What Did Joe Biden Do Today?
June 18th, 2024 Recap
Today, President Biden announced new actions to help noncitizen spouses and children of U.S. citizens apply for lawful permanent residence without leaving the country. This initiative aims to promote family unity and strengthen the economy by allowing eligible noncitizens who have resided in the U.S. for at least 10 years and are married to U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residency and work authorization. This will protect around half a million spouses and 50,000 noncitizen children.
Additionally, the administration is easing the visa process for U.S. college graduates, including DACA recipients, allowing them to quickly receive work visas if they have a job offer in their field of study. This move aims to benefit the country by utilizing the skills and education of individuals educated in the U.S.
President Biden prioritizes keeping families together and providing lawful pathways for immigrants. He supports the DACA policy and has extended Affordable Care Act coverage to DACA recipients. His administration has streamlined and expanded reunification programs for families.
In a statement, Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized immigrants' critical role in strengthening America and highlighted the administration's efforts to protect them. She announced new measures to support approximately half a million spouses of American citizens and their children, allowing them to stay with their families and apply for green cards. The Vice President reiterated the need for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, and urged Congress to take action.
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced new rules under the Inflation Reduction Act to create high-quality clean energy jobs. This effort builds on previous actions to develop a skilled, well-paid workforce to advance the clean energy economy and combat climate change. The administration's climate and clean energy initiatives have spurred significant private sector investment, resulting in over 270,000 new clean energy jobs. The Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for strong labor protections and incentives, potentially creating 1.5 million additional jobs over the next decade.
The Treasury and IRS released final rules to increase clean energy tax credits for projects that pay prevailing wages and hire registered apprentices. Project Labor Agreements are highlighted as best practices to ensure fair wages and reliable labor supply for large construction projects. Numerous initiatives, including the Department of Labor's interactive map and Investing in America Workforce Hubs, aim to connect workers to clean energy job opportunities. Various federal departments and local partners are involved in training and workforce development programs to meet the needs of the clean energy sector.
The Department of Energy is working on a national Energy Workforce Needs Assessment to address workforce gaps and develop strategies for filling them. These efforts underscore the administration's commitment to building a robust clean energy economy while ensuring that the workforce benefits from high-quality, well-paid jobs.
President Biden declared a major disaster in the State of Florida, enabling federal aid to support state, tribal, and local recovery efforts following severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes on May 10, 2024. This declaration includes Federal assistance for individuals in Leon County, providing grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans for uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover. Additionally, Federal funding will assist state, tribal, and eligible local governments, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations, with debris removal, emergency work, and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities in the counties of Baker, Gadsden, Hamilton, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla. Statewide, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures. John E. Brogan from FEMA has been appointed to coordinate the Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Further designations may be made if additional damage assessments warrant it.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan highlighted the global threat to energy systems from cyberattacks. At the G7 Leaders’ Summit, President Biden and other leaders committed to enhancing cybersecurity for key energy technologies, including electricity, oil, and natural gas systems. The G7 aims to create a collective cybersecurity framework for operational technologies. This initiative supports the ongoing work of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), alongside contributions from Idaho National Laboratory. Notable energy sector suppliers, such as GE Vernova, Schneider Electric, Hitachi Energy, and others, have endorsed new Supply Chain Cybersecurity Principles released by the DOE.
President Biden proclaimed June 19, 2024, as Juneteenth Day of Observance, marking the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were freed, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. He emphasizes Juneteenth as a symbol of ending slavery and advancing equality in America.
The President highlighted signing Juneteenth into law as a federal holiday, acknowledging Black leaders like Opal Lee and Al Edwards. He outlined his administration's efforts to promote freedom, justice, and opportunity, including significant investments in Black communities, education, and economic initiatives.
The proclamation addresses ongoing efforts to confront America's history of racism, including making lynching a federal hate crime and preserving the memory of Emmett Till. Biden celebrated the achievements of Black Americans and his administration's diversity, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
President Biden calls for national reflection on the legacy of slavery and a commitment to eradicating systemic racism and inequity, urging Americans to choose unity, progress, and love over hate and division.
Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall announced new actions to combat global illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking. The Department of Justice unsealed indictments against 24 individuals involved in a money-laundering scheme for the Sinaloa cartel. The People's Republic of China (PRC) and Mexico have also acted against some charged individuals. The PRC's actions are part of an agreement between President Biden and President Xi to resume bilateral cooperation on combating drug trafficking, highlighted by creating a U.S.-PRC Counternarcotics Working Group. Mexico's actions reflect the strong partnership between President Biden and President Lopez Obrador in countering drug trafficking organizations, particularly those dealing with illicit fentanyl. Twenty individuals have already been arrested in connection with the case. This effort underscores the Biden Administration's commitment to tackling the trafficking of deadly synthetic drugs through international cooperation.
President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden hosted an event at The White House, marking the 12th Anniversary of DACA.
The event began with the introduction of President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, accompanied by Javier Kos Castro. Dr. Biden highlighted the dreams and contributions of immigrants, emphasizing their hard work and the promise of a better life. She stressed the importance of unity and the diverse fabric of American society.
Javier Kos Castro shared his journey as a Dreamer, expressing gratitude for the DACA program and its impact on his life as a registered nurse. President Biden acknowledged the crucial role of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed actions taken to secure the U.S. border and address immigration issues with fairness and compassion.
Biden announced measures to speed up work visas for Dreamers and streamline the legal status process for immigrants married to U.S. citizens, keeping families together. He emphasized broad public support for these reforms and rejected divisive rhetoric.
In closing, Biden called for unity and reminded the audience of America's history as a nation of immigrants. His message centered on inclusivity, compassion, and recognizing the vital contributions of immigrants to American society and the economy.
Today, White House officials, including Jennifer Klein, Neera Tanden, and Natalie Quillian, met with stakeholders to discuss expanding the construction workforce by increasing the participation of women and underrepresented groups as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. Women comprise less than 11% of the construction workforce and less than 5% in skilled trades.
The roundtable featured discussions on successful strategies for recruiting, training, and retaining women in construction. New initiatives were announced, including GlobalFoundries and Polar Semiconductor joining the CHIPS Women in Construction Framework alongside Intel and Micron. Bechtel and Turner Construction signed the Million Women in Construction Community Pledge, committing to broaden opportunities for women in the industry.
Additionally, the EEOC released a resource on preventing harassment in construction, and the Departments of Commerce, Energy, and Transportation will publish new best practices. These efforts build on existing initiatives to reduce barriers for women in construction, such as providing affordable child care and promoting gender equity strategies. Participants included representatives from semiconductor companies, construction firms, labor unions, and advocacy groups.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre conducted a press briefing covering several key topics. President Biden and the First Lady will commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which has benefited over 800,000 Dreamers. The President will announce new actions to help U.S. citizens with non-citizen spouses keep their families together and facilitate the employment visa process for DACA recipients and other Dreamers. These measures aim to stabilize American families while urging Congress for comprehensive immigration reform.
Addressing the extreme heatwave, Jean-Pierre emphasized the importance of precautions and using cooling centers. She highlighted the administration's efforts to lower Americans' costs, focusing on health care, housing, gas prices, and groceries. Clarifying U.S.-Israel relations, she noted that only one shipment of munitions has been paused, contrary to recent comments from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Jean-Pierre reiterated the need for comprehensive immigration reform and expressed concern over Russia-North Korea cooperation, stressing peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula. She assured that President Biden would continue his duties while at Camp David, and the press team would be available for briefings.
The administration is committed to supporting economic mobility for all Americans, including black-owned businesses, despite ongoing litigation against diversity initiatives. Jean-Pierre also highlighted efforts to address climate change and support wildfire-affected areas through the Inflation Reduction Act, aiming to build resilience against climate impacts. The briefing covered these topics and addressed media questions.
President Biden announces new actions to help noncitizen spouses and children of U.S. citizens
Perusing the schedule that our President Biden keeps: so proud of him and his crew. I’m so proud of President Biden on the world stage.