Biden Bits: “If We Persevere, We Prevail”…

September 20, 2023 12:00 pm EDT Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “If We Persevere, We Prevail”…
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Wednesday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 09/20/2023:

9:00 AM
Presidential Daily Brief		The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
InterContinental Barclay, New York Closed Press
9:15 AMOut-of-Town Pool Call Time
InterContinental Barclay, New York Out-of-Town Pool
10:15 AM
Bilateral Meeting		The President participates in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel
InterContinental Barclay, New York Out-of-Town Pool Spray
1:00 PM
Bilateral Meeting		The President participates in a bilateral meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil
InterContinental Barclay, New York Out-of-Town Pool Spray
1:45 PM
Launching the Partnership for Workers’ Rights		The President and President Luiz Inácio Lula of Brazil launch the Partnership for Workers’ Rights
InterContinental Barclay, New York Out-of-Town Pool
4:15 PM
Campaign Event		The President participates in a campaign reception
New York, NY Restricted Out-of-Town Pool
6:00 PM
Campaign Event		The President participates in a campaign reception; The Second Gentleman participates
New York, NY Restricted Out-of-Town Pool
7:10 PM
Leaves New York, New York		The President departs New York, New York en route to Queens, New York,
Downtown Manhattan Heliport, NY Out-of-Town Pool
7:15 PMIn-Town Pool Call Time
The White House In-Town Pool
7:35 PM
Leaves Queens, New York		The President departs Queens, New York, en route to Joint Base Andrews
John F. Kennedy International Airport Out-of-Town Pool
8:45 PM
Leaves Joint Base Andrews		The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to the White House
Joint Base Andrews Out-of-Town Pool
8:55 PM
Arrives at the White House		The President arrives at the White House
South Lawn Open Press

Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials to Preview the U.S.-Brazil Partnership for Workers’ Rights

President Biden and President Luiz Inácio Lula of Brazil Launch the Partnership for Workers’ Rights @1:45 p.m. D.C., time:


UN General Assembly Tweets

From Tuesday…

The YouTube is 28 minutes and 2 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

The road ahead is long and difficult, but if we preserve –persevere and prevail, if we keep the faith in ourselves and show what’s possible.

Let’s do this work together.  Let’s deliver progress for everyone.  Let’s bend the arc of history for the good of the world because it’s within our power to do it.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

The United States seeks a more secure, more prosperous, more equitable world for all people because we know our future is bound to yours.  Let me repeat that again: We know our future is bound to yours.

And no nation can meet the challenges of today alone.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

Russia believes that the world will grow weary and allow it to brutalize Ukraine without consequence. 

But I ask you this: If we abandon the core principles of the United States [U.N. Charter] to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body feel confident that they are protected?  If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure? 

I’d respectfully suggest the answer is no. 

We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

The video clip is 41 seconds long.

My fellow leaders, let me close with this.  At this inflection point in history, we’re going to be judged by whether or not we live up to the promises we have made to ourselves, to each other, to the most vulnerable, and to all those who will inherit the world we create, because that’s what we’re doing.

Will we find within ourselves the courage to do what must be done to preserve the planet, to protect human dignity, to provide opportunity for people everywhere, and to defend the tenets of the United Nations?

There can be only one answer to that question: We must, and we will.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

From the White House…

02/19/2023:

Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres:

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during the UN General Assembly in New York. The leaders reaffirmed the strong partnership between the United States and the United Nations. They discussed pressing global challenges, including the need to tackle rising poverty and inequality and mobilize additional resources for sustainable development, combat climate change, and uphold the UN’s foundational principles – particularly in the face of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. The leaders also discussed efforts to reform and strengthen multilateral institutions to make them more inclusive and effective and better equipped to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and address global challenges like climate change and fragility. 

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

Remarks by President Biden After Central Asia 5 + 1 Meeting; the YouTube is 1 minute and 52 seconds long.

It’s an honor to be here with — with you, our first presidential summit — all the presidents around this table and the Secretary of State. 

I think this is a historic moment.  We’re building on years of close cooperation between Central Asia and the United States — a cooperation that is grounded in our shared commitment to sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity.  These principles matter more than ever, in my view.  And today, we’re taking our cooperation to new heights.

First, we’re strengthening our counterterrorism cooperation, including increased U.S. security funding to — to Central Asia.

Second, we’re strengthening regional economic connectivity.  For example, we’re establishing a new business platform to complement our diplomatic engagement and better connect our private sectors for development purposes.

And we are — we are also discussing the potential for a new critical minerals dialogue to strengthen our energy security and supply chains for years to come.

And third, we’re launching a new initiative on disability rights. 

And I want to thank you all for your fruitful conversation today, which has already taken place.  And I look forward to working with all of you to do even more in the future.  I am genuinely looking forward to following up on our — on this meeting, because we are stronger and I genuinely believe the world is safer when we stand together — our five nations.

So, thank you very, very much for making the effort.  And I look forward to seeing you soon, possibly in one of your countries.  Thank you.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with the C5+1 Leaders at UNGA:

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met with the Presidents of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan today for the inaugural C5+1 presidential summit on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.  The leaders discussed a range of issues, including security, trade and investment, regional connectivity, the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, and ongoing reforms to improve governance and the rule of law.  President Biden welcomed his counterparts’ views on how our nations can work together to further strengthen the Central Asian nations’ sovereignty, resilience, and prosperity while also advancing human rights through our C5+1 partnership.  President Biden thanked his counterparts for their partnership on regional security challenges and committed to continued collaboration on border security, counterterrorism, and law enforcement issues.  The United States discussed the value of creating a more favorable business environment for U.S. trade and private sector investment through the establishment of a private sector business platform that will complement the C5+1 diplomatic platform and noted that USAID will convene a C5+1 Regional Connectivity Ministerial in Central Asia in October to discuss concrete actions that will drive inclusive, sustainable economic development.  Because President Biden recognizes that our countries must cooperate to have resilient, secure supply chains that can support the future energy landscape, the United States proposed launching a C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue to develop Central Asia’s vast mineral wealth and advance critical minerals security. These efforts are part of continued U.S. support to drive investment in and development of the Trans-Caspian Trade Route (the so-called “Middle Corridor”) through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment that will help facilitate regional economic integration and resilience.  Finally, President Biden advocated for continued support of civil society and women’s economic empowerment activities and encouraged a new C5+1 focus on mainstreaming disability rights across all sectors.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

Remarks by President Biden at the United Nations General Assembly Leaders’ Reception | New York, NY; there is no White House YouTube…

From Wednesday…

From the White House…

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches American Climate Corps to Train Young People in Clean Energy, Conservation, and Climate Resilience Skills, Create Good-Paying Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis:

In its first year, the American Climate Corps will put more than 20,000 young people on career pathways in the growing fields of clean energy, conservation and climate resilience

Since taking office, President Biden has delivered on the most ambitious climate, clean energy, conservation, and environmental justice agenda in history – signing into law the largest investment in climate action ever, protecting more than 21 million acres of public lands and water, and advancing the Justice40 Initiative, which directs 40 percent of the benefits from key federal investments to disadvantaged communities. As part of this historic commitment to tackle the climate crisis, President Biden promised to mobilize the next generation of clean energy, conservation and resilience workers.

Today, through his Investing in America agenda, President Biden is delivering on that commitment by taking executive action to launch the American Climate Corps – a workforce training and service initiative that will ensure more young people have access to the skills-based training necessary for good-paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience economy. The American Climate Corps will mobilize a new, diverse generation of more than 20,000 Americans – putting them to work conserving and restoring our lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, deploying clean energy, implementing energy efficient technologies, and advancing environmental justice, all while creating pathways to high-quality, good-paying clean energy and climate resilience jobs in the public and private sectors after they complete their paid training program.

The American Climate Corps will focus on equity and environmental justice – prioritizing communities traditionally left behind, including energy communities that powered our nation for generations, leveraging the talents of all members of our society, and prioritizing projects that help meet the Administration’s Justice40 goal. Additionally, President Biden is calling on Tribal, State, and local governments, labor unions, nonprofit service allies, the private sector, and philanthropy to collaborate with the Federal government to expand skills-based training partnerships to ensure our nation has the workforce necessary to meet our climate goals. In fact, just today, five new states are launching their own Climate Corps, which will work as implementing collaborators of the American Climate Corps. With today’s announcement, ten states will have launched Climate Corps since 2021.

Additionally, the White House is launching a new website where anyone interested in joining or supporting the American Climate Corps can sign up to learn more: www.whitehouse.gov/climatecorps.

The American Climate Corps will:

White House.gov. 09/20/2023.
  • Train young people in clean energy, conservation and climate resilience related skills: The American Climate Corps is a new initiative that will provide the next generation of Americans with job training and service opportunities to work on a wide range of projects that tackle climate change – including restoring coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges and flooding, deploying clean energy, managing forests to improve health and prevent catastrophic wildfires, implementing energy efficient solutions to cut energy bills for hardworking families, and more. All American Climate Corps programs will be paid experiences that adhere to a common set of programmatic standards, and provide pathways to high-quality employment opportunities in the public and private sectors. No prior experience is required for most positions. Through the American Climate Corps, federal departments and agencies, will build upon existing relationships to ensure that all young people have the chance to participate in these opportunities.
  • Coordinate Recruitment Across Federal Programs: In the coming months, to facilitate a streamlined experience for American Climate Corps participants, the Federal government will launch a dedicated American Climate Corps recruitment website, where participants can learn about and apply for opportunities in their community and organizations can learn how to work with American Climate Corps members. Moreover, to ensure Federal agencies are working together to implement the American Climate Corps, the Department of Labor, Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Energy, and AmeriCorps will sign a memorandum of understanding to formalize this new initiative, and AmeriCorps will stand up a new “American Climate Corps hub,” which will support the American Climate Corps.
  • Expand AmeriCorps Segal Education Awards Access: Today, President Biden is encouraging the Chief Executive Officer of AmeriCorps to consider expanding access to Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to American Climate Corps members conducting national service work. Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards can be used by AmeriCorps members after completing their service to pay for post-secondary education and training or to reduce their student debt.
  • Streamline Pathways into Civil Service: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a proposed rulemaking that could, if finalized, create a streamlined pathway into federal service for federally-supported national, state, local, or Tribal service programs, including American Climate Corps programs.
  • Leverage Tribal, State and Local Governments: Five states across the country, including California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, and Washington, have already launched successful climate corps programs, demonstrating the power of skills-based training as a tool to expand pathways into good-paying jobs. Today, five new states – Arizona, Utah, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Maryland – are moving forward with state-based climate corps that are funded through public-private partnerships, including AmeriCorps, which will work with the American Climate Corps as implementing collaborators to ensure young people across the country are serving their communities, while participating in paid opportunities and working on projects to tackle climate change.

Today’s announcement builds on nearly $500 million of Biden-Harris Administration investments to expand pathways into good-paying union jobs by prioritizing Registered Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs, including in clean energy and other climate-focused careers. To continue building on this historic agenda, the Administration is:

White House.gov. 09/20/2023.
  • Investing in Pre-Apprenticeships and Registered Apprenticeships through the Department of Labor: Earlier this year the Department of Labor YouthBuild program awarded $90 million to grantees, including supporting pre-apprenticeships that will educate and train young people in green initiatives. And the Department of Labor supported a historic $20M cooperative agreement with the TradesFutures, a non-profit working to develop, promote and improve Apprenticeship Readiness Programs, to advance equitable opportunities in construction trades. TradesFutures seeks to enroll more than 13,000 participants in pre-apprenticeship readiness programs – giving them hands-on learning experience and skill development – and expects to subsequently place at least 7,000 of them into Registered Apprenticeships in the construction industry.
  • Investing in Pre-Apprenticeship Programs through the Department of Energy: Today, the Department of Energy’s Career Skills Training Program announced $10 million to provide grants to pay the Federal share of career skills training programs under which students concurrently receive classroom instruction and on-the-job training for the purpose of obtaining an industry-related certification to install energy efficient building technologies. Additionally, just this week, DOE hosted the inaugural meeting of the 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board, which is charged with advising the Secretary of Energy in developing a strategy for the Department of Energy to support and develop a skilled energy workforce, including—among other goals—prioritizing effective education and job training for underrepresented groups and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.
  • Expanding National Service Opportunities to Advance our Wildfire Crisis Strategy: Today, AmeriCorps and U.S. Forest Service launched Forest Corps – a five-year $15 million agreement, and the first major interagency partnership under President Biden’s American Climate Corps. Beginning next summer, this program will engage 80 young adults, ages 18-26, in wildland fire prevention, reforestation, and other natural and cultural resource management projects to support the U.S. Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy and Reforestation Strategy. Consistent with President Biden’s call for Congress to increase the AmeriCorps living allowance, AmeriCorps NCCC Forest Corps members will receive a compensation package equivalent to $15 an hour, including lodging, transportation, clothing, a living allowance, health benefit, and more. Members will receive extensive training, hands-on-experience, and leadership skills for future careers in natural resource management, forest health, and climate resilience at the U.S Forest Service or other organizations.
  • Expanding the Indian Youth Service Corps: This week the Department of the Interior announced a $15 million commitment through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expand the Indian Youth Service Corps and other programs supporting the next generation of conservation and climate stewards. This effort will be facilitated in collaboration with the Office of Strategic Partnerships, which was launched during the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit to assist with building partnerships, leveraging resources, and promoting innovative solutions for Indian Country. With funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Interior Department will expand the capacity of the Corps and similar projects serving underserved communities by 30 percent, reaching over 5,000 young people. The expanded programs will work with federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations as well as programs serving the U.S. territories, the Native Hawaiian Community, and urban communities across the United States.

The link shared by President Biden takes you to White House.gov/climatecorps; it’s a form to receive information on how to join the American Climate Corps.

Readout from Climate Risk Modeling Roundtable (09/20/2023):

Last week, the Council of Economic Advisers, in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Council on Environmental Quality, hosted a roundtable discussion on climate modeling for risk management applications. The meeting brought together leaders of U.S. climate modeling centers with academic experts on climate risk, representatives from the insurance, reinsurance, and catastrophe risk modeling industries, Federal and state financial regulators, and representative from Federal agencies tasked with managing climate risks.

The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes the economic, financial, and fiscal risks posed by climate change. Shortly after taking office, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Climate-Related Financial Risk which directs agencies across the Federal government to take steps to quantify and manage climate-related risks. This work – along with broader adaptation and resilience efforts across the U.S. – requires high-quality, actionable, decision-relevant information on physical climate risks.

Discussions focused around recommendations detailed in the April 2023 report on Extreme Weather Risk in a Changing Climate from the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology. The report highlights the challenge of managing extreme weather risks in a setting where historic experience cannot be assumed to represent current risks, and highlights opportunities to provide improved information to support risk management and risk reduction decisions.

Major topics of discussion included:

White House.gov. 09/20/2023.
  1. How to further greater scientific focus and more transparent, peer-reviewed research on climate risk modeling and the important role of Federal climate science institutions within this community;
  2. The importance of integrating climate vulnerability and exposure data with physical hazard information and how to address the institutional challenges of doing so;
  3. The need for highly granular information for climate risk management applications and how to address the scientific challenges of furthering data granularity;
  4. Challenges and opportunities in evaluating scientific quality and reliability of climate risk data in the private sector, and how to further public-private communities of practice on around these matters;
  5. The connection between climate risk modeling and actionable climate services to meet communities’ and decision-makers’ climate risk data and information needs.

American’s Released from Iran Tweet

From Tuesday…

His full statement:

Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home.

Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, Emad Sharghi, and two citizens who wish to remain private will soon be reunited with their loved ones—after enduring years of agony, uncertainty, and suffering.  I am grateful to our partners at home and abroad for their tireless efforts to help us achieve this outcome, including the Governments of Qatar, Oman, Switzerland, and South Korea.

I give special thanks to the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, and to the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, both of whom helped facilitate this agreement over many months of difficult and principled American diplomacy.

As we celebrate the return of these Americans, we also remember those who did not return. I call on the Iranian regime to give a full account of what happened to Bob Levinson. The Levinson family deserves answers. Today, we are sanctioning former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence under the Levinson Act for their involvement in wrongful detentions.  And, we will continue to impose costs on Iran for their provocative actions in the region. 

And as we welcome home our fellow citizens, I once more remind all Americans of the serious risks of traveling to Iran. American passport holders should not travel there.  

The U.S. State Department has a longstanding travel warning that states: “Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens.” All Americans should heed those words and have no expectation that their release can be secured if they do not. 

Reuniting wrongfully detained Americans with their loved ones has been a priority for my Administration since day one. We have now brought home dozens of our fellow citizens, including from Afghanistan, Burma, Haiti, Russia, Rwanda, Venezuela, West Africa, and more locations globally. Still, too many remain unjustly held in Russia, Venezuela, Syria, and elsewhere around the world. We remain unflinching in our efforts to keep faith with them and their families—and we will not stop working until we bring home every American held hostage or wrongfully detained.

White House.gov. 09/18/2023.

Voting Rights Tweet

From Tuesday…

From Sewell.House.gov:

Today, on National Voter Registration Day, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Ranking Member of House Administration Committee Subcommittee on Elections, led every House Democrat in introducing H.R. 14, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill would protect the right to vote and safeguard our democracy by restoring and modernizing the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). Ten years ago, the Supreme Court gutted the VRA and unleashed a wave of discriminatory state laws targeting voters and restricting voting access. By restoring the VRA’s authority, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would prevent such laws from taking effect in states and localities with a recent history of voter discrimination.

“Generations of Americans—many in my hometown of Selma, Alabama—marched, fought, and even died for the equal right of all Americans to vote,” said Rep. Terri Sewell, lead sponsor. “But today, their legacy and our very democracy are under attack as MAGA extremists target voters with new laws to restrict voting access. Ten years after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the fight for voting rights has never been more urgent. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement would protect the right to vote and safeguard our democracy by restoring and modernizing the protections of the Voting Rights Act. It would prevent restrictive, discriminatory voting laws from taking effect and ensure every eligible American can have their vote cast and counted.”

For decades, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) prevented states and localities with a history of voter discrimination from restricting voting access by requiring such jurisdictions to preclear new election laws with the Department of Justice or a U.S. District Court. However, in its disastrous 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court gutted the law and struck down the formula used to determine which jurisdictions are subject to federal oversight. In July 2021, the Court further weakened the law in its decision in Brnovich v. DNC, making it more difficult to challenge discriminatory voting laws under Section 2.

In the decade since the Supreme Court gutted the VRA, state legislators have advanced hundreds of new restrictive, discriminatory voting laws targeting minorities, young adults, and the elderly. Among other restrictions, these laws have closed polling stations, curbed early voting and voting by mail, imposed strict identification requirements, limited multi-lingual voting materials, and made it harder to register to vote. In 2023, state legislators passed a near-record number of new restrictive voting laws, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

Named for the late Congressman and civil rights icon, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would protect the right to vote and safeguard our democracy by restoring and modernizing the full protections of the VRA. The bill would establish a new, modern-day framework to determine which states and localities have a recent history of discrimination and require such jurisdictions to preclear new election changes, preventing restrictive and discriminatory voting laws from taking effect. The bill also restores Section 2 of the VRA by eliminating the heightened standard required to challenge discriminatory voting laws created by the Supreme Court in Brnovich v. DNC.

“The right to vote is sacred, it is central to the very integrity of our democracy,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Unfortunately, extreme MAGA Republicans have decided that the only way they can win elections is to engage in massive voter suppression. It’s unconscionable, it’s unacceptable and un-American. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will help ensure that every American has access to the ballot box so we can crush this epidemic of voter suppression once and for all.”

“Nearly sixty years after John Lewis marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the sacred right to vote is still under threat. Since the January 6th attack, MAGA extremists have introduced hundreds of voter suppression bills in state legislatures — all to strengthen their power at the expense of the American people,” said House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “Today, Democrats are reintroducing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, under the steadfast leadership of Congresswoman Terri Sewell. This legislation will preserve and protect our nation’s greatest treasure of free and fair elections for all. This is a call to action for Congressional Republicans: do you stand with Americans in the fight for democracy, or against us?”

“The right to vote is a sacred cornerstone of our democracy. My dear friend John Lewis recognized this and dedicated his life to expanding access to the ballot box. I’m proud to continue the fight and honor his memory by joining Rep. Sewell in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” said Assistant House Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn. “We have a moral obligation to make this country’s greatness accessible and affordable for all Americans; fundamental to that mission is including all Americans in our great democracy. Congressional Democrats will always remain committed to this cause and urge our Republican colleagues to reconsider their partisan opposition to protecting the franchise.”

“The right to vote is the bedrock of our American democracy, and it is under threat. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, together with the Freedom to Vote Act, will restore those protections, strengthen our democracy, and ensure every eligible voter has their voice heard,” said Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joseph Morelle. “I’m a son of Rochester, New York, the home of two passionate and inspiring voting rights advocates, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Today, we honor their legacy, and the legacy of Congressman John Lewis, and continue the fight to help bring America closer to its foundational promise.”

“Voting rights are under renewed and sustained assault across the country and we must pass this bill now to restore the promise of the Voting Rights Act,” said House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler. “After a series of troubling Supreme Court rulings, which have enabled voter suppression efforts by states and localities, the need for a revitalized Voting Rights Act has never been greater. I hope Congress will honor the sacrifices of those who marched, struggled, and even died to secure the right to vote and will rediscover the bipartisan spirit that once animated our work to protect the rights of all Americans to vote.”

“As we speak, extreme MAGA Republicans at the local, state, and national levels are running the table with every tactic in their arsenal to keep Black voters from the ballot box. These efforts are coordinated and well-funded and they are targeting our communities with precision,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford. “Protecting Americans’ access to democracy should not be a partisan issue, and yet, time and again we have seen Republicans walk away from the formerly bipartisan commitment of ensuring access to the ballot box for all. The CBC is calling on Republicans to work with Democrats to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and to put people over politics.” 

“After the devastating Shelby v. Holder Supreme Court decision gutting key components of the Voting Rights Act a decade ago, certain states have criminalized individuals and groups assisting with voter registration, and withdrawn or denied the use of multilingual ballots and translators at the polls,” said Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Judy Chu. “These shameless voter disenfranchisement tactics especially hurt those in the AANHPI community—over a third of whom are limited English proficient and need multilingual support to exercise their right to vote. These and other voter suppression efforts like aggressive gerrymandering, restrictive voter ID laws, polling location closures, and restrictions on early voting weaken our democracy by limiting who can make their voices heard. That is why Congress must do its job and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect and strengthen the right of all Americans—regardless of race, age, or language proficiency—to vote and have a say in our democracy.”

“As states across the country ramp up their enactment of voter suppression laws, we must put in place a new framework for voting protections and voter empowerment that safeguards every American’s ability to participate in our democracy,” said Rep. John Sarbanes, Co- Chair of the Task Force on Strengthening Democracy. “I am proud to honor the sacrifices my colleague and friend, Congressman John Lewis, and the other brave foot soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement made 58 years ago by joining in the introduction of this legislation to strengthen every voter’s access to the ballot box, regardless of their zip code, and build a democracy that uplifts the voices of all Americans.”

Bill text is available here.

Sewell.House.gov. 09/19/2023.

From the White House…

A Proclamation on National Voter Registration Day, 2023:

The right to vote and to have that vote counted is the threshold of democracy.  Without it, nothing is possible, but with it, anything is.  On National Voter Registration Day, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring every American has equal opportunity to participate in our democracy, and we encourage all eligible Americans to register to vote.

Since the founding of our country, countless Americans have fought to secure the right to vote and to have that vote counted for all.  Women did not secure the right to vote until 1920.  Black Americans were denied full citizenship and voting rights up until 1965.  Time and again, Americans have fought against great opposition — they have marched, protested, and even died for the right to vote.  They have done the hard work of our democracy by registering voters and getting them to the polls. 

Yet, even today, the voting rights of so many hang in the balance.  The Supreme Court weakened the landmark Voting Rights Act, and in the years since, States have enacted dozens of anti-voting laws.  On January 6, 2021 — one of the darkest moments of our Nation’s history — we saw the violent and deadly insurrection at the Capitol perpetrated by election deniers.  It is clear that the fight to preserve our democratic values and norms is not over.  Just as generations of Americans past rose to the occasion, protecting and securing the right to vote, we must answer the call to fight for our democracy today.  

Delivering a Government by and for the people begins and ends with the ballot box.  My Administration will do everything in our power to protect it.  It is why I signed an Executive Order that established a whole-of-government effort to promote access to voter registration and election information all across America, including in underserved communities.  In response, Federal agencies have taken action to help make it easier for veterans and college students to register to vote.  The Department of Justice has also doubled its voting rights staff.  As President, I will continue to fight back against State legislation that undermines the will of the American people.  I continue to call on the Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to expand access to voting and prevent voter suppression.  Passing these laws is the only way to fully secure the right to vote in every State. 

Today, I think of the words of the late civil rights trailblazer Representative John Lewis:  “Democracy is not a state; it is an act.”  As our democracy faces threats from those who seek to weaken the right to vote, it has never been more important to act — to protect and expand the right to vote.  I know that we will — not just because our cause is just, our vision is clear, and our hearts are full but because generations of Americans refused to give up until they secured voting rights for all of us.  Now it is our turn to secure the right to vote for all Americans once more.  For the generations to come, for the strength of our democracy, and for the preservation of our extraordinary experiment in self-government, we must remain committed to securing the right to vote for all and redeeming the soul of our Nation. 

On National Voter Registration Day, I call on all eligible Americans to ensure that they are registered to vote by checking that their registration is accurate and up to date and to help their communities do the same.  Visit www.Vote.gov for more information on how to register to vote.  I also urge policymakers and constituents alike to join me in preserving, reinforcing, and expanding this essential constitutional right.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 19, 2023, as National Voter Registration Day.  I call on all eligible Americans to observe this day by ensuring that they are accurately registered and by committing to cast a ballot in upcoming elections.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

White House.gov. 09/19/2023.

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About Tiff 2565 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.