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Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, the Administration is continuing to provide robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Helene’s impacts. The President and Vice President are closely monitoring these efforts and receive regular updates from their teams.
 
At the President’s direction, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visited Florida over the weekend to assess damage alongside local and state officials. She continued surveying damage today in parts of Georgia before she moves into North Carolina on Monday.

Earlier this evening, Administrator Criswell and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall briefed President Biden on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia. Administrator Criswell also updated the President on Federal actions to support response and recovery.  

The President directed Administrator Criswell to determine what more can be done to accelerate support to those who are having the most difficult time accessing assistance in isolated communities. He also advised the FEMA Administrator that as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations, he intends to travel this week to impacted communities.

Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring an additional weather disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that has the potential to form into another storm in the coming week. Residents throughout the Gulf Coast should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.
 
Additional Federal response actions include:
 
Approving Major Disaster Declarations
 
Yesterday, President Biden approved Major Disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida and 25 counties in North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
 
FEMA assistance in Florida and North Carolina may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
 
Emergency declarations were also approved for Florida, North Carolina Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.
 
Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts
 
As of today, more than 3,300 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed and supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts across the impacted states. This includes the most experienced incident management teams to help identity Federal resources to address unmet needs, as well as Urban Search and Rescue personnel using high water rescue equipment for rescue missions across the region. 
 
At least 50,000 personnel from 31 states and the District of Columbia and Canada are responding to power outages and working around the clock throughout parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to restore power to those communities that can receive power. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is moving generators and additional power generation assets into the hardest hit areas of South and North Carolina as flood waters recede and debris removal allows. As of this afternoon, approximately 2.3 million customers are without power, down from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27.
 
Additional Interagency Support Efforts
 
Together with state and local partners, the Federal government is actively supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts and is coordinating requests for Federal assistance.

• FEMA distribution centers are fully stocked and ready to provide commodities and equipment to any impacted state, as required.
  
• FEMA is trucking dozens of trailers containing food and water in North Carolina to support the State as they start to set up care-sites for survivors.
  
• FEMA is also working with the Federal Communications Commission and private sector telecommunications partners to deploy emergency mobile communications assets while they work to restore network services, particularly in remote areas.
  
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency for Florida and Georgia, giving health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. About 200 medical responders are in Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina, along with medical equipment and supplies, to help ensure the delivery of health care services following the landfall of Hurricane Helene.
  
• Twenty-four federal Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces are deployed across the affected regions. Roughly 1,302 Urban Search and Rescue personnel are assisting in the impacted areas. Together with local and state responders, teams have rescued and supported over 1,400 of people across the impacted area.
  
• The U.S. Coast Guard has thousands of personnel working on response efforts and are conducting post-storm assessments to support the rapid reopening of impacted ports.
  
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed teams for temporary emergency power, debris removal, and infrastructure assessment, including for dams throughout the region.
  
• The Environmental Protection Agency has personnel on the ground who are offering technical assistance and guidance on water systems, debris management, and maintaining critical public health and environmental protections in place as storm impacts are assessed.
  
• The U.S. Small Business Administration deployed more than 50 personnel to support survivors and small businesses as they recover from the hurricane.
  
• The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed across the region and are closely monitoring power, fuel, and supply chain interruptions.
  
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has deployed personnel to the impacted region to extend much-needed emergency credit to farmers and agriculture producers who lost crops and livestock.

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The post FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-Harris Administration’s Continued Response Efforts to Hurricane Helene appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement Commonwealth, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

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

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding. 

Mr. Timothy S. Pheil of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Virginia Emergency Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement Commonwealth, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

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

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding. 

Mr. Timothy S. Pheil of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Virginia Emergency Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
San Francisco, California

3:16 P.M. PDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon!  (Applause.)  Oh, good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon.  (Applause.)

Oh, it’s good to be home!  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Oh, it’s good to be home. 

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

Okay.  Come on.  We have work to do.  Everybody, sit down.  (Laughs.)

     Oh, my goodness.  Oh, it really is good to be home and to see so many friends.  My goodness.  I have known, I mean, most of the people here my entire career.  You all are such a big part of my journey, every step of the way.  (Applause.)  Oh, goodness.   Thank you.  And always providing encouragement and support.  I thank you all so very much.

And I especially want to thank our current and future member of Congress, Lateefah Simon — (applause) — where is she? — who is going to follow in the great footsteps of an extraordinary national and international leader, our own Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  There she is. 

And to all the incredible state and local leaders who are here today, all the leaders who are here, I thank you so, so very much.  It is truly good to be home. 

So, all right, we know how to get to work, so let us level set: 38 days.  (Applause.)  Thirty-eight days.  And a lot of us have been doing this for a while.  And every four years we say, “This is the one.”  Well, this here is the one.  (Applause.)  This is the one.

This is probably the most important election of our lifetime and one of the most important elections in the lifetime of our nation.  (Applause.)

And as many of you have heard me say, in this cycle, I do believe that this election is about two very different visions for our nation, and we see that contrast every day on the campaign trail. 

Consider, for example, the last two weeks.  I’ve been to Georgia in the last — I’ve been many, many times, but in the last two weeks to highlight the dangerous consequences of Trump abortion bans.  And some of you may have heard the most recent stories coming out of Georgia.

I recently did an event with Oprah Winfrey where a — a mother talked about the death of her daughter because of the abortion ban in Georgia.

I traveled to Pennsylvania to lay out my vision for our economy and talk about what I know that we here in California understand to be so much opportunity and we have so much optimism about what we have yet to do, and that being the thing that fuels us in terms of knowing how we can strengthen our economy. 

I was recently in Arizona — just yesterday, actually — (laughter) — long days — (laughs) — (applause) — long days — to present my plan for how we strengthen the border.

Meanwhile, from Donald Trump, it’s been the same old, tired show, the same tired playbook we have heard for years with no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people.  And that is why I am convinced — and the people I meet across America, I do believe, are convinced — that it is time to turn the page.  It is time to turn the page.  (Applause.)

America is ready to chart a new way forward.  America is ready for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic about what we can do together.  And I do believe that is why Democrats and Republicans and independents are supporting our campaign, because they want a president who works for all the American people.  (Applause.)

And I have had the blessing and good fortune to work with a lot of people who are here.  And you know me; we have worked together for years.  My entire career, I have fought for the people, whether it was at the beginning of my career as a courtroom prosecutor in Oakland and then elected district attorney of San Francisco — (applause) — where I stood up for women and children against predators who abused them. 

As attorney general of California, I defended communities that were being poisoned by polluters and Big Oil.  I stood up for veterans and students being scammed by big for-profit colleges, for workers who were being cheated out of the wages they were due, for seniors who have faced elder abuse. 

Many of you were with me during those fights.  And so, together, we stand again in a fight for our future.  And we fight for a future where, for example, we can build what I call an “opportunity economy” — (applause) — where everyone can compete and has a real chance to succeed; where middle-class families have security and stability, and all Americans, regardless of who they are or where they start, can build wealth for themselves and their children. 

To build that opportunity economy, I will bring together labor with small businesses and founders and innovators and major companies, because, as I said this week in Pittsburgh, I am both a devout public servant and a capitalist.

I believe — (applause) — and I believe unions helped build the middle class and that every worker should have a right to join a union.  (Applause.)

I believe in active partnership between government and the private sector, and that it is one of the most effective ways to fully unlock economic opportunity. 

And I believe that to build a strong economy, we must engage those who create most of the jobs in America. 

I have also pledged that building a strong middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency — (applause) — because we here know that when the middle class of America is strong, America is strong.  (Applause.) 

And to support the middle class, the first thing we must do is lower costs.  Under my plan, more than 100 million Americans will get a middle-class tax break, which includes a $6,000 tax credit — a child tax credit for new parents during the first year of a child’s life to help them buy a crib or a car seat during that most fundamental period of their child’s development — (applause) — because we know the vast majority of parents have a desire to parent their children well but not always the resources to do it. 

And I know the folks here who also understand that our approach is always going to be that the children of the community are the children of the community.  (Applause.)

We will go after the biggest drivers of costs for the middle class, including housing, grocery prices, and prescription drugs to bring those costs down.  (Applause.) 

And to build an opportunity economy, we need to invest in American innovation and entrepreneurship, including by making it easier to start a new business.  (Applause.)  And we have a whole lot of folks who are start-ups, who are small businesses who are here who understand exactly what I’m talking about and why it is important.  (Applause.)

So, part of my plan is, as president, I will make the startup deduction 10 times richer and raise it from $5,000 to $50,000.  (Applause.)  Because what we all know is, in 2024, it is nearly impossible that anyone would be able to start up a small business with just a $5,000 tax deduction. 

My intention is to increase access to capital for small businesses that want to expand, understanding that when they have access to the resources that can feed their natural ambition, their hard-work ethic, their — their desire and dream to actually create, innovate, and strengthen their community, we should give them that access, understanding not everybody was handed $400 million on a silver platter and then filed for bankruptcy six times.  (Applause.)

And as a proud daughter of California, I know the power — (applause) — I know the power of American innovation.  And as president, I will ensure that we lead the world, then, in every way, including in the industries of the future, and that America wins the competition for the 21st century. 

And so, we will be intentional about investing in biomanufacturing and aerospace; remain dominant in AI, quantum computing, blockchain, digital assets, and other emerging technologies; expand clean energy innovation and manufacturing — (applause); and invest — and invest in factory towns and workers — workers who help build our country and deserve to be seen — (applause) — and deserve the resources to build the next generation of our economy.

And let’s make sure that this work, then, is about not only investing in what we can do to build but investing in workers.  That is a big part of how I think about all this. 

And so — (applause) — I say these things to give you a few examples of a very different perspective that we bring to what we can do building the future of America and my opponent. 

Because you see, and I think everyone here knows, Donald Trump has a very different plan.  And in many ways, he is an unserious man.  He is.  (Applause.)  He is an unserious man.  However, the consequences of putting him back in the White House are extremely serious — extremely serious.  (Applause.)

Look, for example, at Project 2025.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  By the way, Nancy, sometimes I think about this: I can’t believe they put that thing in writing.  (Laughter.)  I mean, they not only put it in writing, they published it.  They bound it, published it, and passed it out.  (Laughter.)  Google it.  (Laughter.)  Because what you’re going to find is that there’s a whole agenda that my opponent, the former president, has.

He intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.  Now understand what that means.  Understand how many seniors in our country have as their only income their Social Security benefits.  Understand what that would mean — Medicare, what that does to give people dignity in terms of making the prescription medication a doctor has required they take to alleviate their pain, to make that affordable.

And he wants to impose what I call a “Trump sales tax,” a 20 percent tax on everyday basic necessities, which economists have analyzed and have determined it will cost the average family nearly $4,000 more per year. 

And top economists have reviewed both of our plans and compared them.  Goldman Sachs says my plan would grow our economy and his plan would shrink it.  Sixteen Nobel Prize-winning economists say he would reignite inflation.  And Moody’s has assessed he would ignite a recession by the middle of next year. 

And on top of all of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And some of you may have watched the debate.  And so — (applause) — I’m trying to get another one, by the way.  I’m trying to get another debate.  I really am.  (Laughs.)  Trying.

But on the issue of the Affordable Care Act — back to the — the consequences that are at stake.  At the debate, he said — about getting — trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, he said — well, he has “concepts of a plan” to replace it.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  “Concepts.”  “Concepts of a plan.” 

So, again, the serious nature of this is as follows: He’s going to threaten the health insurance of 45 million people in our country based on a concept — based on a concept — which would take us back to a time when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was like for so many people?  A child with asthma.  A survivor of breast cancer.  A grandparent with diabetes.  The consequences are brutally serious. 

And as I say, then, everywhere I go — and I’m traveling our country — as I say everywhere, and often the rallies, which are quite a nice size — (laughter and applause) — what I say and they repeat back is “We are not going back.”  (Applause.) 
We are not going back.  We are not going back. 

Because truly, ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom, like the freedom to vote, the freedom to be safe from gun violence — (applause) — the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride — (applause) — and the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.  (Applause.)

And on that point, let’s remind folks of how we got here.  Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, and they did as he intended.  And now, in more than 20 states in our country, there are Trump abortion bans. 

One in three women lives in a state with a — a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions even for rape and incest, which is immoral to tell a survivor — (applause) — of a crime, a — a violation of her body that she has no right to decide what happens to her body next.  It’s immoral. 

 So, all of that to say, elections matter.  Elections matter.  (Applause.)  And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)  I will proudly sign it into law.  Proudly.

Thirty-eight days.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Thirty-eight days. 

So — so, what we know, which is why we’re all here together, is so much is on the line in this election.  And let us also remember this is not 2016 and it is not 2020 for many reasons, including because a few months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president that he is and would be effectively immune from anything he did in the White House. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  But think about what this is.  Think — but think about — think about this. 

So, whereas before, at least, there was some threat of accountability and consequence, and now there is essentially an explicit — explicit — direction that there will be no consequence. 

Let’s put this in context.  This is a man who has vowed he would be a dictator on day one.  He said he would weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies.  He has called for, I quote, “the termination of the Constitution of the United States.”  Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. 

All of this is at stake, and that is why we are here together.  And we are here together because we love our country.  We love our country.  We love our country.  (Applause.)  And I do believe — I believe it is the highest form of patriotism to fight, then, for the ideals of our country and fight to realize the promise of America.  And that’s what this is about. 

Election Day is in 38 days.  And early voting and vote by mail have already started in some states, including Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.  So, the election is kind of here.  Okay?  And I’ll share with the friends some notes from the field. 

This race is as close as it could possibly be.  Okay?  This race is as close as it could possibly be.  This is a margin-of-error race.  I know there is a lot of enthusiasm, and we see what is possible.  This is a margin-of-error race.  And we are the underdog, and I am running like the underdog, because I do believe we are the underdog in this race.  Okay?  And our campaign is doing the work we need to do on the airwaves and voter education in — in every county of every battleground state.  And the more that people hear about our plans, the more they rally around our campaign. 

So, we are leaving it all on the field.  And your support and what you have done today and every day leading up and, I know, what you’re going to do over the next 38 days is absolutely critical to all we have achieved so far and all we will achieve. 

The leaders in this room have done so much already, and — (laughter) — I’m going to ask for a little bit more.  (Applause.)  Which is this — which is this — which is this: You are all part of — each one of you are part of large networks.  And I ask you, then, to activate those networks and tell your friends and your colleagues and your neighbors about what’s at stake.  Tell them why you took the time to be here today and what’s at stake for you. 

Reach out to people you know.  Talk to strangers at the grocery store.  It’s okay.  They’ll be fine.  They’ll like you.  (Laughter.)  

But I think that in these last many years, there’s something that’s been happening where people have been made to feel that they might be alone, and — and people are desperate for connections.  I was saying to some of the friends, in this campaign, our highest imperative is we must win.  There’s no question.  But what I really would like is, in the process of winning, that we be intentional about building community and building coalitions.  Let’s do that.  Let’s do that.  (Applause.)

Let’s remind people that in spite of these forces that are trying to divide us as a nation, in spite of these forces that would have us pointing fingers at each other, let’s remind people that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.  That’s our power and that’s our strength.  (Applause.)

And so, that’s what I — I ask of you to do more.  And let them know also how close this race is and how they can make a difference.  And tell them we need their help also in the next 38 days.  And — and to everyone here, I just thank you so much. 

For anyone who wants, join our team in battleground states.  Help people in terms of what we’re doing to register folks to vote and getting them to the polls.  What you can do — even from home, anywhere you want, in your car, wherever — to — to make phone calls and sign folks up, that’s making a difference.  We’ve got a whole effort coming out of California where people are making calls to battleground states.  It’s really make a di- — making a difference. 
    
And please remind people, ultimately, that this fight is for our freedom and for our future.  And, you know, folks, generations before us have fought for all of this stuff, and the baton is now in our hands.  The baton is now in our hands.  (Applause.)
    
     And so, as I say at every rally, when we fight —

     AUDIENCE:  We win!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.  (Applause.)

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

     We will win!  We will win!  (Applause.)

                                 END                3:41 P.M. PDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Political Event | San Francisco, CA appeared first on The White House.

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
San Francisco, California

3:16 P.M. PDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon!  (Applause.)  Oh, good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon.  (Applause.)

Oh, it’s good to be home!  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Oh, it’s good to be home. 

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

Okay.  Come on.  We have work to do.  Everybody, sit down.  (Laughs.)

     Oh, my goodness.  Oh, it really is good to be home and to see so many friends.  My goodness.  I have known, I mean, most of the people here my entire career.  You all are such a big part of my journey, every step of the way.  (Applause.)  Oh, goodness.   Thank you.  And always providing encouragement and support.  I thank you all so very much.

And I especially want to thank our current and future member of Congress, Lateefah Simon — (applause) — where is she? — who is going to follow in the great footsteps of an extraordinary national and international leader, our own Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  There she is. 

And to all the incredible state and local leaders who are here today, all the leaders who are here, I thank you so, so very much.  It is truly good to be home. 

So, all right, we know how to get to work, so let us level set: 38 days.  (Applause.)  Thirty-eight days.  And a lot of us have been doing this for a while.  And every four years we say, “This is the one.”  Well, this here is the one.  (Applause.)  This is the one.

This is probably the most important election of our lifetime and one of the most important elections in the lifetime of our nation.  (Applause.)

And as many of you have heard me say, in this cycle, I do believe that this election is about two very different visions for our nation, and we see that contrast every day on the campaign trail. 

Consider, for example, the last two weeks.  I’ve been to Georgia in the last — I’ve been many, many times, but in the last two weeks to highlight the dangerous consequences of Trump abortion bans.  And some of you may have heard the most recent stories coming out of Georgia.

I recently did an event with Oprah Winfrey where a — a mother talked about the death of her daughter because of the abortion ban in Georgia.

I traveled to Pennsylvania to lay out my vision for our economy and talk about what I know that we here in California understand to be so much opportunity and we have so much optimism about what we have yet to do, and that being the thing that fuels us in terms of knowing how we can strengthen our economy. 

I was recently in Arizona — just yesterday, actually — (laughter) — long days — (laughs) — (applause) — long days — to present my plan for how we strengthen the border.

Meanwhile, from Donald Trump, it’s been the same old, tired show, the same tired playbook we have heard for years with no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people.  And that is why I am convinced — and the people I meet across America, I do believe, are convinced — that it is time to turn the page.  It is time to turn the page.  (Applause.)

America is ready to chart a new way forward.  America is ready for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic about what we can do together.  And I do believe that is why Democrats and Republicans and independents are supporting our campaign, because they want a president who works for all the American people.  (Applause.)

And I have had the blessing and good fortune to work with a lot of people who are here.  And you know me; we have worked together for years.  My entire career, I have fought for the people, whether it was at the beginning of my career as a courtroom prosecutor in Oakland and then elected district attorney of San Francisco — (applause) — where I stood up for women and children against predators who abused them. 

As attorney general of California, I defended communities that were being poisoned by polluters and Big Oil.  I stood up for veterans and students being scammed by big for-profit colleges, for workers who were being cheated out of the wages they were due, for seniors who have faced elder abuse. 

Many of you were with me during those fights.  And so, together, we stand again in a fight for our future.  And we fight for a future where, for example, we can build what I call an “opportunity economy” — (applause) — where everyone can compete and has a real chance to succeed; where middle-class families have security and stability, and all Americans, regardless of who they are or where they start, can build wealth for themselves and their children. 

To build that opportunity economy, I will bring together labor with small businesses and founders and innovators and major companies, because, as I said this week in Pittsburgh, I am both a devout public servant and a capitalist.

I believe — (applause) — and I believe unions helped build the middle class and that every worker should have a right to join a union.  (Applause.)

I believe in active partnership between government and the private sector, and that it is one of the most effective ways to fully unlock economic opportunity. 

And I believe that to build a strong economy, we must engage those who create most of the jobs in America. 

I have also pledged that building a strong middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency — (applause) — because we here know that when the middle class of America is strong, America is strong.  (Applause.) 

And to support the middle class, the first thing we must do is lower costs.  Under my plan, more than 100 million Americans will get a middle-class tax break, which includes a $6,000 tax credit — a child tax credit for new parents during the first year of a child’s life to help them buy a crib or a car seat during that most fundamental period of their child’s development — (applause) — because we know the vast majority of parents have a desire to parent their children well but not always the resources to do it. 

And I know the folks here who also understand that our approach is always going to be that the children of the community are the children of the community.  (Applause.)

We will go after the biggest drivers of costs for the middle class, including housing, grocery prices, and prescription drugs to bring those costs down.  (Applause.) 

And to build an opportunity economy, we need to invest in American innovation and entrepreneurship, including by making it easier to start a new business.  (Applause.)  And we have a whole lot of folks who are start-ups, who are small businesses who are here who understand exactly what I’m talking about and why it is important.  (Applause.)

So, part of my plan is, as president, I will make the startup deduction 10 times richer and raise it from $5,000 to $50,000.  (Applause.)  Because what we all know is, in 2024, it is nearly impossible that anyone would be able to start up a small business with just a $5,000 tax deduction. 

My intention is to increase access to capital for small businesses that want to expand, understanding that when they have access to the resources that can feed their natural ambition, their hard-work ethic, their — their desire and dream to actually create, innovate, and strengthen their community, we should give them that access, understanding not everybody was handed $400 million on a silver platter and then filed for bankruptcy six times.  (Applause.)

And as a proud daughter of California, I know the power — (applause) — I know the power of American innovation.  And as president, I will ensure that we lead the world, then, in every way, including in the industries of the future, and that America wins the competition for the 21st century. 

And so, we will be intentional about investing in biomanufacturing and aerospace; remain dominant in AI, quantum computing, blockchain, digital assets, and other emerging technologies; expand clean energy innovation and manufacturing — (applause); and invest — and invest in factory towns and workers — workers who help build our country and deserve to be seen — (applause) — and deserve the resources to build the next generation of our economy.

And let’s make sure that this work, then, is about not only investing in what we can do to build but investing in workers.  That is a big part of how I think about all this. 

And so — (applause) — I say these things to give you a few examples of a very different perspective that we bring to what we can do building the future of America and my opponent. 

Because you see, and I think everyone here knows, Donald Trump has a very different plan.  And in many ways, he is an unserious man.  He is.  (Applause.)  He is an unserious man.  However, the consequences of putting him back in the White House are extremely serious — extremely serious.  (Applause.)

Look, for example, at Project 2025.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  By the way, Nancy, sometimes I think about this: I can’t believe they put that thing in writing.  (Laughter.)  I mean, they not only put it in writing, they published it.  They bound it, published it, and passed it out.  (Laughter.)  Google it.  (Laughter.)  Because what you’re going to find is that there’s a whole agenda that my opponent, the former president, has.

He intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.  Now understand what that means.  Understand how many seniors in our country have as their only income their Social Security benefits.  Understand what that would mean — Medicare, what that does to give people dignity in terms of making the prescription medication a doctor has required they take to alleviate their pain, to make that affordable.

And he wants to impose what I call a “Trump sales tax,” a 20 percent tax on everyday basic necessities, which economists have analyzed and have determined it will cost the average family nearly $4,000 more per year. 

And top economists have reviewed both of our plans and compared them.  Goldman Sachs says my plan would grow our economy and his plan would shrink it.  Sixteen Nobel Prize-winning economists say he would reignite inflation.  And Moody’s has assessed he would ignite a recession by the middle of next year. 

And on top of all of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And some of you may have watched the debate.  And so — (applause) — I’m trying to get another one, by the way.  I’m trying to get another debate.  I really am.  (Laughs.)  Trying.

But on the issue of the Affordable Care Act — back to the — the consequences that are at stake.  At the debate, he said — about getting — trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, he said — well, he has “concepts of a plan” to replace it.

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  “Concepts.”  “Concepts of a plan.” 

So, again, the serious nature of this is as follows: He’s going to threaten the health insurance of 45 million people in our country based on a concept — based on a concept — which would take us back to a time when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was like for so many people?  A child with asthma.  A survivor of breast cancer.  A grandparent with diabetes.  The consequences are brutally serious. 

And as I say, then, everywhere I go — and I’m traveling our country — as I say everywhere, and often the rallies, which are quite a nice size — (laughter and applause) — what I say and they repeat back is “We are not going back.”  (Applause.) 
We are not going back.  We are not going back. 

Because truly, ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom, like the freedom to vote, the freedom to be safe from gun violence — (applause) — the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride — (applause) — and the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.  (Applause.)

And on that point, let’s remind folks of how we got here.  Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, and they did as he intended.  And now, in more than 20 states in our country, there are Trump abortion bans. 

One in three women lives in a state with a — a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions even for rape and incest, which is immoral to tell a survivor — (applause) — of a crime, a — a violation of her body that she has no right to decide what happens to her body next.  It’s immoral. 

 So, all of that to say, elections matter.  Elections matter.  (Applause.)  And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)  I will proudly sign it into law.  Proudly.

Thirty-eight days.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Thirty-eight days. 

So — so, what we know, which is why we’re all here together, is so much is on the line in this election.  And let us also remember this is not 2016 and it is not 2020 for many reasons, including because a few months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president that he is and would be effectively immune from anything he did in the White House. 

     AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  But think about what this is.  Think — but think about — think about this. 

So, whereas before, at least, there was some threat of accountability and consequence, and now there is essentially an explicit — explicit — direction that there will be no consequence. 

Let’s put this in context.  This is a man who has vowed he would be a dictator on day one.  He said he would weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies.  He has called for, I quote, “the termination of the Constitution of the United States.”  Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. 

All of this is at stake, and that is why we are here together.  And we are here together because we love our country.  We love our country.  We love our country.  (Applause.)  And I do believe — I believe it is the highest form of patriotism to fight, then, for the ideals of our country and fight to realize the promise of America.  And that’s what this is about. 

Election Day is in 38 days.  And early voting and vote by mail have already started in some states, including Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.  So, the election is kind of here.  Okay?  And I’ll share with the friends some notes from the field. 

This race is as close as it could possibly be.  Okay?  This race is as close as it could possibly be.  This is a margin-of-error race.  I know there is a lot of enthusiasm, and we see what is possible.  This is a margin-of-error race.  And we are the underdog, and I am running like the underdog, because I do believe we are the underdog in this race.  Okay?  And our campaign is doing the work we need to do on the airwaves and voter education in — in every county of every battleground state.  And the more that people hear about our plans, the more they rally around our campaign. 

So, we are leaving it all on the field.  And your support and what you have done today and every day leading up and, I know, what you’re going to do over the next 38 days is absolutely critical to all we have achieved so far and all we will achieve. 

The leaders in this room have done so much already, and — (laughter) — I’m going to ask for a little bit more.  (Applause.)  Which is this — which is this — which is this: You are all part of — each one of you are part of large networks.  And I ask you, then, to activate those networks and tell your friends and your colleagues and your neighbors about what’s at stake.  Tell them why you took the time to be here today and what’s at stake for you. 

Reach out to people you know.  Talk to strangers at the grocery store.  It’s okay.  They’ll be fine.  They’ll like you.  (Laughter.)  

But I think that in these last many years, there’s something that’s been happening where people have been made to feel that they might be alone, and — and people are desperate for connections.  I was saying to some of the friends, in this campaign, our highest imperative is we must win.  There’s no question.  But what I really would like is, in the process of winning, that we be intentional about building community and building coalitions.  Let’s do that.  Let’s do that.  (Applause.)

Let’s remind people that in spite of these forces that are trying to divide us as a nation, in spite of these forces that would have us pointing fingers at each other, let’s remind people that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.  That’s our power and that’s our strength.  (Applause.)

And so, that’s what I — I ask of you to do more.  And let them know also how close this race is and how they can make a difference.  And tell them we need their help also in the next 38 days.  And — and to everyone here, I just thank you so much. 

For anyone who wants, join our team in battleground states.  Help people in terms of what we’re doing to register folks to vote and getting them to the polls.  What you can do — even from home, anywhere you want, in your car, wherever — to — to make phone calls and sign folks up, that’s making a difference.  We’ve got a whole effort coming out of California where people are making calls to battleground states.  It’s really make a di- — making a difference. 
    
And please remind people, ultimately, that this fight is for our freedom and for our future.  And, you know, folks, generations before us have fought for all of this stuff, and the baton is now in our hands.  The baton is now in our hands.  (Applause.)
    
     And so, as I say at every rally, when we fight —

     AUDIENCE:  We win!

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.  (Applause.)

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

     We will win!  We will win!  (Applause.)

                                 END                3:41 P.M. PDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Political Event | San Francisco, CA appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene beginning on September 23, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla.

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

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

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Florida Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene beginning on September 23, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla.

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

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

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Florida Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of North Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

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

Mr. Thomas J. McCool of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves North Carolina Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of North Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

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

Mr. Thomas J. McCool of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves North Carolina Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

My heart goes out to everyone impacted by the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene. Doug and I are thinking of those who tragically lost their lives and we are keeping all those who loved them in our prayers during the difficult days ahead.

President Biden and I remain committed to ensuring that no community or state has to respond to this disaster alone. Federal personnel are on the ground to support families that have been impacted so that critical resources like food, water, and generators are available. We have also approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee – making resources and funding available to maximize our coordinated response efforts at the local, state, and federal levels.
 
As we continue to respond and as communities recover, our administration will remain in constant contact with state and local officials. I have been briefed by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and will continue to receive regular updates.
 

# # #

The post Statement from Vice President Harris on Hurricane Helene appeared first on The White House.

My heart goes out to everyone impacted by the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene. Doug and I are thinking of those who tragically lost their lives and we are keeping all those who loved them in our prayers during the difficult days ahead.

President Biden and I remain committed to ensuring that no community or state has to respond to this disaster alone. Federal personnel are on the ground to support families that have been impacted so that critical resources like food, water, and generators are available. We have also approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee – making resources and funding available to maximize our coordinated response efforts at the local, state, and federal levels.
 
As we continue to respond and as communities recover, our administration will remain in constant contact with state and local officials. I have been briefed by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and will continue to receive regular updates.
 

# # #

The post Statement from Vice President Harris on Hurricane Helene appeared first on The White House.

Hassan Nasrallah was a terrorist with American blood on his hands. Across decades, his leadership of Hezbollah destabilized the Middle East and led to the killing of countless innocent people in Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and around the world. Today, Hezbollah’s victims have a measure of justice.

I have an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. I will always support Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. 

President Biden and I do not want to see conflict in the Middle East escalate into a broader regional war. We have been working on a diplomatic solution along the Israel-Lebanon border so that people can safely return home on both sides of that border. Diplomacy remains the best path forward to protect civilians and achieve lasting stability in the region.

# # #

The post Statement by Vice President Harris on the Death of Hassan Nasrallah appeared first on The White House.

Hassan Nasrallah was a terrorist with American blood on his hands. Across decades, his leadership of Hezbollah destabilized the Middle East and led to the killing of countless innocent people in Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and around the world. Today, Hezbollah’s victims have a measure of justice.

I have an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. I will always support Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. 

President Biden and I do not want to see conflict in the Middle East escalate into a broader regional war. We have been working on a diplomatic solution along the Israel-Lebanon border so that people can safely return home on both sides of that border. Diplomacy remains the best path forward to protect civilians and achieve lasting stability in the region.

# # #

The post Statement by Vice President Harris on the Death of Hassan Nasrallah appeared first on The White House.

I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast. As the storm continues to track north, Vice President Harris and I remain focused on life-saving and life-sustaining response and recovery efforts. I am being regularly briefed by my team on the ongoing response efforts, and my Administration is in constant contact with state and local officials to ensure communities have the support and resources they need. At my direction, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is traveling throughout the Southeast to assess the damage alongside other state and local officials.

The road to recovery will be long, but know that my Administration will be with you every step of the way. We’re not going to walk away. We’re not going to give up. As we turn toward recovery efforts, we will make certain that no resource is spared to ensure that families, businesses, schools, hospitals, and entire communities can quickly begin their road to rebuilding. Jill and I are praying for those who lost loved ones from Hurricane Helene, and for those whose homes, businesses, and communities were impacted by this terrible storm.

###

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

I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast. As the storm continues to track north, Vice President Harris and I remain focused on life-saving and life-sustaining response and recovery efforts. I am being regularly briefed by my team on the ongoing response efforts, and my Administration is in constant contact with state and local officials to ensure communities have the support and resources they need. At my direction, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is traveling throughout the Southeast to assess the damage alongside other state and local officials.

The road to recovery will be long, but know that my Administration will be with you every step of the way. We’re not going to walk away. We’re not going to give up. As we turn toward recovery efforts, we will make certain that no resource is spared to ensure that families, businesses, schools, hospitals, and entire communities can quickly begin their road to rebuilding. Jill and I are praying for those who lost loved ones from Hurricane Helene, and for those whose homes, businesses, and communities were impacted by this terrible storm.

###

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

Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror.  His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.

The strike that killed Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023.  Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a “northern front” against Israel.

The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.  Just yesterday, I directed my Secretary of Defense to further enhance the defense posture of U.S. military forces in the Middle East region to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader regional war.

Ultimately, our aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means.  In Gaza, we have been pursuing a deal backed by the UN Security Council for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.  In Lebanon, we have been negotiating a deal that would return people safely to their homes in Israel and southern Lebanon.  It is time for these deals to close, for the threats to Israel to be removed, and for the broader Middle East region to gain greater stability.

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on the Death of Hassan Nasrallah appeared first on The White House.

Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror.  His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.

The strike that killed Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023.  Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a “northern front” against Israel.

The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.  Just yesterday, I directed my Secretary of Defense to further enhance the defense posture of U.S. military forces in the Middle East region to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader regional war.

Ultimately, our aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means.  In Gaza, we have been pursuing a deal backed by the UN Security Council for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.  In Lebanon, we have been negotiating a deal that would return people safely to their homes in Israel and southern Lebanon.  It is time for these deals to close, for the threats to Israel to be removed, and for the broader Middle East region to gain greater stability.

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on the Death of Hassan Nasrallah appeared first on The White House.

Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 26, 2024, and continuing.

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

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Cocke, Hawkins, and Washington.

Mr. Darryl L. Dragoo of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Tennessee Emergency Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 26, 2024, and continuing.

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

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding for the counties of Cocke, Hawkins, and Washington.

Mr. Darryl L. Dragoo of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

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

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Tennessee Emergency Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Cochise College Douglas Campus
Douglas, Arizona

5:08 P.M. MST

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  Hi, everyone.  Hi.  Good afternoon.  (Applause.) 

Can we please applaud Theresa and her extraordinary courage?  Please, can we applaud her extraordinary courage?  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

Please have a seat, everyone.  Thank you.  It’s good to be back in Arizona.  (Applause.)  It is good to be back in Arizona. 

Thank you all.  Thank you so very much.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you. 
    
     AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you.  I appreciate — thank you so very much.

I — I just want to, for a moment, speak about Theresa.  We — we had some time together backstage.  And, you know, I think that in moments of crisis, such as the fentanyl crisis, there are people who, through their suffering and their pain, rise with courage in such a selfless way to be a voice for others with the anticipation and the hope and the hard work of hoping that their story will be the reason other people don’t have that story. 

And you sharing your story about Jacob and your advocacy on why we have to stop this scourge is so incredibly important.  And, again, I applaud Theresa, and I know we all do.  (Applause.)  And our need to stop this issue is one of the reasons that we are all here together today. 

I also want to thank the extraordinary elected officials who are here.

Senator Mark Kelly, who came with me.  (Applause.)   He had — and his extraordinary wife, Gabby Giffords, traveled with me from Washington, D.C. to be here.  And Senator Kelly has been talking with me for quite some time about the importance of this visit.  And so, I thank you in front of all of our friends for your work.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

Attorney General Kris Mayes, who just tore up the floor up.  (Applause.)  She is, you know, one of — well, I’m going to talk a bit about it in a minute, but some of the work that — that I have done in my career as attorney general and watching her do the work that she has done as attorney general really does emphasize the importance of having the right leader at the right time in the right place, and that’s who she is.  (Applause.)

Mayor Huish, I thank you for the warm welcome.  We’ve spent some time together.  You’ve shared with me the needs of your community.  (Applause.)  And I thank you for your leadership as well.

And to all the elected and community leaders here today, thank you for taking the time out of your busy lives to be here this afternoon. 

Before I begin, I do want to say a few words about Hurricane Helene.  I spoke this morning with our FEMA Administrator Criswell, and President Biden and I, of course, will continue to monitor the situation closely. 

We have mobilized more than 1,500 federal personnel to support those communities that have been impacted.  We have food, water, and generators that are ready for deployment, and — (applause) — we are working to restore power for — for millions of people who currently are experiencing outages. 

And I just want to stress — and for the — the press that is here, to those who are watching — the storm continues to be dangerous and deadly, and lives have been lost, and the risk of flooding still remains high.  So, I continue to urge everyone to please continue to follow guidance from your local officials until we get past this moment.  So, thank you all.

And — and now I’ll speak about, in particular, the people who are here today and why we are gathered here together today. 

So, Arizona, I think you all know, and this is why you are here, there are consequential issues at stake in this election, and one is the security of our border. 

The United States is a sovereign nation, and I believe we have a duty to set rules at our border and to enforce them, and I take that responsibility very seriously. 

We are also a nation of immigrants.  The United States has been enriched by generations of people who have come from every corner of the world to contribute to our country and to become part of the American story, and so we must reform our immigration system to ensure that it works in an orderly way, that it is humane, and that it makes our country stronger.  (Applause.)

So, I’ve just come from visiting the border and the port of entry in Douglas.  I spoke with dedicated agents from Border Patrol and Customs officers who every day see the overflow of commercial traffic through the port.  These men and women who work there and at other places along our southern border help keep our nation secure, and they need more resources to do their jobs, which is why we have and are in the process of investing half a billion dollars to modernize and expand the port of entry here in Douglas — (applause) — and why last December I helped raise the rate of overtime pay for border agents — (applause) — and also why I strongly supported the comprehensive border security bill written last year — written last year, as you know, by a bipartisan group of senators, including one of the most conservative members of the United States Congress. 

That bill would have hired 1,500 more border agents and officers.  It would have paid for 100 inspection machines to detect fentanyl that is killing tens of thousands of Americans every year.  It would have allowed us to more quickly and effectively remove those who come here illegally.  And it would have increased the number of immigration judges and asylum officers. 

 It was the strongest border security bill we have seen in decades.  It was endorsed by the Border Patrol union, and it should be in effect today, producing results in real time right now for our country.  (Applause.)

But Donald Trump tanked it.  He picked up the phone and called some friends in Congress and said, “Stop the bill.”  Because, you see, he prefers to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.  (Applause.)  And the American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games and their personal political future.  (Applause.)

And so, even though Donald Trump tried to sabotage the border security bill, it is my pledge to you that as president of the United States, I will bring it back up and proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)

And let me say, the issue of border security is not a new issue to me.  I was attorney general of a border state for two terms.  I saw the violence and chaos that transnational criminal organizations cause and the heartbreak and loss from the spread of their illicit drugs. 

I walked through tunnels that traffickers used to smuggle contraband into the United States.  I’ve seen tunnels with walls as smooth as the walls of your living room, complete with lighting and air conditioning, making very clear that it is about an enterprise that is making a whole lot of money in the trafficking of guns, drugs, and human beings. 

And my knowledge on how they work comes from the fact that I have prosecuted transnational criminal organizations who traffic in guns, drugs and human beings. 

My team and I broke up a heroin trafficking ring in the Bay Area with ties to Mexican cartels.  We took down a gang working with the Sinaloa Cartel to traffic methamphetamine into the United States.  We seized millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine from the Guadalajara cortel — Cartel and broke up a drun- — a drug trafficking operation, including pill mills and so-called recovery centers that were pushing opioids with deadly results. 

As attorney general of California, it was 10 years ago that I brought a bipartisan group of American attorneys general and led that group to travel to Mexico City to meet with Mexican attorneys general to address this issue and, in particular, to increase intelligence sharing on gang activity.  All of which allowed us to prosecute more human traffickers. 

And I started, as attorney general, the first comprehensive report in the state of California analyzing transnational criminal organizations and the threats they pose to public safety and to the economy. 

So, stopping transnational criminal organizations and strengthening our border is not new to me, and it is a long-standing priority of mine.  I have done that work, and I will continue to treat it as a priority when I am elected president of the United States.  (Applause.)

And it is my pledge to you, understanding how solutions get formed, that I will reach across the aisle and I will embrace commonsense approaches and new technologies to get the job done, because I know transnational gangs coming across the border, trafficking in guns, drugs, and human beings, could care less who somebody voted for in the last election.  (Applause.)  They could care less. 

They’ve got one goal in mind, and it is therefore critically important that anybody who calls themselves a leader would work with other leaders for commonsense solutions, understanding the pain and the suffering that Americans are experiencing if we don’t work together to fix these problems. 

And look, I — transnational gangs, one of the things I know about them, they are always innovating.  So, to disrupt them, we must do the same, and that means, again, working together in real time, grounded on finding commonsense approaches, not just about some rhetoric at a rally but actually doing the work of fixing a problem.  (Applause.)

And as president, I won’t only bring back the border security bill that Donald Trump tanked; I will do more to secure our border. 

To reduce illegal border crossings, I will take further action to keep the border closed between ports of entry.  Those who cross our borders unlawfully will be apprehended and removed and barred from reentering for five years.  We will pursue more severe criminal charges against repeat violators.  And if someone does not make an asylum request at a legal point of entry and instead crosses our border unlawfully, they will be barred from receiving asylum.

While we understand that many people are desperate to migrate to the United States, our system must be orderly and secure, and that is my goal.  (Applause.)  And that is my goal. 

Securing our border also means addressing the flow of fentanyl into our communities.  Fentanyl is a scourge on our country.  The nature of it as a drug is such that it is highly addictive and it is highly lethal, so much so that using it one time only can be fatal.  I have met far too many families, parents, loved ones who have lost a family member, a child to fentanyl, and their grief is heartbreaking.

And the devastation caused by fentanyl is being felt from rural communities to big cities.  It’s impacting communities across our country, regardless of where they are geographically, politically, or any other demographic you cl- — you choose to talk about.  It’s a scourge in our country, and we have to take it seriously.  And as president, I will make it a top priority to disrupt the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States.  (Applause.)

And I know everyone here understands that most of the fentanyl in America comes from two cartels based in Mexico.  Most often, they are smuggling it through vehicles at legal ports of entry, like the one I visited today. 

The fact is, border officers don’t have enough resources and are only able to search a fraction of the vehicles that pass through their checkpoints.  This is unacceptable.  They need the resources to do their jobs.  And as we could have done with that border security bill, I will surge support to law enforcement agencies on the front lines — more personnel, more training, and more technology, including 100 new inspection systems that can detect fentanyl hidden in vehicles.  And we will make sure that our ports of entry, including airports and seaports, have additional state-of-the-art technology to detect fentanyl and the chemical tools used to make it. 

I will also double the resources for the Department of Justice to extradite and prosecute transnational criminal organizations and the cartels.  (Applause.)  Yes. 

I will ensure that we target the entire global fentanyl supply chain, because we must materially and sustainably disrupt the flow of illicit fentanyl coming into our country. 

My approach takes into account also that the precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl are by and large made in China and then shipped to Mexican cartels and trafficked right here into the United States. 

Our administration demanded that China crack down on the companies that make those chemicals, and it has started to happen, but they need to do more.  And as president, I will hold them to their commitment to significantly reduce the flow of precursor chemicals coming from China.  (Applause.)  Yeah.

And all of this to say, we must tackle this issue from every angle, because our highest charge must be to protect the lives of our people.  It must be to understand the pain and to have the courage to know that the solutions are at hand if we focus on fixing a problem instead of running on a problem.  (Applause.)

And on this issue, writ large, we must ensure that our country remains strong and competitive, which includes fixing our broken immigration system.  (Applause.) 

And let me be clear, I reject the false choice — I reject the false choice that suggests we must either choose between securing our border or creating a system of immigration that is safe, orderly, and humane.  We can and we must do both.  (Applause.)  We must do both.

And we need clear, legal pathways for people seeking to come into our country — (applause) — and we must make our current system work better. 

For example, it can take years for asylum claims to be decided.  Well, this is a problem we can solve, including by hiring more asylum officers and expanding processing centers in people’s home countries.  (Applause.)  And as president, I will work with Congress to create, at long last, a pathway to citizenship for hardworking immigrants who have been here for years — (applause) — for years and deserve to have a system that works. 

I also have in mind our DREAMers.  I have met — (applause) — I have met with so many of our DREAMers throughout my career.  They who have grown up in the United States, were educated here, pay taxes here, serve in our military, and contribute to our communities every day.  They are American in every way, but still, they do not have an earned pathway to citizenship.  And this problem has gone unsolved, at this point now, for decades.

The same goes for farm workers who ensure that we have food on our tables — (applause) — and who sustain our agricultural industry, and they, too, have been in legal limbo for years because politicians have refused to come together to fix our broken immigration system. 

Well, as president, I will put politics aside to fix our immigration system and find solutions — solutions to problems which have persisted for far too long.  (Applause.)  For far too long, we have all known this is not working as it can and as it should.

And so, as I said at the beginning, these issues are highly consequential for our nation, and the contrast in this election is clear.  It is a choice between commonsense solutions and the same old political games.

In the four years that Donald Trump was president, he did nothing to fix our broken immigration system.  He did not solve the shortage of immigration judges.  He did not solve the shortage of border agents.  He did not create lawful pathways into our nation.  He did nothing to address an outdated asylum system and did not work with other governments in our hemisphere to deal with what clearly is also a regional challenge.  (Applause.)

As overdoses went up during his presidency, he fought to slash funding for the fight against fentanyl.  And what did he do instead?  Well, let’s talk about that.  He separated families.  He ripped toddlers out of their mother’s arms, put children in cages, and tried to end protections for DREAMers. 

He made the challenges at the border worse.  And he is still — and he is still fanning the flames of fear and division. 

And let me be clear, that is not the work of a leader.  That is not the work of a leader, and that is, in fact, I think we all believe, an abdication of leadership.  (Applause.)

And so, on behalf of all across our nation who want to see these problems solved, I say we cannot accept Donald Trump’s failure to lead.  We should not permit scapegoating instead of solutions.

And let’s see what’s happening.  Let’s not permit scapegoating instead of solutions or rhetoric instead of results. 

As your president, I will protect our nation’s sovereignty, secure our border, and work to fix our broken — broken system of immigration, and I will partner with Democrats, Republicans and independents to do it.  (Applause.) 

Arizona, it is time for us to turn the page on the ugly battles that have characterized our politics, and it is time to move forward together to achieve real solutions that make our country stronger. 

And I know we can get this done.  I know we have the will.  I know we have the courage.  I know the solutions are at hand, and I know we are ready.  (Applause.) 

And so, with all of that, I say, thank you. 

May God bless you.  And may God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)  Thank you all. 

                        END                5:33 P.M. MST

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