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Hurricane Milton is forecasted to impact the Western coast of the Florida peninsula this week. As communities across the Southeast – including in Florida – continue their road to recovery and rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, the Biden-Harris Administration is mobilizing additional resources and personnel to prepare for the impacts of this new major storm.

The Federal government is preparing to support affected communities wherever and whenever needed. Preparedness efforts are underway in conjunction with state and local partners. Together we stand ready to respond to any potential impacts on communities.

FEMA has sufficient funding to both support the response to Hurricane Milton and continue to support the response to Hurricane Helene– including funding to support first responders and provide immediate assistance to disaster survivors.

Today, President Biden quickly approved the Governor of Florida’s request for an emergency declaration. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life-saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.

President Biden was first briefed yesterday on Hurricane Milton’s potential impacts to the Florida Gulf Coast and the work FEMA is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. He is also receiving another briefing today from Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall.

The Administration has been in touch with officials from the State of Florida, as well as more than 15 local officials in cities and counties along the likely path of impact, to ensure needs are met in advance of the storm. FEMA has been coordinating closely with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s team ahead of FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell’s visit to Tampa today. The Administration has also reached out to state officials in South Carolina and Georgia and will continue outreach efforts based on Hurricane Milton’s latest trajectory.

Florida residents are urged to stay alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.

Pre-landfall actions taken thus far include:

Pre-Positioning Resources and Personnel

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is flying Hurricane Hunters into the current storm to gather data to models and help hone prediction of the storm’s track and timing.

FEMA has pre-staged personnel and resources in Florida and the region, including six FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams, five FEMA Urban Search & Rescue teams, three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, four HealthCare System Assessment Teams, two U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporary power teams, USACE debris experts, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and wastewater experts, 300 ambulances and 30 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the Department of Defense.

Additionally, FEMA has two incident staging bases with commodities including food and water. Right now, FEMA currently has 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water in the pipeline to deploy as needed used to address ongoing Helene and Milton response efforts with capacity to expand as needed.

Currently, a total of nearly 900 staff are already supporting recovery efforts based out of the Joint Field Office in Tallahassee and operating across the designated counties for hurricanes Helene, Debby and Idalia. This includes over 440 supporting Hurricane Helene recovery, over 300 supporting Hurricane Debby recovery, and over 100 supporting Hurricane Idalia recovery.

Expediting Debris Removal in Florida

Debris remaining from the impacts of Hurricane Helene poses additional threats to lives and livelihoods if another storm occurs. FEMA is supporting the State of Florida to expedite the removal of debris from Hurricane Helene in the Tampa region in advance of Hurricane Milton’s landfall.

FEMA is providing all flexibility available for reimbursement for debris removal activities, to help the State take whatever action is required to speed debris removal before Milton’s landfall. To that end, FEMA is supporting Florida in surging additional resources to the Tampa area to get as much debris picked up as possible. State-run debris management sites are open 24 hours a day, and contracted trucks can deliver debris to those sites around the clock.   
The Governor of Florida has additionally activated 4,000 State active-duty National Guard, many of whom will help with debris removal.

Pre-Landfall Preparations Supplement Ongoing Helene Response

The Administration continues to mobilize a whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Yesterday, President Biden ordered another 500 active-duty troops with advanced technological assets to move into Western North Carolina and assist with the response and recovery efforts. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guards and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – the Administration is sparing no resource to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.

The Administration has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $210 million in Federal assistance – and there is more to come. Over the last several days, the Administration has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted States to ensure they have the support and resources they need. To date, FEMA has shipped over 15.6 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, more than 505,000 tarps to the region, and installed 157 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants.

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The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to preventing, detecting and responding to health emergencies globally. On September 27, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health announced an outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) and the Biden-Harris Administration is working closely with the Government of Rwanda to end the MVD outbreak as quickly as possible. As we have all experienced in recent years, health emergencies are a global issue we must address together. CDC assesses that the risk of infection with this virus in the United States is low, and there are currently no confirmed MVD cases outside of Rwanda.

Since learning of this outbreak, the United States has committed to making nearly $11 million available to address urgent health needs in Rwanda and surrounding countries, including support for surveillance and contact tracing, infection prevention and control guidance, and exit screening at Rwanda’s airport and neighboring border crossings. And within days of learning of the MVD outbreak, CDC deployed three senior scientists to Rwanda to support its response. Although there are currently no FDA-approved vaccines or drugs against MVD, the United States contributed hundreds of investigational vaccine doses and a small number of investigational therapeutics doses, which arrived in Rwanda this weekend. The United States has also contributed more than 500 MVD tests and 500 units of personal protective equipment, which have arrived in Rwanda to support response efforts and protect health workers.

In times of crisis, we must work together to quickly save lives. The Government of Rwanda has taken action to contain this outbreak and protect the health and wellbeing of the Rwandan people, and the United States will continue supporting those efforts. We must also continue to build preparedness between crises, which is why the United States has supported global health security work for more than two decades to help build capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats across the world.

Even as we respond to crises abroad, the top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration is protecting the American people. To keep Americans safe, we are implementing additional precautions for a small, select group of travelers arriving in the United States from Rwanda, including additional public health entry screenings. To facilitate these precautions, the United States will finalize plans in the coming week to redirect passengers who were recently in Rwanda to certain U.S. airports for public health entry screening and follow up measures. These measures will advance ongoing efforts to protect public health and reduce the risk of MVD coming into the United States.

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This morning President Biden spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the solemn occasion of the one-year anniversary of the horrific Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks. 

President Biden expressed his deepest condolences to the people of Israel and to the families of the 1,200 innocent people – including 46 Americans – massacred by the terrorist group Hamas on a day of unspeakable brutality. He stressed that the United States will never give up until we bring all of the remaining hostages home safely.

President Biden conveyed his commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist, and reaffirmed his support for Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Iran and all Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

The President also expressed deep sadness for the loss of innocent life in Gaza and the ongoing suffering of Palestinian civilians as a result of the war that Hamas unleashed. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home, secures Israel, alleviates the suffering of Palestinian civilians, and paves the way for a lasting peace with Hamas never again able to control Gaza or reconstitute its military capabilities. 

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Milton beginning on October 5, 2024, and continuing. 

The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Desoto, Dixie, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Nassau, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union.

Mr. John E. Brogan of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

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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I will never forget the horror of October 7, 2023.  1,200 innocent people, including 46 Americans, were massacred by Hamas terrorists. Women raped on the side of the road. 250 people kidnapped. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. What Hamas did that day was pure evil – it was brutal and sickening. And it has rekindled a deep fear among the Jewish people not just in Israel, but in the United States and around the world.
 
The long, extraordinary arc of Jewish history is full of pogroms and prejudice, slaughter and separation. And now, in our own generation, there is another moment that the world must never forget.
 
I am devastated by the loss and pain of the Israeli people as a result of the heinous October 7 attack. Doug and I pray for the families of the victims and hope they find solace in remembering the lives their loved ones lived.
 
We also pray for the safety of Jewish people all around the world. We all must ensure nothing like the horrors of October 7 ever happen again. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the threat Hamas poses is eliminated, that it is never again able to govern Gaza, that it fails in its mission to annihilate Israel, and that the people of Gaza are free from the grip of Hamas. I will never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages, including the seven American citizens, living and deceased, still held: Omer, Edan, Sagui, Keith, Judy, Gad, and Itay. I will never stop fighting for justice for those who murdered Hersh Goldberg-Polin and other Americans. And I will always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists like Hamas. My commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering.
 
Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7 launched a war in Gaza. I am heartbroken over the scale of death and destruction in Gaza over the past year—tens of thousands of lives lost, children fleeing for safety over and over again, mothers and fathers struggling to obtain food, water, and medicine. It is far past time for a hostage and ceasefire deal to end the suffering of innocent people. And I will always fight for the Palestinian people to be able to realize their right to dignity, freedom, security, and self-determination. We also continue to believe that a diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border region is the only path to restore lasting calm and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes.
 
Today, as we mourn the lives lost on October 7, I know many Jews will be reciting and reflecting on the Jewish prayer for mourning – the Kaddish. The words of the Kaddish, however, are not about death. The prayer is about still believing in God and still having faith. I know that is difficult amidst so much trauma and pain. But it is with that spirit that I commemorate this solemn day. We will not forget, and we will not lose faith. And in honor of all those souls we lost on October 7, we must never lose sight of the dream of peace, dignity, and security for all.
 

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The post Statement by Vice President Harris Marking One Year Since the October 7th Attack appeared first on The White House.

On this day last year, the sun rose on what was supposed to be a joyous Jewish holiday. By sunset, October 7 had become the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Today marks one year of mourning for the more than 1,200 innocent people of all ages, including 46 Americans, massacred in southern Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. One year since Hamas committed horrific acts of sexual violence.  One year since more than 250 innocents were taken hostage, including 12 Americans. One year for the survivors carrying wounds, seen and unseen, who will never be the same. And one year of a devastating war. On this solemn anniversary, let us bear witness to the unspeakable brutality of the October 7th attacks but also to the beauty of the lives that were stolen that day.  

The October 7th attack brought to the surface painful memories left by millennia of hatred and violence against the Jewish people. That is why, soon after the attack, I became the first American President to visit Israel in a time of war. I made clear then to the people of Israel: you are not alone. One year later, Vice President Harris and I remain fully committed to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist. We support Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and Iran. Last week, at my direction, the United States military once again actively assisted in the successful defense of Israel, helping to defeat an Iranian ballistic missile attack.   

Today and every day, I think of the hostages and their families.  I have met the families of the hostages and grieved with them. They have been through hell. My Administration has negotiated for the safe release of more than 100 hostages, including Americans. We will never give up until we bring all of the remaining hostages home safely.  

I also strongly condemn the vicious surge in antisemitism in America and around the world. It is unacceptable. All of us must stand united against antisemitism and against hate in all its forms.  

I believe that history will also remember October 7th as a dark day for the Palestinian people because of the conflict that Hamas unleashed that day. Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year of conflict — and tens of thousands have been killed, a human toll made far worse by terrorists hiding and  operating among innocent people. We will not stop working to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home, allows for a surge in humanitarian aid to ease the suffering on the ground, assures Israel’s security, and ends this war. Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity, and peace. We also continue to believe that a diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border region is the only path to restore lasting calm and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes. 

On this day of remembrance, which also falls during the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, we honor the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people and mourn the victims of October 7th. May their memory be a blessing.

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President Biden ordered 500 additional active-duty troops to support on-the-ground efforts; 1,500 troops now mobilized to assist National Guard and Federal personnel

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration continues to mobilize a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. As life-saving response efforts continue in heavily impacted areas, the Administration is also working to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

Today, in response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, President Biden ordered that another 500 active-duty troops move into Western North Carolina. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – the Biden-Harris Administration is mobilizing all relevant resources to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.

The Administration has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in Federal assistance – with more to come. Over the last several days, the Administration has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted states to ensure they have the support and resources they need. 

The Administration is committed to ensuring that all communities receive accurate information that is essential to their recovery. The Administration, including FEMA, has been tracking and combatting the significant amount of false information circulating online related to the Federal response – which can discourage people from seeking critical and life-saving assistance. The Administration is actively working to identify and combat this misinformation and disinformation and support survivors in every possible way. 

President Biden and Vice President Harris have traveled throughout the Southeast this week to meet with impacted communities and, during their travels, have reaffirmed that the Administration will be with impacted communities every step of the way, no matter how long it takes, to ensure they have the support and resources they need to recover and rebuild. While there is a long way to go on the road to full recovery and rebuilding, Republican and Democratic leaders from across the country have praised the Administration’s well-coordinated response and surge of resources in the aftermath of Helene’s landfall – including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer.

Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, which has the potential to have significant impacts along the West coast of the Florida Peninsula by mid-next week. Residents in Florida should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.

Additional updates on the Federal response include: 

Active-Duty Service Members Delivering Life-Saving Supplies to North Carolinians

In response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, today President Biden directed another 500 troops move into Western North Carolina. These troops have advanced technological assets to provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region. These additional 500 troops supplement the nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, who have already been mobilized through the Department of Defense and in coordination with FEMA to support the residents and affected counties in Western North Carolina.

In support of the state and North Carolina National Guard, these active-duty troops are focusing their efforts on moving valuable commodities—like food and water—to distribution sites, getting those commodities to survivors in areas that are hard to reach. They are also working on road stabilization and route clearance activities. 

In addition, the Department of Defense is providing rotary wing assets from the Army and Navy for personnel movement and commodity distribution across the affected region. Fixed and rotary wing assets from the Air Force are conducting search and rescue activities.  

The US Army Corps of Engineers has established 12 Emergency Operations Centers across the southeast, with three in North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers also has emergency power teams conducting assessments in North Carolina and Georgia as well as water/wastewater assessments, bridge and road inspections, and debris removal efforts in North Carolina and Florida.

Over 6,000 National Guard personnel from 18 States are spearheading the response effort across the impacted region, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster.  

Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts

The Biden-Harris Administration is actively working alongside state, local and Tribal partners to assess damage and support those affected by the disaster. 

The Federal government has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in federal assistance. More than 7,000 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed, including U.S. Forest Service Saw Teams to help clear debris in remote areas. To date, FEMA has shipped over 14.9 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, more than 505,000 tarps to the region, and installed 157 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants.

President Biden has approved 100 percent Federal cost share for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This means that the Federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs associated with things like debris removal, first responders, search and rescue, shelters, and mass feeding.

Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.   

Repairing Roads and Re-Establishing Critical Routes 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $100 million in Emergency Relief funds for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help pay for the costs of immediate emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene flood damage. The Department also announced $32 million for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. This is in addition to the $2 million announced for use by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

These funds will allow the states to act more quickly to fund eligible repairs to their damaged facilities. FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These Emergency Relief funds, provided through the “quick release” process, are an initial installment of funds toward restoring this essential transportation link. Additional funds needed to repair damage will be supported by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations.

Restoring Power and Critical Communications 

As of this morning, approximately 384,000 customers are without power, down more than 91 percent from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27. At least 50,000 personnel from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada are responding to power outages in the Southeast and Appalachia.

Additionally, FirstNet, an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has been instrumental in providing critical communication support during Hurricane Helene. The FirstNet Response Operations Group deployed 19 SatCOLTs (light trucks with mounted cellular towers) and numerous portable cellular sites to the hardest-hit areas, including North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. So far, FirstNet has provided cell service and internet access to over 75,000 first responders and survivors affected by the storm, while power and connectivity is being restored.

Calling on Congress to Provide More Disaster Assistance to Communities 

President Biden wrote a letter to Congressional leaders calling on them to provide more funding for disaster relief efforts. President Biden warned that most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene. Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times. In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds. Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses. President Biden urged the Congress to restore this funding immediately. SBA is already receiving over 3,000 loan applications a day from people affected by Hurricane Helene.

The President also warned that, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year. Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs. He called on the Congress to provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

Administration’s Ongoing Response Efforts Supplement Significant Pre-Landfall Preparations

The Biden-Harris Administration took significant steps and made extensive preparations prior to Helene making landfall. Two days in advance of Helene making landfall on September 26, the Administration began preparations in coordination with State and local partners. 

On September 24, FEMA stood up their National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., charged with monitoring the storm’s track and coordinating national-level emergency response teams. FEMA Region V also activated its Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta on September 24, gathering personnel to monitor the storm on the ground close to the anticipated impact and begin planning a response and deployed Incident Management Teams to state Emergency Operations Centers in the storm’s path to coordinate and speed Federal support to response operations.

At the President’s direction, 1,500 Federal personnel were deployed to the region, including 14 Urban Search and Rescue teams (940 personnel) to potentially affected states, including eight teams to Florida; two teams to Georgia; and four teams to North Carolina and FEMA setup up an incident support base in coordination with the 42d Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. 

The Federal government pre-staged in the region:

• More than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, and 20,000 blankets to support sheltering needs in impacted communities;
• Tanker trucks with 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to surge to impacted communities once the storm passed to help alleviate any fuel shortages; and;
• Hundreds of ambulances to assist with the movement of any patients out of impacted hospitals or other facilities.

In advance of landfall, President Biden approved five Governors’ Emergency Declaration requests for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to Helene’s landfall. He also immediately approved Emergency Declaration requests that the Governors of Tennessee and Virginia submitted shortly after landfall. These declarations authorized FEMA to reimburse State and local jurisdictions for costs incurred for pre-storm emergency measures including: evacuating and sheltering residents, search and rescue operations, sandbagging, covering costs associated with Emergency Operation Centers, and first responder activation.

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Since before Hurricane Helene made landfall, my Administration has mobilized an intensive Federal response to ensure impacted communities have the resources and support they need. As part of that ongoing commitment, and in response to Governor Cooper’s request for additional support, today I ordered another 500 active-duty troops with advanced technological assets to move into Western North Carolina and assist with the response and recovery efforts. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – my Administration is sparing no resource to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.
 
Additionally, I have been briefed on Tropical Storm Milton as it strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico and the work my Administration is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. I urge all residents in Florida to listen to local officials and make preparations as needed.
 
As these communities brace for potentially yet another catastrophic storm, and as part of my Administration’s solemn obligation to stand with impacted communities as they rebuild their lives, we will continue working hand-in-hand with local and state leaders – regardless of political party and no matter how long it takes.

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

Charlotte Air National Guard Base
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:54 P.M. EDT

 THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, Governor, I want to thank you — General, Administrator.  I came out to talk with the folks who have been doing God’s work on the ground here in the last several days. 

The work that is happening here and that continues really is the best of what we can do to bring federal, state, and local resources together in a way that is coordinated with one purpose and one purpose only, which is bringing relief, support, and help to the people who are most in need and desperate for help and desperate to be seen and heard.

I just spoke with members of the National Guard to thank them.  They, like so many who are on the ground doing this work — whether it be through FEMA, the governor’s office, state offices — they — many of them who are doing this work have been directly hit themselves.  We are talking about people who are leaders, who are from the communities that have been hardest hit. 

And I think we all have to recognize and thank them for the nobility of their work and their calling, which is to leave their home, to leave their families who may need the kind of resources that they can provide.  But they have taken an oath.  They have taken on a job that says to them they must go and help those who are in need, many who may be strangers to them.

So, I came here to find out what’s going on on the ground, to find out what more we can do in terms of federal aid, such as what we announced today, and the federal support we’re giving to Mecklen- — Mecklenburg County in terms of disaster relief — the work that we are doing, which is $100 million to assist with the rebuilding of Interstate 40.  And also, again, just to thank the folks on the ground for what they are doing every day.

And, again, I want to thank you, Governor, Administrator, General, everyone who is here — Colonel — for all you are doing on behalf of everyone in this region and our nation.  You all are doing extraordinary work, and we are forever grateful to you all.  So, thank you. 

     Thank you all.

                               END                 4:56 P.M. EDT 

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NC National Guard Operations Building
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:01 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Governor.  And I thank you all, everyone here. 

I’ve talked with many of you within, actually, hours and certainly days of Helene hitting this beautiful state.  And I thank you all for the work you’ve been doing around the clock. 

Administrator, you and I have talked many, many times, and your team on the ground, they’re just doing extraordinary work.  But the work that’s happening here that is so positively impacting so many people is really an example of the best we can do when we bring resources together at the federal, state, and local level and tap into the kind of collegiality that produces results.  And this is the work that you all have been doing.

For the folks who are local, I also know what this means for each of you as a leader — to be a leader at a time that your own homes, your families, your friends, people you know, your community has been directly hit. 

For the folks that work in your various divisions and offices, I know that they’ve been showing up at a moment of need for others, even when their own families and their own homes have been directly impacted.  I think that these moments of crisis bring out some of the best of who we can be and who we are. 

 I’ve been seeing and hearing the stories from here in North Carolina about strangers who are helping each other out, giving people assistance in every way that they need, including shelter, food, and friendship and fellowship.  And — and so, I thank everyone for all the work that they’ve been doing — those who are in the room and those who are out there right now, working around the clock. 

And I’m also here because I wanted to make an announcement that yesterday we added Mecklenburg County to the major disaster declaration.  So, that means that we’re going to be getting substantial resources in to help folks and, in particular, to help them now be able to apply for federal assistance for a range of things that will be including home repair; what folks need in terms of generators, or even just compensation for the generators that they’ve had to buy; the kind of shelter that they’ve had to seek, including hotels.

And federal assistance for these issues is, I know, extremely important, because a lot of folks don’t save for these kinds of emergencies, and when they hit, it takes a real drain on their resources and ability to take care of themselves and their family. 

But, again, I thank everybody here.  I’m looking forward to our briefing. 

And — and I will say that also we are looking forward to working with our congressional partners.  And — and, Congresswoman, you’ve been a great leader to work with your colleagues, as you always do, so that we can get Congress to also issue the resources that FEMA will need to be an active and resourced federal partner with all of you on the ground at the state and local level. 

     And with that, let’s start our briefing. 

                               END                 4:04 P.M. EDT

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Senior Advisor to the President and Communications Director Ben LaBolt, and Director of Digital Strategy Christian Tom

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration has mobilized a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government effort to respond to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. This includes extensive pre-landfall preparations, as well as an immediate surge of additional resources and personnel to impacted communities. More than 6,400 Federal personnel are on the ground, and more than $110 million in Federal assistance has been given to survivors, with more to come. We are sparing no resource as we work to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

Unfortunately, as our response and recovery efforts continue, we have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene. A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and live-saving resources. This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately.

Combatting misinformation and disinformation is always important – but it is especially important when responding to disasters like Hurricane Helene. In fact, disinformation after a hurricane or other natural disaster can discourage people from seeking critical assistance when they need it most. It is imperative that we encourage impacted residents to register for FEMA assistance, not discourage it, by allowing falsehoods to spread.

Leaders from across the country, including local, state, and federal elected officials in both parties, are pleading with people to stop sharing “this junk.”

1. CNN: With misinformation swirling in Hurricane Helene’s wake, officials urge residents to ‘stop this conspiracy theory junk’
2. HuffPost: North Carolina Republican Pleads To End Right-Wing Conspiracy Theories About Helene Disaster Recovery
3. The Hill: Tennessee mayor on FEMA attacks post-Helene: ‘Quit spreading those rumors’
4. WVLT: ‘A lot of misinformation’ | Gov. Lee, FEMA address donation rumors

Here are some of the falsehoods being spread online – and the facts we are fighting back with:

FALSEHOOD: Disaster relief funds were used on immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

FACT: No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. None. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.

1. Washington Post: No, Biden didn’t take FEMA relief money to use on migrants — but Trump did
2. NBC News: False claims about FEMA disaster funds and migrants pushed by Trump
3. CNN: ‘This is FALSE’: White House responds to Trump’s FEMA disaster relief claims

FALSEHOOD: FEMA is in the process of confiscating Helene survivor property. If I apply for disaster assistance and my land is deemed unlivable, my property will be seized.

FACT: FEMA cannot seize your property or land. Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land.

1. Verify: No, the government isn’t seizing land in Chimney Rock, N.C., and bulldozing the town

FALSEHOOD: FEMA will only provide $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.

FACT: This is a type of assistance that you may be approved for soon after you apply, called Serious Needs Assistance. It is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. There are other forms of assistance that you may qualify for to receive, and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses your eligibility for additional funds. $750 is what is immediately available to eligible survivors. In addition, survivors may qualify for more FEMA financial assistance, including to repair storm-related damage to homes and property, find a temporary place to stay, and receive compensation for lost crops and livestock.

• Verify: No, FEMA isn’t giving people impacted by Hurricane Helene just $750

FALSEHOOD: FEMA and the FAA are restricting air space in North Carolina, preventing private citizens from delivery relief.

FACT: There are no airspace restrictions in place in North Carolina as rescue efforts continue because of Hurricane Helene. Pilots looking to come into Asheville or Rutherford airports need to reach out to the airport for permission to land. The FAA is working with local authorities to ensure rescue efforts happen safely.

• Secretary Buttigieg: No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights.
• NC Aviation: With a 300% increase in traffic over Western NC, Prior Permission Required is now in place at select airports to ensure safe skies and sustainable operations.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to work via the official White House digital channels to inform the public of the response and recovery efforts to dispel the misinformation being shared, with higher volume on X than other platforms. Updates will continue to be shared about the volume and scope of federal aid being delivered.

The Biden- Harris Administration is also engaging trusted online publishers and influencers to connect with FEMA as a way to meet people where they are and provide them with accurate information. One example of this partnership includes MeidasTouch: Trump lies instantly debunked by FEMA spokesperson. This digital video resulted in reach across both digital and traditional media, including a local Alabama newspaper combatting misinformation.

In addition, the White House will leverage our opt-in SMS messaging platform to share messages to those in affected areas. SMS is a more resilient form of communication where data connectivity might still be recovering, and this is a further example of using all parts of digital communications to reach people who need information and assistance. 

More information on Hurricane Helene falsehoods and facts can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-helene/rumor-response

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the Commonwealth of Virginia by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a result of Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 90 days of the Commonwealth’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period. 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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Dear Speaker Johnson and Leaders Schumer, McConnell, and Jeffries,

I write to you regarding the needs of the Nation.  As communities across the Southeast devastated by Hurricane Helene assess the extent of the damage, they are expecting their Federal Government to stand behind them in their most urgent time of need.  I have seen firsthand the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to communities across the Southeast.  During my travels this week to North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, I met with families, business owners, farmers, local and state officials, and first responders, all of whom shared with me their stories of survival—and resilience.  As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in communities ravaged by natural disasters will have the Federal resources they need and deserve to respond to and recover from deadly storms and other natural disasters.  

My Administration will be with those affected until the job is done, and we have a solemn obligation to provide confidence that the Federal Government will stand with them as they rebuild their lives and their communities.  Furthermore, this responsibility extends to the many communities around the Nation that are still rebuilding from previous disasters.

Over the past 10 days, including in the lead up to Hurricane Helene making landfall, my Administration has provided robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense, and other Federal partners have quickly mobilized to support impacted citizens and communities in the six States where major disasters have been declared due to Hurricane Helene:  Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  They are performing critical life-saving and life-sustaining missions and will continue to do so within present funding levels.  As with other catastrophic disasters, it will take some time to assess the full requirements for response and recovery efforts, and I fully expect that the Congress will do its part to provide the funding needed.

While FEMA has the resources needed for the immediate emergency response phase, at least one other agency does not.  Most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene.  I warned the Congress of this potential shortfall even before Hurricane Helene landed on America’s shores.  I requested more funding for SBA multiple times over the past several months, and most recently, my Administration underscored that request as you prepared a continuing resolution to fund the Government.  Now the need is even more urgent.  Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times.  In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds.  Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses.  The Congress must act to restore this funding.

In addition, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.  Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs.  The Congress should provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

As the Congress heeds the call to assist the communities across the Nation recovering from Hurricane Helene, it must remember that many other communities are also in urgent need of disaster assistance.  As recently as this summer, my Administration requested that the Congress provide additional disaster assistance to many communities across America.  Many of the programs we requested to receive additional funding would also help response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene.  This includes funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to respond to devastating fires in Maui and tornados in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma as well as funding for the Department of Transportation to support rebuilding roads and bridges across the Nation, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

I urge you to keep faith with those communities and provide the requested additional funding to rebuild housing infrastructure, to support farmers and ranchers with crop losses, to address impacted schools, and to repair damaged Federal highways.  In addition to FEMA’s ongoing support, these are the resources that communities need and deserve to fully respond to and recover from devastating events.

It is critical that Congress ensures that no critical disaster programs, such as the SBA disaster loan program, run out of funding during the Congressional Recess period.  I also urge that after the Congress comes back into session on November 12th, you will act with all appropriate speed and provide comprehensive disaster relief so that the people, families, businesses, and communities affected by Hurricane Helene—as well as those still recovering from past disasters—are not only made whole, but can proceed in a way to make them more resilient in the face of future extreme weather events and other disasters.

My Administration will keep the Congress apprised of efforts to assess the full resource requirements associated with Hurricane Helene, including for long-term rebuilding and resilience efforts, as those estimates become available.  I urge you to assist those impacted by this hurricane and every other disaster since the Congress last passed a comprehensive disaster package in 2022.  We must stand with these communities on their long road to recovery.

Sincerely,

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the State of South Carolina by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the State of South Carolina as a result of Hurricane Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 90 days of the State’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period.

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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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists for the San Carlos Apache Tribe ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by the Watch Fire from July 10 to July 17, 2024.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

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 the San Carlos Apache Tribe and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the Watch Fire.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Mr. Benigno Ruiz 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.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, 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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On Friday, October 4, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 6513, the “Confirmation Of Congressional Observer Access Act of 2024” or the “COCOA Act of 2024,” which requires States to provide designated congressional election observers with full access to observe all elements of the administration of congressional elections.

Thank you to Representatives Carey, Morelle, and Steil for their leadership.

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     Our Nation’s children deserve every opportunity to reach their biggest dreams — that begins with ensuring our families and children have the resources and support they need to stay healthy and strong.  On Child Health Day, we recommit to supporting families as they help their children to lead healthy lives.

     When we came into office, Vice President Harris and I promised to give families some well-deserved breathing room so that families could care for their children without worrying about how they were going to pay the bills.  That is why my American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit, which reduced child poverty by nearly half across the Nation.  That law also made our Nation’s biggest investment in child care ever, keeping businesses open and hundreds of thousands of child care workers employed to care for children.  To lower health insurance costs, I signed the Inflation Reduction Act, saving millions of families $800 per year on their health insurance premiums.  And we strengthened the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program to provide home visits from trained professionals, who can offer prenatal care and postpartum support to new mothers and ensure their children’s health and well-being needs are met.  We launched the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA to help better support pregnant and postpartum moms.  We also modernized the Thrifty Food Plan for the first time in nearly five decades so that millions more families can afford nutritious foods.  We are working to reduce the amount of sodium in food to help prevent children from experiencing high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke later in life.  At the same time, we are working to secure free and healthy school meals for every child — beginning with setting a goal to deliver free school meals to nine million more children by 2032.

     My Administration is also working to ensure our youth have access to the mental health care they need, making the largest investment in mental health ever.  This includes over $2 billion in funding, including $1 billion through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, to help schools across the country train and hire new mental health counselors.  We made it easier for schools to leverage Medicaid to deliver health care, including mental health care, to millions of children and youth.  And we launched 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which anyone can call, text, or chat to be connected to a trained crisis counselor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

      Americans deserve to live in a safe community, free from the threat of violence — and when it comes to our Nation’s children, one of our most fundamental responsibilities is keeping them safe.  In the United States, firearms are the leading cause of death for children.  It is unacceptable.  Children are exposed to violence and worry about school shootings happening to them, and this exposure and fear can lead to negative consequences for their school life, mental health, and more.  That is why I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years and have announced dozens of gun safety executive actions, including one that will improve the active shooter drills that nearly all students undergo.  I also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris.  We have made significant progress, but we must do more.  I continue to call on the Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. 

     Our Administration is also making historic investments to tackle the climate crisis, which is essential to protecting our children’s futures.  Every child should be able to turn on the faucet at home or school and have access to safe, clean water — that is why, through my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are working to replace every lead pipe in America.  My Inflation Reduction Act — the most significant investment in climate ever — is investing in air quality sensors so that we prevent communities from experiencing the harmful effects of pollution.  And we have recommitted to conserving 30 percent of all our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030 so that generations to come may enjoy them.

     Our children deserve to grow up in a country that cares about their health, happiness, and opportunities for success.  During Child Health Day, may we recommit to supporting our children and families so that they can thrive.  And may we continue to build a future where every child can reach their full potential. 

     The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first Monday in October as Child Health Day and has requested that the President issue a proclamation in observance of this day.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 7, 2024, as Child Health Day.  I call upon families, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and governments to help ensure that America’s children stay safe and healthy.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourth day of October, 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.

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Every day that our police officers put on that shield and walk out the door, they put their lives at risk to ensure the rest of us are safe.  During National Community Policing Week, we honor police officers’ service and sacrifice, recommit to supporting them, and reaffirm that community policing practices that advance public trust are the gold standard for law enforcement.

In the first half of this year, according to preliminary data submitted to the FBI, the homicide rate continued to fall at record speed, declining by 22.7 percent, while the violent crime rate fell by 10.3 percent to its lowest level since 1969.  These record decreases follow the historic declines in crime in 2023, including the largest-ever decrease in the homicide rate.  The decreases are in no small part due to the hard work and courageous efforts of law enforcement across America. 

As President, public safety and crime reduction are top priorities for my Administration and me.  Since day one, my Administration has worked with law enforcement, mayors, and community leaders to do what we know works to keep people and communities safe.  Through my American Rescue Plan, we made the largest Federal investment toward public safety in our Nation’s history — delivering more than $15 billion in aid for local and State governments to keep law enforcement on the beat, retain and hire more police officers, pay overtime and bonuses, and expand benefits for disabled first responders.  States, counties, and cities have already invested that funding to make their communities safer, and we added billions more in grants through the Department of Justice to help cities invest in law enforcement and community violence interruption programs. 

I also know that being in law enforcement today is harder than ever — police are expected to respond to so many challenging situations, from drug overdoses and mental health crises to domestic violence, child abandonment, and more.  That is why my Administration has invested in increasing the number of crisis responders who work alongside police officers to respond to non-violent crimes.  We have made more investments in recruiting, retaining, and training officers.  I have called for funding that would put 100,000 more officers on the street who are trained in community policing.  Additionally, we need to invest more in technology and training to solve crimes faster and clear court backlogs, and we need more detectives to solve murders and more deputy United States Marshals to apprehend fugitives.

Police officers deal with unbelievable stress.  Every time an officer responds to a call, executes a warrant, or conducts a traffic stop, there is a tremendous risk:  the fear of ambush, the anxiety of not knowing what is behind that door, and the trauma of bearing witness to the most horrible tragedies imaginable.  That is why I have been laser-focused on providing officers with the mental health and wellness resources they need and deserve.  I also signed extended benefits for families of officers who have tragically died by suicide.

Our police officers are dedicated, honorable, and good people — they build trust with the communities they serve because they know that trust is the foundation of public safety.  Our communities are safer and stronger when our officers have the resources, training, and tools they need to do their jobs and walk the beat, getting to know the neighborhoods and the people they serve.  A lack of trust from the public means less public safety for all of us:  crimes do not get reported, witnesses do not come forward and cases do not get solved, victims suffer while perpetrators roam free, and justice goes undelivered.

When communities trust the police, crimes get solved faster.  That is why when Republicans blocked the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, a bill that the Vice President coauthored while in the Senate, we took action.  I signed a historic Executive Order to set the gold standard for law enforcement.  In part, it requires Federal law enforcement agencies to develop best practices that attract, support, and retain officers who are representative of the communities they are sworn to serve.  We have also made historic investments in proven strategies to interrupt and prevent violence in the first place, including using trusted messengers who are trained to disrupt violence.  At the same time, I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly three decades and have taken more executive actions to stop the flow of illegal guns than any other administration in history. 

There is more work to be done.  My Safer America Plan calls on the Congress to invest $37 billion to support law enforcement and crime prevention.  The plan would fund 100,000 additional police officers, invest $5 billion in community violence interventions, and enact commonsense gun safety reforms, such as a universal background check requirement and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

There is no greater responsibility than keeping our families, neighborhoods, and Nation safe. During National Community Policing Week, we reaffirm our commitment to choosing progress over politics when it comes to supporting our law enforcement and ensuring the safety of our communities.  We honor the heroism, bravery, and sacrifice of our police officers.  And may we recommit to upholding one of our Nation’s most fundamental values:  justice for all.

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 October 6 through October 12, 2024, as National Community Policing Week.  I call upon law enforcement agencies, elected officials, and all Americans to observe this week by recognizing ways to improve public safety, build trust, and strengthen community-police relationships.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of October, 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.

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Redford Fire Department Station 1
Redford, Michigan

2:03 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.  (Applause.) 

Oh, good afternoon, everybody.  Good afternoon.  Good afternoon.  It is my great honor to be with everybody this afternoon.

Matt, I want to thank you for your leadership and for all that you do for so many.

You know, everyone here, you all have chosen to live a life of service in the most extraordinary way.  And I’m so thankful to all of you — to Matt, for your leadership — and everybody here. 

And it is so good to be in the house of labor.  Thank you all.  (Applause.)  Thank you all.  Thank you all. 

And, you know, yours is a profession that is more than a profession.  It really is about a calling. 

You know, my — I was just telling Matt — my brother-in-law just retired as a firefighter in California.  So, for me, this is personal and it is professional.  I know what you guys do, and I know your character.  I know your families.  I know what it means for the whole community for you all to take on the lives that you have decided to live, and I’m so thankful to you.

You guys work long shifts with unpredictable hours in some of the most dangerous conditions.  You do so on behalf of people you’ve never met.  Sometimes, those people will never know your name, but because of what you do with such sincerity and the highest level of skill and professionalism, their lives are forever better.  And they always know and have the comfort of going to sleep at night knowing that should any tragedy come their way that you guys are out there and would be there.

It’s an extraordinary thing you do, and it’s a great gift that you have that you give.  And so, I am so thankful to you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

And, of course, I am thankful for the union that supports you and your right to all that you deserve in terms of the wages and the benefits that you so rightly have earned.  (Applause.)

And I also want to thank the other brothers and sisters from labor who are here from UAW — (applause); IBE- — IBEW; LIUNA.  Where are your orange T-shirts?  I know you’re here somewhere.  I thank you all, all of you. 

So, look, just yesterday, we saw another example of the power of collective bargaining — right? — when the longshoremen and the U.S. Maritime Alliance came together, ended a strike, and reached an agreement on a record wage.  Right?  (Applause.)  They did good.  They did good. 

And I say, everywhere I go, look, collective bargaining benefits everybody.  And you know the — the term — and I’m looking at our young leaders who are here.  I’m so glad you guys are here.  (Applause.)  So, collective bargaining, it’s really — it’s just a basic logical point. 

So, here’s what it means.  It means that in any negotiation, you want the outcome to be fair.  Right?  We all want fairness, right?  Everybody wants fairness — or should. 

So, here’s the thing about collective bargaining.  If you want the outcome to be fair, you got to realize, if you’re requiring the one worker to negotiate against the big entity, do we really think that the outcome is going to be fair?  Probably not.  But if you let the workers together, as the collective, then negotiate against the big entity, it’s more likely that the outcome will be fair.  

That’s the basic point of collective bargaining.  That’s the basic point of why we want our unions to be able to do their work on behalf of workers every day, because we know when union wages go up, everyone’s wages go up.  (Applause.)  Yeah. 

And when union workplaces are safer, all workplaces are safer.  (Applause.) 

And the bottom line is: When unions are strong, America is strong.  (Applause.)  And our unions have always fought to make our nation, then, more equal, more fair, and more free. 

And in this election, in 32 days, everything we have fought for is on the line. 

This election is about two very different visions for our nation: one that is focused on the past, and ours that is focused on the future. 

We fight for a future where we protect the fundamental freedom to organize.  We fight for a future where workers, all workers, are treated with dignity and respect; a future where we tap into the ambition and the aspirations of the American people and build what I call an “opportunity economy” so that every American has an opportunity to buy a home, start a business, build wealth — intergenerational wealth for their family. 

Over the last three and a half years, our nation has seen historic small-business creation as an example of that focus. 

In Michigan alone, we have seen more than 500,000 new small-business applications.  And when I am president, I plan to build on that progress and that success, including by raising the start-up deduction — tax deduction for small businesses from $5,000 for — to $50,000 to help more entrepreneurs start a small business. 

I’ll tell you guys, my sister and I were raised by our mother, who worked very hard, and we lived on an apartment above a daycare center.  And it was run by and owned by the woman that we called our second mother, who lived two houses down.  She was a small-business owner, and her name was Ms. Shelton. 

And I grew up as a child knowing about who our small businesses are, right?  They’re leaders in the community.  They’re civic leaders.  They hire locally.  They train.  And so, that’s one of the reasons I’m focused on small businesses as part of how we lift up the middle class in America’s economy.

We need to also build more housing in America.  Housing is too expensive. 

My mother saved up for years, until I was a teenager, when she was able to buy our first home. 

And right now, we have a serious housing shortage in America, and that’s part of what is driving up costs.  And so, we are going to cut red tape, we’re going to work with the private sector, and we’ll build 3 million new homes by the end of my first term — (applause) — including — including providing first-time homebuyers with a $25,000 down payment assistance so they can just get their foot literally in the door to be able to invest in the American dream — (applause) — which not everyone has access to these days.

We need to lower the cost of living, because, look, our economy, while we’re making good progress — just this morning, in fact, we got a solid jobs report: over 250,000 jobs created last month, unemployment fell.  And just a few weeks ago, the Federal Reserve cut down interest rates, which is going to be great for a lot of folks.  But there’s still more work we need to do. 

Prices for everyday things like groceries are still too high.  You know it, and I know it.

And so, we have a plan to lower costs on everything from health care to groceries, including what I’ve done in my career as attorney general, which is we got to take on corporate price gouging. 

We got to take on what we need to do to understand that if you want to grow the middle class, we need more middle-class tax cuts.  And the tax cut that is part of my plan will give a tax cut to 100 million Americans. 

We need to expand Child Tax Credit, and I will do that to expand it to $6,000 so that for the first year of a child’s life, their parents have the resources that they need to be able to buy a crib or a car seat, and in that very critical stage of their child’s development, just be able to do more than get by but be able to get ahead. 

And I say all this to say, I will always put the middle class and working families first.  I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from.  I will never forget where I come from.  (Applause.)

And we know we cannot have a strong middle class without American manufacturing. 

Over the last three and a half years, we brought manufacturing back to America.  We created 730,000 manufacturing jobs and announced the opening of more than 20 new auto plants in the United States.  And we did it by investing in American industry and American workers.

And I want to make sure that America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century.  (Applause.)

So, under my plan, we will invest in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, and the great American auto industry — (applause) — yeah — so we can ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs, from advanced batteries to electric vehicles, are not only invented but built right here in America by American union workers.  (Applause.)

So, the election is in 32 days, and Americans have a big choice to make.  And I think it’s very important, then, to point out Donald Trump has a very different approach than mine. 

And let’s be real about who Donald Trump is.  Let’s be real.  This is a time for real talk. 

He was handed $400 million on a silver platter and filed for bankruptcy six times.  This is a man who has only ever fought for himself.  This is a man who has been a union buster his entire career, who has called union leaders, quote, “Dues Sucking” people.  And as president, he did not lift a finger to save the pensions of millions of American workers. 

We did.  We did.  (Applause.)

This is a man who sold promise after promise to American workers but never delivered, who said he supports so-called right-to-work laws “100 percent.”  Those are his words. 

He who joked and laughed about firing striking workers.  You remember that? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Who rolled back labor standards and made it easier for companies that break labor laws to get federal contracts. 

And Donald Trump is a man who tried to cut funding for our first responders, including SAFER grants for firefighters. 

So, brothers and sisters, as we stand here in a house of labor, we will not be fooled.  We will not be gaslighted.  Donald Trump’s track record is a disaster for working people, and he’s trying to gaslight people all over our country.  But we know the facts and we know the truth: He is an existential threat to America’s labor movement.  Just look at his track record to know. 

He said he was the only one who could bring back America’s manufacturing jobs — Michigan knows what I’m about to say — then America lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs when he was president, including tens of thousands of jobs in Michigan.  And those losses started before the pandemic, so we’re clear, making Donald Trump one of the biggest losers of manufacturing jobs in American history.  (Applause.)

And recall his record — his track record for the auto industry.  He promised workers in Warren that the auto industry would, quote, “not lose one plant” during his presidency.  Then American automakers announced the closure of six auto plants when he was president, including General Motors in Warren and Stellantis in Detroit.  Thousands of Michigan autoworkers lost their jobs. 

And now he is making the same empty promises to the people of Michigan that he did before, hoping you will forget how he let you down.  But we know, if he wins again, it will be more of the same. 

Everything he intends to do is spelled out in Project 2025.  If reelected, he intends to launch a full-on attack on unions and the freedom to organize.  He will ban public-sector unions, roll back workplace safety protections, and appoint a union buster to run the Department of Labor.

And on top of that, Donald Trump will give billionaires and the biggest corporations massive tax cuts like he did last time. 

He will cut Social Security and Medicare and impose what I call a Trump sales tax, a 20 percent tax on everyday goods and necessities, which will cost — the economists have said — which will cost the average American over $4,000 a year more. 

And if that weren’t enough, he intends to end the Affordable Care Act.  And even after he tried to repeal it time and time again when he was president, he still has no plan to replace it. 

Did you guys see the debate?  (Laughter and applause.)  “Concepts of a plan.”  He has “concepts of a plan.”  (Laughter.)  Come on. 

And, you know, I’ve said many times he is an unserious human — (laughter) — but the consequence of him is quite serious, because think about that: “concepts of a plan.” 

So, he’s going to threaten the health care and health coverage of 45 million people in America based on a concept — think about that — to take us back to when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was like?

So, look, I’m here to say, and I think we all know: It’s time to turn the page.  It’s time to turn the page.  (Applause.)  We’re not going back. 

America is ready to chart a new way forward, because we are not going back. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  No, we’re not.  We’re not going back.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No, we’re not.

And so, it all comes down to this.  We are here together because we know what is at stake.  And we are here together — and I’m looking at the young leaders — because we love our country.  We love our country.  (Applause.)  Yes, we do.  We love our country.

And I do believe it is the highest form of patriotism to then fight for the ideals of our country and to fight to realize the promise of America. 

We have 32 days to get this done, and we know this is going to be a very tight race until the very end.  And we are the underdog, so we have some hard work ahead of us.  But I know who’s here.  We like hard work.  Hard work is good work.  Hard work is good work.  (Applause.)

And we know what we stand for, so we know what to fight for.  We stand for opportunity, we stand for dignity, and we stand for the future.

And so, we know when we fight —

AUDIENCE:  We win!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win. 

God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Thank you all.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END                 2:20 P.M. EDT

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The President and First Lady will continue the tradition of welcoming members of the public to tour the White House Gardens and South Grounds. This fall, tours of the White House Gardens will be available to the public from 10:00 a.m. ET to 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13.
 
These tours are free and open to members of the public; however, a timed ticket is required for all attendees, regardless of age. The National Park Service (NPS) will distribute free, timed tickets outside the White House Visitor Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, each day of the tour beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Timed tickets will be distributed, one ticket per person, on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
Once attendees have received their tickets, the South Lawn entry point for everyone will be located on 15th St, NW between E Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW, near the Boy Scout Memorial. The ADA entrance will be located at 15th Street, NW and Alexander Hamilton Place, NW.

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