issues with transferring special education records from one school district to another, often across state lines. 
 
Over the last four years, First Lady Jill Biden has met with military families who have shared the challenge of transferring their children’s Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) between school districts and across state lines as they move. Due in part to delays in transferring IEPs, some military families report waiting, on average, over 120 days—over half of most school years—for their children with disabilities to receive the services they need at their new school.  This loss of critical services is compounded with every move—which, for military children, will be an average of six to nine times throughout their K-12 education. 

Under the First Lady’s leadership through her Joining Forces initative, the federal government and private and non-profit sectors are working to ensure military children with disabilities, and all highly mobile students with disabilities, can receive the services they deserve in a timely manner. 
 
“Through my Joining Forces initiative, I’ve traveled to bases across the country and around the world, and have met with military families to learn about their experiences and challenges. I’ve heard from parents of military kids with disabilities who have shared how hard it is to transfer their child’s individualized education program when they move to new schools,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “These new commitments are a critical first step in helping military children with disabilities, and all students who move frequently, get the specialized services they need when they move schools – without delay.”
 
Department of Defense Education Activity
 
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in collaboration with the non-profit InnovateEDU and the Project Unicorn initiative announced a first-of-its-kind effort to participate in a working group with state and local education agencies and school data management software companies to seamlessly and securely transfer IEP-related data of students moving into and out of DoDEA’s federally-operated school system.
 
DoDEA and InnovateEDU signed a Letter of Intent to support the working group in its efforts to develop the processes, governance structures, and legal agreements needed to facilitate transparent and confidential data transfers with a goal of reducing gaps in special education services for military children resulting from challenges in transferring student records.  
 
DoDEA operates 161 schools across 7 states, 11 foreign countries, and 2 territories, serving more than 64,000 military-connected children. 
 
In addition to DoDEA’s efforts, the Department of Defense’s Office of Special Needs (OSN) updated enrollment criteria while streamlining the role of Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Family Support providers. These revisions aim to provide military families with a more cohesive and consistent experience, ensuring smoother interactions and improved support.

Private Sector Commitments
 
Top school data management software companies serving millions of students across the country, including ClassLink, Clever, D2L, IEP&Me, Mindex, PowerSchool, and SIRAS Systems, are collaborating with the nonprofit InnovateEDU to take historic actions to address special education data transfer issues. 
 
Through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), these companies are aligning their products and services to a standard set of key special education data fields by the end of the month.  In addition, for the first time, they have committed to piloting seamless and secure transfers of data within these standard fields, between at least two school systems by the end of their 2024-2025 school years—intending to make these data transfers available to all school systems served by these companies by fall 2025. 
 
InnovateEDU is coordinating across these companies and school systems to develop the processes, governance structures, and legal agreements needed to efficiently and safely transfer IEP-related student data with parental consent.
 
Department of Education
 
To support Joining Forces’ efforts related to facilitating records transfers, the Department of Education (ED) has engaged key organizations through the Interoperability, Efficiency, and Portability Commitment, which asks signatories to reimagine data-sharing infrastructure and processes.
 
These new actions complement ED’s recent announcements related to military students with disabilities, including providing grant funding for projects that will develop school-level strategies to better engage military families who have children with disabilities and releasing tools to assist states in reviewing their current practices for supporting military children with disabilities.  ED also released guidance urging Vocational Rehabilitation programs to implement flexible and proactive processes to support seamless transfers of job training and employment support services for military families with youth, students, and adults with disabilities when moving between states.
 
Background on the First Lady’s Joining Forces Initiative:
 
Joining Forces is Dr. Biden’s initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military-connected families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces centers on the needs of this population in the areas of: Economic Opportunity; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.
 
As First Lady, Dr. Biden has visited over 30 military installations; worked with Joining Forces partners to support over 80 engagements with the military-connected community; and helped coordinate the Administration’s efforts to increase and raise awareness of resources and support for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

 
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The post Joining Forces, Department of Defense, and Department of Education Announce New Actions to Support Military Children with Disabilities appeared first on The White House.

Today, Joining Forces, along with the Department of Defense and Department of Education (ED), announced new actions to support military children with disabilities and ensure they receive the services they need when they move schools. Together, these actions will address delays in services due to issues with transferring special education records from one school district to another, often across state lines. 
 
Over the last four years, First Lady Jill Biden has met with military families who have shared the challenge of transferring their children’s Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) between school districts and across state lines as they move. Due in part to delays in transferring IEPs, some military families report waiting, on average, over 120 days—over half of most school years—for their children with disabilities to receive the services they need at their new school.  This loss of critical services is compounded with every move—which, for military children, will be an average of six to nine times throughout their K-12 education. 

Under the First Lady’s leadership through her Joining Forces initative, the federal government and private and non-profit sectors are working to ensure military children with disabilities, and all highly mobile students with disabilities, can receive the services they deserve in a timely manner. 
 
“Through my Joining Forces initiative, I’ve traveled to bases across the country and around the world, and have met with military families to learn about their experiences and challenges. I’ve heard from parents of military kids with disabilities who have shared how hard it is to transfer their child’s individualized education program when they move to new schools,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “These new commitments are a critical first step in helping military children with disabilities, and all students who move frequently, get the specialized services they need when they move schools – without delay.”
 
Department of Defense Education Activity
 
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in collaboration with the non-profit InnovateEDU and the Project Unicorn initiative announced a first-of-its-kind effort to participate in a working group with state and local education agencies and school data management software companies to seamlessly and securely transfer IEP-related data of students moving into and out of DoDEA’s federally-operated school system.
 
DoDEA and InnovateEDU signed a Letter of Intent to support the working group in its efforts to develop the processes, governance structures, and legal agreements needed to facilitate transparent and confidential data transfers with a goal of reducing gaps in special education services for military children resulting from challenges in transferring student records.  
 
DoDEA operates 161 schools across 7 states, 11 foreign countries, and 2 territories, serving more than 64,000 military-connected children. 
 
In addition to DoDEA’s efforts, the Department of Defense’s Office of Special Needs (OSN) updated enrollment criteria while streamlining the role of Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Family Support providers. These revisions aim to provide military families with a more cohesive and consistent experience, ensuring smoother interactions and improved support.

Private Sector Commitments
 
Top school data management software companies serving millions of students across the country, including ClassLink, Clever, D2L, IEP&Me, Mindex, PowerSchool, and SIRAS Systems, are collaborating with the nonprofit InnovateEDU to take historic actions to address special education data transfer issues. 
 
Through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), these companies are aligning their products and services to a standard set of key special education data fields by the end of the month.  In addition, for the first time, they have committed to piloting seamless and secure transfers of data within these standard fields, between at least two school systems by the end of their 2024-2025 school years—intending to make these data transfers available to all school systems served by these companies by fall 2025. 
 
InnovateEDU is coordinating across these companies and school systems to develop the processes, governance structures, and legal agreements needed to efficiently and safely transfer IEP-related student data with parental consent.
 
Department of Education
 
To support Joining Forces’ efforts related to facilitating records transfers, the Department of Education (ED) has engaged key organizations through the Interoperability, Efficiency, and Portability Commitment, which asks signatories to reimagine data-sharing infrastructure and processes.
 
These new actions complement ED’s recent announcements related to military students with disabilities, including providing grant funding for projects that will develop school-level strategies to better engage military families who have children with disabilities and releasing tools to assist states in reviewing their current practices for supporting military children with disabilities.  ED also released guidance urging Vocational Rehabilitation programs to implement flexible and proactive processes to support seamless transfers of job training and employment support services for military families with youth, students, and adults with disabilities when moving between states.
 
Background on the First Lady’s Joining Forces Initiative:
 
Joining Forces is Dr. Biden’s initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military-connected families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces centers on the needs of this population in the areas of: Economic Opportunity; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.
 
As First Lady, Dr. Biden has visited over 30 military installations; worked with Joining Forces partners to support over 80 engagements with the military-connected community; and helped coordinate the Administration’s efforts to increase and raise awareness of resources and support for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

 
###

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Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Alaska and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm and flooding from October 20 to October 23, 2024.

Federal funding 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 storm and flooding in the Bering Strait Regional Educational Attendance Area and Northwest Arctic Borough.

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

Mr. Lance E. Davis 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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The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Alaska Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Alaska and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm and flooding from October 20 to October 23, 2024.

Federal funding 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 storm and flooding in the Bering Strait Regional Educational Attendance Area and Northwest Arctic Borough.

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

Mr. Lance E. Davis 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 Alaska Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

     Section 1.  Policy.  The Federal Government benefits from a workforce that can be recruited from the broadest and deepest pools of qualified candidates for merit-based positions.  The issuance of an order granting Non-Competitive Eligibility to certain alumni of programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (operating as AmeriCorps) would be in the best interest of the Federal Government.  AmeriCorps alumni have demonstrated a sustained commitment to public service, have received extensive training and hands-on experience, and have developed leadership, communication, and technical skills that are aligned with the missions of many federal agencies and departments.  It is in the interest of the Federal Government to retain the services of these highly skilled individuals, particularly given that the Federal Government aided them in the acquisition of their skills.

      Accordingly, pursuant to my authority under 5 U.S.C. 3302(1), and in order to achieve a workforce that is drawn from all segments of society as provided in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1), I find that conditions of good administration make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules for certain positions in the Federal civil service.

     Sec. 2.  Establishment.  The head of any executive department or agency may appoint noncompetitively any individual who is certified under section 3 of this order to a position in the competitive service for which the individual is qualified.

     Sec. 3.  Certifications.  (a)  The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AmeriCorps, or the CEO’s designee, shall issue certificates to persons whom the CEO or designee deems to have satisfactorily completed:

(i)  a full-time term of national service of at least 1,700 hours as a Team Leader or Member, as specified in section 155(b)(1) or 155(b)(4) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12615(b)(1), 12615(b)(4)), or in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program component specified in section 153 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12613); or

(ii)  one or more terms of service that total at least 1,700 hours under section 139(b)(1) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12593(b)(1)) as an AmeriCorps State and National participant under section 137 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12591).

(b)  This order does not alter or otherwise affect the Non-Competitive Eligibility status for AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America participants, commonly known as VISTA members, who successfully complete their service, as described in section 415(d) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5055(d)). 

(c)  In making any certification under this section, the CEO, or the CEO’s designee, may rely on a confirmation made by the entity that selected the individual for, and supervised the individual in, the approved national service position in which such individual successfully completed a term of service, as specified in this section.  If AmeriCorps determines that the certification is incorrect, the Corporation shall, after considering the full facts and circumstances surrounding the incorrect certification, take appropriate action.

(d)  Any appointment under this order shall be effected within 1 year after completion of the appointee’s most recent term of service in the programs described in subsections (a)(i)-(ii) of this section.  Such period may be extended to not more than 3 years for persons who, following participation in the programs described in subsections (a)(i)-(ii) of this section, are engaged in an additional term of AmeriCorps service, in military service, in the pursuit of studies at an institution of higher learning, or in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant an extension of such period.  Such period may also be extended to permit the adjudication of a background investigation.

(e)  Any law, Executive Order, or regulation that would disqualify an applicant for appointment in the competitive service shall also disqualify an applicant for appointment under this order.  Examples of disqualifying criteria include restrictions on employing persons who are not United States citizens or nationals; who have violated 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(7) and 3310 (the anti-nepotism provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978); who have knowingly and willfully failed to register for Selective Service when required to do so, 5 U.S.C. 3328(a)(2); who do not meet occupational qualifying standards prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); or who do not meet suitability factors prescribed by OPM.

Sec. 4.  Regulations.  The Director of OPM is authorized to issue such additional regulations as may be necessary to implement this order.  Any individual who meets the terms of this order, however, is eligible for noncompetitive hiring with or without additional regulations.

Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)  the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.


THE WHITE HOUSE,
    January 16, 2025.

The post Executive Order on Providing for the Appointment of Alumni of AmeriCorps to the Competitive Service appeared first on The White House.

     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

     Section 1.  Policy.  The Federal Government benefits from a workforce that can be recruited from the broadest and deepest pools of qualified candidates for merit-based positions.  The issuance of an order granting Non-Competitive Eligibility to certain alumni of programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (operating as AmeriCorps) would be in the best interest of the Federal Government.  AmeriCorps alumni have demonstrated a sustained commitment to public service, have received extensive training and hands-on experience, and have developed leadership, communication, and technical skills that are aligned with the missions of many federal agencies and departments.  It is in the interest of the Federal Government to retain the services of these highly skilled individuals, particularly given that the Federal Government aided them in the acquisition of their skills.

      Accordingly, pursuant to my authority under 5 U.S.C. 3302(1), and in order to achieve a workforce that is drawn from all segments of society as provided in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1), I find that conditions of good administration make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules for certain positions in the Federal civil service.

     Sec. 2.  Establishment.  The head of any executive department or agency may appoint noncompetitively any individual who is certified under section 3 of this order to a position in the competitive service for which the individual is qualified.

     Sec. 3.  Certifications.  (a)  The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AmeriCorps, or the CEO’s designee, shall issue certificates to persons whom the CEO or designee deems to have satisfactorily completed:

(i)  a full-time term of national service of at least 1,700 hours as a Team Leader or Member, as specified in section 155(b)(1) or 155(b)(4) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12615(b)(1), 12615(b)(4)), or in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program component specified in section 153 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12613); or

(ii)  one or more terms of service that total at least 1,700 hours under section 139(b)(1) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12593(b)(1)) as an AmeriCorps State and National participant under section 137 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12591).

(b)  This order does not alter or otherwise affect the Non-Competitive Eligibility status for AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America participants, commonly known as VISTA members, who successfully complete their service, as described in section 415(d) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5055(d)). 

(c)  In making any certification under this section, the CEO, or the CEO’s designee, may rely on a confirmation made by the entity that selected the individual for, and supervised the individual in, the approved national service position in which such individual successfully completed a term of service, as specified in this section.  If AmeriCorps determines that the certification is incorrect, the Corporation shall, after considering the full facts and circumstances surrounding the incorrect certification, take appropriate action.

(d)  Any appointment under this order shall be effected within 1 year after completion of the appointee’s most recent term of service in the programs described in subsections (a)(i)-(ii) of this section.  Such period may be extended to not more than 3 years for persons who, following participation in the programs described in subsections (a)(i)-(ii) of this section, are engaged in an additional term of AmeriCorps service, in military service, in the pursuit of studies at an institution of higher learning, or in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant an extension of such period.  Such period may also be extended to permit the adjudication of a background investigation.

(e)  Any law, Executive Order, or regulation that would disqualify an applicant for appointment in the competitive service shall also disqualify an applicant for appointment under this order.  Examples of disqualifying criteria include restrictions on employing persons who are not United States citizens or nationals; who have violated 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(7) and 3310 (the anti-nepotism provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978); who have knowingly and willfully failed to register for Selective Service when required to do so, 5 U.S.C. 3328(a)(2); who do not meet occupational qualifying standards prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); or who do not meet suitability factors prescribed by OPM.

Sec. 4.  Regulations.  The Director of OPM is authorized to issue such additional regulations as may be necessary to implement this order.  Any individual who meets the terms of this order, however, is eligible for noncompetitive hiring with or without additional regulations.

Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)  the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.


THE WHITE HOUSE,
    January 16, 2025.

The post Executive Order on Providing for the Appointment of Alumni of AmeriCorps to the Competitive Service appeared first on The White House.

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

     Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order that takes additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015 (Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), as amended by Executive Order 13757 of December 28, 2016 (Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), and further amended by Executive Order 13984 of January 19, 2021 (Taking Additional Steps To Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities).

     Significant malicious cyber-enabled activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  To address this continuing national emergency and protect against the growing and evolving threat of malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and United States allies and partners, including the increasing threats by foreign actors of unauthorized access to critical infrastructure, ransomware, and cyber-enabled intrusions and sanctions evasion, section 9 of the Executive Order I have issued updates the criteria to be used by the Secretary of the Treasury in designating a person for sanctions for engaging in specified malicious cyber-enabled activities and related conduct.

     I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 16, 2025.

The post Message to the Congress on Strengthening and Promoting Innovation in the Nation’s Cybersecurity appeared first on The White House.

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

     Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order that takes additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015 (Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), as amended by Executive Order 13757 of December 28, 2016 (Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), and further amended by Executive Order 13984 of January 19, 2021 (Taking Additional Steps To Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities).

     Significant malicious cyber-enabled activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  To address this continuing national emergency and protect against the growing and evolving threat of malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and United States allies and partners, including the increasing threats by foreign actors of unauthorized access to critical infrastructure, ransomware, and cyber-enabled intrusions and sanctions evasion, section 9 of the Executive Order I have issued updates the criteria to be used by the Secretary of the Treasury in designating a person for sanctions for engaging in specified malicious cyber-enabled activities and related conduct.

     I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 16, 2025.

The post Message to the Congress on Strengthening and Promoting Innovation in the Nation’s Cybersecurity appeared first on The White House.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1.  Policy.  Adversarial countries and criminals continue to conduct cyber campaigns targeting the United States and Americans, with the People’s Republic of China presenting the most active and persistent cyber threat to United States Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks.  These campaigns disrupt the delivery of critical services across the Nation, cost billions of dollars, and undermine Americans’ security and privacy.  More must be done to improve the Nation’s cybersecurity against these threats.

Building on the foundational steps I directed in Executive Order 14028 of May 12, 2021 (Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity), and the initiatives detailed in the National Cybersecurity Strategy, I am ordering additional actions to improve our Nation’s cybersecurity, focusing on defending our digital infrastructure, securing the services and capabilities most vital to the digital domain, and building our capability to address key threats, including those from the People’s Republic of China.  Improving accountability for software and cloud service providers, strengthening the security of Federal communications and identity management systems, and promoting innovative developments and the use of emerging technologies for cybersecurity across executive departments and agencies (agencies) and with the private sector are especially critical to improvement of the Nation’s cybersecurity.

Sec. 2.  Operationalizing Transparency and Security in Third-Party Software Supply Chains.  (a)  The Federal Government and our Nation’s critical infrastructure rely on software providers.  Yet insecure software remains a challenge for both providers and users and makes Federal Government and critical infrastructure systems vulnerable to malicious cyber incidents.  The Federal Government must continue to adopt secure software acquisition practices and take steps so that software providers use secure software development practices to reduce the number and severity of vulnerabilities in software they produce.   

(b)  Executive Order 14028 directed actions to improve the security and integrity of software critical to the Federal Government’s ability to function.  Executive Order 14028 directed the development of guidance on secure software development practices and on generating and providing evidence in the form of artifacts — computer records or data that are generated manually or by automated means — that demonstrate compliance with those practices.  Additionally, it directed the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to require agencies to use only software from providers that attest to using those secure software development practices.  In some instances, providers of software to the Federal Government commit to following cybersecurity practices, yet do not fix well-known exploitable vulnerabilities in their software, which puts the Government at risk of compromise.  The Federal Government needs to adopt more rigorous third-party risk management practices and greater assurance that software providers that support critical Government services are following the practices to which they attest.

(i)    Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Director of OMB, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), shall recommend to the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) contract language requiring software providers to submit to CISA through CISA’s Repository for Software Attestation and Artifacts (RSAA):

(A)  machine-readable secure software development attestations;

(B)  high-level artifacts to validate those attestations; and

(C)  a list of the providers’ Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agency software customers. 

(ii)   Within 120 days of the receipt of the recommendations described in subsection (b)(i) of this section, the FAR Council shall review the recommendations and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services, and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (the agency members of the FAR Council) shall jointly take steps to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement those recommendations.  The agency members of the FAR Council are strongly encouraged to consider issuing an interim final rule, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.

(iii)  Within 60 days of the date of the issuance of the recommendations described in subsection (b)(i) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall evaluate emerging methods of generating, receiving, and verifying machine-readable secure software development attestations and artifacts and, as appropriate, shall provide guidance for software providers on submitting them to CISA’s RSAA website, including a common data schema and format.

(iv)   Within 30 days of the date of any amendments to the FAR described in subsection (b)(ii) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall develop a program to centrally verify the completeness of all attestation forms.  CISA shall continuously validate a sample of the complete attestations using high-level artifacts in the RSAA.

(v)    If CISA finds that attestations are incomplete or artifacts are insufficient for validating the attestations, the Director of CISA shall notify the software provider and the contracting agency.  The Director of CISA shall provide a process for the software provider to respond to CISA’s initial determination and shall duly consider the response. 

(vi)   For attestations that undergo validation, the Director of CISA shall inform the National Cyber Director, who shall publicly post the results, identifying the software providers and software version.  The National Cyber Director is encouraged to refer attestations that fail validation to the Attorney General for action as appropriate.

(c)  Secure software development practices are not sufficient to address the potential for cyber incidents from resourced and determined nation-state actors.  To mitigate the risk of such incidents occurring, software providers must also address how software is delivered and the security of the software itself.  The Federal Government must identify a coordinated set of practical and effective security practices to require when it procures software.

(i)    Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall establish a consortium with industry at the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to develop guidance, informed by the consortium as appropriate, that demonstrates the implementation of secure software development, security, and operations practices based on NIST Special Publication 800-218 (Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF)).

(ii)   Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall update NIST Special Publication 800-53 (Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations) to provide guidance on how to securely and reliably deploy patches and updates. 

(iii)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, in consultation with the heads of such agencies as the Director of NIST deems appropriate, shall develop and publish a preliminary update to the SSDF.  This update shall include practices, procedures, controls, and implementation examples regarding the secure and reliable development and delivery of software as well as the security of the software itself.  Within 120 days of publishing the preliminary update, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall publish a final version of the updated SSDF.

(iv)   Within 120 days of the final update to the SSDF described in subsection (c)(iii) of this section, the Director of OMB shall incorporate select practices for the secure development and delivery of software contained in NIST’s updated SSDF into the requirements of OMB Memorandum M-22-18 (Enhancing the Security of the Software Supply Chain through Secure Software Development Practices) or related requirements.

(v)    Within 30 days of the issuance of OMB’s updated requirements described in subsection (c)(iv) of this section, the Director of CISA shall prepare any revisions to CISA’s common form for Secure Software Development Attestation to conform to OMB’s requirements and shall initiate any process required to obtain clearance of the revised form under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

(d)  As agencies have improved their cyber defenses, adversaries have targeted the weak links in agency supply chains and the products and services upon which the Federal Government relies.  Agencies need to integrate cybersecurity supply chain risk management programs into enterprise-wide risk management activities.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Director of OMB, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, the Administrator of General Services, and the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC), shall take steps to require, as the Director deems appropriate, that agencies comply with the guidance in NIST Special Publication 800-161 (Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations (SP 800-161 Revision 1)).  OMB shall require agencies to provide annual updates to OMB as they complete implementation.  Consistent with SP 800-161 Revision 1, OMB’s requirements shall address the integration of cybersecurity into the acquisition lifecycle through acquisition planning, source selection, responsibility determination, security compliance evaluation, contract administration, and performance evaluation.

(e)  Open source software plays a critical role in Federal information systems.  To help the Federal Government continue to reap the innovation and cost benefits of open source software and contribute to the cybersecurity of the open source software ecosystem, agencies must better manage their use of open source software.  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, and the Director of OMB, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services and the heads of other agencies as appropriate, shall jointly issue recommendations to agencies on the use of security assessments and patching of open source software and best practices for contributing to open source software projects.

Sec. 3.  Improving the Cybersecurity of Federal Systems.  (a)  The Federal Government must adopt proven security practices from industry — to include in identity and access management — in order to improve visibility of security threats across networks and strengthen cloud security. 

(b)  To prioritize investments in the innovative identity technologies and processes of the future and phishing-resistant authentication options, FCEB agencies shall begin using, in pilot deployments or in larger deployments as appropriate, commercial phishing-resistant standards such as WebAuthn, building on the deployments that OMB and CISA have developed and established since the issuance of Executive Order 14028.  These pilot deployments shall be used to inform future directions for Federal identity, credentialing, and access management strategies.

(c)  The Federal Government must maintain the ability to rapidly and effectively identify threats across the Federal enterprise.  In Executive Order 14028, I directed the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish procedures to immediately share threat information to strengthen the collective defense of Department of Defense and civilian networks.  To enable identification of threat activity, CISA’s capability to hunt for and identify threats across FCEB agencies under 44 U.S.C. 3553(b)(7) must be strengthened.

(i)     The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, in coordination with the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council and Federal Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Council, shall develop the technical capability to gain timely access to required data from FCEB agency endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions and from FCEB agency security operation centers to enable:

(A)  timely hunting and identification of novel cyber threats and vulnerabilities across the Federal civilian enterprise;

(B)  identification of coordinated cyber campaigns that simultaneously target multiple agencies and move laterally across the Federal enterprise; and

(C)  coordination of Government-wide efforts on information security policies and practices, including compilation and analysis of information about incidents that threaten information security.

(ii)    Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, in coordination with the Federal CIO and CISO Councils, shall develop and release a concept of operations that enables CISA to gain timely access to required data to achieve the objectives described in subsection (c)(i) of this section.  The Director of OMB shall oversee the development of this concept of operations to account for agency perspectives and the objectives outlined in this section and shall approve the final concept of operations.  This concept of operations shall include:

(A)  requirements for FCEB agencies to provide CISA with data of sufficient completeness and on the timeline required to enable CISA to achieve the objectives described in subsection (c)(i) of this section;

(B)  requirements for CISA to provide FCEB agencies with advanced notification when CISA directly accesses agency EDR solutions to obtain required telemetry;

(C)  specific use cases for which agencies may provide telemetry data subject to the requirements in subsection (c)(ii)(A) of this section as opposed to direct access to EDR solutions by CISA;

(D)  high-level technical and policy control requirements to govern CISA access to agency EDR solutions that conform with widely accepted cybersecurity principles, including role-based access controls, “least privilege,” and separation of duties;

(E)  specific protections for highly sensitive agency data that is subject to statutory, regulatory, or judicial restrictions to protect confidentiality or integrity; and

(F)  an appendix to the concept of operations that identifies and addresses certain types of specific use cases under subsection (c)(ii)(C) of this section that apply to the Department of Justice, including certain categories of information described in subsections (c)(vi) and (c)(vii) of this section, and requires the Department of Justice’s concurrence on the terms of the appendix prior to implementation of the concept of operations on the Department of Justice’s or its subcomponents’ networks.

(iii)   In undertaking the activities described in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall only make a change to an agency network, system, or data when such change is required for threat hunting by CISA, including access to the EDR tools described in subsection (c)(ii) of this section, or in furtherance of its authority to conduct threat hunting as authorized under 44 U.S.C. 3553(b)(7), unless otherwise authorized by the agency.

(iv)    Within 30 days of the release of the concept of operations described in subsection (c)(ii) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall establish working groups, open to all agencies, to develop and release specific technical controls that achieve the objectives set forth in subsection (c)(ii) of this section and to work with EDR solution providers to implement those controls in FCEB agency deployments of EDR solutions.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall, at a minimum, establish a working group for each EDR solution authorized by CISA for use in the CISA Continuous Diagnostic and Mitigation Program.  Each working group shall be open to all agencies and include at least one representative from an FCEB agency employing the designated EDR solution.

(v)     Within 180 days of the release of the technical controls described in subsection (c)(iv) of this section, the heads of FCEB agencies shall enroll endpoints using an EDR solution covered by those controls in the CISA Persistent Access Capability program.

(vi)    Within 90 days of the date of this order, and periodically thereafter as needed, the heads of FCEB agencies shall provide to CISA a list of systems, endpoints, and data sets that require additional controls or periods of non-disruption to ensure that CISA’s threat-hunting activities do not disrupt mission-critical operations, along with an explanation of those operations.

(vii)   In cases in which agency data is subject to statutory, regulatory, or judicial access restrictions, the Director of CISA shall comply with agency processes and procedures required to access such data or work with the agency to develop an appropriate administrative accommodation consistent with any such restrictions so that the data is not subject to unauthorized access or use.

(viii)  Nothing in this order requires an agency to provide access to information that is protected from non-disclosure by court order or otherwise required to be kept confidential in connection with a judicial proceeding.

(d)  The security of Federal information systems relies on the security of the Government’s cloud services.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of General Services, acting through the Director of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall develop FedRAMP policies and practices to incentivize or require cloud service providers in the FedRAMP Marketplace to produce baselines with specifications and recommendations for agency configuration of agency cloud-based systems in order to secure Federal data based on agency requirements.

(e)  As cybersecurity threats to space systems increase, these systems and their supporting digital infrastructure must be designed to adapt to evolving cybersecurity threats and operate in contested environments.  In light of the pivotal role space systems play in global critical infrastructure and communications resilience, and to further protect space systems and the supporting digital infrastructure vital to our national security, including our economic security, agencies shall take steps to continually verify that Federal space systems have the requisite cybersecurity capabilities through actions including continuous assessments, testing, exercises, and modeling and simulation.

(i)    Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey; the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall each review the civil space contract requirements in the FAR and recommend to the FAR Council and other appropriate agencies updates to civil space cybersecurity requirements and relevant contract language.  The recommended cybersecurity requirements and contract language shall use a risk-based, tiered approach for all new civil space systems.  Such requirements shall be designed to apply at minimum to the civil space systems’ on-orbit segments and link segments.  The requirements shall address the following elements for the highest-risk tier and, as appropriate, other tiers:

(A)  protection of command and control of the civil space system, including backup or failover systems, by:

(1)  encrypting commands to protect the confidentiality of communications;

(2)  ensuring commands are not modified in transit;

(3)  ensuring an authorized party is the source of commands; and

(4)  rejecting unauthorized command and control attempts;

(B)  establishment of methods to detect, report, and recover from anomalous network or system activity; and

(C)  use of secure software and hardware development practices, consistent with the NIST SSDF or any successor documents.

(ii)   Within 180 days of receiving the recommended contract language described in subsection (e)(i) of this section, the FAR Council shall review the proposal and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the agency members of the FAR Council shall jointly take steps to amend the FAR.

(iii)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the National Cyber Director shall submit to OMB a study of space ground systems owned, managed, or operated by FCEB agencies.  This study shall include:

(A)  an inventory of space ground systems;

(B)  whether each space ground system is classified as a major information system under 44 U.S.C. 3505(c), labeled “Inventory of major information systems”; and

(C)  recommendations to improve the cyber defenses and oversight of such space ground systems.

(iv)   Within 90 days of the submission of the study described in subsection (e)(iii) of this section, the Director of OMB shall take appropriate steps to help ensure that space ground systems owned, managed, or operated by FCEB agencies comply with relevant cybersecurity requirements issued by OMB.

Sec. 4.  Securing Federal Communications.  (a)  To improve the security of Federal Government communications against adversarial nations and criminals, the Federal Government must implement, to the extent practicable and consistent with mission needs, strong identity authentication and encryption using modern, standardized, and commercially available algorithms and protocols.

(b)  The security of Internet traffic depends on data being correctly routed and delivered to the intended recipient network.  Routing information originated and propagated across the Internet, utilizing the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), is vulnerable to attack and misconfiguration.

(i)    Within 90 days of the date of this order, FCEB agencies shall take steps to ensure that all of their assigned Internet number resources (Internet Protocol (IP) address blocks and Autonomous System Numbers) are covered by a Registration Services Agreement with the American Registry for Internet Numbers or another appropriate regional Internet registry.  Thereafter, FCEB agencies shall annually review and update in their regional Internet registry accounts organizational identifiers related to assigned number resources such as organization names, points of contact, and associated email addresses.

(ii)   Within 120 days of the date of this order, all FCEB agencies that hold IP address blocks shall create and publish Route Origin Authorizations in the public Resource Public Key Infrastructure repository hosted or delegated by the American Registry for Internet Numbers or the appropriate regional Internet registry for the IP address blocks they hold.

(iii)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the National Cyber Director, in coordination with the heads of other agencies as appropriate, shall      recommend contract language to the FAR Council to require contracted providers of Internet services to agencies to adopt and deploy Internet routing security technologies, including publishing Route Origin Authorizations and performing Route Origin Validation filtering.  The recommended language shall include requirements or exceptions, as appropriate, for agency contracts regarding overseas operations and overseas local service providers.  Within 270 days of receiving these recommendations, the FAR Council shall review the recommended contract language and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the agency members of the FAR Council shall jointly take steps to amend the FAR.  Pending any such amendments to the FAR, individual agencies are encouraged to include such requirements in future contracts, consistent with applicable law.

(iv)   Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall publish updated guidance to agencies on deployment of current, operationally viable BGP security methods for Federal Government networks and service providers.  The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall also provide updated guidance on other emerging technologies to improve Internet routing security and resilience, such as route leak mitigation and source address validation.

(c)  Encrypting Domain Name System (DNS) traffic in transit is a critical step to protecting both the confidentiality of the information being transmitted to, and the integrity of the communication with, the DNS resolver.

(i)   Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall publish template contract language requiring that any product that acts as a DNS resolver (whether client or server) for the Federal Government support encrypted DNS and shall recommend that language to the FAR Council.  Within 120 days of receiving the recommended language, the FAR Council shall review it, and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the agency members of the FAR Council shall jointly take steps to amend the FAR.

(ii)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, FCEB agencies shall enable encrypted DNS protocols wherever their existing clients and servers support those protocols.  FCEB agencies shall also enable such protocols within 180 days of any additional clients and servers supporting such protocols.

(d)  The Federal Government must encrypt email messages in transport and, where practical, use end-to-end encryption in order to protect messages from compromise.

(i)    Within 120 days of the date of this order, each FCEB agency shall technically enforce encrypted and authenticated transport for all connections between the agency’s email clients and their associated email servers.

(ii)   Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Director of OMB shall establish a requirement for expanded use of authenticated transport-layer encryption between email servers used by FCEB agencies to send and receive email.

(iii)  Within 90 days of the establishment of the requirement described in subsection (d)(ii) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall take appropriate steps to assist agencies in meeting that requirement, including by issuing implementing directives, as well as technical guidance to address any identified capability gaps.

(e)  Modern communications such as voice and video conferencing and instant messaging are usually encrypted at the link level but often are not encrypted end-to-end.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, to advance the security of Internet-based voice and video conferencing and instant messaging, the Director of OMB, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA; the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA); the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST; the Archivist of the United States, acting through the Chief Records Officer for the United States Government; and the Administrator of General Services shall take appropriate steps to require agencies to:

(i)   enable transport encryption by default; and

(ii)  where technically supported, use end-to-end encryption by default while maintaining logging and archival capabilities that allow agencies to fulfill records management and accountability requirements.

(f)  Alongside their benefits, quantum computers pose significant risk to the national security, including the economic security, of the United States.  Most notably, a quantum computer of sufficient size and sophistication — also known as a cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) — will be capable of breaking much of the public-key cryptography used on digital systems across the United States and around the world.  In National Security Memorandum 10 of May 4, 2022 (Promoting United States Leadership in Quantum Computing While Mitigating Risks to Vulnerable Cryptographic Systems), I directed the Federal Government to prepare for a transition to cryptographic algorithms that would not be vulnerable to a CRQC. 

(i)    Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall release and thereafter regularly update a list of product categories in which products that support post-quantum cryptography (PQC) are widely available.

(ii)   Within 90 days of a product category being placed on the list described in subsection (f)(i) of this section, agencies shall take steps to include in any solicitations for products in that category a requirement that products support PQC.

(iii)  Agencies shall implement PQC key establishment or hybrid key establishment including a PQC algorithm as soon as practicable upon support being provided by network security products and services already deployed in their network architectures.

(iv)   Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST and the Under Secretary for International Trade, shall identify and engage foreign governments and industry groups in key countries to encourage their transition to PQC algorithms standardized by NIST.

(v)    Within 180 days of the date of this order, to prepare for transition to PQC, the Secretary of Defense with respect to National Security Systems (NSS), and the Director of OMB with respect to non-NSS, shall each issue requirements for agencies to support, as soon as practicable, but not later than January 2, 2030, Transport Layer Security protocol version 1.3 or a successor version.

(g)  The Federal Government should take advantage of commercial security technologies and architectures, such as hardware security modules, trusted execution environments, and other isolation technologies, to protect and audit access to cryptographic keys with extended lifecycles.

(i)    Within 270 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, and the Administrator of General Services shall develop guidelines for the secure management of access tokens and cryptographic keys used by cloud service providers.

(ii)   Within 60 days of the publication of the guidelines described in subsection (g)(i) of this section, the Administrator of General Services, acting through the FedRAMP Director, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA, shall develop updated FedRAMP requirements, incorporating the guidelines described in subsection (g)(i) of this section, as appropriate and consistent with guidance issued by the Director of OMB, concerning cryptographic key management security practices.

(iii)  Within 60 days of the publication of the guidelines described in subsection (g)(i) of this section, the Director of OMB, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST; the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA; and the Administrator of General Services shall take appropriate steps to require FCEB agencies to follow best practices concerning the protection and management of hardware security modules, trusted execution environments, or other isolation technologies for access tokens and cryptographic keys used by cloud service providers in the provision of services to agencies.

Sec. 5.  Solutions to Combat Cybercrime and Fraud.  (a)  The use of stolen and synthetic identities by criminal syndicates to systemically defraud public benefits programs costs taxpayers and wastes Federal Government funds.  To help address these crimes it is the policy of the executive branch to strongly encourage the acceptance of digital identity documents to access public benefits programs that require identity verification, so long as it is done in a manner that preserves broad program access for vulnerable populations and supports the principles of privacy, data minimization, and interoperability. 

(i)    Within 90 days of the date of this order, agencies with grantmaking authority are encouraged to consider, in coordination with OMB and the National Security Council staff, whether Federal grant funding is available to assist States in developing and issuing mobile driver’s licenses that achieve the policies and principles described in this section.

(ii)   Within 270 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall issue practical implementation guidance, in collaboration with relevant agencies and other stakeholders through the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, to support remote digital identity verification using digital identity documents that will help issuers and verifiers of digital identity documents advance the policies and principles described in this section.

(iii)  Agencies should consider accepting digital identity documents as digital identity verification evidence to access public benefits programs, but only if the use of these documents is consistent with the policies and principles described in this section.

(iv)   Agencies should, consistent with applicable law, seek to ensure that digital identity documents accepted as digital identity verification evidence to access public benefits programs:

(A)   are interoperable with relevant standards and trust frameworks, so that the public can use any standards-compliant hardware or software containing an official Government-issued digital identity document, regardless of manufacturer or developer;
(B)  do not enable authorities that issue digital identity documents, device manufacturers, or any other third party to surveil or track presentation of the digital identity document, including user device location at the time of presentation; and
(C)  support user privacy and data minimization by ensuring only the minimum information required for a transaction — often a “yes” or “no” response to a question, such as whether an individual is older than a specific age — is requested from the holder of the digital identity document.

(b)  The use of “Yes/No” validation services, also referred to as attribute validation services, can enable more privacy-preserving means to reduce identity fraud.  These services allow programs to confirm, via a privacy-preserving “yes” or “no” response, that applicant-provided identity information is consistent with information already contained in official records, without needing to share the contents of those official records.  To support the use of such services, the Commissioner of Social Security, and the head of any other agency designated by the Director of OMB, shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider taking steps to develop or modify services — including through, as appropriate, the initiation of a proposed rulemaking or the publication of a notice of a new or significantly modified routine use of records — related to Government-operated identity verification systems and public benefits programs, with consideration given to having such systems and programs submit applicant-provided identity information to the agency providing the service and receive a “yes” or “no” response as to whether the applicant-provided identity information is consistent with the information on file with the agency providing the service.  In doing so, the heads of these agencies shall specifically consider seeking to ensure, consistent with applicable law, that:

(i)    any applicant-provided identity information submitted to the services and any “yes” or “no” response provided by the services are used only to assist with identity verification, program administration, anti-fraud operations, or investigation and prosecution of fraud related to the public benefits program for which the identity information was submitted;
(ii)   the services are made available, to the maximum extent permissible and as appropriate, to public benefits programs; Government-operated identity verification systems, including shared-service providers; payment integrity programs; and United States-regulated financial institutions; and

(iii)  the agencies, public benefits programs, or institutions using the services provide reimbursement to appropriately cover costs and support the ongoing maintenance, improvement, and broad accessibility of the services.

     (c)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, shall research, develop, and conduct a pilot program for technology that notifies individuals and entities when their identity information is used to request a payment from a public benefits program, gives individuals and entities the option to stop potentially fraudulent transactions before they occur, and reports fraudulent transactions to law enforcement entities.

Sec. 6.  Promoting Security with and in Artificial Intelligence.  Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform cyber defense by rapidly identifying new vulnerabilities, increasing the scale of threat detection techniques, and automating cyber defense.  The Federal Government must accelerate the development and deployment of AI, explore ways to improve the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure using AI, and accelerate research at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity.

(a)  Within 180 days of the date of the completion of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s 2025 Artificial Intelligence Cyber Challenge, the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall launch a pilot program, involving collaboration with private sector critical infrastructure entities as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, on the use of AI to enhance cyber defense of critical infrastructure in the energy sector, and conduct an assessment of the pilot program upon its completion.  This pilot program, and accompanying assessment, may include vulnerability detection, automatic patch management, and the identification and categorization of anomalous and malicious activity across information technology (IT) or operational technology systems.

(b)  Within 270 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a program to use advanced AI models for cyber defense. 

(c)  Within 150 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST; the Secretary of Energy; the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology; and the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) shall each prioritize funding for their respective programs that encourage the development of large-scale, labeled datasets needed to make progress on cyber defense research, and ensure that existing datasets for cyber defense research have been made accessible to the broader academic research community (either securely or publicly) to the maximum extent feasible, in consideration of business confidentiality and national security.

(d)  Within 150 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST; the Secretary of Energy; the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology; and the Director of the NSF shall prioritize research on the following topics:

(i)    human-AI interaction methods to assist defensive cyber analysis;

(ii)   security of AI coding assistance, including security of AI-generated code;

(iii)  methods for designing secure AI systems; and

(iv)   methods for prevention, response, remediation, and recovery of cyber incidents involving AI systems.

(e)  Within 150 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Director of OMB, shall incorporate management of AI software vulnerabilities and compromises into their respective agencies’ existing processes and interagency coordination mechanisms for vulnerability management, including through incident tracking, response, and reporting, and by sharing indicators of compromise for AI systems.

Sec. 7.  Aligning Policy to Practice.  (a)  IT infrastructure and networks that support agencies’ critical missions need to be modernized.  Agencies’ policies must align investments and priorities to improve network visibility and security controls to reduce cyber risks.

(i)   Within 3 years of the date of this order, the Director of OMB shall issue guidance, including any necessary revision to OMB Circular A-130, to address critical risks and adapt modern practices and architectures across Federal information systems and networks.  This guidance shall, at a minimum:

(A)  outline expectations for agency cybersecurity information sharing and exchange, enterprise visibility, and accountability for enterprise-wide cybersecurity programs by agency CISOs;

(B)  revise OMB Circular A-130 to be less technically prescriptive in key areas, where appropriate, to more clearly promote the adoption of evolving cybersecurity best practices across Federal systems, and to include migration to zero trust architectures and implementation of critical elements such as EDR capabilities, encryption, network segmentation, and phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication; and

(C)  address how agencies should identify, assess, respond to, and mitigate risks to mission essential functions presented by concentration of IT vendors and services.

(ii)  The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST; the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of CISA; and the Director of OMB shall establish a pilot program of a rules-as-code approach for machine-readable versions of policy and guidance that OMB, NIST, and CISA publish and manage regarding cybersecurity.

(b)  Managing cybersecurity risks is now a part of everyday industry practice and should be expected for all types of businesses.  Minimum cybersecurity requirements can make it costlier and harder for threat actors to compromise networks.  Within 240 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall evaluate common cybersecurity practices and security control outcomes that are commonly used or recommended across industry sectors, international standards bodies, and other risk management programs, and based on that evaluation issue guidance identifying minimum cybersecurity practices.  In developing this guidance, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST, shall solicit input from the Federal Government, the private sector, academia, and other appropriate actors.

(c)  Agencies face multiple cybersecurity risks when purchasing products and services.  While agencies have already made significant advances to improve their supply chain risk management, additional actions are needed to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape.  Within 180 days of the issuance of the guidance described in subsection (b) of this section, the FAR Council shall review the guidance and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the agency members of the FAR Council shall jointly take steps to amend the FAR to:

(i)   require that contractors with the Federal Government follow applicable minimum cybersecurity practices identified in NIST’s guidance pursuant to subsection (b) of this section with respect to work performed under agency contracts or when developing, maintaining, or supporting IT services or products that are provided to the Federal Government; and

(ii)  adopt requirements for agencies to, by January 4, 2027, require vendors to the Federal Government of consumer Internet-of-Things products, as defined by 47 C.F.R. 8.203(b), to carry United States Cyber Trust Mark labeling for those products.

Sec. 8.  National Security Systems and Debilitating Impact Systems.  (a)  Except as specifically provided for in section 4(f)(v) of this order, sections 1 through 7 of this order shall not apply to Federal information systems that are NSS or are otherwise identified by the Department of Defense or the Intelligence Community as debilitating impact systems.

(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, to help ensure that NSS and debilitating impact systems are protected with the most advanced security measures, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of NSA as the National Manager for National Security Systems (National Manager), in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS), and in consultation with the Director of OMB and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), shall develop requirements for NSS and debilitating impact systems that are consistent with the requirements set forth in this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.  The Secretary of Defense may grant exceptions to such requirements in circumstances necessitated by unique mission needs.  Such requirements shall be incorporated into a proposed National Security Memorandum, to be submitted to the President through the APNSA. 

(c)  To help protect space NSS with cybersecurity measures that keep pace with emerging threats, within 210 days of the date of this order, the CNSS shall review and update, as appropriate, relevant policies and guidance regarding space system cybersecurity.  In addition to appropriate updates, the CNSS shall identify and address appropriate requirements to implement cyber defenses on Federal Government-procured space NSS in the areas of intrusion detection, use of hardware roots of trust for secure booting, and development and deployment of security patches.

(d)  To enhance the effective governance and oversight of Federal information systems, within 90 days of the date of this order, the Director of OMB shall issue guidance as appropriate requiring agencies to inventory all major information systems and provide the inventory to CISA, the Department of Defense, or the National Manager, as applicable, which shall each maintain a registry of agency inventories within their purview.  CISA, the Department of Defense CIO, and the National Manager will share their inventories as appropriate to identify gaps or overlaps in oversight coverage.  This guidance shall not apply to elements of the Intelligence Community.

(e)  Nothing in this order alters the authorities and responsibilities granted in law or policy to the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Manager over applicable systems pursuant to the National Security Act of 1947 (Public Law 80–253), the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-283), National Security Directive 42 of July 5, 1990 (National Policy for the Security of National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems), or National Security Memorandum 8 of January 19, 2022 (Improving the Cybersecurity of National Security, Department of Defense, and Intelligence Community Systems).

Sec. 9.  Additional Steps to Combat Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities.  Because I find that additional steps must be taken to deal with the national emergency with respect to significant malicious cyber-enabled activities declared in Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015 (Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), as amended by Executive Order 13757 of December 28, 2016 (Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), and further amended by Executive Order 13984 of January 19, 2021 (Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), to protect against the growing and evolving threat of malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and United States allies and partners, including the increasing threats by foreign actors of unauthorized access to critical infrastructure, ransomware, and cyber-enabled intrusions and sanctions evasion, I hereby order that section 1(a) of Executive Order 13694 is further amended to read as follows:

“Section 1.  (a)  All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:

(i)    the persons listed in the Annex to this order;

(ii)   any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have engaged in, directly or indirectly, cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States that are reasonably likely to result in, or have materially contributed to, a threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States, and that have the purpose of or involve:

(A)  harming, or otherwise compromising the provision of services by, a computer or network of computers that support one or more entities in a critical infrastructure sector;

(B)  compromising the provision of services by one or more entities in a critical infrastructure sector;

(C)  causing a disruption to the availability of a computer or network of computers or compromising the integrity of the information stored on a computer or network of computers;

(D)  causing a misappropriation of funds or economic resources, intellectual property, proprietary or business confidential information, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain;

(E)  tampering with, altering, or causing a misappropriation of information with the purpose of or that involves interfering with or undermining election processes or institutions; or

(F)  engaging in a ransomware attack, such as extortion through malicious use of code, encryption, or other activity to affect the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data or a computer or network of computers, against a United States person, the United States, a United States ally or partner or a citizen, national, or entity organized under the laws thereof; or

(iii)  any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State:

(A)  to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have engaged in, directly or indirectly, the receipt or use for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain, or by a commercial entity, outside the United States of funds or economic resources, intellectual property, proprietary or business confidential information, personal identifiers, or financial information misappropriated through cyber-enabled means, knowing they have been misappropriated, where the misappropriation of such funds or economic resources, intellectual property, proprietary or business confidential information, personal identifiers, or financial information is reasonably likely to result in, or has materially contributed to, a threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States;

(B)  to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have engaged in, directly or indirectly, activities related to gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to a computer or network of computers of a United States person, the United States, a United States ally or partner or a citizen, national, or entity organized under the laws thereof, where such efforts originate from or are directed by persons located, in whole or substantial part, outside the United States and are reasonably likely to result in, or have materially contributed to, a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States;

(C)  to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any activity described in subsections (a)(ii) or (a)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;

(D)  to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order or that has engaged in any activity described in subsections (a)(ii) or (a)(iii)(A) – (C) of this section;

(E)  to have attempted to engage in any of the activities described in subsections (a)(ii) and (a)(iii)(A)-(D) of this section; or

(F)  to be or have been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order or that has engaged in any activity described in subsections (a)(ii) or (a)(iii)(A) – (E) of this section.”

Sec. 10.  Definitions.  For purposes of this order:

(a)  The term “agency” has the meaning ascribed to it under 44 U.S.C. 3502(1), except for the independent regulatory agencies described in 44 U.S.C. 3502(5).

(b)  The term “artifact” means a record or data that is generated manually or by automated means and may be used to demonstrate compliance with defined practices, including for secure software development.

(c)  The term “artificial intelligence” or “AI” has the meaning set forth in 15 U.S.C. 9401(3).

(d)  The term “AI system” means any data system, software, hardware, application, tool, or utility that operates in whole or in part using AI.

     (e)  The term “authentication” means the process of determining the validity of one or more authenticators, such as a password, used to claim a digital identity.

(f)  The term “Border Gateway Protocol” or “BGP” means the control protocol used to distribute and compute paths between the tens of thousands of autonomous networks that constitute the Internet.

(g)  The term “consumer Internet-of-Things products” means Internet-of-Things products intended primarily for consumer use, rather than enterprise or industrial use.  Consumer Internet-of-Things products do not include medical devices regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration or motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

(h)  The term “cyber incident” has the meaning given to the term “incident” under 44 U.S.C. 3552(b)(2).

(i)  The term “debilitating impact systems” means systems as described by 44 U.S.C. 3553(e)(2) and 3553(e)(3) for Department of Defense and Intelligence Community purposes, respectively.

(j)  The term “digital identity document” means an electronic, reusable, cryptographically verifiable identity credential issued by a Government source, such as a State-issued mobile driver’s license or an electronic passport.

(k)  The term “digital identity verification” means identity verification that a user performs online.

(l)  The term “endpoint” means any device that can be connected to a computer network creating an entry or exit point for data communications.  Examples of endpoints include desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, servers, workstations, virtual machines, and consumer Internet-of-Things products.

(m)  The term “endpoint detection and response” means cybersecurity tools and capabilities that combine real-time continuous monitoring and collection of endpoint data (for example, networked computing device such as workstations, mobile phones, servers) with rules-based automated response and analysis capabilities.

(n)  The term “Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies” or “FCEB agencies” includes all agencies except for the agencies and other components in the Department of Defense and agencies in the Intelligence Community.

(o)  The term “Federal information system” means an information system used or operated by an agency, a contractor of an agency, or another organization on behalf of an agency.

(p)  The term “Government-operated identity verification system” means a system owned and operated by a Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial Government entity that performs identity verification, including single-agency systems and shared services that provide service to multiple agencies.

(q)  The term “hardware root of trust” means an inherently trusted combination of hardware and firmware that helps to maintain the integrity of information.

(r)  The term “hybrid key establishment” means a key establishment scheme that is a combination of two or more components that are themselves cryptographic key-establishment schemes.

(s)  The term “identity verification” means the process of collecting identity information or evidence, validating its legitimacy, and confirming that it is associated with the real person providing it.

(t)  The term “Intelligence Community” has the meaning given to it under 50 U.S.C. 3003(4).

(u)  The term “key establishment” means the process by which a cryptographic key is securely shared between two or more entities.

(v)  The term “least privilege” means the principle that a security architecture is designed so that each entity is granted the minimum system resources and authorizations that the entity needs to perform its function.

(w)  The term “machine-readable” means that the product output is in a structured format that can be consumed by another program using consistent processing logic.

(x)  The term “national security systems” or “NSS” has the meaning given to it under 44 U.S.C. 3552(b)(6).

(y)  The term “patch” means a software component that, when installed, directly modifies files or device settings related to a different software component without changing the version number or release details for the related software component.

(z)  The term “rules-as-code approach” means a coded version of rules (for example, those contained in legislation, regulation, or policy) that can be understood and used by a computer.

(aa)  The term “secure booting” means a security feature that prevents malicious software from running when a computer system starts up.  The security feature performs a series of checks during the boot sequence that helps ensure only trusted software is loaded.

(bb)  The term “security control outcome” means the results of the performance or non-performance of safeguards or countermeasures prescribed for an information system or an organization to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system and its information.

(cc)  The term “zero trust architecture” has the meaning given to it in Executive Order 14028.

Sec. 11.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented in a manner consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 16, 2025.

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