It’s Friday…
When Biden Bits was posted for Thursday, President Biden had not tweeted. He ended up with a Thursday Tweeting Total of 5 tweets and 0 retweets…
The White House posted the following readout:
Today the Quad Leaders – Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, and President Joe Biden of the United States – convened to reaffirm their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion. They reaffirmed their dedication to the Quad as a mechanism to promote regional stability and prosperity.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
The Quad leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications. They agreed to stand up a new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism which will enable the Quad to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine.
In their continuing pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Quad Leaders agreed to meet in person in Tokyo in the coming months.
There was a pool spray prior to the Cabinet meeting. The YouTube is 4 minutes 4 minutes and 57 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: In the State of the Union Address, I announced that the Department of Justice is going after the crimes of Russian oligarchs — the Attorney General spoke to that earlier — who line their pockets with Russian people’s money and — while Ukraine and the people are hiding in subways from missiles that are being fired indiscriminately in Russian cities. Today, I’m announcing that we’re adding dozens of names to the list, including one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires. And I’m banning travel to America by — by more than 50 Russian oligarchs, their families, and their close associates.
The White House posted the following fact-sheet on; The United States Continues to Target Russian Oligarchs Enabling Putin’s War of Choice
Today, the United States, in coordination with Allies and partners, is targeting additional Russian elites and family members who continue supporting President Putin despite his brutal invasion of Ukraine. These individuals have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people, and some have elevated their family members into high-ranking positions. Others sit atop Russia’s largest companies and are responsible for providing the resources necessary to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. These individuals and their family members will be cut off from the U.S. financial system, their assets in the United States will be frozen and their property will be blocked from use. The Department of Treasury will share financial intelligence and other evidence where appropriate with the Department of Justice to support criminal prosecutions and seizure of assets.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
Today, the United States will sanction an expansive list of Putin’s cronies and their family members. One of the elites is Alisher Burhanovich Usmanov, one of Russia’s wealthiest individuals and a close ally of Putin. His property will be blocked from use in the United States and by U.S. persons – including his superyacht, one of the world’s largest, and just seized by our ally Germany, and his private jet, one of Russia’s largest privately-owned aircraft. The United States will also sanction Dmitry Peskov, who as Putin’s spokesman is a top purveyor of Putin’s propaganda. The United States will also impose visa restrictions on 19 oligarchs and 47 of their family members and close associates. As President Biden said, we, we will continue to work with our Allies and partners to hold accountable the Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who are profiting from this violent regime.
The United States and governments all over the world will work to identify and freeze the assets Russian elites and their family members hold in our respective jurisdictions – their yachts, luxury apartments, money, and other ill-gotten gains:
Full blocking sanctions on an expansive new list of Russian elites and their family members who enable Putin:
- Nikolai Tokarev (his wife Galina, daughter Mayya, and his two luxury real estate companies)
- Boris Rotenberg (his wife Karina, and his sons Roman and Boris)
- Arkady Rotenberg (His sons Pavel and Igor and daughter Liliya)
- Sergei Chemezov (His wife Yekaterina, his son Stanislav, and stepdaughter Anastasiya)
- Igor Shuvalov (His five companies, his wife Olga, his son Evgeny and his company and jet, and his daughter Maria and her company)
- Yevgeniy Prigozhin (His three companies, his wife, Polina, his daughter Lyubov, and his son Pavel),
- Dmitry Peskov, President Putin’s press secretary
- Alisher Usmanov (His superyacht, one of the world’s largest and just seized by our ally Germany, and his private jet, one of Russia’s largest privately-owned aircraft)
Imposing Visa Restrictions on 19 Russian Oligarchs, their 47 Family Members and Close Associates: Today the Department of State is announcing a new visa restriction policy to restrict the issuance of visas to certain Russian oligarchs, their family members, and close associates. These oligarchs are known to direct, authorize, fund, significantly support, or carry out malign activities in support of Russia’s destabilizing foreign policy. In an initial action under this policy, we have taken steps to place visa restrictions on 19 oligarchs and 47 family members and close associates.
Full blocking sanctions on disinformation targets: Treasury will designate seven Russian entities, SDN Strategic Culture Foundation and associated outlets Odna Rodyna, Rhythm of Eurasia, and Journal Kamerton; SouthFront; SDN InfoRos; New Eastern Outlook; Oriental Review; United World International; and Geopolitical. In addition, Treasury will designate 26 Russia and Ukraine-based individuals who play central roles in these organizations, enabling the Government of the Russian Federation’s efforts to spread disinformation and influence perceptions as a part of their invasion of Ukraine. These entities have spread false narratives that advance Russian strategic objectives and falsely justify the Kremlin’s activities.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
Yesterday evening the White House published a readout of President Biden’s calls with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and NNSA Administrator Hruby:
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine this evening to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. President Biden joined President Zelenskyy in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders to access the site.
President Biden also spoke this evening with Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. Department of Energy and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Jill Hruby to receive an update on the situation at the plant. The President will continue to be briefed regularly.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
This morning CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent reported via tweet:
The YouTube is 16 minutes and 13 seconds long. President Biden’s remarks start at the 7 minute and 41 second mark. In what I believe is a first; the White House has not published his remarks.
President Biden:(13:46) Folks, this is, I think a momentous day for justice and fairness in the workplace. And for those who experienced sexual harassment or assault you are going to have a right today that you did not have yesterday.
The White House posted the following statement:
On Thursday, March 3, 2022, the President signed into law:
H.R. 4445, the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021,” which invalidates predispute arbitration agreements that preclude a party from filing a lawsuit in court involving sexual assault or sexual harassment, at the election of the party alleging such conduct.Thank you to Representatives Bustos, Griffith, and Jayapal and Senators Gillibrand, Graham, and Durbin and many others for their leadership.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
For Friday, March 4th, 2022, President Biden has received his daily brief. This afternoon; The President makes an announcement delivering on his Made in America commitments. Later this afternoon he will participate in; a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland, to continue their conversations about enhancing our strong bilateral relations.
The White House posted the following fact-sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Delivers on Made in America Commitments
Investments in U.S. Manufacturing, Historic Buy American Update Fuel a Recovery That Is Made in America
Since his first day in office, President Biden relentlessly focused on an industrial strategy to revitalize our manufacturing base, strengthen critical supply chains, and position U.S. workers and businesses to compete and lead globally in the 21st century. This whole-of-government effort is leading to an historic recovery in domestic manufacturing—since President Biden took office, the economy added 375,000 manufacturing jobs – the most in nearly 30 years. The U.S. economy grew at the fastest pace in nearly 40 years in 2021, and manufacturing as a share of U.S. GDP has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
The Biden-Harris 21st Century industrial strategy, Made in America policies, and transformational investments such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have catalyzed historic domestic investments by the private sector to bring good-paying manufacturing jobs back home. This includes nearly $80 billion in planned investments in semiconductor manufacturing and more than $100 billion in announced investments in electric vehicles, batteries, and critical minerals since 2021.
Echoing President Biden’s call in this week’s State of the Union speech, Congress must build on this historic progress by passing the Bipartisan Innovation Act. This legislation will make record investments in emerging technologies, critical supply chains, and American manufacturing to level the playing field for American workers and businesses and outcompete China and the rest of the world in the 21st Century.Today, President Biden and Barbara Humpton, President and CEO of Siemens USA, will announce that Siemens will invest $54 million in expanded domestic production and create 300 jobs manufacturing critical electrical infrastructure that supports everything from electric vehicle chargers to data centers to industrial sites.
White House.gov. 03/04/2022.
Lonnie Stephenson, International President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) will also speak to how the Biden-Harris Administration’s Made in America policies support good-paying, union jobs across the country.
This builds on announcements from major companies bringing production back home:
- Intel announced a $20 billion semiconductor manufacturing fab outside Columbus, Ohio that will create 7,000 construction jobs and another 3,000 permanent jobs.
- General Motors announced its largest-ever $7 billion investment to create 4,000 new EV manufacturing jobs at sites across Michigan.
- Boeing and the Qatar Airways Group announced a $20 billion deal, including $6.8 billion to supply aircraft that will support tens of thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs.
- MP Materials, who operate the only rare earth mine in the U.S., announced a $700 million investment to establish a fully domestic end-to-end supply chain for permanent magnets by 2025, which are used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and defense systems.
President Biden will also announce the most robust updates to the implementation of the Buy American Act in nearly 70 years to ensure taxpayer dollars create good-paying jobs here at home, strengthen critical supply chains, and position U.S. businesses to compete in strategic industries.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
The Federal government spends more than $600 billion each year buying goods and services.
President Biden believes that when taxpayers foot the bill, that spending should invest in American workers, manufacturers, and small businesses. In his first week in office, he signed Executive Order 14005, Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers, initiating a review of Buy American policy and establishing the first-ever Made in America Office in the Office of Management and Budget.
Since January 2021, the Made in America Office, codified by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has already helped agencies implement Made in America requirements, launched a new website designed to provide transparency into exceptions from Made in America laws, and created a new Made in America Council to ensure we identify the best ideas and practices from across the Federal government to implement Made in America initiatives. The actions to date implement a whole-of-government agenda designed to maximize the use of taxpayer dollars on domestic products and services, strengthen our industrial base, and create good-paying, union jobs for Americans.
This rule is also consistent with international trade laws and will bring the U.S. in line with the domestic procurement practices of peer countries. It will allow the U.S. to use its purchasing power to seed and grow new and strategic industries, while continuing our work with allies and partners to diversify and strengthen international supply chains to mitigate the global disruptions we’ve seen from COVID-19, climate change, and geopolitical conflict.
Today’s final rule will deliver on President Biden’s commitment to “Make Buy American Real” by:
- Raising the domestic content threshold to 75 percent. Today, products qualify as Made in America for federal procurement if 55 percent of the value of their component parts are manufactured here. This final rule will increase that threshold to 60 percent this year, 65 percent in 2024, and 75 percent in 2029. This will close loopholes in the current regulation while allowing businesses to onshore manufacturing and adjust their supply chains to increase the use of American-made components. This change will create more opportunities for small- and medium-sized manufacturers and their employees, including small and disadvantaged enterprises, from all parts of the country.
To support this work, the Small Business Administration has created a new manufacturing office in its federal contracting division and agencies will work with the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership to find and develop American sources for government needs.
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
- Strengthening domestic supply chains for critical goods with new price preferences. When President Biden took office, he signed an executive order to fortify our critical supply chains. Building off the release of the first-of-their-kind one-year industrial base reviews last week, this rule creates a framework to allow the government to apply enhanced price preferences to select critical products and components identified in a subsequent rulemaking. These preferences, once in place, will support the development and expansion of domestic supply chains for critical products by providing a source of stable demand for domestically-produced critical products.
The President’s Made in America policies are already supporting U.S. manufacturing, including small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and woman-owned businesses.
Last year, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new reforms to increase equity in Federal procurement, including increasing goals for Federal procurement, increasing transparency, and supporting new entrants to the Federal marketplace.In just the last year:
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
- American Fashion Network, a U.S.-based SBA certified woman-owned small business, pivoted from strictly commercial work to manufacturing masks for the government during COVID. Building on that experience, AFN won its first major federal contract in 2021, for $46 million in Made in America apparel for the U.S. Marine Corps and is assisting in the pioneering of gender size inclusivity with the DOD across services, including maternity. The apparel is manufactured Garden Grove, California which employs workers 70 workers and Rochester, New York which employs 56 workers.
- Ferrara Manufacturing, a family-owned New York City business, began making PPE for city hospitals in spring 2020. After winning their first federal contract to make millions of Made in America PPE, they later won multiple contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency to produce coats for the U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Military District of Washington. Their apparel is manufactured in New York City’s Garment District, where they employ over 100 workers who are SEIU-affiliated Workers United Union members. In 2022, the family hopes to add 150 new manufacturing jobs in their newly built factory in Queens, New York City.
- Brothers Body and Equipment, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) and a HUBZone certified company operates a 30,000-square foot manufacturing facility in Galion, OH. It is executing on more than $300,000 in contracts to produce equipment for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and the Army, allowing the 12-person firm to keep its doors open and recover from a 90% revenue decrease in 2021 as a result of COVID.
- Garrett Container Systems in Accident, Maryland manufactures aluminum storage and shipping containers. Awarded more than $500,000 in contracts for the Department of the Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency, the HUBZone-located business now expects to increase its workforce to more than 120 workers to deliver on contracts through FY23.
- Alkegen, a manufacturer of meltblown fiber filtration media (the critical component in NIOSH N95 respirators), recently completed expansion of its plant in Rochester, New Hampshire where its 125 employees manufacture Berry-compliant (100% Made in America) components for NIOSH N95 and surgical masks. The Make PPE in America Act, included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is catalyzing domestic investments like this one to make America’s health supply chain stronger and more resilient.
- Showa Best Glove, Inc was awarded two contracts totaling $81.3 million by the Department of Defense on behalf of and in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services for the industrial base expansion of 1.6 billion nitrile exam gloves per year. The production capacity is being added to Showa’s Fayette, Alabama facility to increase domestic production of nitrile gloves. Showa Best Glove, Inc. has 265 employees at its Alabama location.
- Astrobotic Technology (AB) was awarded a $236M Task Order from NASA to deliver NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the Moon’s South Pole in late 2023. VIPER’s flight to the Moon is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which leverages the capabilities of industry partners to quickly deliver scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon. As part of its award, AB is responsible for the delivery of VIPER, including integration with its Griffin lander, launch from Earth, and landing on the Moon. AB is a 160-employee certified small business firm in Pittsburgh, PA, that builds and operates space technologies.
President Biden has tweeted 3 times so far for Friday…
From the PDF:
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 678,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.8 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job growth was widespread, led by gains in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, health care, and construction.
BLS.gov. 03/04/2022.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for December was revised up by 78,000, from +510,000 to +588,000, and the change for January was revised up by 14,000, from +467,000 to +481,000. With these revisions, employment in December and January combined is 92,000 higher than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)
BLS.gov. 03/04/2022. (PDF, pg. 4).
New York Times reporter Ben Casselman has more chart tweets…
The White House has now posted President Biden’s official statement on the February Jobs Report:
Today’s report shows that my plan to build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out is working to get America back to work. Since I took office, the economy has created 7.4 million jobs. That’s 7.4 million jobs providing families with dignity and a little more breathing room. We are building a better America.
White House.gov. 03/04/2022.
In February, the economy created 678,000 jobs, following the greatest year of job growth in American history and the fastest economic growth in almost 40 years. The unemployment rate ticked down to 3.8 percent. And, at the same time, more people are rejoining the labor force and finding jobs as we recover from the pandemic. And people went back to work in February across a wide ranges of industries—with jobs gained in leisure and hospitality, construction, retail, and manufacturing. In fact, last year has been the best year for manufacturing jobs and trucking jobs since 1994. We are making more and moving goods faster in America.
This progress is the result of the new economic approach I talked about in the State of the Union—grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out. And it’s a result of our success combatting COVID-19 and moving forward safely. While we must tackle head on the challenge families are facing with rising costs, today’s report underscores that the United States is uniquely well positioned to deal with the challenge that inflation has posed across the world as we recover from the pandemic.
The next report is due on April 1st, 2022…
On Thursday the White House published the following readout: White House Meeting with Florida Reproductive Rights Advocates
Today, Jennifer Klein, White House Gender Policy Council Director, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, White House Intergovernmental Affairs Director, and Danielle Conley, Deputy White House Counsel, hosted a roundtable discussion with Florida reproductive rights advocates and elected leaders to discuss Florida’s House Bill 5, which severely restricts access to abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The bill is expected to pass soon and become law.
During the meeting, Florida leaders shared their efforts opposing HB 5 and the steps they are taking to support women’s access to reproductive health care. Senior Administration Officials emphasized the Administration’s support of Floridians’ reproductive rights and thanked the leaders for their efforts. They also discussed the larger trend of state laws restricting access to critical reproductive health care in states across the country. To date, over 265 bills restricting access to abortion have been filed during the 2022 legislative session. This week marked six months since Texas law SB 8 went into effect, a law that violates Texans’ constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade. In the face of these challenges, Administration Officials reiterated the Administration’s commitment to exploring every option to protect reproductive health care.
In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Biden declared that the constitutional right affirmed by Roe v. Wade is under attack as never before and reiterated his commitment to protecting women’s access to health care.
Florida reproductive rights advocates and state legislators and their staff who participated in today’s meeting included:
White House.gov. 03/03/2022.
- Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book
- Incoming House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell
- Sen. Lori Berman
- Sen. Gary Farmer
- Sen. Jason Pizzo
- Rep. Anna Eskamani
- Rep. Dotie Joseph
- Rep Michele Raynor
- Rep. Kelly Skidmore
- Rep. Marie Woodson
- A Woman’s Choice, Jacksonville
- ACLU of Florida
- Florida Access Network
- Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
- Florida Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
- Generation Action, Florida A&M University
- Generation Action, Florida State University
- Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida
- Presidential Women’s Center, Palm Beach
- Tampa Bay Abortion Fund
- Women’s Voices Southwest Florida
CNN reported on Friday; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is poised to sign into a law a bill that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, allowing only for exceptions involving “serious risk” to the pregnant person and fatal fetal abnormality but with no exceptions for rape or incest.
The Florida State Senate passed the bill; along party lines 23-15 in favor of the legislation, which, if signed into law by DeSantis, would go into effect July 1.
The Florida State Senate released the following press release:
The Florida Senate today passed House Bill 5, Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality, by Senator Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland). Taking into account modern medical and scientific knowledge that confirms significant developmental milestones of an unborn child, the legislation prohibits abortion after the unborn baby has reached 15 weeks of gestational age. The legislation also increases health care and education resources available to pregnant mothers and women who may become pregnant with a focus on the prevention of fetal and infant death in Florida.
“We have a duty to protect life. This bill safeguards innocent, unborn children with beating hearts, who can move, taste, see, and feel pain,” said Senator Stargel. “In the half century since the Roe v. Wade decision, science has shown us that an unborn baby rapidly develops the functions and form of a child long before viability. I am grateful to my Senate colleagues for their support and look forward to seeing this pro-life legislation signed into law by Governor DeSantis.”
“Every abortion kills a special and unique human being who deserves protection under the laws of this state and the chance to grow up in a loving family,” said Senate President Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby). “Growing up as an adopted child in a family that took in foster children, it has always been important to me that our state do everything we can to promote adoption as an alternative to abortion. Floridians can be proud that we live in a state that not only protects innocent, unborn life, but also supports children and parents. I commend Senator Stargel for her dedication to strong pro-life, pro-child, and pro-family legislation.”
The bill clarifies the term “gestation” to provide a more commonly understood and medically accepted measurement of development. As such, the bill defines the term “gestation” to calculate from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP) rather than from fertilization. This guarantees a more consistent application than counting from fertilization by relying less on physician interpretation.
With regard to the prohibition on abortion following 15 weeks of gestation, the bill provides the same exceptions under current law for the prohibition on third trimester abortions to protect the health and safety of the mother. The legislation adds an exception for a “fatal fetal abnormality,” a terminal condition that, in reasonable medical judgment, is incompatible with life outside the womb and will result in death upon birth or imminently thereafter. Because fatal fetal abnormalities are often not identified until testing during the second trimester, abortion may be performed if two physicians certify in writing that a fatal fetal abnormality is present.
FLSenate.gov. 03/03/2022.
The bill also includes:
Improved Reporting on Human Trafficking
The bill also provides for improvements to the reporting of data on abortions, including increased reporting on human trafficking and requiring the use of standardized forms consistent with the U.S. Standard Report of Induced Termination of Pregnancy adopted by the CDC.Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Committees
The bill expands and funds fetal and infant mortality review committees (FIMRs) in areas of the state that do not currently have a program to reduce fetal and infant mortality and morbidity. These locally organized groups review fetal and infant deaths in their areas, report on causes and trends, make recommendations, and engage with other community stakeholders — including Healthy Start, hospitals, and physicians — in initiatives and efforts to reduce fetal and infant mortality and morbidity.Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative Initiatives
Requires all hospitals that offer labor and delivery services to participate in at least two initiatives within the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC, which is housed at the University of South Florida) to reduce infant mortality.Tobacco Education and Use Prevention
FLSenate.gov. 03/03/2022.
The bill also directs the Florida Department of Health (DOH) to target counter-marketing advertising campaigns under the Comprehensive Statewide Tobacco Education and Use Prevention Program specific to pregnant women and women who may become pregnant to inform them about the potential risks and harm of tobacco use.
The President’s remarks are scheduled for 12:25 p.m. D.C., time.
The daily press briefing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. D.C., time.
This is an Open Thread.
