Biden Bits: “Is The Beginning, Middle, and End”…

May 1, 2024 12:00 pm EDT Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “Is The Beginning, Middle, and End”…
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Wednesday…

via GIPHY

President Biden’s public schedule for 05/01/2024:

10:00AM The President receives the President’s Daily Brief
1:30 AMPress Briefing
4:45 PMThe President departs the White House en route to the Mayflower Hotel
5:30 PMThe President participates in a campaign reception in Washington, D.C.
Mayflower Hotel
6:20 PM
The President arrives at the White House

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre @1:30 p.m. D.C., time:


Interview With Howard Stern Tweet

From Tuesday…

The video clip is 1 minute and 1 second long.

Howard Stern: You’ve had to deal with a lot of loss.

President Biden: Well, you know, there’s a lot of heroes out there that dealt with what I’ve dealt with and more without the family I had. Without support. Thousands of heroes get up every day, put one foot in front of the other. And they’ve got nobody to help them.

Howard Stern: Now, I understand why you’ve said to your family, I’m the President of the United States, but if any of your grandchildren or your children have to get in touch with you, you said, “I’ll leave any meeting, and I will answer the phone.”

President Biden: During one of the Supreme Court hearings, a really bright guy–I don’t wanna embarrass him or mention his name–was having trouble–family trouble. And I learned about it four days before the hearing began. And I told him to go home. He said “no”. I said, “I’m going to fire you if you don’t go home–go home and take care of your family.” And so I have a rule. Everybody knows in my office. If you have any problem relating to family, you don’t have to tell me what it is. Just look me in the eye and say, “I got to take care of things”.

Airline Rule Tweet

From Tuesday…

From the Department of Transportation

04/24/2024:

The gist of the rule:

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

  • Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.
  • Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.
  • Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

  • Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops. 
     
  • Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.
     
  • Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.  
     
  • Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

Had Calls Tweet

From Tuesday…

Show more =’s The United States will work with Egypt and Qatar to ensure the full implementation of the terms of the deal, and exert all efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas which is now the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for civilians in Gaza.

From the White House…

04/29/2024:

Readout of President Biden’s Call with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt:

President Biden spoke today with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt.  The two leaders discussed the deal now on the table to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.  The President confirmed that the United States together with Egypt and Qatar would work to ensure the full implementation of its terms.  He urged President Al-Sisi to exert all efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas as this is now the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for civilians in Gaza.  The President further reiterated the importance of protecting civilian lives and ensuring that Palestinians are not displaced to Egypt or any other location outside of Gaza.  The two leaders reviewed ongoing initiatives to increase the flow of life-saving assistance to the people of Gaza and the President thanked President Al-Sisi for his personal commitment to those efforts throughout the crisis.  They agreed to remain closely coordinated directly and through their teams over the coming days.  

Readout of President Biden’s Call with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt. 04/29/2024.

Readout of President Biden’s Call with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar

President Biden spoke today with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar.  The two leaders discussed the deal now on the table to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza. The President confirmed that the United States together with Egypt and Qatar would work to ensure the full implementation of its terms. He urged Amir Tamim to exert all efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas as this is now the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza. The two leaders reviewed ongoing initiatives to increase the flow of life-saving assistance to civilians in Gaza.  The President thanked the Amir and his senior team for their tireless efforts to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza.  The leaders agreed to remain closely coordinated directly and through their teams over the coming days. 

Readout of President Biden’s Call with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar. 04/29/2024.

Roe v. Wade Tweet

From Tuesday…

The 6-week abortion ban goes into effect in Florida today; well it did at midnight…

The voters in Florida will vote in November on whether or not the new law stands.

On the Campaign side of things, Twice Impeached 45 sat down with Time Magazine to explain what a second term of Twice Impeached 45 might look like.

Transcripts of the two interviews can be found here.

Some things he said about abortion…

So just to be clear, then: You won’t commit to vetoing the bill if there’s federal restrictions—federal abortion restrictions?

Trump : I won’t have to commit to it because it’ll never—number one, it’ll never happen. Number two, it’s about states’ rights. You don’t want to go back into the federal government. This was all about getting out of the federal government. And this was done, Eric, because of—this was done, this issue, has been simplified greatly over the last one week. This is about and was originally about getting out of the federal government. The last thing you want to do is go back into the federal government. And the states are just working their way through it. Look at Ohio. Ohio passed something that people were a little surprised at. Kansas, I mean, places that are conservative and big Trump states, I mean, Ohio and way up Kansas, all these states, but they passed what they want to pass. It’s about states rights.

The Life at Conception Act would grant full legal rights to embryos, included in their 2025 budget proposal. Is that your position?

Trump: I’m leaving everything up to the states. The states are going to be different. Some will say yes. Some will say no. Texas is different than Ohio.

Would you veto that bill? 

Trump: I don’t have to do anything about vetoes, because we now have it back in the states. 

Okay. 

Trump: They’re gonna make those determinations. 

Got it. You think this issue should be left to the states. You’ve made that perfectly clear. Are you comfortable if states decide to punish women who access abortions after the procedure is banned? 

Trump: Are you talking about number of weeks? 

Yeah. Let’s say there’s a 15-week ban—

Trump: Again, that’s going to be—I don’t have to be comfortable or uncomfortable. The states are going to make that decision. The states are going to have to be comfortable or uncomfortable, not me.

Do you think states should monitor women’s pregnancies so they can know if they’ve gotten an abortion after the ban?

Trump: I think they might do that. Again, you’ll have to speak to the individual states. Look, Roe v. Wade was all about bringing it back to the states. And that was a legal, as well as possibly in the hearts of some, in the minds of some, a moral decision. But it was largely a legal decision. Every legal scholar, Democrat, Republican, and other wanted that issue back at the states. You know, Roe v. Wade was always considered very bad law. Very bad. It was a very bad issue from a legal standpoint. People were amazed it lasted as long as it did. And what I was able to do is through the choice of some very good people who frankly were very courageous, the justices it turned out to be you know, the Republican—

States will decide if they’re comfortable or not— 

Trump: Yeah the states— 

Prosecuting women for getting abortions after the ban. But are you comfortable with it? 

Trump: The states are going to say. It’s irrelevant whether I’m comfortable or not. It’s totally irrelevant, because the states are going to make those decisions. And by the way, Texas is going to be different than Ohio. And Ohio is going to be different than Michigan. I see what’s happening.

The whole thing is worth reading because he lays out exactly how bad term two of Twice Impeached 45 would be for most if not all Americans.

SAVE Plan Tweet

From Tuesday…

The deadline to enroll in the SAVE Plan was yesterday; but near as I can tell, a person can still apply for the program–but might not get approved by July when the next round of benefits kick in…

From the White House…

05/01/2024:

Statement from President Joe Biden on $6.1 Billion in Student Debt Cancellation for 317,000 Borrowers who Attended the Art Institutes

Today, my Administration is approving $6.1 billion in student debt cancellation for 317,000 borrowers who attended the Art Institutes. This institution falsified data, knowingly misled students, and cheated borrowers into taking on mountains of debt without leading to promising career prospects at the end of their studies.

While my predecessor looked the other way when colleges defrauded students and borrowers, I promised to take this on directly to provide borrowers with the relief they need and deserve. Over the last three years, my Administration has approved nearly $29 billion in debt relief for 1.6 million borrowers whose colleges took advantage of them, closed abruptly, or were covered by related court settlements, compared to just 53,500 borrowers who had ever gotten their debt cancelled through these types of actions before I took office. And in total, we have approved debt cancellation for nearly 4.6 million Americans through various actions.

Today’s announcement builds on all we’ve done to fix broken student loan programs and bring higher education more in reach. That includes: providing the largest increases to the maximum Pell Grant in over a decade, fixing Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income Driven Repayment so borrowers get the relief they are entitled to under the law, launching the SAVE Plan – the most affordable repayment plan ever, and pursuing new plans that would cancel student debt for more than 30 million Americans when combined with everything we’ve done so far.

We will never stop fighting to deliver relief to borrowers, hold bad actors accountable, and bring the promise of college to more Americans.

Statement from President Joe Biden on $6.1 Billion in Student Debt Cancellation for 317,000 Borrowers who Attended the Art Institutes. 05/01/2024.

Oklahoma Tweet

From Tuesday…

From the White House…

04/30/2024:

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Oklahoma Disaster Declaration

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Oklahoma and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on April 25, 2024, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Hughes, Love, and Murray.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance in the counties of Hughes, Love, and Murray.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Mr. Benjamin Abbott of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Oklahoma Disaster Declaration. 04/30/2024.

AP News (04/28/2024): Tornadoes killed four people in Oklahoma, including an infant, and left thousands without power Sunday after a destructive outbreak of severe weather flattened buildings in the heart of one rural town and injured at least 100 people across the state.

They went on to say; In Oklahoma, authorities said the tornado in Sulphur began in a city park before barreling through the downtown, flipping cars and ripping the roofs and walls off of brick buildings. Windows and doors were blown out of structures that remained standing.

They added; Farther north, a tornado near the town of Holdenville killed two people and damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes, according to the Hughes County Emergency Medical Service. Another person was killed along Interstate 35 near the southern Oklahoma city of Marietta, state officials said.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, 2024 Tweet

From Wednesday

From the White House…

04/30/2024:

A Proclamation on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, 2024

     This month, we celebrate the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, whose ingenuity, grit, and perseverance have pushed our great American experiment forward.

     From Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders whose ancestors have called their lands home for hundreds of years to Asian immigrants who have newly arrived and those whose families have been here for generations — AA and NHPI heritage has long been a part of the history of our great country and a defining force in the soul of our Nation.  As artists and journalists, doctors and engineers, business and community leaders, and so much more, AA and NHPI peoples have shaped the very fabric of our Nation and opened up new possibilities for all of us.  I am proud that they serve at the highest levels of my Administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Ambassador Katherine Tai, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar, who make this country a better place each and every day.  This year, we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, who work across government to advance equity, opportunity, and justice for AA and NHPI communities.

     I have always believed that diversity is our Nation’s greatest strength.  That is why I launched the first-ever National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for AA and NHPI Communities.  This strategy works to harness the full potential of these communities — from combating anti-Asian hate to making government services accessible in more languages.  To ensure the legacies of AA and NHPI peoples are properly honored in the story of America, I signed historic legislation that will bring us closer to a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture.  I also issued a Presidential Memorandum to consider expanding protections for the Pacific Remote Islands to conserve this unique area’s significant natural and cultural resources and honor the traditional practices and ancestral pathways of Pacific Island voyagers, and I signed the Amache National Historic Site Act to establish a memorial honoring the 10,000 Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated there during World War II.  Throughout my time in office, the First Lady and I have hosted celebrations at the White House that highlight the incredible diversity of AA and NHPI communities, like Diwali and the first-ever White House Lunar New Year celebration.  This year, to ensure that the full diversity of AA and NHPI communities is seen and valued as new policy is being made, we updated the Federal Government’s standards for collecting data on race and ethnicity for the first time in over 25 years. 

     Meanwhile, we are creating new opportunities for AA and NHPI communities by building an economy that works for everyone, including investing in AA and NHPI small businesses and entrepreneurs.  Since I took office, the Small Business Administration provided over $22 billion in loans to AA and NHPI entrepreneurs.  We have seen the results:  During my Administration, we achieved the highest Asian American employment and entrepreneurship rates in over a decade.

      Last year, the First Lady and I witnessed the absolute courage of the Native Hawaiian people and Hawaiʻi’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities when we visited Maui in the wake of the devastating fires.  The destruction upended so many lives, and yet the community showed up ready to help rebuild stronger than before.  My Administration has their backs — we are committed to making sure Maui has everything the Federal Government can offer to heal and build back better and as fast as possible.  Throughout these efforts, we remain focused on rebuilding the way the people of Maui want to build by respecting sacred lands, cultures, and traditions.

     Racism, harassment, and hate crimes against people of AA and NHPI heritage also persist — a tragic reminder that hate never goes away; it only hides.  Hate must have no safe harbor in America — that is why I signed the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which makes it easier for Americans to report hate crimes, and I also hosted the first-ever White House summit against hate-fueled violence.  We are also working to address the scourge of gun violence, which takes the lives of too many AA and NHPI loved ones.  I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years.  My Administration has taken actions to expand background checks and fund efforts to strengthen red flag laws to keep Americans out of harm’s way.  There is still so much to do, and I continue to urge the Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

     Our Nation was founded on the idea that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.  We have never fully realized this promise, but we have never fully walked away from it either.  As we celebrate the historic accomplishments of AA and NHPIs across our Nation, we promise we will never stop working to form a more perfect Union. 

     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 the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2024 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  I call upon all Americans to learn more about the histories of the AA and NHPI community and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.

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

A Proclamation on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, 2024. 04/30/2024.

Mental Health is Health Tweet

From Wednesday…

A Proclamation on National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2024

     During National Mental Health Awareness Month, we recognize the bravery and resilience of the tens of millions of Americans living with mental health conditions, and we show our gratitude for the dedicated mental health professionals and devoted loved ones who stand by them every step of the way.  Mental health care is health care, and my Administration will ensure that every American has the care they need to thrive — we have your back.   

     Being able to get health care when you need it is essential to living a full, productive, and healthy life — that goes for mental health care too.  Mental health care can help people find joy and purpose; ensuring they have access to the care they need is about dignity.  But for millions of Americans, mental health care is out of reach.  In 2020, less than half of all adults with a mental illness diagnosis received care for it.  It is worse for kids — nearly 70 percent of children who need mental health care cannot get it.  Imagine being a parent searching for a way to help their child but never finding it, no matter how hard they look.  This is an all-too-common experience as many Americans face mental health challenges:  Two in five adults report experiencing anxiety or depression, and suicide is a leading cause of death among young people.  We know that mental health treatment works, but we need to make it more accessible and affordable for all Americans.  

     That is why, as President, I have taken steps to dramatically expand access to mental health care in America.  I signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — the largest investment in youth mental health ever, and we are investing $1 billion of that funding to help schools across the country hire and train new mental health counselors.  We also added more than 140 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics across the Nation, which serve everyone regardless of their ability to pay and provide a range of services, including 24-hour crisis support.  We launched 988, the Nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which anyone can call, text, or chat to be connected to a trained crisis counselor.  Further, my Administration developed new resources to support the mental health and resilience of frontline workers; expanded Medicare coverage to include additional substance use disorder services and expand mental health services; made it easier for schools to leverage Medicaid to deliver mental health care to millions of children and youth; and invested in mental health programs that help service members and veterans as well as their families, caregivers, and survivors.

     We are also working to ensure full mental health parity so that mental health care is covered the same as physical health care.  We have proposed requiring health insurance plans to identify the gaps in the mental health care they provide, and if they find they are not covering mental health care on par with physical health care, to make changes to fix it.  Finally, we are taking action to ensure that State and local government employees have the same mental health parity protections as millions of other Americans who get health insurance from their jobs, which is why we are working to close loopholes so these dedicated public servants can more easily access the mental health care they need with fewer limits on care and lower co-pays.

     At the same time, my Administration is working to end the opioid and overdose epidemic by cracking down on fentanyl trafficking and increasing public health efforts to save lives.  This month, we celebrate the absolute courage of the Americans in recovery and reaffirm our commitment to care for those suffering.

     My Administration will also keep fighting to end the youth mental health crisis — and that means addressing social media’s contributions to it.  I continue to call on the Congress to restrict the personal data that companies collect, ban advertising that targets minors, and take action to ensure that social media platforms prioritize the health and safety of our Nation’s children. 

     Each one of us has a role to play in changing the narrative and ending the stigmatization of mental health issues.  We can start by showing compassion so everyone feels free to ask for help and learning the warning signs of emotional distress and suicide.  If you are facing a crisis, dial 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.  If you are a new or expecting mother, you can call 1‑833‑TLC-MAMA for confidential advice on mental health from a professional.  If you are feeling overwhelmed or just need someone to talk to, ask your health care provider, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1‑800‑662‑HELP, or visit FindSupport.gov.  To anyone struggling with mental health, know that you are not alone.  As Americans, we have a duty of care to reach out to one another and leave no one behind.  We are all in this together.

     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 the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2024 as National Mental Health Awareness Month.  I call upon citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other groups to join in activities and take action to strengthen the mental health of our communities and our Nation.

A Proclamation on National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2024. 04/30/2024.

“New” from the White House…

04/30/2024:

05/01/2024:

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About Tiff 3038 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.