Biden Bits: Spent A Few Days With…

Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

President Biden’s public schedule for Friday, 02/03/2023:

8:30 AM The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Closed Press
10:00 AM In-Town Pool Call Time
Joint Base Andrews Visitor Center
1:00 PM The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews
South Lawn Open Press
1:20 PM The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route Philadelphia International Airport
Joint Base Andrews Out-of-Town Pool
2:00 PM The President arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Open Press
3:15 PM The President and The Vice President deliver remarks on the progress the country has made and their work implementing the Biden-Harris economic agenda that continues to deliver results for the American people
Out-of-Town Pool
5:15 PM The President and The Vice President participate in a reception for the Democratic National Committee
Restricted Out-of-Town Pool
6:00 PM The President and The Vice President will deliver remarks at the Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting
Open Press
7:10 PM The President departs Philadelphia International Airport en route New Castle, Delaware
Out-of-Town Pool
7:25 PM The President arrives in New Castle, Delaware
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The audio only press gaggle is scheduled for 1:40 p.m. D.C., time.


On Thursday the White House posted the following fact-sheet; President Biden Announces $500 Million for Philadelphia Water Upgrades and Lead Service Removal

President and Vice President Highlight National Progress Replacing Lead Pipes & Delivering Clean Water Thanks to Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Continuing the Biden-Harris Administration’s focus on implementing its economic agenda to deliver real results for the American people, President Biden and Vice President Harris are traveling to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to highlight progress made improving water infrastructure and replacing lead pipes. Through historic levels of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, American Rescue Plan, and annual appropriations, and using regulatory tools across federal, state, and local government, the Administration is working to replace all lead service lines in America in the next decade. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests nearly $50 billion in clean water, with at least $15 billion set aside at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for loans and grants to states to remove lead service lines.

At the event in Philadelphia, the President will announce:

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.
  • The City of Philadelphia is slated to receive $160 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s first of five years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law water funding to help upgrade water facilities and replace over 19 miles of lead service lines. To date, $240 million has been awarded to Pennsylvania to provide clean and safe water across the state and improve water and wastewater infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law;
  • A $340 million Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan from EPA for the City of Philadelphia to upgrade its water system, including the first $19 million in financing that will help modernize critical infrastructure by replacing approximately 160 lead service lines and 13 miles of watermains; and,
  • 10 communities across Pennsylvania will participate in EPA’s new “Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators” program announced last Friday at the White House, which will  drive faster progress on removing lead service lines. Through the LSLR Accelerators initiative, EPA will provide hands-on support to guide communities through the process of lead service line removals, from start to finish, including developing lead service line replacement plans, conducting inventories to identify lead pipes, increasing community outreach and education efforts, and supporting applications for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.

The massive investments in water improvements will also create new good paying jobs, including jobs that do not require a college degree.

Progress Removing Lead Service Lines

Since taking office, the Administration has moved aggressively to accelerate the replacement of lead service lines across the country, funding the removal of over 100,000 lead service lines.  That number will increase significantly with $1.2 billion now approved for 23 states for lead service line identification and replacement as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The 2022 allocation was the first of five years of nearly $15 billion in dedicated EPA funding for lead service lines that states will receive through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there is dedicated funding to remove lead service lines and new prioritization for disadvantaged communities to benefit from this investment.

Last week, at a White House Summit on Accelerating Lead Pipe Replacement hosted by Vice President Harris, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions and progress to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, and remediate lead paint to protect children and communities across America.  In addition to EPA’s Accelerators, the Vice President announced a new Get the Lead Out Partnership comprised of over 100 state and local officials, water utilities, labor unions, and other nongovernmental organizations who have committed to advance and accelerate lead pipe replacement, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Vice President also sent a letter to Governors across the country calling on them to join the new partnership, deploy the federal funding available in their state, and ensure investments reach overburdened and underserved communities.

Other recent Administration actions to address lead include:

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.
  • EPA released guidance that will help communities and water utilities identify lead pipes that connect drinking water service to homes and other buildings by developing and maintaining service line inventories, support notifications to consumers served by lead pipes, and provide states with information on oversight and reporting to EPA.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the Blood Lead Reference Value (BLRV) to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter of blood based on the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, resulting over the past year, 21 states have changed their laws or policies to provide case management or other services to children with blood lead levels higher than the updated BLRV of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. As a result of this action, more children are receiving early intervention to prevent additional lead exposure and its associated harms.
  • EPA has taken several steps in the process of proposing the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).
  • The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is in the process of implementing its Lead Safe Housing Rule that eliminates or mitigates lead-based paint hazards through its housing rehabilitation assistance.

Infrastructure Progress Across Pennsylvania

Already in the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, $8.1 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is headed to Pennsylvania with over 168 specific projects identified for funding. 

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.
  • Roads and Bridges: In Pennsylvania, there are 3,353 bridges and over 7,540 miles of highway in poor condition. To date, $5.1 billion has been announced in Pennsylvania for roads, bridges, roadway safety, and major projects. This includes $4.4 billion in highway formula funding and $706.8 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023.
  • High-Speed Internet: To date, Pennsylvania has received $5 million through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) to help provide access to high-speed internet across the state. In addition, about 530,000 households in Pennsylvania are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
  • Water: To date, $240 million has been awarded to Pennsylvania to provide clean and safe water across the state and improve water and wastewater infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This includes $87.3 million dedicated to lead pipe and service line replacement. This funding is in addition to the $67.4 million the state received in base FY2022 State Revolving Fund appropriations.
  • Public Transit: Based on formula funding alone, Pennsylvania would expect to receive approximately $3.2 billion over five years under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve public transit across the state. To date, Pennsylvania has been allocated $614.8 million to improve public transportation options across the state in fiscal year 2022 and 2023.
  • Clean Buses: To date, Pennsylvania has been awarded $34.6 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. In addition, communities in Pennsylvania were awarded $23.4 million for clean transit buses and improved bus service through DOT’s Low- and No- Emission Bus and Bus and Bus Facilities Program. 
  • Electric Vehicle Charging: Through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program alone, Pennsylvania should expect to receive roughly $172 million in formula funding over five years to support the expansion of electric vehicle charging in the state. Pennsylvania has been allocated $61.9 million in 2022 and 2023 to build out a network of EV chargers across the state. 
  • Clean Energy & Power: To date, approximately $221.2 million has been allocated to Pennsylvania for clean energy, energy efficiency, and power in 2022 and 2023. This includes: $186 million for weatherization; $14.1 million through the State Energy Program; $12.8 million through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program; and $8.1 million to prevent outages and make the power grid more resilient. Additional grid funding will be made available in the coming months.
  • Airports and Ports: To date, Pennsylvania has received approximately $120.4 million in 2022 and 2023 for airports and roughly $109.8 million in 2022 and 2023 for ports and waterways.
  • Resilience: In the last decade, Pennsylvania has experienced 37 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $10 billion in damages. To date, approximately $1.1 billion has been allocated to Pennsylvania for infrastructure resilience in 2022 and 2023. 
  • Legacy Pollution Cleanup: To date, approximately $349.1 million has been allocated to Pennsylvania in 2022 and 2023 for capping orphaned oil and gas wells and reclaiming abandoned mine lands and $7.5 million has been allocated to cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites.

Economic Progress Across Pennsylvania

Under President Biden, we’re building an economy from the bottom up and middle out, including creating good-paying jobs, record small business growth, and spurring new manufacturing investments across Pennsylvania.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.
  • Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate is at 3.9% – down from 7.7% two years earlier and now at the lowest level in the state’s recorded history.  Pennsylvania has also added nearly 400,000 total jobs since the President took office.
  • Over the last two years, over 287,000 new businesses have been started in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  In fact, 2021 had the highest number of new businesses started in Pennsylvania on record – 24 percent higher than the previous record.
  • Across Pennsylvania, companies have announced investments and expansions, including Encina which announced a $1.1 billion investment in a new advanced manufacturing facility in Point Township, PA that will support a more sustainable and circular economy; Doral Renewables announced a $250 million solar project in central Pennsylvania that will generate enough electricity to power 33,000 households; and Croda International has committed $58 million toward a new biomanufacturing facility in Lamar, PA to produce ingredients for critical vaccines.

Vice President Harris and President Biden’s remarks are scheduled for 3:15 p.m. D.C., time.


President Biden has tweeted…

He’s posted 2 tweets so far for Jobs Report Friday…

Bls.gov said this morning; Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 517,000 in January, and the unemployment rate changed little at 3.4 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, and health care. Employment also increased in government, partially reflecting the return of workers from a strike.

Some data from the report:

The number of persons jobless less than 5 weeks decreased to 1.9 million in January. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was essentially unchanged at 1.1 million. The long-term unemployed accounted for 19.4 percent of the total unemployed in January. (See table A-12.)

Leisure and hospitality added 128,000 jobs in January compared with an average of 89,000 jobs per month in 2022. Over the month, food services and drinking places added 99,000 jobs, while employment continued to trend up in accommodation (+15,000). Employment in leisure and hospitality remains below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level by 495,000, or 2.9 percent.

Government employment increased by 74,000 in January. Employment in state government education increased by 35,000, reflecting the return of university workers after a strike.

In January, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 10 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $33.03. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 4.4 percent. In January, average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 7 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $28.26. (See tables B-3 and B-8.)

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for November was revised up by 34,000, from +256,000 to +290,000, and the change for December was revised up by 37,000, from +223,000 to +260,000. With these revisions, employment gains in November and December combined were 71,000 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. The annual benchmark process also contributed to the November and December revisions.)

Bls.gov. 02/03/2023.

Economists had braced themselves for a jobs report of around 185,000 jobs added. Even when you take into account the government jobs and those that came back from a strike. The jobs report is better than expected and is a win for President Biden as we head into his State of the Union Address on Tuesday. And he’s gonna take a victory lap…

The YouTube is 40 minutes and 43 seconds long. His remarks start at the 33 minute and 16 second mark. His full remarks have not been posted at this time.


When the post was posted for Thursday, President Biden had tweeted 1 time. He added 10 tweets giving him a Thursday Tweeting Total of 11 tweets and 0 retweets.

On Thursday the White House posted the following fact-sheet; On One Year Anniversary of Reignited Cancer Moonshot, Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions to End Cancer as We Know It

One year ago, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot, setting an ambitious, achievable goal: to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, and improve the experience of people and families living with and surviving cancer, ultimately ending cancer as we know it today.

The Cancer Moonshot has spurred tremendous action across the federal government and from the public and private sectors, building a strong foundation for the work ahead. Today, the Administration is announcing new actions from inside and outside of government that will drive additional progress, drawing us closer to ending cancer as we know it today.

Last year, the President stood up the first-ever Cancer Cabinet to mobilize the federal government, and called on individuals, health care providers, and leaders across sectors to step up and take action in five key priority areas: (1) close the screening gap, (2) understand and address environmental exposure, (3) decrease the impact of preventable cancers, (4) bring cutting-edge research through the pipeline to patients and communities, and (5) support patients and caregivers.

To date, the Cancer Moonshot has announced over 25 new programs, policies, and resources to address these five priority areas. The First Lady has traveled the country and the world to hear from cancer patients and their loved ones, as well as the researchers, physicians, nurses, and patient navigators who support them – focusing on the importance of early detection and improving the experience of patients, families, and caregivers. And, the White House and Cancer Cabinet have held more than 50 community conversations and events. More than 60 private companies, non-profits, academic institutions, and patient groups have also stepped up with new actions and collaborations.

Today’s new actions will build on the work done in the first year of the reignited Cancer Moonshot. In addition, today, the President is also announcing his intent to appoint six members to the National Cancer Advisory Board, which plays an important role in guiding the Director of the NCI in setting the course for the national cancer research program.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

The Cancer Cabinet is taking the following new actions:

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI) is launching a first-of-its-kind, public-private partnership to bring clinical and patient navigation support to families facing childhood cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is launching the Childhood Cancer – Data Integration for Research, Education, Care, and Clinical Trials (CC-DIRECT) to support children and Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer throughout their cancer journey; provide patient navigation support to families seeking information and optimal care; facilitate research participation; and establish a portable, shareable, standardized cancer health record. This means families facing childhood cancer can reach out for support and get connected to excellent care and the opportunity to participate in research through clinical trials and data sharing initiatives. This new entity represents a groundbreaking collaboration between NCI, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (ACTO), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Cancer Society (ACS), the MITRE Corporation, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Children’s Oncology Group (COG), and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is awarding $10 million to improve access to lifesaving cancer screenings and early detection including patient navigation support services. HRSA, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is doubling its investment in new partnerships to bring community health centers together with NCI-Designated Cancer Centers to facilitate access to lifesaving cancer screenings and early detection services for underserved communities. Health centers that receive funding will conduct patient outreach in these communities to promote early detection of cancer, connect patients to screening services, and provide direct navigation assistance with accessing high quality cancer care and treatment, as needed. Today’s awards total more than $10 million for 22 HRSA-funded health centers, expanding on the $5 million awarded to 11 health centers in 2022
     
  • HHS is launching “CancerX,” a Public-Private Partnership developed as a national accelerator to boost innovation in the fight against cancer. HHS, ONC and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), is launching the “CancerX” National Innovation Accelerator Initiative, a government wide effort to develop tools, such as digital solutions to improve cancer patient care coordination and communication, new software technology to help community organizations meet cancer patients where they are, or new platforms to support patients with their post-treatment care. This new public-private partnership will drive support for and accelerate the development of biotech and health tech startups solutions focused on the continuum of cancer care, including prevention, detection, treatment, and transitions in care. Organizations whose missions are aligned with the Cancer Moonshot goals will work together to surface innovative solutions and coordinate access to research, mentorship, resources, and other collaborative opportunities. This work will help startups scale their business and work toward creating ‘challenge-focused’ solutions for cancer with health equity in mind. This initiative will build on previous models deployed by successful HHS InnovationX program accelerators such as KidneyX and PandemicX.

The public and private sector is stepping up with the following new actions:

Promoting Cancer Prevention

  • National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) is launching local community-based activities to increase cancer screenings in at-risk communities. NMQF, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that integrates data and expertise in support of initiatives to eliminate health disparities, is releasing a new online hub, which includes several interactive features designed to increase awareness about cancer disparities, innovation in early detection and treatment, and patient- and clinician-oriented resources to close gaps in cancer care delivery. In addition, to help spur action on the ground, the Cancer Stage Shifting Initiative, which was created to move from late stage to early- stage diagnosis and treatment of cancer, improving cancer care and reducing cancer deaths for all, will work together with private and public partners and local advocates to increase awareness of cancer risk and treatment, improve clinical trial diversity, and support efforts to understand the impact of the water crisis on cancer risk in Flint, Michigan.
     
  • Supergoop! is committing to donate SPF sunscreen to schools and communities across the country to encourage children to start protecting their skin at a young age. Since sun exposure is cumulative throughout a person’s lifetime, Supergoop! is committing to providing the country’s youth the education and resources to keep them protected. Supergoop! is growing the “Ounce by Ounce Program”, designed to give SPF sunscreen to schools for free. So far, Supergoop! has donated more than 6,800 SPF sunscreen pumps to over 1,900 classrooms and youth organizations and is dedicated to expanding this cancer prevention program.

Supporting Patients and Caregivers through their Cancer Fight

  • American Cancer Society and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation launch $10 Million challenge grant to benefit five American Cancer Society Hope Lodges. The American Cancer Society and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (RMSFF) announced the launch of a $10 million challenge grant to benefit five American Cancer Society Hope Lodges – in Omaha, NE; Charleston, SC; Lexington, KY; Lubbock, TX; and Kansas City, MO. Funds raised through the RMSFF challenge grant will be used to establish $2 million endowments at each of the five Hope Lodges to support ongoing maintenance of their physical facilities and operations and support physical improvements to those building.
     
  • Colorectal Cancer Alliance is launching BlueHQ, the first-of-its-kind comprehensive support hub for patients, survivors, and caregivers to navigate colorectal cancer. BlueHQ is a free support service designed to help patients learn, connect, and take action to improve outcomes. The support hub includes features to suggest helpful information and resources that align with the patient’s profile; connects patients to allies with similar experiences, as well as a patient and family support navigator; and safely and securely stores appointments and notes or journal entries, which can be shared with caregivers and healthcare providers.
     
  • New coalition launches to address the obstacles rural patient communities face accessing care. A broad national advocacy campaign is set to be launched, bringing together a diverse coalition of public-private partners to raise awareness and spur action to address the persistent, underlying issues that have caused rural America to fall behind in healthcare, technology, and infrastructure. The coalition includes Stupid Cancer, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cervivor, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, Cancer and Careers, Triage Cancer, Tigerlily Foundation and Fight Colorectal Cancer Patient Advocate Foundation. Underpinning these efforts will be a storytelling campaign led by OffScrip Health, a leading digital health media platform focused on patient engagement, health equity, and access to care, and FINN Partners, a global integrated marketing and communications agency that will tackle critical issues impacting rural communities’ health, such as access to care, broadband infrastructure, consumer goods, clean water, telehealth, and more. The series will also spotlight the new technologies, partnerships, and practices that can make a difference in addressing this crisis of care.

Bringing Cancer Screening to More Communities

  • Prevent Cancer Foundation to launch “Early Detection = Better Outcomes” campaign to improve knowledge and completion of recommended cancer screenings. The Prevent Cancer Foundation is launching a new signature campaign, “Early Detection = Better Outcomes,” to educate Americans on what recommended cancer screenings and cancer-related vaccinations they need and to encourage them to schedule appointments. Better Outcomes shares evidence-based resources, including screening options by age and information on vaccinations to prevent cancer, tools to find free and low-cost cancer screenings, and information on how family history can impact cancer risk. The campaign will address two additional barriers that Americans face — fear of screening examinations and lack of access — and introduce a new, interactive tool to deliver a personalized screening plan that can be shared with a health provider.
     
  • Siemens Healthineers is committing to address cancer screening disparities in underserved regions. Siemens Healthineers is working to increase breast screening capabilities and capacity by providing a mobile mammography screening truck, as well as dedicated technologists to perform scans and artificial intelligence- (AI-) technology to help read 3D examinations in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. To date 680 free mammography screenings have been administered, in partnership with Penn Medicine and the Office of Children and Families Philadelphia in Southwest Philadelphia and WakeMed Health & Hospitals at Raleigh Medical Park. Expanding on the success of this program, Siemens Healthineers will be purchasing an additional mobile screening truck with the goal to partner on 10-12 additional mobile screening events this year, reaching at least 2,000 women in underserved areas, including urban and rural sites around the country.

Driving Research Advances through Data Sharing and Clinical Trial Expansion

  • CancerLinQ® and Owkin pursue a new research collaboration to improve the care of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. CancerLinQ®, a health technology platform from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Owkin, a French-American AI biotech company, launch an initiative to improve outcomes for people facing metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They will use data from CancerLinQ Discovery®, a real-world oncology database of de-identified electronic health record (EHR) data from more than 6 million patients with cancer and blood diseases in the United States to identify possible predictive factors of why some patients with NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer, respond poorly to immunotherapy treatment. The goal is to use the data routinely collected at the point of care to learn how to better tailor treatments for patients with advanced NSCLC.
     
  • Hyundai Hope On Wheels awards nearly $15 million to accelerate pediatric cancer research and treatments. Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a non-profit organization supported by Hyundai and its U.S. dealers, donated $15 million in research grants to over sixty hospitals and research institutions across the country in 2022. With this contribution, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass $200 million in lifetime funding for research and innovative treatments in pursuit of a cure for pediatric cancer. As Hyundai Hope On Wheels celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, they are more committed than ever to inspire hope around the nation.
     
  • Susan G. Komen commits resources to improve outcomes and expands services for the breast cancer community. Susan G. Komen awarded $21.7 million to fund 48 new research projects at 26 distinguished academic medical institutions in the United States that are focused on improving patient outcomes – particularly for people with the most aggressive breast cancers, or who have experienced a recurrence or metastasis. With this investment, Komen is now supporting more than 152 active research projects, representing more than $115 million in funding. Additionally, Komen has expanded access and affordability for breast cancer screening and diagnosis by growing its screening and diagnostics program to 12 cities and providing no-cost breast cancer screening mammograms and diagnostic tests to individuals who meet income qualifications.

Today’s announcements build on actions taken in the first year of the reignited Cancer Moonshot:

  • The Administration launched WhiteHouse.gov/CancerMoonshot, where patients can share their stories of inspiration and hope, people can provide their ideas on how to make progress, and organization, companies, and institutions can commit new actions to help achieve Cancer Moonshot goals.
  • President Biden launched ARPA-H, a new agency to deliver new ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer and other diseases, appointed its first-ever Director, and secured $2.5 billion in initial investment, including $1.5 billion in the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus package.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued more than $200 million in grants as part of greater than $1 billion commitment to advance cancer prevention and control through cancer screening programs reaching every state, U.S. territories, and tribal organizations;
  • The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) dedicated $1 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to accelerate clean up at up to 80 previously underfunded Superfund sites.
  • EPA committed $7.4 billion to help states replace lead pipes and service lines, which will protect millions of families from so-called “forever chemicals” and other contaminants that may increase people’s risk of getting certain cancers.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is implementing the President’s bipartisan PACT Act, with 1.5 million veterans already receiving screening for toxic exposure as of January 2023, and in November, VA announced it would expedite veterans’ benefits claims for cancers associated with the PACT Act, helping these veterans gain more timely access to health care and other financial benefits.
  • The Food and Drug Administration proposed rules prohibiting menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars that, if finalized, could avert up to 654,000 smoking-related deaths, including approximately 238,000 among African Americans. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable cancer and death from cancer—30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States are caused by smoking;
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its new Agricultural Science Center of Excellence for Nutrition and Diet for Better Health (ASCEND for Better Health) to accelerate research on diet-related chronic diseases, including cancer, and aims to translate research into impactful solutions that improve public health and well-being goals as support of the Cancer Moonshot and the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
  • Tens of thousands of cancer patients could see their prescription drug costs go down by thousands annually because the President signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2000 per year for Medicare beneficiaries.
  • NCI launched a large national trial that, if successful, will identify effective blood tests for the detection of one or more cancers, providing the opportunity for additional, less-invasive tools for early detection.

Also on Thursday, President Biden announced key appointments to the National Cancer Advisory Board:

Today, President Biden announced his intent to appoint six members to the National Cancer Advisory Board, which plays an important role in guiding the Director of the National Cancer Institute in setting the course for the national cancer research program. The National Cancer Advisory Board will complement the Cancer Moonshot, which President Biden reignited a year ago to end cancer as we know it today – including by making sure his Administration is investing in research and development that will help advance breakthroughs to prevent, detect, and treat diseases like cancer. 

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.
  • Margaret Anderson, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board
  • Richard J. Boxer, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board
  • Ysabel Duron, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board
  • Julie Papanek Grant, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board
  • Ana Navas Acien, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board
  • Fred K. Tabung, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Margaret Anderson, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Margaret Anderson advises federal health and nonprofit clients as a Managing Director at Deloitte. She began her career with the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment where she explored the impact of biotechnology and genetics on society. She contributed to progress in several critical areas to advance the pace of research for patients – from genetics to HIV/AIDS, women’s health research, patient centricity, oncology, and the COVID-19 pandemic response. She later served as Executive Director of FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute, prior to joining Deloitte. She serves on several nonprofit boards including Act for NIH, Allen Institute, FasterCures, and Friends of Cancer Research, and previous board membership includes Melanoma Research Alliance, National Health Council, and the NIH NCATS Advisory Council and Cures Acceleration Network.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

Richard J. Boxer, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Richard J. Boxer, MD, FACS is a Clinical Professor of Urology at the David Geffen School at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a three-time cancer survivor who has cared for over 7,000 patients with cancers. Dr. Boxer has represented the U.S. at the World Health Organization as a private citizen, and he was recently on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Conquer Cancer Foundation. In April 2021 he was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by the University of Wisconsin’s Medical School, its highest honor. He is on the Board of G4 Alliance, an international organization that promotes excellent care for all surgical patients.

Dr. Boxer has been an attending urologist for 16 years for our veteran heroes at VA hospitals in Miami and Los Angeles. He has published nearly 100 journal articles and book chapters on medical research. He also has published in the national press on health policy, including in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Real Clear Policy, JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, and Health Affairs. Dr. Boxer helped create the clinical protocols for telemedicine beginning 15 years ago, becoming the Chief Medical Officer of numerous telemedicine companies. He has dedicated his professional career to compassionate and uncompromising care for cancer patients and educating the public and the medical community.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

Ysabel Duron, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Ysabel Duron, a native of California, is a veteran, multi-award winning broadcast journalist, who came into the cancer space after her own bout with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1999. Cancer has become the number one cause of death for the Latino population, which at 62 million people is the largest ethnic group in the U.S. The Founder and Executive Director of The Latino Cancer Institute, Duron is nationally recognized as an influential patient advocate leader dedicated to building community knowledge and capacity to respond to the cancer challenge. She works to amplify Latino voices around issues of cancer; collaborate in research with institutions nationwide; and promote policy that addresses disparities in education and access, screening, diagnosis, and precision care for communities of color and vulnerable populations.

Duron currently serves on the Institutional Review Board for the NIH/All of Us Research program; was named in 2019 to the Oversight Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the country’s leading stem cell agency; and most recently joined the newly-launched ACS National Breast Cancer RoundTable.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

Julie Papanek Grant, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Julie Grant is a General Partner at Canaan, a life science and technology venture capital fund. Grant founds, incubates, and invests in new biotech companies that turn scientific discoveries into medicines for patients in need. Grant was Co-Founder and CEO of Day One Biopharmaceuticals, Acting CEO of Reactive Biosciences, and founding investor in Synthekine and Nocion Therapeutics. Prior to Canaan, she held positions at Genentech across Development and Commercial primarily focused on new oncology products. She earned a B.S. in Molecular Biophysics and Chemistry from Yale, a MPhil BioScience Enterprise from Cambridge, and an MBA from Stanford.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

Ana Navas Acien, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Dr. Ana Navas Acien, MD, PhD is a Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Her research and teaching focus on the role of the environment in common diseases with the goal of improving people’s health. She has more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, leads multiple NIH-funded research projects, and is recognized for bridging medical and environmental health sciences using a participatory approach. She has served as chair of the NIH Kidney, Endocrine, and Digestive Disorders study section and as a member of National Academy of Sciences committees, including those reviewing the health effects of inorganic arsenic and e-cigarettes. She directs the Columbia University Northern Plains Superfund Research Program, a center that integrates science, technology, and traditional knowledge to protect the Northern Plains water resources and Indigenous communities from hazardous metal exposures.

Dr. Navas Acien trained in Medicine obtaining her MD from the University of Granada, Spain, and completed her residency training in Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Hospital La Paz, Madrid and her PhD in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Prior to her PhD, she worked at the Cancer Registry of the Andalusian School of Public Health, the Department of Non-communicable Diseases of the Pan American Health Organization, and the Division of Cancer and Environment of the Spanish National Center of Epidemiology. After a 15-year career at Johns Hopkins University, she joined Columbia University in 2016 where she is a member of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Population Science Program.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

Fred K. Tabung, Member, National Cancer Advisory Board

Fred K. Tabung is an Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he conducts a research program aiming to advance our understanding of how diet-related metabolic dysregulation impacts cancer risk and treatment response and to translate this knowledge into heathier eating and therapeutic diets. He is pioneering innovative approaches to studying the role of diet in cancer, some of which includes integration of the metabolic properties of specific foods beyond their caloric content. Tabung’s life experiences growing up and working in Africa strongly influenced his focus on diet and nutrition as a key determinant of health and disease, especially cancer. After obtaining his undergraduate degree in medical laboratory science, Tabung worked in the pathology laboratory of a reference hospital in Yaounde, Cameroon, helping to diagnose cancer, while also volunteering time to help start a population-based cancer registry for the city. Convinced that effective cancer prevention methods were sorely needed, Tabung pursued graduate-level education in nutrition and cancer epidemiologic research under the Fulbright Scholarship Program, where he focused upon the study, elucidation, and development of novel dietary pattern research methods.

Tabung’s work as a researcher has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Breakthrough Graduate Scholar Award and the Doctoral Achievement Award at the University of South Carolina in recognition of outstanding graduate school accomplishments. Most recently, he was named an American Cancer Society Research Scholar. Tabung was also appointed to serve in the Mechanisms Expert Committee advising the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research on potential biological mechanisms underlying the role of diet in cancer risk and prognosis, for their Global Cancer Update Program.

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

The YouTube is 17 minutes and 32 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.


The YouTube is 1 hour and 20 minutes. President Biden begins his remarks at the 57 minute and 40 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.


The White House has not posted a readout of President Biden’s meeting at this time (it’s 7:19 a.m. CA., time). They did post a readout of Vice President Harris’ meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan:

Vice President Kamala Harris met today with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House.  The Vice President reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral partnership and our commitment to Jordan’s security and economic prosperity.  The Vice President and King Abdullah expressed concern about the recent violence and tensions in Jerusalem and the West Bank.  The Vice President underscored the importance of upholding the status quo at the Haram al-Sharif / Temple Mount, recognizing Jordan’s crucial role as the custodian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem and as a force for stability.  She underscored U.S. support for regional security, prosperity, and integration, emphasizing that steps to deescalate tensions, promote moderation, and create meaningful economic opportunities across the Middle East would be essential to advancing these goals.   The Vice President and King Abdullah II discussed efforts of both countries to address the global climate crisis and related water issues, as well as the importance of sustainable growth and development, which requires continued economic reform as well as women’s empowerment and participation.  The Vice President and King Abdullah also discussed the importance of stability in Iraq and other regional and global issues.     

White House.gov. 02/02/2023.

The next two tweets come from the remarks he gave to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act.

President Biden: The law was a step toward that dignity my dad used to talk about.  Dignity for working families. 

President Biden: Dignity and security for millions of families, because finally — finally, for the first time in history, a majority of working Americans could take time off work, care for somebody they loved, and care for themselves without fear of losing their job.

President Biden: In my first year as President, we saw the largest one-year growth ever in women’s participation in the labor force in nearly 30 years.  (Applause.)

Twitter users added context to the above tweet…

The first link takes us to Bls.gov time series which feature a chart and a table of numbers.

The second link takes us to Fred.Stlouisfed.org. It’s another chart.

The third link takes us to Beta.Bls.gov/Data Viewer which is another chart.


The 43 second video came from remarks President Biden gave on 01/31/2023.

President Biden: For years, people talked about fixing this tunnel. But thanks to the leadership of Chuck in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re finally getting this done.

President Biden: And that’s how important this project is for up to 200,000 passengers who take Amtrak or New Jersey Transit under the Hudson River every single day. And, you know, it matters a lot: the Northeast Corridor from here to Boston, Boston to Washington, all the way down.

President Biden: And the problem — a problem anywhere along the line means delays up and down the East Coast for folks trying to get to work, businesses trying to ship goods, travelers trying to get to see their families. And, by the way, as a U.S. senator, I commuted, for 36 years, every single solitary day the Senate was in session. I traveled over 1,100,000 miles on Amtrak. And I can tell you where all the delays were. (Laughter.) And they weren’t all in Wilmington, Delaware.

President Biden: Although there’s much more to do about what we’re going to do to modernize the modern rail, let me close with this. The Americans see these projects popping up across the country, and it sends an important message: that we’re going to — when we work together, like we did in the bipartisan law, in the CHIPS law, there’s nothing we can’t do. Nothing.

President Biden: So [As] I’ve long said it’s been a really bad bet to bet against America. And I can honestly say, as I stand here today, and I give you my word as a Biden, I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s prospects in my entire life. We just have to remember who the hell we are. We are the United States of America. There’s nothing beyond our capacity. (Applause.) Nothing at all. And it’s starting right here.


The next two tweets take us back to celebrating FMLA…


The video is 16 seconds long. It was taken from his visit to New York, New York, on 01/31/2023. His favorite people are railway workers.


Have a nice weekend everyone!

I’m off Monday and Tuesday (going to Disneyland on Monday)…

I’ll catch y’all in the comment section.

This is an Open Thread.

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