Biden Bits: “Doing Something About It”…

November 22, 2023 12:00 pm EST Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “Doing Something About It”…
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Thanksgiving Eve…

President Biden’s public schedule for 11/22/2023:

Official ScheduleOn Wednesday, the President has no public events scheduled.
Residence of David M. Rubenstein, Nantucket, MA Out-of-Town Pool
10:00 AMOut-of-Town Pool Call Time
Residence of David M. Rubenstein, Nantucket, MA Out-of-Town Pool

Meeting Tweets

From Tuesday…

The White House hasn’t posted his remarks from his meeting on the Progress to Counter the Flow of Fentanyl into the United States…

The YouTube of his remarks prior to the meeting is 6 minutes and 9 seconds long.

The White House did post the following meeting readout:

Today, President Biden met with his national and homeland security leadership to ensure that his administration drives progress to address the deadly scourge of illicit fentanyl and to discuss efforts underway to tackle the global crisis posed by synthetic drugs.  The President and his team discussed how to build upon last week’s significant commitments from China and Mexico to crack down on the precursors, production, and trafficking of illicit fentanyl. 

President Biden was briefed by Secretary Blinken, Secretary Mayorkas, Attorney General Garland, and DEA Administrator Milgram.  The President underscored how critical it is to our understanding of foreign drug trafficking organizations—and ability to fight illicit fentanyl — that Congress reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before it expires at the end of next month, and he reiterated his commitment to do everything he can to counter the illicit fentanyl crisis in the United States, which is the number one cause of death for people aged 18-44.

President Biden has made beating the overdose epidemic a key priority in his Unity Agenda for the Nation, including a focus on cracking down on global illicit drug trafficking and disrupting the flow of illicit fentanyl and its precursors. To advance President Biden’s Unity Agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic action to address the overdose epidemic and save lives. President Biden is also calling on Congress for immediate action to help provide $1.55 billion to strengthen addiction treatment, overdose prevention measures, and recovery support services across the country, and more than $1.2 billion to crack down on drug trafficking to keep dangerous drugs like illicit fentanyl out of our communities.

White House.gov. 11/22/2023.

Another Random Junk Fees Tweet

From Tuesday…

From FCC.gov…

11/21/2023:

The PDF is 2 pages long:

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today announced a proposal to eliminate video service junk fee billing practices by cable operators and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service providers and study their impact on consumer choices. The proposal will be voted on during the December 13 Open Meeting.

“No one wants to pay junk fees for something they don’t want or can’t use. When companies charge customers early termination fees, it limits their freedom to choose the service they want,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “In an increasingly competitive media market, we should make it easier for Americans to use their purchasing power to promote innovation and expand competition within the industry.”

TV video service subscribers may terminate service for any number of reasons, including moving, financial hardship, or poor service. Early termination fees require subscribers to pay a fee for terminating a video services contract prior to its expiration date, making it costly for consumers to switch services during the contract term. Because these fees may have the effect of limiting consumer choice after a contract is enacted, it may negatively impact competition for services in the marketplace. Additionally, billing cycle fees require TV video service subscribers to pay for a complete billing cycle even if the subscriber terminates service prior to the end of that billing cycle. These fees penalize consumers for terminating service by requiring them to pay for services they choose not to receive.

Recently, the Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy (07/09/2021) encouraged the Commission to consider “prohibiting unjust or unreasonable early termination fees for end-user communication contracts; enabling consumers to more easily switch providers” in order to promote competition and lower prices. In addition to today’s proposal, the FCC is also implementing Broadband Consumer Labels and has proposed ‘all-in-pricing’ for cable and satellite services.

If adopted by a vote of the full Commission, this action, called a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, would:

FCC.gov. 11/21/2023.
  • Propose to adopt customer service protections that prohibit cable operators and DBS service providers from imposing a fee for the early termination of a cable or DBS video service contract.
  • Propose to adopt customer service protections to require cable and DBS service providers to grant subscribers a prorated credit or rebate for the remaining whole days in a monthly or periodic billing cycle after the cancellation of service.

Israel/Hamas Deal to Release Hostages Tweets

From Tuesday…

Statement from President Joe Biden on the Hostage Release in Gaza

I welcome the deal to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist group Hamas during its brutal assault against Israel on October 7th. 

Jill and I have been keeping all those held hostage and their loved ones close to our hearts these many weeks, and I am extraordinarily gratified that some of these brave souls, who have endured weeks of captivity and an unspeakable ordeal, will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.

I thank Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt for their critical leadership and partnership in reaching this deal.  And I appreciate the commitment that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have made in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure the provision of additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza. I look forward to speaking with each of these leaders and staying in close contact as we work to ensure this deal is carried through in its entirety. It is important that all aspects of this deal be fully implemented.

As President, I have no higher priority than ensuring the safety of Americans held hostage around the world. That’s why—from the earliest moments of Hamas’s brutal assault—my national security team and I have worked closely with regional partners to do everything possible to secure the release of our fellow citizens.  We saw the first results of that effort in late October, when two Americans were reunited with their loved ones.  Today’s deal should bring home additional American hostages, and I will not stop until they are all released. 

Today’s deal is a testament to the tireless diplomacy and determination of many dedicated individuals across the United States Government to bring Americans home.

White House.gov. 11/21/2023.

Statement by Vice President Harris on the Hostage Release in Gaza

Today, thanks to the leadership of President Biden and other leaders, an agreement has been reached that will lead to the release of dozens of hostages who were taken in brutal acts of terrorism by Hamas on October 7. Doug and I pray for the well-being of all the hostages and are grateful some will soon be reunited with their loved ones.
 
I welcome the commitment that Israel has made to support an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure additional humanitarian assistance reaches civilians in Gaza. The flow of aid must substantially increase and civilians must be protected. We also call on Hamas to release all the remaining hostages. 
 
President Biden and I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans, and we welcome that today’s agreement means some Americans should be coming home. As I have told families of Americans held hostage: as they advocate for the release of their loved ones, they are not alone. We will not waver in our commitment to these Americans.

White House.gov. 11/21/2023.

Axios outlines the deal:

In the first phase of the two-phase deal, Hamas is expected to free at least 50 Israeli women and children held in Gaza, while Israel is expected to release about 150 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and children over the four-day pause.

Axios.com. 11/21/2023.
  • Israel will allow around 300 aid trucks per day to enter Gaza from Egypt. More fuel will also be allowed in during the pause in fighting, according to an Israeli official.
  • In the second phase, Hamas could release dozens more women, children and elderly people. The Israeli government said it would extend the pause for every additional 10 hostages released.
  • “The starting time of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
  • The Israeli Cabinet approved the deal after more than five hours of discussions.

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Friendsgiving Tweet

From Thanksgiving Eve…

The video clip is 45 seconds long.

Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at Friendsgiving with Service Members and Military Families | Norfolk, VA; the YouTube is 9 minutes and 19 seconds long.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden:

You and your families sacrifice so much in times of war and peace.  And it’s our duty and honor to make sure that you feel supported. 
 
That’s what my Joining Forces initiative — my White House initiative supports: military and veterans’ spouses, caregivers, and survivors.  So, that’s what I started several years ago with Michelle Obama, and we have continued that on. 

White House.gov. 11/20/2023.

President Biden (0:21):

You literally are — it’s is not hyperbole — so, you literally are the backbone, the spine, the sinew of this nation.  Only 1 percent of you — and it’s important to keep mind — 1 percent of you — that’s all — that protects the 99 percent of us.  One percent.  And the sacrifices you make — not just those who are in uniform but those who are not in uniform. 

[snip]

But, look, I — I mean it from the bottom of my heart.  You know, you family members, you are the heart of this operation.  You really are.  Not — not a joke.  So, thank you, thank you, thank you. 

White House.gov. 11/20/2023.

This is an Open Thread.

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About Tiff 2558 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.