Whitehouse.gov Feed

Today, First Lady Jill Biden is announcing the 2024 White House Holiday theme: A “Season of Peace and Light”

In a welcome letter to visitors at the beginning of the commemorative 2024 White House Holiday Guidebook, the President and First Lady write:

“The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts, and we’ve loved opening the doors of the People’s House wider and wider each year, continuing the spirit of goodwill and gratitude. America’s story is your story, and we hope you feel at home here. 
 
“As we celebrate our final holiday season here in the White House, we are guided by the values we hold sacred: faith, family, service to our country, kindness towards our neighbors, and the power of community and connection.

“It has been the honor of our lives to serve as your President and First Lady. Our hope is for the Nation to be blessed with the peace and light of the holiday season. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.”

At the end of the holiday guidebook, the President and First Lady write to visitors: “At the holidays, Americans come together every year in fellowship and faith, reminding us that we are stronger as a community than we are apart. The strength of our country, and the soul of our Nation, come from you. May the promise of this “Season of Peace and Light” guide your path forward.”

During an event at the White House later today, the First Lady will officially unveil the holiday and seasonal decor, offer her holiday message to the Nation, and thank the volunteers from across the country who helped decorate the White House for the season. As part of her Joining Forces initiative to support military families, the First Lady invited National Guard families to be the first members of the public to experience the White House holiday decor. As a fellow National Guard mother, Dr. Biden wanted to show appreciation for, and honor, the special role the National Guard plays in serving our country. The National Guard is a unique element of the U.S. military that serves both community and country, in domestic and foreign missions. 

The White House expects to welcome approximately 100,000 visitors during the holiday season. Videos, photos, and information about the décor will be available on WhiteHouse.gov/Holidays. Additionally, over the course of the holidays, a variety of interactive viewing experiences will launch on digital platforms, allowing individuals to engage with the White House during the holidays from home.

2024 Holidays at the White House, by the numbers:

• It takes over 300 dedicated volunteers from across the country working a full week to decorate the inside and outside of the White House.
• There are 83 Christmas trees throughout the White House.
• Approximately 9,810 feet of ribbon, over 28,125 ornaments, and over 2,200 doves were used this year to decorate the White House.
• Over 165,075 holiday lights decorate the trees, garlands, wreaths, and displays
• The Gingerbread White House includes 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds of pastillage, 45 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of royal icing, and 10 pounds of gum paste.

A “Season of Peace and Light,” the 2024 White House Holiday Theme:

Each room and design element throughout the White House holiday display encourages guests to embrace the peace and light of the holiday season.

The East Wing

Guests enter the East Wing of the White House under stunning, rotating starlight. Lush greenery and garlands adorn the East Wing Lobby, enveloping guests in the peaceful tranquility of nature as they begin their holiday tour of the White House.

The Gold Star Tree

The first Christmas tree display featured on the White House tour is dedicated to Gold Star Families. This year’s Gold Star Tree exhibit is constructed of six oversized and stacked stars, representing all six branches of the military. Names of fallen service members are written on gold star ornaments on the four accompanying Christmas trees.

The Gold Star Trees honor the heroic men and women of our Nation’s military who have laid down their lives for our country, those who are Missing in Action, and the families who carry on their legacies. May God bless our troops and their families.

The East Colonnade

As guests proceed down the East Colonnade, they are surrounded by a collection of bells, symbolizing the peaceful sounds of the holiday season. Brass-colored bells suspend from the ceiling and sleigh bells line the archways. In the East Garden Room, just before entering the historic mansion, visitors are greeted by a three-dimensional horse-drawn sleigh, pulling a Christmas tree decorated with bells and lights.

The Library

A forest of vintage ceramic Christmas trees are featured throughout the library, twinkling in all of the colors of the holiday season. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated this room to serve as the White House Library in 1935. This space now holds approximately 2,700 volumes of books focusing primarily on American history and literature. A classroom teacher for forty years, First Lady Jill Biden added children’s books to the White House Library collection, in collaboration with the Library of Congress.

The Vermeil Room

The décor of the Vermeil Room (vermeil is the French term for silver dipped in gold) is devoted to floral displays, using a variety of materials.  On the walls of this room are portraits of first ladies, including Mamie Eisenhower, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, and Jacqueline Kennedy. Over sixty years ago, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of the People’s House.

The China Room

Food is love. A baker’s bench and artisanal breads set the scene in this room, reminding guests of the peaceful, patient, and loving process of baking bread.

The China Room, which was first introduced as a display room by First Lady Edith Wilson in 1917, houses tableware used by past presidential families. Most presidents, beginning with George Washington, are represented by either a personal or State Service of porcelain, glass, or silver. Each piece recalls the State Dinners and celebratory meals that have brought together world leaders, diplomats, and other White House guests.

Diplomatic Reception Room

This fall, First Lady Jill Biden expanded and enhanced the public tour of the White House. The Diplomatic Reception Room, used to welcome foreign dignitaries, and home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats, is now open to the general public for the first time. Holiday florals and fruit are on display in this room, as a nod to the importance of hospitality and grace to peaceful diplomacy.

The East Room

A reflective canopy wraps the ceiling and windows, surrounding guests in a peaceful snowfall. Two large Christmas trees flank the center door, with the tree bases illuminated with silhouettes of Americans holding hands, giving movement and energy to the décor.

As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. It also includes Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington, which First Lady Dolley Madison instructed workers to save in 1814 when the White House was about to be set aflame during the War of 1812.

The East Room includes a Neapolitan crèche, or Nativity scene, with over forty figurines, most

dating back to the eighteenth century. The crèche has been displayed during every White House holiday season since 1967.

The Green Room

In the Green Room, light shines through colored glass ornaments and prisms, reflecting beautiful hues throughout the room. Once Thomas Jefferson’s dining room, the Green Room houses Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting, Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City. Tanner mixed actual sand into his paint to illustrate the windswept beaches of our coasts.

The Official White House Menorah

Displayed just outside the Green Room, in the Cross Hall, is the official White House Menorah, created in 2021 by the White House Executive Residence Carpenters’ Shop. The Menorah was constructed using wood that was removed more than seventy years ago during the Truman-era renovation of the White House.

The Blue Room

The Blue Room showcases the official White House Christmas Tree. This year’s tree is an 18½ foot Fraser Fir from North Carolina and stands floor to ceiling, filling the oval room. Every year, the Blue Room chandelier is removed to accommodate the Christmas tree’s full height.

The stunning tree features a light-filled, whimsical carousel, with names of every state, territory, and the District of Columbia, showcased around the tree’s décor. With bright lights, vivid colors, and three-dimensional holiday candy treats, guests will gaze in wonder as they are taken on a delightful adventure around the tree.

This year’s official White House Christmas Tree was presented to the First Lady by David, Sam, and Jim Cartner of Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina, the 2024 Grand Champion Grower in the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual contest.

State Dining Room

As part of the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative to support military families, Dr. Biden invited families of the USS Delaware and the USS Gabrielle Giffords, two U.S. Navy vessels for which she serves as a sponsor, to provide the colorful paper chain garlands hanging throughout the room. The ornaments on the Christmas trees were crafted as self-portraits by students from across the country, ensuring that children see themselves reflected in this year’s holiday display.

The Gingerbread White House

A favorite for all during the holidays is the annual Gingerbread White House. This year’s sweet creation draws inspiration from the overall holiday décor theme of a “Season of Peace and Light.” A glowing starburst shines over the Gingerbread White House, and the sugary replica includes a cheerful scene of ice skaters on the South Lawn.

The Red Room

In the Red Room, white paper doves carry messages of peace. Drawings from children around the country to the President and First Lady are displayed throughout the room. Large, illuminated gift boxes are placed under the Red Room’s Christmas tree.

The Cross Hall and Grand Foyer

The Cross Hall unites the State Rooms of the White House, with the East Room and State Dining Room at the opposite ends, and the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms opening from the south side. The slightly arched ceiling springs from the cast plaster molding designed during the Theodore Roosevelt Renovation of 1902.

Suspended overhead in the Cross Hall is a cascade of peace doves flying above. Christmas trees trimmed with red and green plaid décor, as well as a vintage red truck, complete the holiday scenery.

2024 White House Holiday Guide Illustrator

Children’s book author and illustrator, Zoe Ranucci, created artwork throughout the 2024 White House Holiday Guide, which perfectly captures a “Season of Peace and Light” at the White House.

2024 White House Holiday Recognitions and Support
The President and First Lady thank the Executive Residence staff and the team of over 300 volunteers who dedicated their time, energy, and talents to transform the White House for the holiday season.

Bryan Rafanelli, of Rafanelli Events, worked closely with Dr. Biden to lead the creative efforts of a talented team to bring her vision to life for the White House holiday décor, celebrating a “Season of Peace and Light.”

The President and First Lady are grateful for the support from the National Confectioners Association and the creative design teams of Birch Event Design, BMF Media Group, Cheree Berry Paper & Design, East Olivia, Frost Chicago, Glitterville Studios, HMR Designs, Kehoe Designs, MC², Mot Designs, Patch NYC, Rafanelli Events, Red Bliss Design, Silver Lining Design Group, and 4 Wall Entertainment.

###

The post First Lady Jill Biden Announces the 2024 White House Holiday Theme: A “Season of Peace and Light” appeared first on The White House.

Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently. 
 
The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.   
 
No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough. 
 
For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision. 
 

###

 
Executive Grant of Clemency
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President of the United States of America
 
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
 
Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto
 
ROBERT HUNTER BIDEN
 
A Full and Unconditional Pardon
 
For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.
 
Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden appeared first on The White House.

Our Nation has made enormous strides toward preventing, diagnosing, and treating HIV — a terrible disease that has stolen the precious lives of over 40 million people since the epidemic began in 1981.  Despite our progress, over 39 million people worldwide continue to live with it, including over 1 million people in the United States.  On World AIDS Day, we honor the memory of all those we tragically lost to HIV around the world.  We stand in solidarity with all those who are courageously facing the disease today.  And we renew our commitment to accelerating efforts to finally end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. 

My Administration has made historic progress toward addressing this fight.  In my first year in office, I reestablished the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and launched a new National HIV/AIDS Strategy, to put us on the path to end this epidemic by 2030.  To that end, the Health Resources and Services Administration committed nearly $10 billion in funding through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to ensure that low-income individuals in America with HIV can receive the medication and quality care they need.  The Department of Health and Human Services is also working to guarantee that Americans have access to HIV interventions like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and self-tests to prevent HIV.  And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has ensured that PrEP medications — including long-term injectable options — and critical support services like counseling and screenings for HIV and hepatitis B are free for people with Medicare.  Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention invested $10 million in a pilot program that covers the cost of PrEP to five health departments across the Nation — an important step toward ensuring everyone has access to this vital medication.  Additionally, my Administration’s investments in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States initiative, which reaches over 50 jurisdictions, has helped decrease HIV incidence by 21 percent in the past year in those areas.

At the same time, my Administration is working to fight the stigma surrounding HIV and to ensure that people with HIV do not face bias or discrimination — which too often stops people from getting life-saving care.  I am proud that last year my Administration ended the shameful practice of banning gay and bisexual men from donating blood.  We also released updates to the Rehabilitation Act that strengthen civil rights protections in medical settings for people with HIV.  And I join advocates around the country in sharing the message of U=U, which stands for undetectable equals untransmittable, and makes clear that a person living with HIV who is on treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting HIV.  We are committed to ensuring people understand the latest science about HIV transmission, testing, prevention, and care.  And we are calling on States and community leaders to repeal or reform outdated HIV criminalization laws, so people are not wrongfully punished for exposing others to HIV without the intent to cause harm.  

Globally, my Administration is working with international partners to lead the global fight to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, including through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and our investments in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.  PEPFAR has saved more than 25 million lives in 55 countries by working to prevent HIV infections and expand access to HIV treatment and care services.  In 2023, my Administration worked with the Congress to reauthorize PEPFAR for the fourth time ensuring that America continues to help build a future where HIV infections are prevented and every person has access to the treatment they need.  This year, we also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe) partnership, which has worked to lower HIV infections in adolescent girls and young women around the world.

This year, on World AIDS Day, the AIDS Quilt which was first displayed on the National Mall in 1987, will be publicly displayed at the White House for the first time in our Nation’s history.  The Quilt is a memorial for all those we have lost to AIDS and AIDS-related illnesses.

We also express our gratitude to the activists, scientists, doctors, and caregivers who have worked tirelessly to advance our Nation’s progress in the fight against this epidemic.  And we recommit as a Nation to shining a light on the struggle, strength, and resilience of people affected by HIV.  Together, let this World AIDS Day be a moment of unity that rallies the country to give all those affected the care, hope, and support they deserve. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2024, as World AIDS Day.  I urge the Governors of the United States and its Commonwealths and Territories, the appropriate officials of all units of government, and the American people to join the HIV community in activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support, dignity, and compassion to people with HIV.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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

Via Teleconference

10:39 A.M. EST

MODERATOR:  All right, hello, everyone.  This is Jessica Kosmider with the NSC press team.  Thank you so much for joining us today, the day after Thanksgiving, for a background call to preview the President’s trip to Angola.

For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the line today you will have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official].  You can refer to them as senior administration officials in your reporting.

Before I turn it over to them, as a reminder, this call is embargoed until 5:00 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, December 1st.  By joining, you agree to these ground rules today.

With that, I’ll turn it over to [senior administration officials] for some opening remarks, and then we’ll take as many questions as we can in the time that we have. 

All right, over to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Terrific.  Thanks so much, Jess.  And can everyone hear me?

MODERATOR:  Yep, loud and clear. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Terrific.  Okay.

Hi, everyone.  Thanks for joining on the day after Thanksgiving.  And really pleased to be with you today. 

So, as we all know, this upcoming week, from December 2 to 4, President Biden is traveling to Angola, where he will highlight the transformation and deepening of the U.S.-Angola relationship and will also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening our partnerships across Africa. 

This is a historic trip.  We are excited about it.  It marks the first visit of a U.S. president to Africa in nearly a decade, since 2015.  And also importantly, this is the first-ever visit by a sitting U.S. president to Angola. 

You may remember that when President Biden first assumed office, he pledged to restore and deepen our relationships around the world, and Angola is a prime example of that vision. 

So that’s why, to start the visit in Angola, President Biden will meet bilaterally with his counterpart, President João Lourenço, in Luanda.  That meeting builds upon strong bilateral engagement we’ve had throughout the Biden-Harris administration with Angola.  President Lourenço attended the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, and then the two presidents met here in D.C. almost exactly a year ago, when President Biden hosted President Lourenço in the Oval Office. 

Together, the U.S. and Angola are working closely to expand impactful, high-standard economic opportunities and improve regional peace and security.  We’re grateful for Angola’s partnership, and we’re really looking forward to the meetings where we will further our shared vision for greater prosperity for both Angolans and Americans. 

I’ll note that this trip also has a regional focus that’s far beyond Angola’s borders.  I’ll let [senior administration official] speak more to this, but just to note that earlier in this administration, you may recall that we released a U.S.-Africa strategy.  That strategy talks about how it’s impossible to meet this era’s defining challenges without African contributions and African leadership.  For that reason, the U.S. has championed African leadership across multilateral fora, including for advocating for new seats to be added to the G20, to the U.N. Security Council, and international financial institution boards. 

On the visit, President Biden will also deliver remarks in Luanda that really lay out both our shared history and highlight the growth and enduring strength of our relationships in Angola and across the continent.  He’ll discuss how, together with our African partners, the U.S. is working to narrow the infrastructure gap in Africa, expand economic opportunities on the continent, expand technological and scientific cooperation, and bolster peace and security. 

This visit will also highlight the work and resources that the U.S. has invested in this vision.  You might recall that at the 2022 Africa Leaders Summit, the U.S. pledged to invest $55 billion in Africa over the subsequent three years.  Two years on from that, I’m proud to say that we’ve already met 80 percent of that commitment, and we really view these as investments, not donations. 

Together with African partners, the administration has expanded trade and investment opportunities; advanced transcontinental infrastructure; and supported African-led efforts on conservation, climate adaptation, and energy that pay dividends for all of us. 

We’re not stopping there.  While in Angola, the President will focus on one of its signature investment projects, the Lobito Trans Africa Corridor.  I will let my colleague speak much more to that. 

Finally, I’ll just note that the President will be announcing some important new deliverables along the way.  I do not want to get ahead of our President on sharing too much at this stage, but I will say that these will be new deliverables related to global health security, to agribusiness, to security cooperation, and to preserving Angola’s cultural heritage. 

A couple more notes on those.  One is on the Prosper Africa Initiative.  The President will be highlighting how since January 2021, U.S. departments and agencies in the Prosper Africa Initiative have closed 12 deals in Angola with a combined value of $6.9 billion.  He’ll share how the U.S. government is making important investments to increase access to nutritious food, strengthen agribusiness, and increase food storage capacity in the country. 

He’ll discuss how the U.S. and Angola will announce a new global health security partnership to strengthen capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease.  And the U.S. will also support Angola’s nomination of the Kwanza Corridor to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

So, much more to come on this, and you can expect the announcements and the overall trip to reflect the deepening of our relationship and to reflect President Biden’s vision for more equitable partnerships in addressing global challenges together.

So, I look forward to your questions, and I’ll turn it over to [senior administration official] to provide more from his standpoint.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you.  And thanks, everybody, on a Thanksgiving Friday.  Look, I don’t have much to add, and I’m happy to answer questions, but as [senior administration official] said, one of the examples of the change in our strategy in Africa was to move it a lot more towards investment, rather — and partnership, rather than traditional development assistance, grants, and charity. 

And that’s why this visit, and that’s why choosing Angola, if you think about what’s happened over the last couple of years, is looking at the corridor approach globally, but specifically where we anchored it in Africa, and building the — refurbishing and rebuilding a rail connection from the Port of Lobito all the way through the Democratic Republic of Congo with a phase two approach into Zambia and eventually all the way — we’re preparing the ground for eventually reaching all the way to Tanzania, connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. 

This is not — this serves a number of purposes. 

One, it’s about critical minerals that are required for the energy transition globally for electric vehicles.  It is important for AI data centers and high-end chips.  But it is also about connecting all the — what this kind of infrastructure does is it may be able to bring critical minerals and shipments out in 45 hours instead of 45 days.  But it also allows for the growth of true food security in Africa.  And we are already seeing that food can be now delivered from the Port of Lobito all the way to eastern Congo in a matter of days instead of weeks and months.  It is enabling farmers to grow more local produce that can be used and traded so that landlocked countries are no longer landlocked and connected to each other. 

Over the last couple of years in Angola, through U.S. government investment, there has been added more telecommunications.  More people are getting connected to 3G and now building out 5G networks, as well as building out renewable energy.  In fact, the U.S. has approved financing through Ex-Im Bank of nearly two and a half billion dollars of renewable energy projects that will be able to take countries from energy deficit to energy exporters to their neighbors. 

And that’s really — the entire point of the Biden administration’s strategy that [senior administration official] just articulated is focusing on the investment side.  This has not only transformed the economies by building out GDP, but it does so by focusing on attracting investment, by high standards — companies committed to high standards of labor, of gender equality, of health, and of environmental stewardship. 

And that is really — that is the choice that is now available to countries throughout the region.  Not looking at, “Do I have to accept Chinese investment with low standards and child labor and corruption,” but “Do I have another offering to compare it to.”  And again, this is what President Biden has wanted to transform our relationship in the region, is to offer a different — more investment, but with higher standards.

And so, this Angola trip is really going to be highlighting that option that exists now in Africa, a direct line from the Africa Leaders Summit that President Biden had earlier in the administration to where we are today, and what I believe will be a policy that is continued by future administrations in years to come, focusing on this investment and partnership between the United States and Africa across the continent.

We chose to focus on a handful of countries over the last couple of years in order to be able to spend the scarce resources that we have in the U.S. government in a deeper and more meaningful way, rather than spreading it thin across a wider swath. 

That has also brought remarkable increase in American company investors into — and Western investors — into Africa.  And we’ve done this both bilaterally but also through the PGI, the President’s signature initiative with the G7 of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, driving this kind of investment across the continent under those same guidelines and rules of increased investment with increased opportunity at higher standards. 

So I’ll leave it there, Jess.  And if there any questions, I’m happy to answer.

MODERATOR:  Thank you so much.  First up, we will go to Aurelia from AFP.  Aurelia, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hi.  Thanks for taking my question and thanks for doing this call.  Just maybe following up on what you said about offering an alternative to Chinese investment: Just in September, Xi offered Africa a sweeping $50 billion in fresh funding, promised like a million jobs, et cetera.  Isn’t it a risk that by this visit that comes late in the presidency, it gives the impression that, you know, it’s too little or too late?  Or do you really think that focusing on just a handful of countries and very precise investment, like, really offers a credible alternative to the billions that the Chinese have offered?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Aurelia, it is no doubt that China is offering billions and have been offering billions.  And let me be clear off the top: I don’t think it’s a — we don’t think it’s a bad thing to have Chinese investment in Africa.  But if it means that at the end of a few years of investment, the communities that live in the area of the investment have not seen any increase in GDP, that they’ve not seen benefits of their lives in it, that it has not lifted the lives of the communities; if it means that the government is going to be living under crushing debt for generations to come, then that’s not — the government is going to have to make the decision whether that’s the alternative they want. 

What we have heard repeatedly over years is that people want to have more — people in Africa want to have more alternatives for investment, not less.  But if they don’t have the alternative, they are forced to go with the one investment they have. 

So I think if the United States coming in here with investments that are meaningful — and this is not too little too late — I think that after years of being off the field, President Biden has put us back on the field and competing and offering this alternative. 

If, as a result, other countries, whether China or anyone else, also comes to Africa and increases the standards of labor, standards of healthcare provided to the workers, standards of defending the environment — protecting the environment where the projects are, and transparency versus corruption, if that forces everyone now to increase the standards, that will be a huge achievement. 

So I think that we’re not coming — this visit is at the end of the administration, but for the last two years, some of the numbers of U.S. investment in Africa are staggering in comparison to previous years, and specifically here in Angola where I think we’ve spent over $3 billion just in the last couple of years in areas as diverse as telecommunications, renewable energy, critical minerals, rail, bridges — so, from infrastructure to technology.  That’s something that we’d like to see grow, and I think that the President sees it as laying the foundation for a new approach to Africa that will be followed by administrations to come.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  Next up, we’ll go to Fatima Hussein from the Associated Press.  Fatima, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Thank you for taking my question.  My question is: Can the President still have an effect on the continent when he’s coming right now when all the eyes of African leaders are on President-elect Trump?  And is there a fear that President Trump, whose policies are so different from President Biden, could undo a lot of the things that you’re talking about today?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’m happy to take that.

Thanks, Fatima, for the question.  I’d say, obviously we can’t speculate about the choices the next administration will make, but from my standpoint, I am grateful that U.S.-Africa policy has actually benefitted from really strong bipartisan support over the course of multiple administrations.  And I think that’s a pretty remarkable tradition.

If you think back to some of the really impactful initiatives that U.S. administrations have put forward, impactful initiatives like the DFC, the Development Finance Corporation, that was a Trump administration institution that the Biden administration has taken forward.  Think back to the Millennium Challenge Corporation that was launched in the Bush administration.  PEPFAR.  And more recently, Prosper Africa was also launched in the Trump administration.

So while I, of course, I can’t speak for the next administration, I think there’s a lot of reason to assume that some of these initiatives will continue on. 

And as [senior administration official] has laid out, when we think about an endeavor like the Lobito Corridor, that is a win-win for Americans and for Africans.  And so, I would imagine that would be seen in that light of something that’s paying dividends for all of us. 

So, while of course we can’t speculate on the next administration, I think there’s a lot of reason to assume the bipartisan tradition will continue when it comes to Africa policy in a lot of ways.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  Next up, we will go to Zolan from the New York Times.  Zolan, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hey.  Thank you so much.  I know the focus is going to be on Angola, but you said there’s sort of a continent-wide approach you’re taking too.  Do you expect — will the President in any way be speaking about the violence in the eastern DRC?  Will he be engaging with Rwanda at all during this trip?  And will there be any focus, as well, on the conflict in Sudan, as well, during this trip?

And then, also, kind of just a clarification, but can we officially say that this is the last trip overseas for President Biden at this point of his presidency?  Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  I can start, and then I invite [senior administration officials] to weigh in.

So, on the eastern DRC, something President Biden has talked about is his gratitude for Angola’s leadership on this front.  Angola is playing a very important regional mediation role on the conflict in the eastern DRC.  And so, while I won’t get into specifics of their conversation, I do think thanking Angola for its really important leadership on this front will be part of the visit.  There may be other regionally focused aspects of the visit that I don’t think we can share more on at this point, but just to say that I think President Biden really does view Angola in the context of its region.

[Senior administration official], I invite you to add anything.  And then, Jess, on the last international trip, or not, I defer to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, Zolan, I think that this will be — we’re stopping in — the President is going to Angola, but this is a regional approach.  Angola has been a tremendous friend, both to the United States over the last few years, which is a dramatic sort of shift in geopolitical alliances as a result of the policy we described before, but also has played a key role — leadership role in the eastern DRC, as has the United States.  So we’ll address those as the days go by, as we continue.

But there’s — again, I think the fact that this trip is coming at the end of the administration, I want to underscore what [senior administration official] said.  This is a policy that we have every expectation that future administrations will continue to follow, especially some of the investment-oriented approach.  And I can tell you that Republican members of Congress have been traveling more frequently to DRC, to Zambia, to Angola, and to the region over the last few months, including senior Republican senators, out of support for this approach.  I think that that will continue.

MODERATOR:  And then, as far as your question goes on future travel, we don’t have any other travel to announce today, but of course, we’ll keep you guys posted if anything changes.

Next up we have Aaron Gilchrist from NBC.  You should be able to unmute yourself, Aaron.

Q    Hey, guys.  Thanks for doing this call.  Just two things quickly, if I can.  There’s been criticism of the political protests that have been happening, the arrests of political protesters in Angola.  Do you expect the President will address in any way arrests of protesters or human rights issues in Angola while he’s there? 

And then the second question: Domestically, there’s been sort of head-scratching about why this trip to the African continent by this president, who was supported so vociferously by African Americans here, why this trip is coming so late in his administration.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll take the first part, Aaron.  Thanks for the question. 

Yeah, I think, as you know, President Biden has never shied away from talking about challenges to democracy, his commitment to democracy, and I think you can expect him to always raise those issues with counterparts, without getting into specifics. 

We, of course, are tracking protests in Luanda, and would note that we were heartened that the protests over the last week remained peaceful and had — we think that’s tremendously important. 

I’ll also say that we and the President and his delegation traveling will meet with civil society while in Angola.  So I think having that discussion is always a key part of it.

In terms of when this falls on the administration, I would say the President made a promise he would visit Africa, and he’s visiting Africa.  He’s excited about it.  He raises how excited about it he is every time I speak with him.  So I’m thrilled he’s going. 

[Senior administration official], would you add anything on that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, I would say — look, this has been a — this is a trip that he’s wanted to take for a long time.  He’s held the Africa Leaders Summit early in the administration, and has done — this administration has done a tremendous amount of work in Africa during a period of a lot of foreign policy activity.  And so, again, as you know, he was supposed to go a little bit earlier; it got postponed for a variety of reasons. 

But the important thing is that he is going.  And the even more important thing is what he has led and what he has done on the African continent in the policy, which is a total transformation of our policy in a manner that was not expected. 

I can tell you that traveling throughout Africa over the last several years of this administration, all I get from leaders in Africa is being grateful for a final change of policy that is focused so much on investment and partnership than focusing on what the timeline of the visit was.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’d also just add, Aaron, to your question: Obviously, there’s a lot of focus on the President’s travel, and we’re really excited about it.  But over the course of this administration, just the past two years since the Africa Leaders Summit, the administration has had over 20 cabinet-level and senior officials travel to the continent.  And as you know, each of these visits brings with them deliverables.  They bring with them new partnerships that are launched.  So I think this administration is about the totality of those visits and those initiatives, and we’re proud of our record on that front.

MODERATOR:  All right, we have time for just a couple more.  So, next up, we’ll go to Skylar Woodhouse from Bloomberg.  Skylar, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hey, thanks for doing this.  Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  I just wanted to ask: Given that the trip is, you know, very — it’s practically towards the end of President Biden’s presidency, is it the understanding that African nations are taking the U.S. seriously, especially as China is heavily influenced across the continent right now?  Is that the understanding that you all feel that, you know, the U.S. is being taken seriously?  Or because this trip is towards the end, that, you know, it’s just kind of a check mark that Biden has to do at this point?  Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Skylar, look, I get more questions about this from American reporters than I get from African leaders or African-based businesses.  So — honestly.

The President of the United States has led a new policy in Africa.  Yes, China is influential in Africa, as they are in other places, and continuing to do so. 

It also is true that leader after leader on the continent have asked us to make sure that we have alternatives for those investments.  And on this trip as well, it is true that it’s coming at the end of the administration, but it’s capping on — one perspective, it’s capping three years, four years of a tremendous amount of investment by the United States in areas that represent the growth for Africa, whether it’s in the role that they can play in the transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles, as well as to chips.  They are at the center of what could be the future.  And this trip is also coming as the era of global competition continues, and Africa can play that big role. 

The one thing leaders in Africa do not want is for folks to say they’re under — they have the Chinese investment; they have Chinese influence, and therefore, nobody else in the world should go to Africa.  That is the opposite of what everybody in Africa wants. 

So, all I hear from the leaders I speak to — and I speak to leaders across Africa regularly, both political leaders, heads of state, as well as business leaders — is excited for the fact that President Biden is coming, that he’s bringing a delegation that has brought to the table (inaudible) from the Africa Finance Corporation, the Africa Development Bank, record investments from the DFC, the Development Finance Corporation in the United States, Ex-Im Bank, TDA, MCC, USAID.  The kind of investments that we’re doing here are transformative.  And what they want is to bring in the rest of the world.  I don’t know a single leader in Africa who says, “I just got a promise for some money from China, and therefore I don’t want anybody else there.”  On the contrary. 

So it is — the timing is what it is, but it is at a turning point that, again, I don’t think this ends here.  I brief Congress regularly, and there are Republican senators who were just in Angola recently because of this, and intend to take this forward. 

So I see certain parts of our domestic policy is more binary and political.  American investment in developing and middle-income countries is not a partisan issue.  The way we’re doing it is different.  But then again, we built on the Trump administration, the Obama administration built on Bush administration, which built on the Clinton administration.  That has been a seamless, increasing our participation. 

The one thing we haven’t done is figured out how to invest more conservatively in Africa.  This administration has done that.  I have every expectation that both Congress and this administration and the one after that will continue this policy.  And I think that leaders in Africa understand that, and that’s why they are eager for this visit to take place.

MODERATOR:  All right.  Thank you.  I think we have time for maybe one or two more, so we’ll go with Rishi from Foreign Policy.  Rishi, you should be able to unmute yourself. 

Q    Yeah, thanks for doing this, and thanks for taking my question.  So, you spoke about — you mentioned that this is investment and not aid in Africa, and we’ve seen that President-elect Trump, his big thing is kind of making deals, examining the, quote, unquote, “deals” that the U.S. has made.  So how protected are these investments that you’ve made from what the Trump administration might do, from being unwound by a potential Trump administration? 

And just as an addendum to that, how would changes to policies on the domestic front, like the CHIPS Act and the IRA, impact Africa?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, let me start.  I see very little reason why any of it would be under threat.  These are — one of the things that we focus on when I say investment versus aid — and I want to say it’s not “versus,” it’s “in addition to.”  We still have a robust assistance program that is necessary.  So it’s an additive in here.

But these projects are all done — the point of them was to be financeable and bankable projects that turn a profit, and therefore, I don’t see any reason why any of these would be undone.  And from my conversations, both with officials that are expected to be entering the Trump administration, as well as with bipartisan leaders in Congress, is that these projects are seen as the exact right thing to do.  So I don’t see them being unwound.  In fact, I would see some of them growing.

Building the rail in Africa in order to connect its countries to each other and to global markets; to be able to bring critical minerals out; making sure that the United States, for the first time in years, is getting cobalt and copper and lithium coming from this region to the United States and not going 100 percent to China — these are things that the next administration is likely to keep.  So I don’t really see the issue. 

I think what happens in the IRA and the CHIPS Act, we’ll have to see.  I’ve learned over the years of working in Washington that what is said in campaigns is not always what is done in practice.  So let’s see what happens. 

But those programs were investments in America and to make America competitive, and so I find it hard to believe that any — perhaps some of the regulations will change, but I don’t see the core of it changing.  Building more chips in America is a good thing.  Driving a trillion-dollar investment into the United States on both infrastructure, specifically under CHIPS Act and the infrastructure bill, both are going to be a good thing.  And building batteries and components in the United States, I think that, if anything, those will expand, not contract.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  Last question, we’ll go to Kemi Osukoya.  Kemi, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hello?

MODERATOR:  Yep, we can hear you, Kemi.

Q    Oh, okay.  Thank you very much.  Thank you for taking my question.  I wanted to ask, regarding — I know during the G7 — the Lobito Corridor is in partnership with the G7 alliance, and there was an announcement that was made, I believe by BlackRock and Microsoft, in June, while President Biden was in Italy.  So could you — this trip also, a major part of it, will focus on business.  So can you talk about some of the American companies that perhaps might accomplish the — accompany the presidents on this trip? 

And the other side of my question is: About two years or a year ago, the President launched the Presidential Advisory Council.  And as you mentioned on this call, there have been several trips to the African continent.  So, if you can talk about the engagements and what you’re hearing from the Advisory Council that engaging the diaspora, not just the African diaspora, but as well as the African American diaspora engagement with Africa, what is the feedback that you are getting that the presidents will use during this trip?  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  [Senior administration official], do you want to take the G7 companies question?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  I think we have had companies such as Sun Africa that’s invested in different parts of Africa and in Angola in particular, and expanding its operations. 

Africell is a telecommunications company that’s received investment and financing with the U.S. government, as well as its private sector banking that have been working in about five or so countries in Africa and are expanding in this region, even further beyond Angola, into DRC. 

After years of American companies leaving the continent, in the mining business we now have exciting young, new companies from the United States, such as KoBold that made a huge copper discovery in Zambia that will be there as well. 

So there’s a lot of exciting companies.  Acrow Bridge, from Pennsylvania, that is fabricating bridges in Angola and elsewhere. 

So what we’re seeing is this exciting surge.  But as you said, this corridor is part of the G7.  We have companies from Europe — from Portugal, from Switzerland, from France — and others that are joining this, and all of it being done in collaboration with African governments and African financial institutions, as well as some Americans.  

We had announced earlier this year, during the Kenya state visit to the United States, the fact that there’s going to be a data center built in Kenya. 

We had already announced during the G20 the data center that the U.S. government is helping finance in Ghana.  And I’m hoping that there’ll be another data center announced shortly. 

We also announced the connection from Google, a data line, fiber-optic cable that was going to reach Kenya.  But not just that it’s reaching Kenya from Asia, but that will be connected from Kenya all the way to South Africa through many of the countries of this corridor.  And that is being used with local African companies that are building out the fiber-optic network. 

So what we’re trying to suggest here is that this is about technology, about food security, about infrastructure build-out, and companies from both — from Europe, from Asia, from — representing the whole G7-plus countries are represented in these investments.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And I can just jump in quickly on the question about the PAC-ADE.  So that’s the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement.  This is one of the initiatives that we’re very proud of in the Biden-Harris administration.  This was announced by VP Harris at the Africa Leaders Summit back in 2022, and then President Biden signed an executive order directing the Secretary of State to establish it. 

As you may know, the council’s members are a really remarkable array of individuals who distinguish themselves in sports industries, in creative industries, in governments, in business, in academia, in faith-based activities.  So President Biden has continued to rely on their advice and their counsel as he’s moved forward our Africa policy.

They did have their first official trip to the African continent as the PAC-ADE.  This July, they traveled to Nigeria, and that was a tremendously constructive engagement. 

So while I can’t get into specifics, I think you can expect that the PAC-ADE will be involved in this upcoming trip, and we continue to be really grateful for their service and their insights.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you, everybody.  That is all the time that we have today.  If we weren’t able to get to your question, you can feel free to send it to us over email, and we’ll do our best to get back to you all as quickly as possible over this holiday weekend.

And just as a reminder, this conversation is embargoed until 5:00 am Eastern on Sunday.  Let us know if there’s anything else we can do for you.  Thanks.

11:16 A.M. EST   

The post Background Press Call on the President’s Travel to Angola appeared first on The White House.

We are closely monitoring the situation in Syria and have been in contact over the last 48 hours with regional capitals. The Assad regime’s ongoing refusal to engage in the political process outlined in UNSCR 2254, and its reliance on Russia and Iran, created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria. At the same time, the United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization. The United States, together with its partners and allies, urge de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and a serious and credible political process that can end this civil war once and for all with a political settlement consistent with UNSCR 2254. We will also continue to fully defend and protect U.S. personnel and U.S. military positions, which remain essential to ensuring that ISIS can never again resurge in Syria.

###

The post Statement by NSC Spokesperson Sean Savett on Syria appeared first on The White House.

The hostage video released today of American-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander is a cruel reminder of Hamas’s terror against citizens of multiple countries, including our own. We have been in touch with Edan’s family. The war in Gaza would stop tomorrow and the suffering of Gazans would end immediately — and would have ended months ago — if Hamas agreed to release the hostages. It has refused to do so, but as the President said last week, we have a critical opportunity to conclude the deal to release the hostages, stop the war, and surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza. This deal is on the table now. President Biden and the United States will continue to work around the clock to secure the release of our citizens including through diplomatic efforts and by increasing pressure on Hamas terrorists through sanctions, law enforcement actions, and other measures. On behalf of the Alexanders and all the families of the hostages still being held by Hamas, we will never cease in our efforts to secure their immediate release. 

###

The post Statement by NSC Spokesperson Sean Savett on Edan Alexander appeared first on The White House.

     Too many families know the pain of losing a loved one to a drunk or drug-impaired driving accident.  Each year, more than 10,000 Americans lose their lives in these preventable tragedies.  During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we remind everyone that they can save lives by driving only when sober, calling for a ride, planning ahead, and making sure friends and loved ones do the same.
     In 2022, over 13,000 people were killed in drunk-driving accidents.  Still, millions of people drive under the influence each year, not only putting themselves in harm’s way but also endangering passengers, pedestrians, and first responders. Even just one drink or one pill can ruin lives.
      My Administration is committed to preventing accidents and impaired driving.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has raised awareness about its risks and consequences through media campaigns, including “If You Feel Different, You Drive Different”; “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”; and “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”  Furthermore, since the beginning of my Administration, we have dedicated over $100 billion to disrupt the flow of illicit drugs and expand access to the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder. 
     Reducing fatalities and injuries in impaired driving accidents also means improving the safety of our Nation’s vehicles.  That is why my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests in technologies that can detect and prevent impaired driving and requiring new passenger cars to include collision warnings and automatic braking to prevent accidents.  The Department of Transportation also released a National Roadway Safety Strategy to eliminate traffic deaths and make crashes less destructive.  
     This holiday season, let us recommit to doing right by our neighbors, friends, and families by driving sober.  For those planning on drinking, arrange a sober ride home beforehand — ride-sharing apps are a convenient way to get home safely.  If you have had alcohol or used substances, do not get behind the wheel — one accident can cost someone their life.  If you are responsible for driving yourself or others, stay sober, buckle up, put the phone away, and drive the speed limit.  And if you witness a friend, loved one, colleague, or anyone putting themselves or others in danger, lend a hand to keep them safe. You could save a life.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 2024 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.  I urge all Americans to make responsible decisions and take appropriate measures to prevent impaired driving.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                        JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation on National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2024 appeared first on The White House.

Today the White House released visitor log records generated in July 2024. This set includes 89,356 records, bringing the total number of records posted to 1,742,627

These records were posted pursuant to the White House’s policy to voluntarily disclose visitor log records. This release is consistent with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to becoming the first administration to post visitor log records from its first full year in office.

To learn more about the policy, read our voluntary disclosure policy. To view visitor log records, view our disclosure page.

###

The post July 2024 Visitor Logs Records Posted appeared first on The White House.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Over the past year the Administration acted to:

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

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

Strengthen Global Efforts for HIV Prevention and Treatment

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

Ensure Accessible Healthcare and Support Services

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

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

Increase Awareness and End Stigma and Discrimination

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

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

Prioritize Community-Driven Responses

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

Advance HIV Research and Innovation

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

###

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

11:10 A.M. EST

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

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

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

So, that’s what I’m thankful for.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Cross-talk.)

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

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

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

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

One last question. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And on Thanksgiving, I’m hopeful.

Thank you so much.

11:15 A.M. EST

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

Joint Base Andrews
Prince George’s County, Maryland

4:39 P.M. EST

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

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

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

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

How are you feeling today with the announcement, sir?

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

Q    Is Trump starting a trade war, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  I have no comment on that.

4:39 P.M. EST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

###

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

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

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

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

###

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

Via Teleconference

9:18 A.M. EST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With that, we’ll go to Gabe. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regarding Venezuela, the G7 foreign ministers said that:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MODERATOR:  Great.  More chance for questions. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We’ll go to Eric Bazail-Eimil.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks again, and happy holidays.

9:53 A.M. EST          

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

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

                        JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

###

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

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

###

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

###

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

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by wildfires from July 17 to August 21, 2024.

Federal funding is available to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the wildfires.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

Ms. Yolanda J. Jackson of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

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

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation appeared first on The White House.

Rose Garden

3:38 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.

Today, I have some good news to report from the Middle East.  I just spoke with the prime minister of Israel and Lebanon, and I’m pleased to announce that their governments have accepted the United States’ proposal to end the devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. 

And I want to thank President Macron of France for his partnership in reaching this moment. 

For nearly 14 months, a deadly conflict raged across the border that separates Israel and Lebanon — a conflict that began the day after the October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel.  Hours later, at 2:00 a.m. in the morning, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations backed by Iran attacked Israel in support of Hamas.  

Let’s be clear: Israel did not launch this war.  The Lebanese people did not seek that war either, nor did the United States. 

Over the past year, including in the days immediately ta- — following October the 7th, I directed the U.S. military to flow assets and capabilities into the region, including aircraft carriers, fighter squadrons, and sophisticated air defense battery to defend Israel and deter our common enemy at critical moments.  

Since the war with Hezbollah began, over 70,000 Israelis have been forced to live in refugee — li- — live as refugees in their own country, helplessly watching their homes, their businesses, their communities as they were bombarded and destroyed.  And over 300,000 Lebanese people have also been forced to live as refugees in their own country in a war imposed on them by Hezbollah. 

All told, this has been the deadliest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in decades.  

How many of Hezbollah’s senior leaders are dead, including its longtime leader Nasrallah?  And Israel has — and Israel has destroyed Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon as well, including miles of sophisticated tunnels, which were prepared for an October 7th-style terrorist attack in northern Israel.  

But lasting security for the people of Israel and Lebanon cannot be achieved only on the battlefield.  And that’s why I’ve directed my team to work with the governments of Israel and Lebanon to forge a ceasefire to bring the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to a close.

Under the deal reached today, effective at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow local time, the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end — will end.  This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities. 

What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will not be allowed — will — I emphasize — will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again. 

Over the next 60 days, the Lebanese Army and the State Security Forces will deploy and take control of their own territory once again.  Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon will not be allowed to be rebuilt. 

And over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its remaining forces and civilians — civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their communities and begin to rebuild their homes, their schools, their farms, their businesses, and their very lives. 

We’re determined this conflict will not be just another cycle of violence.  And so, the United States, with the full support of France and our other allies, has pledged to work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure that these arra- — this — this arrangement is fully implemented — the agreement totally implemented. 

You know, there will be no U.S. troops deployed in southern Lebanon.  This is consistent with my commitment to the American people to not put U.S. troops in combat in this conflict. 

Instead, we, along with France and others, will provide the necessary assistance to make sure this deal is implemented fully and effectively.  

Let us — let me be clear: If Hezbollah or anyone else breaks the deal and poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel retains the right to self-defense consistent with international law, just like any country when facing a terrorist group pledged to that country’s destruction. 

At the same time, this deal supports Lebanon’s sovereignty.  And so, it heralds a new start for Lebanon — a country that I’ve seen most of over the years, a country with rich history and culture.  If fully implemented, this deal can put Lebanon on a path toward a future that’s worthy of its significant past.

And just as the Lebanese people deserve a future of security and prosperity, so do the people of Gaza.  They too deserve an end to the fighting and displacement. 

The people of Gaza have been through hell.  Their word — their world is absolutely shattered.  Far too many civilians in Gaza have suffered far too much.  And Hamas has refused, for months and months, to negotiate a good-faith ceasefire and a hostage deal.  

And so, now Hamas has a choice to make.  Their only way out is to release the hostages, including American citizens which they hold, and, in the process, bring an end to the fighting, which would make possible a surge of humanitarian li- — relief.  

Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and the end to the war without Hamas in power — that it becomes possible.  

As for the broader Middle East region, today’s announcement brings us closer to realizing the affirmative agenda that I’ve been pushing forward during my entire presidency: a vision for the future of the Middle East where it’s at peace and prosperous and integrated across borders; a future where Palestinians have a state of their own, one that fulfills its people’s legitimate aspirations and one that cannot threaten Israel or harbor terrorist groups with backing from Iran; a future where Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal measures of security, prosperity, and — yes — dignity. 

To that end, the United States remains prepared to conclude a set of historic deals with Saudi Arabia to include a security pact and economic assurances together with a credible pathway for establishing a Palestinian state and the full — the full normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel — a desire they both have. 

I believe this agenda remains possible.  And in my remaining time in office, I will work tirelessly to advance this vision of — for an integrated, secure, and prosperous region, all of which — all of which strengthens America’s national security.  

Getting all this done will require making some hard choices. 

Israel has been told on the — has been bold on the battlefield.  Iran and its proxies have paid a very heavy price. 

Now Israel must be bold in turning tactical gains against Iran and its proxies into a coherent strategy that secure Israel’s long-term — its long-term safety and advances a broader peace and prosperity in the region.  

Today’s announcement is a critical step in advancing that vision.  And so, I applaud the courageous decision by the leaders of Lebanon and Israel to end the violence. 

It reminds us that peace is possible.  Say that again: Peace is possible.  As long as that is the case, I will not for a single moment stop working to achieve it.

God bless you all.  And sorry to keep you waiting so long.  May God protect our troops.

Thank you.

Q    Mr. President, will you get a ceasefire in Gaza before leaving office? 

THE PRESIDENT:  You ask me how I get a ceasefire in — I think so.  I’m hoping.  I’m praying.

Q    How is this push any different from the previous ones?

THE PRESIDENT:  If you don’t see that, you shouldn’t be reporting.  It’s a lot different.

3:46 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden Announcing Cessation of Hostilities Between Israel and Hezbollah appeared first on The White House.