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Oval Office

11:55 A.M. EST

Q    President Biden, do you think we can get a hostage deal by the end of your term?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Do you think you can keep from getting hit in the head by a — a camera behind you? 

All right.  Well, thank you all. 

Well, Mr. President, welcome back to the Oval Office and the White House.  You’ve been a friend for a long time, a personal friend.  And you know my commitment to Israel is ironclad and we share a deep friendship. 

I want to thank you again for being here, and the floor is yours. 

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  Thank you, Mr. President.  It’s always a great honor to be here in the Oval Office and be — to be with a friend such as you, Mr. President. 

I will start, of course, with the sad news of the day.  In the last two hours, two Israelis were mor- — murdered by rocket attacks from Lebanon in the t- — northern town of Nahariya, a beautiful seashore town in the northern part of Israel.  Early in the day, a kindergarten teacher of a kindergarten of special needs — childrens with special needs — rescued, bravely and wisely, the toddlers in the kindergarten from a drone attack.  A drone exploded in the kindergarten.

This is what we’re going through from Lebanon, Mr. President, and you know it all too well.  We are fighting hard.  We’re defending our people, our brave soldiers and pilots.  And I know that you’re working very hard to make sure that this war will end and that will — there will be, first and foremost, security for the people of Israel as well as for the people of Lebanon.

And in Gaza, we have 101 hostages.  Over 400 days, I know, Mr. President, that you know you — you are day-in, day-out, actively seeking their surf- — safe return home as they are going through hell in the dungeons of Gaza.

Clearly, you’re thinking and working about the day after as well, which perhaps should be a trajectory of hope to the people of the region and the ability to have our neighbors, as well as us, live in security and peace.

But first and foremost, we have to get the hostages back home. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I agree.

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  And it all starts in Tehran.  It all starts in the empire of evil, where in Tehran, with its proxies, they are doing whatever they can to re- — derail stability and security and peace, calling for the annihilation of the State of Israel and seeking nuclear weapons. 

And, Mr. President, this has to be a major objective all throughout your term and the next term of the next president because we have to make sure that they cannot fulfill their evil intentions.

They’re also a major engine of antisemitism, Mr. President.  And I know how much you put a focus on fighting and combating anti- — antisemitism.

But most importantly, I’m here on behalf of the people of Israel and the nation of Israel and the State of Israel to say to you, Mr. President, thank you very much.  As we say in Hebrew, toda raba. 

You have been an incredible friend of Israel and the Jewish people for decades, and we will never forget, ever in history, how you stood up with us in our darkest hour, which became our finest hour — how you came to Israel a few days after the barbaric attack of October 7th, how you helped us and supported us with words and deeds.

And I want to express my — our heartfelt thanks to you, Mr. President, which is a great legacy that you stood up with the Jewish people and the State of Israel, as al- — you always did.

So, I brought you a little gift —

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It’s a magnificent gift.

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  — which is an archeological artifact from the foot of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which has the word “Joseph” — Yosef.  And as you know, in the Bible, it is — says that Joseph will strengthen Israel.  And clearly, Mr. President, you’ve done it.

Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, I hope my father heard that.  He’d be — my father was what we call a righteous Christian.  He couldn’t understand why we didn’t move more rapidly back in World War II (inaudible).  Any rate.  I —

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  I think that was a great legacy with — of your father.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, it was.  And I remember how I got in trouble — we were friends even back then — when I said — years ago, as a senator, I said, “You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist.”  I’m a Zionist.

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  And I know you are. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  And it’s really — 

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  You’re clearly a Zionist, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, God love you. 

PRESIDENT HERZOG:  Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thanks for being here, pal.

12:00 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden and President Isaac Herzog of the State of Israel Before a Meeting appeared first on The White House.

Grubb/Worth Mansion
Claymont, Delaware

2:38 P.M. EST

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you all very much.  I’m not sure the Sisters at St. Joseph ever even thought you’d all be standing next to my grade school for me, but thank you.  (Laughter.)

Please have a seat.  Please. 

Father John, Father Van, thank you for your service in the military, in addition to our church. 

It’s really special for my sister and I and so many of — to be back — come back here to Holy Rosary.  You know, so many years ago, we attended that school when we moved from Scranton.  We moved from Scranton to Claymont.  It used to be called Brookview Apartments.  And we came — (laughs) — that’s where we lived.  And we — we — I remember the first day. 

You know, I’m deeply humbled by — by this plaque in Beau’s honor.  And one of the things that — it means the world to us.  You know, I think of Beau every day, especially today. 

We’ve come full circle.  In 1953, 180 years ago, I started third grade here.  (Laughter.)  I remember pulling — I re- — I remember distinctly pulling up to this — to Holy Rosary — the — the big church was not there yet; we had church in the basement of the school — and pulling up into the — into the parking lot, looking over at this wall around this beautiful estate and wondering, “Who lives there?” 

I was unaware that, the year before, the diocese had purchased it and — and gave it to — or, excuse me, had got — had been given it and been given to — and Holy Rosary Parish purchased it. 

And, you know, it was — used to be called the Grubb/Worth Mansion — a mansion like many that used to overlook the Delaware River, like Archmere and moving the way up.  The — the — before the industrialization began in southeastern Pennsylvania, there were these beautiful mansions along the Delaware.  You looked down to the Delaware.  My high school was Archmere and — it’s “arch by the sea.”  You could see all the way down from Archmere, from the back patio. 

And I remember looking at that’s w- — before the church was built — at this mansion, and thinking to myself, “I wonder who lives there.”  Little did I know, the Sisters of Saint Joseph were living there.  (Laughs.) 

But, you know, it’s — I remember that — and here I am today behind this wall where two parish priests served as military chaplains and are using this mansion as a memorial to those who fought and died in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

I’ve been in and out of Afghanistan and Iraq over 30 times, and it’s a godforsaken area. 

Today, I’m thinking of the moment that I pinned my — I came home one weekend — I came home most weekends — and Beau said to me, “Dad, what are you doing Friday?”  And I said, “What do you have in mind, pal?”  He said, “I want you to pin my bars on me.” 

I said, “Pin your bars on you?  You’re attorney general of the state of Delaware.  What do you — what do you mean, ‘pin your bars on you’?” 

He said, “Dad” — he stood ramrond — ramrod straight when I agreed to do it, to pin the bars on him.  And — and he — he was so damn proud — proud to be joining the military, the National Guard.  And our entire family felt that pride and how grateful were to General Vavala, who’s here today, for sort of shepherding us through this area. 

And thinking of that year he was deployed to Iraq — the year he was, a year later — like so many of you, we remember how hard it was.  The empty seat at the dinner table at Christmas time; missed holidays; Hallie and the kids not seeing him; prayers, hope, and worry repeated every morning and every night. 

I remember my wife used to say — stand by — she would leave before I would in the morning, and she’d stand by the — by the sink, and she’d — as she was heading down to teach at Del Tech, and she’d say a prayer — mumble a prayer, the same prayer — prayers of hope and worry repeated every morning and every night. 

Just as we ask everything of our veterans, we ask everything of our veterans’ families.  The poet John Milton wrote, “They also serve who only stand and wait.”  And so many of you with children who are in the military or husbands or wives, you’ve stood and waited.  You’ve stood and waited.  You’ve gone through the same concern that you would if they — it just — it’s different. 

As I said, they — you all — they also serve who only stand and wait.

Folks, you know, it’s — and a like — it was like yesterday.  I was thinking — and Beau told me when he — when he signed up, he said, “Dad” — I said, “Why did you do it?”  He said, “Dad, it’s my duty.”  “It’s my duty.”  “It’s my duty.” 

Duty.  That was the code my son lived by: duty. 

The creed of millions of veterans have followed that crode [code].  Each one bound by the sacred oath to support and defend not a place, not a person, not a president, but an idea, an idea unlike any other hu- — in human history. 

We’re the only country in the world founded on an idea.  Every other country is based on geography or religion or politics, but we’re an idea — the idea of the United States of America, that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain — that’s why we were founded.  That’s who we are.  That’s who we were.  That’s who we remain. 

And — but because of our veterans, because of many of you, we’ve never walked away from it, even though there’s been temptations to walk away from that democratic notion.

Folks, Beau would be very honored — very honored by this plaque.  Beau — what he’d also say, though, “Dad, it’s not about me.”  And those of you knew Beau like Fred Sears and others knew Beau, that’s what he’d say.  “This is not about me, Dad.  It’s not about me.  It’s about our servicemen.  It’s about all veterans.  It’s about all families.”

I’ve said many times before, including this morning when I spoke at Arlington Cemetery, as the presidents do, that we have many obligations as a nation — many obligations.  We only have one truly sacred obligation, and that is to care for those and prepare those we send into harm’s way, and care for them and their families when they come home and when they don’t come home.

On this Veterans Day and every day, let’s remember — remind ourselves of that sacred obligation. 

On behalf of the Biden family, thank you for honoring our son Beau’s memory, for honoring all of our veterans and their families. 

And I asked Father permission to come back up when the family — our family is scattered all over the country — want to get them all together and bring them all up privately to see this as well. 

And Father, both priests — you know, out of their own money, they built — they bought this.  They — they — I’m going to see to it, Father, that we raise the money you spent so you — we reimburse you for this.  It’s a — (applause).

And God bless America.  And may God protect our troops who are still in harm’s way. 

Thank you.  (Applause.)

(The president participates in a commemoration of a bronze plaque dedicated to the memory of Beau Biden.)

FATHER VAN ALSTYNE:  Let us pray. 

     We thank you, O God, for this inspirational day where we have given tribute to our veterans who have served our country selflessly and with integrity.  Send us forth with your blessings, and may we never forget our veterans who contributed to the greatness of our nation. 

Amen.

THE PRESIDENT:  May I say something?  The reason they’re getting me out of here quickly: Because of the nature of things today, Philadelphia Pike is closed as long as I’m here.  (Laughter.)  And — no, I’m serious.  You think I’m kidding. 

So, if I don’t get the hell out of here, you’re all locked in here, and anybody who’s with me is going to lose votes, so — (laughter).

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  God love you all.  I really mean it.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  (Applause.) 

2:46 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden at the Guardian of Defenders Memorial | Claymont, DE appeared first on The White House.

Arlington National Cemetery

11:52 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  It’s a great honor to be standing here again.

Over 160 years ago, during what would become his final days in office, President Abraham Lincoln addressed this nation, and he said, “Let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle.”

My fellow Americans, the first lady, Vice President Harris, and the second gentleman; Secretary Blinken, Austin, McDonough, Mayorkas; Chairman Brown; and, most importantly, our veterans, service members, and their families, I’ve said many times before — I got in trouble for saying it when I was a young senator — I said we have many obligations, but only one truly sacred obligation — sacred: to prepare those we send into harm’s way and to care for them and their families when they return home and when they don’t.  It’s an obligation not based on party or politics but on a promise that unites us all. 

Today, as we strive on to finish the work of our moment to bind the nation’s wounds once again, we commit and recommit to this sacred vow.

This is the last time I will stand here at Arlington as commander-in-chief.  It’s been the greatest honor of my life to lead you, to serve you, to care for you, to defend you just as you have defended us generation after generation after generation.  You are the greatest fighting force — and this is not hyperbole — the finest fighting force in the history of the world. 

I will never forget standing at Valley Forge, where our nation’s first soldiers laid down their lives to deliver a nation where everyone is entitled to inalienable rights: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness.

And I’ll never forget walking the hills of Gettysburg, where thousands more shed their blood to make those words real.

I’ll never forget at Belleau Woods– visiting there to pay tribute to the heroes who stepped on that beach or standing on the cliffs of Normandy 80 years after D-Day to honor the service members and veterans who literally saved the world with absolute heroism.  Just standing there, you wonder how in God’s name did they have the courage to do what they did. 

I’ll never forget visiting bases in Korea where America’s sons and daughters answers a call to defend a people they had never met or paying my respects in Hanoi where so many of our troops defended democracy, including my friend — and once worked for me — John — the senator John McCain. 

I’ll never forget my trips to Afghanistan and Iraq, where tour after tour young men and women served and sacrificed to keep our nation safe.

Four presidents faced a decision after we’d gotten bin Laden whether to end our longest war in history in Afghanistan.  I was determined not to leave it to the fifth. 

Every day, I still carry a card with me — my schedule — every single day for the last 10 years.  On the back of my schedule, it says, “U.S. daily troops in Afghanistan — U.S. troops died in Afghanistan as of today: 2,465.  Troops wounded in Afghanistan: 20,769.  U.S. troops, Iraq — died in Iraq: 4,620.  Wounded in Iraq: 32,766.” 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is my duty as president but also as a parent.  Like many of you, our son, Beau Biden, deployed to Iraq for a year with the Delaware National Guard.

I still remember the day he asked me to pin his bars on him — he stood ramrod straight — and how proud Jill and I and our entire family felt.

But like so many of you, we also remember how hard it was when he was deployed: empty seats at the dinner table, missed holidays and birthdays, prayers of hope and worry repeated every morning and every night.

Just as we ask everything of our veterans, we ask everything of their families.

The English poet John Milton wrote, and I quote, “They also serve who only stand and wait,” as so many of you have. 

So, for all the military families, to all those with a loved one still missing or unaccounted for, to all Americans grieving the loss of a loved one who wore the uniform, Jill and I want you to know we see you, we thank you, and we will never stop working to meet our sacred obligation to you and your families.

Jill and I, Doug and Kamala, our entire administration are proud of our work over the past four years.

Together, we’ve passed more than 30 bipartisan laws to support our veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors. 

We’ve brought veteran homelessness down to a record low. 

We’ve delivered more benefits to more veterans than any — ever before in VA history.

We’ve invested re- — record resources to reduce the scourge of veteran vi- — su- — suicide. 

And we took action to protect veterans from scams, because no veteran should be defrauded by those defended — they defended.

All these actions are vital, but I am particularly proud of finally passing the PACT Act.  (Applause.)  This is the most significant law in our history — our nation’s history to help millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins like Agent Orange and burn pits during their military service.  Pits the size of football fields that incinerated the wastes of war: tires, chemicals, batteries, jet fuel, and so much more.  Pits that left too many veterans with headaches, numbness, dizziness, as- — asthma, and cancer.

The PACT Act has already helped over 1 million veterans and their families get the benefits they deserve.  They deserve those benefits.  (Applause.)

Today, I’m proud to announce that the VA will expand the number of cancers covered under the PACT Act and to all the veterans — (applause) — who served at K-2 Air Base in Ur- — Uzbekistan constantly surrounded by toxins.

We want to honor you.  We want to have your back just like we did in Agent Orange, just like we’re working on a rule to make sure you don’t have to prove your illness as a consequence of your service, which is often too hard to do.  (Applause.)

God willing, we will make sure that any rare condition you’ve developed is covered.  And we’re committed to getting this rule in place by the end of my term.

Folks, this matters.  Too many of our nation’s veterans have served only to return home to suffer from permanent effects of poisonous chemicals.  Too many have died.

Like our son, Beau, and Ser- — like Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson for whom the PACT Act was named.

A couple years ago, after I signed the PACT Act, I handed the pen to his daughter Brailey [Brielle]. 

She and her mom are with us today.  I don’t know where you are, but God love you.  There they are.  Stand up, ladies.  (Applause.) 

I give you my word I mean this: I’ll never forget, after I handed the signing pen — that beautiful young lady who had lost her whole world — she held the pen in her hand and she looks at me and she said, “Thank you.  Thank you for my daddy.”

God love you, honey.  (Applause.)  God love you. 

But I don’t think she was just thanking me.  She was thanking all of you here, all of us, everyone who fought hard and came together to keep our promise to our veterans to keep the faith.

My fellow Americans, we stand here today.  We think about all that our veterans have given to our nation, serving and sacrificing in uniform just as they serve and sacrifice here at home as educators, firefighters, law enforcement officers, construction workers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, doctors, nurses, elected leaders, and so much more.

And just as routinely — they routinely put aside differences to work together, this is the moment — this is the moment to come together as a nation to keep faith in each other.

The world is depending on each of you and all of us — all of you to keep honoring the women and the men and the families who have borne the battle, to keep protecting everything they’ve fought for, to keep striving to heal our nation’s wounds, to keep perfecting our union. 

We’re the only nation in the world built on an idea.  Every other nation is based on things like geography, ethnicity, religion.  But we’re the only nation — the only in the world — built on an idea, and that idea is we are all created equal and deserve to — created equal throughout lives.  We haven’t lived up to it every time, but we’ve never walked away from it even when it’s hard — especially when it’s hard.

And today standing together to honor those Americans who have dared all, risked all, and given all to our nation, we must say clearly: We never will give up. 

God bless our veterans and their families.  And may God protect our troops today and always.  

God love you.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

12:04 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden at the National Veterans Day Observance at the Memorial Amphitheater | Arlington, VA appeared first on The White House.

Arlington National Cemetery

11:52 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  It’s a great honor to be standing here again.

Over 160 years ago, during what would become his final days in office, President Abraham Lincoln addressed this nation, and he said, “Let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle.”

My fellow Americans, the first lady, Vice President Harris, and the second gentleman; Secretary Blinken, Austin, McDonough, Mayorkas; Chairman Brown; and, most importantly, our veterans, service members, and their families, I’ve said many times before — I got in trouble for saying it when I was a young senator — I said we have many obligations, but only one truly sacred obligation — sacred: to prepare those we send into harm’s way and to care for them and their families when they return home and when they don’t.  It’s an obligation not based on party or politics but on a promise that unites us all. 

Today, as we strive on to finish the work of our moment to bind the nation’s wounds once again, we commit and recommit to this sacred vow.

This is the last time I will stand here at Arlington as commander-in-chief.  It’s been the greatest honor of my life to lead you, to serve you, to care for you, to defend you just as you have defended us generation after generation after generation.  You are the greatest fighting force — and this is not hyperbole — the finest fighting force in the history of the world. 

I will never forget standing at Valley Forge, where our nation’s first soldiers laid down their lives to deliver a nation where everyone is entitled to inalienable rights: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness.

And I’ll never forget walking the hills of Gettysburg, where thousands more shed their blood to make those words real.

I’ll never forget at Belleau Woods– visiting there to pay tribute to the heroes who stepped on that beach or standing on the cliffs of Normandy 80 years after D-Day to honor the service members and veterans who literally saved the world with absolute heroism.  Just standing there, you wonder how in God’s name did they have the courage to do what they did. 

I’ll never forget visiting bases in Korea where America’s sons and daughters answers a call to defend a people they had never met or paying my respects in Hanoi where so many of our troops defended democracy, including my friend — and once worked for me — John — the senator John McCain. 

I’ll never forget my trips to Afghanistan and Iraq, where tour after tour young men and women served and sacrificed to keep our nation safe.

Four presidents faced a decision after we’d gotten bin Laden whether to end our longest war in history in Afghanistan.  I was determined not to leave it to the fifth. 

Every day, I still carry a card with me — my schedule — every single day for the last 10 years.  On the back of my schedule, it says, “U.S. daily troops in Afghanistan — U.S. troops died in Afghanistan as of today: 2,465.  Troops wounded in Afghanistan: 20,769.  U.S. troops, Iraq — died in Iraq: 4,620.  Wounded in Iraq: 32,766.” 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is my duty as president but also as a parent.  Like many of you, our son, Beau Biden, deployed to Iraq for a year with the Delaware National Guard.

I still remember the day he asked me to pin his bars on him — he stood ramrod straight — and how proud Jill and I and our entire family felt.

But like so many of you, we also remember how hard it was when he was deployed: empty seats at the dinner table, missed holidays and birthdays, prayers of hope and worry repeated every morning and every night.

Just as we ask everything of our veterans, we ask everything of their families.

The English poet John Milton wrote, and I quote, “They also serve who only stand and wait,” as so many of you have. 

So, for all the military families, to all those with a loved one still missing or unaccounted for, to all Americans grieving the loss of a loved one who wore the uniform, Jill and I want you to know we see you, we thank you, and we will never stop working to meet our sacred obligation to you and your families.

Jill and I, Doug and Kamala, our entire administration are proud of our work over the past four years.

Together, we’ve passed more than 30 bipartisan laws to support our veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors. 

We’ve brought veteran homelessness down to a record low. 

We’ve delivered more benefits to more veterans than any — ever before in VA history.

We’ve invested re- — record resources to reduce the scourge of veteran vi- — su- — suicide. 

And we took action to protect veterans from scams, because no veteran should be defrauded by those defended — they defended.

All these actions are vital, but I am particularly proud of finally passing the PACT Act.  (Applause.)  This is the most significant law in our history — our nation’s history to help millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins like Agent Orange and burn pits during their military service.  Pits the size of football fields that incinerated the wastes of war: tires, chemicals, batteries, jet fuel, and so much more.  Pits that left too many veterans with headaches, numbness, dizziness, as- — asthma, and cancer.

The PACT Act has already helped over 1 million veterans and their families get the benefits they deserve.  They deserve those benefits.  (Applause.)

Today, I’m proud to announce that the VA will expand the number of cancers covered under the PACT Act and to all the veterans — (applause) — who served at K-2 Air Base in Ur- — Uzbekistan constantly surrounded by toxins.

We want to honor you.  We want to have your back just like we did in Agent Orange, just like we’re working on a rule to make sure you don’t have to prove your illness as a consequence of your service, which is often too hard to do.  (Applause.)

God willing, we will make sure that any rare condition you’ve developed is covered.  And we’re committed to getting this rule in place by the end of my term.

Folks, this matters.  Too many of our nation’s veterans have served only to return home to suffer from permanent effects of poisonous chemicals.  Too many have died.

Like our son, Beau, and Ser- — like Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson for whom the PACT Act was named.

A couple years ago, after I signed the PACT Act, I handed the pen to his daughter Brailey [Brielle]. 

She and her mom are with us today.  I don’t know where you are, but God love you.  There they are.  Stand up, ladies.  (Applause.) 

I give you my word I mean this: I’ll never forget, after I handed the signing pen — that beautiful young lady who had lost her whole world — she held the pen in her hand and she looks at me and she said, “Thank you.  Thank you for my daddy.”

God love you, honey.  (Applause.)  God love you. 

But I don’t think she was just thanking me.  She was thanking all of you here, all of us, everyone who fought hard and came together to keep our promise to our veterans to keep the faith.

My fellow Americans, we stand here today.  We think about all that our veterans have given to our nation, serving and sacrificing in uniform just as they serve and sacrifice here at home as educators, firefighters, law enforcement officers, construction workers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, doctors, nurses, elected leaders, and so much more.

And just as routinely — they routinely put aside differences to work together, this is the moment — this is the moment to come together as a nation to keep faith in each other.

The world is depending on each of you and all of us — all of you to keep honoring the women and the men and the families who have borne the battle, to keep protecting everything they’ve fought for, to keep striving to heal our nation’s wounds, to keep perfecting our union. 

We’re the only nation in the world built on an idea.  Every other nation is based on things like geography, ethnicity, religion.  But we’re the only nation — the only in the world — built on an idea, and that idea is we are all created equal and deserve to — created equal throughout lives.  We haven’t lived up to it every time, but we’ve never walked away from it even when it’s hard — especially when it’s hard.

And today standing together to honor those Americans who have dared all, risked all, and given all to our nation, we must say clearly: We never will give up. 

God bless our veterans and their families.  And may God protect our troops today and always.  

God love you.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

12:04 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden at the National Veterans Day Observance at the Memorial Amphitheater | Arlington, VA appeared first on The White House.

Good afternoon everyone, and for those who might have wandered into the wrong room, I’m John Podesta.

I’m going to speak for a few minutes and then I’m going to take some questions from the press. But I want to start by recognizing our wonderful Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby who is sitting up here in the front row.

We have a big team. Jane Nishida is here from EPA, we have my colleagues from SPEC. And I want to also acknowledge the hard work and the professionalism of the Azerbaijan COP team led by Minister Babayev as COP29 comes to order.

So, I want to address tonight a topic that is on everyone’s mind –the U.S. election.

For those of us dedicated to climate action, last week’s outcome in the United States is obviously bitterly disappointing, particularly because of the unprecedented resources and ambition President Biden and Vice President Harris brought to the climate fight.

Starting with our bold 2030 NDC to cut emissions by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels.

By rejoining Paris.

By making the largest investment in climate and clean energy in history through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The President’s commitment to quadruple international climate funds from the United States to $11 billion per year.

It’s clear that the next Administration will try to take a U turn and reverse much of this progress.

Of course, I am keenly aware of the disappointment that the United States has at times caused the parties of the climate regime, who have lived through a pattern of strong, engaged, effective U.S. leadership, followed by sudden disengagement after a U.S. presidential election.

And I know that this disappointment is more difficult to tolerate as the dangers we face grow ever more catastrophic.

But that is the reality. In January, we will inaugurate a President whose relationship to climate change is captured by the words “hoax” and “fossil fuels”.

He has vowed to dismantle our environmental safeguards— and once again withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement.

This is what he has said, and we should believe him.

The United States is a democracy. And in a democracy, the will of the people prevailed.

Our administration is working with the incoming Administration to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power. 

But what I want to tell you today is that while the United States federal government under Donald Trump may put climate action on the back burner, the work to contain climate change is going to continue in the United States with commitment and passion and belief.

As President Biden said in the Rose Garden last week, setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.

This is not the end of our fight for a cleaner, safer planet.

Facts are still facts. Science is still science.

This fight is bigger than one election, one political cycle, in one country. This fight is bigger still.

Because we are all living through a year defined by the climate crisis, in every country of the world.

July 22nd was the hottest day in recorded history. The consequences of living on a rapidly warming planet are all around us—and not just in collapsing coral reefs and melting ice sheets.

It’s had devastating impacts on people’s lives. This fall, Hurricanes Helene and Milton slammed into the southeastern United States, killing hundreds and cutting off power and water in communities for weeks.

The worst drought in decades in southern Africa is putting 20 million children at risk of malnutrition and even starvation.

Wildfires and drought are ravaging the Amazon and the Pantanal, destroying Indigenous communities and burning up an area the size of Switzerland.

Catastrophic floods in Spain just two weeks ago poured a year’s worth of rain in a single day.

In Asia, in September, supercharged Typhoon Yagi killed hundreds and caused $16 billion in damages from the Philippines to Myanmar.

None of this is a hoax. It is real. It’s a matter of life and death.

Fortunately, many in our country and around the world are working to prepare the world for this new reality and to mitigate the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

From Day One, President Biden and Vice President Harris built a climate team to work with partners around the world to build strong, sustainable, equitable economies.

We sought to open up finance for developing economies to accelerate their own clean energy transitions.

We saw a gap between clean energy supply and anticipated demand – and sought to close it.

And our global partners know that addressing the climate crisis also bolsters their own national security and global security… while creating jobs… new industries… and new opportunities.

The United States has been the world’s partner in these efforts for four years. That remains our mission.

For example, the Inflation Reduction Act is unleashing a clean energy boom in America that’s boosting innovation and lowering costs for clean energy technology by as much as 25%.

That helps speed deployment of clean energy not just in the U.S., but across the globe, slashing emissions everywhere.

As a result, the Rhodium Group found that for every ton of carbon pollution cut…reduced in America because of the IRA, it will drive reductions of up to 2.9 tons outside the United States. 

The historic investments under President Biden and Vice President Harris have crucially been government enabled but private-sector led.

In total, just since the President took office, companies have announced more than $450 billion in new clean energy investments.

Here at COP29 and moving forward, the private sector must continue to lead – to make new and bigger investments in clean energy technologies, to continue to innovate and build a net zero economy.

And we will also continue to need subnational actors in the U.S. and globally to lead the way.

In the wake of COP22 in Marrakesh and President Trump’s decision in 2017 to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, the “We Are Still In” movement was born in the United States.

It’s now grown into the most expansive coalition ever assembled in support of U.S. climate action, with more than 5,000 states, businesses, local governments, tribal nations, universities, and more.

At this year’s COP, we expect to see representation from many of these leaders, as well as several states and cities and a bipartisan group from the U.S. Congress.

Because support for clean energy has become bipartisan in the United States. You might not know that by reading the newspapers, but it has.

57 percent of the new clean energy jobs created since the Inflation Reduction Act passed are located in Congressional districts represented by Republicans.

Those jobs come from over 350 new clean energy projects totaling $286 billion in investment.

Many Republicans—especially governors—know all this activity is a good thing for their districts, states, and for their economy.

Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Governor Kevin Stitt in Oklahoma, for example, have welcomed clean energy investments in their states for many years.  From the EV supply chain…to the solar supply chain.

And earlier this year, 18 House Republicans wrote a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson urging him not to repeal the IRA’s energy tax credits.

The letter says, “a full repeal would create a worst-case scenario where we would have spent billions of taxpayer dollars and received next to nothing in return.”

It’s precisely because the IRA has staying power that I am confident that the United States will continue to reduce emissions – benefitting our own country and benefitting the world.

The economics of the clean energy transition have simply taken over.

New power generation is going to be clean.

The desire to build out next generation nuclear is still there.

Farmers and ranchers are reducing emissions and raising their incomes through more efficient and biologic fertilizers, biodigesters, and feed additives.

The hyperscalers are still committed to powering the future with clean energy, including safe, reliable nuclear energy.

The auto companies are still investing in electrification and hybridization.

All those trends are not going to be reversed.

Are we facing new headwinds? Absolutely.

But will we revert back to the energy system of the 1950s? No way.

And, we have only one administration at a time.

Until late January, President Biden and Vice President Harris will still be in the White House.

So we are here at COP29 to continue to work together with our global partners and other Parties.

The COP is a critical opportunity to cement our progress and keep 1.5 degrees alive…

To accelerate progress on reducing all greenhouse gases…

And, perhaps most notably, to strengthen global cooperation on adaptation and climate finance.  We are here to work, and we are committed to a successful outcome at COP 29. 

We can and will make real progress on the backs of our climate committed states and cities, our innovators, our companies and our citizens, especially young people, who understand more than most that climate change poses an existential threat that we cannot afford to ignore.

Failure or apathy is simply not an option.

Today is a day across much of the world that we remember those who were willing to pay the ultimate price to build a more peaceful world.  

In the United States, it’s Veterans Day. A day to honor all those who answered our country’s highest call to service. To whom we owe not just our eternal gratitude, but truly our freedom.

We owe it to them and all people who care about the future of our planet to make the most of the next two weeks to make sure we have a successful outcome.

The post Remarks as Delivered by John Podesta Press Conference at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan appeared first on The White House.

Good afternoon everyone, and for those who might have wandered into the wrong room, I’m John Podesta.

I’m going to speak for a few minutes and then I’m going to take some questions from the press. But I want to start by recognizing our wonderful Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby who is sitting up here in the front row.

We have a big team. Jane Nishida is here from EPA, we have my colleagues from SPEC. And I want to also acknowledge the hard work and the professionalism of the Azerbaijan COP team led by Minister Babayev as COP29 comes to order.

So, I want to address tonight a topic that is on everyone’s mind –the U.S. election.

For those of us dedicated to climate action, last week’s outcome in the United States is obviously bitterly disappointing, particularly because of the unprecedented resources and ambition President Biden and Vice President Harris brought to the climate fight.

Starting with our bold 2030 NDC to cut emissions by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels.

By rejoining Paris.

By making the largest investment in climate and clean energy in history through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The President’s commitment to quadruple international climate funds from the United States to $11 billion per year.

It’s clear that the next Administration will try to take a U turn and reverse much of this progress.

Of course, I am keenly aware of the disappointment that the United States has at times caused the parties of the climate regime, who have lived through a pattern of strong, engaged, effective U.S. leadership, followed by sudden disengagement after a U.S. presidential election.

And I know that this disappointment is more difficult to tolerate as the dangers we face grow ever more catastrophic.

But that is the reality. In January, we will inaugurate a President whose relationship to climate change is captured by the words “hoax” and “fossil fuels”.

He has vowed to dismantle our environmental safeguards— and once again withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement.

This is what he has said, and we should believe him.

The United States is a democracy. And in a democracy, the will of the people prevailed.

Our administration is working with the incoming Administration to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power. 

But what I want to tell you today is that while the United States federal government under Donald Trump may put climate action on the back burner, the work to contain climate change is going to continue in the United States with commitment and passion and belief.

As President Biden said in the Rose Garden last week, setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.

This is not the end of our fight for a cleaner, safer planet.

Facts are still facts. Science is still science.

This fight is bigger than one election, one political cycle, in one country. This fight is bigger still.

Because we are all living through a year defined by the climate crisis, in every country of the world.

July 22nd was the hottest day in recorded history. The consequences of living on a rapidly warming planet are all around us—and not just in collapsing coral reefs and melting ice sheets.

It’s had devastating impacts on people’s lives. This fall, Hurricanes Helene and Milton slammed into the southeastern United States, killing hundreds and cutting off power and water in communities for weeks.

The worst drought in decades in southern Africa is putting 20 million children at risk of malnutrition and even starvation.

Wildfires and drought are ravaging the Amazon and the Pantanal, destroying Indigenous communities and burning up an area the size of Switzerland.

Catastrophic floods in Spain just two weeks ago poured a year’s worth of rain in a single day.

In Asia, in September, supercharged Typhoon Yagi killed hundreds and caused $16 billion in damages from the Philippines to Myanmar.

None of this is a hoax. It is real. It’s a matter of life and death.

Fortunately, many in our country and around the world are working to prepare the world for this new reality and to mitigate the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

From Day One, President Biden and Vice President Harris built a climate team to work with partners around the world to build strong, sustainable, equitable economies.

We sought to open up finance for developing economies to accelerate their own clean energy transitions.

We saw a gap between clean energy supply and anticipated demand – and sought to close it.

And our global partners know that addressing the climate crisis also bolsters their own national security and global security… while creating jobs… new industries… and new opportunities.

The United States has been the world’s partner in these efforts for four years. That remains our mission.

For example, the Inflation Reduction Act is unleashing a clean energy boom in America that’s boosting innovation and lowering costs for clean energy technology by as much as 25%.

That helps speed deployment of clean energy not just in the U.S., but across the globe, slashing emissions everywhere.

As a result, the Rhodium Group found that for every ton of carbon pollution cut…reduced in America because of the IRA, it will drive reductions of up to 2.9 tons outside the United States. 

The historic investments under President Biden and Vice President Harris have crucially been government enabled but private-sector led.

In total, just since the President took office, companies have announced more than $450 billion in new clean energy investments.

Here at COP29 and moving forward, the private sector must continue to lead – to make new and bigger investments in clean energy technologies, to continue to innovate and build a net zero economy.

And we will also continue to need subnational actors in the U.S. and globally to lead the way.

In the wake of COP22 in Marrakesh and President Trump’s decision in 2017 to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, the “We Are Still In” movement was born in the United States.

It’s now grown into the most expansive coalition ever assembled in support of U.S. climate action, with more than 5,000 states, businesses, local governments, tribal nations, universities, and more.

At this year’s COP, we expect to see representation from many of these leaders, as well as several states and cities and a bipartisan group from the U.S. Congress.

Because support for clean energy has become bipartisan in the United States. You might not know that by reading the newspapers, but it has.

57 percent of the new clean energy jobs created since the Inflation Reduction Act passed are located in Congressional districts represented by Republicans.

Those jobs come from over 350 new clean energy projects totaling $286 billion in investment.

Many Republicans—especially governors—know all this activity is a good thing for their districts, states, and for their economy.

Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Governor Kevin Stitt in Oklahoma, for example, have welcomed clean energy investments in their states for many years.  From the EV supply chain…to the solar supply chain.

And earlier this year, 18 House Republicans wrote a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson urging him not to repeal the IRA’s energy tax credits.

The letter says, “a full repeal would create a worst-case scenario where we would have spent billions of taxpayer dollars and received next to nothing in return.”

It’s precisely because the IRA has staying power that I am confident that the United States will continue to reduce emissions – benefitting our own country and benefitting the world.

The economics of the clean energy transition have simply taken over.

New power generation is going to be clean.

The desire to build out next generation nuclear is still there.

Farmers and ranchers are reducing emissions and raising their incomes through more efficient and biologic fertilizers, biodigesters, and feed additives.

The hyperscalers are still committed to powering the future with clean energy, including safe, reliable nuclear energy.

The auto companies are still investing in electrification and hybridization.

All those trends are not going to be reversed.

Are we facing new headwinds? Absolutely.

But will we revert back to the energy system of the 1950s? No way.

And, we have only one administration at a time.

Until late January, President Biden and Vice President Harris will still be in the White House.

So we are here at COP29 to continue to work together with our global partners and other Parties.

The COP is a critical opportunity to cement our progress and keep 1.5 degrees alive…

To accelerate progress on reducing all greenhouse gases…

And, perhaps most notably, to strengthen global cooperation on adaptation and climate finance.  We are here to work, and we are committed to a successful outcome at COP 29. 

We can and will make real progress on the backs of our climate committed states and cities, our innovators, our companies and our citizens, especially young people, who understand more than most that climate change poses an existential threat that we cannot afford to ignore.

Failure or apathy is simply not an option.

Today is a day across much of the world that we remember those who were willing to pay the ultimate price to build a more peaceful world.  

In the United States, it’s Veterans Day. A day to honor all those who answered our country’s highest call to service. To whom we owe not just our eternal gratitude, but truly our freedom.

We owe it to them and all people who care about the future of our planet to make the most of the next two weeks to make sure we have a successful outcome.

The post Remarks as Delivered by John Podesta Press Conference at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan appeared first on The White House.

Administration announces record-low number of veterans experiencing homelessness nationwide, expands eligibility for disability benefits and sets record for care and benefits delivered to veterans through President Biden’s Unity Agenda

President Biden believes we have a sacred obligation to care our nation’s veterans and their families. Simply put, we owe them a debt we can never fully repay. Supporting those who wear the uniform is a commitment that unites all Americans and it’s why the President has made supporting our veterans a core pillar in his Unity Agenda for the nation. Since taking office, President Biden has signed into law over 34 bipartisan bills that address some of the most important issues facing veterans today, including the PACT Act, which is most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years. The Biden Harris Administration and Congress have worked together to expand access to health care, address veteran homelessness, improve access to child and long-term care, and support education and workforce opportunity for veterans and their families.

To mark this Veterans Day, President Biden will announce that his Administration has delivered more benefits and health care, more quickly, to more veterans than ever before. In 2024 alone, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) delivered $187 billion in earned benefits to 6.7 million veterans and survivors, and processed a record 2.51 million disability claims. VA delivered more than 131 million health care appointments, over 6 million dental procedures, and provided services and assistance to more than 88,095 family caregivers. Veterans’ trust in VA also reached an all-time high in 2024.  

The Administration is building on this historic progress and announcing new actions to address toxic exposures for veterans, including by expanding the types of cancers considered presumptive for VA disability benefits. Today, new data were also released showing that veteran homelessness has reached its lowest point on record, marking a 7.5% reduction in veteran homelessness in the last year alone and 55.6% percent reduction since 2010. Additionally, the Department of Education is announcing $9 million in funding to support student veterans.

Expanding benefits for toxic exposed veterans. For far too long it has taken too much time for the government to acknowledge and address the harms associated with military related toxic exposures. In part due to the PACT Act, VA now has the ability to act more swiftly and in the interest of veterans. Last week, VA announced it would proceed with an accelerated review to support rulemaking that would create a presumption for Gulf War deployed veterans, including those who deployed to Karshi-Khanabad (K2) in Uzbekistan, a location described as a “toxic soup of exposures,” and are diagnosed with rare conditions that could be related to the many contaminants of concerns found at K2. Rulemaking would commence this year. VA also announced it will be moving forward with rulemaking to add four cancers, including bladder cancer, ureter cancer, multiple myeloma, and leukemias, to the list of conditions presumed to be related to burn pit exposure for all veterans deployed to the Southwest Asia area of operations, including for K2 veterans.

Ending veteran homelessness. Thanks to the efforts of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and VA, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has reached a record low since measurement began in 2009. This reflects a 7.5% reduction in veterans experiencing homelessness since 2023, an 11.7% decrease since 2020, and a 55.6% reduction since 2010.  In 2024 alone, VA has permanently housed nearly 48,000 veterans and awarded over $800 million in grants to help veterans experiencing homelessness. VA also expanded access to legal assistance for homeless veterans and helped more than 158,000 veterans and their families retain their homes or otherwise avoid foreclosure. Additionally, so far in 2024, nearly 90,000 veterans were under lease with vouchers through the HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) – the most veterans served at any point in the program’s history. President Biden has also called on Congress to triple the number of veterans who receive housing vouchers – a critical tool to help prevent veteran homelessness in the first place.

Supporting student veterans. It has been 80 years since the enactment of the Montgomery GI Bill. This law and the post-9/11 GI bill, allow veterans and eligible family members to receive educational benefits to help them obtain higher education and job training. Today, to support students returning to college, the Department of Education announced $9 million in awards to 13 grantees across 10 states under the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) program which funds model programs to support veteran student success in postsecondary education by coordinating comprehensive and targeted services to address the academic, financial, physical and mental health, and social needs of veteran students. Funds are being used for a variety of activities, including to enhance data systems to identify and track services and impact, including program completion, hire dedicated veteran success coaches, mentors, and coordinators, increase outreach, communication, and continuity of services, and provide professional development to faculty and staff on supporting veteran students.

These new announcements build on Administration-wide actions to support veterans and their families, including: 

Lowering health care costs and expanding health care eligibility for veterans. President Biden believes access to health care is a right not a privilege. Today, millions of veterans are eligible for VA health care, thanks to the efforts of the Biden-Harris Administration. Since passage of the PACT Act, over 796,000 veterans have newly enrolled in VA health care. And, beginning last March, VA made all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving our country—at home or abroad—eligible for VA health care without any need to first apply for VA benefits. This includes all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other combat zone after 9/11. In addition to expanding care, veterans trust in VA reached 80.4% this year, an all-time record and an increase of 25% since 2016. Survey data also found that veteran trust in VA outpatient care increased to 91.8%, an all-time high. And, today, VA announced it plans to eliminate copayments for all telehealth care visits, building upon its September announcement which made tele-emergency care available nationwide, making it easier for veteran to receive timely access to virtual care when needed. These actions make it faster and easier for millions of veterans to access quality health care that they’ve earned and deserve.

Providing benefits to address toxic exposures. The bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act represents the most significant expansion in benefits and services for veterans in over thirty years. At President Biden’s direction, VA expedited health care and benefits eligibility under the PACT Act by several years, ensuring that they did not need to wait any longer for the care and benefits they deserved. VA has also conducted the largest outreach campaign in the history of the department, driving all-time record benefits applications and a sharp increase in health care enrollments. Since enactment, VA has received over 2 million PACT Act related claims and has granted toxic exposure benefits to more than 1.1 million veterans and over 11,000 survivors. Additionally, nearly 360,000 veterans eligible under the PACT Act have newly enrolled in VA health care and more than 5.82 million veterans have been screened for toxic exposure.  More than 60,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care thanks to the expediting of the PACT Act, and more than 350,000 Veterans have granted PACT claims due to the elimination of the phase in approach.

Understanding the harms of toxic exposures. VA has ongoing efforts to research and understand the health conditions that veterans experience so that VA can provide them with all of the benefits and care they deserve. Last month, VA announced a new scientific assessment to determine if there is a relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure during military service and kidney cancer among veterans. This review helps advance the President’s Unity Agenda and Biden Cancer Moonshot goals to understand and address environmental and toxic exposures and end cancer as we know it.

Reducing veteran suicide. Since releasing a comprehensive public health strategy for reducing military and veteran suicide, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to improve suicide prevention efforts. As of October 2024, VA has provided no-cost life-saving care to more than 82,000 veterans at risk of suicide since the program began. VA awarded over $150 million in grants for community-based organizations to deliver or coordinate suicide prevention programs and services for veterans and their family members. In September, VA announced more than $4.3 million in cooperative agreements to states and territories to help fund and provide technical assistance to better inform veteran suicide prevention suicide. Because economic and financial uncertainty can increase the risk of suicide, VA launched the National Veterans Financial Resource Center earlier this year to provide veterans and their families with a one-stop website to locate tools and resources to improve financial wellbeing.

Improving access to child and long-term care options. Last year, President Biden signed an historic Executive Order calling for more than 50 administrative actions that would improve access to and quality of child care and long-term care for Americans, including for our nation’s heroes. Thanks to these actions, each VA medical center offers veterans and their families with self-directed care options through the Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program. More than 700 Veterans are now receiving VDC services through the new programs.

Protecting veterans and their families from predatory actors and scams. In 2023, veterans, military personnel, and their families reported $477 million in losses to fraud. Last November, the President announced the new Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) Task Force to better protect veterans and their families against these scams. In 2024, VSAFE released several resources to cut down on any confusion, and get veterans, Service members, and their family members routed to the best support as effectively and efficiently as possible. A centralized website, VSAFE.gov, is a fraud prevention, response, and reporting information hub. Information from across federal agencies can be accessed in one place, making it easy for veterans, Service members, and their families to find out more about different kinds of fraud, to get assistance, and to report. A single shared call line, 833-38V-SAFE, will connect veterans, Service members, and their families with the best agency to handle their report and get help.

Improving Equity. Women are the fastest growing group of veterans who use VA services and the Administration is committed to addressing and providing resources for their specialized health care needs. In October 2023, to improve health outcomes for mothers and their newborn children, VA expanded access to its maternity care coordination from 8 weeks to 12 months post-partum. In total, VA is now serving more women than ever before, with nearly 750,000 receiving disability compensation benefits from VA in 2024. To ensure that all LGBTQ+ veterans can access the benefits they have earned, the Department of Defense announced it would proactively review and consider discharge upgrades for veterans who were discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and VA expanded access to care and benefits for those with other than honorable discharges. Additionally, VA released its 2024 Agency Equity Action Plan to help ensure that VA delivers on its promise to provide world-class care and benefits to all veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors ― regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or geographic location.

Advancing economic security for military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors. Since Day One of the Biden-Harris Administration, First Lady Jill Biden, through her Joining Forces initiative, has worked to eliminate barriers to employment and increase economic opportunity for military-connected families. In June 2023, the President, alongside the First Lady, signed an Executive Order that included nearly 20 new actions to enhance career stability, expand employment resources, and improve transition assistance support for military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors. In February 2024, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published a government-wide plan to tackle employment barriers and expand opportunities for military-connected spouses, caregivers, and survivors. And, in April 2024, the Administration announced a permanent memorandum of agreement between the Department of Defense and State Department to strengthen the Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas (DETO) program for military spouses who work for the federal government. These actions represent the Biden-Harris Administration’s holistic commitment to ensuring that the Federal government is a leader among employers, modeling approaches to recruit, hire, and retain military spouse talent.

###

The post FACT SHEET: To Mark Veterans Day, Biden-Harris Administration Highlights Historic Care, Benefits & New Actions to Support Veterans and Their Families appeared first on The White House.

Administration announces record-low number of veterans experiencing homelessness nationwide, expands eligibility for disability benefits and sets record for care and benefits delivered to veterans through President Biden’s Unity Agenda

President Biden believes we have a sacred obligation to care our nation’s veterans and their families. Simply put, we owe them a debt we can never fully repay. Supporting those who wear the uniform is a commitment that unites all Americans and it’s why the President has made supporting our veterans a core pillar in his Unity Agenda for the nation. Since taking office, President Biden has signed into law over 34 bipartisan bills that address some of the most important issues facing veterans today, including the PACT Act, which is most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years. The Biden Harris Administration and Congress have worked together to expand access to health care, address veteran homelessness, improve access to child and long-term care, and support education and workforce opportunity for veterans and their families.

To mark this Veterans Day, President Biden will announce that his Administration has delivered more benefits and health care, more quickly, to more veterans than ever before. In 2024 alone, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) delivered $187 billion in earned benefits to 6.7 million veterans and survivors, and processed a record 2.51 million disability claims. VA delivered more than 131 million health care appointments, over 6 million dental procedures, and provided services and assistance to more than 88,095 family caregivers. Veterans’ trust in VA also reached an all-time high in 2024.  

The Administration is building on this historic progress and announcing new actions to address toxic exposures for veterans, including by expanding the types of cancers considered presumptive for VA disability benefits. Today, new data were also released showing that veteran homelessness has reached its lowest point on record, marking a 7.5% reduction in veteran homelessness in the last year alone and 55.6% percent reduction since 2010. Additionally, the Department of Education is announcing $9 million in funding to support student veterans.

Expanding benefits for toxic exposed veterans. For far too long it has taken too much time for the government to acknowledge and address the harms associated with military related toxic exposures. In part due to the PACT Act, VA now has the ability to act more swiftly and in the interest of veterans. Last week, VA announced it would proceed with an accelerated review to support rulemaking that would create a presumption for Gulf War deployed veterans, including those who deployed to Karshi-Khanabad (K2) in Uzbekistan, a location described as a “toxic soup of exposures,” and are diagnosed with rare conditions that could be related to the many contaminants of concerns found at K2. Rulemaking would commence this year. VA also announced it will be moving forward with rulemaking to add four cancers, including bladder cancer, ureter cancer, multiple myeloma, and leukemias, to the list of conditions presumed to be related to burn pit exposure for all veterans deployed to the Southwest Asia area of operations, including for K2 veterans.

Ending veteran homelessness. Thanks to the efforts of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and VA, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has reached a record low since measurement began in 2009. This reflects a 7.5% reduction in veterans experiencing homelessness since 2023, an 11.7% decrease since 2020, and a 55.6% reduction since 2010.  In 2024 alone, VA has permanently housed nearly 48,000 veterans and awarded over $800 million in grants to help veterans experiencing homelessness. VA also expanded access to legal assistance for homeless veterans and helped more than 158,000 veterans and their families retain their homes or otherwise avoid foreclosure. Additionally, so far in 2024, nearly 90,000 veterans were under lease with vouchers through the HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) – the most veterans served at any point in the program’s history. President Biden has also called on Congress to triple the number of veterans who receive housing vouchers – a critical tool to help prevent veteran homelessness in the first place.

Supporting student veterans. It has been 80 years since the enactment of the Montgomery GI Bill. This law and the post-9/11 GI bill, allow veterans and eligible family members to receive educational benefits to help them obtain higher education and job training. Today, to support students returning to college, the Department of Education announced $9 million in awards to 13 grantees across 10 states under the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) program which funds model programs to support veteran student success in postsecondary education by coordinating comprehensive and targeted services to address the academic, financial, physical and mental health, and social needs of veteran students. Funds are being used for a variety of activities, including to enhance data systems to identify and track services and impact, including program completion, hire dedicated veteran success coaches, mentors, and coordinators, increase outreach, communication, and continuity of services, and provide professional development to faculty and staff on supporting veteran students.

These new announcements build on Administration-wide actions to support veterans and their families, including: 

Lowering health care costs and expanding health care eligibility for veterans. President Biden believes access to health care is a right not a privilege. Today, millions of veterans are eligible for VA health care, thanks to the efforts of the Biden-Harris Administration. Since passage of the PACT Act, over 796,000 veterans have newly enrolled in VA health care. And, beginning last March, VA made all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving our country—at home or abroad—eligible for VA health care without any need to first apply for VA benefits. This includes all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other combat zone after 9/11. In addition to expanding care, veterans trust in VA reached 80.4% this year, an all-time record and an increase of 25% since 2016. Survey data also found that veteran trust in VA outpatient care increased to 91.8%, an all-time high. And, today, VA announced it plans to eliminate copayments for all telehealth care visits, building upon its September announcement which made tele-emergency care available nationwide, making it easier for veteran to receive timely access to virtual care when needed. These actions make it faster and easier for millions of veterans to access quality health care that they’ve earned and deserve.

Providing benefits to address toxic exposures. The bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act represents the most significant expansion in benefits and services for veterans in over thirty years. At President Biden’s direction, VA expedited health care and benefits eligibility under the PACT Act by several years, ensuring that they did not need to wait any longer for the care and benefits they deserved. VA has also conducted the largest outreach campaign in the history of the department, driving all-time record benefits applications and a sharp increase in health care enrollments. Since enactment, VA has received over 2 million PACT Act related claims and has granted toxic exposure benefits to more than 1.1 million veterans and over 11,000 survivors. Additionally, nearly 360,000 veterans eligible under the PACT Act have newly enrolled in VA health care and more than 5.82 million veterans have been screened for toxic exposure.  More than 60,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care thanks to the expediting of the PACT Act, and more than 350,000 Veterans have granted PACT claims due to the elimination of the phase in approach.

Understanding the harms of toxic exposures. VA has ongoing efforts to research and understand the health conditions that veterans experience so that VA can provide them with all of the benefits and care they deserve. Last month, VA announced a new scientific assessment to determine if there is a relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure during military service and kidney cancer among veterans. This review helps advance the President’s Unity Agenda and Biden Cancer Moonshot goals to understand and address environmental and toxic exposures and end cancer as we know it.

Reducing veteran suicide. Since releasing a comprehensive public health strategy for reducing military and veteran suicide, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to improve suicide prevention efforts. As of October 2024, VA has provided no-cost life-saving care to more than 82,000 veterans at risk of suicide since the program began. VA awarded over $150 million in grants for community-based organizations to deliver or coordinate suicide prevention programs and services for veterans and their family members. In September, VA announced more than $4.3 million in cooperative agreements to states and territories to help fund and provide technical assistance to better inform veteran suicide prevention suicide. Because economic and financial uncertainty can increase the risk of suicide, VA launched the National Veterans Financial Resource Center earlier this year to provide veterans and their families with a one-stop website to locate tools and resources to improve financial wellbeing.

Improving access to child and long-term care options. Last year, President Biden signed an historic Executive Order calling for more than 50 administrative actions that would improve access to and quality of child care and long-term care for Americans, including for our nation’s heroes. Thanks to these actions, each VA medical center offers veterans and their families with self-directed care options through the Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program. More than 700 Veterans are now receiving VDC services through the new programs.

Protecting veterans and their families from predatory actors and scams. In 2023, veterans, military personnel, and their families reported $477 million in losses to fraud. Last November, the President announced the new Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) Task Force to better protect veterans and their families against these scams. In 2024, VSAFE released several resources to cut down on any confusion, and get veterans, Service members, and their family members routed to the best support as effectively and efficiently as possible. A centralized website, VSAFE.gov, is a fraud prevention, response, and reporting information hub. Information from across federal agencies can be accessed in one place, making it easy for veterans, Service members, and their families to find out more about different kinds of fraud, to get assistance, and to report. A single shared call line, 833-38V-SAFE, will connect veterans, Service members, and their families with the best agency to handle their report and get help.

Improving Equity. Women are the fastest growing group of veterans who use VA services and the Administration is committed to addressing and providing resources for their specialized health care needs. In October 2023, to improve health outcomes for mothers and their newborn children, VA expanded access to its maternity care coordination from 8 weeks to 12 months post-partum. In total, VA is now serving more women than ever before, with nearly 750,000 receiving disability compensation benefits from VA in 2024. To ensure that all LGBTQ+ veterans can access the benefits they have earned, the Department of Defense announced it would proactively review and consider discharge upgrades for veterans who were discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and VA expanded access to care and benefits for those with other than honorable discharges. Additionally, VA released its 2024 Agency Equity Action Plan to help ensure that VA delivers on its promise to provide world-class care and benefits to all veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors ― regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or geographic location.

Advancing economic security for military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors. Since Day One of the Biden-Harris Administration, First Lady Jill Biden, through her Joining Forces initiative, has worked to eliminate barriers to employment and increase economic opportunity for military-connected families. In June 2023, the President, alongside the First Lady, signed an Executive Order that included nearly 20 new actions to enhance career stability, expand employment resources, and improve transition assistance support for military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors. In February 2024, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published a government-wide plan to tackle employment barriers and expand opportunities for military-connected spouses, caregivers, and survivors. And, in April 2024, the Administration announced a permanent memorandum of agreement between the Department of Defense and State Department to strengthen the Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas (DETO) program for military spouses who work for the federal government. These actions represent the Biden-Harris Administration’s holistic commitment to ensuring that the Federal government is a leader among employers, modeling approaches to recruit, hire, and retain military spouse talent.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will host President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia for a bilateral meeting at the White House on November 12, 2024.  During the visit, President Biden will celebrate the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Indonesian relations and pay tribute to those affected by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.  The two leaders will also explore ways to strengthen U.S.-Indonesian cooperation as part of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.  The leaders will coordinate on sustainable approaches to food security, the clean energy transition, democracy and pluralism, regional peace and stability, and people-to-people ties, as well as advancing our cooperation on humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will host President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia for a bilateral meeting at the White House on November 12, 2024.  During the visit, President Biden will celebrate the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Indonesian relations and pay tribute to those affected by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.  The two leaders will also explore ways to strengthen U.S.-Indonesian cooperation as part of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.  The leaders will coordinate on sustainable approaches to food security, the clean energy transition, democracy and pluralism, regional peace and stability, and people-to-people ties, as well as advancing our cooperation on humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

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At President Biden’s invitation, President Biden and President-elect Trump will meet in the Oval Office on Wednesday at 11:00 am. Additional details to follow. 

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At President Biden’s invitation, President Biden and President-elect Trump will meet in the Oval Office on Wednesday at 11:00 am. Additional details to follow. 

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The post Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared first on The White House.

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

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

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

United States District Court Announcements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

United States District Court Announcements

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

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

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

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

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Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

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

                              Sincerely,                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post Letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate to Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition from Imports of Fine Denier Polyester Staple Fiber appeared first on The White House.

Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Madam President:)

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

                              Sincerely,                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post Letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate to Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition from Imports of Fine Denier Polyester Staple Fiber appeared first on The White House.

1.  On August 26, 2024, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) transmitted to the President a report (USITC Report) on its investigation under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “Trade Act”) (19 U.S.C. 2252), with respect to imports of fine denier polyester staple fiber (fine denier PSF).  The product subject to the USITC’s investigation and determination excluded certain fine denier PSF described in the USITC’s Notice of Institution, 89 FR 18435 (March 13, 2024), and listed in subdivision (c)(ii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation.

     2.  The USITC reached an affirmative determination under section 202(b) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2252(b)) that fine denier PSF is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article.  

     3.  Pursuant to section 301(a) of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (the “USMCA Implementation Act”) (19 U.S.C. 4551(a)), the USITC made findings as to whether imports of Canada and Mexico, considered individually, account for a substantial share of total imports and contribute importantly to the serious injury caused by imports.  The USITC made negative findings of substantial share and contribution to injury with respect to imports of fine denier PSF from Canada and Mexico, considered individually.

     4.  Pursuant to statutes implementing certain free trade agreements to which the United States is a party, the USITC further found that imports of fine denier PSF that are a product of Australia, each Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement country (i.e., Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) (CAFTA-DR countries), Colombia, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Panama, Peru, and Singapore, individually, are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof. 

     5.  Furthermore, pursuant to section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-573, 98 Stat. 2948, 3016 (1984)) (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), the USITC found that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from the reduction or elimination of any duty provided for under the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement.  The USITC also found, pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2703(e), that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from duty-free treatment provided for under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative trade program or the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

     6.  The USITC Commissioners transmitted to the President their individual recommendations that each of them considered would address the serious injury to the domestic industry and be most effective in facilitating the efforts of the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition.

     7.  On September 10, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requested additional information from the USITC under section 203(a)(5) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(5)).  On October 10, 2024, the USITC provided a response that identified unforeseen developments that led to the importation of fine denier PSF into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury (USITC Supplemental Report).  The USITC Supplemental Report also reported, inter alia, that increased imports of fine denier PSF products of all countries other than Australia, Canada, the CAFTA-DR countries, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Singapore are a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry.

     8.  Pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), and after taking into account the considerations specified in section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(2)), the USITC Report, and the USITC Supplemental Report, I have determined to implement action of a type described in section 203(a)(3) (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(3)) (safeguard measure), with regard to the following fine denier PSF:  fine denier PSF, not carded or combed, measuring less than 3.3 decitex (3 denier) in diameter, whether coated or uncoated.  Fine denier PSF is classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) in subheading 5503.20.00 and described in statistical reporting number 5503.20.0025 or 9813.00.0520. 

     9.  Pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), the action I have determined to take shall be a safeguard measure in the form of a quantitative restriction on imports of fine denier PSF described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation, admitted temporarily free of duty under bond and entered under subheading 5503.20.00 and described in statistical reporting number 5503.20.0025 or 9813.00.0520, imposed for a period of 4 years, with annual reductions in the within-quota quantities in the second, third, and fourth years.  Admission of certain imported articles free of duty under bond is commonly known as a Temporary Importation under Bond (TIB).  TIB entries are subject to the conditions appearing in Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII, of the HTS (19 U.S.C. 1202) as well as regulations promulgated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of the Treasury.

     10.  The quantitative restriction of TIB entries described in paragraph 9 of this proclamation shall be allocated among all countries except those countries the products of which are excluded from such quantitative restriction, pursuant to paragraphs 13 through 16 of this proclamation.

     11.  This safeguard measure shall apply to imports of all countries, except as provided in paragraphs 13 through 16 of this proclamation.

     12.  I have found, pursuant to section 203(e)(4) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(e)(4)), that the most recent 3 years that are representative of imports of fine denier PSF and for which data are available are 2018 through 2020, because that period covers the 3 most recent years before the surge in imports, particularly under TIB entry, from 2021 to 2023.  Setting a quantitative restriction of zero pounds for the first year of this action is consistent with this representative period because the USITC Report indicates that there were no imports of fine denier PSF under TIB entry during 2018 through 2020.

     13.  This safeguard measure shall not apply to imports of any product described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation of a developing country, as listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation, as long as such a country’s share of total imports of the product, based on imports during a recent representative period, does not exceed 3 percent, provided that imports that are the product of all such countries with less than 3 percent import share collectively account for not more than 9 percent of total imports of the product.  If I determine that a surge in imports of a product described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation of a developing country that is a World Trade Organization (WTO) Member results in imports of that product from that developing country exceeding either of the thresholds described in this paragraph, I may modify this action to apply to such product of such country.

     14.  Pursuant to section 302(a) of the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4552(a)), I have determined after considering the USITC Report and the USITC Supplemental Report that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Canada and Mexico, considered individually, do not account for a substantial share of total imports and do not contribute importantly to the serious injury found by the USITC.  Accordingly, pursuant to section 302(b) of the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4552(b)), I have excluded fine denier PSF that is the product of Canada or Mexico from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253).

     15.  After considering the USITC Report and the USITC Supplemental Report, I have also made the following determinations with regard to fine denier PSF that is the product of the following trading partners:

     (a)  I have determined that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Australia are not a substantial cause of the serious injury found by the USITC, and I have therefore determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Australia from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 108-286, 118 Stat. 919, 949(2004)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (b)  In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of each CAFTA-DR country individually are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof,I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of each of the CAFTA-DR countries from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (the “CAFTA-DR Act”) (Public Law 109-53, 119 Stat. 462, 495 (2005)) (19 U.S.C. 4101(b));

     (c) In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Colombia are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Colombia from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 112-42, 125 Stat. 462, 493-94 (2011)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (d)  In light of the USITC’s finding that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from the reduction or elimination of any duty provided for under the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement, I have determined, as part of the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), not to suspend the reduction or elimination of any duty on imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Israel, pursuant to section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (19 U.S.C. 2112 note);

     (e)  In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Panama are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Panama from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 112-43, 125 Stat. 497, 529 (2011)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (f)  In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Peru are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Peru from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2553), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 110-138, 121 Stat. 1455, 1486 (2007)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (g)  I have determined that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Singapore are not a substantial cause of the serious injury found by the USITC, and I have therefore determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Singapore from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 108-78, 117 Stat. 948, 970 (2003)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note); and

     (h)  In light of the USITC’s finding that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from duty-free treatment provided for under the CBERA provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative trade program, I have determined, as part of the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), not to suspend duty-free treatment pursuant to subsection 1 of 19 U.S.C. 2703(e), with respect to imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of any CBERA beneficiary country or territory.

     16.  Although the USITC found that imports of fine denier PSF that are a product of the Republic of Korea are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to include imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of the Republic of Korea in the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253).  Specifically, consistent with the recommendations of certain USITC Commissioners, I have found that excluding imports of the Republic of Korea from the quantitative restriction could significantly undermine this action.

     17.  While the USITC recommended excluding Jordan from this action under the United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act (Public Law 107-43, 115 Stat. 243 (2001)) (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), I have instead determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Jordan as imports of a developing country from the action I am taking, pursuant to paragraph 13 of this proclamation.

     18.  While the USITC Commissioners recommended that I impose a tariff-rate quota on fine denier PSF imports, I have determined not to do so.  The USITC Report indicates that TIB entries of fine denier PSF contributed significantly to the serious injury to the domestic industry.  In addition, such TIB entries are undermining the effectiveness of existing trade actions on fine denier PSF.  Therefore, I have decided to tailor this safeguard remedy to TIB entries of fine denier PSF.  Furthermore, I have determined not to impose a tariff-rate quota on imports of fine denier PSF in the interest of balancing the competing interests of domestic fine denier PSF manufacturers and the impact of the safeguard remedy on downstream United States producers, including manufacturers of textiles, defense products, and consumer products, that rely on fine denier PSF.

     19.  Pursuant to section 203(a)(1)(A) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(1)(A)), I have determined that this safeguard measure will facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs.  If I determine that further action is appropriate and feasible to facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs, or if I determine that the conditions under section 204(b)(1) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2254(b)(1)) are met, I shall reduce, modify, or terminate the action established in this proclamation accordingly.  In addition, if I determine within 30 days of the date of this proclamation, as a result of consultations between the United States and other WTO Members pursuant to Article 12.3 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, that it is necessary to reduce, modify, or terminate the safeguard measure, I shall proclaim the corresponding reduction, modification, or termination of the safeguard measure within 40 days of the date of this proclamation.

     20.  Section 604 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2483) authorizes the President to embody in the HTS the substance of the relevant provisions of that Act, and of other acts affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including sections 203 and 604 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253 and 2483), section 302 of the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4552), section 331(b) of the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 331(b) of the CAFTA-DR Act (19 U.S.C. 4101(b)), section 331(b) of the United States-Colombia Free Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), section 331(b) of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 331(b) of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 331(b) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), and 19 U.S.C. 2703(e), do proclaim that:

     (1)  In order to establish a quantitative restriction on imports of fine denier PSF described in paragraph 9 of this proclamation, subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTS is modified as provided in the Annex to this proclamation. 

     (2)  The modifications to the HTS made by this proclamation, included in the Annex to this proclamation, shall be effective with respect to goods admitted temporarily free of duty under bond which are entered under HTS statistical reporting number 9813.00.0520, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time 15 days after the date of this proclamation, and shall continue in effect as provided in the Annex to this proclamation, unless such action is earlier expressly reduced, modified, or terminated.

     (3)  Imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Australia, Canada, the CAFTA-DR countries, CBERA beneficiary countries and territories, Colombia, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Peru, or Singapore shall be excluded from the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, and such imports shall not be counted toward the quantitative restriction.

     (4)  Except as provided in clause (5) below, imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of developing countries, as listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation, shall be excluded from the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, and such imports shall not be counted toward the quantitative restriction.

     (5)  If, after the safeguard measure established in this proclamation takes effect, I determine that:

     (a)  the share of total imports of the product of a country listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation, based on imports during a recent representative period, exceeds 3 percent;

     (b)  imports of the product from all listed countries with less than 3 percent import share collectively account for more than 9 percent of total imports of the product; or

     (c)  a country listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation is no longer a developing country for purposes of this proclamation;

then I may revise subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation to remove the relevant country from the list or suspend operation of that subdivision, as appropriate.

    (6)  One year from the termination of the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, the United States note and tariff provisions established in the Annex to this proclamation shall be deleted from the HTS.

     (7)  Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with the action taken in this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation to Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition from Imports of Fine Denier Polyester Staple Fiber appeared first on The White House.

1.  On August 26, 2024, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) transmitted to the President a report (USITC Report) on its investigation under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “Trade Act”) (19 U.S.C. 2252), with respect to imports of fine denier polyester staple fiber (fine denier PSF).  The product subject to the USITC’s investigation and determination excluded certain fine denier PSF described in the USITC’s Notice of Institution, 89 FR 18435 (March 13, 2024), and listed in subdivision (c)(ii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation.

     2.  The USITC reached an affirmative determination under section 202(b) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2252(b)) that fine denier PSF is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article.  

     3.  Pursuant to section 301(a) of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (the “USMCA Implementation Act”) (19 U.S.C. 4551(a)), the USITC made findings as to whether imports of Canada and Mexico, considered individually, account for a substantial share of total imports and contribute importantly to the serious injury caused by imports.  The USITC made negative findings of substantial share and contribution to injury with respect to imports of fine denier PSF from Canada and Mexico, considered individually.

     4.  Pursuant to statutes implementing certain free trade agreements to which the United States is a party, the USITC further found that imports of fine denier PSF that are a product of Australia, each Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement country (i.e., Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) (CAFTA-DR countries), Colombia, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Panama, Peru, and Singapore, individually, are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof. 

     5.  Furthermore, pursuant to section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-573, 98 Stat. 2948, 3016 (1984)) (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), the USITC found that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from the reduction or elimination of any duty provided for under the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement.  The USITC also found, pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2703(e), that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from duty-free treatment provided for under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative trade program or the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

     6.  The USITC Commissioners transmitted to the President their individual recommendations that each of them considered would address the serious injury to the domestic industry and be most effective in facilitating the efforts of the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition.

     7.  On September 10, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requested additional information from the USITC under section 203(a)(5) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(5)).  On October 10, 2024, the USITC provided a response that identified unforeseen developments that led to the importation of fine denier PSF into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury (USITC Supplemental Report).  The USITC Supplemental Report also reported, inter alia, that increased imports of fine denier PSF products of all countries other than Australia, Canada, the CAFTA-DR countries, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Singapore are a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry.

     8.  Pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), and after taking into account the considerations specified in section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(2)), the USITC Report, and the USITC Supplemental Report, I have determined to implement action of a type described in section 203(a)(3) (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(3)) (safeguard measure), with regard to the following fine denier PSF:  fine denier PSF, not carded or combed, measuring less than 3.3 decitex (3 denier) in diameter, whether coated or uncoated.  Fine denier PSF is classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) in subheading 5503.20.00 and described in statistical reporting number 5503.20.0025 or 9813.00.0520. 

     9.  Pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), the action I have determined to take shall be a safeguard measure in the form of a quantitative restriction on imports of fine denier PSF described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation, admitted temporarily free of duty under bond and entered under subheading 5503.20.00 and described in statistical reporting number 5503.20.0025 or 9813.00.0520, imposed for a period of 4 years, with annual reductions in the within-quota quantities in the second, third, and fourth years.  Admission of certain imported articles free of duty under bond is commonly known as a Temporary Importation under Bond (TIB).  TIB entries are subject to the conditions appearing in Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII, of the HTS (19 U.S.C. 1202) as well as regulations promulgated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of the Treasury.

     10.  The quantitative restriction of TIB entries described in paragraph 9 of this proclamation shall be allocated among all countries except those countries the products of which are excluded from such quantitative restriction, pursuant to paragraphs 13 through 16 of this proclamation.

     11.  This safeguard measure shall apply to imports of all countries, except as provided in paragraphs 13 through 16 of this proclamation.

     12.  I have found, pursuant to section 203(e)(4) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(e)(4)), that the most recent 3 years that are representative of imports of fine denier PSF and for which data are available are 2018 through 2020, because that period covers the 3 most recent years before the surge in imports, particularly under TIB entry, from 2021 to 2023.  Setting a quantitative restriction of zero pounds for the first year of this action is consistent with this representative period because the USITC Report indicates that there were no imports of fine denier PSF under TIB entry during 2018 through 2020.

     13.  This safeguard measure shall not apply to imports of any product described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation of a developing country, as listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation, as long as such a country’s share of total imports of the product, based on imports during a recent representative period, does not exceed 3 percent, provided that imports that are the product of all such countries with less than 3 percent import share collectively account for not more than 9 percent of total imports of the product.  If I determine that a surge in imports of a product described in paragraph 8 of this proclamation of a developing country that is a World Trade Organization (WTO) Member results in imports of that product from that developing country exceeding either of the thresholds described in this paragraph, I may modify this action to apply to such product of such country.

     14.  Pursuant to section 302(a) of the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4552(a)), I have determined after considering the USITC Report and the USITC Supplemental Report that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Canada and Mexico, considered individually, do not account for a substantial share of total imports and do not contribute importantly to the serious injury found by the USITC.  Accordingly, pursuant to section 302(b) of the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4552(b)), I have excluded fine denier PSF that is the product of Canada or Mexico from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253).

     15.  After considering the USITC Report and the USITC Supplemental Report, I have also made the following determinations with regard to fine denier PSF that is the product of the following trading partners:

     (a)  I have determined that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Australia are not a substantial cause of the serious injury found by the USITC, and I have therefore determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Australia from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 108-286, 118 Stat. 919, 949(2004)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (b)  In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of each CAFTA-DR country individually are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof,I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of each of the CAFTA-DR countries from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (the “CAFTA-DR Act”) (Public Law 109-53, 119 Stat. 462, 495 (2005)) (19 U.S.C. 4101(b));

     (c) In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Colombia are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Colombia from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 112-42, 125 Stat. 462, 493-94 (2011)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (d)  In light of the USITC’s finding that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from the reduction or elimination of any duty provided for under the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement, I have determined, as part of the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), not to suspend the reduction or elimination of any duty on imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Israel, pursuant to section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (19 U.S.C. 2112 note);

     (e)  In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Panama are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Panama from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 112-43, 125 Stat. 497, 529 (2011)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (f)  In light of the USITC’s finding that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Peru are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Peru from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2553), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 110-138, 121 Stat. 1455, 1486 (2007)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note);

     (g)  I have determined that imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Singapore are not a substantial cause of the serious injury found by the USITC, and I have therefore determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Singapore from the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), pursuant to section 331(b) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 108-78, 117 Stat. 948, 970 (2003)) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note); and

     (h)  In light of the USITC’s finding that the serious injury substantially caused by imports to the domestic industry producing a like or directly competitive article does not result from duty-free treatment provided for under the CBERA provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative trade program, I have determined, as part of the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253), not to suspend duty-free treatment pursuant to subsection 1 of 19 U.S.C. 2703(e), with respect to imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of any CBERA beneficiary country or territory.

     16.  Although the USITC found that imports of fine denier PSF that are a product of the Republic of Korea are not a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof, I have determined to include imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of the Republic of Korea in the action I am taking under section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253).  Specifically, consistent with the recommendations of certain USITC Commissioners, I have found that excluding imports of the Republic of Korea from the quantitative restriction could significantly undermine this action.

     17.  While the USITC recommended excluding Jordan from this action under the United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act (Public Law 107-43, 115 Stat. 243 (2001)) (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), I have instead determined to exclude such imports that are the product of Jordan as imports of a developing country from the action I am taking, pursuant to paragraph 13 of this proclamation.

     18.  While the USITC Commissioners recommended that I impose a tariff-rate quota on fine denier PSF imports, I have determined not to do so.  The USITC Report indicates that TIB entries of fine denier PSF contributed significantly to the serious injury to the domestic industry.  In addition, such TIB entries are undermining the effectiveness of existing trade actions on fine denier PSF.  Therefore, I have decided to tailor this safeguard remedy to TIB entries of fine denier PSF.  Furthermore, I have determined not to impose a tariff-rate quota on imports of fine denier PSF in the interest of balancing the competing interests of domestic fine denier PSF manufacturers and the impact of the safeguard remedy on downstream United States producers, including manufacturers of textiles, defense products, and consumer products, that rely on fine denier PSF.

     19.  Pursuant to section 203(a)(1)(A) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(1)(A)), I have determined that this safeguard measure will facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs.  If I determine that further action is appropriate and feasible to facilitate efforts by the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs, or if I determine that the conditions under section 204(b)(1) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2254(b)(1)) are met, I shall reduce, modify, or terminate the action established in this proclamation accordingly.  In addition, if I determine within 30 days of the date of this proclamation, as a result of consultations between the United States and other WTO Members pursuant to Article 12.3 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, that it is necessary to reduce, modify, or terminate the safeguard measure, I shall proclaim the corresponding reduction, modification, or termination of the safeguard measure within 40 days of the date of this proclamation.

     20.  Section 604 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2483) authorizes the President to embody in the HTS the substance of the relevant provisions of that Act, and of other acts affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including sections 203 and 604 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253 and 2483), section 302 of the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4552), section 331(b) of the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 331(b) of the CAFTA-DR Act (19 U.S.C. 4101(b)), section 331(b) of the United States-Colombia Free Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 403 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), section 331(b) of the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 331(b) of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), section 331(b) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), and 19 U.S.C. 2703(e), do proclaim that:

     (1)  In order to establish a quantitative restriction on imports of fine denier PSF described in paragraph 9 of this proclamation, subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTS is modified as provided in the Annex to this proclamation. 

     (2)  The modifications to the HTS made by this proclamation, included in the Annex to this proclamation, shall be effective with respect to goods admitted temporarily free of duty under bond which are entered under HTS statistical reporting number 9813.00.0520, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time 15 days after the date of this proclamation, and shall continue in effect as provided in the Annex to this proclamation, unless such action is earlier expressly reduced, modified, or terminated.

     (3)  Imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of Australia, Canada, the CAFTA-DR countries, CBERA beneficiary countries and territories, Colombia, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Peru, or Singapore shall be excluded from the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, and such imports shall not be counted toward the quantitative restriction.

     (4)  Except as provided in clause (5) below, imports of fine denier PSF that are the product of developing countries, as listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation, shall be excluded from the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, and such imports shall not be counted toward the quantitative restriction.

     (5)  If, after the safeguard measure established in this proclamation takes effect, I determine that:

     (a)  the share of total imports of the product of a country listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation, based on imports during a recent representative period, exceeds 3 percent;

     (b)  imports of the product from all listed countries with less than 3 percent import share collectively account for more than 9 percent of total imports of the product; or

     (c)  a country listed in subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation is no longer a developing country for purposes of this proclamation;

then I may revise subdivision (b)(iii) of Note 32 in the Annex to this proclamation to remove the relevant country from the list or suspend operation of that subdivision, as appropriate.

    (6)  One year from the termination of the safeguard measure established in this proclamation, the United States note and tariff provisions established in the Annex to this proclamation shall be deleted from the HTS.

     (7)  Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with the action taken in this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation to Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition from Imports of Fine Denier Polyester Staple Fiber appeared first on The White House.

     Today marks 35 years since the Berlin Wall came down.  Its fall was one of the greatest advances in human dignity in my lifetime.  As we celebrate this anniversary, may we all remember that what brought the Berlin Wall down and lifted the Iron Curtain is what keeps the flame of liberty shining bright around the world:  the determination of free people everywhere who never fail to stand up for their freedoms and their democracy.

     I still remember when, as a young Senator, I visited West Berlin and saw what it meant to live in a divided city, country, and continent.  Then, in 1989, along with millions of people around the world, I watched the 70,000 brave souls gathered in Leipzig, Germany, crying out for freedom.  After the wall came down, some feared the reunification of Germany would revive old hatreds and rivalries, but leaders of America and Germany dreamed together of a much better future.  The achievement of a Germany whole and free lives on, exceeding everyone’s expectations, and the dream of Europe whole and free remains the work of our time.  My Administration is committed to pushing back against Putin’s vicious attack on Ukraine.  It is another battle in the long struggle for freedom and against aggression and tyranny.

     Together with our partners and allies, the United States is continuing to fight for the freedom and rights of people around the world.  We are working to build a future where women and girls share equal rights and opportunities in their communities; where Indigenous groups, people with disabilities, and racial, ethnic, and religious minorities live free from discrimination; and where LGBTQI+ people can live lives free from fear and hate.  And we must all stay committed to supporting democracy around the world — and at home.  I call on the American people to stand up in defense of our democracy because every generation must do the work of defending, protecting, and safeguarding it.

     The future will be won by those who unleash the full potential of their people to breathe and think freely, innovate and educate daringly, and live and love openly and without fear.  That is the soul of democracy — and I have seen it all around the world, from the brave men and women who brought down the Berlin Wall to the people who are fighting in every region for freedom, justice, and dignity.  Today, may we strengthen our commitment to our democracy and to one another, knowing that the darkness that drives autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty that lights the souls of free people everywhere.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2024, as World Freedom Day.  I call upon the people of the United States of America to remember the hope symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall and reaffirm our dedication to freedom and democracy.

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

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation on World Freedom Day, 2024 appeared first on The White House.

     Today marks 35 years since the Berlin Wall came down.  Its fall was one of the greatest advances in human dignity in my lifetime.  As we celebrate this anniversary, may we all remember that what brought the Berlin Wall down and lifted the Iron Curtain is what keeps the flame of liberty shining bright around the world:  the determination of free people everywhere who never fail to stand up for their freedoms and their democracy.

     I still remember when, as a young Senator, I visited West Berlin and saw what it meant to live in a divided city, country, and continent.  Then, in 1989, along with millions of people around the world, I watched the 70,000 brave souls gathered in Leipzig, Germany, crying out for freedom.  After the wall came down, some feared the reunification of Germany would revive old hatreds and rivalries, but leaders of America and Germany dreamed together of a much better future.  The achievement of a Germany whole and free lives on, exceeding everyone’s expectations, and the dream of Europe whole and free remains the work of our time.  My Administration is committed to pushing back against Putin’s vicious attack on Ukraine.  It is another battle in the long struggle for freedom and against aggression and tyranny.

     Together with our partners and allies, the United States is continuing to fight for the freedom and rights of people around the world.  We are working to build a future where women and girls share equal rights and opportunities in their communities; where Indigenous groups, people with disabilities, and racial, ethnic, and religious minorities live free from discrimination; and where LGBTQI+ people can live lives free from fear and hate.  And we must all stay committed to supporting democracy around the world — and at home.  I call on the American people to stand up in defense of our democracy because every generation must do the work of defending, protecting, and safeguarding it.

     The future will be won by those who unleash the full potential of their people to breathe and think freely, innovate and educate daringly, and live and love openly and without fear.  That is the soul of democracy — and I have seen it all around the world, from the brave men and women who brought down the Berlin Wall to the people who are fighting in every region for freedom, justice, and dignity.  Today, may we strengthen our commitment to our democracy and to one another, knowing that the darkness that drives autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty that lights the souls of free people everywhere.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2024, as World Freedom Day.  I call upon the people of the United States of America to remember the hope symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall and reaffirm our dedication to freedom and democracy.

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

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation on World Freedom Day, 2024 appeared first on The White House.