When Biden Bits was posted for Wednesday, President Biden had tweeted 5 times. He added 3 more tweets giving him a Wednesday Tweeting Total of 8 tweets and 0 retweets.
The full fact-sheet:
President Biden is committed to ensuring federal resources and opportunities that can benefit rural America actually reach rural America. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is launching the Rural Partners Network (RPN), a new whole-of-government effort led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to transform the way federal agencies partner with rural places to create economic opportunity.
The Biden-Harris Administration is investing historic resources in rural communities so they can continue to compete and succeed in the 21st century. The President’s American Rescue Plan provided billions of dollars to rural workers, local governments, and small businesses to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in affordable high-speed internet, clean drinking water, clean and reliable electricity, and better roads and bridges for rural communities across America. However, just making resources available is not enough—the federal government must better serve rural communities, so that they can take full advantage of these unprecedented opportunities.
To transform how the federal government partners with and delivers economic opportunity for rural communities across the United States, RPN will bring the federal government to rural America. New federal field staff will be placed in more than 25 rural communities in multiple U.S. states, Tribal Nations and territories to help local leaders navigate and access the federal resources they need to build a strong and vibrant economy. Through this unique partnership, RPN staff will also identify challenges preventing rural communities from accessing federal support to inform the work of the Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council, a whole-of-government task force that will ensure rural places are prioritized in Washington. RPN communities will have a new direct line to D.C. to foster a federal government that delivers for all rural communities.
To begin making the federal government work better for rural America, the Rural Partners Network is:
Helping rural communities identify and leverage critical resources with the partnership of on-the-ground federal staff.
To boost local capacity, the Biden Administration will deploy new RPN staff to help communities access the full breadth of federal resources for community-led economic development, working in close coordination with: local leaders in government, business, and community organizations; federal agency field offices; existing federal efforts such as Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization and the President’s Justice40 Initiative; and staff of the Regional Commissions. RPN Directors will be placed in states, territories and Tribal Nations to coordinate RPN activities, and RPN Liaisons will be placed in selected community networks to work with local leaders on an economic development vision and to secure the funds to make it a reality.
While these staff will be funded by USDA, they will have a whole-of-government mandate: help rural communities create economic opportunity by leveraging resources from all federal departments and agencies. To support this effort, 13 key agencies are dedicating a D.C.-based point person or team to serve as a front door for RPN staff and communities as they navigate the resources available across the federal government. These agencies participate in regular convenings of the Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council, co-led by the White House Domestic Policy Council and USDA.
Today, the Biden Administration is announcing the launch of this new program in selected community networks this year. In cohort 1, by the end of May, RPN staff will be on the ground supporting selected community networks in the following states and Tribal Nations:
White House.gov. 04/20/2022.
- Arizona:
- San Carlos Apache Tribe
- Tohono O’odham Nation
- Cocopah Indian Tribe
- Georgia
- Southwest Georgia Regional Commission: Counties of Mitchell, Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Seminole, Miller, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth
- Ben Hill County and City of Fitzgerald
- Emanuel County and City of Twin City
- Kentucky
- Fulton County Partnership*: Cities of Fulton, Hickman, and Cayce
- Kentucky Highlands: Counties of Bell*, Perry*, Harlan*, Leslie*, Letcher*, Whitley, Knox, Clay*
- Mississippi
- Washington County Economic Alliance: Counties of Washington, Bolivar, Sunflower, and Leflore
- Greater Grenada-Lake District: Counties of Grenada and Yalobusha
- North Delta Planning and Development Collaborative: Counties of Coahoma, Quitman, and Tunica
- New Mexico
- Northern New Mexico Pathways: Counties of San Miguel, Taos, Mora, and Colfax
- Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments: Counties of Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna
- Mesilla Valley Partnership: Doña Ana County
*Priority Energy Community as determined by the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.
These states and community networks were selected by USDA based on quantitative and qualitative factors, including levels of economic distress and readiness of the communities and local stakeholder organizations to participate in RPN. As part of the selection process, USDA conducted community engagement sessions with local community leaders. The communities themselves determined the composition of their networks.
In addition to this first cohort, RPN will expand to Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Tribal communities in Alaska in a second cohort to launch by the end of August. If provided the support from Congress requested in the President’s FY23 Budget, RPN will continue expanding to ultimately serve all 50 states, as well as more Tribal Nations and territories.
Empowering rural communities to foster a federal government that better delivers for rural America. RPN field staff will be tasked with feeding key information to federal agencies on community needs and barriers to accessing federal resources. Agencies will then take this information and use it to drive policy changes that address the unique challenges faced by rural communities. As a result, RPN will not only support selected RPN community networks but inform changes that make the federal government better deliver for all rural communities.
Through this new direct line between rural communities and Washington, D.C., the Biden Administration will change business as usual and work across agencies to coordinate technical assistance to rural communities, share rural data and measures of success, and align grant requirements. Members of Congress across the political spectrum have called for this whole-of-government approach, including U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto, Joni Ernst, Kirsten Gillibrand, Chuck Grassley, and Mark Kelly, and U.S. Representatives Angie Craig, Dan Newhouse, Cindy Axne, Adrian Smith, Tom O’Halleran, and Randy Feenstra.
The federal agencies and regional commissions participating in the Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council include:
White House.gov. 04/20/2022.
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Education
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of the Interior
- Department of Labor
- Department of Transportation
- Department of the Treasury
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Small Business Administration
- Appalachian Regional Commission
- Delta Regional Authority
- Denali Commission
- Northern Border Regional Commission
Creating new whole-of-government resources for rural communities. Agencies will contribute to whole-of-government rural economic development resource guides and other informational material that will help all rural communities better identify and access federal funds. Agencies will also proactively conduct outreach to rural communities and rural leaders to disseminate information, offer technical assistance support, and seek input regarding the economic development barriers they face and support they need.
White House.gov. 04/20/2022.
The above is similar text to remarks he gave while visiting Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Tuesday.
President Biden: Maggie, Chris, and Annie, we share a core belief: High-speed Internet is essential — essential — to success in the 21st century.
President Biden: This law is going to make high-speed Internet affordable and available everywhere in New Hampshire, Maine, and the region — urban, suburban, rural. And it’s going to create jobs. Thousands of union techni- — thousands of union technicians are going to be laying down these broadband lines.
I think, yeah, I think, since I’ve burned all kinds of my morning trying to find the exact figures to match the above chart, and came up with zero.
But having said, I know they got the data from the IMF World Economic Outlook April 2022…
The biggest hang-up I’m having is finding the chart figures for the fourth quarter versus what they say will be year growth:
I saw the chart shared by the President yesterday, and like a dumb ass even though I knew it would matter later I didn’t bookmark it…
I did manage to backtrack to find it…
I will attempt further research aka reading more of the IMF report, which FYI, everything has to be download to a PC or smartphone before you can read the data.
I make no promises that I will be successful in my reading, but an attempt will be made!
For Thursday, April 21st, 2022, the President has received his daily brief. This morning he provided an update on the Russia invasion of Ukraine. He has probably departed the White House headed to the West Coast. This evening east coast time he will deliver remarks on the investment that has been made at Portland International Airport. While in Portland he will attend a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. He will leave Oregon for Seattle, Washington, where tomorrow he will celebrate Earth Day.
President Biden has tweeted 3 times so far…
His third tweet for Thursday:
The White House has posted the following:
Memorandum; on the Delegation of Authority Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SUBJECT: Delegation of Authority Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 506(a)(1) of the FAA to direct the drawdown of up to an aggregate value of $800 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Ukraine and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a drawdown.
White House.gov. 04/21/2022.
You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
A letter to; the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate on the Declaration of National Emergency and Invocation of Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Russian-Affiliated Vessels to United States Ports
Dear Madam Speaker: (Dear Madam President:)
Pursuant to the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) and section 1 of title II of Public Law 65-24, ch. 30, June 15, 1917, as amended (Magnuson Act) (46 U.S.C. 70051), I hereby report that I have issued a proclamation with respect to the policies and actions of the Government of the Russian Federation to continue the premeditated, unjustified, unprovoked, and brutal war against Ukraine, which constitute a national emergency by reason of a disturbance or threatened disturbance of international relations of the United States.The proclamation prohibits Russian-affiliated vessels from entering into United States ports with limited exceptions for Russian-affiliated vessels used in the transport of source material, special nuclear material, and nuclear byproduct material for which, and for such time as, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, determines that no viable source of supply is available that would not require transport by Russian‑affiliated vessels; and for Russian-affiliated vessels requesting only to enter United States ports due to force majeure, solely to allow seafarers of any nationality to disembark or embark for purposes of conducting crew changes, emergency medical care, or for other humanitarian need. The proclamation also authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to make and issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary may find appropriate to regulate the anchorage and movement of Russian-affiliated vessels, and delegates to the Secretary my authority to approve such rules and regulations, as authorized by the Magnuson Act.
White House.gov. 04/21/2022.
I am enclosing a copy of the proclamation I have issued.
A Proclamation; on the Declaration of National Emergency and Invocation of Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Russian-Affiliated Vessels to United States Ports
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) and section 1 of title II of Public Law 65-24, ch. 30, June 15, 1917, as amended (Magnuson Act) (46 U.S.C. 70051), I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, hereby find and proclaim that:
The policies and actions of the Government of the Russian Federation to continue the premeditated, unjustified, unprovoked, and brutal war against Ukraine constitute a national emergency by reason of a disturbance or threatened disturbance of international relations of the United States. In order to address this national emergency and secure the observance of the rights and obligations of the United States, I hereby authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to make and issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary may find appropriate to regulate the anchorage and movement of Russian-affiliated vessels, and delegate to the Secretary my authority to approve such rules and regulations, as authorized by the Magnuson Act.
White House.gov. 04/21/2022.
Section 1. I hereby prohibit Russian-affiliated vessels from entering into United States ports.
Sec. 2. The prohibition of section 1 of this proclamation applies except:
(a) to Russian-affiliated vessels used in the transport of source material, special nuclear material, and nuclear byproduct material for which, and for such time as, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, determines that no viable source of supply is available that would not require transport by Russian-affiliated vessels; and
(b) to Russian-affiliated vessels requesting only to enter United States ports due to force majeure, solely to allow seafarers of any nationality to disembark or embark for purposes of conducting crew changes, emergency medical care, or for other humanitarian need.
White House.gov. 04/21/2022.
Sec. 3. For the purposes of this proclamation:
(a) the term “Russian-affiliated vessels” means:
(i) vessels of Russian registry (i.e., the vessel is Russian flagged);
(ii) vessels that are Russian owned (i.e., the legal title of ownership of the vessel that appears on the ship’s registration documents is the Government of the Russian Federation or a Russian company, citizen, or permanent resident); or
(iii) vessels that are Russian operated (i.e., a Russian company, citizen, or permanent resident is responsible for the commercial decisions concerning the employment of a ship and decides how and where that asset is employed).
(b) the term “byproduct material” has the same meaning given to that term in section 11(e) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA) (42 U.S.C. 2014(e)).
(c) the term “source material” has the same meaning given to that term in section 11(z) of the AEA (42 U.S.C. 2014(z)).
(d) the term “special nuclear material” has the same meaning given to that term in section 11(aa) of the AEA (42 U.S.C. 2014(aa)).
Sec. 4. The prohibition set forth in this proclamation shall be effective as of 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 28, 2022, and shall be immediately transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth.
White House.gov. 04/21/2022.
The readout of the meeting:
President Biden met with Prime Minister Shmyhal of Ukraine this morning. The leaders discussed recent developments in Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. President Biden conveyed the continued commitment of the United States to support the people of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russia. He also previewed his announcement today of an additional $800 million in security assistance and $500 million in economic support.
White House.gov. 04/21/2022.
The daily press briefing will be a gaggle aboard Air Force One. YouTube is saying this happens at 10:15 a.m. my time. That would be 1:15 p.m. D.C., time.
President Biden remarks are scheduled for 2:10 p.m. West Coast time. That means it’s 5:10 p.m. D.C., time.
This is an Open Thread.
