What Did Joe Biden Do Today?
April 16, 2024 Recap
President Biden announced the release of a new Global Health Security Strategy designed to guide U.S. efforts in managing biological threats for the next five years. Emphasizing the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on every aspect of American life, Biden stated that the strategy aims to prevent, detect, and respond to future biological threats globally. The strategy involves coordinated actions across U.S. government sectors, enhancing international cooperation, and engaging the private sector and civil society. This comprehensive approach is intended to fortify domestic and international health security, making the U.S. stronger and better prepared against infectious diseases.
The White House unveiled the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy (GHSS), aimed at safeguarding the health, lives, and economic stability of Americans and people worldwide. This new strategy emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which inflicted severe impacts on individuals, communities, and nations globally—leading to millions of deaths, significant societal disruptions, and immense economic losses. The GHSS builds upon previous initiatives since 2019 and incorporates critical lessons learned from the pandemic. It aligns with the objectives of the 2022 National Biodefense Strategy and the bipartisan Global Health Security and International Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Act of 2022. The strategy outlines three main goals: enhancing global health security capabilities through expanded bilateral partnerships from 19 to 50 countries to improve prevention, detection, and response to health threats; catalyzing political commitment, financing, and leadership to support robust health security frameworks globally; and fostering stronger connections between health security programs and other complementary health and development programs to ensure sustainability and maximize outcomes. This approach strongly emphasizes collaborative international efforts and strategic investments to build a more resilient global infrastructure against future health emergencies.
In celebration of the Month of the Military Child, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden introduced a new addition to The Military Children’s Corner at the White House, "A View from My Window." This exhibit, part of her Joining Forces initiative, showcases artwork from ten military children who have portrayed their experiences growing up in military families. These pieces reflect the resilience and unique perspectives of children whose parents serve as active-duty members, reservists, or veterans.
The Military Children’s Corner, located prominently in the East Colonnade of the White House, is designed to mimic the welcoming environment of elementary school bulletin boards. It's one of the first displays seen by visitors entering the East Wing. This initiative not only honors the sacrifices of military children but also uses art as an educational tool to help the public understand the lives of the approximately four million military-connected children in the U.S.
The display features the work of ten children from diverse military backgrounds, including bases in the U.S. and abroad. Additionally, Dr. Biden, who has over three decades of experience as a military mom and educator, continues to leverage art to raise awareness about the challenges faced by military families. Her past installations have also focused on the journeys and stories of military children, further emphasizing the ongoing support from the Joining Forces initiative toward military child education, economic opportunities, and health and well-being for military families.
John Podesta spoke at the Columbia Global Energy Summit, emphasizing the urgent realities of climate change highlighted by record-breaking global temperatures and its devastating impacts, such as extreme heat waves. He outlined the significant strides made by the Biden administration in tackling climate issues, notably through legislative actions like the Inflation Reduction Act, which has spurred substantial private sector investment in clean energy and created numerous jobs.
Podesta announced the formation of a White House Climate and Trade Task Force aimed at integrating climate considerations into trade policies to prevent carbon leakage and promote equitable manufacturing practices. He called for international cooperation to revise global trade systems and support developing countries in their transition to clean energy, emphasizing the necessity of ambitious, realistic global climate finance goals. Podesta urged a shift from policies that favor dirty production to those that reward clean and transparent practices, underscoring the potential for a sustainable, competitive global market that effectively supports the clean energy economy and addresses climate challenges.
During a press gaggle en route to Avoca, PA, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby discussed several key topics. Jean-Pierre announced President Biden's three-day tour in Pennsylvania, focusing on economic achievements and campaign events. She highlighted that Biden's policies had reduced the state's unemployment rate and increased new business applications, attributing these successes to the administration's significant investments in infrastructure and healthcare reforms under the Inflation Reduction Act.
On security matters, Kirby fielded questions about the U.S. position on potential Israeli actions against Iran and emphasized that such decisions were for Israel to make. He reiterated the U.S. commitment to supporting both Israel and Ukraine, opposing standalone bills that would provide aid to only one country at the expense of broader security needs. Kirby also mentioned ongoing discussions about security assistance proposals that need to be passed urgently to address the immediate needs of U.S. allies.
The briefing also touched on domestic policy, particularly President Biden's tax strategy, which aims to benefit middle-class families while increasing taxes on the wealthy and large corporations to pay for these benefits. The press secretary and the national security advisor both underscored the administration's focus on building an economy from the bottom up and ensuring the passage of critical legislative measures to support American and global stability.
The White House issued a press release announcing the continuation of a national emergency in the United States due to actions by the Russian government. Initiated on April 21, 2022, via Proclamation 10371, this emergency allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to regulate the anchorage and movement of vessels affiliated with Russia in U.S. ports in response to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. The continuation of these measures, cited as necessary due to ongoing international tensions, extends for one more year. President Biden has directed that this notice be published in the Federal Register and communicated to Congress.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has announced the U.S. response to an unprecedented air attack by Iran against Israel. President Biden is working with international allies and the U.S. Congress to implement new sanctions against Iran, focusing on its missile and drone programs and entities that support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's Defense Ministry. These actions are part of ongoing efforts to diminish Iran’s military capabilities and address its destabilizing activities. The U.S. plans to continue imposing sanctions related to terrorism, human rights abuses, and support for proxy groups. Additionally, efforts are underway to enhance regional air and missile defense systems in the Middle East to counteract Iran's military threats further.