Presidential Actions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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On November 27, 2018, by Executive Order 13851, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the situation in Nicaragua.  On October 24, 2022, I issued Executive Order 14088 to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13851.

     The situation in Nicaragua, including the violent response by the Government of Nicaragua to the protests that began on April 18, 2018, and the Ortega-Murillo regime’s continued systematic dismantling and undermining of democratic institutions and the rule of law, its use of indiscriminate violence and repressive tactics against civilians, as well as its corruption leading to the destabilization of Nicaragua’s economy, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared on November 27, 2018, must continue in effect beyond November 27, 2024.  Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13851 with respect to the situation in Nicaragua.

     This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    November 22, 2024.

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to the situation in Nicaragua declared in Executive Order 13851 of November 27, 2018, under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 14088 of October 24, 2022, is to continue in effect beyond November 27, 2024.

The situation in Nicaragua, including the violent response by the Government of Nicaragua to the protests that began on April 18, 2018, and the Ortega-Murillo regime’s continued systematic dismantling and undermining of democratic institutions and the rule of law, its use of indiscriminate violence and repressive tactics against civilians, as well as its corruption leading to the destabilization of Nicaragua’s economy, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13851 with respect to the situation in Nicaragua.

                              Sincerely,

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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My Dad taught me that family is the beginning, the middle, and the end.  It is everything.  During National Family Week, we celebrate the love shared by millions of American families, and we recommit to uplifting them, so that more families can build their American Dream together.

Since I came into office, I have been determined to give hardworking families a little more breathing room and a fair shot at achieving their dreams.  That work began with building an economy that would strengthen our middle class.  My American Rescue Plan kept millions of families afloat during the pandemic, ensuring they could stay in their homes and put food on their tables.  It also delivered the largest-ever Child Tax Credit, which helped tens of millions of working families with the costs of raising children and cut child poverty nearly in half.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created jobs rebuilding our Nation’s infrastructure — from strengthening our roads, bridges, and ports to removing lead pipes from our homes and expanding access to high-speed internet.  My CHIPS and Science Act is revitalizing American manufacturing, and, throughout my Administration, we have created over 1.6 million manufacturing and construction jobs.  And my Inflation Reduction Act made healthcare more affordable for families, saving millions of them an average of $800 per year on their health insurance premiums.  It will also cap the cost of out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year for seniors on Medicare, easing their cost of care.  And through my PACT Act, we are helping veterans exposed to toxic materials get the benefits they and their families deserve.  And today, incomes are up almost $4,000, after adjusting for inflation, ensuring families have the breathing room they deserve.

My Administration has also been working to ensure families have the support they need to thrive while keeping them safe.  I signed the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting the right to marriage for same-sex and interracial couples.  I signed an Executive Order that directed the most comprehensive actions of any administration in history to make high-quality child care and long-term care more accessible and support caregivers.  I took a slate of historic actions to prevent children from being placed into foster care and separated from their families without adequate justification.  And I signed the most comprehensive gun reform bill in nearly three decades to end the scourge of gun violence ripping apart our families and deliver historic funding to address the youth mental health crisis.

During National Family Week, may we hold our loved ones close, both the family that have been there since the beginning and the family we have made along the way.  And may we continue to fight for families — the heart and soul of our Nation.

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 November 24 through November 30, 2024, as National Family Week.  I invite States, communities, and individuals to join together in observing this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor our Nation’s families.

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

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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     A dispute exists between the New Jersey Transit Rail Operations and its Locomotive Engineers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

     The dispute has not heretofore been adjusted under the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, 45 U.S.C. 151-188 (RLA).

     An emergency board to investigate and report on the dispute was established on July 25, 2024, by Executive Order 14125 of July 24, 2024 (Establishing an Emergency Board to Investigate a Dispute Between New Jersey Transit Rail Operations and Its Locomotive Engineers Represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen).  That emergency board terminated upon submission of its report to the President.  Subsequently, its recommendations were not accepted by the parties.

     A party empowered by the RLA has requested that the President establish a second emergency board pursuant to section 9A of the RLA (45 U.S.C. 159a).

     Section 9A(e) of the RLA provides that the President, upon such request, shall appoint a second emergency board to investigate and report on the dispute.

     NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 9A of the RLA, it is hereby ordered as follows:

     Section 1.  Establishment of a Second Emergency Board (Board).  There is established, effective 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on November 22, 2024, a Board composed of a chair and two other members, all of whom shall be appointed by the President to investigate and report on the dispute.  No member shall be pecuniarily or otherwise interested in any organization of railroad employees or any carrier.  The Board shall perform its functions subject to the availability of funds.

     Sec. 2.  Report.  As provided by section 9A(f) of the RLA, within 30 days after the creation of the Board, the parties to the dispute shall submit to the Board final offers for settlement of the dispute.  As provided by section 9A(g) of the RLA, within 30 days after the submission of final offers for settlement of the dispute, the Board shall submit a report to the President setting forth the Board’s selection of the most reasonable offer.

     Sec. 3.  Maintaining Conditions.  As provided by section 9A(h) of the RLA, from the time the request to establish the Board is made until 60 days after the Board submits its report to the President, the parties to the controversy shall make no change in the conditions out of which the dispute arose except by agreement of the parties.

     Sec. 4.  Records Maintenance.  The records and files of the Board are records of the Office of the President and upon the Board’s termination shall be maintained in the physical custody of the National Mediation Board.

     Sec. 5.  Expiration.  The Board shall terminate upon the submission of the report to the President provided for in section 2 of this order.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    November 21, 2024.

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:        Delegation of Authority Under Section 614(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $35 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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This generation’s young people are some of the most gifted, educated, and talented our Nation has ever known.  They are the kite strings that keep our national ambitions aloft.  On National Child’s Day, we recommit to building a future worthy of their highest aspirations.

So many of our Nation’s children begin building their futures at our public schools — that is why I am proud that my Administration secured a historic $130 billion in funding for our Nation’s K-12 schools through my American Rescue Plan.  That law put more teachers in classrooms and more counselors, social workers, and other support staff in our schools.  It also invested in high-quality tutoring and made historic expansions in summer and afterschool programs.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is expanding access to high-speed internet so students can access it regardless of their zip code.  And my Administration has worked to advance a pathway to provide free, healthy school meals for all children as a part of our national strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases in America by 2030. 

My Administration has also worked hard to give families some well-deserved breathing room so that they can care for their children without worrying about how they are going to pay the bills.  My American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit, which helped reduce child poverty by nearly half across the Nation.  That law also made our Nation’s biggest investment in child care ever, helping hundreds of thousands of child care providers keep their doors open and continue providing care.  I signed the Inflation Reduction Act, saving millions of families $800 per year on their health insurance premiums.  My Administration also raised pay for early childhood educators across the country participating in the Head Start program.  And my Administration modernized the Thrifty Food Plan for the first time in nearly five decades so that millions more families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can afford nutritious foods. 

Securing the health and safety of children has always been a priority for my Administration.  I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years, working towards a future where no student or child has to live in fear of gun violence.  That law also made the largest investment in youth mental health ever to help schools across the country train and hire new mental health counselors.  At the same time, we made it easier for schools to leverage Medicaid to deliver health care.  And we are working to support LGBTQI+ children and families by protecting their access to health care and preventing harmful practices, including the use of so-called conversion therapy. 

My Administration has also been dedicated to addressing the existential threat of climate change — a critical task to secure our children’s futures.  My Inflation Reduction Act made the most significant investment in climate ever, which includes funding to get communities cleaner air and drinking water, and protect them from the harmful effects of pollution.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is working to replace every lead pipe in America, so that every family can turn on the faucet and drink clean, safe water.  And my Administration has conserved more than 45 million acres of our Nation’s lands and waters in an effort to ensure they can be enjoyed for generations to come.

On National Child’s Day, we recommit to ensuring that every child in America has the opportunity to pursue the limits of their talents and ambitions, and we uplift them as the leaders and doers of the future. 

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 November 20, 2024, as National Child’s Day.  I call upon all government officials, educators, volunteers, and all the people of the United States of America to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

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

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

     Benjamin J. Cheeks, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California, vice Gonzalo P. Curiel, retired.

     Serena Raquel Murillo, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, vice Cormac J. Carney, retired.

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Dear Mr. Speaker:

With the Congress now back in session, I write to request urgently needed emergency funding to provide for an expeditious and meaningful Federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.  In the weeks since these deadly storms tore through communities across the Southeast, members of my Administration and I have traveled to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to meet with families, business owners, farmers, local and State officials, and first responders to stand with these communities in the wake of these disasters and to hear firsthand what they need from the Federal Government in order to make a full recovery.  Additional resources are critical to continue to support these communities.

Over the past month, members of my Administration have written to you and other congressional leaders to underscore the urgent need for additional funding to replenish key disaster response programs. Most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program has completely exhausted its funding and the Congress must act as soon as possible to restore this funding.  As I outlined in my October 4th letter, my Administration has repeatedly underscored the need for the Congress to prevent a shortfall.  SBA loans are a pivotal lifeline for local businesses as well as individual survivors who use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes and replace or repair damaged property, including their personal vehicles.  SBA has already received over 100,000 loan applications for Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the American people cannot afford any further delay in the restoration of this vital funding.

Urgent funding is also needed for the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses to help individuals and communities across the Nation recover from disasters.  Without additional funding, the DRF will face a shortfall this fiscal year, which will impact FEMA’s ability to provide life-saving and life-sustaining assistance to disaster survivors, as well as slow recovery from ongoing and prior disasters.  Funding for the Department of Agriculture is necessary to provide assistance to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across the Nation affected by natural disasters.  Funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program is critical to help communities respond to the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as the devastating fires in Maui and tornados in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma.  My Administration is also requesting funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect critical access to safe drinking water, for the Department of Energy to rapidly restore power and rebuild the electric grid to better withstand future storms, and for the Department of Transportation to support rebuilding roads and bridges across 40 States and Territories, including Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  Additional funding for the EPA is also needed to protect drinking water infrastructure, fund water system upgrades that would improve system performance, mitigate further future damage from extreme weather, and improve systems for low- and moderate-income households.

Additional action must also be taken to address the severe shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids and other critical medical products caused by Hurricane Helene.  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) took critical steps this month to support access to these products, including ensuring restoration of key production sites, protecting products, and opening imports in partnership with manufacturers, distributors, hospitals, and other stakeholders.  My Administration is requesting funding for HHS to build supply chain capacity and resilience for IV fluids and other critical medical products to respond to current needs and to better prepare for disasters in the future.  In addition, Hurricanes Helene and Milton are expected to exhaust available funding balances for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), forcing the program to add to its debt to the Department of the Treasury. My Administration urges the Congress to cancel some or all of the NFIP’s debt to ensure NFIP policyholders and disaster survivors have a sustainable flood insurance program that provides the assistance they need after disaster strikes.

The Congress must also extend the deadlines for Hermit’s Peak fire claimants to request FEMA assistance, in order to ensure all applicants can receive compensation for losses in the aftermath of the fires in New Mexico.

The Congress has previously responded on a bipartisan basis to support communities in the wake of natural disasters — including providing over $90 billion in aid after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, over $50 billion following Hurricane Sandy in 2013, and over $120 billion following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017.  Just as the Congress acted then, it is our sworn duty now to deliver the necessary resources to ensure that everyone in communities reeling from Hurricanes Helene and Milton — and those still recovering from previous disasters — have the Federal resources they need and deserve.

From rebuilding homes and reopening critical infrastructure, such as schools and roads — to supporting the Nation’s farmers and ranchers and ensuring access to healthcare services — impacted communities await your response.  There can be no delay.  I urge the Congress to act quickly to pass a supplemental funding package to assist communities impacted by these hurricanes — and every other disaster since the Congress last passed a comprehensive disaster package in 2022 — so that the people, families, businesses, and communities affected have the support they need to respond, recover, and rebuild responsibly.

Since the need for this funding arises from unforeseen and unanticipated events, my Administration continues to request that the amounts in this supplemental request be designated as emergency requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 

My Administration will be with those affected until the job is done. This request of supplemental funds is focused on the accounts that are most critical to aiding disaster survivors and impacted communities. My Administration will continue to assess the full resource requirements associated with long-term rebuilding and resilience efforts resulting from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, including those costs related to impacts to Federal facilities and infrastructure, and we will share those estimates as they become available. I urge the Congress to take immediate action, and I look forward to your partnership in delivering this critical relief to the American people.

                               Sincerely,

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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     Today, I am proud to become the first sitting American President to visit the Amazon and to proclaim the first International Conservation Day, reflecting all that is at stake in the fight against climate change and honoring the power and promise of conservation work.  On International Conservation Day, we recommit to working with partners across our Nation and around the world to safeguard our natural treasures.
     When we work together to defend our lands and waters, everyone benefits.  That is because conservation is about more than protecting our world’s beautiful natural wonders — it is about protecting the livelihoods of the people who depend on them; preserving our diverse habitats and the wildlife that lives within them; increasing resiliency throughout our lands, seascapes, and riverscapes; and ensuring our lands and waters can be enjoyed by all.   
     That is why my Administration has delivered on the most ambitious land and water conservation agenda in American history — leading by the power of our example.  When I first came into office, I issued an Executive Order that established the United States’ first-ever conservation goal — aiming to protect at least 30 percent of our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030.  My America the Beautiful initiative has advanced that work by supporting voluntary, locally led conservation and restoration.  These efforts have not only helped local communities, Tribes, farmers, ranchers, foresters, and fishers to address the climate crisis and protect lands and waters.  They have also created jobs, strengthened the economy, and expanded access to the outdoors across our country.  I also signed an Executive Order to safeguard and steward our Nation’s forests and make our ecosystems more resilient in the fight against climate change.  And we launched the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge to protect, restore, and reconnect 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of our Nation’s rivers and streams to safeguard clean water for all.  
     I am also proud that my Administration made the largest investment in history to confront the climate crisis through my Inflation Reduction Act and has conserved more than 45 million acres of our Nation’s lands and waters.  We have established, expanded, and restored 11 national monuments and protected the United States Arctic Ocean from new oil and gas leasing.  And together with my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have invested in restoration and conservation, including $50 billion to strengthen community and ecosystem resilience to climate change.  Further, I launched the American Climate Corps to mobilize a new, diverse generation of Americans in conserving and restoring our lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, deploying clean energy, and advancing environmental justice — all while creating good jobs.  
     Around the world, my Administration has made extraordinary progress in advancing conservation.  We moved to rejoin the Paris Agreement on day one of my Administration, and we put our country in a position to cut emissions in half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.  In 2021, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, we released the Plan to Conserve Global Forests — a first-of-its-kind national strategy to preserve global ecosystems that serve as vital carbon sinks.  We also joined other nations in pledging to end deforestation by 2030, backed by the biggest ever commitment of public funds for forest conservation and a plan to make 75 percent of forest commodity supply chains sustainable.  In 2022, we helped rally countries around the world to commit to conserve at least 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030, mirroring the goal we had set at home.  We also joined other countries at the United Nations to sign the High Seas Treaty, committing to working together to establish marine protected areas on the high seas — a critical step to conserve ocean biodiversity and reach the global community’s goal to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. 
     My Administration has also delivered record climate financing to support developing countries’ efforts to preserve and protect these vital ecosystems that serve as critical carbon sinks, accelerate the clean energy transition, and bolster their resilience to climate change.  In 2021, I pledged that our Nation would deliver $11 billion per year in climate financing by 2024.  I am proud that we not only kept that promise, but surpassed it.  This includes fulfilling my pledge to invest over $3 billion per year to help vulnerable countries around the world mitigate and adapt to climate change as part of my Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience.  I am also proud that — with our recent $50 million investment — my Administration has provided over $100 million to the Amazon Fund.  At the same time, our Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has helped mobilize over $1 billion in investment to support the restoration of degraded lands in Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile, helping create a market that values keeping this vital ecosystem alive and thriving.  
     There is still so much to do to ensure that we protect our world’s most precious ecosystems and natural treasures.  That is why the DFC is investing in one of the largest reforestation projects in the world, beginning with the Brazilian Amazon.  I am proud that my Administration is working with over a dozen international partners to launch the Brazil Restoration and Bioeconomy Finance Coalition to mobilize at least $10 billion for land restoration and bioeconomy-related projects by 2030.  And I am proud to support President Lula of Brazil’s bold vision of creating the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, a path-breaking new initiative that would incentivize countries to protect their tropical forests while supporting the local and Indigenous communities stewarding these forests and ensuring these vital ecosystems continue to thrive.  
     It has been said that the Amazon rainforest is the lungs of the world.  Forests like these, that stretch across the Americas, Africa, and Asia — including the Amazon, Tongass, Congo, and Sundaland — represent our heart and soul.  Now more than ever, we must recommit to the urgent work of addressing climate change — together, we can ensure that these treasures will be enjoyed for generations to come.  
     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 laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 17, 2024, as International Conservation Day.  
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                        JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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     During American Education Week, we celebrate the power and promise of our Nation’s public education system, which has empowered so many students to realize their full potential regardless of their zip code.  We show gratitude for educators and staff, who ensure that our schools are filled with hope and possibilities.  And we recommit to ensuring each student, educator, and school has the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
     America’s public education system helps define who we are:  a Nation of possibilities, where everyone gets a fair shot to pursue their talents and ambitions.  Some of our Nation’s greatest scholars and scientists, artists and humanitarians, and dreamers and doers got their start at a public school.  Many have further honed their skills in our colleges, universities, Registered Apprenticeships, and career and technical education programs.  An education gives you something no one can take away — that is why we must remain committed to supporting our schools, which open the doors of opportunity wider for everyone.
     I am proud that my Administration secured a historic $130 billion in funding for our Nation’s K-12 schools through my American Rescue Plan.  That law put more teachers in classrooms and put more counselors, social workers, and other supportive staff in our schools.  It also invested in high-quality tutoring and made historic expansions in summer and after-school programs while upgrading the physical school buildings, including making aging buildings more secure and improving air quality. 
     My Administration also remains committed to ensuring students have the resources they need to succeed.  My American Rescue Plan led to our country’s biggest-ever investment in mental health and substance use programs, providing critical funding to increase the number of mental health providers in our schools.  Furthermore, my Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — the first major Federal gun safety legislation passed in nearly 30 years — made important steps toward ending the threat of gun violence, which brings terror to far too many schools.  The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also included $2 billion in funding to create safe, inclusive learning environments for all students and to train and hire more mental health professionals for schools.  My Administration also made it easier for schools to bill Medicaid so that they could deliver critical health services, including mental health services to students.  And through my national strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases in America by 2030, we are working toward a future where every kid has access to free, healthy school meals.
     Setting students up for success also means improving our Nation’s early childhood education.  Children who go to preschool are nearly 50 percent more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a 2- or 4-year degree no matter their background.  My Administration has fought to make preschool universal for every 3- and 4-year-old in America.
     To support our Nation’s higher education system, my Administration secured nearly $40 billion for colleges and universities through my American Rescue Plan.  That includes billions of dollars in funding for Minority-Serving Institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  I have always believed that higher education should be a pathway to the middle class — but we have to make it more affordable.  That is why my Administration provided the largest increases to the maximum Pell Grant award in over a decade, making college more affordable for over six million students.  We also canceled student loan debt for over one million public service workers, including teachers, by fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.  Before I took office, only 7,000 public service workers had ever received the forgiveness they were entitled to through PSLF.  In total, we have approved debt cancellation for nearly five million Americans across all our various debt relief actions, including fixing Income-Driven Repayment so borrowers get the relief they earned and holding the colleges that take advantage of students and families accountable.
     Everyone deserves a fair shot at the American Dream, so my Administration has invested more in Registered Apprenticeships and career and technical training programs than any other administration in history, empowering workers to earn while they learn and opening up new pathways to secure good-paying jobs.  We are also working to expand Registered Apprenticeships for educators and increase access to high-quality teacher preparation programs, including by making them more affordable.
     During American Education Week, we show our gratitude to the educators and school staff across our Nation, who are the kite strings that keep our national ambitions aloft.  And together, we will work to ensure our Nation’s students have every opportunity to succeed.
     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 November 17 through November 23, 2024, as American Education Week.  I call upon all Americans to mark this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities honoring those who devote their talents and energies to helping our children reach their full potential and to building school communities where all students feel they belong.
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
 
 
 
                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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     America’s workers are the best in the world — and that is in no small part due to our exceptional Registered Apprenticeship programs.  During National Apprenticeship Week, we recommit to supporting these programs, which put so many Americans on a path to securing good-paying jobs and helping build the industries of the future.

     I have often said that the middle class built America and unions built the middle class, and Registered Apprenticeship programs — including the hundreds of union-run programs — have produced some of our Nation’s most skilled workers for generations.  Registered Apprenticeships empower workers to hone their skills or gain new ones by allowing them to earn while they learn and connecting them to good-paying jobs.  These apprenticeships have given so many of our workers the opportunity to work with dignity and care for their families all while training our workforce to build the industries of our future, like clean energy or cybersecurity.

     My Administration made the largest Federal investment in our Nation’s history in Registered Apprenticeships.  Since taking office, we have invested more than $730 million to expand Registered Apprenticeships, leading to the hiring of more than one million apprentices across the country.  More than $80 billion has been committed from my American Rescue Plan to strengthen and expand the workforce, including to expand Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.  We are also creating opportunities for apprentices through our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and our Inflation Reduction Act, which provides strong incentives for employers to hire Registered Apprentices in their clean energy projects.

     Further, my Administration is making sure that Registered Apprentices are helping build the industries of the future and fulfill needs in critical industries.  Our Advanced Manufacturing Sprint and Investing in America Workforce Hubs launched intensive drives to build a diverse, skilled pipeline of workers for advanced manufacturing jobs, including union jobs — many of which do not require a 4-year college degree.  To do that, we have been bringing together unions, local governments, employers, training providers, K-12 schools, community colleges, and other stakeholders to train and connect workers to jobs in high-demand sectors.  For teachers, my Administration has helped expand teacher Registered Apprenticeship programs to 46 States, to help train the next generation of educators.  For construction workers, the Department of Labor’s Scaling Apprenticeship Readiness Across the Building Trades Initiative is enrolling thousands of Americans to help rebuild our Nation’s roads, bridges, and highways.  For truck drivers, we held a 90-Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge, which helped get more drivers on the road.  And for cybersecurity professionals, we completed a 120-Day Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint, which has helped thousands get hired in industries that protect Americans from cyberthreats. 

     My Administration is also ensuring our Registered Apprentices reflect the diversity of America.  Our Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative is working with more than 200 organizations committed to hiring 10,000 new apprentices and recruiting people from historically underrepresented communities for apprenticeship programs.  And through the Department of Labor’s Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program, we are continuing to invest in women in the skilled trades, who are too often underrepresented.  Thanks to these efforts, the number of women in apprenticeships will soon surpass 100,000 for the first time ever.

     Supporting Registered Apprenticeships is about doing what our Nation does best — investing in America and America’s workers.  This week, we celebrate apprentices nationwide, whose hard work has contributed so much to our Nation’s economy and prosperity.  May we continue to support these programs, which have created endless possibilities for Americans.

     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 November 17 through November 23, 2024, as National Apprenticeship Week.  I urge the Congress, State and local governments, educational institutions, industry and labor leaders, apprentices, and all Americans to support Registered Apprenticeship programs in the United States of America and to raise awareness of their importance in building a diverse and robust workforce to strengthen our national economy.

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

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:       Delegation of Authorities Under Sections 507(d)

               and 508(a) of the Ukraine Security Supplemental

               Appropriations Act, 2024

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authorities under sections 507(d) and 508(a) of the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (Division B of Public Law 118-50).

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists for the Crow Tribe of Montana and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm and straight-line winds on August 6, 2024. 

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals on the Crow Tribe of Montana.

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 is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Crow Tribe of Montana.

Mr. James R. Stephenson 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 America Recycles Day, we recognize the important role recycling plays in helping secure a more sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come.  We show our gratitude for all the people who work hard to make sure we limit our waste and responsibly steward our national resources.  And we recommit to building a Nation where we address the existential risk of climate change and where everyone can enjoy the benefits of a greener world.
     Producing and processing the materials we use every day cause more than a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the threat of climate change.  The health and well-being of too many people suffer due to the damaging effects of pollution and the toxins released when waste is landfilled, dumped, or incinerated.  That is why it is so important to reduce waste and recycle.  When we reduce waste, we conserve the energy and natural resources needed to make these materials.  And when we recycle, we give these materials another life — reducing the need for more production.  But recycling is still too difficult.  Too many Americans are unsure of where and which materials can be recycled.  And when materials do end up in recycling, municipalities struggle to find markets for them.  
     To make recycling easier and more efficient, my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made the largest investment in recycling in nearly three decades.  It has launched hundreds of new projects that are helping to support manufacturing, improve waste management, advance environmental justice, and educate people about recycling.  My Administration also released the first comprehensive, Government-wide strategy to limit the harms of plastic pollution at production, processing, use, and disposal, and we announced a goal to end the use of single-use plastics in the Federal Government by 2035.  We also crafted the first-ever National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics to coordinate agencies in recycling organic materials like food waste while cutting costs for families.  At the same time, we have been pursuing the initiatives outlined in our National Recycling Strategy to improve our recycling and waste management systems, working to find ways to better collect recyclable products, reach markets for these materials, and develop new technologies that will protect public health and the environment.  All this contributes to my Administration’s ambitious work to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 — to that end, my Inflation Reduction Act made the largest investment in climate action in history.
     We have made important progress toward building an economy that values recycling, but there is still more to do.  Each of us can play a role in protecting our natural environment and addressing the existential risk of climate change by recycling — remember to dispose of waste in the proper bins whenever possible, reuse containers, compost food, and use products made with recycled materials.  I call on manufacturers and corporations to ensure their products and materials are reusable and recyclable when possible and limit the use of non-recyclable packaging.  On America Recycles Day, may we recommit to building a better, healthier future through recycling.
     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 November 15, 2024, as America Recycles Day.  I call upon the people of the United States of America to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities, and I encourage all Americans to continue their environmental efforts by recycling throughout the year.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                        JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Alaska and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by landslides on August 25, 2024.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the landslides in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

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

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

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

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

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Wyoming and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires from August 21 to August 31, 2024.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the wildfires in the counties of Campbell and Johnson.

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

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

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

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

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The President is announcing his intent to nominate two individuals to federal district courts—both of whom are extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution.

These choices also continue to fulfill the President’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country—both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds.

This will be President Biden’s fifty-sixth round of nominees for federal judicial positions, bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 261.

United States District Court Announcements

1. Tali Farhadian Weinstein: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Tali Farhadian Weinstein has been Of Counsel in the New York office of Hecker Fink LLP since 2022. Earlier, she served as General Counsel of the Office of the District Attorney for Kings County, New York from 2018 to 2020. From 2011 to 2017, Ms. Farhadian Weinstein served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. She joined that office after serving as Counsel to the Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2009 to 2010. She worked as an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York from 2006 to 2007. Ms. Farhadian Weinstein has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School. She began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge Merrick B. Garland at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit from 2003 to 2004 and then for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor at the U.S. Supreme Court for two consecutive Terms, from 2004 to 2006. Ms. Farhadian Weinstein received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2003, her M.Phil from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar in 1999, and her B.A. from Yale University in 1997.

• Chief Judge Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood: Nominee for the United States District Court of Guam

Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood has served as a federal district judge on the United States District Court of Guam since 2006. Prior to her appointment to the federal bench, she served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Guam from 2002 to 2006 and as a trial judge on the Superior Court of Guam from 1994 to 2002. Before beginning her judicial service, Chief Judge Tydingco-Gatewood served as Chief Prosecutor and Assistant Attorney General in the Guam Attorney General’s Office from 1990 to 1994 and 1984 to 1988, respectively, and Assistant Prosecutor with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office in Missouri from 1989 to 1990. She served as a law clerk to Judge Forest W. Hanna on the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri from 1983 to 1984. Chief Judge Tydingco-Gatewood received her J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1983 and her B.A. from Marquette University in 1980.

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

In accordance with section 203(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “Act”), I hereby transmit documents to the Congress that describe the safeguard action that I have proclaimed on imports of fine denier polyester staple fiber, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including sections 201 and 203(a)(1) of the Act, and the reasons for taking these actions.

                              Sincerely,                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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