Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Nominations Sent to the Senate

Date: 2024-09-09 16:39:27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:
Ben Cardin, of Maryland, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Lanhee J. Chen, of California, to be a Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors for a term of five years, vice Jeffrey R. Moreland, term expired.

Elizabeth C. Coombe, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York, vice Glenn T. Suddaby, retired.

Sarah Morgan Davenport, of New Mexico, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico, vice William P. Johnson, retiring.

Sharad Harshad Desai, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, vice G. Murray Snow, retiring.

Tanya Leigh Flores, of California, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Adam Gamoran, of New York, to be Director of the Institute of Education Science, Department of Education for a term of six years, vice Mark Schneider, term expired.

Gordon Hartogensis, of Connecticut, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2031, vice Roman Martinez IV, term expiring.

Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Michael Trager, of the District of Columbia, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

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Subject: President Biden Announces Key Nominees

Date: 2024-09-09 14:59:57

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 09, 2024

President Biden Announces Key Nominees
WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as key leaders in his administration:

Ben Cardin, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Dan Sullivan, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Tanya Leigh Flores, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Michael Trager, to be a Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Adam Gamoran, to be Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education

Additionally, President Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as Republican members of boards and commissions that are required, by statute, to include bipartisan membership.

Lanhee J. Chen, to be a Member of the Amtrak Board of Directors

Gordon Hartogensis, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service Board of Governors

Ben Cardin, to be Representative of the United States to the 79 th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Born and raised in Baltimore, Senator Ben Cardin has dedicated his life to public service. He is an outspoken champion for human rights and has been a national leader on foreign policy, tax policy and the environment while representing the people of Maryland in the U.S. Senate, and before that in the House of Representatives. He is a former Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. Currently serving as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Cardin has worked across party lines to further U.S. national security and to ensure that democracy, anti-corruption, transparency, good governance and respect for civil and human rights are integrated into American actions at home and abroad.

Senator Cardin is the lead author of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act, which gives the United States the power to deny travel and banking privileges to individuals worldwide who commit gross violations of human rights against rights defenders and dissidents, and leaders who commit acts of significant corruption. He also is the author of the recently reauthorized Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, which in 2018 codified into law the prevention of atrocities as a national security interest.

Senator Cardin also serves on the Environment and Public Works, Finance and Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committees. He is a strident defender of the Chesapeake Bay and the environment. He has led multiple, bipartisan delegations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, dating back to the Paris Accords. He has taken the lead on reviving the Equal Rights Amendment, believes health care is a right of all Americans, and fights for resources to fix our crumbling water infrastructure.

Dan Sullivan, to be Representative of the United States to the 79 th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Dan Sullivan was sworn in as Alaska's eighth United States Senator on January 6, 2015. Senator Sullivan serves on four Senate committees vital to Alaska: Armed Services, Environment and Public Works Committee, Veterans' Affairs, and Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Senator Sullivan has been able to pass numerous bills and amendments related to rebuilding and modernizing our country's military, expanding responsible resource development, reining in federal overreach, spurring economic development, expanding benefits for veterans, and helping those who are most vulnerable, including survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Prior to his election to the Senate, Sullivan served as Alaska's Attorney General and Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources--where he focused on growing Alaska's economy and pushing back against federal government overreach. Senator Sullivan served in the George W. Bush administration as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and as a Director in the International Economics Directorate of the National Security Council staff at the White House.

He served for 30 years in the United States Marine Corps, retiring on February 1, 2024, as a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. He also serves as Chairman of the International Republican Institute .

Senator Sullivan holds a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University and a joint Law and Master of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. He and his wife, Julie Fate Sullivan, were married in 1994 in Julie's hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska. They have three daughters.

Tanya Leigh Flores, to be Representative of the United States to the 79 th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Tanya Leigh Flores is a communications and operations strategist who has worked with Fortune 50 corporations, federal, state, and local governments, and non-profit organizations. She has previously served in various roles in support of the Biden-Harris Administration, including spousal program operations for the Department of State for the 2022 Summit of Americas in Los Angeles as well as an advisor to the Department of Homeland Security on leadership planning for the 2023 North America Leaders' Summit in Mexico City and the 2023 Munich Security Conference.

Flores was Chief Operating Officer for the 59 th Presidential Inaugural Committee, where she managed a diverse portfolio of divisions, including financial and event operations, security, credentialing, human resources, and COVID-19 safety. During the 2020 election cycle, she served as Director of Scheduling and Advance for the Biden-Harris campaign. In 2021, Flores was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Deputy Director of the California Film Commission where she oversaw operations, outreach, and legislative efforts in support of filming in the State of California. Flores served in a senior role on the LA28 Bid Committee, helping to obtain the award of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are to be hosted by the city of Los Angeles in 2028. She has traveled as head of advance delegations for the Bidens since 2011.

Flores holds MBA degrees from both Columbia Business School and UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a B.A. from the University of Maryland. A native Texan, she lives in Los Angeles with her partner, Michael Dundas.

Michael Trager, to be Representative of the United States to the 79 th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Michael Trager has spent time in both government and the private sector. In 2022, Trager was appointed by President Biden to the U.S. Department of State's Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, where he continues to serve as Vice Chair and on the Executive Committee. The Board supervises the global Fulbright Program, which is led by the U.S. government in partnership with more than 160 countries to promote worldwide mutual understanding and provide for a more secure and peaceful world. The Program is a primary facilitator of international educational exchange, cultural diplomacy, and soft power.

Previously, Trager had been a Washington lawyer for 35 years and a U.S. government attorney prior to entering private practice. He was the founding Co-Chair of the Securities Enforcement and Litigation Practice at the international law firm of Arnold & Porter, and he held that position for approximately two decades as well as other firmwide leadership roles while a senior partner. In private practice, he represented clients in governmental and regulatory investigations and matters, and he was recognized and ranked nationally as a leading lawyer in his field.

At the beginning of his career, Trager served in the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the Washington Headquarters. He earned a B.A. from Wesleyan University and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. While at Wesleyan, he studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He resides in Washington, D.C. and is married to Mariella Trager. They have two adult children.

Adam Gamoran, to be Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education

Adam Gamoran is President of the William T. Grant Foundation, a charitable organization that supports research to improve the lives of young people. Previously, he held the John D. MacArthur Chair in Sociology and Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he spent three decades engaged in research on educational inequality and school reform. He has lectured at universities across the United States and worldwide, and his writing has appeared in books, journals, magazines, blog posts, and other media. In 2021-2022, he led a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that produced a report on The Future of Education Research at IES. For his research contributions, he has been honored by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, the American Educational Research Association, and the Sociology of Education Section of the American Sociological Association. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

and a member and former vice president of the National Academy of Education, and he was twice appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the National Board for Education Sciences.

Lanhee J. Chen, to be a Member of the Amtrak Board of Directors

Lanhee J. Chen is the David and Diane Steffy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution and Director of Domestic Policy Studies and Lecturer in the Public Policy Program at Stanford University. Chen has spent his career in business, government, as well as academia, and was a candidate in 2022 for California State Controller, the state's chief fiscal officer. Chen is a member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Governance Committee at El Camino Health in Northern California, and previously served as Board Chair. He is also a Partner at the Brunswick Group, a global critical issues advisory firm, where he is co-lead of the U.S. Public Affairs, Policy and Regulatory practice. Chen is also an adviser to or serves on the boards of several private companies and nonprofit organizations. Previously, he was an operating partner at NewRoad Capital Partners, a private equity firm.

From 2014 to 2018, Chen was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a member of the Social Security Advisory Board. He also served in the George W. Bush Administration as a senior official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Chen has been a policy adviser to four U.S. presidential campaigns, including as Policy Director to Senator Mitt Romney during his 2012 bid for the presidency.

Chen earned his PhD and A.M. in Political Science from Harvard University; his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School; and his A.B. magna cum laude in Government from Harvard College.

Gordon Hartogensis, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service Board of Governors

Gordon Hartogensis is an entrepreneur, investor, and government official who recently completed a five-year term as the Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation from 2019-2024.

Hartogensis left an early career on Wall Street in 1993 to build a startup software company called Petrolsoft Corporation – a supply chain and logistics company that was later acquired by Aspen Technology. He served in a leadership role at Aspen until June 2002.

Shortly after his departure from Aspen Technology, he founded Auric Technology, a customer relationship management software company. In 2011, Auric was sold to Telnorm. Following his departure from Auric, he was an angel investor and advisor to several technology startups in cybersecurity, immunotherapy, streaming video, fintech, and artificial intelligence.

Hartogensis grew up in Maryland where he attended Montgomery County public schools. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University and an M.S. in Technology Management from Columbia University.

Hartogensis and his wife Grace reside in Connecticut.

# # #

Subject: Remarks by President Biden on the Investing in America Agenda | Ann Ar...

Date: 2024-09-09 13:45:17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BIDEN
ON THE INVESTING IN AMERICA AGENDA

UA Local 190 Training Center

Ann Arbor, Michigan

3:49 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! By the way -- by the way, I want you to know --

AUDIENCE: Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

AUDIENCE: Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT: Well, th- -- thank -- thank you.

AUDIENCE: Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT: I want to thank the Coasties. You know, the Coast Guard, they're deployed more places around the world than any other branch, and you play with a good outfit, pal.

MR. ESCOBEDO: Yes, sir. Thank you so much.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

MR. ESCOBEDO: Thank you. I appreciate it, sir. Thank you so much. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Ann Arbor!

Thanks for that introduction. You know, going from the Coast Guard to the Plumbers and Pipefitters is a good move -- -- because they know how to ba- -- both know how to --

Sit down, if you have seats.

I said that about eight months ago. I said, "Sit down." They didn't have any seats. And they said, "See, he's too damn old."

Look, your general president, Mark McManus, where -- where -- Mark, you're sitting behind me somewhere, isn't he? See, he didn't run, did he?

MR. MCMANUS: Right over here!

THE PRESIDENT: All right. I just wa- -- -- I was teasing.

And Local 190 president, Dan -- you're sitting next to him? Where is Dan?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: There he goes.

THE PRESIDENT: Danny, you're allowed to be up with us, you know, man? I -- you're trying to avoid us. I get it.

Look, Plumbers and Pipefitters have been with me since the beginning. For my whole career, I've either been too young or too old -- never in between. I got elected when I was 29 years old in a right-to-work state called Delaware that we changed. And guess what? Plumbers and Pipefitters are the fourth union to ever endorse me when I was a 29-year-old kid running for the Senate.

Mark flew over from Washington with me on Air Force One, along with the great national labor leaders:

Brent Booker of the Laborers. Brent, tha- -- .

Sean McGarvey, Building Trades.

Gwen Mills, UNITE HERE. There you are. Well, by the way, we talk- -- we were talking about -- Gwen and I, on the plane; she flew out with me -- you know, I've heard the word -- my dad used the word, more than any other adjective, "dignity." All these workers bust their neck. They provide our ability to sleep and walk and work and do anything. And they deserve to be treated with dignity. And that's exactly what she's doing.

And Kenny Cooper, IBEW. Oh, I tell you what, man, Kenny was the first one to stand up for me in 2020. He came out and he said he was going to be for me. And he brought his union along, and it changed everything. Kenny, you're not only a great labor leader, you're a good personal friend. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Not that it matters to you, but it mattered a hell of a lot to me, the first union to ever endorse me as a 29-year-old kid -- when I got elected, I wasn't old enough to be sworn in; I had to wait 17 days to be eligible. But guess what? This guy was a -- up with an outfit called United Steelworkers -- -- the first union to endorse me -- the first union.

I remember when they brought me to see I. W. Abel, who was then president. And I could see him looking at the local rep from Delaware; he was going, "Are you sure about this kid?" And you did it, man. Thank you. And we're going to make sure Steelworkers are the steel backbone of this country for a long, long time to come.

Folks, what a great way to cap off a Labor Day week -- to be a proud union state of Michigan. Michigan, Michigan, Michigan. I mean it.

It's always great to be with a dear friend, Debbie Dingell, who's a great, great personal friend. Debbie -- when you're in a fight, you want Debbie on your side. And thank God she's been on mine. Thank you, Debbie.

We're joined by other members and great Congress dele- -- Haley, who has been there and one of the most enthusiastic people I know. Haley, stand up. Stand up, kid.

And Shri, who is doing an incredible job. Where is Shri? Shri's out there somewhere. There h- -- there he is. Come on. Stand up, man. Because, otherwise, they'll think your son is a congressman.

There are also two members of my cabinet here today: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg -- -- and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.

You know, when Marty -- -- left -- you know Marty? Used to be Labor Secretary? Marty -- -- he's a -- I tell you, he's in a comfortable place. He's with guys running around smashing each other with hockey sticks.

But I tell you what, I think we've changed the Labor Department. They are -- they understand the word "labor" means "union." They make this administration the most pro-union administration in the history of the United States of America, period. That's why we're growing. It is.

Look, a lot of politicians have a trouble saying the word "union." It ain't "worker"; it's "union" -- union. Kamala and I know how to say the word and back to th- -- look, we know a simple truth: Wall Street did not build America; the middle class built America.

When I started saying this years ago, the press looked at me like I was nuts. But guess what? I may be nuts, but I'm right.

Not only did the middle class build America, you built the middle class. That's a fact. Labor and unions built the middle class.

When I was vice president, then I became president, I got a little heat because I was so, quote, "pro-union." In fact, I asked the Treasury Department to do a study, and it shows that when union workers do well, every worker in America does better. Everybody does better.

And, by the way, it's the biggest reason why our economy is the strongest economy in the entire damn world. And that's not hyperbole; that's a fact.

It'll all come down to something my dad taught me, and I mean this sincerely. My dad ran an automobile agency in his last 20 years. And he'd come home for dinner before he went back and shut things down. Didn't own it; he was a manager. And he'd always -- we -- our dinner table was a place we had conversation and, incidentally, ate.

And my dad had an expression. He'd say, "Joey, a job" -- and I mean -- give you my word to this. He'd say, "A job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about your dignity. It's about your place in your community. It's about being able to look your child in the eye and say, 'Honey, it's going to be okay,' and mean it." I mean it. It's not a joke.

The guys on the other team don't know what the hell it's all about. They don't understand the word "dignity."

A good job, a job you can raise your family on, a job you can get l- -- without losing -- leaving your hometown, and without a college degree. I don't know how many times I've traveled across this country as a senator for 374 years. Actually, on- -- I'm only 40, but I was there 36 years.

But, look, I'm serious. As I travel the country, how many times did I hear -- and all the rest of you here, labor people working in other parts of the country -- where, "Mom, Dad, I can't stay. There's no jobs for me here. You got a job, Mom and Dad, but there's no place for me." How many times did people have to say that and move? Look at how many communities have been abandoned, left behind, whether they are red or blue, Democrat or Republican.

A good union job -- a good job in a union is building a future worthy of your dreams.

My vision has always been -- and I mean this sincerely, since I was a young senator -- to grow our economy from the middle out and the bottom up instead of the top down. Not a whole lot ever trickled down on my dad's kitchen table. Not a whole lot ever had.

We put workers first. We invest in all of America and all Americans. When we do that, we do well.

Everybody in America deserves one thing: a fighting chance. Just a chance; no guarantee -- a chance, a fighting chance.

And that's why Kamala and I are so proud of our record: the greatest job creation record of any single presidential term in American history, because of you.

Earlier today, we learned the economy created another 142,000 jobs last month. That's 42 straight months in a row, every single month, increasing jobs to a total of 16 million new jobs since we took office. In fact -- and they told us we couldn't do it. Over 1.6 million jobs in construction and manufacturing.

Where in the hell is it written that America can't lead the world again in manufacturing? We are leading the world in manufacturing and we'll continue to.

Unemployment is down. Wages are up. Inflation is way down and continues to come down. I predict it's going to come down this month a little more. And just last year, we added [DEL: 250 :DEL] [250,000] new energy jobs, clean energy jobs growing twice as fast as any other sector in the economy -- clean energy.

I know that other team doesn't think there's any such thing as global warming. Well, I'd like to put the other -- that other nominee for president, the former president -- I'd like to put him in the middle of Arizona for a while.

Clean energy workers are joining unions at the highest level in history, double -- double any other portion of the workforce. I've said it before: When I think "climate," I think jobs -- good-paying, union jobs.

I tried for years, and one of the first things I did when I was -- became president was protecting the pensions of 1 million union workers and retirees -- -- when I signed the Butch Lewis Act -- Butch Lewis. So far, over 62,000 workers and retirees across Michigan are benefiting from that signing.

Before we acted, workers faced cuts in their pension. Now they're not only restoring the full amount of the pensions, but they're getting back pay as well.

Where I come from, my family -- we're making them whole again.

It's a big deal, but let's be clear. Every Democrat in the Michigan delegation voted to protect those pensions, led by Debbie and others. But hear me now: Every single Republican in your delegation voted against protecting those pensions.

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE PRESIDENT: Every single one. No, I'm serious. Not a joke. Every one.

I've been around a long time in politics. It used to be Democrats and Repub- -- we'd argue like hell, but we'd work out compromises. But every one.

And Vice President Harris had to cast the tiebreaking vote in the United States Senate to make this pension bill real. Folks -- .

I've been talking about it a while, but we followed up with another big deal, as Barack used to kid me about. I call it "Investing in America" agenda. It's a simple proposition that includes our law, rebuilding America's infrastructure, and fixing, as your governor says, "the damn roads."

My predecessor, who is seeking office again, promised "Infrastructure Week" every week in the four years he was president, and he never built a damn thing. Not one thing. Not a joke. Not one.

Well, Kamala and I have made sure Michigan received so far -- so far ten billion nine hundred million dollars -- -- for 2,000 projects so far: roads, bridges, removing lead pipes from homes and schools, clean drinking water, delivering affordable high-speed Internet to every Michigander. And the number is still growing. We're just getting started.

That bill I got passed, and s- -- said they -- "Biden couldn't do it," guess what? A trillion three hundred billion dollars over 10 years. And we reduced the budget at the same time.

And guess what? With your support, I signed an executive order to make sure that the most -- the most -- the largest federal construction projects that are being built in America are built with project labor agreements. You all know what that is.

But for -- but for folks at home who don't know what a project labor agreement is, it's the contractor, the subcontractor, and the unions put in place the conditions for the construction before it begins -- before it begins. And these agreements make sure construction is top-notch, on time, on task, and on budget.

It's a big deal for big projects, like Soo Locks in Upper -- in the Upper Peninsula that your two great senators, Debbie and Gary Peters, were instrumental in delivering.

We're investing $693 million to build better locks, accommodate bigger shipping vessels, carry more products to market, get them there cheaper. And throughout the Great Lakes, it's already created hundreds of jobs -- hundreds of union jobs with more to come.

But here's another big deal. "Buy American" has been the law of the land since the '30 s when the Republicans at the time, under Roosevelt, were trying to break unions and allow the companies to come in and crush them -- prevent them happening. They passed laws relating to union movements and how they could be -- how -- how they could not be interfered with.

Well, but it also had a provision in it no one paid much attention to -- that every penny a president is authorized to spend on any project that the Congress gives the money for has to go to doing two things: hiring an American worker and using American product. Only time you could do -- not use an American product or an American worker is when there was not one available or they didn't have the particular product.

Well, guess what? Guess what? It was honored in the -- in the alternative. Only about 20 percent of all the money we spent went to hiring union labor -- or excuse me, forget union -- hiring American labor and hiring -- using American products.

Past administrations, including my predecessor, failed to buy American. You know why? They went overseas for cheaper labor. They supported companies sending -- no, I'm not joking. Think about it.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Bullshit!

THE PRESIDENT: Well, you said it better than I can.

But here's the deal. They did. They sent it overseas because labor was cheaper and they'd import the product. Not anymore. Not on my watch. Not on Kamala's watch, either. We buy American.

And we're making sure federal [DEL: trojects :DEL] [projects] building American roads, bridges, highways will be made with American projects, built by American workers, creating a good living and American jobs.

In fact, I'm requiring many of these kinds of projects to pay Davis-Bacon prevailing wage, increasing pay -- -- increasing pay for 1 million workers over time. And many of these jobs don't require a college degree.

In fact, Kamala and I expanded registered apprenticeships.

Remember when the companies said, "We'll take care of the apprenticeship program"? As they say in Sou- -- "You done good with that, didn't you?"

Registered apprenticeships, resulting in the hiring over -- just since we did it -- remember all the heat we got for doing it? Well, guess what? Hiring over 1 million apprentices since I -- we came into office -- 1 million just since we came into office.

A lot of folks who aren't in the industry don't realize that apprenticeship is like earning a -- a college degree. For real. Some of you apprentices have to journeymen -- have to be journeymen for four to five years. You get paid to learn a trade. And you're the single best workers in the world -- not a joke -- like Andrew and his fellow plumbers and pipefitters. Not a joke. It's not a joke.

You know, when I -- we invented the computer chip, about the size of the little t- -- tip of my little finger, which we -- we invented it. We modernized it. We did all the work. And guess what? Other teams started to export them overseas because labor was cheaper to build them -- make them.

Well, we ended up with a situation where I decided I was going to go start off -- I went to -- people thought -- even some of my staff thought I was crazy. I said, "I'm going to South Korea, and I'm going to talk to them about it," because they were making a whole hell of a lot of these computer chips.

And I met with Samsung. They ended up investing over $20 billion -- $15 billion in the United States to build the fabs, the -- first, to construct the facility. A lot of work there. A lot of prevailing wage that went for -- for construction work. And then the so-called fabs, they're about as big as a football field. Not a joke. And they -- in fact, where you actually make the computers. You don't need a college degree, and the average salary is over $102,000 a year.

Well, guess what? So, I asked Samsung why were they coming to the Un- -- by the way, it's well over $50 billion being invested from -- coming from abroad. I said, "Why are you coming back to the United States?" Said, "Simple reason." Not a joke. It's from the pre- -- the chairman of the board of Samsung. "Because you have the most qualified workers in the world." No joke. That's real. Not a joke. "And it's the safest place in the world for me to invest my money."

But here's the deal, guys. We're not going to see it for a little bit because it takes time to build those factories. None of them are open yet. But there are going to be millions of people working in those factories.

And guess what? Once that starts, they're going to create entire communities around them. When you build a factory that has 500,000 people working in that factory and they're making good money, guess what? You end up building drugstores, movie theaters, supermarkets. You end up building communities around it.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Small businesses.

THE PRESIDENT: Small bu- -- no, I really mean it. And, by the way, 50 percent of all the business in America is small business -- small business.

So, look -- and Kamala and I have come in -- we always believed that the National Labor Relations Board should be pro-labor. Well, that's why one of the most significant things we've done is appointing a National Relabor- -- National Labor Relations board members who actually believe in unions and the right to negotiate.

Look what's changed. When Trump was president, he appointed union busters -- union busters in that organization that's designed to promote unions.

And, by the way, you think he has any damn idea what we do?

AUDIENCE: No!

THE PRESIDENT: No, no. I -- I'm not being a wise guy. I mean, I wonder whether he has any notion -- any notion what a hard day's work is.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: No!

THE PRESIDENT: I mean, all he did was lose his father's money. And then get in trouble and have to owe a lot of the other people money. And then borrow a lot of money and give tax cuts to the super wealthy and end up with the largest debt any president has left behind in four years.

He has an incredible record. An incredible record.

Oh, you think I'm kidding? Look at the numbers, man.

And, by the way, he -- -- he and a guy who was maybe the worst Republican president ever, before him, ended up with -- he's the only one, other than that Republican president, who when he came to office had more jobs than when he left office -- lost jobs.

Look, Kamala and I are focused on what Michigan is known for as well: the auto industry. I got through -- I got through school my dad managing an automobile dealership. That's how I got through school.

I was proud to be the first president to walk the picket line and to do it with the UAW -- -- walk the picket line with UAW workers here in Michigan. And Kamala walked it as well.

But Trump -- Trump would much rather cross the picket line than walk one.

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE PRESIDENT: Look, UAW's historic wage increases have led to virtually every automaker across the country to raise wages as well.

They're not only unions with recent hardworking success. From the SEIU to the writers and actors, dockworkers, health care workers, baristas, warehouse workers, and so many more, we've made a lot of progress, but we still have more to do. That's why we're here today.

In a few minutes, I'm going to sign another groundbreaking executive order. It's called for -- it's called the "Good Jobs" executive order. For the first time in our history, the official policy of a presidential administration is to specify a clear list of higher labor standards for jobs created through my Investing in America agenda.

And here's why my -- what my executive order will do. For jobs created using federal dollars, Good Jobs executive order will call on the federal agency to protect the workers -- the power of the workers to encourage the free and fair choice to join a union.

My executive order goes on to call on federal agencies to include high labor standards in grants that we give, prioritizing projects that pay wages you can raise a family on and provide benefits like childcare.

Right now, Davis-Bacon prevailing -- prevailing wage only applies to construction jobs, and construction jobs are booming. My executive order, though, promotes federal polices to raise wages beyond construction, all across the manufacturing sector, because manufacturing is booming.

My executive order will also strengthen the pipeline to good jobs. It'll promote policies to create more registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and other job training programs that don't require a college degree, that put young people on a pathway to getting the skills for good-paying union jobs.

And, finally, my Good Jobs execut- -- executive order will level the playing field for underserved communities, ensure everyone -- everyone gets a fair shot at a job. That means elevating the best practices to prevent discrimination and bias in hiring, protect the safety of workers. It all matters.

Kamala and I are going to hold federal agencies accountable by creating a task force led by the Secretary of Labor and by the Director of the National Labor -- the National Economic Council to make sure we fully implement this new job order -- Create -- create jobs executive order, excuse me.

The ideas are co- -- are just pai- -- common sense. Economists have long believed that these good-job standards produce more opportunities and better outcomes for workers and more predictable outcomes for businesses as well. It turned out to be a win-win situation for everyone, including business.

In fact, presidents in both parties have recognized this. Prevailing wage laws date back to President Hoover. Registered apprenticeships date back to Franklin Roosevelt.

But too many presidents, like my predecessor, have looked the other way as companies trample on the rights of workers while cashing in their big government checks. But not anymore.

With today's executive order, Kamala and I are setting a policy across the board to -- in the support of good-jobs standards. And from this point onwards, any president who disagrees with that is going to have to say so out loud, say it to your face, and repeal that order, and I want to see them try to do it.

Let me close with this. In 2020, I said one of the reasons I was running was to rebuild the backbone of America: the middle class. Nearly four years later, we've done just that. In thousands of cities and towns across the country, we're seeing the great American comeback story.

My predecessor believes America is a failing nation. He's a failing president and a failing man. He's wrong. America isn't failing; we're winning.

We're the indispen- -- we are the indispensable nation in the world. We're the nation of dreamers and doers that led to the greatest advancements in human history over the last 200 years. That's who we are.

But my predecessor doesn't get it. He refused to visit an American cemetery in France that I was just near because, according to his own chief of staff, a four-star Marine general, Trump said those servicemen buried there are "suckers" and "losers."

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE PRESIDENT: My son died because of a year in Iraq. I'm just happy -- and I mean this from the bottom of my heart -- I'm glad I wasn't there, because I think I would have done something. No, I think you would have too. They're heroes.

He's the sucker. He's the loser with the way he talks about it.

AUDIENCE: Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!

THE PRESIDENT: I'm sorry -- I'm sorry to get emotional about that, but I -- but I miss him. He was the attorney general of the state of Delaware and volunteered to go f- -- anyway.

Our servicemen and veterans are heroes. And you, the American worker, are heroes in this comeback story. You're the reason for the comeback story.

Because of you, all those who came before, we're the only nation that's always emerged, every single time -- check it out -- always emerged in American history -- we've always come out of a crisis stronger than we went in -- stronger than we went in.

Because of you -- and I mean it from the bottom of my heart -- I've never been more optimistic about America's future. We just have to remember who we are. We're the United States of America. There is nothing -- nothing, nothing, nothing -- beyond our capacity when we work together and when we fight -- when we fight.

I'm now going to go over and sign that Good Jobs executive order. And keep it going, guys. You're saving the country.

God bless you all. And God bless America.

Hey, guys. Every time I'd walk out of my Grandfather Finnegan's house up in Scranton, Pennsylvania -- true story -- he'd yell, "Joey, keep the faith." My Grandmother Finnegan would come out and say, "No, Joey, spread it."

Spread the faith, guys. Let's go.

4:23 P.M. EDT

Subject: Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle | Pittsburgh, Pa

Date: 2024-09-09 10:58:41

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle
Penzeys Spices

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Q Madam Vice President, what do you think of the Cheneys' endorsement, ma'am? Liz Cheney and Dick Cheney have endorsed you. What do you think about that?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I'm -- I'm -- actually, I'm honored to have their endorsement. And I think that what -- they both, as leaders who are well-respected, are making an important statement that it's okay and -- if not important to put country above party. And I'm honored to have their support, and I think it's an important statement right now.

A lot of what I think is happening -- and I was just talking with some folks here in Pittsburgh about it -- is that people are exhausted about the division and -- and the attempts to kind of divide us as Americans.

And them stepping up to make this public statement, I think, is courageous, but also, for people like the folks I was just talking with, it really reenforces for them that we love our country, and we have more in common than what separates us. So --

Q Are you -- are you ready to debate Donald Trump?

AIDE: All right. Thank you, press.

Q Are you ready to face Donald Trump this week?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am. Yes.

Q Best part of debate prep for you? What's your favorite part?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Being at this spice store. I finally got out of the debate prep to look at these spices. Best part of debate prep so far.

Q But your main message to Trump in the debate. What's the one thing you want to really get -- get across to him?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, there is a lot. But look, it's time to turn the page on the divisiveness. It's time to bring our country together to chart a new way forward.

END

Subject: VP Harris Week Ahead Guidance: Sep. 9 - 14, 2024

Date: 2024-09-09 10:17:27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

WEEK AHEAD GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

On Tuesday, September 10, the Vice President will be in Philadelphia, PA to participate in the Presidential Debate. The Second Gentleman will attend. Then, the Vice President will travel to New York, NY.

On Wednesday, September 11, the President and the Vice President will participate in the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero. Then, the Vice President will travel to Shanksville, PA to join the President in participating in a wreath laying ceremony at the Flight 93 Memorial. Later, the Vice President will travel to Arlington, VA to join the President in participating in a wreath laying ceremony at the Pentagon.

On Thursday, September 12, the Vice President will return to North Carolina for campaign events in Charlotte and Greensboro.

On Friday, September 13, the President and the Vice President will deliver remarks at a brunch in celebration of Black Excellence. Then, the Vice President will return to Pennsylvania for campaign events in Johnstown and Wilkes Barre.

On Saturday, September 14, the President and the Vice President will deliver remarks at the 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner. The Second Gentleman will attend.

# # #

Subject: FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Lowers Mental Health Care Cost...

Date: 2024-09-09 04:59:53

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Lowers Mental Health Care Costs by Improving Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Care
President Biden and Vice President Harris announce historic final rule that will ensure mental health care coverage for 175 million Americans is on par with their physical health care coverage

President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that mental health care is health care – period. But for millions of Americans, care for mental health and substance use conditions is still hard to find and hard to afford. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking a step toward changing that, by placing new requirements on health plans that will improve and strengthen access to mental health care for 175 million Americans with private health insurance.

Statement from the President: "Mental health care is health care. But for far too many Americans, critical care and treatments are out of reach. Today, my Administration is taking action to address our nation's mental health crisis by ensuring mental health coverage will be covered at the same level as other health care for Americans. There is no reason that breaking your arm should be treated differently than having a mental health condition. The steps my Administration is taking today will dramatically expand access to mental health care in America."

Statement from the Vice President: "President Biden and I are committed to ensuring that every person in our country has the mental health care they need to thrive. That is why we made the largest investment in youth mental health in history and are transforming how mental health is understood, perceived, and treated for all Americans. Today, we are building on this lifesaving and lifechanging work by announcing the finalization of a historic rule that will expand mental health care across our nation so more of our loved ones, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates receive the care they deserve. As someone who has spent my entire career fighting to improve the health and well-being of all Americans, I will never stop working to ensure that health care is a right – not just a privilege for those who can afford it."

For over 15 years, robust access to mental health care has been a bipartisan priority. Thanks to the 2008 enactment of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act , which was further strengthened in 2020 on a bipartisan basis, health plans that cover mental health and substance use care benefits must do so at the same level as physical health care benefits. But despite this landmark law, too many Americans still struggle to find and afford the care they need. In 2020 , less than half of all adults with mental illness received treatment. For children, the numbers are even worse: nearly 70 percent of our kids who seek care for mental health or substance use cannot get it. That's in part because insurers too often make it difficult to access mental health treatment, causing millions of consumers to have high out-of-pocket costs

because they go out-of-network, or defer care altogether. One study shows that insured people are nearly four times as likely go out-of-network and pay higher fees for mental health care than for physical health care. And the problem is getting worse: in recent years, the gap between usage of out-of-network care for mental health and substance use disorder benefits versus physical health benefits increased 85 percent .

Today's final rule strengthens consumer protections by reinforcing MHPAEA's fundamental purpose that all Americans should have the same access to mental health and substance use benefits as they do physical health benefits. And it will help lower families' health care costs by making it easier to access mental health and substance use care and getting rid of barriers that keep people from getting the care they need, when they need it, for a price they can afford. Specifically, the final rule will:

Require health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental health and substance use care. In 2020, Congress made changes to MHPAEA that require health plans to conduct meaningful comparative analyses to make sure that they are not making it harder for individuals to access mental health and substance use benefits than it is to access medical benefits. Today's new requirements make it clear that health plans need to evaluate their provider networks, how much they pay out-of-network providers, and how often they require – and deny – prior authorizations. The outcomes of these evaluations will show plans where they are failing to meet the law's requirements, and where they will need to make changes to come into compliance, like adding more mental health and substance use professionals to their networks or reducing red tape for providers to deliver care.

Make it clear what health plans can and cannot do. Health plans cannot use more restrictive prior authorization, or other medical management techniques, or narrower networks to make it harder for people to access mental health and substance use disorder benefits than their medical benefits. Health plans also have to use similar factors in setting out-of-network payment rates for mental health and substance use disorder providers as they do for medical providers.

Close existing loopholes. When MHPAEA was first enacted, it did not require non-federal governmental health plans, like those offered to state and local government employees, to comply with its requirements. Today's final rule closes that loophole, and now requires more than 200 additional health plans to comply with MHPAEA, providing critical protections to 120,000 consumers.

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, these new requirements will help more people get the mental health and substance use care they need while also making sure that mental health and substance use care professionals are paid fairly, likely incentivizing more people to join the mental health workforce. In addition to today's final rule, the Department of Health and Human Services is also releasing new tools for states to ensure compliance with MHPAEA's critical protections for the millions of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in private Medicaid health plans.

# # #

Subject: FACT SHEET: Congressional Republicans Are Wasting Time Instead of Deli...

Date: 2024-09-09 04:59:53

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

FACT SHEET: Congressional Republicans are Wasting Time Instead of Delivering for the American People Yet Again
Instead of working across the aisle to do their most basic job and deliver for the American people by keeping the government open and providing emergency funding for disasters, House Republicans are yet again wasting time with extreme policies and a potentially harmful long-term continuing resolution .

The House Republicans' long-term CR abdicates their responsibility to the American people. It would erode our national defense, impede our efforts to outcompete China, fail our veterans and seniors, abandon communities struck by disasters, and undermine programs that support small businesses while making wealthy tax cheats pay what they owe. Finally, it would move us closer to devastating across-the-board cuts to education and Head Start programs; our veterans, the military, and border agents; food assistance for mothers, babies, and low-income families; food and air safety; and more.

House Republicans' long-term CR fails to provide necessary resources for our defense, our veterans, and our seniors. Both the Administration and bipartisan appropriators in the Senate have put forward FY25 proposals that address pressing needs for the Department of Defense , Veterans Affairs , Social Security Administration , and other federal agencies that would have insufficient funds if kept at their current FY24 levels. For example:

Operating under a six-month CR erodes the U.S. military advantage, undermines the United States in our competition with China, degrades readiness, and fails to support our troops. Under a CR for an extended period, DoD lacks the authority to undertake new start efforts or production rate increases for investment programs, which are critical to our innovation and modernization goals. It signals to our allies and adversaries that the United States is not committed to our National Security priorities.

Absent fully addressing a shortfall in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care, VA would be forced to make difficult tradeoffs in its efforts to preserve quality veteran care. VA would need to undertake reductions in overall staffing levels that may impact access to care for veterans across clinical programs. Veteran experience may be impacted across many different functional areas, including medical care scheduling and coordination, connecting homeless veterans to permanent housing, caregiver support, and other programs. VA may need to scale-back outreach efforts to veterans, which VA has been conducting at unprecedented levels to inform veterans of new benefits and health care enrollment opportunities under the bipartisan PACT Act.

Agencies like the Social Security Administration would be required to operate at deeply insufficient levels. For example, SSA would be at its lowest staffing levels in more than 50 years, likely requiring it to reduce the hours field offices are open and extending wait times for seniors and people with disabilities.

House Republicans' long-term CR would abandon communities impacted by disasters. A six-month CR would mean that communities waiting on much-needed disaster assistance would need to keep waiting, months after the President has requested supplemental funding to help them. It would hurt small businesses and families trying to recover from recent disasters.

For example:

The Small Business Administration's Disaster Loan Program is likely to exhaust available assistance funding early in the new fiscal year, crippling the agency's ability to provide much-needed help to small businesses working to rebuild after recent disasters, including Hurricanes Beryl and Debby.

A delay would also prevent numerous communities impacted by disasters in over 20 states and territories declared in calendar years 2023 and 2024 from receiving Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding, which is urgently needed to address housing, economic development and other long-term recovery needs.

The cost to fix highways and bridges that have been damaged by disasters in 38 States and three territories currently exceeds available Federal Highway Administration-Emergency Relief funds. A six-month appropriations delay would delay completion of many of these critical projects. Supplemental appropriations are necessary to address this backlog.

House Republicans' long-term CR would undermine programs that support small businesses and make wealthy tax cheats pay what they owe. House Republicans' CR would make it harder for the IRS to continue its efforts using Inflation Reduction Act funding to ensure that the wealthy pay the taxes they owe. It would also hurt small businesses by continuing cuts to the State Small Business Credit Initiative that would prevent states across the country from receiving funds that provide capital and technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide.

House Republicans' long-term CR puts us closer to across-the-board cuts to programs Americans count on. A six-month CR would last until the end of March--only 30 days before the sequester deadline from the Fiscal Responsibility Act that would trigger across-the-board cuts if full-year bills are not passed. That short window next year would create a much higher risk that those cuts go into effect, resulting in devastating cuts to education and Head Start programs; our veterans, the military, and border agents; food assistance for mothers, babies, and low-income families; food and air safety; and more.

Subject: Daily Guidance for Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff for Monday, Septemb...

Date: 2024-09-08 21:42:03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2024

DAILY GUIDANCE FOR SECOND GENTLEMAN DOUGLAS EMHOFF FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2024
At 2:00 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will deliver remarks at a campaign event. This event in Raleigh, NC will be open to pre-credentialed media.

At 3:25 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will deliver remarks at a campaign event. This event in Raleigh, NC will be open to pre-credentialed media.

Subject: VP Harris Daily Guidance: Sept. 9, 2024

Date: 2024-09-08 20:29:41

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2024

DAILY GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT
FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

The Vice President will be in Pittsburgh, PA where she will receive briefings and conduct internal meetings with staff. These meetings will be closed press.

Then, at 4:40 PM ET, the Vice President will depart Pittsburgh, PA en route to Philadelphia, PA. This departure from Pittsburgh International Airport will be pooled press.

At 5:40 PM ET, the Vice President will arrive in Philadelphia, PA. This arrival at Philadelphia International Airport will be pooled press.

Subject: Week Ahead Guidance for the Week of September 9, 2024 – September 15...

Date: 2024-09-08 16:59:37

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2024

WEEK AHEAD GUIDANCE FOR
THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 – SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Monday, September 9, 2024

In the morning, the President and the First Lady will depart Wilmington, Delaware and return to the White House.

Then, the President will deliver remarks to celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act and to mark Disability Pride Month.

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

In the morning, the President will welcome the University of South Carolina Gamecocks Women's Basketball Team to the White House to celebrate their 2023-2024 NCAA championship season.

In the afternoon, the President will welcome the University of Connecticut Huskies Men's Basketball Team to the White House to celebrate their 2023-2024 NCAA championship season.

Then, the President will travel to New York, New York.

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

In the morning, the President will participate in a 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero. The Vice President will attend.

Then, the President will depart New York, New York and will travel to Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In the afternoon, the President will participate in a Flight 93 wreath laying ceremony. The Vice President will attend.

Then, the President will depart Shanksville, Pennsylvania and will travel to Arlington, Virginia.

In the evening, the President will participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Pentagon. The Vice President will attend.

Following, the President will depart Arlington, Virginia and return to the White House.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

In the evening, the President will deliver remarks ahead of the 30 th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. The First Lady will attend.

Friday, September 13, 2024

In the afternoon, the President will deliver remarks at a brunch in celebration of Black Excellence. The Vice President will attend.

Later, the President will host a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

In the evening, the President will deliver remarks at the 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner. The Vice President will deliver remarks and the Second Gentleman will attend.

Sunday, September 15, 204

In the evening, the President will depart the White House and travel to Wilmington, Delaware.

Subject: Daily Guidance for Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff for Sunday, Septemb...

Date: 2024-09-07 21:42:28

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 7, 2024

DAILY GUIDANCE FOR SECOND GENTLEMAN DOUGLAS EMHOFF FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2024
At 12:00 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will deliver remarks at a campaign event. This event in Norristown, PA will be open to pre-credentialed media.

Subject: Daily Guidance for Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff for Saturday, Septe...

Date: 2024-09-06 21:02:17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 6, 2024

DAILY GUIDANCE FOR SECOND GENTLEMAN DOUGLAS EMHOFF FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2024
At 11:45 AM ET, the Second Gentleman will arrive in Allentown, PA. This arrival at Lehigh Valley International Airport will be open to pre-credentialed media.

At 12:25 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will deliver remarks at a campaign event. This event in Allentown, PA will be open to pre-credentialed media.

At 1:45 PM ET, the Second Gentleman will deliver remarks at a campaign event. This event in Allentown, PA will be open to pre-credentialed media.

Subject: VP Harris Weekend Guidance Sep 7 - Sep 8

Date: 2024-09-06 20:29:40

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 6, 2024

WEEKEND GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 AND SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2024
The Vice President will be in Pittsburgh, PA where she will receive briefings and conduct internal meetings with staff. These meetings will be closed press.

# # #