It’s Monday.
Because it’s Monday; We start with Friday working our way toward Monday…
When the post was posted for New Year’s Eve Eve Friday, President Biden had tweeted 1 time. He added 2 tweets giving him a Friday Tweeting Total of 3 tweets and 0 retweets.
The White House posted a 2022 in review blog written by Ambassador Susan Rice…
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling ‘22.
The past year undoubtedly brought its share of daunting challenges—from Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine, to devastating hurricanes along the Atlantic Coast and fires in the West, to stubbornly high inflation around the globe.
Yet, 2022 also yielded remarkable progress for the American people. Under President Biden’s leadership, the economy continued its historic run, creating more than 10.5 million jobs since President Biden took office. Inflation has shown signs of moderating. Thanks to the landmark American Rescue Plan, we’ve continued to deploy $122 billion in funding to enable schools to hire teachers, combat pandemic-related learning loss, and support students’ mental health. We expanded and strengthened the Affordable Care Act, making it possible for four out five people who sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act to find health care coverage for $10 a month or less and helping to drive the uninsured rate to 8 percent—the lowest ever.
It was a year of historic accomplishments. President Biden signed the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, making unprecedented investments in clean energy, finally allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, setting a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket pharmacy costs, capping insulin in Medicare at $35 per prescription per month, and requiring rebates when drug prices increase faster than inflation. The President brought together Democrats and Republicans to pass the most significant gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years, securing hundreds of millions in funding to prevent, interrupt, and reduce gun crime, including unprecedented investments in community-led crime prevention and intervention. President Biden also signed into law the PACT Act, expanding access to health care and benefits related to toxic exposures for veterans and their survivors, as well as the CHIPS and Science Act to boost American manufacturing, strengthen supply chains, and create jobs.
There was the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. The announcement of up to $20,000 in debt relief for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 for other borrowers whose incomes were under $125,000, a move that could help more than 40 million borrowers. The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act to better protect our democracy. Capping off the year, thousands of Americans gathered on the White House South Lawn to celebrate as President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law—a vital step forward for an Administration that has done more to advance LGBTQI+ equality than any before it.
It’s an impressive list by any measure. But, that’s only the tip of the iceberg. For every high-profile bill signing on the South Lawn, there have been dozens of other highly impactful executive actions, agency regulations, and notable initiatives centered on delivering opportunity for the American people. As we close out a remarkably productive year, here are 12 Biden-Harris Administration achievements you might have missed over the past 12 months:
White House.gov. 12/29/2022.
- Continued implementing a historic Day 1 Executive Order advancing equity and racial justice across the entire federal government. This included releasing 90 agency equity action plans, containing over 300 commitments on issues ranging from maternal mortality to language access to environmental justice.
- Signed a historic executive order to advance safe, effective, and accountable community policing to build public trust and strengthen public safety by requiring federal law enforcement agencies to ban chokeholds, adopt stricter use-of-force policies, greatly restrict no-knock warrants, implement body-worn cameras, provide de-escalation and anti-racial profiling training, establish a national database of officer misconduct records, restrict military equipment transfers, and more. The order also directed federal agencies to provide training, technical assistance, and funding to support state and local law enforcement agencies in adopting the same measures.
- Made progress on the President’s goal of increasing the share of federal contracting dollars awarded to small disadvantaged business (SDBs) by 50 percent by 2025. In 2021, the Administration awarded a record level of contracting dollars to SDBs, with 2022 expected to set a new record.
- Hosted the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in more than 50 years and released a National Strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030. Over $8 billion in new private- and public-sector commitments were announced at the White House Conference.
- Launched the Rural Partners Network in 36 communities in 11 states and territories, advancing a whole-of-government initiative—led by the Department of Agriculture and supported by more than 20 federal agencies and regional commissions—that places full-time federal staff on the ground to help local leaders navigate and access federal resources.
- Made historic investments in Tribal Nations, including more than $32 billion in the American Rescue Plan, $13 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and over $700 million in the Inflation Reduction Act specifically for Tribal Nations and Native communities. In addition, the Administration secured—for the first time in history— advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service, which will ensure a more predictable funding stream and improve health outcomes across Indian Country.
- Hosted a historic United We Stand Summit to combat hate-fueled violence, and announced a host of new federal and nonfederal deliverables, including the launch of the White House Initiative on Hate-Motivated Violence, the creation of an online clearinghouse of prevention resources, and over $1 billion in philanthropic commitments for unity-building activities.
- Addressed our failed approach to marijuana by pardoning all federal and D.C. simple marijuana possession offenses, urging governors to pardon state and local offenses, and starting the administrative process of the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services reviewing how marijuana is scheduled.
- Launched a whole-of-government mental health strategy to address our nation’s mental health crisis and transform how we understand, access, and treat mental health in America, including the transition to the nationwide 988 suicide and crisis Lifeline. This includes increasing funding to community mental health organizations, school districts, and institutions of higher education to increase the number of school-based and community mental health professionals.
- Strengthened Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by defending DACA in court against ongoing attacks, issuing a Presidential Memorandum to preserve and fortify DACA, and releasing a final rule codifying the 2012 DACA policy.
- Reunified and provided support services to more than 570 families who were separated under the previous administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy. Of the children who remained separated when President Biden took office, more than 70 percent of their families have been contacted and offered the opportunity to reunify.
- Proposed rules to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, which is projected to save as many as 654,000 lives, including up to 238,000 Black Americans.
Across the board, the Biden-Harris Year Two record is a record of results for the American people. It’s a record of taking on some of our nation’s toughest challenges and delivering. That’s the spirit that drove our Administration to success during 2022, and it’s the spirit we’re carrying with us into 2023. Stay tuned.
White House.gov. 12/29/2022.
Indian Express.com reported that according to a bulletin; from the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, where she was admitted Wednesday after her health deteriorated, stated that Hiraba Modi passed away at 3.30 am Friday during treatment at the hospital. She is survived by five sons — Prime Minister Modi and his brothers Somabhai, Amrutbhai, Prahladbhai and Pankajbhai — and daughter Vasantiben.
Asian New International tweeted:
PM Narendra Modi tweeted on Thursday.
मैं जब उनसे 100वें जन्मदिन पर मिला तो उन्होंने एक बात कही थी, जो हमेशा याद रहती है कि કામ કરો બુદ્ધિથી, જીવન જીવો શુદ્ધિથી यानि काम करो बुद्धि से और जीवन जियो शुद्धि से।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022
Indian Express.com says him=’s her and he =’s she.
New Year’s Eve Saturday’s Tweeting Total was 12 tweets and 0 retweets.
Since I’m of a certain age…
I remember…
President Biden’s full statement:
Jill and I join Catholics around the world, and so many others, in mourning the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. I had the privilege of spending time with Pope Benedict at the Vatican in 2011 and will always remember his generosity and welcome as well as our meaningful conversation. He will be remembered as a renowned theologian, with a lifetime of devotion to the Church, guided by his principles and faith. As he remarked during his 2008 visit to the White House, “the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity.” May his focus on the ministry of charity continue to be an inspiration to us all.
White House.gov. 12/31/2022.
The video is 1 minute and 37 seconds long. The voice over is mostly taken from three different set of remarks offered by President Biden last year (2022)….
President Biden [Remarks by President Biden on the Passage of H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 09/13/2022]: Today offers proof that the soul of America is vibrant, the future of America is bright, and the promise of America is real. It is real. It is real.
President Biden [Remarks by President Biden on the Continued Battle for the Soul of the Nation; 09/01/2022]: It’s never easy. But we’re proving that in America, no matter how long the road, progress does come.
President Biden: The idea that America guarantees that everyone be treated with dignity. It gives hate no safe harbor. It installs in everyone the belief that no matter where you start in life, there’s nothing you can’t achieve. That’s who we are. That’s what we stand for. That’s what we believe. And that is precisely what we are doing: opening doors, creating new possibilities, focusing on the future. And we’re only just beginning.
President Biden: The cynics and the critics tell us nothing can get done, but they are wrong. There is not a single thing America cannot do — not a single thing beyond our capacity if we do it together.
President Biden [Remarks by President Biden on a Successful Counterterrorism Operation in Afghanistan; 08/01/2022]: Today, we remember the lost. We commit ourselves to the safety of the living. And we pledge that we shall never waver from defending our nation and its people.
President Biden [Remarks by President Biden on the Passage of H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 09/13/2022]: This is the extraordinary story being written today in America by this administration — as I step all over my coat. (Steps on suit jacket.) (Laughter.) Good thing my mom is not around. (Laughter.)
The video itself is a montage of different events attended by President Biden. I decided to focus solely on the official remarks.
The video from the White House is 1 minute and 6 seconds long. There is no voice over provided; there is only up beat music and text. All text is written in all-caps with varying sized fonts. I will not be transcribing the video.
The link takes us to White House.gov/clean energy:
The Inflation Reduction Act lowers energy costs for consumers and small businesses while creating good-paying jobs as America’s clean energy economy and manufacturing sectors grow. Learn more below on how you or your family can save on utility bills, get support to purchase electric vehicles and energy-saving appliances, and access the economic opportunities of the clean energy future.
Find out which programs are available to you so that you can benefit from American made clean energy as soon as today, and sign up below to be the first to receive updates and take advantage of these opportunities.
White House.gov/clean energy.
The rest of the website lists the different energy programs you can maybe qualify for.
If you bought and placed in service a new qualified plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) on January 1, 2023 or later and meet certain income limitations, you may be eligible for a clean vehicle tax credit up to $7,500 under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D.
Qualified Manufacturers of the vehicles listed below have indicated that the vehicles are currently eligible for a credit provided other requirements are met. Check back for additions to this list.
For vehicles purchased in 2022 or before, credit eligibility was determined under different criteria.
IRS.gov.
North America Final Assembly and MSRP Requirements
Vehicle make/models that appear in the list below do not automatically qualify. They must also
- Have undergone final assembly in North America
- Not exceed a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of
- $80,000 for vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks
- $55,000 for other vehicles
To see if a specific vehicle meets the assembly requirements:
- Note the vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Go to the Department of Energy’s page on Electric Vehicles with Final Assembly in North America
- Use the VIN Decoder tool under “Specific Assembly Location Based on VIN”
The rest of the article has an “Index to Manufacturers”.
New Year’s Day Sunday’s Tweeting Total was 1 tweet and 0 retweets.
And…
President Biden’s public schedule for Monday, 01/02/2023:
| 10:00 AM | Out-of-Town Pool Call Time (11:00 AM Local) Private Residence of Bill and Connie Neville, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820 Out-of-Town Pool |
| 12:45 PM | The President and The First Lady depart St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands en route Joint Base Andrews (1:45 PM Local) Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, St. Croix, VI Open Press |
| 4:15 PM | In-Town Pool Call Time The White House In-Town Pool |
| 4:35 PM | The President and The First Lady arrive at Joint Base Andrews Joint Base Andrews Out-of-Town Pool |
| 4:55 PM | The President and The First Lady arrive at the White House South Lawn Open Press |
President Biden has tweeted…
He has not tweeted so far for Monday.
This is an Open Thread.
