Joe Biden White House - Consolidated Releases

May 7, 2024

Rose Garden

5:15 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Happy Cinco de Mayo!

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:

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

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I'm Jill Biden's husband, Joe.

Doug, our Second Gentleman, is here also. Doug, good to see you, pal.

And, Jaime, thanks for that introduction, pal. I've always looked up to you. Congratulations on a great rookie season in the NBA.

As you said, you stand on the shoulders of those who came before you. Future generations will stand on your 6'6" shoulders -- -- and be a hell of a lot taller, man.

Thanks, Pete and Nanette and all the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus here today. I want to publicly say: We're going to meet, I promise. Okay? We got --

And when I was elected, I promised my administration would look like America. And I'm proud to say it does.

I want to thank my Cabinet members here today: Secretary Becerra, where are you? -- -- Secretary Cardona -- -- Administrator Guzman.

Former Cabinet members of the O-Biden -- the Obam- -- Obama-Biden administration, Tom Perez -- Tom, where are you?

Well, I'll tell you what, on Friday, I had the honor of bestowing our nation's highest civilian awards on 19 incredible people -- two trailblazing Hisp- -- Hispanic Americans as well: Teresa Romo -- [DEL: Romeo :DEL] [Romero] -- excuse me -- Teresa [DEL: Romeo :DEL] [Romero], the first Latina to lead the national union, an American -- a national union, the [DEL: American :DEL] [United] Farm Workers.

And if you look inside the door here, I've got only a few busts in there, and one of them is of Cesar Chavez, who started the whole deal.

And Dr. [DEL: Elaine :DEL] [Ellen] Ochoa, the first Latina to travel to space. I'm glad she decided to come home.

In the land of possibilities, they represent something essential about America: We are a nation of immigrants, and we shouldn't forget it. No, we -- not -- it's why we're so good, why we're so strong, why we have such potential.

We're a nation of dreamers. As Cinco de Mayo represents, we're a nation of freedom. That's America -- the America we share; the America we're fighting for together.

And the plan is working. You know, we've created 15 million jobs since we took office; record-low unemployment for among -- among Latinos; the fastest small-business creation in more than a decade -- -- as we've doubled loans to Latino-owned businesses.

We've invested a record $15 billion in Hispanic-serving colleges and universities. And we -- we've -- we've relieved student debt for 4.6 million -- -- a burden disproportionately falling on Latino borrowers.

And you're the future of our nation. You know, everybody says why am I so -- why have I always been so fundamentally focused on Latinos. Simple proposition: You make up 28 percent of the students in America. Think -- think about it. Twenty-eight percent of all the students in high school and grade school in America are Latino. And I want to tell you, the idea we're not going to pay attention is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

Look, we have to have your backs, and you've had ours.

In March, in Nevada, I invited the most ambitious housing plan for decades to come into being. For example, it boosts construction on rental units and lowers rent. To crack down on discrimination by home appraisers so Latino homes are finally valued as fairly as they were when built by wealthy families.

Folks, look, we're in a situation where to lower costs across the board, we finally beat Big Pharma -- Big Pharma -- and gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

And, by the way, for example, we capped insulin at $35 a month, down from $400 a month for seniors on Medicare, including 5 million Latinos. And guess what? It saved not only those lives but taxpayers. It saved them $160 billion in Medicare costs over the next 10 years. They're not going to have to pay. So, it's a big deal across the board.

We also expanded health coverage through the Affordable Care Act, doubling the number of Latinos enrolled since 2020.

And I'm proud, last Friday, my annou- -- my administration finally announced a rule that for the first time, and finally -- finally, I'm able to provide health insurance through the Affordable Care Act for DACA recipients.

The first bill I introduced was about DACA, to make sure that they have a path -- direct path to citizenship. And President [Obama] and I, we created that program 12 years ago.

It's given 800,000 DREAMers a chance to go to work and school, contribute their immense talents in America. But more than a third of DREAMers couldn't get health insurance. It's wrong. And this rule changes all that. DREAMers can now get health insurance, as they deserve.

My first day in office, as I said, I sent a comprehensive immigration reform bill to Congress. It expands legal paths for entries for families and employers. It includes pathways to citizenship for DREAMers in the only country that they ever called home.

I love it when people say, "Why DREAMers?" Can you imagine a kid, two years old, saying, "Mom, don't take me across the Rio Grande; it's against the law"? Give me a break. These have been model citizens.

Congress has to act. And the right thing to do is to keep pushing forward until we get it done -- -- get it done.

On this day two years ago, we were honored to host the First Lady of Mexico to celebrate the unbreakable bonds between our nations -- bonds rooted in [DEL: historage :DEL] [history], heritage, boosted by record trade, embodied in nearly 40 million Mexican Americans that are here.

I want to thank President Op- -- López Obrador for his partnership. We've become friends. I talk to him all the -- he's helping on immigration. We have a significant economic security, as well as security overall.

Folks, we're doing all this while cutting the federal deficit and fighting to make the wealthy and the big corporations finally begin to pay their fair share.

Under my plan, no one earning less than $400,000 a year would pay one extra penny in federal taxes -- not a single penny.

Did you know that there are a thousand billionaires in America? Well, guess what? That's good. I'm a capitalist. You can make a billion bucks, go get it. But guess what? Begin to pay your fair share.

You know what the average tax rate for a billionaire is in America? 8.2 percent in federal taxes. Anybody want to trade with them? Well, it's -- that's less than the vast majority of Americans. No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a nurse, a firefighter, a cop.

That's why I proposed a minimum tax of 25 percent for billionaires. You know what that will do? That will raise $500 billion over the next 10 years. Imagine what we could do to affordable care for children, paid leave, lower the federal deficit, generate -- -- significant economic growth.

See, he cheered. That's a kid who knows what he's about, man.

But, as you know, there are those of a different view. When my predecessor was in office, he enacted a $2 trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefitted the super wealthy and the biggest corporations and exploded the federal debt more than any other president has in a four-year term. He added more. He wants to do it again.

He also wants to terminate the Affordable Care Act, denying healthcare to millions of Latinos -- millions. He wants to go to -- he wants to bring back the Big Pharma to be able to charge $400 a month so they don't -- eliminate that legislation -- instead of $35 a month. He wants to cut Social Security and Medicare. He says, "There's a lot we can do in terms of cutting."

I got one really serious idea how to cut. A candidate. Any rate -- .

He brags about getting Roe v. Wade overturned. He just did an interview with TIME Magazine and said states should monitor women's pregnancies. Monitor --

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE PRESIDENT: -- monitor their pregnancies? He also said we should prosecute those who violate abortion bans.

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE PRESIDENT: Kamala and I will never let that happen. We're going to keep fighting to restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.

In the same interview, my predecessor vowed to use the U.S. military to deport 11 million people here in America he says shouldn't be here -- going to use the military to deport 11 million people in America.

He calls immigrants "rapists" and "murderers." He said, "They are not people." He said the immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country." He wants to bring back cruel and unhuman- -- inhumane family separation policies that ripped children from their parents at the border.

Folks, that's not who we are. That's not America. My administration has reunited 700 of those families and still looking. Families belong together, folks, not separated.

Let me close with this. We're here in the Rose Garden. Through that window in the Oval Office, you'll see I have a bust of Cesar Chavez. There's only five busts I have in that office. And in the back corner of the garden here, the rose bush that's planted in his honor.

He once said, quote, "Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others for their sake and for our own."

Folks, the reason why we're the fastest-growing country in the world, why we're the best economy in the world is because of immigration. That's why we're . That -- that's not hyperbole. That's a fact.

What I see in the Latino community is doctors, teachers, athletes, artists, community leaders, construction workers, first responders who put themselves on the line to keep the rest of us safe.

You are dreamers and doers. You're cutting cancer. You're commanding the military. You're taking deep steps into space. And it matters. You matter. You really do. You matter more than we can express.

As I said earlier, you know, when you have 28 percent of all the students in our schools up to high school -- 28 percent speaking Spanish, how in God's name can we not pay attention?

There's -- always have been [DEL: compelling :DEL] [competing] value sets to visions of America. One of those value sets is of revenge and retribution. The other is hope and opportunity that we share -- honesty, decency, faith, fairness.

That's the future we're building together. In America, we defend democracy; we don't not diminish it. We protect freedoms; we don't take them away. An America where the economy grows from the middle out and the bottom up, the wealthy pay their fair share, and working people have a fair shot -- that's what we're about: an America where no one is left behind.

I know we can do this. Because of you, I've never been more optimistic about the future. We just have to remember who we are.

We're the United States of America -- -- a nation of immigrants. And there's nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together.

God bless you all. And may God bless our troops.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

5:27 P.M. EDT

May 7, 2024

Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration expanded affordable, quality health care coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. Dreamers are our loved ones, our nurses, teachers, and small business owners, and President Biden and Vice President Harris believe they deserve the promise of health care just like all of us. The final rule announced last week will provide Dreamers the same access to health care under the Affordable Care Act as other Americans, twelve years after President Obama and Vice President Biden provided a path for them to live and work legally in the United States.

While only Congress can provide Dreamers permanent status and a pathway to citizenship, President Biden remains committed to protecting and preserving DACA and providing Dreamers with the opportunities and support they need to succeed, including access to affordable, quality health care coverage.

See below for what they are saying:

Congressional Leaders And Caucuses

Leader Chuck Schumer : "I applaud President Biden for this highly impactful policy change that lives up to the greatest ideals of America and will improve the lives of so many Dreamers." [Tweet , 5/3/24]

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto : "This is incredible news, and it's going to make a real difference here in Nevada." [Tweet , 5/3/24]

Senator John Fetterman : "Joe Biden is a president who delivers--this time for Dreamers, who will now have expanded access to affordable, high-quality health care through the Affordable Care Act." [Tweet , 5/3/24]

Senator Alex Padilla : "NEWS: DACA recipients will be eligible for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act starting this year! Grateful that @POTUS heeded @HispanicCaucus calls to secure high quality and affordable health care for DACA recipients." [Tweet , 5/3/24]

Senator Laphonza Butler : "I applaud@potus and his administration for taking a step toward bettering the lives of DACA recipients. Starting this November, more than 100 K DACA recipients will be eligible to enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage." [Tweet , 5/3/24]

Rep. Nannette Barragan : "CHC applauds the Biden-Harris administration for expanding access to the ACA to Dreamers. This is a huge win for Dreamers who will now have access to affordable healthcare. […] Everyone deserves access to healthcare. Now, tens of thousands of Dreamers who are American in every way and are part of the American fabric will have access to high quality and affordable health insurance. This will pave the road to healthier communities and improve their quality of lives." [Statement, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Joaquin Castro : "Over the last twelve years, DACA has allowed hundreds of thousands of first-generation Americans to graduate from college, join the workforce, and chase their American dreams in the only country many of them have ever known. Throughout that time, these young Americans have been asked to work and pay taxes to support a system of affordable health care that excluded them. Today's announcement is an important step forward to right that wrong. The rapid spread and devastating toll of the COVID-19 pandemic was a reminder that our country is safer when everyone has access to the care they need. I'm proud to see the Biden administration heed the calls of public health advocates and immigrant communities and open the Affordable Care Act marketplace to DACA recipients, and I hope the administration will also move to similarly expand Medicaid and CHIP eligibility as soon as possible." [Statement, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Veronica Escobar : "DACA recipients work the same jobs and pay the same taxes as anyone in our community, and some have been doing so for years. It's only right that they have access to the same healthcare services. I'm thankful the Biden administration is taking this historic step." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Pramila Jayapal : "I want to thank and applaud President Biden and Secretary Becerra for today's announcement that allows DACA recipients to access health care and enhances coverage for other groups, including those approved for Special Immigrant Juvenile status and children applying for humanitarian relief. […] Health care is a human right, and DACA recipients deserve access to that care just like everyone else." [Statement, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Linda Sanchez : "Great news - @POTUS announced that DACA recipients will soon be able to access health care through the ACA.

DACA recipients pay taxes, contribute to our economy, & they deserve access to health care. I will continue fighting for health equity & citizenship for our Dreamers." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Sylvia Garcia : "I have been fighting for our Dreamers since before I came to Congress, and I commend the Biden Administration for taking this critical step in expanding access to the #AffordableCareAct to include #DACA recipients." [Tweet , 5/3/2024]

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee : "Amazing progress, thank you @POTUS!" [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Katherine Clark : "NEWS: DACA recipients will now have access to affordable, quality health insurance through the ACA.

President Biden is committed to supporting our dreamers, who are an integral part of the fabric of America. They deserve the promise of health care just like all of us." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Gerry Connolly : "This is fantastic news. DACA recipients are taxpayers like you and me. There is no reason they should be denied the option of getting health care coverage through the ACA. My colleagues and I urged President Biden to do this last year. Thankful to him for making it happen." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Rob Menendez : "This is incredible news for Dreamers, allowing over 100 K to have access to affordable and quality healthcare.

@POTUS is making good on his promise to protect and support DACA recipients. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and this rule reflects that belief." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Judy Chu : "DACA recipients are Americans through and through--serving their communities, opening businesses, and raising American families. Since President Obama's creation of the DACA program in 2012, young people brought to this country by family, including thousands from Asia and the Pacific, have had the ability to obtain work permits, generate wealth for themselves and their community, and pay taxes that go toward the services we all benefit from. Today's announcement by President Biden builds on the program--finally providing DACA recipients the life-changing opportunity to purchase health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Everyone deserves the security that comes with health care coverage and the ability to see a doctor for treatment, and I'm so thrilled that more than 100,000 DACA recipients will soon have access to that coverage." [Statement,

5/3/2024]

Rep. Barbara Lee : "Last year, I sent a letter to @POTUS calling on his administration to expand health coverage for #DACA recipients. Today, he came through! ?? This move will impact thousands. #Dreamers are Americans, and they deserve accessible, affordable, quality health care." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Chuy Garcia : "DACA recipients are our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and loved ones. They deserve health care like everyone else. I applaud the President for expanding access to health care for 100,000 DACA recipients" [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Lou Correa : "DACA recipients are essential to our community--they're our students, leaders, and servicemembers. I'm proud to have supported this new rule in Congress, and to finally see expanded health care access become a reality for these young adults." [Tweet , 5/3/2024]

Rep. Deborah Ross : "DACA recipients will soon be eligible for affordable, accessible health care coverage through the ACA.

I'm grateful for the leadership of @POTUS & his support for Dreamers. I'll keep working to ensure all Dreamers can access the resources & care they deserve." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Juan Vargas : "Dreamers are our neighbors, teachers, nurses, students, and family members. They should be able to access affordable health coverage in the only country they call home. I applaud the Biden Administration for taking this important step that will improve thousands of lives and provide Dreamers with the support they deserve. I'll always stand up for Dreamers, and I'm not going to stop pushing for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for the Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and farmworkers who enrich our economy and our communities." [Statement, 5/3/2024]

Rep. Sean Casten : "Dreamers deserve accessible, affordable, and quality health care. This is a great move to ensure access for all." [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Ranking Member Richard E. Neal, Ways and Means Committee: "Fourteen years after its passage, the Affordable Care Act remains a driving force behind building a stronger, healthier America. Today, the Biden Administration is correcting years of an unjust exclusion that has kept thousands from health care coverage, and finally bringing DACA recipients into the peace of mind and security that health coverage under the Affordable Care Act affords our nation. This is a historic step forward for our communities, and Ways and Means Democrats will continue to work towards the high-quality, affordable health care system that the American people deserve." [Statement, 5/03/24]

Local Government

Mayor John Giles : Giving DACA recipients--who are often our nurses, teachers, and small business owners--the ability to purchase health insurance, is a smart and compassionate move. Thank you, @POTUS, for giving Dreamers access to affordable healthcare. [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Mayor Ron Nirenberg :Extremely grateful for @POTUS' actions to expand the Affordable Care Act's eligibility to DACA recipients. Texas is home to tens of thousands of dreamers. This step will undoubtedly improve San Antonio's overall health. [Tweet, 5/3/2024]

Community and Advocacy Organizations

Voto Latino: "HUGE VICTORY: Thanks to the Biden Administration, more than 100,000 DACA recipients will have access to the Affordable Care Act for the first time ever. ?We're by no means done. We must continue the fight to protect Dreamers everywhere." [Statement, 5/03/24]

President Kica Matos, National Immigration Law Center: "We are thrilled that DACA recipients will finally be able to access health care through the Affordable Care Act. We commend the Biden administration for taking this important step for health equity and immigrant justice. Even as we celebrate this victory, we must also remember that politically motivated attacks on DACA continue, DACA recipients remain in limbo, and the health and wellbeing of our communities has suffered as a result. We continue to urge Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth who call this country home, so they can enjoy the same peace and stability that we all need to thrive." [Statement, 5/03/24]

Executive Director Mayra Macias, Building Back Together: "Today's announcement underscores President Biden's commitment and unequivocal support for Dreamers and DACA recipients. Once again, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking a bold step towards equity and inclusivity in health care access by ensuring that approximately 100,000 DACA recipients can enjoy the peace of mind and security that access to health care brings. By expanding DACA recipients' health care options, President Biden is reaffirming that health care is a fundamental right, and that everyone, including hardworking DACA recipients, deserves the opportunity and resources needed to live a healthy and fulfilling life." [Statement, 5/03/24]

Deputy Director Becca Telzak, Make the Road New York: "We applaud the efforts of the federal government to expand federal health care coverage to DACA recipients. This move, which follows in the footsteps of a hard-fought and successful campaign in New York to expand health care coverage to DACA recipients, will allow communities across the country to access affordable and quality healthcare coverage to see a doctor, receive preventative care, treatments and more and allows DACA recipients in New York who weren't already covered by insurance to access federal tax credits and subsidies." [Statement, 5/03/24]

President and CEO Gaby Pacheco, TheDream.US: "Today's announcement is a meaningful step forward to help DACA recipients more fully participate and give back to this nation. DACA remains one of the most popular and successful immigration policies in U.S. history and its recipients are increasingly homeowners, essential employees, and parents heading households all throughout America. Ensuring their access to healthcare coverage through the ACA will help thousands of families sleep a little easier at night - including TheDream.US alumni who have relied on DACA to work as doctors, nurses, and in other healthcare occupations. Of course, at a time when the future of the DACA program itself remains uncertain due to legal challenges that have barred younger Dreamers from even applying into the program, we still need the same solution that is two decades in the making: Congress to work together to deliver permanent legal status for Dreamers with and without DACA. As we work toward that goal, we

celebrate any steps forward that expands opportunities for Dreamers, such as today's positive announcement." [Statement , 5/03/24]

Alumna Indira Islas, TheDream.US: "I am proud to be part of a family of healthcare workers - my parents were doctors in Mexico, my sister is a nurse, and I am an aspiring doctor and have a graduate degree in public health. Providing opportunities and healthcare access to DACA recipients is good for families like mine and for the entire nation. The majority of Americans agree that Dreamers are Americans in all but their official paperwork and accessing healthcare shouldn't be a barrier for any American. By eliminating this barrier to access the ACA marketplace, this rule will be a game-changer for over 100,000 DACA recipients. Our contributions as DACA recipients, including as fellow healthcare workers, have been well-documented. Today's announcement is a good thing for us and for America." [Statement , 5/03/24]

Executive Director Miriam Feldblum, Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration: "We applaud the rule expanding ACA eligibility access to DACA recipients. The Presidents' Alliance had called on the current Administration to issue the regulation, which is much welcomed and will strengthen the nation. DACA recipients contribute billions of dollars in tax revenue annually, fill critical job shortages in our economy, are employed in essential jobs supporting our communities, and fuel our country with their talent and entrepreneurship." [Statement , 5/03/24]

May 7, 2024

Today, Vice President Harris announced new funding to boost affordable housing, invest in economic growth, build wealth, and address homelessness across America. This funding is through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development .

President Biden and Vice President Harris are working to lower housing costs and increase the housing supply to address the large shortage of affordable homes they inherited from their predecessor, while investing historic resources to prevent and end homelessness. In President Biden's State of the Union address, he called on Congress to support the construction and rehabilitation of two million additional homes, lower costs for renters, and help first time homebuyers and families seeking to trade up or downsize.

Yesterday, Vice President Harris was in Detroit, MI for the second stop on her nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour. During her speech , the Vice President highlighted the Administration's plan to cut housing costs, boost supply, and expand access to affordable housing. She also discussed the Administration's work to address racial bias in home appraisals.

Today, the Vice President announced a crucial infusion of funds to address the country's critical housing needs: $5.5 billion in grants to 1,200 communities through more than 2,400 grants to states, cities, DC, Puerto Rico, and local organizations across the country. These grants build on ongoing efforts by the Administration, the White House Housing Supply Action Plan and the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights , boost housing supply, lower housing costs, expand rental assistance, enhance renter protections, and invest in stronger, more resilient communities for all.

"Homeownership is an essential part of the American Dream that represents so much more than a roof over our heads. For people all across our nation, a home represents financial security, the opportunity to build wealth and equity, and a foundation for a better future for themselves, their children, and future generations," said Vice President Harris. "That is why President Biden and I are expanding on our historic investments in housing by announcing $5.5 billion that will increase access to affordable housing, invest in economic growth, and address homelessness in communities throughout America. This funding will build more affordable homes and support renters and homeowners while also lowering costs, building wealth, and creating jobs."

"A coordinated whole-of-community approach is crucial to build strong and resilient communities, invest in decent housing, create healthy environments, expand economic opportunities accessible to low-income households, and support aspiring homebuyers and those experiencing homelessness," said Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman. "The funding made available today serves as building blocks to empower communities to take ownership of community development investments and put the needs of residents first."

These funds will be provided through the following HUD programs: 

$1.3 billion to 668 grantees to build affordable housing -- The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is the primary Federal block grant that helps States and local governments to produce affordable rental and owner-occupied housing for low-income families. HOME funds a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. HOME projects leverage non-federal funds including, in many cases, tax credits for affordable rental housing. In 2023 the program helped create over 13,000 units of housing and more than 13,000 households were assisted with tenant based rental assistance through the HOME program. 

$214 million to every state to increase affordable housing supply – The Housing Trust Fund is an affordable housing production program that complements existing Federal, state and local efforts to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, including families experiencing homelessness. HTF is a formula-based program for States and U.S. Territories. By law, each state is allocated a minimum of $3 million. In 2023, the program helped create more than 1,681 units of affordable rental housing for extremely low-income households.

$3.3 billion to 1,254 grantees to build stronger communities -- The Community Development Block Grants provide annual grants on a formula basis to States, cities, counties, and insular areas to develop stronger, more resilient communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income people. In 2023 the program helped over 62,000 families through housing activities, 25,500 individuals through job creation or retention, 52,000 people experiencing homelessness through improvements to homelessness facilities, over 5.4 million people through public services, and over 41.8 million people through through public improvements.

$455 million to 130 grantees to connect people with HIV/AIDS to housing and support -- The Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS program provides stable and permanent housing assistance and supportive services to low-income people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus . Over 100,000 households receive HOPWA housing assistance and/or supportive services annually. 

$290 million to 357 grantees to address homelessness -- Emergency Solutions Grants provide funds for homeless shelters, assist in the operation of local shelters, and funds related social service and homeless prevention programs. ESG funds may be used for street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing assistance. Annually, ESG connects over 350,000 people to emergency shelter as they transition to permanent housing. 

$30 million to 23 States and the District of Columbia to support recovery from substance use disorder -- The Recovery Housing Program allows States and the District of Columbia to provide stable, transitional housing for individuals in recovery from a substance-use disorder. 

The grants announced today by the Vice President will provide critical funding for a wide range of activities to address communities' most pressing local needs, providing flexible resources to build homes, support renters and homeowners, provide life-saving assistance to people experiencing homelessness, create jobs, and improve public facilities, community resilience, and local economies.

For more information, see the following examples from previous years about how these funds have enabled communities to provide innovative housing solutions and expand affordable housing:

Transforming a Historic Building into Affordable Homes in Cleveland, Ohio: Through the Section 108 Loan Guarantee program, HUD granted a $15 million loan guarantee to the City of Cleveland, Ohio, to transition the downtown historic Huntington Building back into productive use, including affordable housing, commercial and retail space, and a museum.

Supporting Affordable Homes for Seniors and People with Disabilities in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: The Frenchtown Road project will create 63 units of affordable housing available to low- and moderate-income household, serving a community with a low stock of affordable housing currently available. The project will offer on-site supportive services for seniors and people with disabilities. Construction is underway with completion anticipated in early 2025.

Building Affordable Homes for Homeless Seniors and Veterans in Vista, California: The County of San Diego awarded over $4 million in HOME and HOME-American Rescue Plan funding to support the development of a 54-unit affordable housing complex – Santa Fe Village – in the City of Vista. The development will include 25 units for homeless seniors with serious mental illnesses, and two units will be reserved for veteran households. This property will provide access to supportive services for these households, including on-site case management, and peer support activities.

Funding Water & Wastewater Systems in Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development used their CDBG allocation in 2023 to award nearly $3.5 million in funding to ensure safe water and sewage systems in Mifflin, Somerset, and Sullivan counties.

Today's announcement follows the first two stops of the Vice President's nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour , which is taking her back to several states across the country as she highlights how the policies of the Biden-Harris Administration have delivered for the American people. During each stop, the Vice President is highlighting how the Biden-Harris Administration has delivered historic investments that have supported communities and helped people thrive. This includes improving access to housing while making it more affordable. The tour kicked off last week with a moderated conversation in Atlanta, GA.

Today's announcement builds on the Vice President's career of working to protect homeowners and address housing supply and affordability. As Attorney General of California, she helped pass the California Homeowner Bill of Rights to provide protections to homeowners facing foreclosure. As U.S. Senator, she introduced several bills to increase the supply of affordable housing and lower costs for renters. Now as Vice President, she has led the charge on addressing racial bias in home appraisals by announcing key actions of the PAVE Action Plan, including recent actions that make it easier for more homeowners to appeal home appraisals that may be undervalued because of racial bias.

May 7, 2024

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

2:28 P.M. EDT

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon, everyone.

Q Good afternoon.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, you just heard from my colleague over at the State Department who has confirmed that Hamas sent a response. I'm going to turn things over very quickly to my colleague, Admiral John Kirby, who will share more updates in the region.

Okay.

MR. KIRBY: Thanks, Karine.

Good afternoon, everybody.

Q Good afternoon.

MR. KIRBY: As Karine noted, there has been a response from Hamas to the hostage deal. We're currently reviewing that response, and we're discussing it with our partners in the region.

Director Burns, as you know, is there, and he's working this in real time on the ground. I won't be able to comment any further on this until we know where things stand. I hope you can understand that. I know everybody is curious about what's in this response, what the Israeli reaction to it is. I'm just not going to get ahead of the process.

We want to get these hostages out. We want to get a ceasefire in place for six weeks. We want to increase humanitarian assistance. And the last thing that I want to do is say anything at this podium that's going to put that process at risk.

Regardless, as we've said before, we still believe that reaching an agreement is the absolute best outcome not only for the hostages but for the Palestinian people. And we're not going to stop working to that outcome.

Now, as you know, the President talked with Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning. The call lasted about 30 minutes and was constructive.

The President reaffirmed his message on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. The two leaders discussed the shared commitment of Israel and the United States to remember the 6 million Jews who were systematically targeted and slaughtered in the Holocaust, one of the darkest chapters in human history, and to forcefully act against antisemitism and all forms of hate-fueled violence.

Now, of course, the two leaders spoke about our efforts to secure the hostage deal, including through these ongoing talks today.

During the call, at the President's urging, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to ensure that the Kerem Shalom crossing is back open for humanitarian assistance for those in need.

And I also want to take a moment to address the latest reports now out of Rafah, which was also a topic of discussion on the -- on the call.

I'll reiterate again that we cannot and we will not speak for IDF operations. But we've made clear our views about operations in Rafah that could potentially put more than a million innocent people at greater risk. During his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, the President again made this clear.

He also made clear that we continue to believe that the hostage deal is the best way to avoid that sort of an outcome while securing the release of those hostages. And as I said, those conversations continue.

Just one more thing: President Biden hosted His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan for lunch at the White House. That probably wrapped up here just recently. They discussed the strong partnership between the United States and Jordan. They also spoke about the situation in Gaza, of course, including efforts to secure the hostage deal and to get more humanitarian assistance into the civilians of Gaza.

Now, we're going to have a more detailed readout of that conversation here very, very soon. Just don't have it right now. But you'll be seeing it shortly.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Steve.

Q As far as you can tell, which proposal did Hamas accept?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to get into that, Steve.

Q And is the issue over how long a ceasefire would last?

MR. KIRBY: Again, you're asking me for the parameters around the response and the deal itself, and I'm just not going to do that.

Q Lastly, Israel has called on people in -- in Rafah to evacuate. Is -- does that presage a full-scale assault? What -- what are we seeing?

MR. KIRBY: As I said in my opening statement, I'm not going to speak for IDF operations or their military intentions and plans. They should be the ones to answer those kinds of questions.

What I can only reiterate is that we've been consistent and the President was consistent again this morning that we don't support ground operations in Rafah that would put the majority or even any of the -- the civilians there at any greater risk. We want to see their safety and security allowed for and factored in.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Seung Min.

Q Noting your caveats at the top, are you able to say whether Hamas was agreeing to something that had been discussed over the last several days?

MR. KIRBY: Again, without getting into the details of it -- and Director Burns is still talking to partners about this -- there have been ongoing negotiations and talks here for weeks. And the Director traveled recently to see if we can't bring this thing home.

And, again, without speaking about the details of the response by Hamas, I think it's safe to conclude that that response came as a result or at the end of these continued discussions that Director Burns was part of.

Q And when do you think you'll have a better sense of what is happening? When will you get a readout from Director Burns? Later today? Early tomorrow?

MR. KIRBY: I don't know. The President has been briefed on -- on the response. He's aware of where the situation and where the process is. What you're asking me is like when are we going to get, like, a final -- you know --

Q Like, what is the answer? Yeah.

MR. KIRBY: Yeah -- a final, you know, table slap here. There is a -- there's a process that has -- that -- that has been worked in the past and will be worked this time. You get a response by Hamas. We're going to have to evaluate that. We're going to see what's in it. Certainly, the Israelis get it -- must have a chance to look at this and to evaluate it.

And Director Burns, as -- as we speak -- literally, as you and I are talking -- are having these conversations with partners in the region. You know, it would be great -- I'm sure we'd all like to have an answer as soon as possible. But I just don't want to get ahead of that process.

Q And a quick follow-up on the readout. When do you expect the Kerem -- Kerem Shalom crossing to reopen? Or is it already reopened?

MR. KIRBY: It should be open very, very soon. Prime Minister Netanyahu committed to opening it on the call this morning. So, at 2:30, is it open? I don't know. But he assured the President that it would be reopened. It had been closed for several days.

Q Okay. And one more. Cindy McCain, the executive director of the World Food Programme, said over the weekend that Northern Gaza is in a, quote, "full-fledged famine." Is that the assessment of the U.S. government as well?

MR. KIRBY: The U.N. has not declared a famine in Gaza writ large. But I don't want to understate the degree of need here and the -- the dire situation that so many people in Gaza are in, particularly with respect to food and water. So, it is not a great situation, clearly. And that's why, again, we're working so hard to get this deal in place, so we can keep that humanitarian assistance up at a higher level.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Mary.

Q Thank you.

Q I understand you don't want to get into the specifics here. But is it your understanding that this is Hamas's final offer? I mean, is there still room to negotiate here?

MR. KIRBY: I think it's going to depend on our evaluation and the Israelis' evaluation of the response and where we go from here.

Q And as Steve mentioned, the Israelis are already warning people to evacuate Gaza. If they do go through with this operation, is the U.S. willing to consider putting limits or conditions on aid to Israel?

MR. KIRBY: I won't get ahead of where we are right now, Mary, in the process here, and I'm certainly not going to speak to hypothetical operations that haven't happened yet. I think we just have to see what transpires.

The President was very direct -- and consistently so -- this morning that we don't want to see major ground operations in Rafah that put these people at greater risk.

Q But, you know, a month ago, the administration did make clear that the U.S. would change its approach -- right? -- if Israel didn't take significant steps to address the humanitarian crisis.

MR. KIRBY: That's right.

Q Does that still hold? Is it possible that the U.S. could change course --

MR. KIRBY: Of course.

Q -- if the humanitarian process isn't improved?

MR. KIRBY: Of course. We always --

Q And presumably, a Raf- --

MR. KIRBY: No, no. We always have the right to adjust our policies as appropriate, and that has not changed, no.

Q And presumably, an operation in Rafah would jeopardize steps to address the humanitarian crisis?

MR. KIRBY: All I can say is we've been very direct and very consistent in our views of concerns about operations in Rafah.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, M.J.

Q Does the U.S. currently have any sense of whether Israel is inclined or not inclined to accept this deal?

MR. KIRBY: I -- I won't speak for the Israelis.

Q The -- when the President and the Prime Minister spoke earlier today, was this specific framework discussed? And did the President encourage, put pressure on the Prime Minister to accept this framework?

MR. KIRBY: You're talking about the -- what the -- what Hamas says they responded to?

Q Yes.

MR. KIRBY: So, just -- and just so you have the tick-tock here, by the -- when they were talking this morning, we did not have news that Hamas had responded. So, that news broke after their call.

That said, as I mentioned in my opening statement, of course they talked about the hostage deal and the importance of getting it secured.

Q So, you're saying when the two leaders spoke, Hamas had not yet accepted --

MR. KIRBY: It would be wrong --

Q -- this framework --

MR. KIRBY: Yeah.

Q -- so the President would not have specifically asked the Prime Minister to --

MR. KIRBY: Correct.

Q -- potentially accept this framework?

MR. KIRBY: It would be wrong for you to conclude that -- that the call this morning was about having the Israelis accept the Hamas response. The Hamas response hadn't happened yet.

Q Did he broadly encourage the Prime Minister to get, yes, to some sort of deal?

MR. KIRBY: He, as he has consistently with Prime Minister Netanyahu, urged that we get this deal secured. But it wasn't a -- it wasn't a pressure call. It wasn't about twisting his arm towards a certain set of parameters.

Director Burns is in the region having these conversations with the Israelis, the Qataris, the Egyptians, as -- again, as we speak. And -- and that's the forum for working out the parameters of it. But the President clearly talked to the Prime Minister about the importance of getting a deal done, yeah.

Q And, John, what is the President's position on a limited operation into Rafah?

MR. KIRBY: I think I -- I don't think I can answer it any differently than I did with Mary. We've been very clear that we don't support a major ground operation in Rafah, operations in general that put at greater risk the more than a million people that are sheltering there.

And the question right now is a hypothetical. I mean, we're aware that they've dropped leaflets. We're aware that they're -- that they're warning people to evacuate. I'll let them speak to their operations and to their intents -- intentions.

Nothing has changed about where we are with respect to operations in Rafah that could put those people at greater risk.

Q Right. But you know that they are asking people in the area to evacuate and the possibility of a limited Rafah operation is on the table. So, I'm asking: Does the President believe that Israel can execute a limited operation into Rafah while adequately protecting the lives of civilians there?

MR. KIRBY: The President doesn't want to see operations in Rafah that put at greater risk the more than a million people that are seeking refu- -- refuge there.

Q So, he wouldn't support a limited operation into Rafah?

MR. KIRBY: I think I've answered the question.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Francesca.

Q In the back.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Francesca, go ahead.

Q Picking up on the timeline. So, prior to Hamas saying that they accepted this proposal, what, as you understood them to be, were the sticking points for either Hamas or the Israelis in the -- the deal that had been on the table?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to get into that.

Q Okay. Did it involve Rafah in any way?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to talk about the parameters of the proposal that was worked before this Hamas response, and I'm certainly not going to talk about the response right now.

I mean, I do understand the curiosity. And you guys are all asking exactly the right questions -- all very fair. But I really do hope you understand that the last thing I would ever want to do from this podium is say something that could put this very sensitive process at greater risk.

We are at a critical stage right now. We got a response from Hamas. Now Director Burns is working through that, trying to assess it, working with the Israelis.

I mean, my goodness, folks, I don't know that it gets any more sensitive than right now. And the worst thing that we can do is start speculating about what's in it.

Q And one more thing on Rafah. What was your understanding why the Israelis were only evacuating part of Rafah at this time?

MR. KIRBY: You'd have to talk to the Israelis.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Danny.

Q Thanks, Karine. Thanks, Admiral. You've previously said several times that the ball is in the court of Hamas at previous stages of negotiations. Would it be fair to say now that the ball is in Israel's court?

MR. KIRBY: It's going to depend on what the response actually says and the conversations that we have with the Israelis about what -- where we go from here.

Q And just one other thing. If I can ask, I mean, is -- do you have any sense that Israel is currently using this threat or the start of an operation in Rafah as a means of putting pressure on Hamas at this stage of the negotiations?

MR. KIRBY: Again, you'd have to talk to the Israelis about their intentions.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Franco.

Q You said that they -- that -- that you did not know the news during the call. But were you surprised by -- was the White House surprised by Hamas saying that they've reached a deal or agreeing to the agreement?

MR. KIRBY: It wasn't like we had a heads up about it. We -- we knew that, as I said publicly, they had a proposal in front of them, and as was just remi- -- I was just reminded of the fact that I said many times it was -- the ball was in Hamas's court. So, we certainly knew that they had it before them, and we were waiting on word.

We had hoped that there would be word very, very soon. We certainly hope that there could be word today. But did we know the exact moment that Al Jazeera was able to break the news that Hamas had a response? No, we didn't predict that particular moment.

Q Are you encouraged that that -- that there -- that you are at this sensitive point? You've been talking about it's a very sensitive point, it's important --

MR. KIRBY: We'll be encouraged when we get a deal in place and we can start seeing hostages get back with their families. That'll be encouraging.

Q And if I can, what role, if any, do you feel like the leaflets and the pressure of an evacuation or the evacu- -- the announcement of evacuating, do you think that had any role in -- in triggering Hamas to do --

MR. KIRBY: I don't think we know that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q John, can you talk a little bit about the timeline, as the administration understands it, of those evacuations? How much time do people have to leave? Do you -- did you guys put any demands on the Israelis in terms of how those evacuations are to take place under the parameters that you guys have talked

about previously?

MR. KIRBY: We're asking questions of the Israelis about what their intentions are here and what the -- what the larger purpose of this evacuation is and sort of where they're wan- -- wanting to go.

I think to answer your question, though, you'd really have to go to the Israelis and to -- to speak to their military operations and plans. I'm not going to get ahead of that.

But are we curious about the timing and the intent and where they're going? Yes, absolutely. And the President expressed our curiosity about that on the call today.

Q But more than curiosity, are you expressing what you want to see happen in terms of those evacuations, how they take place, whether Israel is prepared for people moving around within Rafah?

MR. KIRBY: I would just say -- again, without -- without -- I don't want to get ahead of operations that haven't happened. I don't want to speak for the Israeli military. I can just say that we don't want to see operations in and around Rafah that make it harder for the people that are seeking refuge there and shelter to be safe and secure. And we have made that case privately to the Israelis. The President did it again today with the Prime Minister directly. We certainly made it publicly. We've been very, very consistent about that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Jacqui.

Q Thank you, Karine. John, noting everything that you've said about the concerns expressed by the U.S. about the risk to Palestinians in Gaza with a full-scale operation, is the U.S. still aligned with Israel in its intention to eliminate the terrorist threat posed by Hamas?

MR. KIRBY: Of course.

Q And is there any feeling that Hamas may be trying to trick the public in some way? You heard Israeli officials commenting on this latest proposal as -- as a trick, and --

MR. KIRBY: Oh --

Q -- there's been a lot of pressure to -- go ahead.

MR. KIRBY: Yeah, no, I'm just -- go ahead. Sorry. I'm listening.

Q Well, there's -- there's been, you know, pressure on the administration to make sure that the needs of Palestinians are -- are being served and that the U.S. support for Israel isn't, you know, overhanded. And you had the -- the report come out earlier today or maybe yesterday that the U.S. was potentially weighing withholding an arms shipment to Israel. Is there any concern that Hamas was trying to capitalize on that public pressure and, you know, "play a trick," as Israeli officials put it?

MR. KIRBY: I mean, I don't think there's any possible way I can answer that question unless I got between the ears of Mr. Sinwar, and that's a place I really don't want to be. I think that is a great question for him.

You know, it's interesting. I stand up here and answer questions, Karine does, Matt Miller at the State Department, Pentagon colleagues, the President does, Prime Minister Netanyahu does, and the IDF military spokesman does.

You know who hasn't answered a single question about his intentions and what games he might be playing or where he intends to take this? Mr. Sinwar, the head of Hamas. And I think it's -- I think it's high time that he answers some of these questions and he come clean about what his intentions are. I don't know.

All I know is we got a response. Bill Burns is looking at that response. He's talking to the Israelis about it. And we'll see where this goes. Hopefully -- hopefully -- whatever is in this thing, hopefully it can lead to those hostages getting out real, real soon with their families where they need to be.

And as each new -- as each day passes, their lives get further at risk. So, time is really of the essence here.

Q Well, noting your answer, is it still a good idea to try to negotiate with terrorists, then?

MR. KIRBY: It's -- it's not -- it's not like -- it's not like we sit down pie in the sky and say, "Hey, today's a good day. Let's negotiate with terrorists." You -- you got to negotiate with who you got to negotiate to get people back with their family.

So, frankly, if -- if there's a better idea to get those hostages home with their families, I think we'd love to hear them. I just don't think there's another way to do it. There's no other way to do it, quite frankly.

You got to negotiate through Qatar with Hamas to get those folks back with their families. And it -- does -- you know, that's the hard work of diplomacy, qu- -- you know, sometimes it means you got to sit across the table from some really bad folks that you'd rather not have to talk to. But they got those hostages, and we want them back.

Q But the U.S. backs Israel's intention to eliminate Hamas?

MR. KIRBY: We, of course, back their right and responsibility to go after the Hamas threat, to eliminate that threat.

Now, look, Jacqui, I've said many times here, you're not going to eliminate an ideology through military operations. But does Israel have a right and responsibility to eliminate a threat that they suffered on the 7 th of October? A hundred percent. Absolutely, they do. And we've been nothing but -- but very steadfast on that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Gabe.

Q Thanks, Karine. Thanks, John. Speaking about a tick-tock, what prompted this morning's call?

MR. KIRBY: I think you've heard me say many times now, they talk as appropriate. And given where we were in the hostage deal negotiations, given where we were with humanitarian assistance and Kerom -- Kerem Shalom being shut down for several days, certainly given where we were with expectations in Rafah, this made all the sense in the world for today to be the day that the President and Prime Minister Netanyahu speak.

Q But when exactly was the call set up? Was it this morning? Was it yesterday after the rocket attack that killed the three Israelis? Or what -- what specifically prompted it?

MR. KIRBY: I would tell you the initial planning for the call took place late in the weekend, is about what I'd say.

Q And one more on a different topic. Why did the U.S. halt an ammunition shipment to Israel last week?

MR. KIRBY: Yeah, look, I've seen the press reporting on this. All I can tell you is that -- to Jacqui's question -- our support for Israel's security remains ironclad. And I'm not going to get into the specifics of -- of one shipment over another.

Q It's our -- NBC is reporting that it included 2,000-pound bombs that may have been used in Rafah. Did concerns over Rafah and what the Israelis could use this ammunition for -- did that play any role in halting that shipment?

MR. KIRBY: I don't have a better answer for you other than the one I just gave you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q I just want to go at that question one more time. Did the United States put a pause on an arms shipment to Israel? Is that -- is that reporting correct?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to confirm that report.

Q Okay. Just another on another topic. Well, same topic, different question. Over the weekend, the Queen of Jordan said in an interview that the United States is giving the world mixed messages, offering both expressions of concern and support for Gaza in addition to providing arms to Israel. Can you -- can you comment at all on this -- on her criticism or her critique of the United States' position?

MR. KIRBY: I'm -- I'm not going to -- I don't think it'd be appropriate to get into a back-and-forth here from the podium on this.

We have said that two things can be true at once, and they are. Israel has a right and a responsibility to defend itself, and we're going to continue to provide for their security and help them with that. And at the same time, they have a right and obligation to be careful about civilian casualties and getting more humanitarian assistance in.

And that's why we're working so hard on this hostage deal. And that's why the American -- the President and the United States continue to lead the world in terms of actually making a difference in that outcome, making life better for the Palestinian people. No other country is doing more than the United States to try to increase that -- that assistance and get this -- get this ceasefire in place.

Q And just really quickly, the Israelis stopped a broadcast of Al Jazeera over the weekend. Can you comment on whether that's an appropriate action for a United States ally?

MR. KIRBY: We don't support that action. As we said very clearly on World Press Freedom Day on Friday -- I know Karine talked about this -- the work of independent journalism around the world is absolutely vital. It's important to an informed citizenry and public, but it's also important to -- to help inform the policymaking process.

So, we don't support that at all.

Q And did the President bring it up at all in his call with --

MR. KIRBY: The focus of the call was on the hostage deal and on Rafah.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. I'm going to give it to Al Jazeera.

MR. KIRBY: You saw my -- sorry. You saw, I --

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sorry.

MR. KIRBY: -- I think I put a statement out this morning on that. So, we have officially reacted to it. Sorry.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Al Jazeera.

Q Thank you so much, Karine. Thank you, John. Is the administration planning on discussing the banning of Al Jazeera in Israel with the Israeli government?

We just celebrated the freedom of the press here in the United States and across the globe. And then this decision came, and it was really a big shock.

MR. KIRBY: As I just said, we don't --

Q Would the administration raise this issue with the government of Israel?

MR. KIRBY: We have raised this issue, and I made a public statement about it.

Q And on -- on the -- on Rafah. Has Israel presented or provided the administration with a comprehensive plan for the ?

MR. KIRBY: No.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Ed.

Q I want to take you back to this report on whether shipments were paused.

MR. KIRBY: Okay.

Q Are the reports wrong?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to confirm the press reporting, Ed. What I've said is our security commitments to Israel are ironclad. The President pushed very hard to get that supplemental funding so that we could continue to help Israel with its security needs and --

Q You can appreciate the ambiguity makes it sound like it's true.

MR. KIRBY: I can't --

Q That we held it up.

MR. KIRBY: I can't speak for what you appreciate in my answer. All I can do is tell you that my answer is not going to change.

Q All right. What is the definition of a assault or attack on Rafah, in the view of the White House, that would be seen as impermissible?

MR. KIRBY: There hasn't been an assault or an attack --

Q Well, there's reports tonight that there are --

MR. KIRBY: -- in terms of a ground operation at this time.

Q Okay.

MR. KIRBY: So, let's not get ahead of where we are. The President did express, again, our concerns about operations in Rafah that would put at risk these -- these people finding or trying to find shelter there.

I think it would be a futile e- -- exercise for me to get up here and -- and give you a laundry list of what would or would not compose some kind of ground operation in Rafah. We have to -- well, let me put it another way -- the IDF has to speak to what their intentions and their plans are.

Q But it's still ground operation versus missiles that may be landing over Rafah tonight, which is what we're hearing.

MR. KIRBY: Well, it doesn't matter whether it's missiles or rockets. Things that kill innocent people -- that's not okay. And, again, the President made it clear that we don't want to see operations in Rafah that put at risk --

Q And how does --

MR. KIRBY: -- those million and a half people that are there.

Q How does the President assess Bill Burns's ongoing attempts to make sure this deal comes together?

MR. KIRBY: It's a nice side way of getting at sort of talking to the parameters of the deal. I appreciate that. He's very grateful for --

Q Oh, no, I was -- I was more genuinely interested in what he thinks --

MR. KIRBY: Oh, really?

Q -- of the CIA Director's work on this, yes.

MR. KIRBY: Excellent. I'm sorry. I impugned your question.

The -- look, I think he's very grateful for the -- the work that Director Burns and the whole team has been doing to try to get us to this point. But it only really matters if we can get the deal in place -- and I'm sure Director Burns would agree me -- would agree with me on that -- and those hostages can get home.

But he's -- he's done terrific work thus far, and I know that he wants to see th- -- get this across the finish line, as this -- just as much as we do.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Jonathan.

Q Thank you, Karine. Admiral, on a different topic. Reports breaking just the last few minutes that a U.S. soldier has been detained in Russia. This apparently happened in the last few days. The reporting is he had been stationed in Korea, traveled to Russia on his own. He's being accused of some sort of theft. Are -- is the administration aware of this report?

MR. KIRBY: Yes.

Q What can you tell us about what happened?

MR. KIRBY: I can't really say much about it right now, Jonathan. I hope you can understand that. And, certainly, it's a better question put to our DOD colleagues. But we are aware of this case.

Q And other matter just related to Russia. There has been threats from Moscow in the last couple days about striting -- striking British military facilities because of the -- and also simulating nuclear drills, as it sharply rises tensions because of weapons manufactured in the UK being used in the conflict. This says it could potentially apply to other ally countries as well -- theoretically, the United States.

Do you have a response to that?

MR. KIRBY: Well, what I'd say, number one, is it's just reckless and irresponsible for the leader of a major nuclear-armed power to be saber-rattling the way that he is with respect to potential use for -- for nuclear weapons.

We're -- obviously, we monitor this and have continued to monitor this very closely. I can tell you we've seen nothing, even despite the reckless rhetoric, that would cause us to change our strategic deterrent posture.

And, look, lastly, if -- if Mr. Putin and Russian officials are worried about their troops in Ukraine getting hit with weapons from other countries, then the easiest thing to do is just take your troops and leave.

Q Thank you.

Q There are reports of AFP right now that Israel is committing airstrikes on Rafah -- intense airstrikes on Rafah right now. What would that timing mean to the relationship between the President and the Prime Minister?

MR. KIRBY: Well, , you -- you know something I don't know. I haven't seen those reports. I can't confirm it. I'll just go back to what I've said, I don't know, half a dozen, if not more, times today: We don't support operations in Rafah that put people at greater risk.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Thank you. Thank you, Karine, and thank you, John. I just wanted to make it clear that regarding the limit on the refined petroleum provided by Russia to North Korea, the annual refined petroleum limit under U.N. sanctions against North Korea is 500,000 barrels. But last week, you say that the limit was exceeding that 6- -- 165,000 barrels in March alone. So, how many barrels were supplied in January and February?

MR. KIRBY: I will have to take that question and get back to you. I didn't bring the barrel data with me today.

Q And one one more quick question again. State -- yes, State Department Spokesperson Miller said that the sanctions against this will be imposed through these months, and a North Korea oil tanker sanctioned by the U.N. is currently staying in Chinese water. So, is China included in the sanctions this time? Or U.N. sanctions against Russia and sanctions against China are together?

MR. KIRBY: I -- I will admit that I will owe you now yet another answer. I'll get back to you with something more detailed.

I will only just say, to exit myself from this question gracefully, that -- -- that -- that we want everybody to enforce the sanctions that are against North Korea appropriately and consistently. And not everybody does. And North Korea has benefited from sanctions evasions by countries in the region and beyond the region. I'll leave it at that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. I'm going to -- we're going to have to start wrapping it up.

Q Thank you very much, Karine. Thank you very much, John. I have a question on Russia and growing ties between China and Russia. Putin is reportedly visiting China this month, and right before this visit, just last week, we learned that Russian police raided the homes of Falun Gong practitioners in Russia -- this is a group persecuted in China -- and detained several of them.

Does -- does the White House have any reaction to this? And then I have a follow-up one.

MR. KIRBY: I haven't seen the reports about the detention of these individuals. If the -- if they're true, certainly, that would be concerning to us. But I'd probably refer you to the State Department to speak a little bit more about that than -- than I can.

Just, again, writ -- writ large, we have seen China and Russia try to go -- grow closer together. We believe a big reason for that is, frankly, the United States and -- and putting themselves in positions to -- to either oppose our foreign policy objectives or to try to be an obstacle to them in many, many different ways.

So, it's -- it's concerning to us.

The most specific concern that we have right now is the fact that some Chinese companies are providing microelectronics and components so that Mr. Putin can continue his defense industrial base improvements and developments and put weapons in the field that just kill innocent Ukrainians.

And, again, we've been -- we've made those concerns clear directly to our Chinese counterparts and at the U.N.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Jared. Ja- -- oh, yeah --

Q Oh --

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You have the last question.

Q Yeah, I did want to ask just a clarification, first, on the King's visit. Is he meeting with any other senior administra- -- Defense Department, anybody?

MR. KIRBY: I -- I -- not that I'm aware of.

Q So, this wasn't, like, a broader bilateral, kind of --

MR. KIRBY: No. No, the President hosted him for lunch. They've done this before in the past.

Q And, secondly, can you give us a --

MR. KIRBY: I -- I can't -- but, look, I -- I can't speak to his whole schedule while he's in town. So, I'm not aware of any other meetings, but that doesn't mean that he's got something --

Q But it wasn't, like, a broader bilateral here at the White House?

MR. KIRBY: No.

Q And on the pier, the temporary pier, if you could give us an update on that and whether or not, like, a ceasefire would need to be in place for that to be fully implemented and operational.

MR. KIRBY: A ceasefire doesn't have to be in place for the pier to operate. Now, obviously, somewhat -- it's a whole heck of a lot easier if there's no fighting going on. But it doesn't have to be.

In fact, one of the big issues that we are still working out is what the force protection laydown would look like and how the -- not -- not just the people operating the pier but the material itself can be safe from any -- any attack.

As far as I know -- and, again, you should go to the Pentagon for more detail -- the -- essentially, the pier itself has been constructed. It is not in place because, last week, they had some weather issues in the Eastern Med, so they weren't able to put it in place.

You should go to the Pentagon for, like, where it is right now. As I understand it, it's still not being put into place.

Then you've got to anchor it, and you've got to make sure you build a causeway so you can get to and from it. And so, there's still a lot of work that has to be done to get it operational, and that would include the force protection laydown.

But no, the short answer to your question is you don't have to have a ceasefire in place to use the temporary pier.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank you, Admiral. Appreciate it.

MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Karine. Appreciate your -- appreciate your patience.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, you're all good. Thank you.

Q Thank you.

Q Thank you, John.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks.

All right. I do have a couple of things at the top. I wanted to get to the -- to the Admiral at the beginning.

So -- so, tomorrow, the President will deliver remarks during the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's annual Days of Remembrance ceremony. You can expect the President to make clear that during these sacred days of remembrance, we honor the memory of the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust and we recommit to heeding the lessons of this dark chapter: Never again.

He will speak to the horrors of October 7 th, when Hamas unleashed the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.

And he will speak to how, since October 7 th, we've seen an alarming rise in antisemitism in the U.S. -- in our cities, our communities, and our -- and on our campuses.

The President will touch on how his National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism is putting the full force of the federal government behind protecting the Jewish community and that all Americans must stand united against antisemitism.

He will reaffirm that we respect and protect the fundamental right to free speech, but there is no place on any campus or anywhere for antisemitism. There is no place for hate speech or threats of violence against -- against the Jewish people.

Next, today, as part of the Economic Opportunity Tour, Vice President Harris is traveling to Michigan to announce $100 million in funding and resources for small- and medium-size auto manufacturers and auto workers.

The Vice President will also announce actions to expand workforce training and improve job quality in the EV supply chain.

For decades, trickle-down econ- -- e- -- economics drove manufacturers overseas. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration's Investing in America agenda, companies are making historic investments in EV battery supply manufacturing. More than 20 auto and battery plants have been announced, after no net new plants opened under the previous administration.

Historic contracts secured the -- by the UAW and the Big Three automakers in Detroit, as well as recent organizing victories, like Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, ensure that these jobs of the future will provide comp- -- comparable wages, retirement security, and respect at work.

These actions build on the Biden-Harris administration's ongoing work to ensure that the workers and businesses that built the auto industry remain community anchors for generations to come.

And, finally, I want to acknowledge some important news. While the previous administrations oversaw the largest one-year increase in murders ever recorded, under the President's -- this President's leadership, President Biden, violent crime is at a nearly 50-year low.

Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of law enforcement and community leaders, Americas are safe -- Americans are safer from violent crime today than they were a year ago. Violent crime declined across every category in the first quarter of 2024, and murders are down 17 percent.

Let me be clear here: This reduction in crime is no accident. President Biden and his administration are taking historic action to make our communities safer and give our law enforcement officers the tools they need to protect and serve.

We are stopping the flow of illegal guns and making the largest-ever federal investment in fighting and preventing crime through the American Rescue Plan, which every Republican in Congress voted against. But we can't stop now.

Through the Safe [Safer] America -- America Plan, the President is calling on Congress to invest $37 billion to support law enforcement and crime prevention. Every family deserves to live in a safe community.

With that, Seung Min.

Q Thanks. You had another school, Columbia University, announce this morning that they're canceling commencement ceremonies. I'm wondering if the White House is concerned that the situation on college campuses is not calming down, despite what the President said last week.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I want to quote what the President said from last week, as you laid that out for me. And here's the quote: "Peaceful protest in America -- violent protest is not protected; peaceful protest is. It's against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations -- none of this is a peaceful protest."

And it is unfortunate that a small group -- a small group of people went too far and cost their classmates this important event. We've talked about it many times from here. When it's -- when it comes to commencement day and when it comes to speaking at commencement events, this is something that the President has done for some time now. And he understands that this is a moment of joy, a moment of celebration. And -- and we feel for them. We feel for each of the graduates.

And -- and we're going to continue to reiterate the President's comments and statements and what we've said from this podium to call for protest peacefully. And that's what we're going to continue to do.

But we do feel for them. These are graduates who are going to miss out on an incredibly important day of commencement.

Q Quick follow-up. Does the White House anticipate any issues -- or how are you preparing for any potential issues when he delivers the remarks at Morehouse later this month?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I'm not going to get into -- I'm not going to speculate on what might happen, might not happen. Obviously, when it comes to any type of -- when it comes to events and security, that's something that Secret Service obviously is going to -- going to deal with and -- and figure that out on their end. But I'm not going to get into specu- -- to speculate from here.

I'm just going to reiterate what I just said about how the President truly enjoys doing commencement speeches. He understands how important -- not just for the graduate but the families and the loved ones that are there to celebrate a really, truly important day. And so, that's what we're looking forward to.

As you know, the President is also going to go to West Point and honor -- honor those who serve to protect our country. And -- and so -- and we'll continue to do that, obviously. And so, that's what he's going to look forward to: really being there for the graduates and lifting them up in this moment.

Q Thank you, Karine. Congressman Ro Khanna said that the President should and will be out visiting these campus among the protests -- amid the protests. Is there any plan for him to get out there and talk to students --

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No.

Q -- right now? Okay.

And then, separately, GW's president has called for Metro Police in D.C. to intervene to dismantle what they've deemed an illegal encampment. And D.C. police have so far refused to respond to that call. It's happening in the President's backyard. Is there any reaction from the White House on what should happen?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, that is something that I'm going to leave to the local law enforcement and universities. That's for them to figure out, for them to work it through. They know what is happening on the ground. And we've always been very clear about that. And we'll continue to be clear about that.

We're going to continue to call for peaceful protest. And, you know, dissent cannot lead to disorder. And so, going to continue to be very, very clear, as the President has been, as I have been, as so many of us here on -- in this administration has been.

Q Any idea why D.C. police would not respond --

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would --

Q -- to this call?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would refer you to the D.C. police. That's something for them to speak to.

Q Okay.

Q In the back.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay.

Q And then, j- -- lastly, on these reported plans for the U.S. to bring over Palestinian refugees, potentially. Is there anything you can tell us about where we are in the works with that? And what -- I know it would have to depend on coordination with Egypt, which so far has been resistant to cooperate on this. What -- what can you tell us about this plan?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have anything further to announce. I know I was asked this question a couple of times last week. I just don't have anything else to share.

Go ahead, Steve.

Q Karine, the -- the speech tomorrow, is it a broad-brush speech or will he get into some of the specifics of the Gaza conflict?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'm not going to get ahead of the President too much. Obviously, it is a day of remembrance. You know the term. We -- as I just stated at the top: Never forget -- or never again.

And so, certainly the President will -- will talk about that day and how horrific it was for the Jewish -- Jewish Americans, Jewish community.

I just don't want to get too far ahead. But obviously, it's an important day for -- for not just Jewish Americans but Americans more broadly.

Q Thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Karen.

Q Thanks, Karine. Given the key role that Jordan has played over the last several months in the Middle East -- especially on humanitarian aid -- and the day's development, there was obviously a lot of news value to the King's visit today.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q Why didn't we see the President and the King together for a photo op? Why was that closed press?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we try to do everything that we can, obviously, to give you all as much access, give the press as much access. It is sometimes the -- the visitor -- the visiting country have -- you know, they have their own requests, and we try to certainly accommodate their request as well.

And so, look, we will try all -- every -- at every turn, at every of these events to make sure that there is press -- there is press access.

In this particular instance, it's a -- it was a private lunch. And we tried to also accommodate the visitors that come here as well.

Q So, the King did not want to do anything on camera today?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I -- I would leave it up to -- to the King and his team to speak to that. But, again, we try to also accommodate the visiting country as well.

Q And if there's any news from the Israeli side on this -- the -- where things stand, should we expect to hear from the President today or this evening on this?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have anything to -- of note or any changes to the President's schedule at this time. Obviously, if there i- -- are any changes, we -- you all will be one of the first, if not the first, to know. I just don't have anything at this time.

The President was going to speak tomorrow. So, stay tuned.

AIDE: Karine.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead. Go ahead.

Q Thank you. I just wanted to go again at the speech the President is --

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q -- is exp- -- is giving tomorrow. I mean, just given the context in which he's giving it, where there's -- you know, 34,000 people have died in Gaza. He's going to be talking about "never again" and a genocide. And he's protested almost everywhere he goes, you know, with that moniker of -- of "Genocide Joe."

And it's a -- I'm just wondering: How is he going to sort of thread the needle of -- of address- -- of addressing a genocide that happened quite a while ago while there are some people who are saying that there is one happening right now that he bears some responsibility for?

I mean, I understand that that's not the view of the administration, but it's still a very tricky line to -- to walk. And I'm just wondering if you can share any sort of thought as to whether he may be trying to send us a subtle message with the speech at all or if there's any sort of nod to the broader context in which the speech is being given.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I'm going to let the President speak for himself. I gave a broad stroke of the day --

Q Yes.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: -- and how important it's going to be for the President to speak on this Day of Remembrance, the ceremony. So, just going to be really mindful there.

On your broader question, look, the President understands that this is an incredibly painful time. And we have said that over and over again, and we understand that. And he also respects the right of all Americans to peacefully protest and also with the understanding and -- and the knowledge of having those conversations, those sometimes really tough conversations with community leaders.

And we have done that on the White -- White House -- you've heard from senior White House officials -- or you've heard us talk about senior White House officials going across the country, having those conversations with Muslim leaders, Arab leaders, Palestinian leaders in talking through this painful moment.

And I would also -- also say that this is why this hostage deal is so important. This is why we continue to work around the clock. This is why Director Burns is there meeting -- and obviously meeting -- continuing to meet with partners in the region to try to get to this deal so we can get that all-important humanitarian aid, get that ceasefire that is much needed, and also make sure that we get the hostages home, which also -- American hostages are part of those hostages, and we need to get them home to their loved ones.

So, that's what we're going to continue to do. The President will speak for himself tomorrow. So, I would say: Tune in. Listen to what he has to say. But we understand how painful this is for many, many communities across this country.

Thanks.

Q Has he had an input from any of those communities that you mentioned? Like, as he's been sort of wrestling with his speech and working on it, have any of those communities had any input into what he should say or what --

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I can't speak -- I can't to -- to that -- that question about input from communities. But the President understands how important this moment is. And I would say this is a president that tends to meet the moment when it comes to speeches and remarks like these. He understands what's going on, has the finger -- his finger is on the pulse as far as what people are feeling.

And so, I'm just not going to get beyond that. And I would say: Tune in.

Go ahead, Gabe.

Q Karine, just really quickly.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q What's your response to Kristi Noem's comments implying that Commander should be put down?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, you know, when we learned last week, obviously, like all of you, in her book that she killed her puppy, you heard me say that was very, very sad.

We find her comments from yesterday disturbing. We find them absurd. And -- and here, this is a country that loves dogs. And you have a leader talking about putting dogs down, killing them. And that's a disturbing statement to say.

I would say to -- I would say to her -- is she should -- probably should stop digging herself in a hole.

Thanks, everybody.

Q Where -- where is Commander now?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Who? Oh. So, Commander -- we said this back in the fall. Commander is living with family members.

Q Where?

Q In Delaware?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yes. We said this before.

All right. Thanks, everybody.

3:14 P.M. EDT

May 7, 2024

This year's remembrance is particularly sobering, as it comes seven months after the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7^th, the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Since that time, there has been an alarming rise of Antisemitic incidents across the country and throughout the world--most recently, in instances of violence and hate during some protests at college campuses across the Nation.

Today's new actions build on the work of the President's National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism , the first-ever such strategy, which was released one year ago this month. The strategy represents the most comprehensive and ambitious U.S. government effort to counter Antisemitism in American history. It includes over 100 actions the Biden-Harris Administration has taken, and continues to take, to address the rise of Antisemitism in the United States, as well as over 100 calls to action for Congress, state and local governments, companies, technology platforms, students, educators, civil society, faith leaders, and others. It has involved actions by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to provide greater security to Jewish institutions, as well as actions by the Department of Education to address antisemitism and by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to further support

education around Jewish history.

The Biden-Harris Administration has taken aggressive action to implement the strategy and to speak out forcefully against hate of all kinds, especially in the wake of the October 7^th attacks. Through the National Security Supplemental , President Biden secured an additional $400 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which funds security improvements and training to nonprofits and houses of worship, including campus organizations and community centers. This funding has been critical to the security of Jewish institutions. Last week, for example, the Biden-Harris Administration sent a guide to the leadership of more than 5,000 colleges and universities with information on resources to promote campus safety from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Education.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced additional actions to counter Antisemitism in Year Two of the Strategy, building on its work over the past year:

Today, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued new guidance through a Dear Colleague Letter to every school district and college in the country, providing examples of Antisemitic discrimination, as well as other forms of hate, that could lead to investigations for violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . This guidance is meant to ensure that colleges and universities do a better job of protecting both Jewish students and all of their students.

The Department of Homeland Security will work with interagency partners to build an online campus safety resources guide and landing page to provide the range of financial, educational, and technical assistance to campuses in one, easy-to-use website.

DHS will develop and share best practices for community-based targeted violence and terrorism prevention to reduce these assaults and attacks. Federal agencies will elevate ongoing efforts to address the fear felt in targeted communities and ensure that resources are widely known among communities that need them.

The Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism at the Department of State will convene technology firms to identify best practices to address Antisemitic content online. Departments and agencies will continue to provide technology companies with relevant information about symbols and themes associated with violent extremism online to help them enforce their terms of service.

These new actions build on actions taken to date:

Title VI Enforcement

ED-OCR has opened more than 100 investigations over the past seven months into complaints alleging discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including Antisemitism. The previous administration opened 27 such investigations in all four years.

On Friday, Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona sent a letter to more than 5,000 leaders at institutions of higher education across the country to reiterate that federal law protects against Antisemitic discrimination that violates Title VI. He also shared a Campus Safety Resource Guide to serve as a one-stop-shop of federal resources. ED OCR has issued several Dear Colleague Letters to every school district and college in the country and conducted training and outreach reminding them of their obligation to provide educational

environments free from discrimination, as well as the tools available to report discriminatory incidents. OCR maintains a website with more resources on shared ancestry discrimination.

ED OCR updated its complaint form specifying that Title VI's protection from discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, or national origin includes discrimination against students based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including those who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Hindu, or Sikh.

Eight Cabinet-level agencies clarified for the first time in writing that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits certain forms of antisemitic, Islamophobic, and related forms of discrimination in federally funded programs and activities. In addition, these agencies--the Departments of Agriculture , Health and Human Services , DHS , Housing and Urban Development , Interior, Labor , Treasury, and Transportation --have taken a number of steps to raise awareness of Title VI protections and other relevant statutes among Jewish and other communities, including by translating Title VI fact sheets into languages such as Yiddish and Hebrew and creating new Title VI landing pages to serve as a one-stop-shop of resources.

Campus and School Safety

Since October 7^th, FBI and DHS have taken steps to expand and deepen engagements with campus law enforcement and others to improve school safety. DHS has engaged with schools to identify security enhancements and raise awareness of SchoolSafety.gov, which offers school safety information and resources. DHS also has shared information via threat briefings and partner calls with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers a training course called Crisis Management Affecting Institutions of Higher Education: A Collaborative Community Approach , through which campus members can learn how to effectively manage a crisis using a whole community approach, effective crisis communication, and more.

In the wake of October 7^th, DHS's Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency tasked its field force to proactively engage with schools to understand and address their needs. CISA has further expanded security capacity-building services to synagogues, community centers, and Jewish day schools. These services include risk assessments, planning assistance, and active shooter and bomb prevention-related training. CISA has held sessions on active shooter preparedness; an introduction to bomb threat management; tabletop exercise packages for synagogues; and a training on responding to suspicious behaviors and items. Since June 2023, CISA personnel have conducted over 400 in-person visits with Jewish houses of worship and other institutions. Additional security trainings, information and resources are found here .

USDA has held sessions with university leaders from 80 land-grant universities and rural colleges to share promising practices to address Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate.

Under the National Strategy, the Department of Justice launched a pilot curriculum for middle and high school-age youth designed to prevent youth hate crimes and identity-based bullying. In year two of the National Strategy, the curriculum will be rolled out this August, before the school year begins.

Community Safety Resources

DHS broadened access to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program by holding several webinars, expanding its Protecting Places of Worship Week of Action, and leveraging partnerships with DOJ. During the Biden-Harris Administration, this program has made 2,960 grants to Jewish institutions for a total of $397 million in funding to Jewish institutions.

To assist campus public safety and law enforcement identify available federal financial assistance opportunities, DHS published guidance clarifying the eligibility of law enforcement agencies at institutions of higher education to receive both State Homeland Security Program and Urban Area Security Initiative grant funding.

DHS hosts the Prevention Resource Finder to provide stakeholders the full range of federal resources available to help prepare for and prevent targeted violence and terrorism across our country. Resources on the website include community support resources, grant funding opportunities, information-sharing platforms, evidence-based research, and training opportunities for campuses and communities to reduce the risk of hate-based and targeted violence. Since its launch in March 2023, it has been viewed over 58,000 times.

Through the DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships , DHS is strengthening the country's ability to prevent targeted violence and terrorism nationwide through funding, training, increased public awareness, and partnerships across government, the private sector, and local communities.

The U.S. Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center conducts training on threat assessments and the prevention of targeted violence. These resources examine attacks against colleges and universities, among other locations.

Hate Crimes Prevention and Response

The Federal Bureau of Investigation widely disseminated its updated hate crimes threat response guide to inform Americans about steps they can take if they receive a threat. The guide, published on the FBI's hate crimes resource page , has been shared with organizations and state and local law enforcement entities across the nation. The FBI reviews every tip it receives to ascertain the credibility of the information and, if it learns of a credible threat, quickly takes action. FBI's campus liaisons enhance information-sharing with campuses.

DOJ has expanded its engagement with Jewish community groups in support of the National Strategy. The FBI has held over 650 engagements with faith-based and community organizations since October 7^th. DOJ and the FBI have used robust and diverse outreach to local law enforcement agencies to improve the reporting of hate crime data. DOJ's United Against Hate community outreach and engagement initiative has held over 300 engagements involving over 10,000 participants to educate community members about hate crimes, build trust between community and law enforcement, and strengthen local networks to combat unlawful acts of hate. DOJ's Community Relations Service provides mediation, training and consultation services to assist communities come together, develop solutions to conflict and prevent future conflict. DOJ has also developed and released two documents

that explain civil rights law prohibiting national origin discrimination and religious discrimination and provide information to the public on identifying and reporting national origin and religious discrimination in the civil and criminal context.

Throughout the spring, USDA is providing hate crime trainings, including Antisemitic hate crimes, for law enforcement agents of the U.S. Forest Service. The Department of the Interior has distributed new resources on Jewish American heritage through the National Park Service.

Addressing Discrimination and Religious Accommodations

USDA is making kosher food more accessible by working to ensure equal access to all USDA feeding programs for customers with religious dietary needs.

The Department of Defense leveraged existing survey data to estimate the prevalence of Antisemitic and Islamophobic behavior in the military workplace and to evaluate its policies to counter discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and extremist activity. This analysis was the first to specifically estimate Antisemitic and Islamophobic activity in the military workplace.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has disseminated materials on nondiscrimination and religious accommodation in the workplace and has held more than 50 outreach and training events on Antisemitism at its field offices around the country.

The HHS Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague letter and guidance to U.S. hospital and long-term care facility administrators, reminding organizations of their legal obligations under relevant regulations and federal civil rights laws to ensure that facility visitation policies do not unlawfully discriminate against patients or other individuals receiving care, including on the basis of religion. HHS's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Child Traumatic Stress Network has released a toolkit of behavioral health resources pertaining to the Israel-Hamas war, as well as

additional resources on how to talk with children and youth about hate crimes and identity-based violence, including Antisemitism.

DOL published a "Know Your Rights" resource for union members regarding their right to be free from discrimination based on religion, national origin, or race in the workplace.

On Thursday, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum will convene state education officials to discuss best practices in Holocaust education, including the incorporation of the history of Antisemitism, and opportunities to expand such education.

The USHMM concluded its first tour of the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibitions. Launched in fall 2021, the exhibition visited 41 states, reaching more than 330,000 visitors. Thirty-four college courses have incorporated content from this exhibition. The USHMM and American Library Association will launch a second tour of the exhibition in September 2024 at an additional 50 libraries.

Several federal agencies have incorporated information about Antisemitism, workplace religious accommodations, and related topics into employee training programs as they carry out their obligations under Executive Order 14035 . To support this work, the Office of Personnel Management surveyed federal agencies about their existing trainings. OPM, EEOC, and the White House Office of Management and Budget have provided learning sessions for agency diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility officers on Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of discrimination, as well as workplace religious accommodations.

To learn more about the National Strategy, see previous White House Fact Sheets .

May 6, 2024

Readout of President Biden's Meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan

President Biden met today with His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the White House. Both leaders acknowledged 75 years of partnership and friendship between our two countries. President Biden congratulated His Majesty on the 25 th anniversary of his accession to the throne.

The President and King Abdullah II discussed the latest developments in Gaza and affirmed their commitment to work together towards an enduring end to the crisis. They further underscored the need for an immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas and a sustainable ceasefire that allows for a surge of the urgently needed humanitarian assistance to be delivered safely through Gaza. Both remain committed to achieving a durable, lasting peace to include a pathway to a Palestinian state, with security guarantees for Israel. Both President Biden and King Abdullah II reiterated their shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. President Biden thanked His Majesty for Jordan's critical leadership and partnership in this effort.

The President and King Abdullah II also discussed the critical importance of stability in the West Bank and support for the reforms now being pursued by the Palestinian Authority. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working together to realize a more stable and integrated Middle East region, and President Biden confirmed unwavering U.S. support for Jordan and the Jordanian people.

May 6, 2024

At 3:10 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will participate in a campaign event. This event in Atlanta, GA will be open to pre-credentialed media.

At 4:30 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will participate in a campaign event. This event in Atlanta, GA will be open to pre-credentialed media.

May 6, 2024

The Vice President will receive briefings and conduct internal meetings with staff. These meetings will be closed press.

# # #

May 6, 2024

The roundtable discussion also focused on combating present-day antisemitism. The students described their own experiences with antisemitism, including threats of violence and hate speech.

The Second Gentleman highlighted the importance of Holocaust education. He spoke about the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to combat Holocaust denialism and misinformation. The Second Gentleman also emphasized the need to protect Jewish communities and provide safe learning environments for all students.

The National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism outlines a whole-of-society approach to tackle the scourge of antisemitism in America. The strategy seeks to increase awareness and education in schools, communities, and the workplace about antisemitism, including the Holocaust, and Jewish American heritage.

Participants were selected in partnership with Hillel International and included students from the following colleges and universities:

Bryn Mawr College

Lehigh University

Muhlenberg College

University of Southern California

Washington University in St. Louis

The United States Military Academy at West Point

May 6, 2024

From Thursday, May 9 th, 2024 – Saturday, May 11 th, 2024, First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Oregon, California, and Arizona.

Thursday, May 9 th, 2024

At 1:00 PM, the First Lady will arrive at Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon. This arrival will be open to pre-credentialed media. For interested media, please RSVP HERE by Tuesday, May 7 th, at 9:00 PM ET.

At 2:00 PM, the First Lady will deliver remarks at a political finance event in Portland, Oregon. This event will be covered by a print pooler for editorial coverage only.

At 6:15 PM, the First Lady will deliver remarks at a political finance event in Marin County, California. This event will be covered by a print pooler for editorial coverage only.

Friday, May 10 th, 2024

At 1:15 PM, the First Lady will arrive at Burbank Airport in Burbank, California. This arrival will be open to pre-credentialed media. For interested media, please RSVP HERE by Wednesday, May 8 th, at 10:00 AM ET.

At 3:30 PM, First Lady Jill Biden will then deliver remarks at a political finance event in Los Angeles, California. This event will be covered by a print pooler for editorial coverage only.

At 6:00 PM, the First Lady will arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. This arrival will be open to pre-credentialed media. For interested media, please RSVP HERE by Wednesday, May 8 th, at 10:00 AM ET.

At 6:45 PM, the First Lady will deliver remarks at political event in Phoenix, Arizona. This event will be open to pre-credentialed media. For interested media, please contact press@joebiden.com .

Saturday, May 11 th, 2024

At 9:30 AM, First Lady Jill Biden will deliver remarks at Mesa Community College's 2024 Commencement Ceremony in Tempe, Arizona. This event will be open to pre-credentialed media and livestreamed at Mesacc.edu/live . For interested media, please contact dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu .

May 6, 2024

May 6, 2024

Detroit, Michigan

2:23 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, Detroit. Good afternoon. It's good to be back. Good afternoon. Please have a seat. Please have a seat.

I want to thank Ron Busby. We have -- many of us have worked with him over the years and know: As president of the U.S. Black Chambers, he has been an extraordinary leader to an essential organization in our fight for economic empowerment. Can we please hear it for Ron Busby and his courageous leadership?

And I want to thank all of the extraordinary leaders who are here today. Secretary of Energy and the former governor of this state, Jennifer Granholm -- -- who traveled with me today on Air Force Two from Washington, D.C. She said, "I have got to be in Michigan."

I want to thank Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su for all you do to fight for the working people of America.

Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, thank you for your extraordinary leadership.

Representative Shri Thanedar, thank you for you and your being here. And he is somewhere here. Thank you.

And I want to thank also Representative Steven Horsford, who is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

And Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Garlin Gilchrist. Thank you.

So, Michigan, you know, I believe that America's economy is powered by the ambition and the aspiration of her people -- the ambition and aspiration to innovate, to create, and to prosper.

Therefore, to grow our economy, we must invest in that ambition and those aspirations. I believe every person in our country, then, must have access to the opportunity to compete, to succeed, and to thrive; the ability to achieve what I call financial freedom, which means having enough not just to get by but to get ahead -- -- to be able to build a business, to own a home, to start a family, and to create intergenerational wealth.

Which is why, over the past three years, the President and I have invested now trillions of dollars in America's infrastructure, in clean energy and a clean energy economy, in manufacturing, and in supply chains.

Our work is also guided by the understanding that there are certain communities that have faced, historically and currently, profound obstacles to acquire that opportunity.

And I'll tell you over the last three years, both in the White House and at the Vice President's Residence, where I live -- -- I have convened Black entrepreneurs from around the country to solicit their advice and leverage their expertise as to how we can have the greatest impact with the billions of dollars that we are investing and to identify the challenges they face in building financial security and wealth, including disparities in access to capital and lending, disparities in homeownership and access to government contracts, to obstacles like student loan debt and medical debt.

President Biden and I have invested hundreds of billions of dollars to address these disparities. And I launched, then, this national tour, the Economic Opportunity Tour, to bring together entrepreneurs, businessowners, and community leaders together with representatives from the United States Departments of Commerce and Energy and Housing and Labor and Treasury and the Small Business Administration -- and the Undersecretary the SBA is with us as well -- to make sure founders and families have the information and assistance to access the resources they need.

For example, on the subject of access to capital. We all know Black entrepreneurs do not lack for ideas or ambition but often lack the capital that is necessary to turn an idea into a thriving business, to invest in inventory, hire employees, to scale up.

In fact, Black entrepreneurs are three times as likely to not apply for a loan, for fear they're going to be turned away from a bank.

So, two years ago, I founded the Economic Opportunity Coalition -- a group of 31 companies and nonprofits -- including, for example, the Bank of America, MasterCard, and the Ford Foundation -- that are working currently to invest $3 billion in community banks -- banks which we know are uniquely designed to serve minority and women entrepreneurs.

And this builds on the work that I did when I was a United States senator in 2020 to invest $12 billion more in our community banks. Thank you.

And understand: This work is helping Black businesses receive loans not only for thousands of dollars, but for millions of dollars.

For example, I'm proud to announce we are investing $100 million in small- and medium-sized auto supply companies, many of which -- -- many of which are Black-owned and based right here in Michigan. These grants will allow businesses to upgrade production and production lines to produce parts for electric vehicles.

I'm also pleased to announce the launch of a new program that will match government-backed loans with private equity capital to help small- and mid-size auto suppliers access loans from a quarter million dollars to 10 million dollars.

The strength of America's economy is also based on the strength of America's supply chains. We all learned that in the pandemic, if we weren't clear before.

This investment will help to keep our auto supply chains here in America, which strengthens America's economy overall, and keep those jobs here in Detroit.

We are also axpending [sic] -- expanding, excuse me, access to government contracts -- government contracts. At the beginning of our administration, President Joe Biden and I pledged to increase federal contracts for minority-owned small businesses by 50 percent, knowing that, traditionally and historically, folks didn't necessarily have access to the relationships to get those contracts.

And we are on track to meet our goal by the end of next year, which means -- -- which means thousands more minority entrepreneurs with contracts worth hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars -- contracts which can last up to five years with the option to renew for 10, 20, and 30 years. Think about what that means in terms of a sustained investment and all of the folks that, over a period of time, will benefit.

Now, I also want to point out -- because there is a contrast here between us and the last administration. The last administration invested access to tax cuts for billionaires. We are investing in access to capital for entrepreneurs.

And this work and our overall perspective is that we must understand that if we want a great return on investment, we must understand the natural resources that are available and then see that and invest in those resources.

To strengthen America's economy, we are also helping more people buy a home. Homeownership is one of the most powerful engines of intergenerational wealth. It builds equity, which can help pay for a child's college education or provide equity that then can be used as startup capital to start a business.

But as a result of lasting legacies of structural inequities -- such as segregation, redlining, and so-called urban renewal -- today, Black Americans are 40 percent less likely to own a home. And homeown- -- this is a sad fact -- and homeownership rates for Black men have been falling for three decades straight. We've got to do something about that.

So, to help address these disparities in our budget, President Biden and I outlined a blueprint to provide folks who are first in their family to buy a home with $25,000 toward a down payment -- ; to give families up to $400 a month to help with a mortgage; and to build 2 million units of affordable housing to lower costs for homebuyers and renters.

We are also calling out and addressing the issue of racial bias in home appraisals. We all know the stories. We've heard the stories. The stories like of a Black family that gets a home appraisal and the valuation is much lower than they know what their home is worth. So, they get a new appraisal, only this time they replace their photographs with photos of a family friend who is white, and they ask that family to bring in the appraiser. And the new appraisal is much higher. We've heard those stories.

Today, I'm proud to report that we have made it now easier for more homeowners to appeal home appraisals. And we have reached a commitment that all licensed home appraisers be required to complete racial bias training.

And, by the way, one of the people who is not present with us today that I want to thank is former Secretary of HUD Marcia Fudge -- -- all that she did to make sure this would happen.

So, the bottom line is that every family, I believe -- every family, whatever their background, their race, their geographic location -- has a right to the full and fair value of their home.

In addition to increasing opportunity, we have also focused on removing obstacles. One big obstacle to wealth-building is debt. While an issue for many people, Black Americans are twice as likely to have medical debt and more likely to struggle to repay student loan debt.

For anyone carrying debt, we know it is much more difficult, then, to save for a house, to grow a small business, to build intergenerational wealth. And it just plain makes people feel like they can never get ahead.

So, President Biden and I have made debt forgiveness a central pillar of our economic agenda. And we have already forgiven about $500 million of medical debt for hundreds of thousands of Americans across the nation.

And in Wayne County, Michigan, we will forgive an additional $700 million of medical debt for as many as 300,000 people.

And there's more. We are also implementing a rule -- and this is critically important -- we are also implementing a rule that medical debt cannot be used in calculating your credit score -- -- which means medical debt cannot be the reason someone is denied a car loan, a home loan, or a small-business loan.

On the issue of student loan debt, we have also forgiven nearly $160 billion -- billion -- for more than four and a half million people.

On average, more than $30,000 per person and $70,000 for our public servants, like nurses, firefighters, and teachers -- and God knows we don't pay them enough as it is, so it's only right.

And please, to everyone here, all the leaders, help us get the word out on the student loan debt issue. Your student loan debt can be forgiven, even if you didn't graduate. Please help us get the word out because it's only logical. Think about it. How many people have to drop out because they can't afford tuition? They don't graduate, and they still have the debt.

So, Detroit, I'll end with this. All of our work -- whether it be debt forgiveness, affordable housing, government contracts, or access to capital -- it is all guided by a fundamental principle. President Biden and I believe in you. We believe in the people of our country.

And so, we believe that it is a great return on the investment to invest in the people of America and to invest, as we have discussed today, in your business, in your financial security, and your wealth.

And this approach is working. Since taking office, we have seen record Black small-business growth and we have created more than two and a half million new jobs for Black workers. And since 2019, Black wealth is up 60 percent.

So, President Biden and I are clear. These are not only our accomplishments, they are yours. It is the result of your drive, your creativity, and your power.

And so, I'll end with this, Detroit. Together, let us continue to invest in the ambition and aspirations of our people -- of the American people. Together, let us continue to help folks create wealth and achieve financial freedom. And together, let us continue to build a nation where every person has the opportunity to compete, prosper, and thrive.

Thank you, all. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you.

END 2:41 P.M. EDT

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May 6, 2024

Republicans in Congress have a very different vision. Their budget sides with the wealthy and special interests to cut Social Security by over $1.5 trillion, increase the retirement age, raise prescription drug costs, and transition Medicare to a system that would raise premiums for many seniors. These changes are cruel and unnecessary. I will always fight for America's seniors and prevent Republicans from cutting Social Security and Medicare.

May 6, 2024

TO THE ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS

East Room

12:09 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Well, good afternoon. Please -- please have a seat.

Well, I can -- you can tell the Academy grads in the audience; they got bigger grins on their faces --

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Go Army!

THE PRESIDENT: -- than the others.

Well, welcome. Welcome. We are here today to celebrate a tough team, a storied football program, this year's Commander-in-Chief Trophy winners: The Army Black Knights.

I'm impressed with your generosity, General.

It was an honor to have so many friends and fans with us here today. They include Secretary of Defense Austin, a proud West Point grad himself. You can clap.

The Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth. Christine, where are you? There you are.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who's smiling anyway, C.Q. Brown -- -- Air Force. He's an Air Force guy, but he's the best. And I was so hon- -- not to try to rub this in too much.

But I also welcome Representative Stanford Bishop -- Sanford Bishop. Representative Burt -- where -- where is Brett? You here? There you are, Brett Guthrie. Good to see you, Brett.

Representative Pat Ryan.

REPRESENTATIVE RYAN: How you doing, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Pat, how are you, pal?

REPRESENTATIVE RYAN: Beat Navy!

THE PRESIDENT: I ain't protecting you, man. You're on your own.

And Representative Steve Womack.

We're also joined by Army's football's biggest fans: Bill and Steve of the radio show "Crawdad's Countdown to Kickoff." Fellas, thanks for making the trip from Alabama.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Go Army!

THE PRESIDENT: And we finally have Coach Jeff Monken who -- who has once again led the Bla- -- Black Knights back to the White House again.

Where are you, Coach? I'll make sure you --

And some folks here know, over the past few seasons, the coach has restarted the old Army football tradition. Every time the team takes the field, they now carry the gold and black flag with a skull and crossbones. This flag represents everything the Black Knights stand for: toughness, tenacity, camaraderie, accountability. And you all certainly demonstrated that, Coach.

Over the course of this season, you faced setbacks, doubts, and uncertainties. Critics counted you out, but you never gave up. You never quit. Game by game, play by play, you ground it out together.

You beat Air Force, who was undefeated until you played them, forcing six turnovers and winning by 20 points.

A month later, you beat Navy -- -- second year in a row.

Today, you're taking home West Point's 10 th Commander-in-Chief Trophy. You should be very proud.

And I want you to know I'm proud of you, too, not just for the wins, but -- not just for those forced turnovers; although they're impressive, Coach -- but because every game, after you hang up that uniform, you immediately put on another uniform: one representing the United States of America.

Everyone -- everyone on this stage stepped up to serve, to lead, to join the long line of American servicemen, each a link in a chain of honor in America.

You represent the very best of who we are as Americans, and I'm confident that in the years to come you will be willing to do -- to see -- you'll see the same toughness, tenacity, and camaraderie, and accountability to our country that you brought to the field in every single game.

Now, many of these cadets are going to have to hear me twice, so I'm going to make this shorter than usual, because I'm -- I'm getting a -- I'll have the honor of speaking again at West Point's commencement.

So, let me just close with one brief final thought: Go Army.

AUDIENCE: Beat Navy!

THE PRESIDENT: I occasionally used to root for another club until my son joined the United States Army, spent a year in Iraq, became a major, won the Bronze Star and a few other things. And so, I wasn't even allowed to mention any other team ever -- -- ever.

Well, God bless you all. May God protect our troops. And, Coach, over to you.

COACH MONKEN: Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President and distinguished guests. On behalf of our superintendent, Lieutenant General Steve Gillen; our command- -- our commandant of cadets, Major General Lori Robinson; our academic -- our academic dean, Brigadier General Shane Reeves; our director of athletics, Mr. Mike Buddie; the United States Corps of Cadets; the Long Gray Line of West Point graduates; and the nearly 1 million men and women who serve our nation as members of the U.S. Army, Army Reserves, and Army National Guard, the Army football team is honored to accept the most coveted trophy in all of college football, the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

We're grateful --

THE PRESIDENT: I want to know who the hell is going to carry it home.

COACH MONKEN: I carried it in here. I'll get -- I'll take care of it, sir.

We're grate- -- we are grateful for your invitation to the White House and for welcoming the members of America's team as your guests here today.

This is a team of tough, talented players and a team of gritty, intense fighters. And just as they battled to finish the season with four straight victories, including wins over rivals Air Force and Navy, as you had mentioned, to claim the service academy dominance in winning the CIC Trophy, these warfighters will lead our nation's sons and daughters to victory on other fields on other days.

With us today are 48 soon-to-be-commissioned cadets who will later this month earn their diplomas, graduates of the world's preeminent leadership institution, the United States Military Academy. Soon after, they will enter the profession of arms prepared to lead and fight our nation's wars.

Joining them today on the stage is the rest of our team, underclassmen who, in the next few years, will join these soon-to-be graduates as officers in the Army.

Mr. President, these young men and women embody the values of duty, honor, country, and they represent the best our nation has to offer.

We're incredibly proud to be here and grateful to you for this tremendous honor. On, bro- -- on, Brave Old Army Team. And beat Navy.

Thank you, sir.

We got something for you.

Sir, I'm going to call Cadet First Class Jimmy Ciarlo, who's one of our team captains, Ringwood, New Jersey, to present you with one of our game-worn jerseys from the Army-Navy victory.

THE PRESIDENT: What do you think?

COACH MONKEN: Perfect.

THE PRESIDENT: I want to -- got to make sure you get my number right.

It's a great honor. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

What year are you?

MR. CIARLO: I'm a senior.

THE PRESIDENT: See you at graduation.

MR. CIARLO: Sounds good, sir. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:

Well, thank you all very much. And, by the way, are your par- -- any parents here? And to all the spouses of the guys running the show, God love you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Guys, thank you very much.

COACH MONKEN: Thank you, sir. Beat Navy.

12:18 P.M. EDT

May 6, 2024

2024 White House Gardens Tour

The White House Gardens Tour is free and open to the public; however, a daily timed ticket is required for all attendees, including small children. The National Park Service will distribute free, daily timed tickets at a tent stationed outside the White House Visitor Center each tour day beginning at 8:30 AM ET, while supplies last. The tour entry point for all guests will be located on 15 th Street, NW between E Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW. Advance reservations are not available. The ADA entrance will be located at 15 th Street, NW and Alexander Hamilton Place, NW.

Media Preview

The White House will host a media preview of the White House Gardens and South Grounds on Friday, May 10 th at 12:30 PM ET. This media preview will be open to pre-credentialed media. For interested media, please RSVP HERE by Thursday, May 9 th at 3:00 PM ET.

May 6, 2024

East Room

THE PRESIDENT: I'm Jill Biden's husband. Please have a -- sit -- please sit down.

I'm going to be very brief. I just came back from North Carolina -- -- Wilmington, North Carolina. The mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, has spent time living in Wilmington, Delaware. His daughter went to the University of Del- --

Anyway, look, I'll be very, very brief. First of all, I want to say how impressed I am with all that this woman does for the country and all -- no, I mean it sincerely.

But, look, you know, you all are the reason why we -- we have hope about the future. I really mean it. Not a joke.

And I was down in -- in North Carolina -- in Charlotte and Wilmington, North Carolina -- announcing a major multibillion-dollar program to make sure we got all lead out of water in North Carolina -- -- and the entire country.

And I was with a bunch of schoolteachers who -- they've discovered, in Wilmington, a significant -- a significant amount of lead coming out of one of the fountains that was in one of the schools. And I met these four little kids who were in second grade, coming up -- "Mr. Pwesident, you got to do something." And we're going to do something.

My -- the point I want to make is that, you know, the idea that we can't do more in education seems to me to be a ludicrous notion.

You know, how can we be the ma- -- the most powerful, most meaningful country in the world without having the best education system in the world?

And teaching is not what you do; it's who you are. It's who you -- no, for real. I know that. Believe me, I know that.

By the way, I actually taught for a number of years in law school. And then I was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. No -- I don't get an applause for that?

But all kidding aside, what I realized is how damn hard she works every day and you all work every day.

So, look, I just want to say I appreciate all you do. You're incredible. You're -- you are -- as I've said before -- I got criticized for it the first time I said it -- you are the kite strings that lift our national ambitions aloft -- literally, not figuratively.

You are the kite strings. You are the future. You provide it for us.

So, I just came by to say thank you. I'm going to get the hell out of here. Thank you.

May 6, 2024

Sadly, eight decades later, Antisemitism--and hate in general--is on the rise in our country and around the world.

On October 7, Hamas, a brutal terrorist organization, committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust--killing 1,200 innocent people, including 44 Americans, taking 240 people hostage, including eight Americans still in Gaza, and committing horrific acts of sexual violence against Jewish women.

And, in recent days in the United States, we have seen hateful rhetoric and harassment against Jews. This is Antisemitism and must be condemned unequivocally. Hate of any kind has no place in our country.

For the Jewish people, the past seven months have evoked the memories--along with fear and anguish--of the Holocaust. So to all the Jewish people around the world, know this: President Joe Biden and I stand with you. We will fight Antisemitism with the full force of the U.S. government, including through the first-ever National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. We will continue to stand with the people of Israel and its right to defend itself from those that threaten its existence. And we remain committed to Holocaust remembrance and education.

Like many Jewish Americans, my husband Doug has learned the harrowing stories of his family members that perished in the Holocaust. Last year, he traveled to the town where some of them lived in what is now Poland, and heard stories of family members shot and others who were deported to an unknown fate. He walked through the old Jewish Quarter of Krakow. And he visited Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the gas chambers, to bear witness.

Today, I also reflect on Doug's great-grandparents who fled persecution in what is now Poland at the turn of the 20 th century and were able to build a life in America. Ultimately, the Jewish people persevered. And Jewish traditions continue to be passed down from one generation to next--including at the Vice President's Residence, where Doug and I have been proud to hang mezuzahs, light menorahs, and host Passover seders. And with each of these actions, we send a message to the world: the Jewish people can overcome evil. We can and we must stand strong in the face of hate.

May 6, 2024

May 6, 2024

Readout of President Joe Biden's Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

President Biden spoke this morning with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The President reaffirmed his message on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. The two leaders discussed the shared commitment of Israel and the United States to remember the six million Jews who were systematically targeted and murdered in the Holocaust, one of the darkest chapters in human history, and to forcefully act against antisemitism and all forms of hate-fueled violence. President Biden updated the Prime Minister on efforts to secure a hostage deal, including through ongoing talks today in Doha, Qatar. The Prime Minister agreed to ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian assistance for those in need. The President reiterated his clear position on Rafah.

May 6, 2024

May 6, 2024

Today, as part of her Economic Opportunity Tour, Vice President Harris will join Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su in Detroit, Michigan to announce new funding and resources for small- and medium-sized auto manufacturers and autoworkers.

For decades, trickle-down economics drove manufacturers overseas at the expense of good-paying manufacturing jobs that sustained the American middle class. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris's Investing in America agenda, since they took office, companies have announced more than $170 billion in investments in electric vehicle and battery supply chain manufacturing, making the U.S. the global leader for EV manufacturing investment, and the U.S. auto industry has added over 250,000 jobs, after losing 90,000 jobs under the previous Administration. More than 20 auto and battery plants have been announced under President Biden and Vice President Harris, after no new net plants were opened under the previous Administration.

Historic contracts secured by the United Auto Workers with the Big 3 Detroit automakers--Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis--as well as recent organizing victories like at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, ensure that these jobs of the future will provide comparable wages, retirement security, and respect at work.

To ensure that the future of the auto industry is made in America by American autoworkers, today, Vice President Harris will announce:

More than $100 million in funding for small- and medium-sized auto parts manufacturers to expand or retool manufacturing facilities:

The Department of Energy will set aside $50 million of its Automotive Conversion Grants Program for partnerships with states to help small- and medium-sized suppliers convert from manufacturing internal combustion engine parts to manufacturing parts for the EV supply chain. This funding will maintain the Domestic Conversion Grant's same focus on supporting retooling to keep good, good-paying and union jobs in the same communities as automakers and auto suppliers transition to electric vehicle manufacturing here in America. The Department of Energy recently requested public input on the design of these state-federal partnerships in order to best support small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the auto supply chain.

The Department of Energy is setting aside up to $50 million of its Industrial Assessments Center Implementation Grants Program to help auto suppliers kickstart manufacturing diversification and conversion projects. Specifically, this program, which was funded by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is covered under the President's Justice40 Initiative , provides grants of up to $300,000 to entities that have received an Industrial Assessment Center assessment to improve their facilities' energy and material efficiency, cybersecurity, or productivity, or reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.

The Small Business Administration will leverage its Small Business Investment Company program to catalyze millions of dollars in private capital for the EV supply chain to help small and medium-sized manufacturers grow and diversify their businesses. The Department of Energy will partner with the Small Business Administration to provide technical expertise to de-risk private investments and lower the cost of capital for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

The Small Business Administration plans to establish a new Working Capital Pilot Program under its signature 7 lending program to provide lines of credit to small businesses, including auto parts manufacturers and distributors, to support their domestic or export finance needs. The program will be paired with business counseling from the Small Business Administration.

Actions to expand workforce training and improve job quality in the EV supply chain with a focus on Auto Communities in the Midwest:

Last month, President Biden announced the second round of Investing in America Workforce Hubs--including an electric vehicle hub in Michigan, which will be led by the Department of Energy and Department of Labor in partnership with the State of Michigan. Workforce Hubs are place-based initiatives focused on partnerships for job-training to ensure all Americans can access the good jobs created by the President's Investing in America agenda. As part of the Hub, the White House and agency partners will bring together state and local partners, unions, employers, philanthropy, non-profits, community colleges, high schools, and other stakeholders to tackle discrete workforce challenges in the Michigan electric vehicle supply chain--and to ensure that the workers,

unions, and businesses that have historically powered the auto industry lead the next generation of clean vehicles.

The Department of Energy is opening applications for its new Community Workforce Readiness Accelerator for Major Projects Fellowship. Fellows will spend two years building and scaling projects that expand workforce development partnerships to serve local and underrepresented populations in communities that have received major clean energy and manufacturing investments, including Michigan.

The Department of Energy recently made available $24 million in grants for EV and other clean energy and advanced manufacturing workforce training at community colleges, trade schools, union training programs, and registered apprenticeships through the Industrial Assessment Centers Program, which aims to deliver on the President's Justice40 Initiative .

Led by the Department of Energy, the Battery Workforce Initiative will fill a critical gap in the battery industry by developing standardized training guidelines for key battery manufacturing occupations, including operators and machine repairers, which will increase the quality of these jobs while responding to industry demand for skilled workers. The Department of Energy will pilot this workforce curriculum with union manufacturers. Under the Battery Workforce Initiative, the Department of Labor will also implement model safety and health management practices focused on battery manufacturing, as well as assess the need for an industry-wide standard.

The Department of Labor will organize EV workforce convenings in Ohio and Indiana. As part of the Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program , the Department of Labor recently awarded $7 million across Indiana and Ohio to develop sector partnerships that bring together the public workforce and education system, community-based organizations, employers, and labor unions focused on the EV industry. These sector partnerships will work collaboratively to design and scale worker-centered training programs, help suppliers in auto communities analyze the impact of the EV transition on their labor force needs, and spread awareness of existing workforce development technical assistance and funding resources.

New technical assistance programs to help small and medium-sized auto parts manufacturers and their communities take advantage of growth in the EV sector and other markets:

The Department of Energy, in collaboration with industry experts, will develop a to help internal combustion engine suppliers navigate the transition of their business model to EV or adjacent markets. This playbook will describe new products that ICE suppliers could produce based on existing manufacturing capabilities, outline workforce and technical changes needed to succeed in new industries, and guide suppliers through available federal resources. Applications for partnerships are open through May 23, 2024, and playbook will provide guidance to be used by the Transition Network described below.

The Federal government will launch the Auto Supplier Transition Network, which will provide research and hands on, locally based technical assistance in auto communities to help small and medium-sized auto suppliers, unions, and auto communities navigate the opportunities in the EV transition and broader clean energy manufacturing acceleration. These providers will serve as regional hubs for technical, financial, industry, and workforce resources needed to support individual suppliers. These providers will offer technical, financial, industry, and workforce resources at no or below market rate costs and include:

The Department of Energy's Industrial Assessment Centers can provide no-cost assessments to help small and medium-sized auto suppliers improve energy performance and productivity. Auto suppliers that receive an assessment can also apply for Industrial Assessments Center implementation grants of up to $300,000 to kickstart manufacturing diversification and conversion projects.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers, public-private partnerships located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico that help small and midsized manufacturers with workforce development, market research, launching new products, and much more--often in partnership with Industrial Assessment Centers. Manufacturing Extension Partnerships will help small and medium-sized suppliers implement recommendations from the Small Supplier EV Transition Toolkit.

The International Trade Administration local offices , which can serve as coordinators and multipliers to educate companies about these programs.

Small Business Administration district offices , which offer business development services and training to help small businesses grow.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Offices , which are locally-based and can help small businesses and manufacturers in rural areas expand or improve.

These actions build on the Biden-Harris Administration's ongoing commitment to ensuring that the workers and businesses that built the auto industry remain community anchors for generations to come, including the more than 250,000 auto workers in small- and medium-sized auto parts suppliers across the country. As part of that commitment, last fall, the Department of Energy announced the availability of up to $15.5 billion in grant and loan funding to retool and convert auto factories transitioning to electric vehicles, prioritizing applications from facilities at risk of closing or recently closed, and rewards applicants that retain existing workers, have strong labor partnerships, pay high wages, and convert facilities while remaining in the same community.

Today's announcement is also an important milestone in the Biden-Harris Administration's effort to help small businesses grow and thrive, including minority and veteran-owned businesses and businesses in distressed and disadvantaged communities. Traditionally underserved small businesses are growing at near-historic rates, with Black business ownership growing at the fastest pace in 30 years and Latino business ownership growing at the fastest pace in more than a decade.

As President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to invest in all of America, their agenda is lowering costs for Michigan families:

Saving 2.2 million Michigan Medicare beneficiaries money on prescription drugs, insulin, and vaccines.

Saving 418,000 Michiganders hundreds of dollars per year on health insurance.

Michigan families will get lower utility bills thanks to $211 million in home energy rebates and new tax credits for energy-efficient appliances.

President Biden is taking on corporate rip-offs like junk fees to lower costs for Michigan families on everything from airfares to event tickets to overdraft fees.

President Biden would lower housing costs with a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers, expanded rental assistance, and by building more than 2 million homes.

President Biden would lower child care costs by guaranteeing child care for families making up to $200,000, with most families paying no more than $10 a day.

Congressional Republicans have no plan to lower costs--in fact, their plan would increase costs for Michiganders by:

Increasing costs for health care, prescription drugs, and insulin by siding with Big Pharma to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act and slash Medicare.

Cutting Social Security by $1.5 trillion and raising Medicare costs for seniors by transitioning Medicare to a system that would raise premiums.

Raising taxes for middle-class families by repealing the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act.

Raising housing costs by cutting rental assistance and programs to build new homes.

May 5, 2024

At 10:30 AM ET, the Vice President will depart Washington, DC en route to Detroit, MI. This departure from Joint Base Andrews will be pooled press.

At 12:00 PM ET, the Vice President will arrive in Detroit, MI. This arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport will be pooled press and open to pre-credentialed media.

At 1:55 PM ET, the Vice President will deliver remarks during the second stop of her nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour. These remarks will be pooled press, open to pre-credentialed media, and livestreamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

At 5:30 PM ET, the Vice President will depart Detroit, MI en route to Washington, DC. This departure from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport will be pooled press.

At 6:45 PM ET, the Vice President will arrive in Washington, DC. This arrival at Joint Base Andrews will be pooled press.

# # #

May 5, 2024

On Wednesday, May 8, the Vice President will continue her leadership in the fight for reproductive freedoms by traveling to Montgomery County, PA for a political event. This will be the Vice President's third visit to Pennsylvania this year and her 13 th since being sworn in. This event will be pooled press and opened to pre-credentialed media.

Later in the day, the Vice President will speak at the EMILY's List annual National Gala in Washington, D.C.

On Thursday, May 9, the Vice President and Second Gentleman will join the President in welcoming the Las Vegas Aces to the White House to celebrate their record-breaking season and victory in the 2023 WNBA Finals.

In the evening, the Vice President and Second Gentleman will host a Night Market at The Vice President's Residence in celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month.

On Friday, May 10, the Vice President will host a reception at The Vice President's Residence for the Democratic Mayors Association's Leadership Summit.

May 5, 2024

May 5, 2024

Monday, May 6, 2024

In the morning, the President will depart Wilmington, Delaware and return to the White House.

After, the President will present the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the United States Military Academy Army Black Knights at the White House.

Then, the President will have lunch with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Later, the President and the First Lady will host a Cinco de Mayo reception in the Rose Garden.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

The President will deliver the keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Annual Days of Remembrance ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

In the morning, the President will depart the White House and travel to Racine County, Wisconsin to deliver remarks on his Investing in America agenda.

After, the President will participate in a campaign event.

Then, the President will depart Racine County, Wisconsin and travel to Chicago, Illinois.

Later, the President will participate in a campaign reception.

In the evening, the President will depart Chicago, Illinois and return to the White House.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

The President, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will welcome the Las Vegas Aces to the White House to celebrate their record-breaking season and victory in the 2023 WNBA Finals.

May 5, 2024

Later in the day, the Second Gentleman will participate in a panel on reproductive rights. This event will be open to pre-credentialed media. Press interested in attending this event should contact Jasmine Harris, jharris@joebiden.com. Additional details to follow.

May 5, 2024

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ reminds us of God's abundant love for us and the power of light over darkness. We join Orthodox Christians in giving thanks for these and other blessings and rededicate ourselves to caring for those most in need.

In this sacred season, we hold people who are suffering from war and persecution especially close to our hearts. We will continue to pray and work for peace and justice for all people.

May the Lord bless and keep you this Easter Sunday and in the year ahead.

May 4, 2024

East Room

5:18 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, hello, hello.

Please have a seat.

I think I told my buddy John Kerry, for the first two years, every time I heard "Hail to the Chief," I'd turn and look around, "Where the hell is he?"

Anyway, it's great to see you all. And on behalf of Jill, Kamala, and Doug, thank you all for being here in one of our favorite events at the White House.

Sixty-one years ago, President Kennedy established the Presidential Medal of Freedom to recognize, quote, "any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to the security of national int- -- and national interests of the United States or world peace, cultural, or other significant public, pri- -- public or private endeavors."

You know, in the first class of -- of medal recipients was a great, great American writer, E.B. White. Years after receiving the medal, he received a letter from someone who was losing faith in humanity. And E.B. White replied, and I quote, "Relentless- -- relentlessness, curiosity, inventiveness, ingenuity have led to deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable us to claw our way out. Hang on to your hat, hang on to your hope, and wind the clock, and tomorrow is another day."

Today, we have another extraordinary honor to bestow one of the nation's highest civilian honors of 19 incredible people whose relentless curiosity, inventiveness, ingenuity, and hope have kept faith in a better tomorrow.

You know, we see that faith in Father Greg Boyle, who has changed countless lives as pastor of a disadvantaged Catholic parish in Los Angeles. Father, you -- through your pioneering gang intervention programs.

You know, I always kid, I went to -- I was taught by the Norbertines in -- in a public school. Well, you know, they always were worried we were going to go to Jesuit colleges because they said you guys are too liberal.

Thank God for the Jebbies. Thank God.

That's what my staff ha- -- hates me doing: ad libbing.

Your service as a Jesuit priest over four decades reminds us of the power of redemption, rehabilitation, and our obligation to those who have been condemned or counted out. Thank you, Father Greg, for your amazing grace. Thank you.

For some of you today, I know from personal experience that you wish you never had to be at an event like this one without a piece of your soul having been gone.

Judy Shepard, it's been 25 years, Judy, since you last spoke [DEL: of :DEL] [to] your beloved Matthew. Your husband, Dennis, is here today as well. The brutal murder of your son galvanized a movement in a -- into a law in his name -- protect LBG- -- LB -- LGBTQ Americans. Your relentless advocacy is a reminder that we must give hate no safe harbor and that we can turn it into purpose and that pain you felt into significant purpose. You've done just that. Thank you.

And, today, we honor Medgar Evers and his family's pain and purpose -- an Army veteran who worked tirelessly to end segregation in Mississippi to deliver the promise of America to all Americans; a patriot who was gunned down by the poison of white supremacy. But his spirit endures.

Joining us is Medgar's daughter, Reena, who was just -- was eight -- eight years old when she walked out and saw Daddy in the driveway -- was taken from her four days before Father's Day. She's here on behalf of the family and her mother, Mer- -- excuse me -- her mother, Myrlie, who was unable to attend -- to travel today.

I want to thank Myrlie for her work to seek justice for Medgar and -- and for forging her own civil rights legacy -- not just Medgar's, her own civil rights legacy.

In 2021, in this very room, I signed one of the most important laws of my presidency, making Juneteenth the first new federal holiday since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The first person I handed the pen to was Ms. Opal Lee, the grandmother of the movement that helped make it possible.

Juneteenth is a day of profound, profound weight and power to remember the original sin of slavery and the extraordinary capacity to emerge from the most painful moments with a better vision of ourselves. Ms. Opal Lee made it her mission to make history, not erase it. And we're a better nation because of you, Opal. Thank you.

Born in Philadelphia, the cradle of our democracy, Dr. Clarence B. Jones wielded a pen as a sword and gave words to the movement that generated in freedom for millions of people. A speechwriter for and lawyer for Dr. King, he helped define the enduring ideas included in the "Dream" that will be ever for- -- engraved in the ethos of America. Letting freedom ring, Dr. Clarence B. Jones. Thank you, Dr. Jones.

And before social media and clickbait news -- -- Phil Donahue broadcast the power of personal stories in living rooms all across America. He helped change hearts and minds through honest and open dialogue. And over the course of a defining career in television and through thousands of daily conversations, Phil Donahue steered the nation's discourse and spoke to our better angels. I wish you were still speaking there, pal. It made a big difference.

From finance to media to philanthropy, Michael Bloomberg has revolutionized our economy. He's transformed how we consume information. He's changed us. He's challenged us, as well, to solve the toughest challenges from gun violence to climate change. And as mayor, he rebuilt the city of New York after 9/11, channeling our spirit of resilience as a nation and a beacon to the world. Michael, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you for a career of service.

I first met Katie Ledecky in 2012. I thought, "My God, what an athlete." She won her first Olympic gold at age 15. And though -- through hard work and humility, she's won 10 Olympic medals -- 10 -- 21 world championship titles and became the greatest female swimmer of all time. She continues to compete this summer in the Par- -- [DEL: Par :DEL] [Paris] Olympics at age 27, which some say is old for swimming. I think -- -- 27 -- don- -- don't let age get in your way. I mean, you know what I mean?

Katie, age is just a number, kid. And I -- and I can't wait to welcome you back to the White House with more wedals -- medals from Team USA. I really mean it, Katie. You're the best. The finest woman swimmer in American history.

Jim Thorpe, a one-of-a-kind champion. I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, hearing from my grandpop, A- -- his name was Ambrose Finnegan. And, you know, he -- he was an All-American at Santa Clara playing football back in 1905. And I grew up always hearing about Jim Thorpe -- I'm serious -- as the greatest ath- -- not just the greatest ball player, the greatest athlete of all time. He talked about him all the time.

In 1912, he became the first Native American athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He set world records in the decathlon. He was a professional football player, a professional baseball player, a professional basketball player. Jim Thorpe showcased unparalleled -- unparalleled athleticism, and he transcended rac- -- transcended racial barriers and the power of perseverance, sheer will, and determination.

Thank you, Lynn, who is Jim's oldest living grandchild, for accepting this medal on his behalf. He was incredible. Incredible guy.

After hearing my grandpop, I used to go to sleep in Scranton thinking, "God, I wish I could meet him." I'm not -- incredible. Anyway. I'm going to get carried away here.

For most, the American Dream: to be successful in whatever endeavor you choose here on Earth. For Dr. Ellen Ochoa, this is a dream from the heavens -- her dream from the heavens. A granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, Ellen is the first Hispanic woman to go to space, ushering a whole new age of space exploration and -- and proving what it means for every generation to dream, to reach for the stars, and to get there. And I tell you what, you're getting there, kid. Thank you so much. Thank you .

And, Dr. Jane Rigby, a daughter of my home state

of Delaware, I might add -- -- she's not only -- she's not only -- the only person receiving this medal, she's a -- she is a -- you know, it's not the reason she's getting it is because she's from Delaware; although, I keep .

She is a groundbreaking astrophysicist in charge of the most powerful telescope ever launched into space. Did you ever see some of the images? They're breathtaking -- lightyears -- millions of lightyears away.

She's also a long-time advocate of inclusivity in the sciences. By piecing -- by [DEL: piercing :DEL] [piecing] together and -- everything that she's done and by making sure that the grand story of the universe and unlocking the secrets of the galaxies, Dr. Rigby sparks a sense of wonder deep in our souls.

You ought to see some of the photographs -- I mean, some of those telescopes. It's -- it's mindboggling to me.

For embodying the American Dream and helping Americans reach theirs also, we want to ar- -- honor a very good friend of mine, who is not here today: Frank Lautenberg. An Army veteran from New Jersey and the longest-serving senator, who I served with, Frank is remembered as a tireless advocate for consumers, public health, and safety.

Bonnie, thank you for being here to accept the medal on Frank's behalf.

Teresa Romero embodies the essential truth about America: We're a nation of immigrants where everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. The first Latina to become president of a national union in the -- a national union in the United States, she made a life better for thousands of farmworkers who put food on our tables -- all of them. And protecting them from extreme heat, securing overtime pay, she shows us what it means to be a champion for dignity to work.

And when -- I told you, when I ran the first time in 1972 to the United States Senate, he was organizing farmworkers in the state of Delaware. And Nixon won my state by 60 percent of the vote, but I was down and championing -- just learning from him. And guess what? I won anyway.

But anyway, thank you very much for all you've done.

Over four decades and on and off the screen, Michael Yeoh -- Michelle Yeoh, excuse me, has shattered stereotypes and glass ceilings to enrich and enhance American culture. Her roles transcend [DEL: gender :DEL] [genres], cultures, and lan- -- and languages -- martial -- from martials arts to romantic comedies to science fiction -- to show us what we have -- all have in common. As the first Asian actor to win an Oscar as Best Actress, she bridges cultures not only to entertain but also inspire and open hearts. And that's what she keeps doing. Congratulations.

Another inspiration -- not just to me, but to Bob Dole -- -- God love him -- was Elizabeth Dole. You're a trailblazer, Elizabeth -- the first woman in nearly every public service position you held over four decades. You served -- I served with her in the United States Senate. And she's a fierce advocate for military and families and their caregivers. She's a true partner who -- and her beloved Bob was a dear friend, who I miss dearly. And he was a friend, as you know. I loved him. Thank you. Thanks.

Elizabeth, the country owes you a deep debt of gratitude -- a significant debt of gratitude.

Throughout a defining career in public service, this guy, Al Gore, has demonstrated a love of country that showed the world how to lead. I worked with Al when he was a senator and as -- when he was vice president. After winning the popular vote, he accepted the outcome of a disputed presidential election for the sake of unity and trust in our institutions. That, to me, was amazing what you did, Al. I won't go into that, but -- .

And Al has continued to serve by leading a global movement to fight climate crisis, earning him the Nobel Prize in 2007. God love him.

Al, history is going -- history is going to remember you for many reasons. Among them will be your honesty, your integrity, and the legacy of your service. So, thank you, Al. You're first rate. Thank you.

I've served and work closely as Senator and as Vice President and then as President with this guy: John Kerry -- John Kerry. I was Vice -- I was Vice President when he was Secretary of State. And in my administration, he led our efforts to -- across the globe, the first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Throughout six decades -- throughout six decades of service to the nation, John, as a soldier, a senator, a statesman -- John Kerry was a patriot of the highest order. I can personally attest that my dear friend has as much moral courage in his pursuit of American politics as he did physical courage that earned him a Silver Star in Vietnam. You're the real deal, John. You are the real deal, pal. I have enormous admiration.

In my view -- excuse the point of personal privilege -- the last two guys I mentioned both should have been standing here at this podium.

A beloved daughter of a congressman and the mayor of Baltimore -- as my dad, who was in Baltimore, would say, Baltimore -- -- -- Nancy Pelosi grew up knowing the power and purpose of politics. A historic figure as the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, she used her superpowers to pass some of the most significant laws in our nation's history.

On January 6 th, Nancy stood in the breach and defended democracy. And with her husband, Paul, they stood up to extremism and absolute -- with absolute courage -- physical courage.

Nancy is a brilliant, practical, principled, and determined leader. Her accomplishments are overwhelming. And I predict -- and I've said this to her for a while -- history will remember you, Nancy, as the greatest Speaker of the House of Representatives ever. I mean it. We've had some great Speakers, Nancy, but I love you, kid. I really do love you. You're the best. You're the best.

De Tocqueville said, "If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." That's one of Jim Clyburn's favorite quotes. Always grounded in faith, family, and service, Jim has guided South Carolina and our country with a steady hand and an honest heart for over the last half century. And I could say this without fear of contradiction: I would not be standing here as President and making these awards were it not for Jim. I mean that sincerely. And neither of us would be standing here without Emily Clyburn, a woman of enormous character, who we all miss.

We're a great nation, Jim, because we have good people, like Jim and Emily Clyburn and our honorees today, all of them. My fellow Americans, Jim is the best. Thank you, Jim.

What I had to keep doing when I was writing these introductions is make them shorter and shorter and shorter because there's so much more to say about each one of them, but we'd be here for 12 hours. But you all know how incredible they are -- an incredible group of people.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow Americans, I congratulate the Presidential [DEL: Freedom of Medal :DEL] [Medal of Freedom] recipients and now -- and their families for their relentlessness and curiosity.

And now I'm going to make sure we provide those medals and put them around your necks. So, thank you very much.

MILITARY AIDE: Michael R. Bloomberg. From the son of a bookkeeper and secretary to a visionary business leader and public servant, Michael Bloomberg epitomizes American industry and innovation. He revolutionized the financial information industry with the Bloomberg Terminal, and Bloomberg News modernized the way information is reported and received by the public. As a three-term mayor of New York City, he transformed schools, transportation, public health, and more. As a philanthropist, his contributions on everything from gun safety to climate change remind us of our responsibility to our communities, our country, and the world.

Gregory J. Boyle. Inspired by his Jesuit teachers, Father Greg Boyle has dedicated his life to healing and hope. As a young priest assigned to one of Los Angeles's most underserved parishes, he founded Homeboy Industries, now the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. It has helped thousands of Angelenos turn their lives around, connecting them to jobs, counseling, and a warm-hearted community where all are welcome and cherished. Answering Jesus's call to serve the "least of these," Father Greg is a testament to the power of God's healing love and America's enduring grace.

James E. Clyburn. The son of a South Carolina preacher, Jim Clyburn is a beacon of moral clarity. A graduate of South Carolina State University, this student of history became a teacher and movement leader for a fairer and freer America. His dignity and decency are surpassed only by the love shared with his dear Emily, who marched with him, and often ahead of him, from classrooms to Congress. Through three decades in the House of Representatives, he has transformed the lives of millions of Americans by passing groundbreaking laws for all our families. Jim Clyburn is touched by the divine, and his march brings us closer to a more perfect Union.

Elizabeth Dole. A singular trailblazer, Elizabeth Dole was the first woman to hold nearly every position she had. Over the course of four decades in public service, she served as the Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Labor, President of the American Red Cross, and senator from North Carolina. She established a preeminent foundation dedicated to supporting America's military caregivers. Known for breaking barriers and building bridges, Elizabeth Dole has paved a path for generations of Americans to serve with honor and dignity.

Phil Donahue. From Irish-Catholic roots in Cleveland, Phil Donahue rose to transform television and reshape the national conversation. Over 29 years, nearly 7,000 episodes, and 20 Emmys, he pioneered the live daytime talk show, holding a mirror up to America. He interviewed everyone from our greatest stars to our forgotten neighbors, uniting us around the toughest issues of our time. Insatiably curious and accepting, he saw every guest as worthy of interest and worked to build understanding, bringing us to see each other not as enemies but as fellow Americans.

Reena Evers, accepting on behalf of Medgar Wiley Evers. Medgar Evers was willing to face death to give America new life. An Army soldier, he fought for freedom abroad during World War Two. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, he was a crusading lawyer fighting for equality at home, investigating lynchings, organizing voter drives, and dismantling school segregation. The life he chose to live and the risks he took to do right are a reminder of the history he made and our charge to keep. In a life cut too short, Medgar Evers's legacy casts a ray of light on our quest to redeem the soul of our nation.

Al Gore. Over a lifetime of service, Al Gore has been an Army serviceman, senator, vice president, presidential nominee, and a visionary climate statesman. In a historic act of selflessness and love for country, he accepted the outcome of a disputed election for the sake of our unity and the strength of our democracy. Through his Nobel Peace Prize-winning leadership, he inspires millions to confront the existential threat of climate change. He is a model of American resilience, proof that what matters most is the courage to take on a cause bigger than ourselves.

Clarence B. Jones. The Philadelphia son of domestic workers and a former foster child, Clarence Jones became the wordsmith for a movement. A doer of the Word, he was an Army soldier on the frontlines in the battlefield and a civil rights lawyer on the frontlines in the courtroom. Wise and unflinching, Clarence Jones's lyrical prose and prophetic life shows us all the enduring power of the idea of America. An advisor and speechwriter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he helped write a new American Declaration to ensure "we hold these truths to be self-evident" is forever linked with "I Have a Dream."

MR. JONES:

MILITARY AIDE: John Forbes Kerry. John Kerry's public service spans seven decades and seven continents. He demonstrated courage fighting in a war and equal courage fighting against it. A decorated naval officer who volunteered for combat, he made peace with the country for which he'd fought on the battlefield. Elected five times to the Senate by the people of Massachusetts, he was the Democratic Party's presidential nominee and came within one state of victory. The son of a foreign officer, diplomacy --

MR. KERRY:

MILITARY AIDE: The son of a foreign officer, diplomacy is in his DNA. As Secretary of State, he worked for peace, negotiated arms control, and forged the historic Paris Agreement on climate change. He built on that work as the first-ever Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. His bold and relentless public service reflects his enduring belief in America, where our best days are still to come.

Bonnie Lautenberg, accepting on behalf of Frank R. Lautenberg. Frank Lautenberg was a patriot of the Greatest Generation. Born in a family of Jewish immigrants, he enlisted in the Army at 18 and served in Europe during World War Two. After graduating college on the G.I. Bill, he built and ran one of the world's most successful software companies. He later became New Jersey's longest-serving senator. As a strong advocate for consumer protection, the environment, and safe transportation, he took on the danger of secondhand smoke and fought for healthcare for people living with HIV/AIDS. When history called, Frank Lautenberg answered.

Opal Lee. Two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freedom for enslaved Americans was finally enforced in Galveston, Texas, marking the nation's first Juneteenth. In that same town, Opal Lee was born six decades later. Growing up in a home that was burned down by a racist mob, she understood that history must never be erased. A teacher and advocate, she helped lead a movement with the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation. More than 150 years after that day in Galveston, Texas, she stood next to another American president, who followed her lead and made Juneteenth a federal holiday. The nation thanks Opal Lee, the "grandmother of Juneteenth."

Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky. A humble leader, Olympian, and champion of unparalleled determination, Katie Ledecky is the most decorated female swimmer in history with 10 Olym- -- -- with 10 Olympic medals and counting. An athletic prodigy from a swimming family, she captured the world's admiration with her punishing strokes and unmatched stamina, pushing through and setting the highest standards for some of the toughest races ever known. Powered by faith, family, and teamwork, Katie Ledecky is a symbol of perseverance and strength with a heart of gold that shines for the nation and for the world.

THE PRESIDENT: They once told me .

MILITARY AIDE: Ellen Ochoa. A granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, Ellen Ochoa lived up to their dreams that anything is possible in America. The first in her family to go to college, she became a groundbreaking aeronautical engineer, inventor, and astronaut on her way to becoming the first Hispanic woman to travel to space. In addition to nearly 1,000 hours in orbit, she is the second woman to serve as director of NASA's renowned Johnson Space Center. A beloved trailblazer and mentor, Dr. Ochoa continues to inspire people around the world to reach for the stars and achieve their dreams.

Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi. After raising five children with her beloved husband, Paul, and leading the California Democratic Party, Nancy Pelosi became San Francisco's tireless champion in Congress. As the first woman Speaker of the House, she has shepherded some of our nation's most consequential laws by keeping coalitions together and standing with and up to presidents of both parties. Her resolve on January 6 th, 2021, helped guide America through one of our darkest days. For her efforts to protect freedom and democracy, Nancy Pelosi will be known forever as the greatest Speaker of the House in American history.

Jane Rigby. A daughter of the great State of Delaware, Jane Rigby's passion for astronomy began as a child peering at the stars through a small telescope in a soybean field. Following her instinct and imagination, she has become a pioneering astrophysicist, now managing the James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful telescope ever launched into space. A brilliant and prolific author, Dr. Rigby is an inspiration and tireless champion for the LGBTQI+ community. In both her professional and personal life, Dr. Rigby reminds us to never lose our sense of wonder, hope, and spirit of adventure as Americans.

THE PRESIDENT:

MILITARY AIDE: Teresa Romero. A trailblazing labor leader, Teresa Romero is a champion for farmworkers across the fields, orchards, and vineyards of America who feed and fuel our nation. Born in Mexico, she has built an American life in service to others, standing up for one of our most vulnerable yet essential groups of workers and giving them the voice, hope, and inspiration to push for change. With grace under fire, her fight for safe working conditions, fair pay, and a path to citizenship is bringing us closer to realizing the full promise of America as a nation of immigrants.

Judy Shepard. Judy Shepard took a mother's most profound pain and turned her son's memory into a movement. Matthew Shepard's brutal death 25 years ago shocked the conscience of our nation and galvanized millions of Americans to stand against anti-LGBTQI+ hate. Together, with her husband, Dennis, their courageous advocacy has since driven tremendous progress in our laws and culture, giving young people and their families strength and hope for the future. The Shepard family's compassion reflects the best of America, where everyone is equally deserving of dignity and respect.

Gail Lynn Hannon, accepting on behalf of James Francis Thorpe. Jim Thorpe was the country's original multisport athlete and one of the greatest stars in American history. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, he embodied his given name, "Bright Path," and became the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. He broke the world record in the decathlon and captured the public's awe as a professional football, baseball, and basketball player. He demonstrated moral courage time and time again as he overcame shameful bigotry. Jim Thorpe's story reminds us of enduring contributions of Tribal history to American history and the ongoing work of healing the souls of our nations.

Michelle Yeoh. Michelle Yeoh is one of the most acclaimed actresses of our time. For four decades, she has faced and shattered stigma and stereotypes to forge a groundbreaking career as one of the most versatile performers in the world, becoming the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her efforts to advance gender equality, conservation issues, and global health have been felt around the world. Equal parts performer and pioneer, Michelle Yeoh continues to enrich American culture and inspires us to believe in possibilities on the big screen and beyond.

THE PRESIDENT: I tell you what, it makes you proud to be an American, doesn't it?

Let's give one more round of applause for this year's Presidential Freedom recipients.

6:05 P.M. EDT