When Biden Bits was posted for Friday, President Biden had tweeted 1 time. He added 11 tweets giving him a Friday Tweeting Total of 12 tweets and 0 retweets.
The attack on a Ukrainian train station is yet another horrific atrocity committed by Russia, striking civilians who were trying to evacuate and reach safety.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 8, 2022
We will continue our security assistance and weapons deliveries to help Ukraine defend their country. And, together with our allies and partners, we will support efforts to investigate this attack as we document Russia’s actions and hold them accountable.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 8, 2022
Since the outset of my Administration, the United States has placed the highest priority on delivering critical military capabilities to Ukraine so it can defend itself against Russian aggression. The entire world has now witnessed the effectiveness of those weapons.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 8, 2022
In addition to U.S.-produced weapons, we have also worked to facilitate the transfer of capabilities from our Allies and partners around the world. I want to thank the Slovakian government for providing an S-300 air defense system to Ukraine. https://t.co/qDZjH0ZdUu
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 8, 2022
His full statement:
Since the outset of my administration, the United States has placed the highest priority on delivering critical military capabilities to Ukraine so it can defend itself against Russian aggression. The entire world has now witnessed the effectiveness of those weapons, as courageous Ukrainian forces have used them to repel the Russian attack on Kyiv, keep the skies of Ukraine contested, and deliver severe blows to the Russian military.
In addition to U.S.-produced weapons, we have also worked to facilitate the transfer of capabilities from our Allies and partners around the world. I want to thank the Slovakian government for providing an S-300 air defense system to Ukraine, something President Zelenskyy has personally raised with me in our conversations. To enable this transfer and ensure the continued security of Slovakia, the United States will reposition a U.S. Patriot missile system to Slovakia.
Now is no time for complacency. The Russian military may have failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv, but it continues to inflict horrific acts of brutality on the Ukrainian people. As the Russian military repositions for the next phase of this war, I have directed my Administration to continue to spare no effort to identify and provide to the Ukrainian military the advanced weapons capabilities it needs to defend its country.
White House.gov. 04/08/2022.
The rest of Friday’s tweets and the 1 from Saturday focus on the celebration of the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.
The YouTube is 42 minutes and 10 seconds long. Their full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: After more than 20 hours of questioning at her hearing and nearly 100 meetings — she made herself available to every single senator who wanted to speak to her and spoke for more than just a few minutes, answered their questions, in private as well as before the committee — we all saw the kind of justice she’ll be: Fair and impartial. Thoughtful. Careful. Precise. Precise. Brilliant. A brilliant legal mind with deep knowledge of the law. And a judicial temperament — which was equally important, in my view — that’s calm and in command. And a humility that allows so many Americans to see themselves in Ketanji Brown Jackson.
President Biden: That brings a rare combination of expertise and qualifications to the Court. A federal judge who has served on the second most powerful court in America behind the Supreme Court. A former federal public defender with the — (applause) — with the ability to explain complicated issues in the law in ways everybody — all people — can understand. A new perspective.
I snipped this one; not something I’d normally do but here we are…
President Biden: Brilliant. A brilliant legal mind with deep knowledge of the law. And a judicial temperament — which was equally important, in my view — that’s calm and in command. And a humility that allows so many Americans to see themselves in Ketanji Brown Jackson.
President Biden: Justice Breyer talked about it when he came to the White House in January to announce his retirement from the Court. He used to technically work with me when I was on the Judiciary Committee, and that’s before he became a justice. He’s a man of great integrity. We’re going to miss Justice Breyer. He’s a patriot, an extraordinary public service [servant], and a great justice of the Supreme Court.
President Biden: When I made the commitment to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, I could see this day. I literally could see this day, because I thought about it for a long, long time. As Jill and Naomi would tell you, I wasn’t going to run again. But when I decided to run, this was one of the first decisions I made. I could see it. I could see it as a day of hope, a day of promise, a day of progress; a day when, once again, the moral arc of the universe, as Barack used to quote all the time, bends just a little more toward justice.
President Biden: And we were sitting alone. I had an interpreter and he had an interpreter. And he looked at me. In all seriousness, he said, “Can you define America for me?” And I said what many of you heard me say for a long time. I said, “Yes, I can, in one word: possibilities.” (Applause.) “Possibilities.” That, in America, everyone should be able to go as far as their hard work and God-given talent will take them. And possibilities. We’re the only ones. That’s why we’re viewed as the “ugly Americans”: We think anything is possible. (Laughter.)
Saturday’s 1 tweet….
The video clip is 52 seconds long. The voice-over’s are taken from their remarks.
Vice President Harris: President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, members of Congress, members of the Cabinet, members of our administration, and friends and fellow Americans: Today is, indeed, a wonderful day — (applause) — as we gather to celebrate the confirmation of the next justice of the United States Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Applause.)
President Biden: After more than 20 hours of questioning at her hearing and nearly 100 meetings — she made herself available to every single senator who wanted to speak to her and spoke for more than just a few minutes, answered their questions, in private as well as before the committee — we all saw the kind of justice she’ll be: Fair and impartial. Thoughtful. Careful. Precise. Precise. Brilliant. A brilliant legal mind with deep knowledge of the law. And a judicial temperament — which was equally important, in my view — that’s calm and in command. And a humility that allows so many Americans to see themselves in Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson: And it is an honor — the honor of a lifetime — for me to have this chance to join the Court, to promote the rule of law at the highest level, and to do my part to carry our shared project of democracy and equal justice under law forward, into the future.
Sunday’s Tweeting Total is 1 tweet and 0 retweets.
On March 17th, 2022, the Department of Labor reported:
In the week ending March 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 214,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 2,000 from 227,000 to 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 223,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 500 from 231,250 to 231,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.0 percent for the week ending March 5, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 5 was 1,419,000, a decrease of 71,000 from the previous week’s revised level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since February 21, 1970 when it was 1,412,000. The previous week’s level was revised down by 4,000 from 1,494,000 to 1,490,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,463,000, a decrease of 42,500 from the previous week’s revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since March 21, 1970 when it was 1,456,750. The previous week’s average was revised down by 1,000 from 1,506,500 to 1,505,500.
DOL.gov. 03/17/2022.
President Biden did not issue a statement.
On March 24th, 2022, the Department of Labor reported:
In the week ending March 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 187,000, a decrease of 28,000 from the previous week’s revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since September 6, 1969 when it was 182,000. The previous week’s level was revised up by 1,000 from 214,000 to 215,000. The 4-week moving average was 211,750, a decrease of 11,500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 250 from 223,000 to 223,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.0 percent for the week ending March 12, unchanged from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 12 was 1,350,000, a decrease of 67,000 from the previous week’s revised level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since January 3, 1970 when it was 1,332,000. The previous week’s level was revised down by 2,000 from 1,419,000 to 1,417,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,431,500, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week’s revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since February 28, 1970 when it was 1,421,000. The previous week’s average was revised down by 500 from 1,463,000 to 1,462,500.
DOL. 03/24/2022.
President Biden released the following statement:
Americans are getting back to work at a historic pace, with fewer Americans on unemployment insurance today than at any time in the last half century. This morning, we received news that the number of Americans on unemployment insurance fell to its lowest level since 1970 and the number of Americans filing new claims fell to its lowest one-week level since 1969. This historic progress is no accident: it’s the result of an economic strategy to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out, starting with the American Rescue Plan. And, it’s the result of effective management of emergency pandemic resources that resulted in 75% of adult Americans vaccinated and 99% of schools re-opened. We have more work to do to cut costs for families, but today’s data are a reminder that the U.S. economy is uniquely well positioned to deal with the global challenge of inflation. We will continue the fight to lower costs with every tool at our disposal, from making more here in America and rebuilding our supply chains, to lowering costs that have held back Americans for decades, to promoting competition to ensure markets can operate effectively and consumers are protected.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
On March 31st, 2022, the Department of Labor reported:
Note: Calendar Year (CY) 2022 seasonal factors and revised seasonal factors for CY 2017-2021 for both initial claims and continued claims will be available at https://www.bls.gov/lau/seasonal-adjustment-for-weekly-unemploymentinsurance-claims.htm by 12:00 pm (Eastern) on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Revisions to the historical series for CY 2017-2021 for both initial claims and continued claims will be published on April 7, 2022, with the release of the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims News Release.
In the week ending March 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 202,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 1,000 from 187,000 to 188,000. The 4-week moving average was 208,500, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 250 from 211,750 to 212,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 0.9 percent for the week ending March 19, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 19 was 1,307,000, a decrease of 35,000 from the previous week’s revised level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since December 27, 1969 when it was 1,304,000. The previous week’s level was revised down by 8,000 from 1,350,000 to 1,342,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,389,000, a decrease of 40,500 from the previous week’s revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since February 7, 1970 when it was 1,385,250. The previous week’s average was revised down by 2,000 from 1,431,500 to 1,429,500.
DOL.gov. 03/31/2022.
President Biden did not issue a statement.
On April 7th, 2022, as seen in Thursday’s Biden Bits the Labor Department announced a change to their methodology; it is basically the detailed explanation of the note they issued at the end of March.
The weekly claims:
In the week ending April 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 166,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 31,000 from 202,000 to 171,000. The 4-week moving average was 170,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 30,500 from 208,500 to 178,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.1 percent for the week ending March 26, unchanged from the previous week’s revised rate. The previous week’s rate was revised up by 0.2 from 0.9 to 1.1 percent. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 26 was 1,523,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up 199,000 from 1,307,000 to 1,506,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,541,250, a decrease of 35,250 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 187,500 from 1,389,000 to 1,576,500.
DOL.gov. 04/07/2022.
President Biden released the following statement:
Americans are getting back to work at a historic pace, with fewer America is back to work. Over the last four weeks, fewer Americans filed initial claims for unemployment insurance than at any time in our nation’s recorded history. Our economy added 7.9 million jobs since I took office – more jobs created on average per month than under any other President in history. That’s millions of families with a little more breathing room and the dignity a job provides. This historic job growth is a direct result of the American Rescue Plan, which funded our vaccination strategy, re-opened schools, and helped grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out. While we have more work to do to combat Putin’s Price Hike and lower costs for families, today’s data demonstrate that America is on the move again and the economy is uniquely well-positioned to overcome the global challenges brought on by the pandemic and Putin’s War of Choice.
White House.gov. 04/07/2022.
For Monday, April 11th, 2022, President Biden has received his daily brief. This morning he met virtually with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. This afternoon he will announce new action by the admin to fight gun crime.
On Sunday White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki issued a statement on President Biden’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will meet virtually with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on Monday, April 11 to further deepen ties between our governments, economies, and our people. President Biden and Prime Minister Modi will discuss cooperation on a range of issues including ending the COVID-19 pandemic, countering the climate crisis, strengthening the global economy, and upholding a free, open, rules-based international order to bolster security, democracy, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. The Leaders will advance ongoing conversations about the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and delivering high-quality infrastructure. President Biden will continue our close consultations on the consequences of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and mitigating its destabilizing impact on global food supply and commodity markets. Biden last spoke to Prime Minister Modi with other Quad Leaders in March. This meeting will precede the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh of India.
White House.gov. 04/10/2022.
On Monday the White House posted the following fact-sheet; The Biden Administration Cracks Down on Ghost Guns, Ensures That ATF Has the Leadership it Needs to Enforce Our Gun Laws
Today, President Biden and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco will deliver remarks in the Rose Garden to announce additional steps the Administration is taking to combat gun crime.
Ensuring that ATF has the leadership it needs to enforce our commonsense gun laws and fight gun crime.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is our top federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing our commonsense gun laws. Today, the President is nominating Steve Dettelbach to serve as Director of ATF.
White House.gov. 04/11/2022.
Dettelbach is a highly respected former U.S. Attorney and career prosecutor who spent over two decades as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice. He has received bipartisan praise and support from law enforcement for his work. In 2009, he was unanimously confirmed for his position as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. He has a proven track record of working with federal, state, and local law enforcement to fight violent crime and combat domestic violent extremism and religious violence – including through partnerships with the ATF to prosecute complex cases and take down violent criminal gangs. Dettelbach also worked closely with local law enforcement and community leaders to develop and implement data-driven and neighborhood-based efforts to prevent and fight violent crime. His leadership and his record of innovation in fighting crime and violence make him ready from day one to aggressively and creatively address these pressing issues at the Director of ATF.
Cracking down on ghost guns – the weapon of choice for many violent criminals
Today, the President and Deputy Attorney General will also announce that the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a final rule to rein in the proliferation of “ghost guns” – unserialized, privately-made firearms that law enforcement are increasingly recovering at crime scenes in cities across the country. Last year alone, there were approximately 20,000 suspected ghost guns reported to ATF as having been recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations – a ten-fold increase from 2016.[1] Because ghost guns lack the serial numbers marked on other firearms, law enforcement has an exceedingly difficult time tracing a ghost gun found at a crime scene back to an individual purchaser.
This final rule bans the business of manufacturing the most accessible ghost guns, such as unserialized “buy build shoot” kits that individuals can buy online or at a store without a background check and can readily assemble into a working firearm in as little as 30 minutes with equipment they have at home. This rule clarifies that these kits qualify as “firearms” under the Gun Control Act, and that commercial manufacturers of such kits must therefore become licensed and include serial numbers on the kits’ frame or receiver, and commercial sellers of these kits must become federally licensed and run background checks prior to a sale – just like they have to do with other commercially-made firearms.
The final rule will also help turn some ghost guns already in circulation into serialized firearms. Through this rule, the Justice Department is requiring federally licensed dealers and gunsmiths taking any unserialized firearm into inventory to serialize that weapon. For example, if an individual builds a firearm at home and then sells it to a pawn broker or another federally licensed dealer, that dealer must put a serial number on the weapon before selling it to a customer. This requirement will apply regardless of how the firearm was made, meaning it includes ghost guns made from individual parts, kits, or by 3D-printers.
This rule builds on the Biden Administration’s prior executive action to rein in the proliferation of ghost guns. In February 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a National Ghost Gun Enforcement Initiative, which is training a national cadre of prosecutors and disseminating investigation and prosecution tool to help bring cases against those who use ghost guns to commit crimes. As President Biden said during an event at the New York Police Department headquarters, if you use a ghost gun to commit a crime “not only are state and local prosecutors going to come after you, but expect federal charges and federal prosecution as well.”
White House.gov. 04/11/2022.
Additional executive action to reduce gun violence
Today’s final rule includes two additional actions to make our communities safer.
First, the final rule ensures that firearms with split receivers are subject to regulations requiring serial numbers and background checks when purchased from a licensed dealer, manufacturer or importer. Decades ago, ATF issued a regulation defining the “frame or receiver” of a firearm as the part that is regulated by the Gun Control Act – meaning that is the part that triggers federal serialization, background check, and other requirements. At that time, many firearms in the United States were single-framed firearms, like revolvers, that house key components in a single structure. However, we have seen the increasing popularity of firearms using split or multi-part receivers that house key components in multiple structures. Some courts have recently interpreted decades-old regulatory text in a way that, if broadly applied, could mean that as many as 90 percent of firearms in the United States today would not have a frame or receiver subject to federal regulation. The final rule updates the regulatory definitions of “frame” and “receiver” to ensure that firearms using split or multi-part receivers continue to be covered by our common-sense gun laws.
Second, the final rule requires federally licensed firearms dealers to retain key records until they shut down their business or licensed activity. At that time, these dealers must transfer the records to ATF, just as they are currently required to do at the end of licensed activity. Previously, these dealers were permitted to destroy most records after 20 years, making it harder for law enforcement to trace firearms found at crime scenes. According to ATF’s National Tracing Center, on average more than 1,300 firearms a year are untraceable because the federally licensed firearms dealer destroyed the relevant records that were more than 20 years old.
White House.gov. 04/11/2022.
Implementing the President’s comprehensive gun crime reduction strategy
This final rule is part of the President’s comprehensive gun crime reduction strategy. President Biden made more progress on executive actions to reduce gun violence than any other President during their first year in office. You can read more about the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to reduce gun crime here.
President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget calls on Congress to deliver the funding needed to implement the President’s comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crime and make our communities safer. These additional resources will fund accountable policing, including by putting more police officers on the beat, and making essential investments in crime prevention and community violence intervention.
Congress needs to do its job by passing this budget and other essential legislation to reduce gun crime, including legislation to require background checks for all gun sales, ensure that no terrorist can buy a weapon in the United States, ban the sale and possession of unserialized firearms — ghost guns, ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and repeal gun manufacturers’ protection from liability.
White House.gov. 04/11/2022.
President has tweeted…
President Biden has tweeted 1 time so far…
The pool spray of the virtual meeting should have already aired at 11:00 a.m. D.C., time. The YouTube is 49 minutes and 10 seconds long. The live feed begins at the 39 minute and 21 second mark. The White House has not posted the remarks yet.
The daily press briefing is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. D.C., time.
President Biden remarks are schedule for 2:15 p.m. D.C., time.
This is an Open Thread.
