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After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead. Additional details to follow.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires and straight-line winds beginning on January 7, 2025, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Los Angeles County.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in Los Angeles County.

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

Mr. Curtis Brown of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

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

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Vice President Kamala Harris today spoke to Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and thanked her for her partnership. The Vice President emphasized her belief that U.S. economic and strategic interests are intertwined with those of our neighbors in the Caribbean. They reviewed progress in the U.S.-Caribbean partnership, and the Vice President’s leadership in strengthening the relationships throughout the region, including four leader-level summits that the Vice President hosted and the launch of the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030. The Vice President welcomed shared progress on climate adaptation and resilience, food security, and renewable energy investments and reaffirmed her interest in continuing to strengthen the bonds between the American people and people throughout the Caribbean.
 

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica and thanked him for his partnership. The Vice President underscored the strength of the U.S.-Jamaica partnership and the longstanding bonds between the American and Jamaican people. The Vice President expressed her continued support for strengthening U.S. partnerships throughout the Caribbean region and they discussed progress made throughout the Biden-Harris Administration, including through four leader-level summits the Vice President hosted and the launch of the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030. The Vice President welcomed shared progress, including on climate adaptation and resilience, food security, and renewable energy investments. The Vice President expressed appreciation for Jamaica’s leadership role in the Caribbean, including its deployment of personnel in support of the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti.
 

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala and thanked him for his partnership. They discussed progress made in addressing irregular migration through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Root Causes Strategy and through Central America Forward, the public-private partnership led by the Vice President which has helped reduce irregular migration to the United States by generating more than $5.2 billion in private sector investments and creating economic opportunities in northern Central America. The Vice President reaffirmed her commitment to good governance, countering corruption, labor and human rights, and reducing gender-based violence—all of which are essential to reduce irregular migration. She welcomed continued efforts by President Arévalo and his administration to support democratic institutions and the rule of law in Guatemala.
 

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President William Ruto of Kenya and thanked him for his partnership and their shared work strengthening the U.S.-Kenya relationship. The Vice President emphasized her continued interest in expanding digital inclusion across the continent of Africa, and making progress in technology, AI, and climate and clean energy, among other areas of partnership, building off the May 2024 Kenya State Visit, and the Vice President’s work with the private sector to invest in digital inclusion. The Vice President reaffirmed her view that African innovators will shape the future of the world. The Vice President welcomed Kenya’s continued global leadership role, including its leadership of the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti. 

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today to President Emmanuel Macron of France and thanked him for his partnership throughout the Biden-Harris Administration. They reflected on their first meeting in November 2021 in Paris and further meetings in Washington and Munich. The Vice President expressed continued support for a strong, united NATO and thanked President Macron for his support of Ukraine. The Vice President underscored her continued support for the longstanding U.S.-France Alliance, based on shared democratic principles and values, and noted how our partnership has advanced our shared global priorities, from Africa to the Indo-Pacific and space and technology.
 

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany and thanked him for his partnership throughout the Biden-Harris Administration. The Vice President underscored the vital importance of the U.S.-Germany Alliance in addressing global challenges, from economic growth to global stability and security, and for standing for democratic principles around the world. The Vice President expressed appreciation for the Chancellor’s personal leadership to support Ukraine following Russia’s unprovoked invasion. The Vice President highlighted her upcoming visit to Spangdahlem Air Base and noted that she is grateful to Germany for hosting U.S. servicemembers and for being a strong NATO Ally, and she reiterated her ironclad commitment to NATO.

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Under President Biden’s leadership, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking significant actions to support state and local response efforts for the wildfires in Los Angeles, California. As the fires continue to devastate communities, President Biden is focused on mobilizing life-saving and life-sustaining resources across the region.

The President is closely monitoring ongoing response efforts and is receiving regular briefings, including today from his team and from CalFire and local officials at a Santa Monica fire station. At the President’s direction, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell is also traveling to California on Friday to assess on-the-ground community needs like additional sheltering options and damage assessments.  

Today, President Biden has approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities and survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. Additionally, FEMA has approved Fire Management Assistance Grants to reimburse California for firefighting costs last night.

The Biden-Harris Administration has been in constant communication with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, their teams, officials from affected counties, and other local officials from the day the fires started. Additionally, the National Interagency Fire Center is in continuous contact with CalFire and is ready to deploy any additional resources that are needed – including additional firefighting personnel and equipment. 

President Biden and Vice President Harris are praying for those who lost loved ones, had property damaged, were injured, and for everyone affected by this and other devastating fires in the area. The situation remains extremely dangerous, and the Administration continues to urge residents to heed the warnings of local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so.

Consistent with the President’s direction for a robust and well-coordinated federal response, the Administration has taken swift action to support preparedness and response efforts. Specific actions taken to date include:

Mobilizing Fire Suppression Assets

The Federal government has taken action to support local firefighting efforts through the provision of five U.S. Forest Service Large Air Tankers operating in Southern California and 10 Federal firefighting helicopters performing firefighting operations in the area in support of state and local firefighters. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service has prepositioned dozens of fire engines that are ready to be deployed as needed. 

President Biden has directed the Department of Defense to rapidly provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities. The Federal government is working closely with the National Guard, which is deployed under the Governor’s state of emergency declaration. The California National Guard is adding two Modular Air Firefighting System units, and two more are being readied by the Nevada National Guard. The Department of Defense Northern Command is preparing four more. Additionally, the Department is sending ten Navy helicopters with water delivery buckets are being sent to the region immediately to assist with aerial suppression.

Providing Essential Data, Resources, and Support

• The National Weather Service (NWS) has provided constant weather forecasting support and updated watches and warnings based on changing conditions. NWS began messaging the potential for a significant wind event a week in advance of the current wind storm. Regular email briefings and webinars were conducted by the NWS Los Angeles and San Diego Forecast Offices. NWS has collocated support to the Los Angeles County emergency operations center, and a local NWS Incident Meteorologist is being deployed to the Palisades Fire to work directly with the Incident Management Team to assist firefighters with planning to conduct their fire suppression efforts under extremely hard conditions. Both the NWS Los Angeles and San Diego Forecast Offices continue to support their communities with updated briefings and media interviews.
• The Environmental Protection Agency stands ready to provide resources for air quality assessments and other support as needed.

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

I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, in view of events in the Western Balkans, including continued attempts by individuals to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Western Balkans nations, to undermine post-war agreements and institutions, to engage in significant corruption that erodes the rule of law and trust in democratic governance, and to evade United States Government sanctions, and in order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001 (Blocking Property of Persons Who Threaten International Stabilization Efforts in the Western Balkans), as amended by Executive Order 13304 of May 28, 2003 (Termination of Emergencies With Respect to Yugoslavia and Modification of Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001), and expanded in scope by Executive Order 14033 of June 8, 2021 (Blocking Property and Suspending Entry Into the United States of Certain Persons Contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western Balkans), hereby order:

Section 1.  Amendments to Executive Order 14033. Executive Order 14033 is hereby amended by striking section 1 and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following:

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

(i)     to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of any area or state in the Western Balkans;

(ii)    to be responsible for or complicit in, including by involvement in developing, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the Western Balkans;

(iii)   to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, a violation of, or an act that has obstructed or threatened the implementation of, any regional security, peace, cooperation, or mutual recognition agreement or framework or accountability mechanism, or to pose a significant risk of committing such an act, related to the Western Balkans, including the Prespa Agreement of 2018; the Ohrid Framework Agreement of 2001; United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244; the Dayton Accords; or the Conclusions of the Peace Implementation Conference Council held in London in December 1995, including the decisions or conclusions of the High Representative, the Peace Implementation Council, or its Steering Board; or the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, or, with respect to the former Yugoslavia, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals;

(iv)    to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, serious human rights abuse in the Western Balkans;

(v)     to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or otherwise related to a government in the Western Balkans, or a current or former government official at any level of government in the Western Balkans, such as the misappropriation of public assets, expropriation of private assets for personal gain or political purposes, or bribery;

(vi)    to be a leader, official, or member of an entity, including a government entity, that has engaged in, or attempted to engage in, any of the activities described in subsections (1)(a)(i)-(v) of this order, or whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;

(vii)   to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;

(viii)  to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;

(ix)    to own or control, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(x)     to be a spouse or adult child of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to subsections (1)(a)(i)-(v) of this order.

(b)  The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of this order.”

Sec. 2.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

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

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

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

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

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 8, 2025.

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TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

    Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order in order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001 (Blocking Property of Persons Who Threaten International Stabilization Efforts in the Western Balkans), as amended by Executive Order 13304 of May 28, 2003 (Termination of Emergencies With Respect to Yugoslavia and Modification of Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001), and expanded in scope by Executive Order 14033 of June 8, 2021 (Blocking Property and Suspending Entry Into the United States of Certain Persons Contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western Balkans).
    The order is intended to provide additional prongs for targeting persons for designation under Executive Order 14033 and deter individuals from attempting to evade United States sanctions.  This includes amendments to:  add attempt as a basis for designation throughout the order; add a prong for leadership of membership in a sanctioned entity; add a prong for ownership or control of a sanctioned person; and add a prong for being a spouse or adult child of a sanctioned person.
    I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued. 

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 8, 2025.

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President Biden announces nearly 24 million consumers have signed up for Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage, nearly doubling enrollment during the last 4 years

President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. Since day one of their Administration, they have taken steps to ensure that every American has access to affordable, quality health care. And, as a result of these efforts, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing that it has set another all-time record for ACA Marketplace enrollment, with nearly 24 million Americans signing up for coverage with one week left in the 2025 Open Enrollment Period. A total of 45 million Americans have coverage through the ACA – either the Marketplace or Medicaid expansion – and more people have health insurance today than ever in our nation’s history.

Statement from the President: “Today, we have once again set a record when it comes to ensuring access to affordable, quality health care: nearly 24 million Americans have signed up for Affordable Care Act coverage. That means that enrollment has nearly doubled since I took office. That’s no coincidence. When I took office, I made a promise to the American people that I would bring down the cost of health care and prescription drugs, make signing up for coverage easier, and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. I’m proud that my Administration delivered – even as Republican elected officials, who have been eager to put millions of Americans’ coverage at risk, stood in the way. I urge Congress to double down on the progress we have made and ensure Americans have access to quality, affordable health care by extending the ACA premium tax credit this year.”

Today’s announcement builds upon a remarkable record of success over the last four years. More Americans have health insurance than ever before, with the uninsured rate at record lows. In fact, in every year of the Biden-Harris Administration, we have set a new all-time record for ACA Marketplace enrollment. 

This record-breaking enrollment is no accident, and due to this Administration’s efforts to lower health care costs and make it easier to sign up for coverage. We also made health care more affordable for Americans purchasing their health insurance on the ACA Marketplace, saving consumers an average of $800 annually on their premiums. For example, this Administration made the largest ever investment in outreach and enrollment assistance, especially those in rural or underserved communities while at the same time eliminating bureaucratic red tape that makes it harder for people to enroll in coverage.

But all of these efforts to lower health care costs and expand coverage are now in danger. If Republicans in Congress take away the enhanced premium tax credits that make ACA coverage more affordable, premiums will skyrocket and people will lose coverage. For many families the results will be catastrophic:

• A single parent earing $50,00 per year could see their premiums increase by $1600 per year.
• A retired couple earning $85,000 per year could see their premiums increase by $18,000 per year.
• Experts estimate that 3 to 5 million people would become uninsured. 

The Affordable Care Act Marketplaces are just one part of this Administration’s commitment to health care coverage. Today, Medicaid covers about 80 million people. Thanks to the President’s leadership, over one million Americans in four states now have Medicaid expansion coverage, driving total ACA-related enrollment to over 45 million. This Administration has also cut red tape to make applying for and renewing Medicaid coverage easier, and established new standards to ensure people have access to the care they need when they need it.

In addition to today’s record-breaking enrollment numbers, we are also releasing a report and a data chart pack detailing the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic progress to improve the health of millions of Americans– from making health care and prescription drugs more affordable, to tackling crises in mental health, maternal health, and more, and investing in public health infrastructure. Some highlights include:

• In its first year alone, President Biden’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation program outperformed expectations, achieving negotiated prices that are 38 to 79 percent lower than U.S. list prices for the ten first round negotiated drugs. These prices are $6 billion per year lower than what Medicare pays today and, once in effect, will put $1.5 billion dollars back into the pockets of Medicare beneficiaries. Seniors with Medicare are protected by the new $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs, and insulin is capped at just $35 per month.

• The Administration ended the “family glitch,” making millions of family members finally eligible for affordable ACA Marketplace coverage with about one million people projected to either gain coverage or have lower premiums.

• The 988 lifeline, created under this Administration, has answered more than 11 million calls, chats, and texts and made it easier for individuals experiencing distress to access immediate care.

• Following the Administration’s efforts to reduce overdose deaths, recent data shows a 17% reduction in overdose deaths in the 12 months ending July 2024 compared to the prior year—the largest decline in U.S. history.

• After the release of a comprehensive strategy to improve maternal health, 46 states and DC extended Medicaid postpartum coverage from two to twelve months for hundreds of thousands of new mothers.

• Following the launch of a comprehensive national strategy to end the HIV epidemic by the end of the decade, rates of new HIV infections are also down.

Read the Biden-Harris Administration’s full report on progress made to lower health care costs and strengthen coverage for the American people.

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As a nation, there is no more sacred obligation than properly preparing those we send into harm’s way and taking care of them and their families when they come home. This is especially critical when we know that many who return home experience long-term health problems related to their service. That’s why, as President, I have made supporting veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors a key priority and central to my Unity Agenda for the Nation.

Among my key priorities for supporting veterans has been addressing the harmful toxic exposures that are too often associated with military service. Agent Orange, radiation, burn pits, and other hazards create devastating consequences for those exposed. When I signed the PACT Act into law in 2022, I enacted the most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic-exposed veterans in more than thirty years. This law has been transformational and has enabled VA to serve more veterans, more quickly than ever before. And I’ve directed my Administration to accelerate all aspects of implementing the law, including using new PACT Act authorities to make sure that more conditions could be recognized as presumptive – lowering the burden of proof for veterans to receive disability benefits related to toxic illnesses, including cancer.

Today, I’m proud that VA is adding more cancers to the list of those presumed related to burn pit exposure. This includes bladder cancer, ureter cancer, other genitourinary cancers, acute and chronic leukemias, and multiple myeloma. Veterans with these conditions, as well as survivors of veterans who passed away due to these conditions, can immediately apply for benefits. I encourage them to do so.

These actions build upon other recent announcements to expand eligibility for GI Bill benefits, lower health care costs for veterans, and increase resources to help eliminate veteran homelessness – bringing Veteran homelessness to a record low in 2024. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Commander-in-Chief and to support and care for our service members, veterans, and their families.

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My heart goes out to all those being impacted by the devasting wildfires in Southern California. Doug and I are praying for our fellow Californians who have evacuated, and we are thinking of the families whose homes, businesses, and schools remain in harm’s way. We are deeply grateful for the heroic first responders who are risking their own safety to fight the flames and help keep communities safe.
 
I was briefed earlier tonight and will continue to receive regular updates about these damaging wildfires and the coordinated efforts to contain them. I am also urging residents in the affected areas to listen to local officials, remain vigilant, and evacuate immediately if told to do so.
 
President Biden and I are committed to ensuring that no community has to respond to this disaster alone. We have already mobilized federal resources to help suppress the fires, provide overhead support, and begin assisting those impacted. FEMA also quickly approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to help reimburse the state for immediate firefighting costs.
 
As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities. I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained. As we respond and as Californians recover, I will ensure that our administration is in constant contact with state and local officials.

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I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire. Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response.

I urge the residents of the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles to stay vigilant and listen to local officials.

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U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC

5:20 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Leader Thune, Speaker Johnson, Leader Schumer, Leader Jeffries, members of Congress, and distinguished guests, it is an honor to be with you this afternoon.

And to Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and Jason and all the other members of the Carter family, on behalf of the American people, Doug and I offer our deepest condolences.

Being with you today, I am reminded of the enduring words of a favorite hymn: May the works I have done speak for me.

Today, we gather to celebrate the life of a man whose works will echo for generations to come, a man from Plains, Georgia, who grew up without electricity or running water and served as the 39th president of the United States of America and lived every day of his long life in service to the people: President James Earl Carter, Jr.

So, I was in middle school when Jimmy Carter was elected president, and I vividly recall how my mother admired him, how much she admired his strength of character, his honesty, his integrity, his work ethic and determination, his intelligence, and his generosity of spirit.

We have heard much today and in recent days about President Carter’s impact in the four decades after he left the White House.  Rightly so.  Jimmy Carter established a new model for what it means to be a former president and leaves an extraordinary post-presidential legacy, from founding the Carter Center, which has helped advance global human rights and alleviate human suffering, to his public health work in Latin America and Africa, to his tireless advocacy for peace and democracy around the globe. 

And Jimmy Carter was a president of the United States who was ahead of his time.  He was the first president of the United States to have a comprehensive energy policy, including providing some of the first federal support for clean energy.  He also passed over a dozen major pieces of legislation regarding environmental protection and more than doubled the size of America’s national parks, including protecting our beloved Redwoods in my home state of California.

He was a president who, between the years of 1977 and 1981, appointed more Black Americans to the federal bench than all of his predecessors combined and appointed five times as many women.  And in the wake of Watergate, Jimmy Carter passed historic ethics legislation to help rebuild America’s faith in government.

Jimmy Carter, as president, was also a respected global leader.  To be sure, the years of his presidency were not without international crises or challenges, but his legacy of global leadership is well established. 

In Asia, he instituted full diplomatic relations with China, which he would later call one of the most historically significant accomplishments of his presidency. 

And his legacy lives on in the Middle East, because do recall in the decades before Jimmy Carter became president, Israel and Egypt had been at war numerous times.  Few thought peace could be achieved between them.  Yet Jimmy Carter did that.  Through his persistence and perseverance, through his unshakable belief in the power of American diplomacy, he secured the Camp David Accords, one of the most significant and durable peace treaties since World War II.

And throughout the world, Jimmy Carter elevated the role of human rights in America’s foreign policy priorities and uplifted the importance of civil society in doing that work. 

Jimmy Carter was a forward-looking president with a vision for the future.  Consider his establishment of the Department of Energy in 1977, which anticipated the central role it would play in addressing the climate crisis; his creation of FEMA in 1979, which enabled our nation to mobilize a national response to disasters which has helped countless communities rebuild and recover; and his founding of the Department of Education later that year, which elevated public education institutions and increased national standards for the education of America’s children and future leaders.

Jimmy Carter was that all-too-rare example of a gifted man who also walks with humility, modesty, and grace.  Recall the stories from the 1976 campaign about how he slept in the homes of his supporters to share a meal with them at their table and to listen to what was on their minds. 

How, on their first trip for Habitat for Humanity, Jimmy and Rosalynn rode the bus with the other volunteers.  And when the group stopped for the night to stay at a local church, Jimmy and Rosalynn gave their private room to a young couple who had put off their honeymoon to join the trip.  And with the other volunteers, they then slept on the floor of the church basement. 

And then, of course, his work to eradicate the vicious Guinea worm disease that once disabled millions of people a year.  It was one of the Carter Center’s greatest triumphs.  And Jimmy Carter, of course, given his nature, attributed its success not to his own leadership but to the thousands of everyday Africans who were on the ground doing the work.

Throughout his life and career, Jimmy Carter retained a fundamental decency and humility.  James Earl Carter, Jr., loved our country.  He lived his faith, he served the people, and he left the world better than he found it. 

And in the end, Jimmy Carter’s work and those works speak for him louder than any tribute we can offer.

May his life be a lesson for the ages and a beacon for the future. 

May God bless President Jimmy Carter.  And may God bless the United States of America.

                        END                     5:29 P.M. EST

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The Biden-Harris Administration launched a new era in public-private partnerships, forging innovative, high-impact, and multisector partnerships to advance U.S. foreign policy and national security.

In one of his earliest national security memoranda, President Biden acknowledged that “government alone cannot solve the complex challenges the United States faces at home and abroad.  In addition to restoring bilateral and multilateral alliances, the United States must bring to bear the ideas, perspectives, and contributions of a diverse array of sub-national and non-governmental partners…”

In that spirit, the Biden-Harris Administration made unprecedented use of public-private partnerships to advance key interests on every continent and nearly every major issue.  Public-private partnerships have been a feature of nearly every major White House initiative.  These partnerships have helped us effectively engage in strategic competition – economic, military, ideological, and competition to shape the future of the international order – fostering global cooperation around shared threats and challenges, like climate change, pandemic prevention, and countering transnational criminal activity.

Beyond launching high-impact partnerships, the Biden-Harris Administration also made generational strides in building partnership capacity and fostering a partnership culture across the federal government.  This Administration spurred the creation of formal partnership offices in several federal agencies and the maturation of over a dozen more.  Public-private partnership is, for the first time, a tool that nearly all national security agencies are resourced and empowered to use. 

The Biden-Harris Administration’s expansive scope and scale of public-private partnerships has allowed us to be better positioned to outmaneuver our geopolitical competitors, while leading global efforts to tackle shared challenges.  This approach has and will continue to pay off for the American people. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Leveraging Private Funding: Since FY 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration has leveraged or received commitments of more than $97 billion from private sector, philanthropy, and civil society partners.

• Launching New Partnerships: The Biden-Harris Administration established more than 1,400+ new partnerships programs, engaging more than 4,400+ distinct partners across private sector, philanthropy, and civil society. 

• Global Reach: Public-private partnerships with federal agencies are operating in communities across more than 130 countries.

FEATURED PARTNERSHIP AREAS

• Catalyzing High-Quality Infrastructure Investment: The Biden-Harris Administration has led the G7 to invest in low- and middle-income countries through the flagship initiative Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI).  Over the last three years, the United States alone has mobilized more than $80 billion towards PGI investments through federal financing, grants, and leveraged private sector contributions, including investments focused on the partner economies of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), and across sub-Saharan Africa.  This includes the development of food production and energy infrastructure in the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, the first open-access transcontinental rail network in Africa, and the Luzon Economic Corridor in the Philippines. 

• Driving Regional Entrepreneurship and Investment: The United States has led efforts to create diversified and resilient regional supply lines, as well as efforts to train an inclusive and diverse cohort of entrepreneurs.  The investor network component of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) is promoting a robust and inclusive entrepreneurial landscape in the Western Hemisphere by bridging investment gaps and connecting Latin American and Caribbean entrepreneurs with strategic investors, mentors, and resources, already having pledged $1.7 billion and deployed over $92 million.  The Biden-Harris Administration also partnered with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which is conducting competitiveness studies of APEP countries that will facilitate the establishment of integrated regional value chains in three critical areas: medical supplies, semiconductors, and critical minerals. 

• Global COVID Response: During the first and second Global COVID Summits, President Biden announced more than $2 billion in private and philanthropic sector commitments to support the global COVID response through vaccination efforts, concessionary pricing of therapeutics, vaccine awareness campaigns, and health worker support initiative.  Project Last Mile is continuing this work.

• Tackling the Climate Crisis: The Biden-Harris Administration has supplemented the investments of the Inflation Reduction Act with international partnerships to combat the climate crisis.  At COP26, President Biden released the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE) to help more than half a billion people in developing countries adapt to and manage the impacts of climate change.  The plan includes partnerships between private sector and the DFC to invest in climate resilience.  Since November 2022, 40 companies and partners have made voluntary commitments to build climate resilience around the world and these efforts will mobilize more than $3 billion in additional support to help people better manage the impacts of climate change.  

Promoting Rights and Opportunities for Women and Girls: The Biden-Harris Administration advanced gender equality globally, launching initiatives to increase women’s economic security, address gender-based violence, promote women’s participation in peace and security processes, and advance women’s leadership and human rights.  The Administration mobilized over $2 billion in private resources to close gender gaps online through the Women in the Digital Economy initiative and in green and blue sectors through the Women in the Sustainable Economy initiative.

• Building Regional Disaster Resilience: In addition to tackling the climate crises abroad, the Biden-Harris Administration is implementing strategies to ensure that states, counties, tribal lands, and U.S. territories are better prepared before natural disasters occur here at home.  FEMA alone has over 3,000 local partners across the United States and abroad in its work to prepare for, respond, recover from disasters.  This includes partnerships that provide investments in training for caregivers to plan for patient needs during a disaster; the launching of Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZ) to help state and local authorities identify the most at risk and in-need communities to prioritize public and private resources; and increasing regional capacity for response and recovery activities during declared emergencies or disasters, through the Mission Ready Venues partnership.  This partnership with the National Football League authorizes large sports venues to serve as emergency shelters, staging areas, commodity distribution sites, evacuation pick up points, disaster recovery centers, mass vaccination and testing, temporary hospitals, and more. 

• Addressing Food Insecurity: Fostering public-private partnerships has been a critical tool of the Biden-Harris Administration in combatting global food insecurity and ensuring inclusive economic growth.  Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s flagship global hunger and food security initiative, has leveraged more than $6 billion in private sector commitments, mitigating the hunger crises for millions of people around the world.  Funding support to agribusiness entrepreneurs through the U.S.-African Union Strategic Partnership helps to diversify food supply markets.  Other efforts, like PGI, have helped mobilize over $1 billion in U.S. investments to spur inclusive economic growth, fund reliable roads, digital agriculture financing, food processing facilities, and irrigation projects in developing partner countries. 

• Providing a Beacon of Hope for Refugees and Welcoming Our Afghan Allies: The Biden-Harris Administration has rebuilt partnerships with refugee resettlement agencies, civil society, the private sector, faith communities, and veterans to continue the long tradition of the United States as a leader in refugee resettlement.  In FY 2024, this public-private partnership welcomed more than 100,000 refugees from around the world, the most in a single year in three decades.  The Administration has also partnered to welcome more Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders than all other administrations combined.  Building from whole-of-society efforts to welcome Afghan newcomers, the Administration created the Welcome Corps to enable ordinary Americans to sponsor refugees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders into their communities.  The Department of State also formed a unique partnership with the #AfghanEvac Coalition to support the resettlement of our Afghan allies.

• Managing Regional Migration: Under the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, the Biden-Harris Administration has brought together 22 hemispheric partners behind a shared approach to advance safe, humane, and orderly migration.  Public-private partnerships have been critical to implementing the LA Declaration, which has helped leverage private sector and multilateral institutions to support efforts by host communities within Latin America and the Caribbean to stabilize and integrate millions of migrants.  The public-private partnership known as Central America Forward, launched in response to Vice President Harris’s Call to Action for Northern Central America, generated more than $5.2 billion in new commitments from more than 50 companies and organizations in support of inclusive economic growth in the region.  

• Digital Connectivity & Economic Growth Across the Global South: The Biden-Harris Administration has partnered with companies, philanthropies, and multinational development banks to accelerate the economic growth and digital connectivity of partners across the Global South.  As the 2023 APEC Host, the Administration generated $50 billion in new U.S. private sector investments into Indo-Pacific countries including nearly $25 billion to increase digital connectivity including sub-sea cables.  As part of her historic trip to Africa, Vice President Harris galvanized U.S., African, and global private sector investments for the Continent, including more than $7 billion in climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation commitments and $1 billion in commitments to advance women’s economic security and close the gender digital divide in Africa. Building on these efforts, in May 2024 the Vice President launched two new public-private partnerships to advance digital access and inclusion in Africa.  Since 2021, the U.S. Government has helped close 1,882 deals across 42 countries for a total estimated value of $72.3 billion across Africa, including through Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) Initiative, U.S.-Africa Clean-Tech Energy Network (CTEN), and the Africa Tech for Trade Alliance.

• Advancing American Competitiveness and Security Across Supply Chains & Tech: The Biden-Harris Administration has fundamentally revised the U.S. approach to technology and national security and recognizes that economic competitiveness and national security depend on our ability to build secure and sustainable supply chains for the technologies necessary to power our future.  Not only has this Administration made historic investments totaling $395 billion through the CHIPS and Science Act to secure U.S. global leadership in advanced technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), but it has utilized partnerships with industry-leading technology companies to effectively out-compete other nations, increase our innovative capacity, and establish secure, high-tech supply chains.  The NSF launched the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot and the National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes partnerships to support AI research to advance safe, secure and trustworthy AI, as well as the application of AI to challenges in healthcare and environmental and infrastructure sustainability.   Additionally, the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, France, and Canada- via the “Sapporo 5” partnership successfully mobilized over $5.6 billion in public and private investments to expand uranium enrichment services for the civil nuclear sector and build a peaceful nuclear energy supply chain free from Russian influence.

• Securing our Digital House: The Administration is locking America’s digital doors to threats of manipulation, scamming, theft, and disruption by malicious cyber actors, including by taking unprecedented action with the private sector to protect America’s critical infrastructure.  Public-private partnerships have provided grants and discounts on security products optimized for smaller hospitals and provided free and low-cost cybersecurity resources to school districts.  The Administration has launched the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark a voluntary certification and labeling program that raises the bar for cybersecurity across common consumer smart devices.  The USG has also partnered with the tech industry to fight cryptocurrency finance crime and ransomware, standing up a partnership for rapid tracing and interdiction under the Illicit Virtual Asset Notification (IVAN) program.

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On January 3, President Biden issued a National Security Memorandum to update policy guidance for the U.S. Government’s implementation of the Missile Technology Control Regime, or “MTCR.” These updates reflect a renewed U.S. commitment to nonproliferation, while advancing the President’s goals of strengthening allied defense capabilities, bolstering the U.S. defense industrial base, streamlining defense trade, and deterring adversaries. These policy changes will help the United States advance shared defense objectives with close allies, including the implementation of AUKUS, while maintaining a strong leadership role on nonproliferation and export control policy.

Since MTCR’s formation by the G7 nearly four decades ago, its membership has grown to 35 countries. The MTCR was developed to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation by limiting exports of missile delivery systems; in 1992, the MTCR expanded to focus on the proliferation of missiles for delivery of all types of weapons of mass destruction. The MTCR has been, and continues to be, one of the most successful multilateral nonproliferation regimes in effect today and a crucial element of the post-Cold War global nonproliferation regime. As the United States continues to advance the objectives of the MTCR established in 1987, it will consider how the strategic environment, advancement of missile technology, and access to technology exports have changed since 1987.

The NSM directs the interagency to provide increased flexibility for case-by-case review and facilitate support for certain MTCR Category I military missiles, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) systems to certain partners with strong export control systems.  While this support will encompass a wide range of activity, consistent with MTCR Guidelines, it will explicitly exclude transfers of complete production facilities that encompass all capabilities necessary to produce a Category I system independently.

The NSM establishes that the MTCR is not designed to impede national space programs or international cooperation in such programs as long as such programs could not contribute to delivery systems for WMD. In support of the U.S. Space Priorities Framework (USSPF) and the promotion of international cooperation in space, and in accordance with the MTCR Guidelines, transfers of MTCR Category I SLV related commodities, software, and technology will be considered on a case-by-case basis for select and vetted partner space programs and participation in international space programs, whether such programs are governmental or commercial in nature.

The NSM reaffirms the MTCR as an important mechanism and will continue to oppose missile programs of concern, and will maintain a general policy of not supporting the development or acquisition of MTCR Category I military missile systems (i.e., not SLVs by non-MTCR partners consistent with U.S. commitments under the MTCR Guidelines. The United States will also work to stem the flow of advanced dual-use technology or expertise to unauthorized parties, i.e., end-users and end-uses that pose an unacceptable risk of diversion to programs and activities of concern.

Additionally, the United States will use the MTCR, other multilateral nonproliferation regimes, and U.S. nonproliferation and export control laws, regulations, and policy to continue addressing regional proliferation challenges, disrupting proliferation networks, and addressing efforts to circumvent nonproliferation controls around the world. In implementing the MTCR, the United States will work to ensure the regime keeps pace with the evolution in missile technology, and prevents the transfer of technologies that would threaten the United States, allies, partners, and other countries around the world.

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Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany from January 13 to January 17.
 
On January 15, the Vice President will meet with leaders in Singapore and visit Changi Naval Base.  On January 16, the Vice President will meet with leaders in Manama, Bahrain and visit Naval Support Activity–Bahrain, the headquarters of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the U.S. 5th Fleet. On January 17, the Vice President will be in Spangdahlem, Germany to visit the U.S. Air Force 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base.
 
Throughout her trip, the Vice President will discuss the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris Administration over the past four years in each region, the U.S. partnership with the respective nations, the contributions of U.S. military forces to regional and global security, and the enduring national security interests of the United States. Throughout her events at U.S. military installations, the Vice President will also engage with U.S. servicemembers.
 
Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will accompany the Vice President on the trip. During their travel, the Second Gentleman will engage with civil society, including religious leaders and families of servicemembers. 

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Voluntary cybersecurity labeling program for wireless interconnected smart products, administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will help Americans make more informed decisions about the cybersecurity of products – from baby monitors to security systems – they bring into their homes.  

Today, the White House announced the launch of a cybersecurity label for internet-connected devices, known as the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, completing public notice and input over the last 18 months. During that time, FCC Commissioners decided in a bipartisan and unanimous vote to authorize the program and adopt final rules, as well as the trademarked, distinct shield logo that will be applied to products certified for the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark label. In December 2024, the FCC announced the conditional approval of 11 companies as Cybersecurity Label Administrators and the conditional selection of UL Solutions as the Lead Administrator.    

Americans have many “smart” wireless interconnected devices in their homes, from baby monitors to home security cameras to voice-activated assistants. These devices are part of Americans’ daily lives. But Americans are worried about the rise of criminals remotely hacking into home security systems to unlock doors, or malicious attackers tapping into insecure home cameras to illicitly record conversations. The White House launched this bipartisan effort to educate American consumers and give them an easy way to assess the cybersecurity of such products, as well as incentivize companies to produce more cybersecure devise, much as EnergyStar labels did for energy efficiency. Major electronics, appliance, and consumer product manufacturers, as well as retailers and trade associations, have been working to increase cybersecurity for the products they sell. The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program allows them to test products against established cybersecurity criteria from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology via compliance testing by accredited labs, and earn the Cyber Trust Mark label, providing an easy way for American consumers to see the cybersecurity of products they choose to bring into their homes.  

Reacting to the program’s launch, leading companies are coming forward to express their support and to help educate American consumers about the new Cyber Trust Mark label.  

Michael Dolan, Senior Director, Head of Enterprise Privacy & Data Protection, Best Buy:  

“We see great potential in the US Cyber Trust Mark Program. It is a positive step forward for consumers and we are excited about the opportunity to highlight this program for our customers.”   

Steve Downer, Vice President, Amazon:  

“Amazon supports the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark’s goal to strengthen consumer trust in connected devices. We believe consumers will value seeing the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark both on product packaging and while shopping online. We look forward to collaborating with industry partners and the government on consumer education efforts and implementation strategies.” 

Justin Brookman, Director of Technology Policy, Consumer Reports:

“Consumer Reports is eager to see this program deliver a meaningful U.S. Cyber Trust Mark that lets consumers know their connected devices meet fundamental cybersecurity standards. The mark will also inform consumers whether or not a company plans to stand behind the product with software updates and for how long. While voluntary, Consumer Reports hopes that manufacturers will apply for this mark, and that consumers will look for it when it becomes available.”

The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark embodies public-private collaboration. It connects companies, consumers, and the U.S. government by incentivizing companies to build products securely against established security standards and gives consumers an added measure of assurance – through the label – that their smart device is cybersafe. The program is open for business in 2025: companies will soon be able to submit their products for testing to earn the label, companies like BestBuy and Amazon will be highlighting labeled products, and consumers can look for products bearing the Trust Mark on the shelves.  

For more information about the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, please visit the dedicated page on FCC.gov.  

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