What Did Joe Biden Do Today?
February 14 Recap
The Biden-Harris Administration released its annual Agency Equity Action Plans to address systemic barriers and advance racial equity and support for underserved communities throughout the federal government. This initiative, reinforced by historic Executive Orders and key legislation like the Investing in America Agenda, outlines over 100 community-informed strategies to dismantle entrenched disparities affecting various communities, including rural areas, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQI+ individuals, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and women and girls.
Key areas of focus include:
Economic Opportunity: Addressing labor market disparities with significant economic impacts, with initiatives to improve the financial health of underserved businesses and communities through investments in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), and ending gender-based workforce discrimination.
Housing and Community Investment: Tackling discrimination in home appraisals and expanding access to safe, affordable transportation, aiming to correct the historic injustices of urban renewal projects and the federal highway system that disproportionately affected low-income communities and communities of color.
Health Equity: Making childbirth and the postpartum period safer, especially for Black, Native, and rural women, and combating child food insecurity through new nutrition options and the Summer EBT program.
Environmental and Climate Justice: Addressing environmental injustices and delivering on the Justice40 Initiative to ensure that federal investments in climate, clean air, clean water, and other areas benefit disadvantaged communities.
Disaster Assistance Reform: Improving FEMA's assistance program to advance equity by simplifying processes and increasing eligibility for disaster survivors.
The administration also highlighted efforts to support disadvantaged farmers, ensure contracting opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses, expand mental health services for students, provide care for women veterans, expand language access, foster community development in rural and Tribal communities, and use rental payment history to advance homeownership.
This comprehensive approach signifies the administration's commitment to address the immediate inequities and create long-lasting changes that support the full and fair participation of all communities in American life, driving stronger economic growth and fostering a more inclusive society.
The Biden-Harris Administration is set to launch its fourth Investing in America tour on February 15 to showcase the economic growth and community improvements achieved through President Biden's Investing in America agenda, often referred to as Bidenomics. This agenda prioritizes middle and lower-income growth over top-down economics and has already resulted in the announcement of over 50,000 infrastructure and clean energy projects nationwide, alongside mobilizing more than $640 billion in private sector investments in clean energy and manufacturing.
The tour features a lineup of high-profile participants, including President Biden, Vice President Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Cabinet members, and Senior Administration Officials. They plan to visit various communities to spotlight the administration's success in reducing costs for American families, expanding clean energy, rebuilding infrastructure, and creating jobs.
A major focus of the tour is to critique Congressional Republicans who opposed the President’s agenda but now tout its benefits in their districts, highlighting the administration's efforts against the backdrop of Republican proposals that the Administration argues would benefit the wealthy at the expense of social security and healthcare affordability.
The tour will also announce significant investments, such as nearly $1 billion for modernizing airport terminals, showcasing the tangible impacts of legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and Science Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and American Rescue Plan. These efforts are aimed at not just economic growth but also ensuring environmental justice, clean water access, digital equity, and addressing healthcare disparities, with a special emphasis on supporting communities historically left behind.
Officials will engage in various activities nationwide to highlight the administration's commitments, from showcasing clean water initiatives in Pennsylvania to discussing rural America investments and addressing healthcare disparities in multiple states. The tour is a testament to the administration's focus on comprehensive investment in America's future, from infrastructure to healthcare, technology, and environmental sustainability.
During the Valentine's Day press briefing at The White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shared Valentine's Day greetings and highlighted a call from President Biden and the First Lady to Representative-elect Suozzi, congratulating him on his election win. She criticized congressional Republicans for opposing a bipartisan border security deal, accusing them of choosing politics over national security and siding with Donald Trump, fentanyl traffickers, and smugglers. Jean-Pierre emphasized that the administration would continue to expose Republican obstructionism on border security.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed the Senate's passage of a national security supplemental agreement, emphasizing its importance for supporting Ukraine, Israel, and humanitarian efforts globally. He addressed concerns over a "serious national security threat" mentioned by Congressman Mike Turner, stating a briefing with the Gang of Eight was scheduled. Sullivan stressed the urgency of passing the national security supplemental to support Ukraine and other national security interests, criticizing House Republicans for stalling the process.
The briefing also touched on various topics, including FISA amendments, TikTok's national security concerns, the 301 tariffs review on China, Secretary Austin's health, the Middle East situation, foreign aid, and investigations into China's lab safety and President Biden's family foreign business dealings.
Throughout the briefing, both Jean-Pierre and Sullivan criticized Republican lawmakers for their stance on national security issues, urging them to prioritize the country's security over political interests.
President Biden issued a memorandum outlining the U.S. government's decision to grant Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for 18 months to certain Palestinians present in the United States following the terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military response. This measure is taken in response to the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territories, especially Gaza. It aims to protect civilians in danger by deferring their removal from the U.S., with specified conditions and exceptions, including:
Palestinians who voluntarily return to the territories after the memorandum's date.
Those who have not continuously resided in the U.S. since the memorandum's date.
Individuals inadmissible or deportable under specified sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act due to security or criminal grounds.
Those convicted of a felony or two or more misdemeanors in the U.S., or who meet certain criteria set forth in the Act.
Individuals subject to extradition.
Those whose presence in the U.S. is determined not to be in the country's interest or presents a danger to public safety.
Individuals whose presence the Secretary of State believes would have adverse foreign policy consequences for the U.S.
The memorandum also directs measures to authorize employment for noncitizens whose removal has been deferred and considers suspending regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant Palestinian students. The directive is authorized under the constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and aims to align with the foreign policy interests of the United States.
On February 13, 2024, the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) met to coordinate the U.S. government's efforts against human trafficking. Chaired by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the meeting included high-level officials from 20 federal agencies. The PITF aims to implement the National Action Plan's priorities, focusing on prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships to fight all forms of human trafficking.
Key highlights from the meeting include:
Prevention Efforts: Agencies will raise awareness, educate on recognizing and reporting trafficking, and invest in identifying forced and child labor risks in supply chains. Notable initiatives include the Department of Labor's efforts to publish surveys on forced labor and update its list of goods produced by child or forced labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishing the National Human Trafficking Prevention Framework and launching initiatives to prevent trafficking among women and girls.
Protection Initiatives: Agencies commit to offering survivor-centered and trauma-informed services. DHS will improve victim identification and support, while other departments will contribute to protecting and assisting victims through various programs, including the launch of the Partnership to Prevent Human Trafficking and continued support through the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Prosecution Strategies: The focus will be on employing non-criminal and criminal enforcement tools to hold traffickers accountable. This includes targeted sanctions by the Department of Treasury, enhanced law enforcement protocols in Indian Country by the Department of the Interior, and high-impact trafficking prosecutions by the Department of Justice.
Partnerships for Progress: Efforts will include sharing information, coordinating efforts, integrating survivor input, and enhancing understanding of trafficking. Noteworthy initiatives include the Department of Transportation's award to combat trafficking in the transportation industry and the U.S. Trade Representative's upcoming Forced Labor Trade Strategy.
The meeting underscored the comprehensive and collaborative approach the U.S. government is taking to combat human trafficking, emphasizing the importance of interagency cooperation, awareness, victim protection, legal enforcement, and partnerships with both domestic and international stakeholders.
President Biden released a statement addressing the tragic incident of gun violence that occurred on the day of the Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, turning a moment of joy into tragedy. He expressed how deeply such events cut into the American soul and called for immediate action to address the gun violence epidemic. The President urged for the ban of assault weapons, limitation of high-capacity magazines, strengthening of background checks, and measures to prevent gun ownership by those unfit for it. He highlighted the urgency of action, especially on a day marking the sixth anniversary of the Parkland shooting, mentioning recent shootings in Washington, DC, Atlanta, and the previous year's event at Michigan State University.
President Biden noted the alarming rate of mass shootings in 2024, emphasizing the widespread impact of gun violence on families and communities, often unnoticed by the media. He stressed the need for the country to redefine its identity towards ensuring safety in schools, churches, streets, and public celebrations without the fear of gun violence. Biden concluded by praying for the victims in Kansas City and for the nation to overcome the epidemic of gun violence.