WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve in key roles:

Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State

The Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State, established by Congress, will advise the President and Congress on changes the Department of State can undertake to respond to modern challenges to diplomacy in the 21^stcentury. The Commission's recommendations will aim to improve the Department's structural organization, revamp training requirements for personnel, and improve facilities and embassies around the world. These appointees will join 12 other individuals appointed to the Commission by Members of Congress.

Michael Guest, to be a Member of the Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State

Michael Guest retired from the Department of State in 2007 following 26 years as a career member of the U.S Foreign Service. In Washington, Guest held a number of leadership positions focused on State Department management issues, including Deputy Executive Secretary, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, and Dean of the Leadership and Management School. His overseas tours of duty included service as Ambassador to Romania and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Czech Republic. Across his career, Guest received nine Department of State professional achievement awards, including the Charles E. Cobb Award for Initiative and Success in Trade Development and the Christian A. Herter Award for Constructive Senior-Level Policy Dissent. Post-retirement, Guest returned briefly to diplomatic service in 2010 to lead the U.S. Delegation to the Human Rights Review Conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, held in Warsaw, Poland. He also served two terms as a presidential appointee on the National Security Education Board and on the Department of State Agency Review Team for the presidential transitions of both President-elect Obama and President-elect Biden. Guest currently is a consultant to MidEuropa, a leading private equity investor with deep roots in Central Europe. He and his husband, Alexander Nevarez, reside in Miami, Florida.

Pamela Spratlen, to be a Member of the Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State

Pamela L. Spratlen is an advisor, public speaker, and former diplomat who served for nearly three decades [1990-2019] as a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service. Her tours spanned from Latin America to Western Europe to Russia and Central Asia, and she served as U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic and to the Republic of Uzbekistan. She was lauded for her many efforts to improve diplomatic relations, strengthen human rights, and reinforce regional security. In Washington, she served as Country Director for Western Europe and for Central Asia, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, and in the Office of the Inspector General. Spratlen returned to the Department in 2021 to coordinate a special project on employee health incidents that had raised national security concerns. She now serves as a member and leader on non-profit organization boards that address foreign affairs issues, including the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Association of Black American Ambassadors. She chairs the Board of Trustees of the Eurasia Foundation, as well as the Una Chapman Cox [UCC] Foundation Policy Council that advises UCC Foundation trustees on grants to support innovation at the Department of State. Spratlen is also an advisor to and supporter of programs intended to expand diversity across foreign affairs agencies. Spratlen was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in California and Washington state. She now lives in Northern Virginia.

Caroline Tess, to be a Member of the Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State

Caroline Tess is the Executive Director of National Security Action, an organization dedicated to advancing American global leadership. She is also a real estate investor, adjunct professor, board member, and mom. In 2020, she served on the Biden-Harris Transition, where she led the team responsible for the confirmation of national security cabinet secretaries. A recognized leader on national security, Congress, and Latin America policy, Tess served as Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for Legislative Affairs at the National Security Council. In addition to her time at the White House, Tess served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of State and as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. She previously worked on Capitol Hill for more than seven years, serving on the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, as well as Senator Harry Reid's leadership staff and in the office of Senator Bill Nelson. Tess received her M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and her B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ricardo Zuniga, to be a Member of the Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State

Ricardo Zuniga is a founding partner of Dinámica Americas, a strategic advisory firm. He previously served as a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service for 30 years across multiple roles, including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle, and U.S. Consul General in São Paulo, Brazil. Zuniga was detailed from the Department of State to serve as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council from 2012 to 2015, advising President Obama, Vice President Biden, and other senior officials on developments in the Americas. Prior to that role, he served overseas tours in Mexico, Portugal, Cuba, Spain, and Brazil and worked in Washington, D.C. in the Bureau of African Affairs and in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Zuniga currently is a member of the Department of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board, the Woodrow Wilson Center's Latin America Program Advisory Board and Brazil Institute Advisory Council, and the board of the Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas. Zuniga received a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. He is married and has two daughters.

National Cancer Advisory Board

The National Cancer Advisory Board plays an important role in guiding the Director of the National Cancer Institute in setting the course for the national cancer research program. The National Cancer Advisory Board will complement the Cancer Moonshot, which President Biden reignited to end cancer as we know it – including by making sure his Administration is investing in research and development that will help advance breakthroughs to prevent, detect, and treat diseases like cancer.

Kimberly Stegmaier, to be a Member of the National Cancer Advisory Board

Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and the Ted Williams Investigator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has pioneered the development and application of innovative genomic approaches to identify new therapies for childhood cancer. Her lab has discovered novel technologies, concepts, and targets with translational impact. Stegmaier is the Vice Chair for Pediatric Oncology Research, Co-Director of the Pediatric Hematologic Malignancy Program, and provides clinical care in pediatric oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital. Stegmaier is an Institute Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT where she serves on the Cancer Program's Scientific Advisory Committee, and she is a Board Member of the American Association for Cancer Research. Stegmaier is the recipient of numerous awards, such as the Joanne Levy, MD, Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement from the American Society of Hematology, a Stand Up To Cancer [SU2C] Innovative Research Grant, an E. Mead Johnson Award for Research in Pediatrics, and an NCI Outstanding Investigator R35 Award. She was elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. Her deep commitment to training the next generation of researchers has been recognized with the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award from Harvard Medical School and the Casty Family Achievement in Mentoring Award from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Stegmaier received her undergraduate degree from Duke University, medical degree from Harvard Medical School, and trained in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Boston Children's Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

National Science Board

The National Science Board and the Director of the National Science Foundation [NSF] jointly pursue the goals and function of the NSF, including the duty to "recommend and encourage the pursuit of national policies for the promotion of research and education in science and engineering." The Board establishes the policies of NSF within the framework of applicable national policies set forth by the President and the Congress. In this capacity, the Board identifies issues that are critical to NSF's future, approves NSF's strategic budget directions and the annual budget submission to the Office of Management and Budget, and approves new major programs and awards. The Board also serves as an independent body of advisors to both the President and the Congress on policy matters related to science and engineering and education in science and engineering. In addition to major reports, the Board also publishes occasional policy papers or statements on issues of importance to U.S. science and engineering. The Board is made up of 24 members appointed by the President and the NSF Director, who serves as an ex officio member. Members serve six-year terms.

Joan Ferrini-Mundy, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Joan Ferrini-Mundy is the 21st President of the University of Maine [UMaine] and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, and the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation for the University of Maine System.

During her six years as President, Ferrini-Mundy has introduced changes and efforts to position UMaine as a leader in advancing Maine's workforce and economy, with focus on inclusion, learner success, and the integration of learning and research. In early 2022, UMaine achieved R1 Carnegie classification under her leadership. Ferrini-Mundy is Co-Principal Investigator of a transformative and historic $320 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to improve student experiences and educational opportunities of the people of Maine and beyond. She has overseen extensive capital improvement, including completion of the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, new facilities for soccer and field hockey, and an on-campus hotel developed through a public-private partnership.

Ferrini-Mundy is an active leader nationally and in Maine. She was appointed to the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science by President Biden, serves on the National Academies Board on Higher Education and the Workforce, and is Chair-elect of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities' Council of Presidents. She continues her leadership in mathematics education as past Chair of the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences and a member of the Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics board. In Maine, she chairs the Maine Innovation Economy Advisory Board and serves on the boards of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce, Maine & Co., and Maine Public.

Yolanda Gil, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Yolanda Gil received her bachelor's degree from the Polytechnic University of Madrid in Spain in 1985, and her PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University in 1992. She then joined the University of Southern California [USC] and is currently Fellow and Senior Director for Artificial Intelligence [AI) and Data Science Strategy at the Information Sciences Institute, Director of AI and Data Science Initiatives in the Viterbi School of Engineering, and Research Professor in Computer Science and in Spatial Sciences. She is Director of Data Science Programs with over 1,200 students and has created ten joint interdisciplinary degrees across USC schools.

Her research focuses on AI for science including semantic workflows and knowledge capture, provenance and trust, task-centered collaboration, reproducibility, and automated discovery. She has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and has received best paper conference awards and journal recognitions for interdisciplinary research in AI for climate, neuroscience, and health. In 2019, Gil co-chaired the Computing Research Association/Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence 20-Year Artificial Intelligence Research Roadmap for the U.S. with key strategic recommendations based on extensive community engagement.

She is a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Cognitive Science Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is also a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and served as its 24th President. In 2022, she became the first computer scientist to receive the M. Lee Allison Award for Outstanding Contributions to Geoinformatics and Data Science from the Geological Society of America.

Juan Gilbert, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Juan Gilbert is the Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor, University of Florida Distinguished Professor, and Chair of the Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department at the University of Florida where he leads the Computing for Social Good Lab. His research projects are at the intersection of people, technology, and society. He has research projects in election security/usability/accessibility, advanced learning technologies, usability and accessibility, human-centered AI/machine learning, and ethnocomputing/culturally relevant computing. He is a Fellow of the Association of Computing Machinery, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Association of the Advancement of Science, and the National Academy of Inventors. He was also named a laureate of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Biden. He received his M.S. and PhD degrees in Computer Science from the University of Cincinnati and his B.S. in Systems Analysis from Miami University in Ohio.

Jeffrey A. Isaacson, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Jeffrey A. Isaacson is President and Chief Executive Officer of Universities Space Research Association (USRA], which operates in partnership with over 120 research universities worldwide in the areas of science, technology, workforce development, and facility management. Prior to joining USRA, he held executive positions at Sandia National Laboratories, RAND Corporation, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. Isaacson served 25 years in the U.S. Navy Reserve, retiring as Captain. He is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and a former member of the Army Science Board. He earned degrees at Columbia University, Princeton University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his PhD in Physics.

Willie E. May, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Willie E. May currently serves as Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Morgan State University, a public historically black research university. Previously, he served as the Senate-confirmed Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, charged with overseeing the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST] and the National Technical Information Service. May began his career as a research chemist at NIST. His research in trace organic analytical chemistry and the physico-chemical properties of organic compounds is documented in over 100 peer-reviewed publications. He has delivered more than 250 invited lectures globally.

In addition to his responsibilities at Morgan State University, May is President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; serves on advisory boards for Consumer Reports, the University of Maryland, College Park's College of Computer, Math, and Natural Sciences, and Google's Public Sector Research Technology Board. In the recent past, he served as Vice President of the International Committee on Weights and Measures [CIPM] and President of the CIPM's Consultative Committee for Chemistry and Biology.

May earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Knoxville College and PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park. His accolades include honorary doctorates from Wake Forest University and the University of Alabama, Huntsville, multiple awards from the American Chemical Society, and recognition as the federal government's "Top Chemist" by Chemical and Engineering News in 2015. He is an Honorary Fellow of the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Alondra Nelson, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Alondra Nelson is the Harold F. Linder Professor in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study and leads the Science, Technology, and Social Values Lab. Past-president of the Social Science Research Council, she was previously the inaugural Dean of Social Science and Professor of Sociology at Columbia University. Nelson began her academic career on the faculty of Yale University and received its Poorvu Award for interdisciplinary teaching excellence.

Nelson was Deputy Assistant to President Biden as well as serving as Principal Deputy Director for Science and Society and performing the duties of the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In recognition of her public service tenure, Nelson was named to Nature's global list of "Ten People Who Shaped Science." In 2023, she was named to the TIME100 list of the most influential people in the field of artificial intelligence and appointed to the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on AI.

A distinguished sociologist of science and technology, Nelson is the author of acclaimed books, essays, and articles. She has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Political and Social Science, the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Medicine, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Nelson received a bachelor's degree in anthropology, magna cum laude, from the University of California at San Diego, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She received her PhD in American Studies from New York University.

Sarah O'Donnell, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Sarah O'Donnell works for the MITRE Corporation and serves as the Chief Engineer for Naval Programs at the National Security Engineering Center [NSEC] Federally Funded Research and Development Center [FFRDC]. MITRE is a not-for-profit organization that operates FFRDCs for the U.S. government. She specializes in providing technical options to resolve complex, emergent mission problems to achieve strategic advantage against adversaries to mitigate risk for the U.S., its allies, and partner operations. Previously, she served as the Program Director for NSEC's Special Operations Forces program and was responsible for leading technical problem solving, strategic planning, and innovative research. In this capacity, she developed and led initiatives that provided solutions for programs operating at the seams of the intelligence, military, and civilian communities and at the convergence of armed forces, foreign relations, war, and national defense authorities.

Prior to her work leading national security programs, O'Donnell led experimental and theoretical work in condensed matter physics related to nanostructured electronic materials including collaborative experimental work on novel optical switching and the improvement of quantum energy conversion for power and energy prototypes. She authored numerous open literature and specialized works, holds a U.S. patent in the nanotechnology field, and received awards for her contributions to engineering and applied science. Early in her career, she worked as a mechanical engineer at Orbital Sciences Corporation in the Advanced Programs Group, focusing on thermal protection systems and hypersonic sensing. O'Donnell holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of Virginia.

Ryan Panchadsaram, to be a Member of the National Science Board

Ryan Panchadsaram is an engineer and investor dedicated to building the industries of the future. He has held senior positions in both business and government and has served on the boards of companies and non-profits across the healthcare, climate, and technology sectors. At Kleiner Perkins, he is the technical advisor to the Chair, John Doerr, and together they invest in groundbreaking technologies such as fusion energy, synthetic biology, and AI. Panchadsaram and Doerr co-authored Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now and collaborated on the number one bestseller Measure What Matters.

During the Obama-Biden Administration, Panchadsaram served as a Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he championed entrepreneurship, innovation, and open data. He played a key role in leading the turnaround of HealthCare.gov, which provided healthcare coverage to over 21 million Americans. Following this, he helped launch the United States Digital Service, a White House unit that recruits top technologists to serve in government. Earlier in his career, Panchadsaram held roles at Microsoft and Salesforce.

He received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley.

When I took office, I promised to be the most pro-union, pro-worker President in history. I have kept that promise. Today's data from the National Labor Relations Board shows the number of workers filing for union representation has doubled since the start of my Administration—the first administration in five decades to have an increase in union petitions. I am proud to have secured the NLRB's first budget increase in almost a decade, and I will continue fighting for more funding so the Board can empower workers on the job.

After the previous administration sided with big corporations to undermine workers—from blocking overtime pay protections to making it harder to organize—my Administration has supported workers, including restoring and extending overtime pay protections to 4 million workers, holding employers accountable for union-busting, and calling on Congress to pass the PRO Act. Because when unions do well, all workers do well and the entire economy benefits.

Erie Insurance Arena
Erie, Pennsylvania

7:45 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good evening, Pennsylvania! [Applause] Can we hear for Karen? [Applause] Wow.

Hey, everybody. Hi. All right. Oh, it is good to be back in Pennsylvania. [Applause]

Hey, everybody. All right. All right. All right. Come on. We got work to do. We got work to do. Okay.

AUDIENCE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hi, sweetheart. Hi.

Okay, okay, thank you. Thank you everybody. Thank you everybody. [Applause]

And I want to thank all of the leaders who are here. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy lives to be here this evening and for all of us to be together.

Can we hear for Senator Fetterman — [applause]; your next state attorney general Eugene DePasquale — [applause]; Mayor Schember — [applause]; Bob Casey, who could not be here tonight because he's out doing what he needs to do to get reelected to the United States Senate. [Applause]

All right. Okay, let's get to work. Let's get to work.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you! [Applause]

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Okay. Okay, so here's the thing, Pennsylvania, we got just 22 days until Election Day — 22 days — [applause] — and we are nearing the home stretch.

But here's the thing, this is going to be a tight race until the very end. Okay? We are the underdog. We are running like the underdog. We have some hard work ahead of us. But here's the thing also: we like hard work. [Applause] Hard work is good work. And with your help, in 22 days, we will win. [Applause] We will win.

AUDIENCE: We will win! We will win! We will win!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: We will win. We will win.

And here's why — and here's why, because this election is about two very different visions for our nation. One, his, focused on the past.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And ours, focused on the future. [Applause]

We are focused on issues that matter most to families across America, like bringing down the cost of living, investing in small businesses and entrepreneurs, protecting reproductive freedom — [applause] — and keeping our nation secure.

But that is not what we hear from Donald Trump. Instead, it is just the same old, tired playbook. He has no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people and American families. He is only focused on himself.

Well, folks, it's time to turn the page. [Applause] It's time to turn the page. Turn the page, because America is ready to chart a new way forward. [Applause]

And America is ready for a new and optimistic generation of leadership — [applause] — which is why Democrats, Republicans, independents are supporting our campaign — [applause] — because we need a president who works for all the American people. [Applause] We are all in this together.

And as you all know, this has been the story of my entire career. My entire career, I've only had one client: the people. [Applause]

As a young courtroom prosecutor, I stood up for women and children against predators. As attorney general of California, I took on the big banks, fought to deliver $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure. [Applause]

I stood up for veterans and students who were being scammed by for-profit colleges — [applause]; for workers who were being cheated out of the wages they were due — [applause]; for seniors facing elder abuse.

And it is my pledge to you, as president, I will always fight for all the American people — [applause] — always. And together — together, we all will build a brighter future for our nation. [Applause] Together, we will build a future where we have what I call an "opportunity economy," where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed — not just to get by, but to get ahead. [Applause]

Under my economic plan — and, by the way, you know, so, dude wants to talk about his plans, which really are about cutting taxes for the richest people. Please do check out the Wall Street Journal or Goldman Sachs or the 16 Nobel laureates or Moody's, who have all analyzed the plans and said mine will strengthen the economy, his will make it weaker. [Applause] Okay?

So, under my economic plan, we will bring down the cost of housing — [applause] — and help first-time homebuyers — giving them $25,000 for down payment assistance, so you can just — [applause] — so you can just get your foot in the door. You'll do the rest. You'll save up. You'll work hard. But just to help people get their foot in the door. [Applause]

We will help entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses. How many small-business owners do we have here? [Applause] Right? I love our small businesses. I love — you guys know — it's a part of my story — you know, my mother worked hard. We grew up — we lived in an apartment above a daycare center, and it was owned —

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Woo!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — by our — yes, daycare centers. Bless you. [Laughter]

And it was owned by Ms. Shelton, who we think of and thought of as — as our second mother. And she was a small-business owner. And Ms. Shelton, she was like all of you who do this work. You are business leaders, but you are community leaders. You are civic leaders. You mentor. You hire locally. I love our small businesses. Small businesses are part of the backbone of America's economy. [Applause]

So, you all know what I'm talking about. And as we move forward, what we are going to do in terms of knowing that small businesses must get the support you need to start up and to grow.

We will expand, under my economic policy, Medicare to cover home health care for seniors — [applause] — so more seniors can live at home with dignity. And like so many of my priorities, it is born out of a personal experience.

Look, when my mother got diagnosed with cancer, I took care of her. And for any of you who have taken care of someone — a senior, in particular — you know what that's like, and it's about trying to cook something for them that they might enjoy eating. It's about trying to make sure that they have something that they can wear that won't irritate their skin, right? It's about trying to, from time to time, find a way to just bring a smile to their face or make them laugh. It's about dignity. It's about dignity. It's about dignity. [Applause]

But far too many people who want and need to take care of family members, either you have to leave your job or spend down everything you have to be able to qualify for Medicaid. That's not right.

I look at the sandwich generation. So, we — we refer to folks who are raising young children and taking care of your parents, "the sandwich generation." You're right in between balancing all of that. It's a lot of pressure, and you need and deserve to have the support to be able to handle all of that in a way that we know you are adding so much to our community, societies, and our economies.

So, I have a plan, and my plan is to make sure Medicare — not so you have to pay down everything and get on Medicaid — so that Medicare helps pay for home health care — [applause] — so you can do the work you need to get done in terms of the seniors in your life.

Under our plan, we will lower the cost on everything from health care to groceries.

Look, I'm going to take on corporate price gouging, just like I've done before. I'm going to do it again. [Applause]

And give a middle-class tax cut to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 during the first year of your child's life — [applause] — knowing, again, the vast majority of parents want to parent their children well, but don't always have the resources to do it. And so, by expanding the Child Tax Credit that helps a young family buy a car seat, buy a crib, do the things in that so fundamental stage of their child's development just to get them on the road to what they desire and want to do. And we all benefit from it. We all benefit from it. [Applause]

So, all of this is to say I will always put the middle class and working families first. I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from. [Applause] Never forget where I come from. Never.

AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So — so I just outlined for you a little bit — a little bit about my plan. Now let's talk about Donald Trump. Well —

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: He — he had — he has a very different plan. Take, for example, Project 2025. Just google it.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: It is a detailed and dangerous plan for what he will do if he is elected president.

You know, you all probably heard me say Donald Trump — I think in our collective opinion, certainly mine — is — is an unserious man. [Laughter] But the consequences of him ever being president again are brutally serious — brutally serious.

So, on Project 2025 and his plan, Donald Trump will give billionaires and corporations massive tax cuts, like he's done before, cut —

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — cut Social Security and Medicare.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: The plan on that end is to get rid of the $35 cap on insulin for seniors —

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — to make it easier for companies to deny overtime pay for workers.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: You g- — you got to read the plan.

I mean, the fact they put it in writing is a whole other thing to be discussed. [Laughter]

And he plans to impose what I call a "Trump sales tax," a 20 percent tax on everyday necessities, which economists have measured will cost the average American family more than $4,000 a year.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And on top of all of this, Donald Trump intends to get rid of the Affordable Care Act —

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and he has no plan to replace it.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Concepts!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: [Laughs] You guys watched the debate. [Laughs] Right. He has, quote, "concepts of a plan." "Concepts."

But seriously, think about it — in all seriousness, he's going to then threaten health insurance coverage for 45 million people based on a concept? [Laughter] The seriousness of this cannot be overlooked. Think about that — taking us back to a time we all remember when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions. You remember what that was?

AUDIENCE: We're not going back! We're not going back! We're not going back!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, we are not going back. We are not going back.

AUDIENCE: We're not going back! We're not going back! We're not going back!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: We are not going back. No. We —

And why are we not going back? Because we will move forward — [applause] — because ours is a fight for the future.

And it is a fight for freedom, like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government telling her what to do. [Applause]

And we all remember how we got here. Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, and they did.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And now — now, in America, one in three women lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban. Think about that. Many of these bans have no exceptions, even for rape and incest, which is saying to a survivor of a crime of a violation to their body that you have no right to make a decision about what happens to your body next. That's immoral. That's immoral.

And let us agree: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do — not the government. [Applause] No. No.

If she chooses, she will talk with her priest, her rabbi, her pastor, her imam, but not the government telling her what to do. Not a bunch of folks up at a state capitol telling her what to do, as though she doesn't know what's in her own best interest and they know better. Come on.

And it is my pledge to you, when Congress passes a bill to restore the protections and reproductive freedom nationwide, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. [Applause] Proudly sign it into law. Yes, I will. Yes, I will.

So much is on the line in this election.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Love you!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So much is on — I love you back. [Applause] And listen, so much — so much is on the line in this election.

And we have to remember, this is not 2016 or 2020; the stakes are even higher, because a few months ago, the United States Supreme Court just told the former president that he would be essentially immune —

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — from anything he does while he's in office.

Now, just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails, right?

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: He — he who has vowed, if reelected, that he will be a dictator on day one.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: That he would weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies. He who has called for the, quote, "termination" of the Constitution of the United States.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well — well — well —

AUDIENCE: Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So, hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.

Because see, here's the thing, the courts will handle that. Let's handle November, shall we? [Applause] We'll handle November. We'll handle November.

And we are clear. Look, anybody who says they would terminate the Constitution of the United States should never again stand behind the seal of the president of the United States. [Applause] Never again. Never again. Never again.

And so, after all these years, we know who Donald Trump is. He is someone who will stop at nothing to claim power for himself.

And you don't have to take my word for it. I've said for a while now: Watch his rallies, listen to his words. He tells us who he is, and he tells us what he would do if he is elected president. So, here tonight, I will show you one example of Donald Trump's worldview and intentions.

Please roll the clip.

[A video is played]

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So — so, you heard him — so, you heard his words. You heard his words coming from him. He's talking about the enemy within Pennsylvania. He's talking about the enemy within our country, Pennsylvania. He's talking about that he considers anyone who doesn't support him or who will not bend to his will an enemy of our country.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: It's a serious issue. He's saying — he is saying that he would use the military to go after them. Think about this.

And — and we know who he would target. And we know he — who he would target because he has attacked them before: journalists whose stories he doesn't like, election officials who refuse to cheat by filling extra votes and finding extra votes for him, judges who insist on following the law instead of bending to his will.

This is among the reasons I believe so strongly that a second Trump term would be a huge risk for America and dangerous. [Applause]

Donald Trump — Donald Trump is increasingly unstable and unhinged — [applause] — and he is out for unchecked power. That's what he's looking for. He wants to send the military after American citizens. He — he has worked to prevent women from making their own health care decisions and threatened your fundamental freedoms and rights like the freedom to vote, the freedom to be safe from gun violence, the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water, the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. [Applause]

So, here in Pennsylvania, I say to those who know best: When freedom is on the line, Americans always answer the call. We always answer the call. [Applause]

And in this election —

AUDIENCE: Vote! Vote! Vote!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Vote. Vote.

And so, to your point, in this election, we will answer the call again, because it all comes down to this. We are all here together because we know what's at stake, and we are here together because we love our country. We love our country. We love our country. [Applause]

AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: That's right. That's right. We love our country. And — and I do believe one of the highest forms of patriotim — patriotism that there is — one of the highest forms of patriotism is to fight for the ideals of our country. [Applause] That is borne out of love of country to fight to realize the promise of America.

So, Election Day is in 22 days — 22 days. And here in Pennsylvania, early voting has already started. [Applause] Yep. And, Erie County, you are a pivot county. [Applause] How you all vote —

AUDIENCE MEMBER: [Inaudible]

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And — and thank you, because how you all vote in presidential elections often ends up predicting the national result. [Applause] Yeah. Yes.

AUDIENCE: Erie! Erie! Erie!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: The chant is "Erie." "Erie." [Laughs] That's right.

And so, in Erie County, you can vote early in person at the Erie County Voter Registration Office — [applause] — from now until Tuesday, October 29th. And so, now is the time to make your plan to vote.

And if you have already received your ballot in the mail, please do not wait. Fill it out and return it today or tomorrow, but please get it out.

And remember the deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Monday, October 21st. So, if you or anyone you know has not yet registered, now is the time because, look, the election is here and we need to organize. We need to mobilize. We need to energize folks. And we need to remind everybody that their vote is their voice, and your voice is your power. [Applause]

So, Erie, I ask you, then, are you ready to make your voices heard? [Applause]

Do we believe in freedom? [Applause]

Do we believe in opportunity? [Applause]

Do we believe in the promise of America? [Applause]

And are we ready to fight for it? [Applause]

And when we fight —

AUDIENCE: We win!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win.

God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. [Applause]

END 8:13 P.M. EDT

Lilly Ledbetter was a fearless leader and advocate for equal pay. Her fight began on the factory floor and reached the Supreme Court and Congress, and she never stopped fighting for all Americans to be paid what they deserve. Before she was a household name, Lilly was like so many other women in the workforce: she worked hard, with dignity, only to find out she was being paid less than a man for the same work.

Because of Lilly's tireless efforts, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act—a critical step forward in the fight to close the gender and racial wage gaps—became the first bill signed in the Obama-Biden Administration. It was an honor to stand with Lilly as the bill that bears her name was made law.

Lilly's decades of relentless advocacy inspired us all and have brought us closer to living up to our Nation's core values of equality and fairness. Vice President Harris and I remain committed to building on Lilly's legacy and to strengthening equal pay protections for all workers.

Jill and I send our love and condolences to Lilly's family and all of the women she empowered and continues to inspire.

On October 14^th, one year ago today, six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, a bright and cheerful American Muslim boy of Palestinian descent, was brutally killed in his family's home in Plainfield, Illinois. The attacker also repeatedly stabbed and seriously wounded Wadee's mother, Hanan Shaheen, resulting in murder, attempted murder, and hate crime charges in Illinois. After this heinous attack, Jill and I spoke with their family, as did Vice President Harris. We joined Americans from across the country in expressing our horror and offering our condolences and prayers.

One year later, we continue to think about them. We are grateful for Hanan's recovery and her powerful voice for peace. But we know the hole in their heart that remains without their beloved son. Days like this are hard because it brings it all back. We keep them in our hearts.

On this day, let us all take steps that honor Wadee's memory and reaffirm together that there is no place for hate in America, including hatred of Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims. We can all reject hatred and expose misinformation and disinformation that is cynically aimed at turning us against one another. We can all reach across divides of background and belief to create greater understanding and unity in our country. No one in this country should be subjected to violence or hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric simply because of who they are. No one of any background in this country should be made to feel unsafe in America.

Today, we also reaffirm our commitment to mobilize government to counter hate in all its forms. In May 2021, I signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which includes the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, to enhance hate crime data collection and provide community-centered solutions to assist hate crime victims and their communities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has elevated hate crimes and criminal civil rights violations to its highest-level national threat priority, which has increased the resources for hate crimes prevention and investigations and made hate crimes a focus for all of the Bureau's field offices. My Administration will continue to spare no effort in countering hate in all its forms.

Together, we must work to end acts of senseless violence and stand united in support of all of our fellow Americans, no matter their race, ethnicity, or creed. May we summon the courage and the strength to do so.

May God bless Wadee Alfayoumi and his family.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of South Carolina and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Debby from August 4 to August 22, 2024.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Debby in the counties of Bamberg, Barnwell, Berkeley, Colleton, Dillon, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Orangeburg, and Union.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Mr. Brett H. Howard of the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT [202] 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

Koinonia Christian Center
Greenville, North Carolina

12:35 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, church. Good afternoon.

Oh, please have a seat. Please have a seat. [Laughter]

Bishop O'neal, I thank you so very much. We — we've had some time to visit before we came out into the sanctuary, and I just thank you for the leadership that you have provided for so long.

You know, in times of crisis, and — and we're looking at the images of the aftermath of the hurricane. But it — it is easy in these moments of crisis to — to question our faith, to sometimes lose our faith for a moment, because what we see is so hard to see that we lose faith or a vision of those things we cannot see but must know. [Applause]

And you are such a leader in all of those ways, and I thank you. [Applause] I'm honored to be with you. I'm honored to be with you. I'm honored to be with you. Thank you.

And, KCC family, thank you for welcoming me today. [Applause] [Laughs] Thank you. And thank you for the opportunity to allow me to worship with you. It does my heart and soul good.

So, scripture teaches, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." [Applause]

So, I first encountered the words of Galatians as a young girl at 23rd Avenue Church of God in Oakland, California, which is where I sang in the children's choir and first learned the teachings of the Bible. My earliest memories of those teachings are about a loving God, a God who asks us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, to defend the rights of the poor and the needy.

And so, at an early age, I learned that faith is a verb. It is something we show in action and in service. And we show it by heeding the words of my pastor, who Bishop spoke with yesterday, Reverend Dr. Amos C. Brown, who often invokes the words that we all know: One must do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

That truth is important at all times and especially in moments of difficulty and disaster, especially in moments like this, as we navigate storms that have inflicted so much harm across our country.

And to all those who have loved ones who have been affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, Doug and I, my husband, are holding of you close in our hearts and in our prayers. And we are thinking of everyone who has been affected by these storms.

Now, I know Helene's impact was further west, but I also know that the people of Greenville, like all Americans, have been inspired by the way communities are coming together, Bishop, in the wake of these storms. Amid ruined homes, downed power lines, swollen rivers that have been choked with debris, we have seen — we have seen children rescued by neighbors in a kayak; we have seen those who have lost everything gathering donations for others.

You know, it's been my experience to see that in a moment of crisis, isn't it something when you know that, often, it is the people who have the least, give the most? [Applause] Right?

Moments of crisis, I believe, do have a way of revealing the heroes among us, the angels among us, and of showing us all the best of who we are. And these hurricanes have revealed heroes around all of us, heroes who do not ask the injured or stranded whether they are a Republican or a Democrat — [applause] — but who simply ask, "Are you okay?"; who ask, "What can I do to help?" — heroes who, as I like to say, see in the face of a stranger, a neighbor.

Yet, church, there are some who are not acting in the spirit of community. And I am speaking of those who have been literally not telling the truth — lying — about people who are working hard to help folks in need; spreading disinformation, when the truth and facts are required. And the — the problem with this, beyond the obvious, is it's making it harder, then, to get people lifesaving information, if they're led to believe they cannot trust.

And that's the pain of it all, which is the idea that those who are in need have somehow been convinced that the forces are working against them in a way that they would not seek aid.

And let's let that sink in for a moment. Right now, fellow Americans are experiencing some of the most difficult moments in their lives. Yet, instead of offering hope, there are those who are channeling people's tragedies and sorrows into grievance and hatred. And one may ask, "Why?" And I think, sadly, frankly, the motives are quite transparent: to gain some advantage for themselves, to play politics with other people's heartbreak. And it is unconscionable.

Now is not a time to incite fear. [Applause] It is not right to make people feel alone. That is not what — and this is a church full of leaders — that is not what leaders, as we know, do in crisis.

Now is a time to bring folks together, to come together, to be there for one another, and follow the example of all of the heroes all around us. And now is the time to live up to the fundamental values that reflect our nation at its best: the values of compassion and community and honesty and decency — the values that define the people of Greenville, the — the people of North Carolina, and — and the people like a fellow who I met recently. His name is Eddie Hunnell. And I'm going to tell you a quick story about Eddie Hunnell.

So, I met him in Charlotte the other week. He was visiting Grassy Creek for his son's wedding when he saw a woman in the raging floodwaters. First, he tried to rescue her by canoe. When that didn't work, this ma- — a perfect stranger, he's watching — he jumped in the river and pulled her ashore.

And when I talked with Eddie about his act of courage, here's what he said to me. He said, "Well I didn't feel I had a choice." But, of course, he had a choice. Of course, he had a choice.

But his choice was to take a risk for the sake of another. Didn't even reflect on the risk he might have been taking. [Applause] Right?

His choice was to follow his conscience. His choice was, in the words of Isaiah, to be "a refuge for the needy in their distress." [Applause] He chose to remember that we are all in this together.

And if that is true during a terrible storm, it is also true when the storm passes. [Applause] It is true in our everyday lives.

When Paul wrote his letter to the church in Galatia, he knew folks might feel the weight of the burden of doing good, that they may feel a temptation to turn away from others in their time of need, to believe, "What does it matter?" But Paul reminded them and us that God calls us not to become weary of doing good.

Because we each have the power — God tells us this — the power, each one of us, to make a difference. And that tells us that the measure of our strength will be clear when we see what we can do to lift other people up — [applause] — just as Eddie did and as the heroes and the angels in this church and all over are doing after these storms. Across North Carolina, Florida, and impacted communities, we are witnessing faith in action. [Applause]

So, I close with this. Let us continue to look in the face of a stranger and see a neighbor. [Applause] Let us recognize that when we shine the light in moments of darkness, it will guide our feet onto the path of peace. And let us always remember that while weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning. [Applause] [Laughs]

Thank you. May God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Thank you, church. [Applause] END

East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

4:39 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: North Carolina! Good afternoon, North Carolina! [Applause] Oh, my goodness.

Can we hear for Thomas? [Applause]

Good afternoon. [Applause] It is good to be at E.C.U. [Applause] And it's so wonderful to be back in North Carolina. Thank you. [Applause] It is so good — I see you.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: North Carolina loves you!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And — thank you. [Applause] Thank you, thank you.

And I want to thank — there — this is — this is an auditorium packed with incredible leaders. And I thank you all for taking the time this Sunday afternoon with all that you have going on. [Applause] I thank you. I thank you. Thank you all.

I want to also thank State Senator Smith; State Senator Hunt, your next lieutenant governor — [applause]; Congressman Davis, a proud graduate of ECU. [Applause] And let's elect Josh Stein as your next governor. [Applause]

And he and Governor Cooper are not here today because they are s- — they've been working around the clock dealing with the hurricane recovery efforts. [Applause] And we want to always thank them and all the — the incredible local, state, and federal leaders who have been working together for North Carolina.

I was here eight days ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. And since then, of course, another powerful storm — Hurricane Milton — cut a path of destruction through Florida. And our hearts — I know, all of us — and our prayers go out to everyone who's been impacted by these storms. [Applause]

I have spoken to both state and local officials, both Republican and Democrat, to let them know we will be with you every step of the way as you recover — [applause] — because in times like this, we stand together as one nation. That is who we are. [Applause]

So, North Carolina — [applause] — we have 23 days until Election Day. And we are nearing the homestretch. We are nearing the homestretch.

Now, listen, let me just say, I know we are really excited to see each other. I couldn't be more excited to see everybody here, but I'm going to tell you: It's going to be a tight race until the very end, and we are running as the underdog.

So, we have some hard work ahead of us, but we like hard work. [Applause] Hard work is good work.

And with your help, in 23 days, we will win. [Applause] We will win. We will win. Yes, we will. We will win.

So, what we know —

AUDIENCE: We will win! We will win! We will win!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: We will win. And here's why — and here's why. One of the reasons is that — we all know and we are gathered here together because we know this election really is about two very different visions for our nation. One, his, focused on the past. The other, ours, focused on the future. [Applause]

Ours is a campaign focused on issues that matter, for example, to working families across America, like bringing down the cost of living, investing in small businesses and entrepreneurs. [Applause] How many small-business owners do we have here? [Applause] Thank you.

We are focused on protecting reproductive freedom. [Applause] We are focused on keeping our nation secure. [Applause]

But none of that is what we hear from Donald Trump.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Instead — instead, from him, we are just hearing from that same old, tired playbook. He has no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people. He is only focused on himself.

And he's not — but here's the thing, North Carolina — and he's not being transparent with the voters. He's not being transparent.

So, check this out. He refuses to release his medical records.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I've done it. Every other presidential can- — every other presidential candidate in modern era has done it.

He is unwilling to do a "60 Minutes" interview, like every other major party candidate has done for more than half a century.

He is unwilling to meet for a second debate.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And here's the thing — here's the thing. It makes you wonder. It makes you wonder: Why does his staff want him to hide away?

One must question — one must question: Are they afraid that people will see that he is too weak and unstable to lead America? [Applause] Is that what's going on?

So, folks, for these reasons and so many more, it is time to turn the page. [Applause] It is time to turn the page, because America is ready to chart a new way forward, ready for a new and optimistic generation of leadership — [applause] — which is why Democrats, independents, and Republicans are supporting our campaign — [applause] — because they and we know we need a president who works for all the American people. [Applause]

And that has been the story of my entire career. I have only ever had one client: the people. [Applause]

As a young courtroom prosecutor, I stood up for women and children against predators. [Applause] As attorney general of California, I took on the big banks and delivered $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure. [Applause] I stood up for veterans and students being scammed by the big for-profit colleges. [Applause] I stood up for workers being cheated out of the wages they were due, stood up for seniors facing elder abuse.

And as president, it is my pledge to you that I will always fight for all the American people. [Applause]

And together, we will build a brighter future for our nation, and that future includes building what I call an opportunity economy, where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed.

Under my economic plan, we will bring down the cost of housing and help first-time homebuyers with a $25,000 down payment assistance. [Applause] We will expand Medicare to cover home health care for seniors — [applause] — so more seniors can live at home with dignity; and give more support to the sandwich generation, to those of you who are raising young children and taking care of your parents. [Applause]

And, look, I just have to say something about home health care and the need that I know so many people have for help. Look, so, when my mother was sick, after she had been diagnosed with cancer, I took care of her. And for those of you who have taken care of somebody who needs that kind of help, it's about trying to cook something that they have a taste for and want to eat. It's about trying to find something that they can wear that — that is not irritating their skin and is soft enough. It's about trying, from time to time, to figure out something you can do to just bring a smile to their face or make them laugh, right?

It's the work that is about giving folks dignity. But far too many people — on this issue of home health care — if you need the support to give that care to your family member, it means either paying down and losing as much as you can to be able to afford to have Medicaid or having to leave your job, which means cutting off a very important part of your income, just to give people in your life the dignity and the support they deserve.

That's why I'm saying we're going to have Medicare cover that home health care — [applause] — to help you — to help you.

We will lower costs, including on everything from health care to groceries. I will take on corporate price gouging. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. [Applause]

I will give a middle-class tax cut to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 during the first year of your child's life, knowing that the vast majority of parents have a natural desire to parent their children well but not always the resources to be able to do it. And so, extending the Child Tax Credit to $6,000 to give folks the ability to be able to buy that car seat or that crib in that most fundamental phase of their child's development.

So, all this to say, I will always put the middle class and working people first. [Applause] I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from. [Applause]

Now, Donald Trump, well, he has a different plan.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Just Google "Project 2025." It is a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what he will do if he is elected president.

Donald Trump will give billionaires and corporations massive tax cuts, cut Social Security and Medicare, make it easier for companies to deny overtime pay for workers.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: He would get rid of that $35 cap on insulin for seniors.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: He would impose what I call a "Trump sales tax," a 20 percent tax on everyday basic necessities which will cost the average American family $4,000 more a year.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And on — on top of all of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: And he has no plan to replace it.

Did you see the debate? He has "concepts of a plan." [Applause]

So — okay, so he's going to threaten the health insurance coverage of 45 million people based on a concept — come on — and take us back to when insurance companies had the power to deny people with preexisting conditions? You know where I'm going.

Well, we are not going back! [Laughs] [Applause] No, we're not. No, we're not.

AUDIENCE: We're not going back!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, we're not going back.

AUDIENCE: We're not going back! We're not going back! We're not going back!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Because we will move forward. [Applause]

Ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom, like the fundamental freedom of a woman to be able to make decisions about her own body and not have her government telling her what to do. [Applause]

Because we know Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, and they did as he intended.

And now, more than one in three women in America lives in a state with the Trump abortion ban, including right here in North Carolina.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Many of these bans have no exceptions even for rape and incest, which is immoral. To tell a survivor of a violation to their body that they have no right to make a decision about what happens to their body next? That's immoral.

And let us agree — let us agree: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree it shouldn't be the government telling her what to do — [applause] — not the government. If she chooses, she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam, but not the government telling her what to do.

And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law — [applause] — proudly.

And North Carolina, across our nation — I'm telling you, I'm traveling — we are witnessing a full-on assault on other hard-fought, hard-won fundamental freedoms and rights, like the freedom to vote — [applause]; the freedom to be safe from gun violence — [applause]; the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. [Applause]

So much is on the line in this election. And this is not 2016 or 2020. The stakes are even higher, because a few months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president that he would effectively be immune from whatever he does in office.

AUDIENCE: Booo —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: But let's think about that. You know, you all have heard me say: I do believe Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the effects of him being back in the White House would be brutally serious.

Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. He who has vowed, if reelected, he would be a dictator on day one; that he would weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies. He has called for the, quote, "termination" —

AUDIENCE: Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Oh, wait. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.

AUDIENCE: [Inaudible]

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hold on, because here's the thing — here's the thing. Let's let the courts handle that, and let's handle November. [Applause] We'll handle November. How about that? [Laughs]

Because, listen, here's why — this is what we know. Anybody who wants to be president of the United States who has called for the, quote, "termination" of the Constitution of the United States should never again have the ability to stand behind the seal of the president of the United States. [Applause] Never again. Never again.

And the people who know him best know it. His former national security adviser, two of his former Defense secretaries, his former chief of staff in the White House, his own vice president have all warned America: Donald Trump is unfit to serve. [Applause]

Or just listen most recently to what we heard General Milley said. General Milley, chairm- — former chairman of the Joint Chiefs under Donald Trump. It was just reported he said, quote, "No one has ever been as dangerous to this country," in referring to Donald Trump. Think about that. Think about that.

And we can already see the harm he's up to as a candidate. Most recently, spreading disinformation in the wake of natural disasters, blocking real solutions that would stop drug cartels from crossing the border when he tried to kill — and did — that border security deal.

Because, you see, Donald Trump cares more about scaring people, creating fear, running on a problem, instead of what real leaders do, which is to participate in fixing problems. [Applause]

Well, I care about fixing problems, and as president of the United States, I will be focused each and every day on solving problems that affect you and your family. [Applause]

So, North Carolina, it all comes down to this. We — we are here together this Sunday afternoon because we know what is at stake. We are here together this Sunday afternoon because we love our country. [Applause] We love our country.

AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yes, that's right.

AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: That's right. That's right. That's right.

AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: We love our country. And I do believe it is one of the highest forms of patriotism to then fight for the ideals of our country and to fight to realize the promise of America — the promise of America.

So, Election Day is in 23 days. And in just four days, early voting will begin statewide. [Applause] Starting Thursday, you can go to the polls and cast your ballot. [Applause] If you haven't already registered to vote, you could do it right then and there: register to vote and vote.

And so, now is the time to make your plan to vote. And if you've not received your ballot in the mail, look for it, because if you have, I would like you to fill it out right away. [Laughter] Please don't wait, because, to my friends, I say, look, the election is here. The election is here.

And remember always that your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power — [applause] — is your power.

And so, North Carolina, today I then ask you: Are you ready to make your voices heard? [Applause]

Do we believe in freedom? [Applause]

Do we believe in opportunity? [Applause]

Do we believe in the promise of America? [Applause]

And are we ready to fight for it? [Applause]

And when we fight —

AUDIENCE: We win!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win.

God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. [Applause]

God bless you all. God bless you. [Applause]

END 5:03 P.M. EDT

This year's Nobel Peace Prize winners embody determination and resilience in the face of tragedy. For decades, the members of Nihon Hidankyo have served as a human testament to the catastrophic human toll of nuclear weapons, telling a story that humanity needs to hear. On behalf of the United States, I congratulate them on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their historic work to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again. We also congratulate Japan for this recognition of the moral clarity and steadfast commitment of its people and government to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons.

As I was powerfully reminded last year when I visited Hiroshima and met with a survivor of the bombing, we must continue making progress toward the day when we can finally and forever rid the world of nuclear weapons. The United States stands ready to engage in talks with Russia, China, and North Korea without preconditions to reduce the nuclear threat. There is no benefit to our nations or the world to forestall progress on reducing nuclear arsenals. Reducing the nuclear threat is important not despite the dangers of today's world but precisely because of them. These nuclear risks erode the norms and agreements we have worked collectively to put in place and run counter to the vital work of today's Nobel Laureates.

Yesterday's announcement by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee reminds us that we must continue our progress toward a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. Let us all take inspiration from this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners and recommit ourselves to the vital work of building a safer world.

Following Hurricane Helene's devastating impacts across the Southeast and Appalachia, the Biden-Harris Administration continues its robust Federal efforts to help communities recover and rebuild. The storm heavily impacted North Carolina, where the Administration continues to surge resources and assist families, business owners, farmers, and other impacted communities receive the support and assistance they need and deserve.

Federal disaster assistance for Hurricane Helene survivors has surpassed $474 million – including more than $86 million in housing and other types of assistance for survivors in North Carolina. Survivors can register for assistance at one of three Disaster Recovery Centers in Caldwell, McDowell, and Buncombe Counties, or on disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or via the FEMA app.

The Department of Defense continues to support search-and-rescue operations, route clearance, and commodities distribution across western North Carolina with 1,500 active-duty troops. The Department of Defense is also employing additional capabilities to assist with increasing situational awareness across the remote terrain of Western North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers continues missions supporting debris removal, temporary emergency power installation, infrastructure and water and wastewater assessments, and technical assistance. Over 2,000 North Carolina National Guard personnel along with over 200 Guardsmen from 15 States are conducting response operations in western North Carolina.

As response efforts continue in North Carolina, more than 1,250 FEMA staff remain on the ground, with more arriving daily. Nearly 400 Urban Search and Rescue personnel remain in the field helping people. These teams have rescued or supported over 3,200 survivors to date.

Power has been restored to more than approximately 96 percent of customers, as a result of 10,000 utility personnel working around the clock. Cellular restoration also continues to improve, with more than 93 percent of cellular sites in service. FEMA is boosting response coordination by providing 40 Starlink units to ensure first responders can communicate with each other.

Commodity distribution, mass feeding, and hydration operations continue in areas of western North Carolina. FEMA continues to send commodity shipments and voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. Mobile feeding operations are reaching survivors in heavily impacted areas, including three mass feeding sites in Buncombe, McDowell and Watauga counties. The Salvation Army has 20 mobile feeding units supporting this massive operation and has provided emotional and spiritual care to survivors. To date, the American Red Cross is engaging in targeted distribution of emergency supplies in low-income communities with high levels of minor or affected residential damage.

Additional recovery efforts in North Carolina include:

Supporting Infrastructure Recovery

As part of the robust, whole-of-government response to Hurricane Helene, the U.S. Department of Transportation is supporting response and recovery efforts in impacted communities in North Carolina. DOT personnel are on the ground in multiple locations of the state.

On October 5, the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration [FHWA] announced $100 million in Quick Release Emergency Relief funding to support North Carolina. The funding helps pay for the costs of immediate emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene flood damage. Additional funding will flow to affected communities from the Emergency Relief program.

FHWA worked closely with North Carolina and other federal agencies to assess infrastructure damage, including supporting hundreds of bridge inspections and other critical infrastructure assessments across the Southeast. On October 8, FHWA Acting Administrator Kristin White visited the region with Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins and other federal, state and local officials and got a first-hand look at impacts from the storm and recovery efforts.

The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] continues to work with partners in affected parts of North Carolina and Tennessee, as the national airspace steadily returned to normal operations.

The FAA Air Traffic Organization Technical Operations Team is on-site and leading communications restoration efforts at air traffic facilities. FAA also supported the North Carolina Air National Guard by providing advisory services at Rutherford County Airport and Avery County Airport.

The FAA worked with state and local governments, critical infrastructure owners and operators, and first responders to enable drones to support response and recovery. The FAA granted permission to allow Wing to temporarily conduct beyond visual line of sight drone package deliveries for Walmart's pharmacy in western North Carolina, delivering essential items including prescription medicine, medical supplies, and medical equipment to hard-to-reach locations.

Additionally, President Biden's approval of a Presidential Emergency Declaration for North Carolina affords the state a period of emergency regulatory relief from Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations, including flexibility around driving time for property- and passenger-carrying vehicles. This allows truck drivers to get essential supplies to affected areas in North Carolina. It may also provide opportunities for motorcoach buses to deliver relief teams to response locations and allow for the transport and evacuation of residents.

On October 10, Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] Administrator Michael Regan joined Governor Cooper, Senator Tillis, Congressman Edwards and local officials to assess federal and state recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Helene. EPA and its state partners have made significant progress bringing drinking water and wastewater systems back online, including restoring service to more than 75 drinking water systems that serve approximately 260,000 people in the Asheville area. EPA is also providing technical assistance and drinking water testing to systems and private drinking water well owners across the Asheville area through their Mobile Drinking Water lab – giving residents clear data and confidence that their water is safe to drink. The lab is capable of testing 100 samples per day. Water utilities and private well owners must request sampling services through their local health departments. EPA will remain on the ground in North Carolina helping area residents as long as their assistance is needed.

The Department of Energy's Energy Response Organization remains activated to respond to storm impacts, and responders remain deployed to FEMA regional response coordination centers. Via the Electricity Sub-Sector Coordinating Council and Oil and Natural Gas Sub-Sector Coordinating Council, the Department of Energy has been coordinating continuously with energy sector partners on the ongoing Hurricane Helene response. As noted above, there are 10,000 line workers supporting power restoration efforts.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continues to support post-disaster imagery flights following Hurricane Helene, already totaling over 68 flight hours during 20 flights, including over western North Carolina. This imagery not only supports FEMA and the broader response community, but the public at large.

Providing Financial Flexibilities to Homeowners and Taxpayers

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] is providing a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration [FHA] as well as foreclosures of mortgages to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program. Additionally, affected homeowners that have mortgages through Government-Sponsored Enterprises – including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – and the FHA are eligible to suspend their mortgage payments through a forbearance plan for up to 12 months.

HUD announced $3 million for the State of North Carolina to support people experiencing homelessness in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Funding from the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing program will help residents and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have needs that are not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief programs.

This summer, HUD launched a new streamlined process for requesting additional flexibility on existing grants after a disaster is declared. Recipients of annual HUD funding – including in North Carolina – may request waivers to unlock and accelerate the use of their funding for disaster response and recovery. With the updated waiver process, HUD is proactively issuing maximum flexibility to communities impacted by disasters. These flexibilities will expedite the recovery process, reduce administrative burden, and allow impacted jurisdictions to quickly tailor programs and activities to address the post disaster needs of their communities. The Disaster Assistance and Recovery Team within HUD's Office of Housing Counseling continues to conduct focused meetings with housing counseling agencies in each state impacted by these disasters to discuss their unique response and recovery challenges and identify resources available to assist.

The Internal Revenue Service announced disaster tax relief for all individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. North Carolina taxpayers now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.

Protecting Public Health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] declared a Public Health Emergency for North Carolina to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene. HHS's Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response [ASPR] continues to provide medical support for Hurricane Helene, predominantly onsite in North Carolina. These ASPR personnel are deployed to support Hurricane Helene response operations, which include four Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and personnel from a Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team [DMORT] in North Carolina. ASPR Health and Medical Task Forces and ASPR Disaster Medical Assistance Teams from the National Disaster Medical System are providing 24-hour surge support to three hospitals: Mission Hospital in Asheville, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, and Caldwell Memorial in Lenoir. To date, ASPR teams have seen nearly 1000 patients. ASPR will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to prioritize medical assistance to other areas affected by Hurricane Helene as required and requested.

Supporting Workers and Worker Safety

Working alongside the Department of Labor, the States of North Carolina has announced that eligible workers can receive federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance to compensate for income lost directly resulting from Hurricane Helene. And, through the Department of Labor's innovative partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, displaced workers in North Carolina can now go to the post office in any other state and verify their ID for purposes of getting their benefits quickly.

Supporting Farmers and Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] has put contingency plans and program flexibilities into place to ensure farmers, foresters and communities are able to get the support they need, such as by extending program signup opportunities, expediting crop insurance payments, and using waivers and emergency procedures to expedite recovery efforts on working lands. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service has issued flexibilities and waivers for North Carolina to ensure that food and nutritional assistance reaches those in need as soon as possible. In North Carolina, waivers have been issued to increase access to WIC products, replace benefits through Summer EBT, allow the purchase of hot foods through SNAP, and more.

Additionally, USDA is currently coordinating over 200 staff on the ground in North Carolina, including saw support teams and emergency road clearance teams, to help clear trees and debris, including in Waterville, Marion, Newton, and Weaverville.

Supporting Students and Student Loan Borrowers

The Department of Education has offered technical assistance to states and local educational agencies to support recovery efforts and shared critical resources, including those developed by other federal agencies and organizations, to support restoring the teaching and learning environment.

The Department's office of Federal Student Aid [FSA] has flexibilities that are automatically available to affected institutions of higher education to help their continued management of the federal student aid programs. These flexibilities help schools if they need to adjust their academic calendars, such as due to unexpected closures, and also help students who may need to take a leave of absence. The flexibilities also help students avoid reductions in their federal aid due to any state or federal disaster assistance provided. FSA will also work with affected institutions that need help on other areas, such as paying credit balances. FSA has communicated with schools located in the areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Those communications included existing Department guidance about how natural disasters impact schools and their administration of financial aid, resources, and links to FEMA disaster aid information. FSA's communications also included a way for schools to share more information about the disaster impact on their campus and submit questions about administrative relief and flexibilities.

The Department is ensuring affected borrowers in areas impacted by the hurricanes can focus on their critical needs without needing to worry about missing their student loan payments. Direct Loan borrowers and federally-serviced FFEL borrowers in the affected area who miss their payments will be automatically placed into a natural disaster forbearance. During forbearance, payments are temporarily postponed or reduced, and interest is still charged. Thanks to regulations issued by the Biden-Harris Administration, months in this forbearance will count toward PSLF and IDR forgiveness. Direct Loan and federally serviced FEEL borrowers are not required to take an action but have the option to call their servicer if they wish to enroll in the forbearance proactively. Perkins loan borrowers should contact their loan holder to request natural disaster forbearance.?

Continuing to Survey Data

The Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] continues working to measure river levels and flow, and repair streamgages that transmit critical data. USGS crews continue working to determine the extent of flooding by surveying for high-water marks. These flood-peak data and high-water marks are used to determine flood frequency and are critical in the design of infrastructure and in determining flood plain boundaries. USGS stood up a landslide response team that now includes 32 USGS scientists, 19 of which ware mapping landslides, to provide technical assistance to the North Carolina Geological Survey and Tennessee Geological Survey. Their work includes reconnaissance using satellite imagery, flights, and on-the-ground assessments to map landslides.

MacDill Air Force Base
Tampa, Florida

12:35 P.M. EDT

Q Mr. President, where was Governor DeSantis? Did you speak with him while you were here?

THE PRESIDENT: No, I didn't.

But I — by — by the way, I think we're making real progress. Everybody seems pretty happy with the way it's going. We're not leaving. We're provi- — we're going to — the next thing to do, we're trying to make sure we get the money in there for small businesses; talking to the Congress to see if they can get the money quickly. It's important.

So, you saw, I mean, Republicans and Democrats are happy with what we're doing. And so, we're making progress. We're making progress.

Q Sir, could you —

Q On the THAAD. Did you — wh- — why did you decide to give the permission for the THAAD to be deployed in Israel?

THE PRESIDENT: To defend Israel.

Q Any — any worries about it?

Q Is the misinformation hurting FEMA's ability to respond?

12:36 P.M. EDT

Residential Area
St. Pete Beach, Florida

11:34 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, folks.

I just met a number of the homeowners, been wiped out, and the — everything from the Coast Guard to the fire department. It's a hell of a deal.

I'm here in Florida for the second time in two weeks and — to survey the damage from another catastrophic storm: Hurricane Milton. Thankfully, the storm's impact was not as cataclysmic as had — we had predicted. But on top oftwo[one] before it, it just keeps s- — seem we got to get — getting worse.

And bu- — you know, but for some individuals, it was cataclysmic — all those folks who not only lost their homes but, more importantly, those folks who lost their lives, lost family members, lost all their personal belongings. Entire neighborhoods were flooded, and millions — millions were without power.

Earlier this morning, I did an aerial tour of Saint Petersburg and the battered coastline. I flew over Tropicana Field and — where the Tampa Bays play — Rays play, and the roof was almost completely off. But thank God not many people were injured.

I spoke with first responders who've been working around the clock. I also met with small-business owners here and homeowners who've taken a real beating — these back-to-back storms. And they're heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are piling up.

And I know from experience how devastating it is to lose your home. Several years ago, my home was struck by lightning. It didn't all burn down, but we were out of the home for seven months while it was being repaired. The thing I was most concerned about was not just the home; it was all those things, all those — all those pictures I saved, my — and my daughter had drawn when she was little, all the — all the family photographs, all the albums, all the things that really matter.

Folks, the — the fact is that when you lose your wedding ring and the old photos of your children, family keepsakes, things that can't be replaced — but sometimes, from my own experience, that's the part that hurts the most.

And I'm standing next to the mayor of Pete's Beach and the Chairwoman Peters. Both their homes were damaged in Hurricane Milton. The mayor's home flooded, family vehicles washed away. The county chair's home had experienced significant damage in the past two storms previous. They just finished rebuilding and settling back in, and now they have to do it all over again.

Both their families lost precious personal belongings, but they've stepped up not only to look out for themselves but to help other families, help their neighbors. You know, that's the resilience of the people of West Florida.

And I want to thank them and all the public officials who suffered consequential losses because of the storm but who are out there doing things to help other people who had serious losses. It matters. The American people should know the sacrifices they're making.

You know, they've been steadfast partners as well. We've been in frequent contact.

And it's in moments like this we come together to take care of each other, not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans — Americans who need help and Americans who would help you if you were in the same situation. We are one United States — one Unites States.

I also came here to talk about all the progress we have made together. This is a whole-of-government effort, from state and local to FEMA to U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, the Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, just to name a few.

FEMA has delivered 1.2 million meals, over 300,000 liters of water, 2 million gallons of fuel. And so far, we've installed 100 satellite terminals to restore communications in impacted areas so families can ton- — contact their loved ones to be sure everything is okay and be able to reach out for help as well.

Speaking of help, so far, we've opened 10 disaster recovery centers in Florida, with more to come, so people can have one stop to meet with officials, get the federal help they're entitled to that's available to them, such as direct, immediate financial aid and no [low-]interest payment loans, mortgage relief, and so much more.

You can also go online to DisasterAssistance.gov — DisasterAssistance.gov — or call 1-800-621-FEMA — F-E-M-A.

Yesterday, after I signed the major disaster declaration, more than 250,000 Floridians registered for help — 250,000 — the most in sin- — any — a single day ever in the history of this country — 250,000.

I know you're concerned about the debris removal, and it's obvious why. We're prioritizing debris removal and working with the state and local partners to clear roads, to get wreckage into — of the two hurricanes off properties, and so more folks can return home and businesses can receive much-needed deliveries of food, fuel, medicine, and other essentials. That's a priority for me.

Power has also been restored to over 2 million people in a matter of days. And thanks to tens of thousands of power workers from 43 states and Canada working nonstop, even more people will have more power restored soon.

Today, I'm proud to announce $612 million to six new cutting-edge projects to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene and Milton. That includes $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and another $47 million for Florida Power & Light.

This funding will not only restore power, but it'll make the region's power system stronger and more capable and reduce the frequency and duration of power outages while extreme weather events become more frequent.

In fact, we've been able to restore power quicker because of critical infrastructure investments were made both when I was vice president and president to harden the grid. For folks at home, "the grid" means the electrical power system that transmits energy from the — where it's produced in a power plant to where it's used in homes and businesses.

We've been hardening the grid, like b- — like burying transmission lines underground, replacing wood power poles with concrete or composite poles so they don't snap in the wind.

Energy Secretary Granholm is here with me today leading this effort, and she'll tell you more about it and other cutting-edge technologies on the grid in a moment.

Let me close with this. I'm here to porsonally — personally say thank you to the brave first responders — and I don't want to underestimate that — brave first responders, men and women in uniform, utility workers. [Inaudible] look at the number that showed up from around the country — from Canada — California, Nebraska, all over the country — to come here to help.

Men and women in uniform, as I said; health care personnel; neighbors helping neighbors; and so many more people. This is all a team effort, folks. You made a big difference. And it's saved lives.

But there's much more to do, and we're going to do everything we can to get power back into your homes, not only helping you recover but to help you build back stronger.

God bless you all. And may God protect our first responders and protect our troops.

Now I'm going to turn this over to Secretary Granholm. Madam Secretary.

11:42 A.M. EDT