What Did Joe Biden Do Today?
June 10, 2024 Recap
President Biden announced a significant decrease in violent crime in the first quarter of 2024, based on FBI data from over 11,000 law enforcement agencies. Murders dropped by 26%, robberies by nearly 18%, and overall violent crime by 15%. These reductions build on declines from 2023, which saw one of the lowest violent crime rates in 50 years. Biden credited his Administration's efforts, including increasing police presence, holding criminals accountable, and removing illegal guns. He highlighted the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act as key measures. Biden pledged to continue funding public safety, aiming to add 100,000 more police officers and enhance crime prevention programs.
The Biden-Harris Administration is enhancing protections for Americans' access to healthcare by strengthening cybersecurity. Recent cyberattacks have exposed the vulnerabilities in the healthcare system, with a 128% increase in such attacks from 2022 to 2023. Significant attacks in early 2024 disrupted healthcare claims and payments, underscoring the need for robust cybersecurity.
To address these threats, the Administration has launched several initiatives:
Healthcare Cybersecurity Gateway: In January 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services introduced a cybersecurity gateway website and published voluntary cybersecurity performance goals for healthcare institutions.
Industry Collaboration: In May 2024, the White House gathered key healthcare sector executives to discuss cybersecurity challenges and promote government and private sector collaboration.
UPGRADE Program: ARPA-H launched the UPGRADE program, investing over $50 million in tools to help IT teams defend hospital environments.
Rural hospitals, which serve over 60 million Americans, face unique challenges in cybersecurity. The Administration secured commitments from technology providers to support these hospitals:
Microsoft: Grants, discounts on security products, free cybersecurity assessments, and training for rural hospitals. Additionally, free security updates for Windows 10.
Google: Free endpoint security advice, funding for software migration, and a pilot program to develop tailored security solutions for rural hospitals.
These efforts aim to enhance the healthcare sector's resilience to cyberattacks and ensure continued access to essential healthcare services.
The Biden-Harris Administration has launched a series of initiatives to protect and celebrate African American history ahead of Juneteenth National Independence Day. Key actions include a live-streamed event with officials, artists, and scholars to honor African American history and the second annual Juneteenth celebration with a White House South Lawn concert highlighting Black Music Month.
Juneteenth, the Voting Rights Act anniversary, and National Voter Registration Day have been declared National Days of Action on Voting to boost voter participation and fight suppression. The administration also preserves African American history through displays at the National Archives Museum, fee waivers at National Parks, and new NEH programs celebrating Juneteenth.
Educational initiatives include appointing a coordinator to address book bans affecting African American history and hosting events on the importance of inclusive education. Investments are being made in local institutions, funding museums and libraries, and supporting HBCUs to map cultural assets. Preservation efforts include infrastructure projects for African American historical sites and grants to diversify the National Register of Historic Places.
These initiatives demonstrate the administration's commitment to recognizing and preserving African American history and contributions, promoting racial equity, and ensuring this history remains an integral part of the American narrative.
Last week, to mark Gun Violence Awareness Month, the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), led by Vice President Kamala Harris, convened healthcare leaders to address gun violence as a public health crisis. The focus was hospital-based violence programs, firearm-risk screening, secure gun storage counseling, data, research, and regional collaboration. Senior Administration Officials discussed the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts in these areas.
Summit of Health System and Hospital Executives: On June 6, OGVP hosted nearly 80 healthcare executives from major health systems and hospitals to discuss public health solutions to gun violence. This marked the first White House meeting of its kind. Participants discussed implementing and expanding hospital-based violence intervention programs, safe gun storage counseling, and collecting gun violence data.
White Coats at the White House: On June 7, Wear Orange Day, OGVP brought together 80 medical professionals to discuss the trauma and long-term impacts of gun violence. The event included gun violence survivors and organizations such as Doctors for America, Brady United, and the American College of Emergency Physicians. Discussions centered on how doctors can educate the public on gun safety and collaborate to prevent firearm-related injuries.
Biden Administration's Efforts: The Biden administration is adopting a whole-of-government approach to combat gun violence. This includes new executive actions to promote safe firearm storage, the American Rescue Plan's investment of over $15 billion in public safety and violence prevention, and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which provided an additional $15 billion for mental health, school safety, and violence intervention programs.
President Biden has approved a disaster declaration for Mississippi due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred from April 8 to April 11, 2024. This declaration allows Federal assistance to support state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the affected counties of Hancock, Hinds, Humphreys, Madison, Neshoba, and Scott. The aid includes temporary housing and home repair grants, low-cost loans for uninsured property losses, and other recovery programs for individuals and businesses. Additionally, Federal funding will support statewide hazard mitigation measures. Jeremy C. Slinker from FEMA has been appointed to coordinate the recovery operations. Further designations may be made based on additional damage assessments.
President Biden and Vice President Harris celebrated Juneteenth early with a White House concert featuring performers such as Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, and Doug E. Fresh. Juneteenth, marking the 1865 liberation of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, became a federal holiday in 2021. President Biden emphasized the ongoing struggle for Black rights, declaring, "Black history is American history."
Comedian Roy Wood Jr. hosted the event, highlighting Biden and Harris's contributions to the Black community. Vice President Harris called for action on voting rights, and the evening included a symbolic moment where guests illuminated their phones to honor African Americans who suffered under slavery. The event featured various artists and underscored the significance of Black voters in the upcoming presidential election.
Source: Reuters
President Biden gives remarks at the Juneteenth Concert at The White House
He’s working for all of us not just the1%