Biden Bits: “We Didn’t Have a Minute to Waste”…

December 6, 2023 12:00 pm EST Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “We Didn’t Have a Minute to Waste”…
Biden Tweets Christmas Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Wednesday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 12/06/2023:

9:00 AM
Presidential Daily Brief		The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
The White House Closed Press
9:30 AM
Had a Private Virtual Meeting		The President participates in a meeting with G7 leaders [Virtual]
The White House Closed Press
10:00 AMIn-Town Pool Call Time
The White House In-Town Pool
1:10 PM
Leaves the White House		The President departs the White House en route the White House Tribal Nations Summit
West Executive Avenue In-Town Travel Pool
1:45 PM
Remarks		The President delivers remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Summit
Department of the Interior In-Town Travel Pool
2:30 PM
Leaves the White House Tribal Nations Summit		The President departs the White House Tribal Nations Summit en route to the White House
Department of the Interior In-Town Travel Pool
2:35 PM
Arrives at the White House		The President arrives at the White House
North Portico In-Town Travel Pool
2:45 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
4:50 PM
Leaves the White House		The President departs the White House en route to the St. Regis Hotel, Washington, DC
South Grounds In-Town Travel Pool
5:30 PM
Campaign Event		The President participates in a campaign reception
The St. Regis Washington, D.C. Restricted In-Town Travel Pool
6:15 PM
Arrives at the White House		The President arrives at the White House
South Grounds In-Town Travel Pool

From the White House…

12/06/2023:

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions and Historic Progress Supporting Tribal Nations and Native Communities Ahead of Third Annual White House Tribal Nations Summit:

This week, President Biden will host the third annual White House Tribal Nations Summit of the Biden-Harris Administration. The Summit represents the President’s commitment to strengthening the Nation-to-Nation relationships the United States has with Tribal Nations by bringing Tribal leaders and top administration officials together to discuss the most important issues facing Tribal communities. Since taking office, President Biden has prioritized strengthening Nation-to-Nation relationships with Tribal Nations and advancing Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. And through the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration has made record investments to support Tribal Nations and Native communities.

As Tribal leaders gather in Washington at the Summit, the President, Vice President, eleven Cabinet members, and additional senior Administration officials will announce a number of new actions, including a historic executive order, that build on the Administration’s progress to promote Nation-to-Nation partnerships; strengthen the understanding and respect for Tribal sovereignty and Native history; protect the health, safety, and welfare of Native women, children and families; and make it easier for Tribal Nations to access federal funding.

During the Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration will also release a comprehensive 2023 Progress Report for Tribal Nations, which outlines historic progress the Administration has made over the past year to deliver on the President’s commitment to supporting Indian Country and address the top concerns of Tribal communities, including executive action to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people, securing more stable advance funding for Indian Health Service, and championing innovative new partnerships with Tribal Nations to co-steward their ancestral lands and waters, such as some of our newest National Monuments: Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada, and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona.

New Administration-wide actions include:

White House.gov. 12/06/2023.

Promoting Nation-to Nation Partnerships with Tribal Nations

  • The Biden-Harris Administrationwill announce that in 2023, the Federal Government signed more than 190 co-stewardship or co-management agreements, which allow Tribal Nations to collaborate with the Federal Government to manage the federal lands, waters, and resources that are most important to them. The announcements include the first ever co-stewardship agreement with the Department of Commerce (DOC), more than 70 co-stewardship agreements with the Department of the Interior (DOI), and over 120 new co-stewardship and co-management agreements with the Department of Agriculture (USDA),which also tripled its investment in these agreements to over $68 million.
  • Department of Energy (DOE) and DOI will announce a Secretarial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a collaborative framework to manage Rattlesnake Mountain or “Laliik,” located within the Hanford nuclear site in Washington.
  • MOUs to Support Clean Energy Transitions for the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation. DOE will announce two new MOUs signed by DOE, DOI, USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, and the Departments of Education, Transportation, and Labor that create structured support for the Hopi Tribe and amends the existing Navajo Nation MOU with Federal agencies to help both Tribes and their communities transition to clean energy.

Strengthening the Understanding and Respect for Tribal Sovereignty and Native History

  • Tribal Consultation and Treaty Rights Training for All Federal Employees. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and DOI will preview a trailer of the 2024 launch of training for all federal employees that will educate the federal workforce on the unique obligations and best practices for respecting Tribal treaty and reserved rights when engaging in Tribal consultation.
  • Sacred Sites Best Practice Guide. DOI will announce that the White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA) has completed a Best Practices Guide for Tribal and Native Hawaiian Sacred Sites,which provides best practices, procedures, and guidance for the management, treatment, and protection of sacred sites, identifies barriers to federal protection of sacred sites, and recommendations to remedy those barriers.
  • National Park Service Study on Indian Reorganization Act Period. DOI will announce that the National Park Service is initiating a new Theme Study that will help tell the story of the Indian Reorganization Period (1934–1950). This study will provide a national historic context and a list of properties for possible future National Historic Landmarks. This builds on the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative and other efforts by DOI to ensure that Native American history is part of American History.
  • New Work to Restore Tribal Bison Herds and Support Tribal Food Sovereignty. USDA will announce that the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and other buffalo focused non-profit organizations are joining its Public-Private Partnership with DOI, the InterTribal Buffalo Council, and Native Americans in Philanthropy to work on Tribal Bison expansion and conservation. USDA is also announcing its first Indigenous Animals Meat Processing Grant for processing indigenous animals, including Bison.

Reforming Critical Federal Processes for Tribal Nations

  • Final Fee-to-Trust Land Acquisitions Rules. DOI will announce the publication of its final rule amending the process that governs fee-to-trust land (or “land into trust”) process for Tribal Nations to expand their land bases by transferring land title to the United States to be held in trust for the benefit of an individual Indian or Tribe, including in Alaska. This process is crucial for Tribal economic development and Tribal sovereignty, and helps right the wrongs of past federal policies such as allotment, which removed millions of acres of land from Tribal ownership and federal protection. DOI’s final rule creates a more efficient, less cumbersome, and less expensive fee-to-trust process, including for conservation purposes.
  • Final Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Rule. DOI will announce final revisions of its NAGPRA regulations that provide a systematic process for returning human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony to Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian Organizations. The regulatory changes streamline the requirements for museums and federal agencies to inventory and identify human remains and cultural items in their collections.
  • Plan to Update the Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program Rules. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will announce plans to publish in 2024 a final rule to strengthen the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program—a Program synonymous with homeownership in Indian Country. HUD’s proposed rule aims to modernize the program and provide more homeownership opportunities in Indian Country by codifying program requirements, introducing greater certainty into the program to attract more lenders, and authorizing HUD to establish a minimum level of lending on trust land. 
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency Debuts Improvements to Tribal Nations’ Access to Resources Before, During, and After Disasters. The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will announce it is working to update policies that will improve FEMA’s ability to assist Tribal Nations recovering from disasters and expand a culturally competent FEMA workforce by increasing Tribal participation in shaping the Public Assistance programs, hiring more staff from Indian Country, and developing FEMA staff trainings.

Increasing Accessibility of Federal Resources for Tribal Nations

  • Tribal Access to Capital Clearinghouse Launch. DOI and WHCNAA will launch a website that provides a searchable database of all federal funding opportunities, including grants and loans, available to Tribal Nations and Native businesses.
  • Request for Information on Tribal Funding Needs. DOI and WHCNAA will announce a draft Request for Information that, once finalized, will—for the first time—help the Federal Government estimate the additional funding that Tribal Nations require to meet their communities’ needs. The Request for Information will also seek information on barriers that Tribal Nations currently face in accessing federal resources. WHCNAA will take the draft directly to Tribal consultation in January 2024.
  • Buy Indian Act Implementation. HHS and DOI will announce that significant percentages of their FY 2023 agency procurement spending on contracts and services went to Native-owned or controlled businesses under the Buy Indian Act. Indian Health Service (IHS) will announce it awarded $444 million (30.6%), HHS will announce that it awarded $1.5 billion (3.8%) overall, DOI’s Indian Affairs Bureaus will announce they awarded $626 million (74.6%), and DOI overall will announce it awarded over $1.4 billion (16.9%) to Native-owned and controlled businesses, with over $1.0 billion awarded to Native-owned and controlled small businesses (18.1% of eligible small business dollars).  

Protecting the Health, Education, Safety, and Welfare in Indian Country – Particularly for Native Women, Children, and Families.

  • Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Initiative on Native Children and Families. HHS will announce a series of actions and accomplishments that reflect a renewed focus on supporting Native Children and Families. This work includes streamlining Tribal applications for federal child care assistance; doubling the Tribal set aside funding for the Maternal Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; a new training on cross-cultural understanding for early childhood researchers; progress on the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline partnership with IHS; a new obstetric readiness in emergencies manual developed by IHS; and progress piloting maternity care coordinators through IHS.
  • Strategy for Tribes to Access Strategic National Stockpile. HHS will announce a forthcoming strategy for best practices on how IHS, Tribal Nations, and Urban Indian Organizations can access the lifesaving Federal repository of drugs and medical supplies to support Native communities, prevent supply shortages, and reduce health disparities.
  • Proposed Updates to Adoption and Foster Care Data (AFCARS) Collection Rules to Better Understand Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Implementation.  HHS will announce a proposed rule updating AFCARS data collection. AFCARS data is used in research and federal policy planning to reduce entry into and improve outcomes of children in foster care. The additional data HHS proposes collecting is relevant for understanding implementation of ICWA at the state level.
  • Department of Justice (DOJ) Launches New VAWA Reimbursement Program. DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women will announce its Notice of Reimbursement Opportunity for Tribes to submit expenses to DOJ for reimbursement that they incurred exercising expanded criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians under the 2022 Reauthorization of The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

These actions build upon historic actions by the Biden-Harris Administration to support Tribal Nations and nation communities, which include:

White House.gov. 12/06/2023.
  • Historic investments in Tribal Nations, including $32 billion in the American Rescue Plan, the largest direct federal investment to Tribal Nations in history; $13 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; and $700 million in the Inflation Reduction Act.
  • Historic appointments of Native Americans across the Administration, including Secretary Deb Haaland and over 80 Native Americans in senior Administration roles.
  • Securing the First-Ever Advance Appropriations for the Indian Health Service, which providers long overdue funding stability and predictability for IHS.

FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Historic Executive Order to Usher in the Next Era of Tribal Self-Determination:

New Executive Order Will Underscore Respect for Tribal Nations’ Sovereignty and Autonomy

Today, as part of the White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden will sign a historic Executive Order on Reforming Federal Funding and Support for Tribal Nations to Better Embrace Our Trust Responsibilities and Promote the Next Era of Tribal Self Determination. This Executive Order demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s respect for Tribal sovereignty, and commitment to ushering in the next era of Tribal self-determination by ensuring that Tribal Nations have greater autonomy over how they invest federal funding.  

Historically, federal policies of past eras were attacks on Native people’s basic rights to self-governance and caused lasting damage to Tribal communities, economies, and governments. Beginning in the 1970s, the federal government reversed course and championed Tribal self-determination through policies and programs that have helped rebuild Tribal governments and economies, while supporting Tribal Nations in taking increased ownership over the services their citizens need and deserve.

Today, Tribal Nations still face many barriers to fully exercise their inherent sovereignty, especially in federal funding programs. Far too many of the federal funding and support programs that Tribes rely on are difficult to access, have overly burdensome federal reporting requirements, have unnecessary limitations, or impose requirements on Tribes that drain Tribal resources and undermine their ability to make their own decisions about where and how to meet the needs of their communities.

To address these challenges, today President Biden will sign an Executive Order to reform how the federal government funds and supports Tribal Nations. This Executive Order demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ushering in the next era of federal policies that support Tribal self-determination and defines this next era as one that should be grounded in even greater respect for Tribal sovereignty and the autonomy of Tribal Nations, because the last 50 years has proven that a strong Tribal Nation is the most important factor in ensuring the economic, political, and cultural well-being of Native people. The Executive Order affirms that Tribal self-governance is about the fundamental right of a people to determine their own destiny and to prosper and flourish on their own terms. It also affirms that Tribal governments must be treated as permanent, equal, and vital parts of America’s overlapping system of government. To fulfill this promise, the Executive Order:

White House.gov. 12/06/2023.
  • Requires federal agencies to take action to ensure federal funding for Tribes is accessible, flexible, and equitable. The Executive Order directs all federal agencies to better live up to the federal government’s trust responsibilities and support Tribal self-determination by reforming federal funding programs that support Tribes. It moves federal funding programs closer to the model of the Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act, which has allowed Tribal Nations to build and run their own hospitals, schools, and police forces to better meet the needs of their communities using the same federal dollars. It also directs federal agencies, in coordination with the White House Council on Native American Affairs, to redesign or administer programs in a manner that reflects trust in Tribal priorities and deference to Tribal decision-making, recognizing that Tribal governments bring invaluable expertise in how to effectively meet the needs of their citizens and steward their ancestral homelands. Agencies are directed to pursue compacting, contracting, co-management, co-stewardship, and other agreements with Tribal Nations that allow them to better partner with the federal government to administer federal programs and services. Agencies are also directed to identify programs where Tribal set-asides can be established, streamlined applications for funding to reduce the burden on Tribal governments can be identified, unnecessary restrictions on how Tribes can spend federal funds can be removed, and cost-sharing requirements for Tribal governments can be mitigated. As a result of this Executive Order, Tribes will spend less of their resources cutting through bureaucratic red-tape to apply or comply with federal administrative requirements and use federal dollars more effectively. No longer will Tribes be faced with seemingly unnecessary and arbitrary limitations when they are accessing critical funding for public safety, infrastructure, education, energy, and much more.
  • Creates a one-stop-shop for federal funding available to Tribes. The Tribal Access to Capital Clearinghouse will be launched at the Tribal Nations Summit to provide a one-stop-shop for Tribes and Native businesses to find federal funding.
  • Better embraces our trust responsibilities by assessing unmet federal obligations to support Tribal Nations. The Executive Order directs the White House Council on Native American Affairs, the Office and Management and Budget, and the White House Domestic Policy Council to work across the Federal Government to measure the chronic funding shortfalls of existing federal funding for Tribes and develop recommendations for what additional funding and programming is necessary. On an annual basis moving forward, federal agencies will be required to report on their progress implementing those recommendations.

The Executive Order signed today is the third Order President Biden has signed to strengthen our nation-to-nation relationship, strengthen Tribal consultation, and deepen the federal government’s respect for Tribal sovereignty. This Executive Order also builds on the historic investments President Biden has made in Indian Country, including:

White House.gov. 12/06/2023.
  • $32 billion in the American Rescue Plan, the largest direct federal investment in Tribal Nations in history.
  • $13 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build high-speed internet, roads, bridges, public transit, clean water, and improve sanitation in Tribal communities.
  • $700 million in the Inflation Reduction Act, to invest in Native communities for climate resilience and adaptation programs, drought mitigation, home electrification, and clean energy development.
  • Sending billions of federal contract dollars—and significant percentages of their overall procurement dollars—to Native-owned or controlled businesses through the Buy Indian Act, a law that has been re-invigorated under the Biden-Harris Administration. In FY 2023, the Indian Health Service (IHS) awarded $444 million (30.6%), the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $1.55 billion (3.8%), the Department of the Interior awarded over $1.4 billion (16.9%), and Interior’s Indian Affairs Bureaus awarded $626 million (74.6%) of eligible contract dollars to Native-owned and controlled businesses.  
  • Securing the first ever advance appropriations for IHS, which was the only major federal healthcare system that was funded through discretionary appropriations and therefore more likely to be cut every year. These advance appropriations bring much needed stability to IHS and ensure that IHS hospitals can stay open to provide lifesaving care in the event of a lapse in government appropriations.

President Biden Delivers Remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Summit @1:45 p.m. D.C., time:

Vice President Harris Delivers Remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Summit @3:30 p.m. D.C., time:


Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby @2:45 p.m. D.C., time:


Climate Change Tweet

From Tuesday…

From the White House…

01/20/2021:

Paris Climate Agreement

ACCEPTANCE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the Paris Agreement, done at Paris on December 12, 2015, do hereby accept the said Agreement and every article and clause thereof on behalf of the United States of America.

Done at Washington this 20th day of January, 2021.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

White House.gov. 01/20/2021.

“Bidenomics” plus Union Strong Tweets

From Tuesday…

I googled “America’s support for unions is higher today than any time in nearly 60 years” and found a Gallup poll from 08/30/2022, that says; Seventy-one percent of Americans now approve of labor unions. Although statistically similar to last year’s 68%, it is up from 64% before the pandemic and is the highest Gallup has recorded on this measure since 1965.

Survey Methods:

A more recent poll conducted by GBAO–AFL-CIO released on 08/25/2023 says; An overwhelming majority supports unions and strikes, even majorities of Republicans and independents. Seven-in-ten (71%) approve of labor unions, while less than a fifth (19%) disapprove. Labor union approval transcends party—with 91% of Democrats, along with more than two-thirds (69%) of independents and half of Republicans (52%) approving.

Methodology:

The video clip is 1 minute and 27 seconds long.

Remarks by President Biden on the Passage of H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; the YouTube is 37 minutes and 17 seconds long (09/13/2022):

We pay more for our prescription drugs than any developed nation in the world.  Let me say that again: In America, we pay more for prescription drugs than any developed nation in the world.  And there’s no rhyme or reason to that. 

For years, so many of us have been trying to fix this problem.  But for years, Big Pharma blocked Medicare from negotiating lower drug practices — prices.  But not this year.  Not this year.  This year, the American people won, and Big Pharma lost.  (Applause.)

White House.gov. 09/13/2022.

(0:15): Remarks by President Biden in State of the Union Address; the YouTube is 1 hour and 20 minutes long (02/07/2023):

With the Inflation Reduction Act that I signed into law, we’re taking on powerful interests to bring healthcare costs down so you can sleep better at night with more security.

[snip]

We capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare.  (Applause.)  But people are just finding out.  I’m sure you’re getting the same calls I’m getting.

[snip]

And, folks, we’re just getting started.  We’re just getting started.  (Applause.)

White House.gov. 02/07/2023.

At the 0:37 mark the video switched to news headlines…

(0:53): Remarks by President Biden on Lowering Healthcare Costs; the YouTube is 24 minutes and 52 seconds long (09/29/2023):

You know, and today I’m proud to announce that Medicare has selected the first 10 additional drugs for negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act — 10 additional.  Drugs that treat everything from heart failure, blood clots, diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis, blood cancers, Crohn’s disease, and so much more.

[snip]

My dad used to have another expression, for real, and the kids I grew up — the guys I grew up with remember it.  He’d say, “Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about your dignity.  It’s about respect.  It’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, ‘Honey, it’s going to be okay,’ and mean it.”

White House.gov. 09/29/2023.

From Wednesday…

From the White House…

09/29/2023:


Remembering Eight American Service Members Tweet

From Tuesday…

Show more =’s mourning this tragic loss, and pray for the families and friends who lost a loved one.

His full statement:

Jill and I were heartbroken to learn of the loss of eight American service members when their aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan last week during a routine training mission. Since then, we were focused on search and rescue, which ended today after an extensive week-long effort.  Our service members and their families are the backbone of our nation. We owe them everything. Jill and I are praying for the families and friends who lost a loved one in this terrible accident. We are also grateful to the Government of Japan for assisting in the search and rescue and ongoing recovery efforts. Our entire nation mourns this tragic loss.

White House.gov. 12/05/2023.

From Defense.gov:

Recovery Operations Begin Following Osprey Mishap in Japan

Following last week’s CV-22A Osprey mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan, a search and rescue operation had been ongoing for any possible survivors. That operation has now transitioned to a search and recovery operation. At the same time, Air Force Special Operations Command has released the names of the eight deceased service members.

A news release explained that a change in mission from rescue to recovery happens when it’s determined that it is unlikely there are any survivors.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of eight American troops in a tragic aircraft crash off the coast of Japan,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in a statement released today. “The entire Department of Defense mourns alongside the families and the loved ones of those who lost their lives today in the service of their country. My heart also goes out to those who were serving alongside these brave men and women in Japan.”

During a news briefing today Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said all families of those airmen have now been notified.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and colleagues of these eight American airmen who are impacted by this tragic mishap and the immeasurable loss of life,” said Ryder. “We want to thank the government of Japan for all of their assistance.”

Defense.gov. 1/05/2023.

The deceased airmen are:

  • Air Force Maj. Jeffrey T. Hoernemann, 32, of Andover, Minnesota, was a CV-22 Osprey instructor pilot and officer in charge of training. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Maj. Eric V. Spendlove, 36, of St. George, Utah, was a residency trained flight surgeon and medical operations flight commander. He was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Maj. Luke A. Unrath, 34, of Riverside, California, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Capt. Terrell K. Brayman, 32, of Pittsford, New York, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Tech. Sgt. Zachary E. Lavoy, 33, of Oviedo, Florida, was a medical operations flight chief. He was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Staff Sgt. Jake M. Turnage, 25, of Kennesaw, Georgia, was a flight engineer. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob M. Galliher, 24, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was a direct support operator. He was assigned to the 43rd Intelligence Squadron, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
  • Air Force Senior Airman Brian K. Johnson, 32, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, was a flight engineer. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.​

Ryder said the remains of three of the eight have been recovered. The remains of another three airmen have been located and are in the process of being recovered.

“The recovery operation will now focus on locating and recovering the remaining two airmen and aircraft debris,” Ryder said.

Defense.gov. 1/05/2023.

May they rest in peace.


Student Loan Forgiveness Tweet

From Tuesday…

From ED.gov…

08/14/2023:

Biden-Harris Administration Begins Discharges for 804,000 Borrowers with $39 Billion in Automatic Loan Forgiveness as a Result of Fixes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans

The U.S.Department of Education today announced that automatic discharges will begin for 804,000 borrowers who qualify for $39 billion in student loan relief as a result of fixes to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans implemented by the Biden-Harris Administration since April 2022. In total, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved more than $116 billion in student loan forgiveness for more than 3.4 million borrowers.

“Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is beginning to discharge loans for 804,000 borrowers who never received the forgiveness they rightfully earned through decades of payments,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We are standing up for borrowers who did everything right, but whose progress toward forgiveness went uncounted due to past administrative failures that the Biden-Harris team has worked tirelessly to correct. From day one, President Biden has focused on fixing the broken student loan system, and we will not back down or give an inch when it comes to fighting for debt relief for working families.”

The discharges are a result of fixes implemented by the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure all borrowers have an accurate count of the number of monthly payments that qualify toward forgiveness under IDR plans. These fixes, which are the implementation of the payment count adjustment announced by the Administration in April 2022, are part of the Department’s commitment to address historical failures in the federal student loan program. These failures caused qualifying payments made under IDR plans that should have moved borrowers closer to forgiveness to go unaccounted for.

Borrowers are eligible for forgiveness if they have accumulated the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years of qualifying months. Borrowers will be notified directly by their servicers via email when their loans have been discharged, and all qualifying loans will be discharged over the coming weeks.

In addition to President Biden’s unparalleled record on providing debt relief to millions of Americans, the Administration has also taken steps to help borrowers access affordable payments going forward. The Department recently issued final regulations creating the most affordable payment plan ever—the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. The SAVE plan will cut payments on undergraduate loans in half compared to other IDR plans, ensure that borrowers never see their balance grow as long as they keep up with their required payments, and protect more of a borrower’s income for basic needs. A single borrower who makes less than $15 an hour will not have to make any payments. Borrowers earning above that amount will save more than $1,000 a year on their payments compared to other IDR plans. Benefits from the SAVE plan will start becoming available this summer.

More information about the discharges can be found here.

State by state breakdown of the discharges can be found here.

ED.gov. 08/14/2023.

Tuberville Finally Caved Tweet

From Tuesday…

President Biden’s full statement:

After 10 months of undermining military readiness and the morale of our troops, Senator Tuberville of Alabama has finally lifted his politically motivated hold on hundreds of military nominations. 425 highly-qualified, patriotic military leaders have now been confirmed by the Senate to perform their duties as they fulfill their sacred oath to keep our country safe. These confirmations are long overdue, and should never have been held up in the first place. Our service members are the backbone of our country and deserve to receive the pay and promotions they have earned. In the end, this was all pointless. Senator Tuberville, and the Republicans who stood with him, needlessly hurt hundreds of service members and military families and threatened our national security – all to push a partisan agenda. I hope no one forgets what he did.

Those who serve this nation deserve better. Thankfully, military leaders will finally be able to take their next post. Military families who for months have been in limbo will finally be able to make plans to move, start new jobs, and enter new schools. Our service members and military families put everything on the line for our country. I thank the Senate for quickly confirming these appointments and urge them to confirm the remaining appointees swiftly.

White House.gov. 12/05/2023.

This is an Open Thread.


About the opinions in this article…

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