Biden Bits: “What We Reject is Terrorism”…

October 11, 2023 12:00 pm EDT Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “What We Reject is Terrorism”…
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Wednesday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 10/11/2023:

10:00 AMPool Call TimeIn-Town Pool Call Time
In-Town Pool
11:45 AM
Remarks		The President delivers remarks announcing new actions to protect consumers from hidden junk fees and put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans
Rose Garden Open Press
1:00 PM
Press Briefing		Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
2:00 PM
Presidential Daily Brief		The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office Closed Press
4:15 PM
Roundtable		The President stops by a roundtable with Jewish community leaders and delivers remarks on his unwavering support for Israel following the Hamas terrorist attacks, and his work to combat Antisemitism; The Second Gentleman also delivers remarks
In-House Pool

From the White House…

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Broad New Actions to Protect Consumers From Billions in Junk Fees

New proposals would crack down on junk fees across industries and ban fees for essential bank services

Today, President Biden will be joined by Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra as they announce new efforts to crack down on junk fees and bring down costs for American consumers. Junk fees are hidden, surprise fees that companies sneak onto customer bills, increasing costs and stifling competition in industries across the economy. Last year, as part of his agenda to increase competition following his Executive Order on Promoting Competition, President Biden called on federal agencies, Congress, and private companies to crack down on junk fees and provide consumers with the full price up front.

Junk fees cost American families tens of billions of dollars each year and inhibit competition, hurting consumers, workers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Research shows that fees charged at the back-end of the buying process make it harder to comparison shop for the best deal and lead to consumers paying upward of twenty percent more. Junk fees also make it hard for honest businesses to compete, stifle innovation, and hurt small businesses.

White House.gov. 10/11/2023.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing bold, new actions to crack down on junk fees and promote competition:

  • The FTC is proposing a rule that, if finalized as proposed, would ban businesses from charging hidden and misleading fees and require them to show the full price up front. The rule would also require companies disclose up front whether fees are refundable. This would mean no more surprise resort fees at check out or unexpected service fees to buy a live event ticket. The rule would apply to industries across the economy, including event tickets, hotels and lodging, apartment rentals, car rentals, and more. Under the proposed rule, companies that fail to comply could face monetary penalties and have to provide refunds to consumers.
     
  • The CFPB is taking action to require large banks and credit unions to provide basic information to consumers without charging fees—meaning no more fees for basic services like checking bank account balances, obtaining a payoff amount for a loan, or getting account information needed for applications.
     
  • Later this month, the CFPB will propose a rule that, if finalized, would require financial companies to allow customers to safely, securely, and reliably send their banking transaction data to other companies and banks. The proposal would make it easier for people to break up with their bank, switch to banks with better offerings, and to manage accounts from multiple providers. This reform will ensure financial companies compete based on service quality and up-front pricing, deterring junk fees.

In addition, CFPB is releasing new findings showing their crack down on junk fees is already saving consumers billions of dollars:

  • CFPB finds that bounced check fees are down more than 86 percent since 2021—saving consumers nearly $2 billion—and that nearly two-thirds of large banks have eliminated these fees entirely. Previous CFPB studies have shown that bounced check fees, which can cost $30-40 per transaction, hit low income and minority Americans the hardest. This new finding adds to the $5.5 billion annual reduction in banking junk fees achieved by the Biden-Harris Administration, for a total of an average of $170 in annual savings for the 33 million households that pay these fees.
     
  • CFPB is also announcing that it secured an additional $140 million in consumer refunds from companies that charged illegal junk fees, such as surprise overdraft fees and multiple bounced check fees for the same transaction. Last October, the CFPB issued guidance to financial institutions about these illegal junk fees.

Also today, the White House is reinforcing the Administration’s all-of-government approach to competition:

  • The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is publishing new guidance to help agencies better develop and analyze regulations with competition in mind. Developed in collaboration with the National Economic Council, the Council of Economic Advisers, and other members of the White House Competition Council, this guidance will help agencies design regulations that promote competition while achieving other important policy goals.

Today’s announcements build on important actions the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to address junk fees:

  • The Department of Transportation (DOT) has secured significant commitments by major airlines to improve service. Previously, none of the 10 largest U.S. airlines guaranteed meals or hotels when they caused a cancellation or significant delay and no airline guaranteed that parents can sit with their children for free. Now, thanks to DOT’s efforts, 9 of the 10 largest airlines guarantee hotels, 10 airlines to guarantee meals, and 4 airlines guarantee fee-free family seating. Consumers can see what services airlines offer at FlightRights.gov.
     
  • DOT has issued several proposals that, if finalized, would: (1) require airlines to promptly refund airline tickets when they cancel or significantly change a flight; (2) require refunds for services not delivered (like broken Wi-Fi or delayed bags), and (3) require fees to be disclosed up-front for checking a bag or changing or canceling a flight. DOT is also working on rule proposals that would ban family seating junk fees and would require airlines to compensate flyers when a flight is cancelled or delayed due to the airline’s fault.
     
  • The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) called on industry, housing providers, and state and local governments to adopt policies that promote greater fairness and transparency of fees faced by renters.
     
  • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has finalized a rule that will soon require broadband providers to display “Broadband Nutrition Labels” for consumers—clear labels that provide basic information about the costs and fees of internet service offerings, so people can compare options more easily.
     
  • The FTC proposed a “click to cancel” rule in March of 2023, that, if finalized as proposed, would require sellers to make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up. This rule would rescue consumers from seemingly never-ending struggles to cancel unwanted subscription payment plans for everything from cosmetics to gym memberships.
     
  • The FCC has proposed a rule that, if finalized as proposed, would require cable providers to display “all-in” prices clearly and prominently, so consumers know what they are getting and at what price.
     
  • CFPB proposed a rule that, if finalized as proposed, would lower credit card late fees from approximately $30 to $8, saving consumers up to $9 billion annually.
     
  • The FTC proposed a rule that, if finalized as proposed, would ban junk fees and bait-and-switch advertising by auto dealers, including prohibiting deceptive advertising, requiring full upfront pricing, requiring consent for charges, and prohibiting the sale of add-ons that have no benefit.
     
  • Following the President’s calls to action, private sector companies in the live event ticketing, lodging, and rental housing sectors have changed how they display prices so that the all-in price is more readily available to consumers.

President Biden Delivers Remarks Announcing New Actions to Protect Consumers from Hidden Junk Fees @11:45 a.m. D.C., time:

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby @1:00 p.m. D.C., time:


Israel Tweets

From Tuesday…

The YouTube is 10 minutes and 31 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

Show more =’s and overwhelming. Terrorists purposefully target and kill civilians. We uphold the laws of war.

Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right to respond — indeed has a duty to respond — to these vicious attacks.

I just got off the phone with — the third call with Prime Minister Netanyahu.  And I told him if the United States experienced what Israel is experiencing, our response would be swift, decisive, and overwhelming. 

We also discussed how democracies like Israel and the United States are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law.

Terrorists purpo- — purposefully target civilians, kill them.  We uphold the laws of war — the law of war.  It matters.  There’s a difference.

White House.gov. 10/10/2023.

The video clip is 23 seconds long. The tweet is currently his pinned tweet…

The United States has also enhanced our military force posture in the region to strengthen our deterrence.

The Department of Defense has moved the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean and bolstered our fighter aircraft presence.  And we stand ready to move in additional assets as needed.

Let me say again — to any country, any organization, anyone thinking of taking advantage of this situation, I have one word: Don’t.  Don’t.

Our hearts may be broken, but our resolve is clear.

White House.gov. 10/10/2023.

There is no justification for terrorism.  There is no excuse.

Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination.  Its stated purpose is the annihilation of the State of Israel and the murder of Jewish people.

They use Palestinian civilians as human shields. 

Hamas offers nothing but terror and bloodshed with no regard to who pays the price.

White House.gov. 10/10/2023.

So, in this moment, we must be crystal clear: We stand with Israel.  We stand with Israel.  And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and respond to this attack.

White House.gov. 10/10/2023.

The brutality of Hamas — this bloodthirstiness — brings to mind the worst — the worst rampages of ISIS.

This is terrorism.

White House.gov. 10/10/2023.

Let’s be real clear: There is no place for hate in America — not against Jews, not against Muslims, not against anybody.  We reject — we reject — what we reject is terrorism.  We condemn the indiscriminate evil, just as we’ve always done.

That’s what America stands for.

White House.gov. 10/10/2023.

From the White House…

10/07/2023:

Statement from NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson Condemning Terrorist Attacks Against Israel

Statement from President Joe Biden Condemning Terrorist Attacks in Israel

Remarks by President Biden on the Terrorist Attacks In Israel; the YouTube is 3 minutes and 11 seconds long.

Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official Regarding Hamas Terrorist Attacks in Israel

10/08/2023:

Readout of President Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

Readout of Vice President Harris’s Call with President Isaac Herzog of Israel

10/09/2023:

Statement from President Joe Biden on American Citizens Impacted in Israel

Joint Statement on Israel

10/10/2023:

Virtual On-the-Record Gaggle by NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby on Hamas Terrorist Attacks in Israel; posted on 10/10/2023–held on 10/09/2023.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan; the YouTube is 43 minutes and 32 seconds long.

Readout of President Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

10/11/2023:

President Biden Delivers Remarks at a Roundtable with Jewish Community Leaders @4:15 p.m. D.C., time:


U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire and Prevention & Control Tweet

From Tuesday…

The YouTube is 10 minutes and 40 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.


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About Tiff 2559 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.