Statements and Releases

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of the Republic of Korea (ROK). President Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy and the rule of law in the ROK and reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the United States to the people of the ROK. The two leaders discussed the tremendous progress we have made toward further strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance in recent years, and President Biden expressed his confidence that the Alliance will remain the linchpin for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region during Acting President Han’s tenure. 

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In the two years since the December 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration significantly expanded engagement and partnership with African nations, driven by the conviction that the future of Africa and the United States depends on what we can achieve together.  At the Summit, the United States pledged to invest $55 billion in Africa over three years.  We have surpassed that goal – the Administration has committed and spent over $65 billion in Africa since the Summit.  These investments have enabled the Administration, together with African partners, to accelerate development progress, advance trans-continental infrastructure, expand trade and economic opportunities, and support African-led efforts on conservation, climate adaptation, and a just energy transition.
 
But the achievements go beyond numbers, underpinned by our belief that solving global challenges requires African leadership and African partnership.  The United States championed—and ultimately helped secure—the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20 and announced our support for creating two permanent United Nations (UN) Security Council seats for African states.  Since the Summit, we have laid out a vision alongside Kenya to help developing countries facing mounting debt burdens.  Our partnerships enhanced food security and helped build more sustainable and resilient food systems, improved governance and security, and advanced shared public health goals.  We catalyzed landmark diaspora-driven engagement, fostered an inclusive and resilient African digital ecosystem, and made strides to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. 
 
High-Level Engagements
 
Throughout the Biden-Harris administration, President Biden has prioritized high-level engagement with African countries and partners.
 
Following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, President Biden directed an unprecedented pace of senior-level U.S. Government visits to the continent. Twenty Cabinet Members and leaders of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies have visited the region since the Summit, with visits centered on deepening partnerships with African countries, institutions, and people. In March and April 2023, Vice President Harris visited Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, where she announced more than $8 billion in public and private sector investment commitments towards climate and food security, women’s empowerment, and digital inclusion across Africa. 
 
In May 2024, President Biden then hosted President Ruto of Kenya for a State Visit and Dinner, the first State Visit of an African head of state since 2008. During that visit, which highlighted 60 years of official U.S.-Kenyan partnership, President Biden announced a slew of deliverables to improve economic opportunities for both our peoples, strengthen democratic resilience and safeguard human rights, and bolster our work together on a range of pressing issues, including climate and health.
 
In December 2024, President Biden traveled to the continent, becoming the first-ever U.S. president to visit Angola and the first sitting President to visit sub-Saharan Africa since 2015.  During the visit, President Biden spoke about the past horrors of slavery and its legacy, while welcoming a bright future of deepening collaboration between the United States and the continent.  He announced more than $1 billion in additional humanitarian funding and co-hosted a Summit on the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, underscoring the importance of private sector investments, inclusive economic growth, and sustainable development. One year earlier, President Biden had hosted President Lourenço of Angola for an Oval Office meeting. President Biden’s historic trip to Angola topped off significant engagement with the continent throughout the entire Biden-Harris administration. 
 
Trade and Investment
 
The Administration harnessed the dynamism of people from across the African continent and throughout the United States to expand prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic. In the past two years, the United States has supported and helped close 1,385 new deals for a total estimated value of $62.6 billion in new two-way trade and investment between the United States and African countries.  This represents a more than five-fold increase in the value of closed deals over the two years preceding the Summit.  Illustrative highlights of these trade and investment initiatives include:
 

1. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has investments of over $13 billion in more than 300 projects across 36 countries in Africa.  Since the Summit, DFC has committed over $5.3 billion to new projects in Africa in key sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure, mineral resources, and support for small businesses.
   
2. Since the Summit, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has funded 24 project preparation activities to advance the implementation of over $7 billion in digital connectivity, clean energy, and healthcare infrastructure projects on the continent.  In 2024, USTDA arranged 10 reverse trade missions and workshops focused on regulatory convergence for healthcare products, transportation, green hydrogen development, cybersecurity, methane abatement, and sustainable energy, connecting African public and private sector representatives with the latest U.S. technologies, services, and financing solutions.
   
3. Since 2022, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has strengthened partnerships across Africa, approving approximately $4 billion in authorizations for sub-Saharan Africa.  This includes transactions across a wide variety of sectors including two of the largest renewable energy projects in EXIM’s history, aircrafts, civil works infrastructure, and radio equipment.
   
4. In fiscal year (FY) 2023, the EXIM Board of Directors approved a $281 million transaction to support the export of several Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines Group.  This transaction supported 1,600 U.S. jobs across Indiana, North Carolina, and Washington.  In FY 2024, the EXIM Board of Directors approved an additional transaction of more than $456 million for Ethiopian Airlines for the purchase of five Boeing aircraft, supporting an estimated 2,200 new U.S. jobs in North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington.
   
5. Since 2022, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has invested almost $2.4 billion through agreements with African partner countries who have demonstrated their commitment to good governance, democratic values, and investing in their people.  Funding is expanding energy markets, furthering private sector energy generation, enhancing farmers’ supply chain integration, and improving education access to increase long-term employment opportunities.
   
6. Prosper Africa funded and supported several initiatives to boost two-way trade and investment for key markets in Kenya, South Africa, and Morocco, to include the “Why Kenya, Why Africa” Roadshow in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, the launch of Atlanta Phambili with South African business and government leaders in Atlanta, and the U.S.-Morocco Venture Capital Forum.  Prosper Africa also provided technical assistance to Togo-based Caisse Régionale de Refinancement Hypothécaire, supporting a $275 million housing deal with Bank of America. 
   
7. At the Summit, Prosper Africa announced the Catalytic Investment Facility, which provides first-loss and operational funding support to 10 African asset managers to mobilize $600 million from private investors, to deploy into African tech startups.  To date, $93 million has been raised by the 10 African asset managers, and $44 million has been deployed into 61 startups throughout the continent.
   
8. In September 2024, Prosper Africa announced a catalytic pooled fund to drive social investment.  In partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and in support of the Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance, the fund aims to pool $200 million of catalytic capital over the next five years from African and global philanthropies and government donors.  This capital is expected to leverage up to $2 billion in private capital.
   
9. Prosper Africa provided a $1.275 million grant to the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility (LSF) to cover operational costs of LSF’s work enhancing trading liquidity for African countries and lowering the cost of financing.  LSF builds free and transparent capital markets in Africa and provides investors with an investible benchmark for evaluating the performance of African sovereign debt instruments such as the IBoxx LSF USD African Sovereign index, in conjunction with Standard & Poor’s. 
   
10. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided 34 small businesses with export financing that supported approximately $185.7 million in export sales involving the African continent from December 2023 to October 2024.  Building on the SBA Administrator’s visit to Cote d’Ivoire and Togo in 2023, SBA also undertook new activities in 2024 to connect members of the African diaspora in the United States with businesses in both continents. 
    
11. In November 2023 and July 2024, President Biden reiterated his strong support for the reauthorization and modernization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to deepen trade relations between the U.S. and Africa, strengthen regional integration, and realize Africa’s immense economic potential.  In 2023, AGOA imports totaled $9.7 billion and supported tens of thousands of jobs in the United States and Africa. 

Infrastructure

President Biden’s flagship G7+ initiative, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), advances strategic, values-driven, and high-standard infrastructure, investment, and sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries—with Africa as a key continent of focus.  At the G7 Summit in June, leaders celebrated progress toward PGI’s ambitious goal of mobilizing $600 billion by 2027 in global infrastructure investments that will make a difference in people’s lives around the world, strengthen and diversify our supply chains, and advance shared national security interests.  During his historic trip to Angola December 2-4, President Biden co-hosted a Summit on the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, bringing together leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia, as well as the Africa Finance Corporation.  Leaders affirmed their commitment to investing in infrastructure that will one day connect the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to expand economic growth and sustainable development across the region.  More information on PGI/Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor can be found here.

Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and a Just Energy Transition

Many of the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are in Africa.  The Biden-Harris Administration has marshalled unprecedented resources to bolster climate resilience and protect development progress.  During her 2023 trip to the African continent, Vice President Harris worked with African partners to galvanize more than $7 billion in public and private sector climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation commitments.  Some of the U.S.  initiatives to support African-led efforts on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a just energy transition include:

1. Since the Summit, DFC has committed over $1.8 billion to new climate focused projects in Africa and also committed over $520 million across 12 new projects in Africa focused on expanding access to power.  Notably, DFC provided $500 million in political risk insurance to support marine conversation in Gabon through the Gabon Blue Bonds project, the first DFC-supported debt conversion for impact project in Africa.  In Sierra Leone, DFC provided $412 million in financing and political risk insurance to support the Nant Energy project, a 105-megawatt thermal power plant that is Sierra Leone’s first gas-to-power plant and will double the country’s energy capacity and address a critical need for the Sierra Leonean people’s access to reliable energy infrastructure.  In Mozambique, DFC committed $179 million in debt and political risk insurance to support the development of Central Eléctrica da Namaacha’s 120 megawatt wind power project, the country’s first utility-scale wind power project.
   
2. In November 2023, Prosper Africa, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the State Department provided $10 million to seed a $100 million balance sheet under the Green Guarantee Company (GGC), the first-ever privately run guarantee company devoted to catalyzing green bonds and loans focusing on Africa.  GGC is expected to unlock an estimated $1 billion in new private capital for climate finance.
   
3. In September 2024, Prosper Africa announced a $5 million catalytic capital award to ImpactA Global, aimed at mobilizing $300 million in private investment for sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets.  The award serves as first-loss capital designed to reduce investment risk and attract new institutional investors who might otherwise be hesitant to engage in Africa-focused investments.
   
4. Bolstering Power Africa, USTDA has invested $5 million to support a just energy transition across several African countries.  These investments are supporting solar energy generation in Zambia, wind energy generation in Malawi, strengthening the power grid in Cote d’Ivoire, promoting clean energy in South Africa, and supporting climate innovation through reverse trade missions.
   
5. At the Summit, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced its intent to develop a case study in partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of Energy on integrating nuclear and renewable energy systems.  Under the Clean Energy Ministerial, DOE is leading a $300,000 initiative to evaluate the potential roles for nuclear and renewable energy to support Ghanaian energy needs for both electric and non-electric applications.  DOE and Ghana also launched Africa’s first regional Clean Energy Training Center in Accra, Ghana, providing courses on large and small modular reactors, financing, contract structures, risk management, and legal issues.
   
6. DOE is working with Mozambique on methane mitigation from the gas sector and clean hydrogen development, with Kenya on a $250,000 project to examine opportunities for direct air capture combined with geothermal energy, with Nigeria on a $250,000 study supporting their regulatory framework for carbon management, and with Morocco on solar energy.  DOE and the Moroccan Research Institute in Solar Energy and New Energies hosted a Solar Decathlon Design Challenge for collegiate teams from across Africa and around the world to design buildings powered by renewable energy.   
   
7. Under its Climate Change and Health Initiative, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established Exploratory Research Centers that bring together scientists to work with affected communities to build resilience and adapt to climate driven stressors.  Three of the centers have focus areas in Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.  These centers are conducting research on early warning models for vector borne diseases, the effects of extreme weather events on mental health and interpersonal violence, and pilot solutions for climate risks to human health.
   
8. At the Summit, the Department of State announced the Accelerating Women’s Empowerment in Energy (AWEE) project to help secure women’s economic futures through green jobs.  Since then, the State Department launched AWEE with an initial investment of $1 million.  The project has funded 11 small grants to local organizations in South Africa and Kenya to address barriers to the entry, promotion, and retention of women in each country’s clean energy sector.

Promoting Food Security and Resilient Food Systems

At the Summit, President Biden launched the U.S.-African Union (AU) Strategic Partnership to accelerate progress in tackling food insecurity, build stronger and more diversified food systems and supply chains, scale Africa’s agricultural production capacity, and expand African countries’ access to agricultural markets.  Since the launch of the partnership, we have aligned our food security assistance and programming and leveraged our convening power and partnerships, including through PGI, to build sustainable food systems, expand investments in agricultural infrastructure, and tackle trade policy reforms. 

1. Since FY 2022, the United States provided nearly $20 billion in life-saving humanitarian assistance and early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programming in Africa.  Humanitarian assistance addresses acute food insecurity caused by conflicts, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and natural disasters, including climate shocks impacting millions of people across the African continent. 
   
2. Since 2023, MCC has committed over $1.6 billion toward food security initiatives through newly signed or launched programs.  These projects are boosting farm productivity and increasing rural incomes by investing in better irrigation methods, increasing production of high-value crops, and improving road conditions.
   
3. During his historic trip to Angola, President Biden announced additional humanitarian funding, including more than $200 million to purchase, ship, and distribute surplus agricultural commodities from American farmers to provide life-saving food assistance for refugees and other food-insecure populations in Africa.
   
4. Since December 2022, DFC has provided over $180 million to 15 food security focused projects in Africa.  These include a $20 million DFC loan to Victory Farms in Kenya to support expansion of sustainable tilapia production on Lake Victoria; a $75 million loan to Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited to finance the development, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a urea-ammonia fertilizer facility in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; and project development technical assistance and loans to Ifria, a developer of cold chain warehouses in Morocco and Senegal.
   
5. As part of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative, the global Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) program helps build resilient food systems in partner countries using diverse, nutritious, and climate resilient crops grown in healthy, fertile soils.  Since 2023, the United States has donated $150 million and mobilized another $60 million from international partners for VACS programming.  Implementing partner organizations include the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. 
   
6. USAID and the AU launched the “Feed the Future Accelerator” in September 2024 with a new commitment, working with Congress, of more than $80 million to deepen food security partnerships in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.  U.S. investments will harness the region’s combination of fertile land, diverse farming systems, and highly-motivated governments to support a regional breadbasket.  These funds complement a diverse Feed the Future portfolio including over $497 million of ongoing U.S. investments in these three countries, plus more than $150 million in private sector investments.
   
7. As part of the larger U.S. Government response to the global food crisis through Feed the Future, USAID and the African Development Bank (AfDB) completed an agreement in January 2024 to fund a $9.5 million project—Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation—to help Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia increase food production and introduce climate-smart technologies.
   
8. Building on the U.S.-AU Strategic Partnership on Food Security, the United States supported the AU process to refresh the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) 10-year strategic plan focused on food security and increased agricultural trade.  USAID provided analytical work that fed into CAADP Technical Working Groups and submitted an independent memorandum to the AU Commission with recommendations on how to achieve agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, and economic growth.

Promoting Peace, Security, and Democratic Governance

The United States supported peace as the largest single humanitarian donor for refugee and migration-related needs in Sub-Saharan Africa, working with international organization and NGO partners to support over eight million refugees and asylum seekers and over 30 million internally displaced persons.  President Biden also launched the 21st Century Partnership for African Security (21PAS), to expand support to African partners with a focus on promoting effective, responsible, and accountable defense institutions able to meet the emerging threats of our time.  At the Summit, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to support complex political transitions in Africa through launching the African Democratic and Political Transitions (ADAPT) initiative. 

1. In FY 2024, the United States, through the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, provided more than $1.37 billion in Africa to support urgent and lifesaving needs for refugees, asylum seekers, conflict victims, stateless persons, and vulnerable migrants, including those affected by climate change.  Since December 2022, the United States has resettled over 56,000 refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa, welcoming them as they build new lives in communities across the United States.  The majority of refugees resettled were from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, the Republic of South Sudan, Somalia, and Sudan.
   
2. The United States, Gabon, Ghana, and Mozambique worked together to successfully authorize UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which outlines a process for the AU to receive UN funding for Peace Support Operations (PSOs).  UN Security Council Resolution 2719 is a testament to the U.S. and AU commitment to addressing conflict in the region through African-led solutions.  The United States is supportive of the UN and the AU utilizing the Resolution to support PSOs on the continent while working together to ensure that human rights, transparency, and accountability mechanisms are successful. 
   
3. Through 21PAS, the Department of Defense is focusing on improving the capacity of African partners to plan, resource, and sustain their defense and security forces.  21PAS values partnerships rooted in transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights, recognizing that these values are foundational to lasting security.  Using these criteria, the Department of Defense identified a broad array of security cooperation programming totaling $73 million for Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, and countries along the Gulf of Guinea and Western Indian Ocean.
   
4. The United States continues to bolster democratic governance through the ADAPT initiative.  For example, in Gabon, U.S. technical assistance to government entities, civic groups, media outlets, and women- and youth-focused organizations supports inclusive constitutional and electoral legal reforms and free, fair, and peaceful transitional elections.
   
5. Since 2022, USAID, through the Elections and Political Processes Fund, has provided $48.9 million for critical election support in 28 countries in Africa for unanticipated needs such as snap elections or other unforeseen political developments.  USAID provided an additional $17.4 million through the Defending Democratic Elections Fund to 10 countries to tackle deeply rooted electoral integrity issues, especially during inter-election periods.  Through the Women’s Political Participation and Leadership fund, USAID provided $8.36 million in FY 2022 and 2023 to four countries to build and sustain the pipeline of women leaders and facilitate their safe and meaningful participation in political, peacebuilding, and transition processes.
   
6. Since 2022, the U.S. Government has dedicated over $181 million through the Prevention and Stabilization Fund to enhance partnerships with Mozambique, Libya, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo.  Efforts focus on 10-year objectives to include promoting reconciliation and unification; accelerating inclusive and sustainable economic development; improving responsive governance and security institutions; promoting respect for human rights; strengthening justice systems; building capacity and resilience in historically marginalized, at-risk, and conflict-affected areas; and advancing meaningful participation of women and youth.

Deepening Health Cooperation

The United States works in partnership with African nations and regional and global partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Africa Regional Office (AFRO), the AU, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the private sector, to save lives and build more resilient health systems that are better able to prevent and respond to current and future health threats. 

1. The Administration has built on the United States’ longstanding leadership in the fight to end HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as public health threats, including by investing more than $15.55 billion through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.  These investments have reduced the burden of HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and vaccine-preventable diseases and have strengthened health systems in more than 30 countries on the African continent.
   
2. Over the past two years, the United States provided more than $3 billion in global health funding to support health workers, including funding through PEPFAR to support more than 346,000 health professionals to deliver HIV and tuberculosis services in the past year.  PEPFAR is also providing $8 million to support nurses, who are the backbone of patient care, in Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.  In FY 2024, USAID provided $10 million to support the Global Health Worker Initiative to build on the Primary Impact Initiative in countries including Ghana.
   
3. PEPFAR has been central to reversing the HIV/AIDS pandemic’s trajectory—in Sub-Saharan Africa, there were 56 percent fewer new HIV infections in 2023 than in 2010.  Nine African countries are nearing or achieving the UNAIDS 2025 global goal that 95 percent of people living with HIV will know their status and benefit from treatment that keeps them healthy and helps prevent further spread, with several more countries on track to reach these goals by the end of 2025. 
   
4. Since FY 2021, PMI has invested more than $100 million to support 100,000 community health workers across its partner countries to rapidly detect and treat malaria in their communities.  These investments in integrated platforms also enable treatment of other common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, improve the quality and reach of primary health care, and strengthen countries’ ability to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks. 
   
5. PMI has supported African manufacturing to promote more resilient and sustainable commodity supply chains.  In FY 2023, PMI sourced approximately 10% of its commodity procurements from Africa, more than double what was procured from the continent in FY 2021.  From FY 2019 to FY 2023, PMI transitioned from primary reliance on air freight to using sea and land freight to transport malaria commodities, reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by 85% and generating $66 million in cost savings, which PMI used to expand other malaria-related programs.
   
6. In April 2024, the Administration launched the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response and welcomed six new Global Health Security Partners in Africa.  The United States continues working in partnership with African nations to support outbreak responses, including on Marburg, mpox, Ebola, and cholera. 
   
7. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH, has been partnering with research agencies and institutions in Africa for decades.  Longstanding research programs have enabled collaboration on research responses to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. 
   
8. From 2022 to 2023, the U.S. Government provided more than $22 million to support the Government of Uganda’s Ebola response and an additional $7 million to help neighboring countries prepare for potential outbreaks.  In 2023, the United States worked with the Governments of Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea and other international partners to address simultaneous but unrelated Marburg virus disease outbreaks, providing over $5.8 million to support key response and prevention efforts.  In response to the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Rwanda starting in September 2024, the United States has provided technical support, vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and personal protective equipment and plans to allocate over $11 million regionally to address urgent health needs.
   
9. The United States partners with biological laboratories in the public, private, and academic sectors in 20 African countries to provide trainings and assist partner institutions with performing laboratory risk assessments.  These partnerships improve biosafety, biosecurity, and cybersecurity.  The United States also provides training to technical staff and biomedical engineers responsible for upkeep of laboratory equipment for high containment laboratories.
   
10. DFC continues to catalyze investments to strengthen regional manufacturing capacity in Africa, including by providing input into the design of Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator to ensure long-term sustainability of African vaccine manufacturers.  Following DFC’s loan of €100 million to Aspen Pharmacare in 2021, in 2024 DFC committed a direct loan of up to €110 million to expand Aspen’s capacity to manufacture pediatric vaccines, insulin, and other essential medicines in South Africa. DFC collaborated with the International Finance Corporation, the German Development Finance Institution, and Proparco to co-finance expansion of Aspen.
    
11. DFC also invests in health services, and technology to improve access to affordable, high-quality health care and products.  For example, in 2023 DFC committed a $10 million loan to Hewatele, a medical oxygen manufacturer in Kenya to expand production and distribution of medical oxygen.  DFC also provided a $10 million loan guaranty to KCB Bank in Kenya to increase financing available to small and medium enterprises in the health sector. 
    
12. In December 2022, USTDA launched the Coalition for Healthcare Infrastructure in Africa, a collaboration between USTDA and U.S. industry to help meet the healthcare needs of African partners and to increase access to quality healthcare products and services for millions of individuals across the continent.  From November 2023 to July 2024, USTDA hosted three healthcare workshops that convened U.S. and African public and private sector representatives with the aim of strengthening regulatory systems and facilitating broader market access for healthcare products across the continent.
    
13. Since 2022, the United States has donated over $50 million to projects in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rays of Hope initiative, which provides assistance in nuclear and radiation medicine to advance cancer diagnosis and treatment in low- and middle-income countries.  In 2024, the United States provided an additional $6 million to Rays of Hope projects in Benin, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi, Niger, and Senegal. 
    
14. At the Summit, First Lady Jill Biden highlighted the U.S. Government’s unwavering commitment to improving cancer outcomes in countries in Africa.  In July 2024, the Biden Cancer Moonshot hosted the White House Africa Cancer Care Forum, which convened health leaders from Benin, DRC, Lesotho, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia committed to expanding national capacity for cancer diagnosis and treatment.  During the forum, the United States announced over $100 million in commitments to reduce the burden of cancer, bringing the collective total to over $400 million. 
    
15. The U.S.-South Africa Cancer Care and Research Alliance (U.S.-SACCRA) was established in December 2023 to deliver improved health outcomes in Africa, including by reducing the burden of cancer.  U.S.-SACCRA partners with several South African academic and research institutions; government departments, and leading U.S. cancer institutes to design, share, and fast-track scientific exchanges and capacity development for cancer care and research in both countries.

Elevating African Diaspora Engagement

Since the Summit, the Administration has aimed to harness the dynamism of the African Diaspora to enrich lives on both sides of the Atlantic.  The Administration has strengthened educational, cultural, social, political, and economic ties among African communities, the global African Diaspora, and the United States.  As Vice President Harris said during her 2023 trip to the African continent, “The fates of America and the continent of Africa are interconnected and interdependent.” 

1. In December 2022, President Biden established the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States (PAC-ADE) to provide advice on strengthening connections between the U.S. Government and the African Diaspora in the United States.  The Council members held their inaugural meeting in October 2023 with Vice President Harris and Secretary Blinken presiding. 
   
2. Since the Summit, PAC-ADE conducted its first plenary session meeting at Spelman College, and developed the EdTech initiative announced during Kenyan President Ruto’s visit to Spelman College. The Council also conducted its inaugural visit to the continent in July 2024 to Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria, where they met with government, civil society, and private-sector partners to discuss diaspora-led investments in education, entrepreneurship, health, technology, youth and women empowerment, and the creative industries.  The Council held its final meeting of the year in October 2024, with remarks by Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President, and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Mayor Steve Benjamin. Several members of the Council joined President Biden on his trip to Angola in December 2024.
   
3. In concert with PAC-ADE’s keen focus on increasing business ties with the continent, Prosper Africa has prioritized the support of Diaspora firms and investors, resulting in a portfolio of notable transactions with Diaspora-owned and led firms.  These include Cybastion’s partnership with Cisco Systems on over $800 million of cybersecurity and digital upgrade contracts in six countries.  Prosper Africa also established active partnerships with leading Diaspora organizations, including joining with USAID to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Alliance for Black Business, an organization founded in 2022 by the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Business League, and the World Conference of Mayors.
   
4. In addition to PAC-ADE, the U.S. Government is investing in Diaspora engagement through education.  The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) embodies our investment in our shared future by providing training opportunities for diverse African youth.  At the Summit, Vice President Harris announced plans to expand YALI.  As part of this expansion, in September 2023, USAID launched the YALI Legacy Localization award to expand the work of the four Regional Leadership Centers on the continent that provide transformative leadership training.  In November 2024, the USAID-led YALI Alumni Expo and Trade Show took place in Cape Town, South Africa, where over 500 YALI alumni showcased their innovations and fostered connection with experts and officials from the private sector, civil society, government, and the diaspora community.

Digital Transformation with Africa

Launched at the Summit, the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative aims to expand digital access in Africa, increase commercial engagement between U.S. and African companies in the digital sector, support increased digital literacy, and strengthen digital enabling environments across Africa.  DTA works in alignment with the priorities outlined in the AU’s Digital Transformation Strategy to enable innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth and development.  DTA’s work is organized across the following three pillars:

Digital Economy and Infrastructure

1. In May 2024, Vice President Harris launched two public-private partnerships—the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance:  Africa and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA). Both focus on increasing digital inclusion across Africa.  The MADE Alliance aims to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million individuals and businesses in Africa over the next 10 years.  PDAA will support African institutions to double the number of people connected to the internet in Africa from 40% to 80%, connect one billion people to the internet by 2030, and increase internet connectivity for women and girls from 30% to 80%.  
   
2. Since December 2022, USTDA has funded 20 activities to build the business case for innovative U.S. technologies that help to advance inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure across Africa, including priority connectivity, cybersecurity, and smart cities projects.  USTDA is leveraging its grant-based funding for project preparation, which mitigates risk and unlocks bankable infrastructure projects.
   
3. Prosper Africa leads the Africa Tech for Trade Alliance (AT4T) with the support of USAID.  AT4T unites leading American and African tech companies to accelerate e-commerce and digital trade in Africa.  Alliance members include Visa, Mastercard, Intel, Cisco, Google, AWS and others. By leveraging U.S. companies’ technology assets, services, and expertise, the alliance fosters U.S.-Africa trade in fintech, ag-tech, eHealth and more.
   
4. In April 2024, the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), the Department of Commerce, and USTDA led a mission to the American Chamber of Commerce Business Summit in Kenya.  In Nairobi, they announced U.S. private sector commitments and collaborations, including initiatives in data protection, artificial intelligence, digital upskilling, and new investments in digital connectivity, women’s tech leadership, and a cybersecurity experience center.

Human Capital Development

1. In May 2024, USAID announced the DTA-YALI Partnership to leverage YALI Regional Leadership Centers to expand digital skills and literacy, support digital entrepreneurs and start-ups, and increase private sector engagement in 49 African countries.  USAID is also expanding the “Responsible Computer Challenges” to universities and educators in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.  This activity aims to empower students to account for the social and ethical context and impact of digital technologies, including frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence.
   
2. The Department of State prioritizes biosafety and biosecurity capacity building in Africa.  Over the past two years, the State Department has conducted trainings on cyberbiosecurity and secure data sharing to promote safe and timely coordination during outbreak responses.  The Department of State has ongoing efforts in practical cyberbiosecurity literacy for high containment laboratories to institutionalize cyberhygiene practices and to build both in-country and regional networks of leaders in cyberbiosecurity.
   
3. USAID and MCC are supporting the DigiFemmes program as part of MCC’s $536 million Compact with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.  DigiFemmes provides the leadership, innovation, and technical training women need to grow their businesses through data and digital tools.  Nearly 9,000 women-owned small and medium enterprises have benefited from the $5.3 million program.  DigiFemmes graduates also accessed a total of $525,000 in follow-on funding distributed as small grants by the U.S. African Development Foundation to help refine their products and expand their markets through digital tools and innovations.
   
4. In March 2024, MCC and the Government of Togo launched Nanatech, a program designed to equip Togolese women and entrepreneurs with the digital skills they need to benefit from the growing digital economy.  To date, nearly 2,000 women and 200 supporting organizations have benefited. 

Digital Enabling Environment

1. In September 2024, the United States hosted the landmark Global Inclusivity and Artificial Intelligence: Africa (GIAA) Conference in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing together over 400 stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, civil society members, startup founders, and academics, to discuss the safe, secure, inclusive, and trustworthy deployment of artificial intelligence on the continent.  The GIAA conference underscored the growing importance of Africa’s inclusion in artificial intelligence development and the continent’s key role in the global emerging technology landscape.
   
2. In November 2024, representatives from the Department of Commerce, Department of State, USAID, and USTDA participated in a variety of engagements during the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.  DTA hosted a U.S. Government side event for over 100 stakeholders from the U.S. and African public and private sectors to discuss key challenges to expanding digital access, increasing digital literacy, and strengthening digital enabling environments across Africa.   Participants discussed innovative U.S. and African solutions and collaborative strategies to advance Africa’s digital transformation.
   
3. USAID is working with Afrobarometer, through the United States Institute of Peace, to conduct public surveys to assess public awareness, perception, and understanding of digital threats, online safety, and cybersecurity in Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Senegal, and Angola.
   
4. USAID continues to facilitate discussions, build capacity, and deliver expert advisory services to the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat to develop and implement the Digital Trade Protocol to help advance international and intra-African digital economy and regulatory standards.

Partnerships in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

The Administration has elevated gender equity and equality across our foreign policy in Africa and around the world.  Societies—including the United States—do better when women participate and have equal opportunities.  Advancing the status of women and girls reduces poverty and promotes sustainable economic growth, increases access to education, improves health outcomes, advances political stability, and fosters democracy.  During the Summit, Vice President Harris announced new commitments to advance women’s economic participation in Africa, including the revitalization of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP). 

1. Vice President Harris launched the Women in Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF)  in 2023 to accelerate efforts to close the gender digital divide.  WiDEF and the corresponding Women in the Digital Economy Initiative have together catalyzed over $1 billion in commitments from governments, the private sector, foundations, and civil society to accelerate digital gender equality – including $102 million in U.S. direct and aligned commitments.  In addition, President Biden secured a historic commitment from G20 leaders to halve the digital gender gap by 2030.  Vice President Harris also launched the Women in the Sustainable Economy Initiative (WISE) in 2023 to promote women’s participation in sectors that address climate change.  Together, WiDEF and WISE represent a commitment of over $3 billion, including millions to empower African women and girls. 
   
2. In July 2024, SBA, Howard University’s Small Business Development Center, AWEP, the State Department, and the Department of Commerce cooperated on an event uniting local and African women-owned businesses on the margins of the 2024 AGOA Forum.  The program and marketplace facilitated business networking and an exchange of best practices on inclusive trade and to support for small business partnerships.  The event built on SBA’s February 2024 virtual event “Connecting U.S. and West African Small Businesses.”
   
3. Over the past two years, DFC has deepened its commitment to advancing economic empowerment across Africa through a range of impactful investments.  Key investments include a $100 million loan to First City Monument Bank, Ltd., expanding access to longer-term loans for women-owned small- and medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria; the 2X Ignite Africa Warehousing Facility, providing critical portfolio-building capital to female-led and gender-balanced fund managers; and a $10 million equity investment in Janngo Capital Startup Fund to fuel the growth of African startups, with at least 50% of funding to women-led enterprises.  Each of these investments reflects DFC’s dedication to empowering women, driving innovation, and building sustainable pathways for economic independence.
   
4. The Department of State, through the Support Her Empowerment-Women’s Inclusion in New Security (SHE WINS) initiative, has invested more than $9 million globally and supported seven women-led and women-serving civil society organizations in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  In August 2024, under the SHE WINS Rapid Response Fund, the United States, in partnership with Norway and Canada, convened a group of Sudanese women civil society leaders to inform discussions on a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and monitoring mechanisms.
   
5. Announced during Vice President Harris’ visit to Ghana in 2023, the Imarisha Women’s Initiative is helping women advance in their careers, improve their skill sets, and increase their income, while creating more flexible and supportive workplaces.  The first cohort of four companies in East Africa are providing leadership, mentorship, and skill trainings; menstrual health and hygiene and lactation support; and programs on the prevention of and response to gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace.

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Twelve years ago today, the community of Newtown, Connecticut, and the entire nation were forever changed when twenty innocent children and six brave educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School by a single individual armed with a weapon of war. Jill and I still grieve this unimaginable loss and continue to pray for the victims’ families and others traumatized by this senseless violence. 
 
Many individuals impacted by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School have turned their pain into purpose. Some families established foundations to carry on their loved ones’ memories—others chose to use their voices to fight for commonsense gun safety reform, hold the gun industry accountable with groundbreaking litigation, and fight back against those who spread misinformation and further victimize those impacted by gun violence. The elementary school children who survived the shooting are now young adults and many of them have also joined the effort to reduce gun violence and save lives.
 
The legacy of this tragedy is one of great loss—but also hope. Twelve years ago, moms sitting at their kitchen counters went online, expressed their outrage, and organized for commonsense gun safety legislation. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords decided enough was enough and started her own effort to combat gun violence. Gun violence prevention organizations that had been invested in the cause for decades reemerged with renewed strength. Today’s gun violence prevention movement is stronger than ever before because of survivors and other Americans who saw the Sandy Hook shooting and said “enough.”
 
With the strength of this emboldened movement by our side, we have made historic progress to reduce gun violence over the past four years. I signed into law the most significant piece of gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. I announced dozens of executive actions to keep guns out of dangerous hands and get especially dangerous weapons off our streets. I established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to accelerate this work. After four years under my administration, homicides are down, crime is falling, and we are seeing fewer mass shootings. This progress is no accident. 
 
Still, more must be done. Congress has an obligation to ‘do something’ in order to protect our children and communities from this scourge of gun violence. We are the only nation experiencing this epidemic and there are common sense policies that the majority of Americans agree with and that Congress can easily take action on. We need universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and a ban on assault weapons like the one used at Sandy Hook. I remain hopeful that we will continue to make progress on these priorities. This hope is rooted in the history of what we have accomplished already and the strength of all the survivors of gun violence that I have had the privilege of working with during my career.
 

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WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:

     Ryan Young Park, of North Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit, vice James A. Wynn, Jr., retiring, which was sent to the Senate on July 8, 2024.

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We, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), reaffirm our commitment to the people of Syria, and lend our full support for an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process in the spirit of the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. We call on all parties to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and national unity, and respect its independence and sovereignty.

We reiterate our support for the UN Disengagement Observer Force monitoring the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria.

We stand ready to support a transition process under this framework that leads to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance that ensures respect for the rule of law, universal human rights, including women’s rights, the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities, transparency and accountability.

The G7 will work with and fully support a future Syrian government that abides by those standards and results from that process.

Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of holding the Assad regime accountable for its crimes and will continue to work with the OPCW and other partners to secure, declare and destroy Syria’s remaining chemical weapons stockpiles.

After decades of atrocities committed by the Assad regime, we stand with the people of Syria.

We denounce terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms. We are hopeful that anyone seeking a role in governing Syria will demonstrate a commitment to the rights of all Syrians, prevent the collapse of state institutions, work on the recovery and rehabilitation of the country, and ensure the conditions for safe and dignified voluntary return to Syria of all those who were forced to flee the country.

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Today, the White House is releasing the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate. The Strategy was developed through a whole-of-government collaboration with a broad range of civil society partners to describe and address the bias, discrimination, and threats Muslim and Arab Americans have long faced. Over the past year, this initiative has become even more important as threats against American Muslim and Arab communities have spiked. In October 2023, six-year old Wadee Alfayoumi, an American Muslim boy of Palestinian descent, was viciously killed in his home in Illinois and over the last year there have been other grievous attacks on Muslim and Arab Americans.

The Strategy contains more than 100 Executive Branch Actions and more than 100 Calls to Action to every sector of society to prevent and address such violent attacks and to ensure that Muslim and Arab Americans enjoy the liberties and opportunities that are the bedrock of our country. With this initiative, we are creating a path for progress, in partnership with all levels of government, civil society, and the private sector, both now and over the long term.

In December 2022, when President Biden established an interagency group to increase and better coordinate efforts to counter Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination, work began on this Strategy. In 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration released the first-ever National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism and announced the development of the first-ever National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate. This latest strategy has four priorities:

Increase awareness of hatred against Muslims and Arabs and broaden recognition of these communities’ heritages. Muslims and Arab Americans have helped build our country since its founding, but they have also routinely experienced hate, discrimination, and bias due to baseless stereotypes, fearmongering, and prejudice. While individuals have sometimes been targeted because they are thought to be Muslim, it is also crucial to recognize that Arabs are routinely targeted simply for being who they are. Through new data collection and innovative educational efforts, the Administration is increasing awareness of these forms of hate as well of the proud heritages of Muslim and Arab Americans.      

Improve safety and security for Muslims and Arabs. Everyone deserves to live their lives without fear of violence, harassment, or discrimination. The Strategy addresses the targeting of Muslim and Arab communities, including through unprecedented investments in strengthening the security of nonprofits and increased efforts to ensure easier access to those funds; correction of discriminatory travel restrictions; and new tools to address transnational repression, doxing, swatting, and hoax threats. It also seeks to reduce trust deficits between government and community members such as by sharing successful practices of engaging Muslim and Arab Americans in the reporting of hate crimes. The Strategy recognizes our utmost duty to protect the nation from terrorist threats and attacks while safeguarding everyone’s civil rights and civil liberties.

Tackle discrimination against Muslims and Arabs and appropriately accommodate their religious practices. Muslim and Arab Americans have long faced discrimination in settings such as education, employment, public accommodations, land use, housing, health care, and access to financial services. More agencies are making it clear that discrimination against Muslim and Arab Americans in federally funded activities is illegal, and the Administration has instituted new practices to accommodate religion and produced a wide range of resources and trainings on nondiscrimination and religious freedom.

Continue to build cross-community solidarity and collective action to counter hate. Threats to one community must be treated as threats to all. Increasing cross-community collaboration  continues to be a key part of Administration efforts to protect the safety of all Americans, including through new partnerships that build solidarity among communities of diverse faiths and beliefs.

We urge our state, local, and international counterparts, as well as the nongovernmental sector, to pursue similar initiatives that seek to build greater unity by recognizing our common humanity, affirming our shared values and history, and embracing equal justice, liberty, and security for all.

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Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is granting clemency consisting of 39 pardons and 1,499 commutations.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is pardoning the following 39 individuals:

NINA SIMONA ALLEN – Harvest, Alabama
Nina Simona Allen is a 49-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent offense in her 20s. In the years since, Ms. Allen returned to school to earn a post-baccalaureate degree and two master’s degrees. She now works in the field of education. Ms. Allen strengthens her community by volunteering at a local soup kitchen and at a nursing home. Ms. Allen is described by people who know her as a dependable, hardworking woman of integrity.

KELSIE LYNN BECKLIN – Falcon Heights, Minnesota
Kelsie Lynn Becklin is a 38-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense at the age of 21. After successfully serving her sentence, Ms. Becklin has furthered her education and recently completed a Ph.D. program. In addition to her graduate program research and academic writing, Ms. Becklin mentors previously incarcerated individuals who also seek to pursue higher education. She is also an active volunteer in her community. Friends and professors attest to her work ethic, dedication, and genuine care for others.

DURAN ARTHUR BROWN – Cleveland, Ohio
Duran Arthur Brown is a 44-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Mr. Brown received early termination of his probationary sentence and has advanced his education and maintained consistent employment in the field of education. Mr. Brown is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and during his service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and several other medals and awards. Following his honorable discharge, Mr. Brown served in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He is described by colleagues as caring and compassionate.

NORMAN O’NEAL BROWN – Washington, DC
Norman O’Neal Brown is a 56-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent drug offenses when he was 22 years old. If Mr. Brown had been sentenced under current law and today’s sentencing practices, he likely would have received a shorter sentence. After serving over 20 years in prison, President Obama commuted his sentence in 2015. Since then, Mr. Brown has worked with several non-profit organizations, including those focused on rehabilitation, reentry, and justice-impacted youth. Mr. Brown volunteers at several national and community-based organizations that help support incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated people and serves as a board member for a non-profit dedicated to sentencing reform. Family members and colleagues describe Mr. Brown as a man of grace and integrity and an exceptional human being.

ARTHUR LAWRENCE BYRD – Clinton, Maryland
Arthur Lawrence Byrd is a 58-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses at the age of 23. In the years since, Mr. Byrd has been employed as an equipment operator, where he has received various certificates in recognition and appreciation for his work and safety record. He is also active in his church community and contributes to the church’s coat drive and food pantry. People who know him attest to his willingness to help others, his work ethic, and his character.

SARAH JEAN CARLSON – Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Sarah Jean Carlson is a 49-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. She received early termination of her probationary sentence. Since then, she has furthered her education and worked in addiction counseling at a faith-based rehabilitation center. Ms. Carlson also volunteers in her local community and at her church. Community members emphasize that Ms. Carlson goes above and beyond to help as many people in crisis as possible.

BRANDON SERGIO CASTROFLAY – Alexandria, Virginia
Brandon Sergio Castroflay is a 49-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent, drug-related offenses at age 21. After successfully completing his sentence, Mr. Castroflay continued his career in the U.S. Army and then went on to work as a civilian for both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Castroflay received multiple awards related to his work. He also took night classes to earn a bachelor’s degree while also working full-time. Mr. Castroflay volunteers for several charitable organizations that support Gold Star families and wounded service members. Mr. Castroflay has been described as exceptionally hard working, dedicated, and trustworthy by those who know him.

ROSETTA JEAN DAVIS – Colville, Washington
Rosetta Jean Davis is a 60-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses. After successfully serving her sentence, Ms. Davis has maintained steady employment, including by working as a peer supporter for those struggling with substance abuse. Colleagues, family, friends, and neighbors all speak highly of her, citing her hard work, dependability, and willingness to serve as an example of rehabilitation to those with criminal records or who are battling addiction.

STEVONI WELLS DOYLE – Santaquin, Utah
Stevoni Wells Doyle is a 47-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses at the age of 24. After her conviction, she completed a master’s program and has worked as a licensed substance use disorder counselor. She volunteers in her community and fosters animals. Community members describe her as a great mentor and a person of integrity.

GREGORY S. EKMAN – Fountain Valley, California
Gregory S. Ekman is a 58-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense at the age of 25. After successfully serving his sentence, Mr. Ekman has maintained consistent employment and has engaged in extensive community service, including with a youth group and with his local church. Friends and associates uniformly praise his character, honesty, and dedication to family. During his U.S. Air Force service, Mr. Ekman received the Training Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and Air Force Longevity Service Award.

SHANNAN RAE FAULKNER – Muldrow, Oklahoma
Shannan Rae Faulkner is a 56-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense. After successfully serving her sentence, she furthered her education and now works as a counselor and recovery coach with female trauma victims and people with disabilities. Ms. Faulkner also volunteers with organizations dedicated to preventing sexual assault and domestic violence, as well as with local charities. Colleagues attest to her inspirational character, her integrity, and the remarkable impact she makes on the lives of those she helps.

TRYNITHA FULTON – New Orleans, Louisiana
Trynitha Fulton is a 46-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses she committed when she was 23 years old. Since her conviction, she has earned a master’s degree and worked in the education field. Ms. Fulton also contributes to her community by coaching and volunteering, including for an organization that feeds homeless individuals. She also founded two non-profits dedicated to supporting and helping youth. Ms. Fulton has been described as someone who goes above and beyond for her community.

PAUL JOHN GARCIA – Las Vegas, New Mexico
Paul John Garcia is a 72-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent theft offenses. Since his conviction, he has maintained steady employment in the medical field. Mr. Garcia engages in community service, including with a charity supporting and mentoring youth. Mr. Garcia is a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy, where he received the National Defense Service Medal and other medals and awards. He is known for his extraordinary and compassionate delivery of patient care and his volunteerism.

KIM DOUGLAS HAMAN – Lima, Ohio
Kim Douglas Haman is a 75-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses. Mr. Haman is also a veteran of the U.S. Army, where he served in the Vietnam War and earned awards, including the U.S. Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star. He was honorably discharged. After his conviction, Mr. Haman worked at a vehicle parts production facility and retired after 16 years of service. Mr. Haman has gained the reputation of being an excellent handyman and a devoted family man who is sincere, honest, and hardworking.

SHERRANDA JANELL HARRIS – Norwalk, Connecticut
Sherranda Janell Harris is a 43-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent drug offense when she was 24 years old. In the years since, Ms. Harris has maintained employment in the finance and real estate fields. Ms. Harris is an engaged parent and spends most of her free time with her child. She is also committed to her church and has taken care of fellow parishioners. Ms. Harris has been described as a role model for young women in her community.

TERENCE ANTHONY JACKSON – Seattle, Washington
Terence Anthony Jackson is a 36-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense he committed when he was 23 years old. If Mr. Jackson had been sentenced under current law and sentencing practices, he would have likely received a shorter sentence. In the years since his release, Mr. Jackson has worked in the legal industry and is pursuing a degree while he works full-time. In addition to studying, Mr. Jackson has volunteered in his community, including as a barber to children in need. He is described by those who know him as dependable and caring and as someone who always tries to help others.

EDWIN ALLEN JONES – Paducah, Kentucky
Edwin Allen Jones is a 60-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses. Mr. Jones served in the U.S. Army and achieved the rank of Captain before being honorably discharged. Since successfully completing his sentence, Mr. Jones has had a notable legal career. Mr. Jones also participates in local government and volunteers for addiction recovery groups. Mr. Jones is described by community members as thoughtful, forward thinking, and trustworthy.

JAMAL LEE KING – North Ridgeville, Ohio
Jamal Lee King is a 53-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Mr. King is a U.S. Army veteran. He received the National Defense Service Medal and several other awards before being honorably discharged. He received early termination of his probationary sentence and has since worked in various jobs. Mr. King contributes to his community through his church and by caring for his elderly neighbors. His community members describe him as trustworthy and honest.

JERRY DONALD MANNING – Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Jerry Donald Manning is a 70-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent offenses. Mr. Manning received early termination of his probationary sentence and has since advanced his education and career in aviation. He is active in his community, coaching soccer, attending church, and serving as a bible study teacher. Mr. Manning is a veteran of the U.S. Army. While in service, he was awarded a medal during Operation Desert Storm, and was honorably discharged. Friends and colleagues attest to his character, describing him as a good, honest man and a great leader.

HONI LORI MOORE – Rock Springs, Wyoming
Honi Lori Moore is a 46-year-old woman who committed a non-violent drug offense when she was 19 years old. Since her release, she has maintained consistent employment in the mining industry and has furthered her education by earning certificates. Ms. Moore is a member of two charitable organizations and has provided critical support to individuals in need, including fire safety, rescue, and first aid. Friends, neighbors, and colleagues describe Ms. Moore as honest, courageous, trustworthy, and dependable.

EMILY GOOD NELSON – Indianapolis, Indiana
Emily Good Nelson is a 39-year-old woman who was convicted of non-violent drug offenses when she was 19 years old. Since her release, she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and now works in the healthcare field. She has spoken publicly about drug use and has volunteered as a counselor at an in-patient psychiatric facility. She is described as kind, committed to recovery and helping others, and as someone with tremendous talent and ability.

DENITA NICOLE PARKER – Gaffney, South Carolina
Denita Nicole Parker is a 43-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense when she was in her 20s. Since her conviction, she has been a dedicated parent to her two children and works full-time. Ms. Parker also volunteers with a charitable organization delivering meals at least two to three times per month, organizes donations for the homeless, and buys holiday gifts for children in her community. She and her husband also started a program that feeds approximately 100 families. Friends, work associates, and neighbors describe Ms. Parker as law-abiding, trustworthy, dependable, and dedicated person.

MICHAEL GARY PELLETIER – Augusta, Maine
Michael Gary Pelletier is a 67-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Mr. Pelletier served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 14 years on active duty, where he participated in more than 790 search and rescue operations and saved 32 lives. He also previously worked with the U.S. Secret Service and received several citations and awards for his meritorious service. He was honorably discharged and later served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. After his conviction, Mr. Pelletier worked for almost 20 years at a water treatment facility. He volunteered for his county HAZMAT team, assisting first responders at hazardous material spills, accidents, and natural disasters. Additionally, he has grown vegetables for a local soup kitchen and volunteered at an organization supporting wounded veterans and their families. Friends, colleagues, and those who know Mr. Pelletier describe him has honest, dependable, and committed to his country and community.

RUSSELL THOMAS PORTNER – Toutle, Washington
Russell Thomas Portner is a 74-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense. Mr. Portner served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged after earning several decorations, including the Bronze Star. Since his conviction, he married, raised four children, operated a successful business, and developed a reputation for charitable generosity and community service. He is currently a member of several veterans organizations. Neighbors, business associates, and friends describe him as trustworthy, loyal, and as a respected businessperson.

NATHANIEL DAVID REED III – San Antonio, Texas
Nathaniel David Reed III is a 46-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent offenses at the age of 21. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years after his conviction, including many overseas deployments, and achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and earned numerous good conduct awards before retiring with an honorable discharge. Mr. Reed has volunteered for numerous causes benefitting both the U.S. Air Force and the civilian community, such as training local firefighters, teaching fire prevention in various settings, and organizing fire prevention weeks. He has also served as a certified sexual assault prevention and response advocate and has used his experience in overcoming the stigma of his conviction to help mentor fellow airmen. Friends, neighbors, and former U.S. Air Force colleagues consistently describe Mr. Reed as highly motivated, reliable, patient, family-oriented, trustworthy, patriotic, dependable, upstanding, honest, hardworking, and personable.

GARY MICHAEL ROBINSON – Redmond, Oregon
Gary Michael Robinson is a 70-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense. Mr. Robinson is a distinguished U.S. Army veteran. During his service, he earned the National Defense Service Medal and other awards. He was honorably discharged and served as a reservist for several years. Since his conviction, he has built a successful firefighting and habitat preservation business. He volunteers in his community, gives regularly to charity, and is well-regarded by friends and associates. Mr. Robinson is described by those who know him as honest, trustworthy, and professional.

JOSE ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ – Coral Springs, Florida
Jose Antonio Rodriguez is a 55-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense at the age of 26. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy and received several medals and awards for his service, including the U.S. Navy Achievement Medal. Since his conviction, Mr. Rodriguez has started a family, committed himself to higher education, and has maintained employment in the medical field. Colleagues and friends describe Mr. Rodriguez as compassionate, empathetic, and dedicated to treating patients.

PATRICE CHANTE SELLERS – Bear, Delaware
Patrice Chante Sellers is a 49-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense when she was in her 20s. If Ms. Sellers had been sentenced under current law and sentencing practice, she likely would not have been prosecuted federally. Since her conviction, Ms. Sellers enrolled in school, earning multiple certifications and licenses. She gives back to her community by donating clothing and toiletries to a transitional housing program and offering encouragement to its residents. Community members describe Ms. Sellers as someone who goes above and beyond for others.

AUDREY DIANE SIMONE (AUDREY CLARK) – Prescott, Wisconsin
Audrey Diane Simon is a 63-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent offense. In the years since, Ms. Simon has worked in the field of addiction recovery and earned a bachelor’s degree and a permanent counseling license. She also contributes to her community through her church where she serves as a deacon and works in the church’s prison ministry. Community members describe her as inspirational, trustworthy, positive, and caring.

JAMES RUSSELL STIDD – Groveport, Ohio
James Russell Stidd is a 79-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense at the age of 20. After his conviction, he served in the U.S. Air Force until he was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant. He reenlisted and served another four years, including during the Vietnam War, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant. Upon being honorably discharged, Mr. Stidd worked as a contractor and as a road and park maintenance worker. He has participated in various charitable activities through his church and is a member of a disabled veterans organization. Mr. Stidd is described as a man of integrity and honor.

DIANA BAZAN VILLANUEVA – La Grange, Illinois
Diana Bazan Villanueva is a 51-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent drug offense in her 20s. In the years since, Ms. Villanueva has been a dedicated mother to her children and has worked in payroll and accounts. Ms. Villanueva also regularly volunteers at school events, fundraisers, and annual autism-related charitable events. Friends and coworkers uniformly praise Ms. Villanueva and describe her as warm, reliable, and always eager to help.

LASHAWN MARRVINIA WALKER – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Lashawn Marrvinia Walker is a 51-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses in her 20s. Ms. Walker received early termination of her probationary sentence for her exemplary probation record. Since then, Ms. Walker has worked in the healthcare field, is an engaged parent, and regularly assists others in her community, including during the holidays when she helps serve dinner at a retirement home. People in her community describe Ms. Walker as caring, good-hearted, and responsible. They also note her willingness to meaningfully help others.

MIREYA AIMEE WALMSLEY – La Porte, Texas
Mireya Aimee Walmsley is a 57-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent offense at the age of 25. Since her conviction, she has earned an associate’s degree, a nursing license, and a bachelor’s degree. She has maintained steady employment in the healthcare field. Additionally, she has led emergency response teams during several natural disasters (including Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, and Harvey, and Tropical Storm Allison) and spearheaded vaccination efforts during the H1N1 epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. Her contributions to public health have been recognized on numerous occasions. She has been commended for her loyalty, integrity, compassion for people of all backgrounds, and is universally described as honest and steadfast in crisis.

KIMBERLY JO WARNER – Portville, New York
Kimberly Jo Warner is a 54-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Since her conviction, Ms. Warner earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and works in the healthcare field. She has volunteered at a non-profit that provides therapeutic services to veterans and first responders and serves as a mentor. She also participates in the Gold Star Wives Program and speaks at the local veterans organization meetings. Ms. Warner has been described as positive, empathetic, caring, and nurturing by those who know her.

JOHNNIE EARL WILLIAMS – Denver, Colorado
Johnnie Earl Williams is a 58-year-old man who was convicted of a non-violent offense. In the years since, Mr. Williams has worked as a criminal justice specialist and addiction counselor. He gives back to his community through volunteering and serving in his church. Mr. Williams has received many awards for his charitable work, including an award that honors individuals who work with young men of color. Community members describe Mr. Williams as honest, loyal, and compassionate.

SHAWNTE DOROTHEA WILLIAMS – Columbia, South Carolina
Shawnte Dorothea Williams is a 45-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense in her 20s. In the years since, Ms. Williams has been steadily employed in several fields. Ms. Williams is involved in her community, working in her church’s food pantry and serving as a greeter on Sunday mornings. Ms. Williams has been described by those who know her as a loyal and dependable community member.

LASHUNDRA TENNEAL WILSON – Arlington, Texas
Lashundra Tenneal Wilson is a 49-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense she committed when she was a teenager. In the years since, Ms. Wilson pursued her education and has worked in the healthcare field. Ms. Wilson gives back to the community by volunteering at community health fairs and raising funds for non-profit health organizations. Ms. Wilson has been praised for her work ethic, trustworthiness, and dependability by community members.

LORA NICOLE WOOD – Maxwell, Nevada
Lora Nicole Wood is a 39-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense when she was 19 years old. Since her release, Ms. Wood has maintained steady employment and is an engaged parent. She has spent time volunteering with animal welfare and canine therapy service organizations and has organized food drives and fundraisers. Ms. Wood has been praised her work ethic, devotion to her children, and volunteer endeavors.

JAMES EDGAR YARBROUGH – Arlington, Tennessee
James Edgar Yarbrough is a 79-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent offenses. Mr. Yarbrough is a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran who earned a Purple Heart Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and over 10 other medals and awards throughout his service. He was honorably discharged after attaining the rank of Captain. Since his conviction, he worked for a shipping company for nearly 30 years. Now retired, he spends much of his time volunteering and is active in his church. Mr. Yarbrough’s business acquaintances, neighbors, church members, and friends all reflect a consistent high level of regard for Mr. Yarbrough, commenting on his impressive civic engagement, good character, and generosity.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is commuting the sentences of the following 1,499 individuals:

NameReg. No.ANTWON ABBOTT16383-028RLS AR ABDUL AZIZ02438-095EDWARD ABELL III00566-138ANTHONY ABREU-MATOS44903-069FAYEZ ABU-AISH67402-018JOSE ABUNDIZ11828-085JORGE ACEVEDO04413-028MARK ACKERMAN30428-047SETH ACOSTA47417-177FELIX ACOSTA78804-198KARA ADAMS61718-019JOHN ADAMS17769-029LONZINE ADAMS39134-018DARRYL ADAMS32351-009HERMAN ADAMS03791-480ADEMOLA ADEBAYO17711-104AYODELE ADENIRAN78249-054PAMELA ADENUGA45171-177SHELINDER AGGARWAL34768-001MANUEL AGUILAR26463-009RAMON AGUILAR III50500-177VINCENTER JIMENES19899-026RAY AGUILLARD05451-095ALBERTO AGUIRRE68408-079CHELSEY AGUIRRI57387-177TOYOSI ALATISHE63492-037DENNIS ALBA89560-012BRIAN ALCORTA44752-380MAHMOUD ALDISSI60832-018ROBERT ALDRIDGE00195-120ANTHONY ALFARO22710-026MUHAMMAD ALI42233-379NAGY ALI13500-479ASIF ALI57844-177MICHAEL ALLEN14822-042DEVORD ALLEN05097-041KRISTIE ALLEN18933-023BENJAMIN ALLMON17008-029KAHEIM ALLUMS78040-054GUMARO ALMANZA57815-380JORGE ALOMAR-BAELLO74170-053WILLIAM ALONZO51061-039JAMES ALTOM27680-045JUAN ALVAREZ18027-097CARLOS AMADOR64899-279FRANK AMODEO48883-019ROBERT ANDERSON14686-076ROBERT ANDERSON09350-021THOMAS ANDERSON JR41952-044MELVIN ANDERSON32689-074JULIE ANDRADE75726-112MARK ANDREOTTI67620-050WILFREDO ANDUJAR23432-058ANTONIO ESCOBAR
CHRISTOPHER ANZALONE29230-479
06975-104JOSE APONTE71104-050CLYDE APPERSON14058-031ROY APPLEWHITE13755-040DWAYNE APPLING12383-273ALVARO ARGUELLES36944-479MINEL ARIAS85794-054GABRIEL ARIAS MADURO16089-104RICHARD ARLEDGE16769-078GENNY ARMENTA54202-177TRACY ARNOLD52198-074ERIC ARNOLD45771-074BERNARD ARRE04052-029BENJAMIN ARZOLA27539-050JAMES ASKEW III27100-001NICHOLAS AUDETTE72060-018CARLOS AVANT22833-076ANGELA AVETISYAN68350-112ERICA AYALA49030-177ISMAEL AYALA42295-018FRANK BADILLA JR43595-480ALCIDES BAEZ37504-004JACKIE BAGLEY63477-037SANDRA BAILEY27281-076JAMES BAILEY05406-010RYAN BAIRD15870-028ULYSEE BAKER JR56979-083BRIAN BALLANGEE11907-033JOHN BANKS15023-075KIMBERLY BANKS96188-020JEFFREY BANKS78927-083FRAENCHOT BANKS15638-041ANDRE BARBARY97866-004EVIZAEL BARBOSA-DELGADO76036-066RUBEN BARCELO-SEVERINO63353-018COY BARKER22321-078HAROLD BARNETT15762-033YESENIA BARRAGAN80567-298JOSE BARRERA28336-078JOSE BARRERAS15114-028ONEIL BARRETT57578-298PHILIP BARRY77573-053DION BARTLETT51593-083KURT BARTON71720-280RAMIRO BASALDUA64458-079HARVEY BASS55769-018SHALLIN BAST22296-040PATRICK BATES33795-058DERRICK BEALS04143-043CARLOS BECERRA16447-179LYDIA BECK71137-019DONALD BECK29104-057EDDIE BECKHAM34320-058TODD BEHRENDS22602-047ANTHONY BELL26231-013JEAN BENITEZ-REYES52753-069AUNDEL BENOIT36312-004SHANNON BENTLEY71366-018LARRY BENTLEY JR24069-044LEON BENZER47521-048MARC BERCOON66081-019ROGER BERGMAN04825-104CARLOS BASTARD72419-054AUSTIN BERTCH14003-029CORDARRYL BETTON21389-043ANTONIO BEVERLY02712-104TRACY BIAS70248-061DAVID BILES40371-074MICHAEL BINDAY66389-054MICKEY BIRGE10240-028DOYLE BIVENS40031-074KIMBERLY BLACK-MCCORMICK26518-045KEVIN BLALOCK42597-074JAMES BLANTON50960-509ANIS BLEMUR19380-104KEVIN BLEVINS32128-177ERIC BLOOM44727-424JOHN BLOUNT17880-035KENDALL BLUE55802-056VILAWOE BOADU76454-408ANDREW BOGDANOFF68251-066ANASTASSIA BOGOMOLOVA60833-018LASHAUN BOLTON30504-057AMANDA BONEL22810-078RICARDO BONILLA-ROJAS40498-069CHRISTOPHER BOOTH07502-043LISA BOOTON30658-047RANDALL BOSTIC42523-074SYLVESTER BOSTON JR50221-039ROBERT BOSTON33525-058ALICIA BOULDIN58421-177AUDRA BOWDEN50705-177MELVIN BOWEN19666-078PAUL BOWMAN53747-074MICHAEL BOWMAN19060-084VERNON BOWSER14524-074CHRISTOPHER BOX22026-084QUINBY BOYD30446-058WILLIAM BOYLAND JR79751-053KENNETH BRADLEY09488-021MACK BRADLEY08073-043WILLIAM BRADLEY87078-054BENJAMIN BRADLEY50878-039JUSTIN BRANON89595-408DONALD BRELJE09657-041MATTHEW BREMOND20559-006STEVEN BREWER24281-077TREAVOR BRIGGS32708-009SHAMICHAEL BRIGHT14688-035MITCHELL BROOKS24135-016ANDREA BROOKS28601-380TERRICIOUS BROOKS54557-056SHELLE BROOKS04027-029DONALD BROOMFIELD61304-018BOBBIE BROWN40453-424ATARI BROWN54681-039JERMAINE BROWN62269-019KEVIN BROWN32427-016JB BROWN JR19409-026EDDIE BROWN06900-063DARRYL BROWN46329-074ISAAC BROWN33651-058TRAMAINE BROWN91240-053JAMES BROWN31677-171TERESA BROWN22766-045JONATHAN BRUMBACK22506-031TORRIE BRUMFIELD32473-034ROCKY BRUMMETT12354-032MICHAEL BRUNER17984-032MICHAEL BRYANT54559-004GREGORY BUCK26568-081TAMATHA BUCKHOLT63353-280KEVIN BUI26874-017DENNIS BUNCH78044-083JOHN BURGESS59495-177JAMES BURKHART15426-028PAUL BURKS29723-058ALEKSANDR BURMAN50234-054VICTOR BURNETT54977-039ANTHONY BURNETT16708-028PIERRE BURNETT15146-028LAMEL BURNS42334-424SIRRICO BURNSIDE24037-171NATHANIEL BURRELL III71431-066REBECCA BURRESS30393-074KERI BURROUGHS14152-010CRYSTAL BUSBY-TETZLAFF08770-046ANTONIO BUSSIE66847-019RUBEN BUSTOS47273-380DANNY BUTLER19107-033SHAWN BUTLER83619-083JOHN BUTLER JR20040-018MICHAEL BYERS34932-058ERNESTO CABANAS-TORRES59340-408YERITHZA CABAUATAN64824-298LYNN CADY55388-380BRIAN CALLAHAN82618-053THOMAS CAMBIANO28886-031PIO CAMPOS09314-089ROSETTA CANNATA62780-018XAVIER CARDONA36123-380LUIS CARIBE-GARCIA16113-069JAMES CARLSON16784-041ALLEN CARNES02783-061TERRELL CARNEY33927-034LUSHAWN CAROLINA58659-083KELLI CARON13604-059HORRIS CARPENTER27422-076PEDRO CARRASCO JR07532-046CARMELO CARRASQUILLO-LOPEZ53078-069JIMMY CARRASQUILLO-RODRIGUEZ33484-069JOSE CARRILLO62730-080CLIFFORD CARROLL13905-104DEWEY CARROLL50232-037RASHAUN CARTER21884-084ERIK CARTER51330-039MAURICE CARTER97740-020JOSEPH CARTER16691-075RANDY CARVER53579-074JAMES CARVER25084-014MELISSA CASEY48834-074SHARLENE CASH33128-064NORMA CASILLAS52244-179VLADIMIR CASTANEDA62039-018ROLAND CASTELLANOS62970-019RONALD CASTILLE JR63882-280DANNY CASTILLO26164-014NELVING CASTRO69551-066DESHON CATCHINGS47363-039JOSE MORA CATES17496-028DWELLY CAULEY69830-004SEUI CAVAN08947-030PEDRO CAVAZOS JR52624-080OSVALDO CEBALLO01241-104RAFAEL CEBALLOS-CASTILLO06988-028DOMINGO CEDANO-MARTINEZ59126-177ISRAEL CEDENO-MARTINEZ66258-050ROMAN CHAIDEZ-ALVAREZ17137-424AMANDA CHAMBERLAIN54101-177SHAUNTEL CHAMBERS17381-027KAWANA CHAMPION71021-019NIGEL CHANDLER32455-177JAMES CHANEY17746-032DONNIE CHASTAIN60461-019LIZA CHAVERA84866-380JOSE CHAVEZ07920-027CARLOS CHAVEZ-LOZANO08285-063JUAN CHAVIRA-GUERRERO26392-078MARCUS CISNEROS55251-177XAVIER CISNEROS87026-280EMMA CLARK27724-078BERNARD CLARK27715-171ROBERT CLARK JR10732-078NEIL CLARK06923-032KASIMU CLARK49960-066GEORGE CLARKE24708-052NORMA CLAUDIO01722-138TIMOTHY CLINE08718-062BRADLEY CLOUGH12318-028MARIAN CLUFF92132-379MIKE COFFELT42779-074GAYBBRELL COFIELD53224-056CLARENCE COHEN43732-039DALE COLBERT63077-112KEVIN COLEMAN30836-076KEITH COLEMAN09587-021VLADIMIR COLLAZO-FLORIDO13775-069NICHOLAS COLLINS26482-034MARLON COLLINS05871-041RUSSELL COLLINS05959-032LEON COMBS07917-032MICHAEL CONAHAN15009-067BRUCE CONANT25387-045HUMBERTO CONCEPCION-ANDRADES50411-069KARIN CONDON08979-059RAYMOND CONLEY11368-035NOEL CONTRERAS89187-008VANESSA COOPER58397-018DEWAYNE COOPER24919-034CHERIE COPELAND34593-045BRYAN COPELAND55708-018JOSEPH COPELAND16683-089CHAYANEE CORCINO-SERRANO52234-069MATTHEW CORDERO09956-087RAFAEL CORDERO68437-066JARVOR COSSE37473-034JACORY COULTER28564-078CLARENCE COUNTERMAN58238-380HENDRICK COUSAR23407-171DONALD COX JR49022-177GARRY CRAIGHEAD62952-380ZAN CRANDALL JR17023-003WILLIAM CRANE31603-001QUANTEZ CRIBBS10735-029RACHEL CROWE14291-509KACEY CROXTON54049-177RITA CRUNDWELL44540-424RICHARD CRUZ70012-054ANNA CUARTAS15923-104CHAD CURRY00527-120JONATHAN CURSHEN90293-054SALAH DADO45816-039COURTNEY DAILY25700-075AUGUSTIN DALUSMA71080-018AARON DAN94757-022MELVIN DANIELS32900-171ETHEL DANIELS66014-019JAMIE DARBY16934-002VIKRAM DATTA64542-054PAUL DAUGERDAS62444-054KENDRICK DAVENPORT14089-179ARNULFO DAVILA32490-177ERIC DAVIS31339-044AMANDA DAVIS52217-074MICHAEL DAVIS55247-060MARTEE DAVIS31634-001LISA DAVIS14202-029KOBIE DAVIS17745-026PIERRE DAWSON20863-424FEDERICO DE LA CRUZ08369-379MERCEDES DE LA PAZ65423-298DAVID DE LOS SANTOS49817-177NICHOLAS DEANGELIS71691-004CHRISTINE DELACRUZ20753-006GERARDO DELBOSQUE16494-078OSCAR DELGADILLO88249-479VINCENT DELGADO27854-039RODNEY DELOACH04816-061DAVID DEMATHEWS11256-112DONNA DEMPS66889-018GUY DERILUS94425-004ANITA DESORMEAUX17404-035EDUARDO DIAZ31301-045RICARDO DIAZ79173-479HECTOR DIAZ JR04822-508RAFAEL DIAZ-ALICEA63755-018ALAN DIAZ-FELICIANO50584-069JOSE DIAZ-MEDINA16909-069JERRY DICE18137-026CLINTON DICKERSON10113-078EARLIE DICKERSON08369-380JON DIRK DICKERSON24921-045WALTER DIGGLES25054-078EDWARD DIMARIA16900-104NATHANIEL DIXSON16028-028KRISANDREA DOBBS56495-177JUAN DOMINGUEZ76727-004FELICIA DONALD94272-083LAMON DONNELL16879-078RONALD DOTSON52832-074DARREN DOUGLAS16921-047RICK DOWDEN09130-028JACK DOWELL05225-017WILLIAM DOWNS11865-033ROBERTA DRAHEIM11325-090MARC DREIER70595-054GORDON DRIVER47270-048JOHN DRULLINGER JR50200-177PHOUMANO DUANGTAVILAY27955-055JOHN DUBOR28044-479CORRIE DUDLEY28056-045JADE DUGAN17343-273CHAD DUNAWAY15039-078BRUCE DUNKELBURGER97329-020TOMMY DUONG21598-017BARBARA DUPREY RIVERA69394-018RANDY DURAN55401-177WILLIAM DYER52295-074GERARD EASILEY71989-279MELODIE ECKLAND52863-509ROBERT EDWARDS55683-018VERNON EDWARDS28300-171BENJAMIN EDWARDS SR31320-034VICTOR EHLERS25357-052GARY EISEMAN13633-059MATTHEW ELDER17041-408VIOLET ELDRIDGE57294-019MICHAEL ELLIOTT JR18076-030RYAN ELLIS07971-036DARIEN ELLSWORTH-DAWAY71967-066RUDOLPH ENGEL08084-059JOSEPH ENOX41328-177ERIC EPSTEIN16513-104JUSTIN ERWIN26283-058CHRISTOPHER ERWIN63427-050CINTHIA ESCOBAR-RAMOS50975-069ALFONSO ESPARZA75902-097HAROLD ESQUILIN-MONTANEZ49768-069EDUARDO ESTERAS-ROSADO47753-069MICHELLE ESTEVEZ55439-066ENRIQUE ESTRADA76531-112DANIEL EVANS43012-044RONALD EVANS SR31084-018TERRY EVELAND15669-028BRENDA EVERSOLE16161-032DAITWAUN FAIR25880-052EDWARD FARLEY61330-019DAVID FARNSWORTH16241-059AVION FARR31852-009ANTWONE FARRAL13864-028RONALD FAULK JR43628-054ROOSEVELT FAZ85345-079JOHANNY FELICIANO-GONZALEZ50771-069FRANCISCO FELIX65558-208HERIBERTO FELIX RUIZ31715-009MELVIN FELIZ16314-054SELICA FENDER16834-059BRYAN FERRER-VAZQUEZ27465-055TERI FIEDLER46285-044STEPHEN FIELDS80657-083JESUS FIGUEROA01197-138ROLANDO FIGUEROA62539-018DANIEL FILLERUP25270-052DERRICK FINCHER20128-085STEVEN FINKLER39327-053NORRIS FISHER41251-177JENNA FITZHUGH-THOMAS36732-034TIMOTHY FITZPATRICK24140-055FABIAN FLEIFEL57575-018TERRY FLENORY32454-044PATRICK FLORANG09860-029GUSTAVO FLORES91742-051MARGARITO FLORES41922-080SHIRLEY FLORES83175-179ALEXIS FONTANEZ NIEVES66943-018DAMON FORBES49337-019WILLIAM FORD11612-002KEITH FORD67064-018NIGEL FORDE91548-083MARSHALL FOSKEY94169-020BRIAN FOSTER59970-019NATHAN FOSTER17583-002JOSHUA FOUNTAIN05960-017MELISSA FOX20767-045DAVID FRANCIS38679-068MONICA FRAZEE68730-298DEXTER FRAZIER71019-019BOBBY FROMAN38833-177JERRY FRUIT53517-054JAMES FRY15927-041PEGGY FULFORD37001-034KATHY FUNTILA06000-122CALVIN FURLOW60885-019ANTONIO GADDIST28288-171KRYSTA GAINES54427-177WILLIAM GALLION11492-032FREDERICK GANG72630-054DANIELS GARCES28327-078REYNALDO GARCIA29332-479JACQUELINE GARCIA12667-091GABRIEL GARCIA28966-180AMBAR GARCIA57152-380MANUEL GARCIA ZUNIGA18857-030DENNIS GARCIA-CATALAN56897-177NEYDIE GARCIA-PEREZ20096-479NOEL GARCIA-RIVERA23164-069MERRILL GARDNER13729-046JODY GARDNER12401-104RAMON GARIBAY42552-280VICKI GARLAND65459-112RICHARD GARRETT43830-112BABY GARRISON22813-021TREMAINE GARRISON67131-054KEVIN GARVIN63886-019JAMES GARY08922-379HUMBERTO GARZA80485-079JEREMY GASAWAY10910-028AMBER GAUCH55287-177ALFRED GEREBIZZA63188-019COURTLAND GETTEL60857-298ADAM GETTS17474-027DENNIS GIBBONS JR47362-074LC GILLS JR30067-076GEOFFREY GISH62152-019BYRON GLOVER27413-034ALEXIO GOBERN15002-057JAJUAN GODSEY43961-060TISHA GOFF54112-074CARL GOLDEN04099-095WILLIAM GOLDSTEIN66083-019JAMIE GOLLADAY71142-097SOTERO GOMEZ91525-054LIDERRICK GOMEZ33532-171BRYAN GOMEZ NEVAREZ70388-018RANDY GOMILLA14460-025DANEL GONZALEZ49687-069ISAAC GONZALEZ56372-177JOSE GONZALEZ00727-138MARTHA GONZALEZ56710-177MARCOS GONZALEZ86617-054NORMA GONZALEZ94484-380DAVID GONZALEZ-PEREZ35448-069ROBERT GOOD32794-068STEVEN GOODMAN27355-009WILLIAM GOODWILL14116-026CLARENCE GOODWIN42129-074CLINTON GOSWICK33728-177GEORGE GRACE SR05652-095DAMON GRAHAM13787-014DANIELLE GRAVES17929-030MARCEL GRAVES20408-043LARRY GRAVES35377-408ANDREA GRAY15761-076SHERRY GRAY05057-088JOHN GRAY33954-058SHAWN GREEN31359-171HENRY GREEN JR42575-074JAMIE GREEN26213-078DAVID GREENBERG59059-053CHARLES GREESON60784-019RODRICK GRIMES05892-078MICHAEL GROVE07811-002JAMES GUERRA36611-001CLOYD GUILLORY25713-479TREMAYNE GUIN64374-060JEFFREY GUNSELMAN01056-380SAVANNAH GUTHERY31479-064FRANK GUTIERREZ07626-051SANTOS GUTIERREZ60107-097MARC GUYTON32201-034ERIC GUZMAN72056-050LEGUSTER HACKWORTH III34685-001ANDREW HAIR54106-056DAMON HAIRSTON17753-027JAMES HALD17170-047HENRY HALL35370-016KRIS HALL08407-063HARRISON HALL47294-424JANET HALLAHAN11744-026FRANZ HAMBRICK16770-179FRANK HAMILTON34162-171LESLIE HAMILTON07068-089BUCK HAMMERS08202-063JOHN HANCOCK14341-078ASHLEY HANNA28294-078HUNTER HANSON17369-059PETER HANSON03640-041AARON HARBOR49351-177BRANDON HARDERS17362-029DAVID HARDY14486-078Cynthia Harlan
MELISSA HARLESS63290-018
20400-084CHRISTOPHER HARLESS68123-280DANNY HARMON10089-028JOSHUA HARNED32207-001SANDRA HARO13202-479JAMES HARPER33908-171CHARLES HARRIS42637-379DONTAI HARRIS70182-018VICTORIA HARRIS09002-025BOBBY HARRIS46169-177JIMMY HARTLEY06148-028MALCOLM HARTZOG02391-043LAMONT HARVEY51237-039JOHNNY HATCHER31418-074LARRY HAWKINS16918-077WOODROW HAYES12732-035JAMAL HAYNES25575-017WILLIAM HEARN17282-003STEVEN HEBERT30953-034ROBERTO HECKSCHER14400-111KATHRYN HELLEN21895-040ROBERT HELM23180-047SHAQUAN HEMINGWAY02815-509JEROME HENNESSEY21756-041JOHN HENOUD25198-083WENDI HENRY43511-074KYLE HENSON20303-076MARCELA HEREDIA76424-097MICHAEL HERMAN75169-067ERNEST HERNANDEZ32005-479PAUL HERNANDEZ SR46860-177SIRIA HERNANDEZ14847-104JOHNNY HERNANDEZ52595-280MARCOS HERNANDEZ07452-078LEONARD HERNANDEZ91393-380GUILLERMO HERNANDEZ16555-078RICK HERRERA59037-177PEDRO HERRERA51600-177NELLY HERRERA47398-008ALEXANDER HEYING17863-041RAYMOND HIBBERT70563-066JERRY HICKS27657-078JAMES HILL06343-088BRANDON HILL52282-074JOHNNIE HILL83187-083AMY HILL68340-479PHILLIP HILL56433-019TIMOTHY HILLIARD43262-424TERRANCE HILTON09034-095TED HILTON SR33634-045WILLIAM HILTS24063-052SIDNEY HINES11120-030CLAUDIA HIRMER07035-017MARK HOBBY49441-019TERENCE HODGE32479-171DERRICK HODGE42709-074THOMAS HOEY JR92147-054RICO HOGAN48458-044STEPHANIE HOLBROOK17997-029BRIAN HOLLAND57325-177EDWARD HOLLIMAN79670-054MARCUS HOLLIMAN65049-019BERNARD HOLLINGER JR95775-020CHARLES HOLLIS JR97818-020SAMUEL HOLLOMAN30964-057LAWRENCE HOLMAN28077-018KEITH HOLMES00224-509WAYNE HOLROYD10096-007DAVID HOLT50520-177TIMOTHY HOLT52097-074JON HOLT12172-041JACLYN HOOKER48726-177RALPH HOOPER77365-054MICHAEL HORN28838-177WILLIAM HORTON JR66940-479JOHN HOSKINS17570-032GEORGE HOUSER60799-019GEORGE HOUSTON16032-018JAMES HOWARD III04067-017FRED HOWARD07757-089Gilbert Howard
SHELDON HOWARD12704-032
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Today’s announcement will commute the sentences of close to 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement and will pardon 39 individuals convicted of non-violent crimes

Today, President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans – the most ever in a single day – who have shown successful rehabilitation and a strong commitment to making their communities safer. The President is commuting the sentences of close to 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities. He is also pardoning 39 individuals who were convicted of non-violent crimes. These actions represent the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history.

Together, these actions build on the President’s record of criminal justice reform to help reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals back into society. The President has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms. He is also the first President ever to issue categorical pardons to individuals convicted of simple use and possession of marijuana, and to former LGBTQI+ service members convicted of private conduct because of their sexual orientation. In the coming weeks, the President will take additional steps to provide meaningful second chances and continue to review additional pardons and commutations.

Americans receiving relief today include:

• A decorated military veteran and pilot who spends much of his time helping his fellow church members who are in poor health or unable to perform strenuous tasks;

• A nurse who has led emergency response for several natural disasters and who helped spearhead vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

• An addiction counselor who volunteers his time to help young people find their purpose, make better choices, and refrain from destructive behaviors and gang involvement.

As the President has said, the United States is a nation of second chances. The President recognizes how the clemency power can advance equal justice under law and remedy harms caused by practices of the past.

The nearly 1,500 individuals who received commutations today have been serving their sentences at home for at least one year under the COVID-era CARES Act. These Americans have been reunited with their families and shown their commitment to rehabilitation by securing employment and advancing their education. The 39 individuals receiving pardons today were convicted of non-violent crimes, including drug offenses, and have turned their lives around. These individuals are parents, veterans, health care professionals, teachers, advocates, and engaged members of their communities. Many of them have used their experiences in the criminal justice system to inspire and encourage others.

Individual Clemency Actions Throughout the Biden-Harris Administration

The President is intent on granting clemency to individuals convicted of non-violent crimes who were sentenced under outdated laws, policies, and practices that left them with longer sentences than if the individuals were sentenced today.

To address these injustices, President Biden has taken several bold clemency actions throughout his Administration, including:

• In April 2022, the President granted clemency to individuals with various drug-related offenses and some individuals on CARES Act home confinement. In total, he granted three pardons and 75 commutations.
  
  
• In December 2022, the President granted clemency to recipients with various drug- and alcohol-related offenses. In total, he granted six pardons.
  
  
• In April 2023, the President granted clemency to recipients on CARES Act home confinement. In total, he granted 31 commutations.
  
  
• In December 2023 and April 2024, the President granted clemency to individuals sentenced for non-violent drug offenses. In total, he granted 11 pardons and 16 commutations.
  
  

These individual actions have helped to transform these individuals’ lives and positively impact their communities. Federal convictions make it difficult to secure housing, jobs, educational opportunities, benefits, and health care; all essential to living a healthy and productive life. Through his use of the clemency power, President Biden has taken steps to unlock doors of opportunity that would have otherwise remained closed to these recipients, who deserve a second chance.

Categorical Clemency Actions throughout the Biden-Harris Administration

In addition to these individual clemency actions, President Biden has issued a number of categorical pardons to certain groups of people. The President has used categorical clemency more than any of his predecessors, which has allowed him to widely and systemically respond to historic injustices. His bold and unprecedented categorical actions, broadly outlined below, include the following:

• In October 2022, the President issued a full, complete, and unconditional categorical pardon for the offense of simple possession of marijuana.
  
  
• In December 2023, the President issued another proclamation that expanded earlier relief for the offenses of simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana, regardless of whether the individual had been charged with or prosecuted for the offenses on or before the date of the proclamation. 
  
  
• In June 2024, the President issued a full, complete, and unconditional categorical pardons to certain former military service persons convicted of offenses based on their sexual orientation, specifically unaggravated offenses based on consensual, private conduct with persons age 18 and older occurring between May 31, 1951, and December 26, 2013, as well as attempts, conspiracies, or solicitations of such conduct.

 The President’s categorical approach to clemency has also inspired leaders across the country to take similar action. Over ten states and localities, including Maryland and Massachusetts, have issued categorical clemency for marijuana convictions, impacting hundreds of thousands of people and allowing individuals to move past their convictions and move on with their daily lives.

While today’s announcement marks important progress, there is more to come. President Biden will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver criminal justice reform in a manner that advances equity and justice, promotes public safety, supports rehabilitation and reentry, and provides meaningful second chances.

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America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances. As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses.

That is why, today, I am pardoning 39 people who have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer. I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who are serving long prison sentences – many of whom would receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices. These commutation recipients, who were placed on home confinement during the COVID pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance.

I will take more steps in the weeks ahead. My Administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions to advance equal justice under the law, promote public safety, support rehabilitation and reentry, and provide meaningful second chances.

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The post Statement from President Joe Biden on Providing Clemency for Nearly 1,500 Individuals on Home Confinement and Pardons for 39 Individuals Convicted of Non-Violent Crimes appeared first on The White House.

President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office determined to end the COVID-19 pandemic while making progress toward a world that is safe from biological threats. Today we are releasing the final annual global health security report of the Biden-Harris Administration, U.S. Government Support for Global Health Security – Protecting Lives and Safeguarding Economies, which highlights progress in global health security and identifies remaining challenges.

The Biden-Harris Administration has advanced a bold agenda to prevent the devastating toll of outbreaks and pandemics, including investing more than $3 billion in strengthening global health security (GHS) since 2020. These investments have helped to: prepare countries around the world to more effectively prevent, detect and respond to biological threats; build stronger and more effective regional and global institutions to support health emergency preparedness and response; and respond rapidly to numerous outbreaks – from Ebola to mpox – to limit the health and economic impacts on the American people, as well as people living around the world. U.S. leadership in global health security is built on decades of investments in global health and research and development, as well as strong partnerships with other countries, regional and multilateral institutions, civil society, and the private sector.

REDUCING THE RISK OF NEW THREATS EMERGING AND BUILDING COUNTRY CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO THREATS

The most effective way to limit the impact of biological threats is to stop them at their source. The United States is working with countries and partners around the world to ensure they have the capacity to identify and stop emerging threats before they grow into regional or global threats. Central to these partnerships is the development of a shared plan based on gaps in each country’s capacity, as well as country ownership to sustain global health security capacities once U.S. Government support has ended. Highlights from the report include:

• More than 100 countries are building stronger global health security capacities: Over the last four years, the Biden-Harris Administrationexpanded formal Global Health Security partnerships from 19 countries to more than 50 countries and one regional group. The United States has also leveraged financial resources and diplomatic channels to mobilize support for 50 additional countries to strengthen their health security capacities, for a total of more than 100 countries receiving support. For example, through U.S. support to the Pandemic Fund and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) COVID-19 Response Mechanism, over sixty countries received financing to strengthen core health security capacities. The United States is not the sole provider of these resources, as countries around the world contribute, including through co-financing by low and middle-income countries.

• Measuring the impact of U.S. investments: The Biden-Harris Administration is focused on measurable results of these investments. Of the 25 formal GHS partner countries that have received U.S. support for at least two years, five have achieved the U.S. target of “demonstrated capacity” in at least five technical areas, and an additional five countries are close. We can also see the impact of investments when threats emerge. For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – a U.S. government GHS partner since 2015 – has successfully contained five Ebola outbreaks since 2020, dramatically improving detection and response times. In 2022 the government of DRC detected an Ebola outbreak in 48 hours and contained the outbreak with only five lives lost to the disease.

• Country ownership on global health security: Many United States GHS partner countries are leading their own responses to crises, with U.S. collaboration when needed. For example, the U.S. Government is partnering with Nigeria to build stronger capacity on zoonotic diseases, disease surveillance, and health emergency management, among other areas. In 2023, Nigeria experienced outbreaks of anthrax, a zoonotic disease that can cause severe illness in people and animals. Nigeria activated national response mechanisms to coordinate collaboration across the human and animal sectors and reduce the risk for further disease transmission. Nigeria also collaborated with Ghana to exchange strategies for anthrax prevention and control. These and other measures helped curtail the impact of anthrax in Nigeria.

• Reducing the risk of biosafety and biosecurity incidents: Expanding biosurveillance capacity and the rapid evolution of technology are critical for health security, but can also elevate the risk of accidental and deliberate incidents. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken significant steps to minimize the chances of laboratory accidents; reduce the likelihood of deliberate use or accidental misuse; ensure effective biosafety and biosecurity practices and oversight; and promote responsible research and innovation. For example, the United States secured inclusion of biosafety and biosecurity as a critical component of the Pandemic Fund grants to support laboratory strengthening. One of the projects, the Caribbean Public Health Agency Train-the-Trainer Workshop on the Safe Transportation of Infectious Substances, resulted in certified trainers well-positioned to serve as national trainers and advisors in biosafety and safe transport protocols, ensuring safer practices across the region. The U.S. global health security bilateral partnerships also build capacity in biosafety and biosecurity: the GHS partner countries with at least two years of U.S. Government support demonstrated a net improvement in biosafety and biosecurity capacity from 2018 to 2023.

• Modernizing biorisk management: The Administration released the 2024 United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential, marking a major new step in modernizing biorisk management. This policy streamlines and expands oversight of research of concern across the entire U.S. Government – setting a new global standard for effective research oversight. The Administration also introduced a new framework for biotechnology safeguards on federally funded purchases of synthetic DNA and RNA. These safeguards, which include Know-Your-Customer screening, will reduce the likelihood of misuse of synthetic biology. 

BUILDING MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY GOVERNANCE AND FINANCING SYSTEMS

Strong national systems within the United States and other countries are essential to global health security. However, each country, including the United States, operates within a regional or global system that can either facilitate or hamper quick and effective responses to health emergencies. The Biden-Harris Administration has invested in building stronger multilateral systems and partnerships to strengthen global health security. 

Multilateral Partnerships

• Multilateral Negotiations: Through strong leadership and diplomatic outreach to World Health Organization (WHO) Member States, the United States helped secure an ambitious suite of amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) that will strengthen health emergency prevention, preparedness, and response. The United States is actively negotiating a pandemic agreement, with the goal of putting in place practical measures to prevent future pandemics, and strengthening the international community’s ability to respond rapidly and effectively in the event of a pandemic. The United States has also supported successful negotiations through the United Nations (UN) and UN agencies such as WHO on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; antimicrobial resistance; biosafety and biosecurity; and biological weapons nonproliferation; among other areas.

• Multi-country Partnerships: The Biden-Harris Administration has worked closely with our allies and partners to advance initiatives critical to improving health security. For example, the G20 has been instrumental in establishing and sustaining stronger links between health and finance ministries. The G7 has committed to support more than 100 countries to strengthen their global health security capacities, and has led progress in transforming pandemic preparedness and response financing. The U.S. Department of State launched the Foreign Ministry Channel for Health Security to foster greater diplomatic engagement among Foreign Ministries on global health security. The Quad, a diplomatic grouping between the United States, Australia, India, and Japan, delivered more than 400 million safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses to Indo-Pacific countries and almost 800 million doses globally; advanced health security priorities in the Indo-Pacific region; and recently launched the Quad Cancer Moonshot, which will deliver up to 40 million doses of the human papillomavirus vaccine and support other efforts to address cervical cancer to the Indo-Pacific. Since its inception in 2014, the United States has actively engaged in the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), a partnership of over 70 countries, more than 10 international organizations and coalitions, and more than 30 non-governmental organizations, including private sector and civil society partners, working together to accelerate implementation of the International Health Regulations.

Financing

Limitations in the existing systems to finance pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response left countries and financial institutions ill prepared to effectively contain COVID-19, contributing to the health and financial crises that resulted in the deaths of over 1.2 million Americans and an estimated $14 trillion in economic losses to the U.S. economy. On day one, President Biden called on his Administration to transform the existing financing institutions and to cultivate new financing sources for global health security that are more effective and sustainable, and that are less dependent on U.S. government assistance. 

• Expanding Reliable Financing for Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness: The United States was instrumental in the creation of the Pandemic Fund in 2022, the only multilateral financing facility dedicated exclusively to pandemic preparedness financing for low- and middle- income countries. The Pandemic Fund made significant progress in its first two years, awarding grants totaling $885 million, which mobilized an additional $6 billion in investments, to support 75 countries and economies across six geographic regions. The Pandemic Fund also effectively pivoted to support countries to prepare for mpox outbreaks as part of the global response to the ongoing mpox public health emergency. The United States has supported the Pandemic Fund’s $2 billion replenishment goal by pledging up to $667 million by 2025, calling on other donors to step up their contributions and end the cycle of panic and neglect.

• Strengthening Existing Financing Institutions to Support GHS: The United States is working to evolve Multilateral Development Banks to be better equipped to respond to the increasing frequency, scope, and complexity of global challenges, including pandemics. The Biden-Harris Administration strongly supported the establishment of the International Monetary Fund Resilience and Sustainability Trust and its goal of supporting low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries to access long-term, affordable financing to address longer-term challenges, such as health emergencies.

• Improving Timely Access to Emergency Response Financing: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and institutions lacked the liquidity to procure the medical countermeasures (MCM) needed to mount effective and timely responses. The U.S. Development Finance Corporation helped develop and lead a G7 Surge Financing Initiative, through which G7 development finance institutions (DFIs), the European Investment Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and global and regional health stakeholders are developing and deploying innovative financing tools to accelerate access to MCMs in health emergencies. The United States also supported the establishment of the Day Zero Financing Facility, a suite of tools that will enable Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, to quickly meet demand for vaccines during a pandemic, including up to $2 billion in bridge financing loans. The United States also supports the roles of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Global Fund, and other regional and multilateral organizations in the development of solutions to surge financing for MCMs during emergencies.

• Increasing International Coordination and Cooperation in Health Security Financing: During health emergencies donors often surge rapid financial and technical support, with limited effective means for transparency and coordination, which can lead to inefficiencies, duplication of efforts, and gaps in support. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to enhance the impact of financing though increased coordination and cooperation including supporting the establishment of the G20 Finance-Health Task Force to strengthen coordination between Finance and Health Ministries; and contributed to improved international mpox response coordination.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES

The Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized expanding access to quality medical countermeasures (MCMs) around the world, building on decades of global health and health security leadership by the United States. The United States has long led the world in innovation, research and development. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the vital role of U.S. biotechnology and biomanufacturing in developing and producing the life-saving diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines needed to protect American lives and livelihoods, and national and economic security against future biological threats, whether naturally-occurring, accidental, or deliberate. The Biden-Harris Administration has strengthened sustainable global manufacturing and supply chain capacity; donated vaccines, diagnostic tests and treatments and support for their delivery; expanded pandemic response financing for MCMs; and strengthened legal and regulatory systems to ensure quality products and overcome barriers to rapid access. 

• Investments in Research and Development for Preparedness: While there will always be new or evolving biological threats, developing effective countermeasures for known threats is a critical piece of preparedness. For example, the U.S. government invested billions of dollars in mRNA technology in advance of the COVID-19 pandemic. These public investments translated into millions of lives saved in the United States and around the world, and were crucial to developing the mRNA vaccine technology that can be leveraged in a future pandemic, as well as potentially treating other diseases. The U.S. supports the goals of the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme, a capacity-building initiative in low- and middle-income countries to sustainably produce mRNA vaccines. Similarly, the United States Government invested more than $2 billion in the JYNNEOS vaccine as part of smallpox preparedness. These investments directly led to product licensure for both smallpox and mpox. On September 13, 2024, WHO announced pre-qualification of the JYNNEOS vaccine for global use, including in the Africa region in response to ongoing mpox outbreaks. The JYNNEOS vaccine that has now been used to protect Americans and people living around the world from mpox; it would not exist without the investment and technical expertise provided by the United States.

• Investments in Biotechnology: The Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized transforming our biotechnology capabilities, including catalyzing advances in science, technology, and core capabilities and has advanced a whole-of-government approach to strengthening U.S. biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including for health security. The United States Government’s historic investments in science and technology, from basic science to piloting innovative financing mechanisms to real-time research during health emergencies, are transforming the tools and approaches we use to detect, contain and respond to health threats. These efforts support the ambitious international goal of developing vaccines, treatments and diagnostics within 100 days from the onset of a potential pandemic.

• Support for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI): CEPI is working to accelerate the development of life-saving vaccines against emerging disease threats, and to transform capability for rapid countermeasure development in response to future threats. Notable achievements include: the market authorization of the world’s first Chikungunya vaccine and technology transfer to regional producers for regional supply to LMICs; the advancement through clinical development of vaccine candidates against Lassa, Nipah, and coronaviruses, among others; and the launch of a new Disease X Vaccine Library with six viral families prioritized as high risk.

• Expanding Access to Publicly-supported Medical Inventions: The U.S. supports broad access to medical inventions facilitated by public investments and science, including through: the NIH proposal to promote access to products that rely on NIH-owned inventions (“Promoting Equity Through Access Planning”); fair pricing guarantees in funding agreements between manufacturers and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA); and appropriate provisions in a Pandemic Agreement for timely and equitable access to pandemic-related health products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NIH licensed COVID-19 technologies arising from NIH intramural research to the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) for access through WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). Such contributions are an important step toward facilitating wider availability of lifesaving interventions around the world.

• Respecting Countries’ Rights to Protect Public Health: The United States respects countries’ right to protect public health and to promote access to medicines for all. The United States respects and does not call out countries for exercising health rights and flexibilities enshrined in the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), including with respect to compulsory licenses, in a manner consistent with TRIPS obligations. Toward that end, the United States endorsed negotiations of a temporary waiver of WTO intellectual property rules to support access to COVID vaccines.

STOPPING BIOLOGICAL THREATS AT THEIR SOURCE

In February 2021, just a few weeks into the Biden-Harris Administration and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, DRC and Guinea experienced two unrelated Ebola outbreaks. Since then, the United States Government has supported responses to numerous outbreaks, from Ebola disease and Marburg virus disease to mpox, avian influenza, Oropouche virus, as well as ongoing threats including dengue, cholera, measles, malaria and HIV. United States Government support to emergency response is closely linked with ongoing bilateral investments in preparedness, with the goal of each country developing the capacity and resources to lead and coordinate responses to threats as soon as they emerge. Examples of U.S. Government support to outbreak responses during the Biden-Harris Administration include:

• COVID-19 Pandemic: Starting in 2021, the United States invested $16 billion in the global COVID-19 response. The Administration accelerated global access to COVID-19 vaccines, including sharing nearly 700 million COVID-19 vaccine doses with countries around the world, as well as diagnostics and therapeutics, supporting health workers, securing supply chains, and combatting mis- and disinformation on safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. The United States was the world’s largest donor to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) and provided global leadership to raise additional billions in critical funding through the U.S.-hosted and co-hosted Global COVID-19 Summits to save lives globally, end the pandemic, and build stronger health security.

• Mpox Outbreaks: The worldhas faced two regional or global outbreaks of mpox during the Biden-Harris Administration. In 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration mounted a robust response to the spread of clade IIb mpox by making vaccines available to those at risk, making testing more convenient, and providing treatments to those who needed them both in the United States and worldwide. During the ongoing clade I mpox outbreak, the U.S. Government has committed over $500 million to support mpox preparedness and response activities in mpox-affected countries in Africa, and the U.S. Government has made more than one million mpox vaccine doses available for global use. The United States has delivered additional support through technical assistance and in-kind contributions to surveillance, case investigation, procurement of diagnostic kits, consumable reagents, other laboratory supplies, and personal protective equipment.
• Marburg Virus Disease (MVD): After learning of the MVD outbreak in Rwanda in September 2024, the United States committed to making nearly $11 million available to address urgent health needs in Rwanda and surrounding countries, including for surveillance and contact tracing, infection prevention and control guidance, and exit screening. 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 thousands of investigational vaccine doses and a small number of investigational therapeutics doses, which arrived in Rwanda within a week of the U.S. Government learning of the outbreak. The United States has also contributed hundreds of MVD tests and units of personal protective equipment.

• Enhanced U.S. Government Response Coordination: Building on work in previous Administrations, the Biden-Harris Administration has successfully shepherded the “Playbook for Biological Incident Response” and a “Biological Incident Notification and Assessment” protocol from concept stage to an established and well-exercised process for rapid communication and coordination when biological threats emerge. This playbook and the protocol serve to give U.S. federal agencies “off-the-shelf” tools to respond to biological threats from all sources – natural, accidental and deliberate – that avoid response delays that cost lives and resources.

While we have made progress since emerging from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, continued investment of financial, political, and technical resources is needed to ensure success in building stronger preparedness today, sustainability of those efforts, and resilience to future biological threats. Both at home and abroad, willingness to invest critical financial and political resources has waned as global health security competes with other priorities for attention and resources. Collective action across sectors and throughout the world is needed to ensure we do not cycle once more into neglect, rather that we sustain and build on the significant progress made. Success in these efforts will make Americans safer, protect our economy and reduce international reliance on U.S. resources and expertise during times of crisis.

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Nikki Giovanni was a brilliant poet, a big-hearted educator, and an unapologetic voice for justice and equality.

As a leading voice of the Black Arts Movement, she used her poetry to celebrate Black joy and resilience – while also speaking out for racial and social justice.

Nikki was committed to lifting up the next generation too. Over more than three decades as an educator, she empowered her students to express themselves through creative writing, mentoring hundreds of them along the way.

Throughout her career, Nikki never stopped demanding, and fighting for, an America that lives up to our highest ideals: of freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity for all. She leaves behind a storied legacy — in literature, education, and in the fight for a more just America.

Doug and I send our prayers to her family, and to all who were touched by her work.

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Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer welcomed Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo to the White House yesterday to discuss a range of regional and bilateral issues.  Mr. Finer thanked Foreign Minister Murillo for Colombia’s leadership in serving as the first Country Chair for the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, an initiative the United States and 21 regional partners launched in 2022 to collaborate on migration issues.   They also discussed challenges to democracy in the hemisphere and underscored the importance of maintaining the strong U.S.-Colombia relationship. 

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In 2020, Nikki Giovanni’s majestic voice echoed her powerful words, “and sometime, there has to be something called courage. You have it in your hands.”

Born in segregated Knoxville, Tennessee, she became a renowned activist, professor, and literary legend who had that courage in her hands and in her heart.

A pioneering poet of the Black Arts Movement and the Civil Rights era, she used her pen to advance racial and gender equality and confront violence, hate and injustice, alongside some of the most esteemed artists and icons of the past century.

Author of over 25 books, her wit and intellect earned her numerous accolades, including the Langston Hughes medal, an Emmy award, and a Grammy award nomination. A three-time cancer fighter, Nikki offered words of wisdom that gave hope to countless others fighting disease and despair.

Jill and I send our love and condolences to her family—including her wife Virginia, her son Thomas, and her granddaughter Kai—and all those who loved and admired that something special, her courage.

May God bless Nikki Giovanni.

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For four months in a row now, inflation has been close to the level right before the pandemic. While price increases have been hard for working families, household incomes are up almost $4,000 more than prices during this Administration. We will continue to fight to lower costs for American families.

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Over the last four years, President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken action to uphold universal human rights around the world. From protecting brave individuals defending life and liberty to securing some of the largest political prisoner releases in recent history, to holding account those who misuse technologies like commercial spyware for human rights violations and abuses, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to support human rights defenders, civil society and journalists. Three historic Summits for Democracy generated millions of dollars in commitments from the U.S., international partners, and the private sector to support civil society and investments in democratic renewal. Through our engagement in multilateral organizations, we have held countries that have violated human rights to account, advanced the status of women and girls, and safeguarded protection for LGBTQI+ human rights defenders. The United States is strongest when we protect people fighting for justice for all at home and abroad through these actions:

Protected Human Rights Defenders and Secured the Release of Political Prisoners

• Advocated for the Release of Unjustly Detained Individuals Globally.  The U.S. raised international awareness of the plight of political prisoners and their families and advocated for the release of all unjustly detained individuals worldwide. Notable accomplishments included: working with international partners to secure the release of 16 unjustly detained prisoners held by the Russian government, including four Americans, in the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War and securing the release of 357 Nicaraguan political prisoners, including human rights defenders and Catholic leaders.
• Empowered Journalists, Civil Society, Workers, and Reform-Minded Leaders.  The Department of State protected journalists and promoted media freedom through the Journalism Protection Platform and joint efforts with UNESCO, provided direct financial support to almost 900 civil society organization (CSOs) in 86 countries through the Lifeline: Embattled CSOs Assistance Fund since 2021; promoted inclusive labor markets and protecting the rights of all workers in line with the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally, worked with partners to equip young leaders with essential skills, such as through the Community of Democracies’ Youth Democracy Network; and elevated the voices of Indigenous youth into global civic conversations by establishing the Indigenous Youth Leadership Coalition.
• Supported Local Human Rights Defenders and Organizations through USAID’s Powered by the People (PxP) Award. In 2024, USAID channeled over $2.5 million to human rights defenders, and organizations protecting and promoting human rights across 28 countries. This included providing rapid relocation, emergency legal assistance, digital security, psychosocial support, and a global help desk.
• Sustained Support to Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine. The U.S. continued to support human rights defenders working to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms around the world. For example, since the start of the war, USAID has helped more than 50 civil society organizations, including the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), which documented possible Russian crimes against Ukrainian civilians. In recognition of this work, CCL was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
• Strengthened Civilian Protection. The State Department elevated human rights considerations in security decisions and partnerships, including U.S. arms transfers and security trainings, to higher standards through efforts such as the Civilian Harm Incident Response Guidance (CHIRG).
• Expanded Human Rights Programming. In 2024, USAID provided $19.25 million 19 Missions to support human rights defenders and address human rights violations and abuses, combat digital repression and cyber threats faced by HRDs, enhance protection of environmental rights defenders, combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and trafficking in persons, support access to justice for victims of human rights violations, and support comprehensive programming to enable persons with disabilities to understand and realize their rights. In 2024, USAID’s Justice, Human Rights, and Security Rapid Response Award supported 20 USAID Missions nearly $7 million for rapid response activities to meet urgent crises.
• Worked to protect Human Rights Online. Outlined best practices and actions that online platforms can take to implement for robust support for human rights defenders under threat through the Guidance for Online Platforms on Protecting Human Rights Defenders Online.

Mobilized Action to Address the Misuse of Commercial Spyware

• Protected Against Commercial Spyware Misuse. The Biden-Harris Administration advanced a whole-of-government approach to curb the misuse and proliferation of commercial spyware. The President’s Executive Order set standards and safeguards for the domestic government use of these commercial surveillance tools, while the novel application of visa restrictions—including dozens of new designations announced this week, financial sanctions, and trade restrictions has discouraged commercial spyware companies from targeting U.S. citizens or undermining human rights globally.  The Administration has successfully internationalized this pioneering effort through the Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware, now endorsed by 22 countries with this week’s formal addition of Latvia. The U.S. has also driven global consensus through language in the Human Rights Council resolution on the Promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet, which for the first time recognizes the threat commercial spyware misuse poses to democratic values and the exercise of human rights. The United States has committed $3 million in programming for capacity building, research, and advocacy for the private sector, academia, and government partners.

Upheld Human Rights and Accountability

• Expanded Tools for Accountability.

• To date this year, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated more than 100 individuals and entities associated with human rights abuse across more than 20 jurisdictions. These actions targeted an array of activities, including national and transnational repression, forced disappearances and hostage taking, gender-based violence, forced labor and human trafficking, and human rights abuses perpetrated by terrorist groups and criminal organizations.
• The State Department publicly designated over 80 officials for their involvement in gross violations of human rights, sanctioning over 240 individuals and entities for serious human rights abuses under the Global Magnitsky Sanctions Program, and taking steps to impose visa restrictions on over 8,000 individuals for undermining democracy, repressing marginalized groups, transnational repression, and other activity adverse to U.S. interests, including additional actions announced today.
• The State Department also released business advisories to highlight the legal, financial, and reputational risks posed to businesses,  including  those operating in Russia and Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine, and Hong Kong.

• Fought Political Repression. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) worked to target political repression in 2024 through related actions in Georgia, Iran, Burma, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.  OFAC designated an international assassination network led by a narcotrafficker operating at the behest of the Iranian government in January and, in March, the designation of a commercial spyware consortium that distributed spyware technology that was used to target Americans. 

• Reduced Human Trafficking and Forced Labor. OFAC focused on actions to disrupt human trafficking and forced labor throughout 2024, including actions targeting the Venezuela-based criminal organization; a Syria-based narco-trafficker also under legal prosecution for human trafficking; and a Cambodian businessman and four companies he owns for forced labor in online virtual currency investment cyber scam centers.

• Administered International Justice.
• The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) secured historic sentences in three high profile cases this year concerning human rights violations in Iraq, Ethiopia, and Croatia. In addition, the Department charged three individuals with fraud related to their alleged participation in human rights violations in Rwanda, Syria, and Bosnia.
• On December 9, 2024, DOJ unsealed an indictment in the Northern District of Illinois charging two high-ranking Syrian officials under former President Bashar al-Assad with war crimes. The indictment charges the former Syrian intelligence officials with engaging in a conspiracy to commit cruel and inhuman treatment of civilian detainees, including U.S. citizens, during the course of the Syrian civil war.
• On December 5, 2023, following a joint FBI-HSI investigation, DOJ indicted four persons affiliated with the Russian military for war crimes.  The defendants allegedly interrogated, severely beat, and tortured a U.S. national during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia initiated the case, the first such indictment since the amendment of the War Crimes Act. 

• Empowered Human Rights and Defense. U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) dedicated Human Rights Office continued human rights training and education for partner forces, the implementation of civil-military dialogues including the human rights NGO community, and the integration of human rights considerations into Command exercises.

• Provided Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict Training. The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) provided Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict training to foreign security partner forces that receive resources and support pursuant to 10 U.S.C. Sec. 333.  Over the last year, DIILS faculty conducted numerous advanced-level trainings across dozens of countries and resident courses on a variety of legal topics attended by participants from over 70 countries.

Bolstered Atrocity Prevention and Response

• Issued a National Atrocity Prevention and Response Strategy. The U.S. Government takes timely and effective action to anticipate, prevent, and respond to atrocities, in coordination with partner governments, and international, civil society, and local partners. The White House-led Atrocity Prevention Task Force coordinates these efforts and the United States Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent, and Respond to Atrocities was launched in 2022 to achieve impact through concerted action in countries at risk of atrocities.
• Documented Atrocity Risk. This year’s Elie Wiesel Act Report reflects several Administration priorities.  As part of ongoing work to incorporate women’s rights and inclusion into atrocity prevention efforts, the report incorporates gender-based violence as a potential early warning sign of atrocities and reinforces that conflict-related sexual violence should never be considered an inevitable result of armed conflict.  The report also notes U.S. leadership in training on how to address atrocity risk and critical documentation work through the Conflict Observatory program.

Engaged Multilateral Institutions to Hold Countries to Account

• Re-Engaged with the UN Human Rights System. The United States rejoined the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 to highlight and address pressing human rights concerns and to uphold the universal values, aspirations, and principles that have underpinned the UN system since its founding. We also issued a standing invitation to all UN thematic human rights monitors to visit the U.S. and assess our human rights record at home.
• Called Attention to Concerning Human Rights Situations. U.S. leadership led to the establishment of mechanisms through the UN Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations and abuses in situations around the world, including Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Iran, Russia, Sudan, and Ukraine.
• Kept Human Rights Violators Off UN Bodies. The U.S. led successful efforts to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women and deprive Russia of a seat on the Human Rights Council.
• Aided Human Rights Integration in Haiti. U.S. support for the Multinational Security mission (MSS) has been critical in responding to the crisis in Haiti. The MSS and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights established a partnership focused on integrating human rights into security operations since the deployment of the MSS to Haiti.
• Supported Intersex Persons. The U.S. supported the first-ever UN resolution on combatting discrimination, violence, and harmful practices against intersex persons, raising the credibility and influence of intersex advocates and their allies and meaningfully updating how gender is understood in the UN’s work.

Addressed Threats Posed by Transnational Repression

• Combatted Transnational Repression.  The United States worked with multilateral partners to raise awareness, counter the threat, and promote accountability for acts of transnational repression (TNR) —by leading a working group on transnational repression under the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, aiming to raise international awareness of the threat TNR poses, affirming our shared commitment to countering the threat, and sharing best practices and lessons learned. We delivered a statement on behalf of more than 45 countries at the 56th Session of the Human Rights Council to address the urgent and growing threat of transnational repression, and announced the Khashoggi Ban, a policy restricting those engaged in TNR from obtaining U.S. visas and traveling to the United States.

Prevented and Responded to Gender-Based Violence

• Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence Globally. Over the last two fiscal years, the United States maintained the highest-ever level of investment—$250 million—to address gender-based violence globally. This work is guided by the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally. In the third and most recent iteration of the Strategy released in 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking decisive action to further our commitment to prevent and respond to gender-based violence globally through programming, policy, and diplomatic efforts. The Strategy also made updates to address 21st century threats, such as online harassment and abuse, and the ways in which climate change exacerbates the risk of gender-based violence.

• Promoted Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. President Biden issued a historic Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in November 2022 directing federal agencies to marshal sanctions authorities to promote justice and accountability specifically for conflict-related sexual violence. The Administration has since issued nearly two dozen sanctions against perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence around the globe. This year included a designation of five armed groups and their leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo implicated in sexual violence; two designations in Haiti, one of a former member of Parliament and one of a gang leader responsible for gender-based attacks; an action targeting a Rapid Support Forces commander in Sudan who for CRSV; and sanctions against three former government of Uzbekistan officials for sex trafficking and sexual abuse of minors at a state-run orphanage.
• Supported Documentation of Sexual Violence. In June, Vice President Harris launched the Dignity in Documentation Initiative, which provides support for survivor- and civil society-led efforts to investigate and document CRSV in line with the Murad Code, named for Nobel Laureate and survivor Nadia Murad. Today, we are proud to announce additional aligned commitments to the initiative, including $8 million from the Department of State and $4 million from USAID for a total of over $22 million committed to this work.
• Countered Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence. By founding and co-leading the 14-country Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, the Administration has advanced global policies to address online safety for women and girls by shaping a range of multilateral policy instruments tackling online harms through the G7, G20, APEC, and UN. The Administration has also invested at least $15 million in targeted funding to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence.  

• Advanced Women, Peace, and Security. The United States is committed to addressing the root causes of violence and conflict as a top national security priority. In 2023, the United States issued a U.S. Strategy and National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which is currently being implemented by the Department of Defense (DOD), USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security. For example, DOD has engaged in Women, Peace, and Security-focused security cooperation activities with Allies and partners to ensure meaningful participation of women in decision making and ensure that crisis and conflict operations do not negatively impact the protection of civilians or their equitable access to relief and recovery resources.

• Defended the Rights of Women and Girls. In October 2022 and February 2023, Secretary Blinken announced a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“3C”) to restrict the issuance of visas for current or former Taliban members, members of non-state security groups, and other individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, repressing women and girls in Afghanistan through restrictive policies and violence. In December 2023, the U.S. designated two individuals under the Global Magnitsky Sanctions Program for repressing women and girls in Afghanistan, including restricting their access to secondary education. The U.S. remains unwavering in our commitment to support the Afghan people, especially Afghan women and girls, in their struggle for an inclusive, stable, peaceful Afghanistan. 

Combatted Hate-fueled Violence

• Launched Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. The U.S. led “Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism,” represent a set of international best practices for effective public policy against antisemitism. This landmark global effort has been endorsed by 42 countries and multilateral organizations since its introduction in Buenos Aires in July 2024. The United States continues to demonstrate global leadership through ongoing efforts to expand endorsements and deepen adherence.
• Protected LGBTQI+ persons in Uganda. In December 2023, As directed by President Biden, the United States released a fact sheet outlining actions taken to address threats posed by democratic backsliding in Uganda, promote accountability for human rights abuses, and curtail direct assistance to the government.
• Advanced Racial Equity and Justice Globally. The United States has partnered with governments and  international organizations to combat systemic racism, discrimination, violence, and xenophobia globally, including through the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
• Expanded International Disability Rights. The President reestablished the role of Special Advisor on International Disability Rights at the Department of State and actively supported the first-ever G7 Ministerial on Inclusion and Disability in Italy in October of this year, where global leaders discussed disability rights issues related to independent living, artificial intelligence (AI), humanitarian response and emergency management, and sports.

Supported and Sustained Democracy

• Inaugurated the Summit for Democracy. President Biden launched the historic Summit for Democracy in 2021 to strengthen democratic institutions, protect human rights, and accelerate the fight against corruption, both at home and abroad.  Under President Biden’s leadership, the United States has taken concrete steps to advance previous commitments and initiatives launched over the past three years in the areas of advancing technology for democracy, media freedom, countering the misuse of technology, and improving financial transparency, gender equity and equality, and rule of law. 
• Fought Anti-Corruption Globally. The Biden-Harris Administration established countering corruption as a “core U.S. national security interest,” and issued the first-ever United States Strategy on Countering Corruption. Since then, the United States has taken action at home and around the world to curb illicit finance, hold corrupt actors accountable, forge multilateral partnerships, and equip frontline leaders to take on transnational corruption.
• Surged Support to Countries experiencing Democratic Openings. In 2024, USAID’s Partnership for Democratic Development (PDD) advanced gender issues and women’s rights across its funded portfolio of programs to improve women’s engagement with and access to municipal services.
• Elevated Technology and Democracy: The Biden-Harris Administration set high standards for the government use of surveillance technologies, including AI and commercial spyware; expanded support for internet freedom technologies and cybersecurity that is essential to human rights defenders; and has used accountability measures, export controls, and voluntary commitments to enlist the private sector to combat authoritarian use of technology. Through the Declaration for the Future of the Internet, endorsed by over sixties countries, and as chair of the Freedom Online Coalition, the Administration strengthened the global commitment to a free and open internet.

• Underscored that respect for human rights is the foundation of safe, secure, and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, the United States signed the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law.
• The Administration developed a Joint Statement on Responsible Government Practices for AI Technologies, to which the 41 countries of the Freedom Online Coalition committed.
• The U.S. government launched the Export Control and Human Rights Initiative under which 26 countries have subscribed to a Code of Conduct by which subscribing states commit to apply export controls to prevent the proliferation of goods, software, and technologies that enable serious human rights abuses. 
• The Administration implemented more than $12 million for programs utilizing AI as a tool to advance democracy, promote human rights and labor rights, and foster justice and accountability.
• In March, President Biden issued an Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence in part to ensure that technology is developed, deployed, and governed consistent with universal human rights, the rule of law, and appropriate legal authorization, safeguards, and oversight, such that it supports, and does not undermine, democracy, civil rights and civil liberties, and public safety. 

• Supported Public Interest Media. In 2024, USAID gave a grant to the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) for core operation support to 16 public interest media outlets to investigate corruption and violations of human rights in Asia and the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean, including media outlets operating in exile. This support allows organizations to continue their operations and sustain content production to ensure continued access to high-quality journalism. Since 2022, IFPIM has made 45 grants in 22 countries and territories that cumulatively represent more than $15 million in direct funding and support.

• Advanced Responsible Business Practices. Earlier this year, the Biden Administration released the United States’ second National Action Plan on Responsible Business Conduct, which compiled commitments to promote business practices and supply chains around that world that respect human rights, good governance, and labor standards. The National Action Plan has:

• Brought stakeholder voices to the table through a new Federal Advisory Committee on Responsible Business Conduct, which held its first public meeting on November 14 and will provide ongoing recommendations and consultation to strengthen the U.S. approach to business and human rights.
• Supported businesses to advance human and labor rights due diligence by providing new guidance and resources, including a Labor Rights InfoHub.  
• Promoted access to remedy and protected stakeholders from retaliation in U.S.-supported development finance projects.
• Combatted Industry Labor Abuses. In June 2022, President Biden signed the historic National Security Memorandum on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Associated Labor Abuses (NSM-11), directing agencies to put their authorities to work to tackle the problem of IUU fishing and associated labor abuses in the seafood supply chain. IUU fishing can take many forms, ranging from the small-scale misreporting of catch, to large-scale, coordinated efforts by transnational crime syndicates that may also involve forced labor and other human rights abuses.

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On December 9, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer met virtually with the Deputy National Security Advisors of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.  Mr. Finer discussed with his counterparts the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the importance of working closely together across their respective capitals and with partners in the region to support the aspirations of the Syrian people and manage risks associated with the ongoing transition. The group discussed efforts to reinforce the ceasefire in Lebanon and reach a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza.  Mr. Finer also noted the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to ensure Ukraine has the strongest hand possible heading into 2025 and to increase costs on Russia for its continued aggression. The group discussed shared concerns over democratic backsliding in Georgia, including through last month’s elections and more recent violence against protestors. 

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The spirit of innovation is central to who we are as Americans. America invented the semiconductor, the building blocks of the technology of today and tomorrow. Through our CHIPS and Science Act, President Biden and I have made the historic investments necessary to ensure semiconductor manufacturing returns to and remains here in America.
 
Today, thanks to our historic legislation, the Department of Commerce has finalized one of its largest awards to date with Micron Technology, the only U.S. based manufacturer of memory chips. This more than $6.1 billion investment in Clay, NY and Boise, ID supports the construction of several state-of-the-art memory chips facilities as part of Micron’s total $125 billion investment over the next few decades, creating at least 20,000 jobs by the end of the decade. These investments will help the U.S. grow its share of advanced memory manufacturing from nearly 0% today to 10% over the next decade.

I am also proud to say that Micron is building these facilities by utilizing project labor agreements and registered apprenticeship programs, which will further strengthen local economies, support workers, and ensure the construction is completed on time and within budget. Additionally, the Department of Commerce announced that it agreed to preliminary terms with Micron for an additional $275 million investment to expand Micron’s Manassas, VA facility and onshore a critical technology relied upon by our defense industry, automotive sector, and national security community.
 
Our administration knows these landmark announcements are more than investments; they are catalysts for sustained economic growth. When President Biden and I took office, supply chain disruptions led to chips and semiconductor shortages. That is why we worked with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in Congress to pass legislation to make these unprecedented investments that are creating opportunity in red and blue states alike. At the same time, our work has bolstered our national and economic security by promoting the domestic creation of the chips that are responsible for powering nearly every device Americans rely on – from smartphones and vehicles to advanced defense systems and artificial intelligence data centers. This work will make a lasting difference for decades to come and proves that in the competition for the 21st century, we can invest in American industries and American workers at the same time.

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Three years in, President Biden’s executive order has catalyzed global markets and put the U.S. Government on track to meet his ambitious sustainability goals and save taxpayers money

When President Biden entered office, he pledged to restore America’s climate leadership and charged the Federal Government to deliver on that promise. He recognized that as the single largest land owner, energy consumer, and employer in the nation, and the largest purchaser on Earth, the Federal Government can catalyze private sector investment and expand the economy and American industry. The Biden-Harris Administration has transformed how we build, buy, and manage electricity, vehicles, buildings, infrastructure projects, and other operations to be clean and sustainable, while creating good clean energy jobs, supporting American manufacturing, and saving taxpayers money by cutting energy and operating costs.
 
The President’s Executive Order (E.O.) 14057 on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability and the accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan directs the U.S. Government to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 while boosting domestic manufacturing, supporting clean energy industries, creating high-paying union jobs, and cutting energy costs. As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. government has invested over $12 billion and launched thousands of projects to transition to electric vehicles, clean construction materials, and energy-efficient buildings powered by 100% clean electricity.
 
The President’s actions have created a bold new playbook to turn the climate crisis into economic opportunity. Just three years after President Biden signed E.O. 14057, GHG emissions from Federal operations are down 38% from 2008 levels. This puts the U.S. Government over halfway to the President’s goal of a 65% emissions reduction from Federal operations by 2030.
 
Take a look at the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal sustainability progress by the numbers:
 

• Ordered nearly 82,000 zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) for the Federal fleet and installed 10,500 charging ports at Federal facilities nationwide, with an additional 52,500 charging ports in progress;
  
• Supported the U.S. Postal Service’s commitment to acquire 100% electric delivery trucks by 2026 – the first of which have already started to roll through neighborhoods – by leveraging an investment of $3 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act;
  
• Developed a clean electricity procurement pipeline with energy suppliers across 36 states that would move the Federal Government from its current 40% clean electricity match to 70% by 2027, on its way to 100% by 2030;
  
• Generated over $8 billion in private sector funding to launch thousands of modernization projects that will deliver energy- efficient, climate resilient, and all-electric Federal buildings, including at least 2,700 net-zero emissions buildings that are complete or underway today;
  
• Catalyzed America’s clean manufacturing industry by deploying nearly $4.5 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding to use American-made low-carbon steel, concrete, asphalt, and glass in Federal infrastructure projects;
  
• Released the first comprehensive measurement of the Federal Scope 3 GHG footprint, launched a Federal supplier climate scorecard, and took additional actions that put the Federal Government on track to cut its Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030;
  
• Established the Federal Government’s first-ever goal to phase-out Federal procurement of single-use plastics from food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and from all Federal operations by 2035;
  
• Directed the nation’s two million Federal employees to prioritize the use of sustainable transportation, including electric vehicles (EVs), for business travel;
  
• Rallied other countries to accelerate their climate ambition by launching the U.S.-led Net-Zero Government Initiative, under which the United States and 33 partner countries have committed to achieve net-zero emissions from national government operations by 2050 and to publish roadmaps for reaching this goal; and
  
• Powering the White House complex with carbon-free electricity that will account for 95% of its total usage and installed new EV charging infrastructure to power its vehicle fleet, which will soon include electric vehicles. White House buildings have also been upgraded to reduce energy use and costs.

President Biden has taken the most significant and comprehensive actions ever to set the Federal Government on a course toward a cleaner, more efficient, and resilient future – establishing a historic legacy with benefits that will continue to be felt for years to come. With broad support from America’s manufacturers, clean energy developers, labor organizations, business leaders, states, and communities, the Federal Government’s 300,000 buildings, 600,000 vehicles, and $750 billion in annual procurement power will continue to be more sustainable and resilient while supporting good jobs, cutting costs, and saving taxpayers money.
 
Delivering on President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan
 
Electrifying the Federal Fleet: With more than 600,000 cars and trucks, the Federal Government is the largest vehicle fleet owner in the world. Transitioning this fleet to ZEVs is a core focus of President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan, which targets 100% ZEV acquisitions by 2035, including 100% light-duty acquisitions by 2027. At the start of the Administration, the Federal fleet included fewer than 2,000 ZEVs. Since President Biden took office, the Federal Government has ordered nearly 82,000 electric vehicles and installed 10,500 EV charging ports at Federal facilities, with an additional 52,500 ports in progress.

New, American-made electric United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery trucks are also beginning to roll through neighborhoods. USPS, which maintains over 200,000 vehicles, has committed that all Next Generation Delivery Vehicles in 2026 and thereafter will be electric vehicles. As part of that transition, the Postal Service is equipping hundreds of its sorting and delivery centers with electric vehicle charging stations.
 
Advancing Carbon-Free Electricity: Federal agencies have moved expeditiously to meet President Biden’s charge of powering all Federal operations with 100% carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) by 2030, including 50% on a 24/7 basis, by taking a new approach to procuring electricity. Through engagement with energy suppliers across 36 states, the Biden-Harris Administration developed a clean electricity procurement pipeline that would move the Federal Government from its current 40% clean electricity match to 70% by 2027 on its way to 100% by 2030.
 
The General Services Administration (GSA) made history by executing the first-ever whole-of-government approach to procuring CFE clean electricity. GSA also executed the Federal Government’s first-ever contract for locally-supplied CFE delivered on a 24/7 hourly basis in Arkansas. Utilities have responded enthusiastically to GSA’s new approach, entering agreements to power Federal facilities in 24 states and the District of Columbia with 100% CFE by 2030.

Under this Administration, the Department of Defense (DOD) also executed the government’s first “sleeved” power purchase agreement, which will power five military installations in North and South Carolina with over 135 megawatts (MW) of newly built solar power; and cut the ribbon on the Edwards Air Force Base Solar Array, one of the world’s largest solar and battery storage projects, spanning more than 4,000 acres of public and private property lands. DOD also demonstrated leadership in engaging with the market on potential nuclear power from next generation microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs). The Department of Energy has entered into realty agreements to develop 14,000 acres of DOE land for 1,550 MWs of new CFE generation through its Clean Up to Clean Energy Initiative. In total, the Federal Government has leveraged federal properties to site CFE projects equivalent to approximately 10% of all USG electricity consumption, or 5 terawatt hours annually.
 
The Federal Government has also engaged in energy regulatory processes in a new way, working with Entergy Arkansas to design a first-of-its-kind 24/7 hourly matched CFE tariff, and intervening as a large customer in integrated resource planning processes in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to achieve greater affordability, resilience and reductions to emissions. 
 
Reducing Building Emissions: The Federal Government has paved the way toward cost effective, super-efficient, all-electric buildings, with the goal of achieving a net-zero emissions building portfolio by 2045, including a 50% emissions reduction by 2032. Today, projects are complete or underway to bring 2,700 Federal buildings to net-zero emissions, covering over 40 million square feet, which puts the U.S. Government on track to achieve the goal set by the first-ever Federal Building Performance Standard. These leading-edge projects are energy efficient, climate resilient, all-electric, and better positioned to deliver on agencies’ missions.
 
Federal building emissions have been reduced by 39% since 2008, and 8% of reductions were delivered over the past 4 years, far outpacing historic trends. Energy savings from this Administration are comparable to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of over 300,000 homes. Further, agencies have built a strong pipeline of projects that will continue to deliver savings in years to come.
 
Investments in Federal buildings leveraged over $8 billion in private sector funding through performance contracting to launch thousands of modernization projects that will deliver energy- efficient, climate resilient, and all-electric Federal buildings. They also are expected to cut annual utility costs by over $175 million annually and create over 80,000 jobs.
 
The Administration has proven net-zero emissions buildings are cost effective through showcase projects at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, the largest building in Washington, D.C., which is now 100% electric; Fort Hunter Liggett, the first U.S. Army base to achieve net-zero energy designation; and the Oklahoma City Federal Building, which cut energy costs and is pioneering power grid resilience strategies.
 
Building Sustainable Supply Chains: The Biden-Harris Administration has shown how the Federal Government, as the single largest purchaser in the world, can lead by example to reduce harmful emissions and catalyze climate action across its thousands of suppliers. Last month, the Administration released the first comprehensive measurement of the Federal Government’s Scope 3 emissions footprint, including the emissions associated with the $730 billion of goods and services that the government purchases annually. The Administration also released a Federal supplier climate scorecard that tracks the Federal Government’s top 200 suppliers’ progress toward addressing their climate risks.

To help Federal suppliers reduce their carbon footprints, the Administration launched a new webpage that connects suppliers with Federal programs, tools, and information that they can use to accelerate their decarbonization efforts. To further curb emissions, the Administration directed the Federal Government’s two million Federal employees to prioritize the use of sustainable transportation, including electric vehicles, for official and local travel. Together, these actions are expected to cut Federal Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030 – the equivalent of 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions (MTCO2e) annually.

To further advance a more sustainable supply chain, the Biden-Harris Administration established the first-ever goal to phase out procurement of single-use plastic products from all Federal operations by 2035, and directed agencies for the first time to prioritize the purchase of sustainable products without added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
 
Buying Clean: The Biden-Harris Administration has delivered on the President’s charge to “buy clean” by using American-made low-carbon steel, concrete, asphalt, and glass in Federal infrastructure projects. The Administration’s landmark Federal Buy Clean Initiative leverages the sway of the U.S. government, as the largest purchaser on Earth, to spur demand for clean American manufacturing of materials that form the bedrock of our economy.
 
Since 2023, GSA has incorporated Buy Clean requirements in the construction specifications for more than 150 Federal building and infrastructure projects. Manufacturers have responded by publishing over 17,000 new environmental product declarations (EPDs) for low-carbon construction materials, demonstrating that industry is reacting to market demand for materials made with lower emissions. The 150 GSA-led projects are expected to support an estimated 6,000 jobs per year across the U.S. during construction and generate $2.7 billion in GDP. A complementary EPA grant program awarded $160 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to help manufacturers develop and verify additional EPDs.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $1.2 billion in grants to 39 State Departments of Transportation to purchase American-made low-carbon construction materials. DOT anticipates awarding an additional $800 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds to cities, metropolitan planning organizations, Tribal governments and other Federal, State and local agencies in the coming weeks.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has also partnered with state governments to accelerate action. The Federal-State Buy Clean Partnership includes 13 states that have committed to prioritizing the procurement of low-carbon infrastructure materials in state-funded projects, and to collaborate with the Federal Government and one another to send a harmonized demand signal to the marketplace.
 
Advancing Climate Adaptation and Resilience: When President Biden took office, he prioritized the revitalization of Federal agencies’ climate adaptation and resilience planning efforts. Today, 24 Federal agencies have adopted adaptation and resilience plans that address their most significant climate risks and vulnerabilities from 2024 to 2027 and outline the steps they are taking to strengthen their facilities’, employees’, resources’, and operations’ resilience to climate change impacts. For the first time, agencies have identified senior resilience leaders and created new accountability structures that integrate adaptation and resilience throughout their missions while also meeting the resilience requirements for the Disaster Resiliency Planning Act, as well as best practices for advancing climate-smart infrastructure. Agencies have also adopted common indicators to assess their progress towards identifying and addressing the risks that climate change poses to them and the people and communities they serve.
 
Partnering for a Broader Impact: The Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized partnering with other state, local, and international governments to accelerate sustainability initiatives at every level. The Greening Government Initiative (GGI), which the United States launched in 2021, is a first-of-its-kind initiative that enables over 60 member countries to exchange information, promote innovation, and share best practices to support global efforts to green national government operations and meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Building on GGI’s success, in 2022 the U.S. launched the Net-Zero Government Initiative (NZGI) to increase countries’ ambition to green their national government operations. NZGI countries commit to achieving net-zero emissions from national government operations by 2050, and hold themselves accountable by publishing roadmaps that establish long-term and interim targets and plans. To date, 34 countries have joined this initiative.

Most recently, the U.S. launched the Government Scope 3 Alliance, a first-of-its-kind international alliance to reduce Scope 3 emissions from the public sector, whose members commit to set Scope 3 emissions reduction targets for their government operations and to report on their progress.
 
Climate Smart White House: Leading by example, the Administration has worked to secure clean electricity that will power 95% of White House complex operations, including its facilities, vehicle fleets and new EV charging infrastructure. These climate smart improvements increase resilience and energy efficiency across multiple buildings that make up the Executive Office of the President campus, saving taxpayer dollars through lower utility bills and operating costs.
 
Fostering a Climate-Focused Workforce and Advancing Environmental Justice and Equity: The Biden-Harris Administration launched multiple programs for Federal employees to enhance their sustainability and climate literacy and learn about the critical role they play in shifting to more sustainable and resilient operations. This included a sustainability speaker series featuring climate change experts Al Roker, Bill Nye, and Kathryn Hayhoe, along with launching a first-of-its-kind climate adaptation training that has supported 1,500 Federal program acquisition managers with preparing for and managing climate risks. The Administration also established a Presidential Federal Sustainability Awards program to recognize federal agencies and employees who have tackled complex challenges and delivered results for a cleaner, more efficient Federal Government.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has delivered on President Biden’s commitment to not only advance sustainability and resilience within the Federal Government, but to do so in ways that advance environmental justice and equity. For the first time ever, Federal agencies are required to link climate adaptation and sustainability planning efforts with advancing environmental justice and the Justice40 Initiative, which seeks to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Administration also issued a final rule promoting sustainability, equity, and community engagement in decisions on where federal facilities are located. As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the General Services Administration announced $23.8 million for 13 projects at federal buildings across 10 states through GSA’s Good Neighbor Program. The 13 federal building improvement project sites were selected for their opportunity to make a positive impact on local communities.

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President Joe Biden spoke today with King Abdullah II of Jordan. The President emphasized his full support for a Syrian-led transition process under the auspices of the United Nations as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. He also discussed the situation in eastern Syria to include the U.S. commitment to the D-ISIS mission, including the strikes conducted last night against a concentration of ISIS fighters and leaders.  The President emphasized the support of the United States for the stability of Jordan and Jordan’s central role in maintaining stability and de-escalating tensions throughout the Middle East region. The leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza and the urgent need to conclude the ceasefire and hostage release agreement together with a surge in humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza. They agreed to remain in regular contact directly and through their teams. 

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President Biden to Designate Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument; Announce Strategy to Preserve and Revitalize Native Languages

Today President Biden will host the fourth and final White House Tribal Nations Summit of the Biden-Harris Administration, reaffirming the Administration’s historic progress on strengthening the Nation-to-Nation relationships with Tribal Nations and cementing its legacy as one of the most supportive Administrations for Tribes ever.

At the Summit, President Biden will announce a new proclamation establishing the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The new national monument will tell the story of the oppression endured by thousands of Native children and their families at this site and the harmful legacy of the broader Indian boarding school system that the federal government operated or supported across the country for more than 150 years. This action builds on President Biden’s historic Presidential apology and the leadership of Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to establish and lead research and listening sessions with Tribes and Native communities across the country as part of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.

Respect for Tribal Nations is a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s policies for Indian Country – policies that are highlighted at the Summit. In addition to the new national monument designation, the Administration will announce a historic, all-of-government strategy to preserve and revitalize Native languages. The strategy would expand access to immersion language programs in schools, support community-led language education efforts, and promote Native language schools and programs. The Administration will also showcase new initiatives supporting Tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and the federal trust responsibility, while bringing together Tribal leaders and senior administration officials to discuss priorities for Indian Country.

Since taking office, President Biden and Vice President Harris have delivered a record-breaking $45 billion in investments in Indian Country through the Investing in America agenda, transforming infrastructure, expanding healthcare, advancing education, and addressing systemic and historic injustices. Landmark policies and federal action, such as elevating Tribal consultation, investing in developing co-stewardship agreements, elevating the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge, and implementing government-wide training on Tribal treaty rights and the trust responsibility, have centered Native voices in federal decision-making. From the protection of sacred lands through national monument designations and the conservation of over 45 million acres of lands and waters, to the historic Presidential apology for Federal Indian boarding schools, the Biden-Harris Administration has affirmed its deep respect for Tribes and Native communities.

During the Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration will also release a comprehensive 2024 Progress Report for Tribal Nations, which outlines historic progress the Administration has made over the past year to deliver on the President’s commitment to supporting Indian Country, and to address the top concerns of Tribal communities.

New Administration-wide actions include:

Healing from the Federal Indian Boarding School Era

• Designating the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument. By establishing a new national monument at the site of the former Carlisle Federal Indian Industrial School, President Biden is acknowledging the Federal Indian boarding school era, advancing healing, and commemorating the resilience of Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples. For more than 150 years, the Federal Government removed American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families, Tribes, and homelands – often by force or coercion – and transported them to institutions that aimed to strip them of their languages, religions, and cultures.

From 1879 to when it ceased operations in 1918, the Carlisle School subjected 7,800 children from more than 140 Indian Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) to its coercive education program. The school served as a model for the Federal Indian boarding school system, which operated throughout the early 19th through mid-20th centuries and comprised over 400 other federally-supported, off-reservation schools across the United States, as well as hundreds of similar institutions operated by religious organizations. At least 973 Native children died in these schools according to available federal records, and the children who survived often endured physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. At Carlisle, school officials forced children to cut their hair, prohibited them from speaking their Native languages, and subjected them to harsh labor.

The new national monument will be located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on 24.5 acres of what is now the U.S. Army’s Carlisle Barracks, one of the nation’s oldest military installations. The monument boundary encompasses the historic buildings and structures that made up the campus of the Carlisle School – including School Road Gateposts that were built by the labor of Native American children and youth at the school. The gateposts still stand today as a marker of the removal and separation of children from their families, Tribes, and homelands. The monument will be cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Army. The National Park Service, in coordination with the Army, will engage Tribal Nations and the Native Hawaiian Community in development of the management plan and ongoing management of the monument, and provide for Tribal consultation with any federally recognized Tribe with historical connections to any part of the Federal Indian boarding school system to help ensure the national monument tells the full story of this site, similar institutions, and the broader federal Indian boarding school era.

With the establishment of the new national monument, the Army will now transfer administrative jurisdiction over the gateposts to the National Park Service, and the agencies will sign a memorandum of understanding to guide their cooperative management of the national monument. The Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument is President Biden’s twelfth use of the Antiquities Act.

Promoting Native Languages

• 10-Year Native Language Revitalization Plan. While there were once hundreds of thriving Native languages in the U.S., over three quarters of the remaining 190 languages spoken today are now endangered. Studies indicate fewer than 20 languages will exist by 2050 if no action is taken. The Departments of the Interior, Education, and Health and Human Services and the White House Council on Native American Affairs are publishing a 10-year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization (Plan) that calls for strategic actions to address the United States government’s historic role in the loss of Native languages across the lower 48 states, Alaska, and Hawai’i. The Plan lays out a long-term, all-of-government strategy that works with Tribal Nations, the Native Hawaiian Community, urban Native communities, Native language experts, schools, community organizations, and the philanthropic sector for the protection, preservation, reclamation and revitalization of Native languages. The Plan’s proposals would: 1) expand access to immersion language environments, 2) support community-led revitalization efforts, and 3) develop, grow and sustain Native language support networks. The Plan also recommends ways to address a chronic under-investment in Native language revitalization to date.

Meeting the Federal Trust Responsibility

• OMB Guidance on Unmet Federal Obligations. OMB’s guidance furthers the goals of Executive Order 14112, which seeks to reform Federal funding to be more consistent with Tribal self-determination and sovereignty. The new guidance supports a comprehensive effort to address chronic underfunding of Tribal programs by calculating unmet federal obligations and developing actionable recommendations for closing funding gaps.

Promoting Understanding of Tribal Consultation and Tribal Treaty Rights and Reserved Rights

• Trainings for Federal Employees on Tribal Consultation and Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights. The Department of the Interior, Office of Personnel Management, and the Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with the White House Council on Native American Affairs, are releasing trainings available to Federal employees on Tribal consultation and Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights. These trainings reflect years of Tribal leader input and will assist federal employees across the government in understanding their role in supporting Tribal consultation and the federal trust responsibility to Tribes.
  

Reforming Federal Processes for Tribal Nations

• FEMA Tribal Declarations Interim Guidance. New guidance will streamline the process for Tribal Nations seeking disaster declarations, including reducing minimum damage thresholds, enhancing cost-sharing adjustments, and expanding assistance for Tribal members.

• HHS Tribal Data Access Policy. The new policy establishes clear guidelines and timelines for Tribes and Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) to access critical health data, advancing public health outcomes and addressing data disparities.

Supporting Tribes and Other Communities Considering Voluntary Relocation

• Opportunities for Federal Support of Community-Driven Relocation Report. The Community-Driven Relocation Subcommittee of the National Climate Task Force is releasing the Opportunities for Federal Support of Community-Driven Relocation report, which provides background on voluntary community-driven relocation to avoid climate- and pollution-related hazards, an overview of the current Federal legal and programmatic landscape, and next steps that are available for Federal agencies to support Tribes and other communities contemplating relocation due to severe environmental impact and hazards from climate change. The report recognizes the disproportionate climate-related risks that Tribal communities face and the leadership that Tribal communities have already demonstrated in relocating their communities and partnering with Federal, State, and local governments as well as other partners. An accompanying resource guide will help Tribes and communities identify specific Federal agencies, and programs to support their efforts.

These announcements build upon historic actions by the Biden-Harris Administration to support Tribal Nations and Native communities, which include:

• Historic investments in Tribal Nations, including $32 billion in the American Rescue Plan, the largest direct federal investment to Tribal Nations in history; $13 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; and over $700 million in the Inflation Reduction Act.

• Signing two Presidential Memoranda directing federal agencies to submit plans of action to implement meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations and establishing uniform standards for Tribal Consultation.

• Historic appointments of Native Americans across the Administration, including Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and over 80 Native Americans in senior Administration roles.

• Re-launching the Tribal Nations Summit and re-establishing the White House Council on Native American Affairs that serves to foster an all-of-government approach to coordinating and developing Tribal policy.

• Signing an Executive Order to improve public safety and criminal justice and address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) by directing agencies to prioritize addressing this crisis and assessing what more can be accomplished.
  
• Signing an Executive Order to improve educational outcomes and career opportunities for Native American students by focusing on systemic barriers, increasing access to high-quality education, and fostering economic empowerment.

• Securing the first-ever advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service, which provides long-overdue funding stability and predictability for IHS.

• Signing a Presidential Memorandum to Restore Healthy and Abundant Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River, which supports cultural and spiritual practices, commerce, and economic growth for Tribes.

• Authoring the first-of-its-kind government-wide Indigenous Knowledge guidance that assists federal agencies in recognizing and including Indigenous Knowledge in Federal research, policy, and decision making.

• Restoring protections for the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bear Ears National Monuments in Utah, and designating and expanding the following national monuments that hold significance to Tribal Nations: Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada; Castner Range in Texas; Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon in Arizona; and Berryessa Snow Mountain and San Gabriel Mountains National Monuments in California.

• Increasing Tribal Co-Stewardship of Lands and Waters through historic co-stewardship agreements. During the Biden-Harris Administration, the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Commerce have signed 400 co-stewardship agreements with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and consortiums.

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