Biden Bits: You Should Enjoy the Holiday Season…

Biden Tweets Christmas Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Thursday aka…

For Christmas Eve-Eve, President Biden has received his daily brief. This afternoon he will sign into law H.R. 3537, the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act; Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra also attends.

The bill summary:

This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), and contains other related provisions.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities for scientific research utilizing data from expanded access to investigational ALS treatments for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

HHS shall also establish the Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and at least one eligible entity (generally, an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization). The partnership shall support the development and regulatory review of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The FDA shall publish on its website a five-year action plan for fostering the development of drugs that improve or extend the lives of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress about the grants provided under this bill, including an analysis of the impact of such grants on research and development of treatments for ALS.

congress.gov.

President Biden has tweeted 1 time so far for Christmas Eve-Eve…

Sharing it down thread…

When Biden Bits was posted for Wednesday, President Biden had tweeted 4 times. He added 8 tweets giving him a Wednesday Tweeting Total of 12 tweets and 0 retweets.

When I came into office, we were facing a number of unprecedented crises. Our economy was creating only 50,000 new jobs per month, less than 1 percent of Americans were fully vaccinated, many schools were closed, and Americans across the country were struggling to pay their bills and stay afloat. That is why, on my very first day as President, I directed the Department of Education to pause federal student loan repayments through September. In August, my Administration once again extended the pause, through January 31, 2022. That pause has given 41 million Americans badly-needed breathing room during the economic upheaval caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, while our jobs recovery is one of the strongest ever — with nearly 6 million jobs added this year, the fewest Americans filing for unemployment in more than 50 years, and overall unemployment at 4.2 percent — we know that millions of student loan borrowers are still coping with the impacts of the pandemic and need some more time before resuming payments. This is an issue Vice President Harris has been closely focused on, and one we both care deeply about.

Given these considerations, today my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments for an additional 90 days — through May 1, 2022 — as we manage the ongoing pandemic and further strengthen our economic recovery. Meanwhile, the Department of Education will continue working with borrowers to ensure they have the support they need to transition smoothly back into repayment and advance economic stability for their own households and for our nation.

As we are taking this action, I’m asking all student loan borrowers to do their part as well: take full advantage of the Department of Education’s resources to help you prepare for payments to resume; look at options to lower your payments through income-based repayment plans; explore public service loan forgiveness; and make sure you are vaccinated and boosted when eligible.

White House.gov. 12/22/2021.

The video clip is 41 seconds long.

President Biden: Folks, our economic recovery is the strongest in the world. But I know that because of the pandemic, many borrowers need more time to resume payments. For that reason, my administration is extending the pause on student loan repayments for 90 more days through May 1, 2022. In the meantime, folks should take advantage of the Department of Education’s options to make payments easier–like income based repayments or public service student loan forgiveness program. Look at them both. I also I want you to stay safe. Get vaccinated. Don’t forget. Don’t forget to get your booster. It matters. And happy holidays.

On Tuesday President Biden offered remarks regarding the fight against the coronavirus. The below YouTube video is 29 minutes and 42 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

The video clip is 3 minutes and 3 seconds long. They are snips of his remarks from Tuesday.

President Biden: Three weeks ago, I laid out a COVID-19 Action Plan for this winter that prepared us for this moment.  Today, we’re making the plan even stronger. First, we’re setting up our vaccination and booster efforts — we’re stepping it up significantly.  In the past two weeks, we’ve seen the highest vaccination rates since last spring.  And we aren’t as vaccinated, as a country, as we should be, though.  That’s why we have added 10,000 new vaccination sites on top of the 80,000 sites that are already we had — we already had in place, and even more will open in January. 

President Biden: Starting this week, the federal government will set up emergency testing sites in areas that need additional testing capacity.  Before Christmas, the first several of these federal testing sites will be up and running in New York City with many more to come. This free testing is going to help reduce the waiting lines — the time you have to stand there and — and sometimes it’s an hour or more. We’re going to continue to add federal testing sites where needed so that if you want an immediate test, there will be a place where you can go get it. We also need to do better with at-home testing.  So, I’m announcing today: The federal government will purchase one half billion — that’s not million; billion with a “B” — additional at-home rapid tests, with deliveries starting in January. We’ll be getting these tests to Americans for free.  And we’ll have websites where you can get them delivered to your home. 

President Biden: Next, we are preparing hospitals for what’s coming.  Those 40 [million] unvaccinated adults have a good chance of getting COVID-19, and some of you will get very sick.  That will mean hospitals are going to get extremely stressed — extremely stressed again, both in terms of equipment as well as personnel to care for those who get sick. That’s why my administration has stockpiled and pre-positioned millions of gowns, gloves, masks, and ventilators.  We used to call it PPP [PPE].  We’re ready to send them immediately to any state that needs more. In addition, I have directed the Pentagon to mobilize an additional 1,000 troops to be deployed to help staff local hospitals and expand capacity. That’s 1,000 military doctors, nurses, and medics. We’ve already started moving — military — excuse me, medical teams. They’ve already landed in Wisconsin and Indiana this week.

President Biden: Let me close with this: I know you’re tired — I really mean this — and I know you’re frustrated.  We all want this to be over.  But we’re still in it, and this is a critical moment.  But we also have more tools than we’ve ever had before. We’re ready.  We’ll get through this. As we head into the holidays, I want us to all keep the faith. I want to sincerely thank you for your perseverance, your courage, your countless acts of kindness, love, and sacrifice during these last two years. 

The video clip is 57 seconds long.

President Biden: Wearing a mask provides extra protection for you and those around you.  And I know some Americans are wondering if you can safely celebrate the holidays with your family and friends. The answer is yes, you can, if you and those you celebrate with are vaccinated, particularly if you’ve gotten your booster shot. If you are vaccinated and follow the precautions that we all know well, you should feel comfortable celebrating Christmas and the holidays as you planned it. You know, you’ve done the right thing.  You could enjoy the holiday season. And thanks to the progress on vaccinations this fall, we’ve gone from nearly 90 million adults in July who had not even started their vaccination process to fewer than 40 million today. Still too many, but down from 90 to 40. All these people who have not been vaccinated, you have an obligation to yourselves, to your family, and, quite frankly — I know I’ll get criticized for this — to your country. Get vaccinated now.  It’s free.  It’s convenient.  I promise you, it saves lives.  And I, honest to God, believe it’s your patriotic duty.

Christmas Eve-Eve’s 1st tweet: 

President Biden: So, folks, let me summarize: We should all be concerned about Omicron but not panicked.  If you’re fully vaccinated, and especially if you got your booster shot, you are highly protected.  And if you’re unvaccinated, you’re at higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19, getting hospitalized, and even dying.

On Wednesday the White House issued the following Proclamation; on the 50th Anniversary of the National Cancer Act of 1971:

Half a century ago, on December 23, 1971, policymakers, researchers, cancer survivors, and advocates gathered at the White House for the signing of the bipartisan National Cancer Act — a landmark law that has helped transform cancer research and offered hope to millions in the years since.

For my family, and for most families, the fight against cancer is personal.  As every family facing cancer does, we learned as much as we could about the illness our son Beau fought, from his diagnosis to the very end.  Along the way, we came to understand just how quickly cancer-fighting science, medicine, and technology is progressing — saving more and more lives each year.  It is thanks in no small part to the National Cancer Act of 1971 that so much of this progress has been possible.

Fifty years ago, cancer screening and detection were in their infancy, treatment options were limited, and researchers worked largely in the dark.  The National Cancer Act helped launch programs that form the backbone of today’s cancer research enterprise by bolstering the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health; establishing NCI-designated Cancer Centers; creating national networks to conduct clinical trials; and building systems to collect, share, and advance cancer data and research.

After decades of investment and innovation — and because of the limitless ingenuity of the world’s finest nurses, physicians, and researchers — today we have a much more sophisticated understanding of how best to fight cancer.  Thanks to new treatments and insights that could not have been imagined in generations past, the overall cancer death rate in the United States has declined steadily since the early 1990s, with more dramatic declines in the past few years.

Cancer touches so many families across the country.  It is up to all of us to continue making progress fighting cancer and ensuring that every American has access to the quality care they need.  In 2016, President Obama asked me to lead the Cancer Moonshot Initiative to end cancer as we know it, and Jill and I committed to this as one of the causes of our lives.  Now, as President and First Lady, we remain committed to that mission.  Today, we are more hopeful than ever about America’s chances to bring an end to cancer as we know it.

To help us get there, I have asked the Congress to launch the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health — or ARPA-H — which will invest billions of dollars to speed breakthroughs in preventing, detecting, and treating cancer and other deadly diseases.  My American Rescue Plan has also expanded access to affordable health insurance coverage, ensuring that more Americans are able to receive cancer screenings and get the treatment they need without worrying about costs.  My Administration will continue to build on the Affordable Care Act, so that all Americans — particularly Americans of color, Indigenous Americans, rural Americans, and others who have been historically underserved — have access to quality, affordable health care.

As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Cancer Act, I call upon all Americans to reaffirm our national commitment to accelerate cancer research and deliver hope to more families facing a cancer diagnosis.  Working together, building on the decades of progress we have made, we can and will end cancer as we know it.

White House.gov. 12/22/2021.

His full statement:

We received good news today in our fight against COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization of the Pfizer antiviral pill, a promising new treatment option that will significantly reduce hospitalization and death as we battle the more transmissible Omicron variant.

With today’s action, we add the first-ever oral treatment to our nation’s medicine cabinet and take a significant step forward in our path out of the pandemic.

As soon as emerging science showed the promise of this antiviral, we acted quickly and aggressively to pre-purchase 10 million treatment courses – more than any other country in the world.

Recognizing that this pill takes time to make given the complex scientific process, production will ramp up in the months ahead. We will have over 250,000 treatment courses available to us in January and we will be working with states to ensure those are being distributed equitably and fairly and that our hardest-hit communities are reached.

Today’s action is a testament to the power of science and the result of American innovation and ingenuity. As Pfizer works to produce these treatments as quickly as possible, we will work closely with them and provide any resource needed, including using the Defense Production Act if warranted.

Even in the face of the more transmissible Omicron variant, America is more prepared than ever to fight this virus. We have widespread vaccination and boosters, testing, and now another effective treatment option that will help us save lives and further reduce the impact of COVID-19 on our country.

White House.gov. 12/22/2021.

The YouTube of his opening remarks is 22 minutes and 9 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

The White House posted the following readout of the Supply Chain Task Force meeting:

Today, President Biden held a meeting with members of his Cabinet, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, Port Envoy John Porcari, and private sector leaders to discuss progress that has been made over the last few months to lower costs for families by alleviating bottlenecks that are rooted in the global pandemic. Less than one week since the Administration announced its Trucking Action Plan, nearly 30 companies have reached out to start developing registered apprenticeships—the gold standard of workforce training—and one company has approved a new registered apprenticeship as of yesterday.

The President kicked off the meeting with remarks noting progress on supply chains and that fears about empty shelves during holiday shopping season have failed to materialize amidst record demand for goods because of strong collaboration between government, business leaders, and labor. He noted progress the Administration has made in tackling gas prices and how passing Build Back Better will reduce costs for families. The President also thanked the participants for their work, saying he will continue to partner with them on addressing supply chain challenges.

The meeting first focused on ports and retail inventories. Envoy Porcari noted the progress in moving containers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as the Administration’s investment in pop-up container yards that are helping reduce congestion at the Port of Savannah, the country’s fourth largest container port. Participants noted that ports nationwide are working well. CEOs noted their efforts to successfully stock shelves, move goods, and work toward 24/7 operations. They discussed the investments they made in their supply chains to improve efficiency and throughput, and commended their workforce for handling record levels of goods. They welcomed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and noted that it will help reposition the U.S. to be more competitive in global trade and draw in more private sector investment in the supply chain. Secretary Vilsack discussed the work the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Transportation are doing to improve agricultural exports. Secretary Raimondo noted the long-term solution is to make more goods in America, and discussed the new investments being made in U.S. manufacturing.

The meeting also discussed the Task Force’s work on trucking. Participants noted that trucking is the lifeblood of the supply chain, and truckers were heroes throughout the pandemic moving the vaccines and goods that people needed. Secretaries Walsh and Buttigieg discussed the progress their agencies are making on implementing the Administration’s 90-day Trucking Action Plan to boost job quality and recruitment in truck driving. The Department of Labor has reduced the red tape for companies to join their Registered Apprenticeship program from two months to two days. Trucking companies also discussed the potential to bring recent veterans into the trucking industry, which can provide solid, well-paying jobs.

The New York Times reported today that the vast majority of packages delivered by USPS, UPS, and FedEx this holiday season have arrived on time or with minimal delays and that delivery times are 26-40 percent faster than before the pandemic.

And this week, the Administration is announcing $230 million in Port Infrastructure Development Grants—the only federal grant program wholly dedicated to investments in port infrastructure. This is the latest step in the Port Action Plan (PAP) announced in November, which accelerates investments in our ports, waterways, and freight networks after passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
Click here to read the latest updates on the progress at our ports.

Attendees at the meeting included:
Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo
Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh
Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
National Economic Council Director Brian Deese
Port Envoy John Porcari
Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx
Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow Corp
Christopher Connor, CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities
Sonia Syngal, CEO of GAP
Dave Harrison, Executive Director of Fastport

White House.gov. 12/22/2021.

The daily press briefing his scheduled for noon D.C., time.

The President is expected to sign the bill at 3:30 p.m. D.C., time.

This is an Open Thread.

About the opinions in this article…

Any opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this website or of the other authors/contributors who write for it.

About Tiff 2521 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.