Statements and Releases

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

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

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health outcomes for people with HIV but also expanded efforts to address social determinants of health, reform outdated HIV criminalization laws, and strengthen partnerships with communities and organizations nationwide.

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

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

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

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

Over the past year the Administration acted to:

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

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

Strengthen Global Efforts for HIV Prevention and Treatment

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

Ensure Accessible Healthcare and Support Services

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

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

Increase Awareness and End Stigma and Discrimination

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

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

Prioritize Community-Driven Responses

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

Advance HIV Research and Innovation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Today, after many weeks of tireless diplomacy, Israel and Lebanon have accepted a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. The announcement today will cease the fighting in Lebanon, and secure Israel from the threat of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanon. This announcement will create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line. The United States and France will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced, and we remain determined to prevent this conflict from becoming another cycle of violence.  The United States and France also commit to lead and support international efforts for capacity-building of the Lebanese Armed Forces as well as economic development throughout Lebanon to advance stability and prosperity in the region. 

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Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing a new rule to significantly expand coverage of anti-obesity medications for Americans with Medicare and Medicaid. Tens of millions of Americans struggle with obesity. An estimated 42 percent of the U.S. population has obesity, which is now widely recognized as a chronic disease, with increased risk of all-cause mortality and multiple related comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, some cancers, and more. 
 
Over the past few years, there have been major scientific advancements in the treatment of obesity, with the introduction of new life-saving drugs. These anti-obesity medications can help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, these drugs reduce deaths and sickness from heart attack and other cardiovascular outcomes by up to 20%. But for too many Americans, these critical treatments are too expensive and therefore out of reach. Without insurance coverage, these drugs can cost someone as much as $1,000 a month.
 
Currently, Medicare and Medicaid cover the use of AOM’s for certain conditions, like diabetes.  Today’s new proposal would expand access to these innovative medications for obesity, which is widely recognized as a disease and help an estimated 3.4 million Americans with Medicare. Medicare coverage would reduce out-of-pocket costs for these prescription drugs by as much as 95 percent for some enrollees. Approximately 4 million adult Medicaid enrollees would also gain new access to these medications. This proposal would allow Americans and their doctors to determine the best path forward so they can lead healthier lives, without worrying about their ability to cover these drugs out-of-pocket, and ultimately reduce health care costs to our nation.
 
Since taking office, the President has built on, strengthened, and protected Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, by signing laws such as the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums. The President is proud of the fact that the Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare to negotiate down the price of drugs, a tool that will help Medicare lower the cost of some of the most expensive medications in the program.  That power to negotiate drug prices is critical because Americans pay two to three times more than people in other countries for their prescription drugs.  An analysis from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds international prices for anti-obesity medications are much lower than U.S. list prices and generally lower than U.S. net prices for these same medications. It’s unacceptable that Americans – especially those without insurance coverage for these drugs — are forced to pay so much more for life-saving medications.  The proposed rule would be implemented at the same time as a comprehensive agenda to lower the costs of drugs, including the drug price negotiation program and increased market competition.  We can lower drug prices and improve health outcomes for Americans.
 
Thanks to the President’s efforts, seniors are already seeing lower prescription drug costs with insulin capped at $35, free vaccines, and out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs capped at $2,000 starting in 2025. Already this year, nearly 1.5 million people with Medicare Part D saved nearly $1 billion in out-of-pocket prescription drugs costs in the first half of 2024 because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. Furthermore, HHS has reached agreement with drug manufacturers for the first ten negotiated drugs, with new prices that are reduced between 38 to 79 percent starting in 2026.
 
The President’s new actions are all in addition to an already impressive track record on fighting for the health care of Americans across the nation. The Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health focused on ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases such as obesity. One of the Strategy’s pillars is integrating nutrition and health, which recognizes the opportunities within Medicare and Medicaid to support beneficiaries’ access to nutritious foods, obesity counseling, and other nutrition-related services. Obesity is a multi-faceted disease and we need to work on all levels from prevention to treatment to address this persistent challenge.

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Today, as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we recommit ourselves to the urgent work of ending gender-based violence in the United States and around the world. Gender-based violence is a human rights abuse and a public health crisis that impacts one in three women and girls. We also know that whenever and wherever women and girls are under threat, so too are peace, stability, and economic progress.

Working to end violence against women and girls has been the cause of my life.  In the U.S. Senate, I wrote and championed the Violence Against Women Act, working across the aisle and with courageous survivors to strengthen the law four times.  As President, I was proud to sign into law the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, which expanded access to safety and support for survivors, increased prevention efforts, and established new federal protections against online harassment and abuse. Under my Administration’s leadership, the United States secured the highest-ever funding levels to implement the Violence Against Women Act, and, globally, we have maintained the highest-ever level of investment to address gender-based violence at $250 million per year.

My Administration issued the first-ever U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, updated the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally, and worked tirelessly to prevent and address gender-based violence in all its forms, including through the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse and the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, which has grown to a 15-country membership. We’ve advanced policies within the United States and globally to address online safety; invested in efforts to prevent technology-facilitated gender-based violence—including countering its chilling effects on women’s civic and political participation; and supported survivors of image-based sexual abuse.

We have also taken historic steps to strengthen justice and accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. In 2022, I issued a Presidential Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence—directing federal agencies to leverage sanctions authorities, assistance restrictions, and other tools to promote accountability for perpetrators of this human rights abuse. Since the release of that memorandum, the United States issued nearly two dozen sanctions, including for the first time several issued solely on the basis of sexual violence. And earlier this year, we announced the Dignity in Documentation Initiative, which supports civil society-led efforts to investigate and document sexual violence in conflict.

Today we reflect on the tremendous progress we’ve made since the first International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women a quarter century ago.  We also recommit ourselves to the work ahead to achieve a world in which all women and girls can live free from fear, free from violence, and free from abuse.

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I congratulate Yamandú Orsi on his election to serve as Uruguay’s 43rd President.  I also send my congratulations to the people of Uruguay for their unyielding commitment to democracy as they successfully exercised the fundamental right to vote.
 
In the over 150 years of diplomatic relations between Uruguay and the United States, we have built an enduring partnership based on our peoples’ shared values.  Uruguay has been at the vanguard of promoting democracy in the Americas, as well as leading in the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity to invest in innovations that create opportunities for the middle class throughout the hemisphere.  As President-elect Orsi prepares to take office in March, I am confident our two countries will continue our work together to build more secure and prosperous futures for our people.

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When I took office, the pandemic was raging and the economy was reeling. From Day One, I was determined to not only deliver economic relief, but to invest in America and grow the economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down.

Over the last four years, that’s exactly what we’ve done. We passed legislation to rebuild our infrastructure, build a clean energy economy, and bring manufacturing back to the United States after decades of offshoring. Today I’m proud to announce my Investing in America agenda—the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act—has helped attract over $1 trillion in announced private-sector investments. These investments in industries of the future are ensuring the future is made in America, by American workers. And they’re creating opportunities in communities too often left behind.

Over 1.6 million construction and manufacturing jobs have been created over the last four years, and our investments are making America a leader in clean energy and semiconductor technologies that will protect our economic and national security, while expanding opportunities in red states and blue states.

Today, thanks to my Investing in America agenda, businesses around the world are investing in America—which is good news for American workers and American businesses—and we’re positioned to win the economic competition for the 21st century.

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We condemn in the strongest terms the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the UAE and our prayers are with his family, the Chabad-Lubavitch community, the broader Jewish community, and all who are mourning his loss. This was a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence. It was an assault as well on UAE and its rejection of violent extremism across the board. The United States is working in close coordination with Israeli and UAE authorities, and we have offered all appropriate forms of support. We commend the rapid efforts of UAE authorities who now have suspects in custody. Those who carried out this crime, and anyone supporting them, must be held fully accountable.

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In 2015, the world came together to finalize the Paris Agreement, a historic commitment made by nearly every country in the world to address the climate crisis and protect the planet for future generations. On my very first day in office, I took action to return the United States to that agreement, restore America’s global climate leadership, and recommit to international climate ambition. 

Since then, my Administration has leveraged our Nation’s leadership on climate action at home to accelerate global efforts – including at COPs 26, 27, and 28 – to reduce emissions, lower energy costs, create good-paying jobs, protect ecosystems, and strengthen resilience – all of which has also helped grow our economy.

Today at COP29, thanks in part to the tireless efforts of a robust US delegation, the world reached agreement on another historic outcome. In Baku, the United States challenged countries to make an urgent choice: either consign vulnerable communities to ever more catastrophic climate disasters, or step up and place all of us on a safer path toward a better future. 

Together, countries set an ambitious 2035 international climate finance goal. It will help mobilize the level of finance – from all sources – that developingcountries need to accelerate the transition to clean, sustainable economies, while opening up new markets for American-made electric vehicles, batteries, and other products. 

In the years ahead, we are confident that the United States will continue this work: through our states and cities, our businesses, and our citizens, supported by durable legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate and clean energy in history. While some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that’s underway in America and around the world, nobody can reverse it — nobody. 

I congratulate the Parties and the COP29 Presidency on reaching this outcome. While there is still substantial work ahead of us to achieve our climate goals, today’s outcome puts us one significant step closer. On behalf of the American people and future generations, we must continue to accelerate our work to keep a cleaner, safer, healthier planet within our grasp.  

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Ninety-one years ago, Joseph Stalin and the Soviet regime engineered the Holodomor, a forced and deliberate famine that killed millions of Ukrainians. We remember the men, women, and children who perished during the Holodomor. We also honor the survivors of the Holodomor and their descendants who, despite Stalin’s efforts to repress Ukraine’s national identity, have built a free, independent, and democratic Ukraine. 

Today, as we mark the solemn anniversary of the Holodomor, we also renew our commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people in their time of need. For nearly three years, Russia has been waging a brutal war against the Ukrainian people in an attempt to wipe Ukraine off the map. In this effort, Russia has failed. Kyiv stands free, thanks in part to the United States and the more than 50 other countries that are committed to providing Ukraine with the assistance it needs to defend itself.

My message to the Ukrainian people on this day is clear: The United States honors your past and stands with you in the present. On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting Ukraine’s ongoing defense of its freedom, its pursuit of justice, and its path to the Euro-Atlantic future it has chosen for itself.  The courage and strength of the Ukrainian people will prevail.   

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Today, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger hosted a meeting with executives from the telecommunications sector to share intelligence and discuss the People’s Republic of China’s significant cyber espionage campaign targeting the sector. The meeting was an opportunity to hear from telecommunications sector executives on how the U.S. Government can partner with and support the private sector on hardening against sophisticated nation state attacks. Today’s meeting reflects the ongoing efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to engage with executives across critical infrastructure sectors to improve our domestic cybersecurity and bolster our national resilience. 

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President Biden spoke today with President Macron of France on a number of global and bilateral matters. They reviewed developments in Ukraine as well as in the Middle East, to include efforts to secure a ceasefire deal in Lebanon that will allow residents on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely to their homes. They committed to remain in close consultation directly and through their national security teams. 

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This week, President Biden announced the U.S. intent for a substantial increase in the U.S. contribution to the International Development Association (IDA), the arm of the World Bank that supports the poorest and most vulnerable countries.  The United States will pledge $4 billion over three years to the ongoing IDA replenishment, subject to Congressional approval, sustaining the U.S. position as the largest historical donor to IDA and joining other countries that are stepping up to assist IDA recipients with critical, sustainable investments in their development.

Just as President Biden has championed a domestic economic agenda built around investing at home, he is determined to unlock the resources needed for developing countries to similarly invest in their futures.  High debt burdens, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the food insecurity crisis fueled by Russia’s war against Ukraine, have put these critical investments out of reach for too many developing countries.  As a result, many countries are facing difficult choices between paying back creditors and making critical investments in their economy and people—like vaccinating children, building more resilient and sustainable food systems, and addressing the damaging effects of climate change.  At this moment of need, we need to scale up the amount of concessional finance available to these countries, while all other creditors need to step up to keep money flowing as well.

IDA is a key source of grants and highly concessional lending that provides net positive flows and helps to fill the investment gap.  It is the single largest source of concessional finance to the poorest and most vulnerable countries, and a vital provider of financing for countries with heavy debt burdens.  IDA offers support for policy reforms in conjunction with financing, with this replenishment sharpening the focus on boosting resilience by addressing the impacts of climate change, pandemics, and fragility and conflict, while continuing to invest in sustainable infrastructure, quality jobs, inclusion, gender equality, good governance, food security and nutrition, and access to basic services.  A strong IDA builds on the initiative that the Biden-Harris Administration has spearheaded to equip the multilateral development banks to help countries better address global challenges so that they can accelerate progress on reducing poverty and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition to the U.S. pledge, President Biden is urging existing donors to follow his example by stepping up support and calling on new donors to start contributing.  The leaders of developing countries have been loud and clear in calling for more concessional financing.  IDA represents the most impactful opportunity for the international community to respond to this urgent request.

To complement his support for IDA, President Biden has pursued a bold agenda calling on the international financial institutions, bilateral creditors, and the private sector to step up support for countries with ambitious investment and reform plans that are unable to invest in their own futures due to debt service burdens.  President Biden outlined this agenda in the Nairobi-Washington Vision he launched with President Ruto of Kenya in May.  At the Rio Summit, he pressed the G20 to take action on this plan so that developing countries’ stepped-up investments supported by IDA and other multilateral assistance providers are not undermined by free-riding creditors.  As part of this strategy, the U.S. government is deploying its multilateral and bilateral tools to step up financing for countries with heavy debt burdens, providing a pathway for sustainable growth and development.

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The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas.  We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security. 

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NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

     James Bernard Coughlan, of Illinois, to be a Member of the United States International Trade Commission for a term expiring December 16, 2030, vice Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, term expired.

     Beth H. Harwell, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2029.  (Reappointment)

     Brian Noland, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2029.  (Reappointment)

     Halie L. Craig, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the United States International Trade Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 16, 2026, vice Randolph J. Stayin, resigned.

     Loida Nicolas Lewis, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation for a term of three years, vice Susan M. McCue, term expired.

WITHDRAWALS SENT TO THE SENATE:

     Loida Nicolas Lewis, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation for a term of three years, vice Alexander Crenshaw, term expired, which was sent to the Senate on November 14, 2024.

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WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order creating a Presidential Emergency Board to help resolve an ongoing dispute between New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET). The appointment of the Board is required under the Railway Labor Act because a party to the dispute has requested an Emergency Board.

The Presidential Emergency Board will provide a structure that allows the two sides to attempt to resolve their disagreements. In the 60 days following its establishment, the Presidential Emergency Board will produce a report to the President that selects the offer that the Board finds to be the most reasonable. The Board’s report is not binding, but the party whose offer is not selected would be prohibited by law from receiving certain benefits if a work stoppage subsequently occurs.

President Biden also announced that he intends to appoint the following members to Presidential Emergency Board No. 252:

• Ira F. Jaffe, Chair, Presidential Emergency Board No. 252
• Sidney Moreland, Member, Presidential Emergency Board No. 252
• Thomas Pontolillo, Member, Presidential Emergency Board No. 252

Ira F. Jaffee, Chair, Presidential Emergency Board No. 252

Ira F. Jaffe has served as a full-time arbitrator and mediator of labor and employment disputes since 1981 and has presided over more than 6,000 cases in a wide variety of industries in the private and public sectors and serves on over 80 permanent arbitration panels. Jaffe has served on six prior PEBs – PEB 236 (2001), PEB 241 (2007), and PEB 242 (2007), and served as Chair on PEB 243 (2011), PEB 244 (2013), and PEB 250 (2022). Jaffe is a member and former Vice-President of the National Academy of Arbitrators (NAA), served as the National President of the Society of Federal Labor Relations Professionals in 1990, and taught several courses as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Law School. He is a Charter Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel and has arbitrated and mediated a wide variety of employee benefits disputes. He is also a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Jaffe received a B.S. from the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.

Sidney Moreland, Member, Presidential Emergency Board No. 252

Sidney Moreland has been a professional arbitrator for 40 years, during which he has helped resolve hundreds of civil and labor disputes in all industrial sectors and professional sports. Moreland serves on multiple arbitration rosters and panels including the American Arbitration Association, the National Mediation Board, and the Federal Mediation Conciliation Service. He currently serves as Arbitrator for the National Football League and the Players Association, as well as for Southwest Airlines and multiple Unions serving that airline. Moreland has vast experience on transportation issues presiding over 70 Public Law Boards serving every Class 1 railroad in the United States—a form of tribunal established by the National Mediation Board for the arbitration of disputes between unions, airlines, and rail carriers. 

Thomas Pontolillo, Member, Presidential Emergency Board No. 252

Thomas Pontolillo has served as a professional arbitrator since 2022, and has been appointed to the arbitrators’ rosters of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the National Mediation Board. Prior to 2022, Pontolillo served as Assistant to the National President and Director of Research for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, a major railroad labor union. He began his career as a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, working as a locomotive fireman and a locomotive engineer for Penn Central railroad, Consolidated Rail Corporation, and New Jersey Transit Rail Operations.

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WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individual to serve as a key leader in his administration:

• Jim Coughlan, Nominee to be a Member of the United States International Trade Commission

Additionally, President Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as members of boards and commissions that are required, by statute or longstanding practice, to include bipartisan membership:

• Beth Harwell, Nominee to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority
• Brian Noland, Nominee to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority
• Halie Craig, Nominee to be a Member (Republican) of the United States International Trade Commission

Jim Coughlan, Nominee to be a Member of the United States International Trade Commission

Jim Coughlan is currently Senior Vice President and General Counsel at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. He was previously an attorney in private practice where he focused on litigation before the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), most recently as Partner at Holland & Knight LLP. Coughlan has been recognized by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, as well as being chosen as a Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Gen X Leaders in Law honoree. He was formerly a Senior Staff Attorney at the ITC, served as Legal Counsel for Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and was a judicial law clerk for the Judge Marion T. Bennett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Coughlan has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Bradley University, a J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law and an LLM from the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Law. He is from Oak Park, Illinois.

Beth Harwell, Nominee to be a Member of the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Valley Authority

Beth Harwell has served as a member of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors since 2021. She represented Tennessee’s 56th District in the state’s House of Representatives for nearly 30 years, including seven years as Speaker of the House, a position to which she was elected with bipartisan support. Previously, Harwell chaired the Tennessee Republican Party and served as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Belmont University. Harwell moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend David Lipscomb University, and subsequently completed her graduate work at Vanderbilt University. She is married to Sam Harwell, with whom she has three children.

Brian Noland, Nominee to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority

Brian Noland became the ninth president of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in January 2012. During his tenure, ETSU has achieved its highest graduation, retention, and employee satisfaction rates in history and secured record-breaking levels of research funding. Noland has secured resources for and overseen some of the institution’s largest and most transformative capital projects, including the complete renovations of the D.P. Culp Student Center, Brown Hall, and Lamb Hall, as well as the construction of Greene Stadium, the Martin Center for the Arts, Bishop Hall, a new humanities building, and a new integrated health services center.

Sustaining ETSU’s focus on regional stewardship, Noland has partnered with civic and corporate entities to position the university as a national leader in interprofessional health care and rural health. Under his leadership, ETSU has launched several health research and care centers, including the Ballad Health Strong BRAIN Institute, a first-of-its-kind institute dedicated to promoting the awareness and study of adverse childhood experiences; the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE) in Women’s Health; the Addiction Science Center; the Center for Rural Health and Research; the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center; the Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research; and the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement. Noland has guided ongoing innovations within ETSU’s academic portfolio and curricula. This includes the launch of the BlueSky Institute, a 27-month computer science program developed hand-in-hand with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee through which students receive training and mentoring onsite at BCBS’s headquarters and earn job offers immediately following graduation. 

Noland has served as a board member for the American Council on Education, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, Ballad Health, Bank of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Halie Craig, Nominee to be a Member (Republican) of the United States International Trade Commission

Halie Craig currently serves as the Policy Director, Tech for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Republican staff, where she oversees all aspects of technology policy for Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX). Prior to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, she held various positions on the staff of former U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), including serving on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and leading the senator’s trade policy portfolio during the negotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, various Section 232 investigations, and the imposition of Section 301 duties on imports from China. In addition to her service in the U.S. Senate, Craig spent two years at Meta, where she handled content policy for News Feed, recommendations, and behavioral abuse issues. Craig also previously served as an Associate Fellow with the R Street Institute, where she provided commentary and published research on trade policy issues. Craig earned her B.A. in Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and is a native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

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