Biden Bits: “I Hope You Have Some Idea How Grateful I am to All of You”…

July 29, 2024 12:29 pm EDT Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “I Hope You Have Some Idea How Grateful I am to All of You”…
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Monday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 07/29/2024:

11:00 AM
Official Schedule		The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
The White House Closed Press
11:15 AM
Pool Call Time		Out-of-Town Pool Call Time
Joint Base Andrews Out-of-Town Pool
12:15 PM
Official Schedule		The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews
South Lawn Open Press
12:35 PM
Official Schedule		The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Austin, Texas
Joint Base Andrews Out-of-Town Pool
1:30 PM Official SchedulePress Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Stephen Benjamin will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Austin, Texas.
Joint Base Andrews Out-of-Town Pool
3:25 PM
Official Schedule		The President arrives in Austin, Texas
Austin Bergstrom International Airport Open Press
4:30 PM
Official Schedule		The President delivers remarks and commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act during a visit to the LBJ Presidential Library LBJ Presidential Library, Austin, TX Out-of-Town Pool
7:00 PM
Official Schedule		The President departs Austin, Texas en route to Houston, Texas Austin Bergstrom International Airport Out-of-Town Pool
7:45 PM
Official Schedule		The President arrives in Houston, Texas Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston Open Press
8:30 PM
Official Schedule		The President pays respects to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Houston
Out-of-Town Pool
9:55 PM
Official Schedule		The President departs Houston, Texas en route to Joint Base Andrews Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston Out-of-Town Pool

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Director Benjamin Gaggle Aboard Air Force One @1:30 PM D.C., time:

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Tweet

From Monday…

The video clip is 59 seconds.

President Biden Delivers Remarks and Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act @4:30 PM D.C., time:


“Alleged” Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Arrested Tweet

From Friday…

The Department of Justice released the following press release:

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Arrests of Alleged Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez

The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the arrests of alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez:

“The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. Ismael Zambada Garcia, or “El Mayo,” cofounder of the Cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of its other cofounder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas. 

Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks. 

El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States. That includes the Cartel’s other cofounder, Joaquin Guzman Loera, or “El Chapo”; another of El Chapo’s sons and an alleged Cartel leader, Ovidio Guzman Lopez; and the Cartel’s alleged lead sicario, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, or “El Nini.”

Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable.”

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Arrests of Alleged Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez. 07/25/2024.

Statement from President Joe Biden on the Arrest of Two Drug Trafficker Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel

Yesterday, the Department of Justice arrested Ismael Zambada Garcia (AKA “El Mayo”) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, two of the most notorious leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the deadliest enterprises in the world. They are being charged for leading the Cartel’s deadly drug manufacturing and trafficking networks. I commend the work of our law enforcement officials who made this arrest for their ongoing work to bring Sinaloa Cartel leaders to justice. 

Too many of our citizens have lost their lives to the scourge of fentanyl. Too many families have been broken and are suffering because of this destructive drug. My Administration will continue doing everything we can to hold deadly drug traffickers to account and to save American lives.

Statement from President Joe Biden on the Arrest of Two Drug Trafficker Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. 07/26/2024.

Economic Tweets

From Friday…

From Saturday…

From Sunday…

Go Team USA Tweets

From Friday…

The rah rah video is 6 seconds long.

President Biden: LET’S GO TEAM USA. You’re the best in the world. And you’re going to show the world again.

via GIPHY

Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act Tweet

From Friday…

FACT SHEET: The Biden-⁠Harris Administration Marks the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Today, President Biden signed a proclamation marking the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, and state and local government services. For the more than 70 million Americans living with a disability, the ADA is a source of inclusion, participation, respect, and dignity. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Americans with disabilities have seen historic increases in employment and earnings, while the Administration has taken significant steps to protect civil rights and promote full participation in society. The nation has made significant progress since the law was signed, but there is more work to do to live up to the promise of the ADA.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic action to protect the rights of people with disabilities and deliver on the promise of the ADA.

FACT SHEET: The Biden-⁠Harris Administration Marks the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 07/26/2024.

Protecting Civil Rights

  • Access to Government Services. The Administration is working to ensure full participation of people with disabilities in civic life. This spring DOJ issued a final rule under Title II of the ADA to ensure the accessibility of web content and mobile applications by state and local governments. This rule is ensuring that people with disabilities can access critical local services, like transit information and voter registration. In December, the Office of Management and Budget issued a government-wide policy to agencies to improve the federal government’s digital accessibility. This month, the General Services Administration issued a final rule to improve the accessibility of federal buildings.
  • Access to Health Care. This spring, HHS issued two final rules protecting the civil rights of people with disabilities in health care and human services programs under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These rules ensure that all people have access to health care and human services that are safe, accessible, and free from discrimination for people with disabilities. In particular, the Section 504 rule makes it clear that medical treatment decisions may not be based on biases or stereotypes or a belief that the life of a person with a disability has less value than the life of a person without a disability.
  • Dignity in Air Travel. In 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued the first-ever Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights. Since then, DOT has delivered on these promises, including:
    • A final rule in August 2023 to increase the size and accessibility of lavatories on single-aisle aircraft, promoting freedom to travel for people with disabilities.
    • A proposed rule in February 2024 that would require airlines to provide prompt, safe, and dignified assistance to passengers with disabilities. The rule would protect travelers through new standards for airline response when wheelchairs are damaged and protect travelers and workers with new training standards for those who assist passengers with disabilities and handle wheelchairs.
  • Accessible Transit. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created the All Stations Accessibility Program, which has funded accessibility improvements at 111 rail stations across 11 states and will award $1.75 billion through FY26.

Promoting Community Living

  • Home and Community-Based Services.  President Biden’s American Rescue Plan is helping deliver a $37 billion investment in home and community-based services (HCBS), which states are using to reduce their waiting lists and improve wages for direct care workers. In 2023, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers, directing more than 50 agency actions, including to expand HCBS for veterans with disabilities, improve pay for direct support workers, and ensure access to HCBS. In April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final rules to expand and improve HCBS access, support family caregivers, and improve wages and job quality for care workers.
  • Olmstead Enforcement.  Last month, HHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) marked the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. HHS and DOJ have recently engaged in Olmstead enforcement actions to improve community integration for people with disabilities, including findings in Utah and Rhode Island. DOJ and HHS found that the states were violating the ADA by relying on segregated settings for employment, day services, and mental health care, and outlined steps the states could take to improve their services. 

Strengthening Economic Security

  • Fair Wages. Since the President took office, median household income for disabled Americans has risen by over $10,000. On July 21, 2022, the U.S. AbilityOne Commission issued a final rule ensuring that workers on federal contracts within the AbilityOne Program are paid at least the full minimum wage. The Department of Labor (DOL) is conducting a comprehensive review of the Section 14(c) program, which allows employers to pay subminimum wages to certain workers with disabilities.
  • Competitive Integrated Employment.  Since the President took office, Americans with disabilities have seen a historic high in employment, records in low unemployment and high labor force participation, and the number of people with disabilities in registered apprenticeships has nearly tripled, from less than 2,500 at the end of FY20 to more than 6,800 today. The Administration has taken a multi-pronged, whole-of-government approach to advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. In 2022, DOL issued a national plan to increase competitive integrated employment and eight federal agencies collaborated on guidance on how to leverage federal resources to promote employment. The Disability Innovation Fund, from the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration, has invested $435 million to promote competitive integrated employment. 
  • Employment Opportunity.  Since the beginning of the Administration, employment of people with disabilities in the federal government has increased 20%. The Vocational Rehabilitation program, which helps people with disabilities prepare for and obtain employment, has shown a 15 percentage point increase in those obtaining a credential and an $850 increase in median quarterly earnings after exiting the program, compared to 2020.
  • Social Security. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is working to better serve Americans with disabilities. SSA is improving customer service by moving more services online and streamlining the disability application process, as well as improving program equality and reducing burden through new rules simplifying policies for Supplemental Security Income recipients who get help from family and friends.   

Improving Access to Health Care

  • Prescription Drug Savings. The President’s Inflation Reduction Act is helping the 7.6 million disabled Medicare beneficiaries under age 65 access $0 vaccines, insulin for $35 a month per prescription, and could save thousands with the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs starting in 2025.
  • Recognizing Health Disparities. On September 26, 2023, NIH announced the designation of people with disabilities as a health disparities population, which will unlock research funding into disability health disparities throughout NIH.

Improving Access to Education and Supportive Services

  • Historic Investments in Students with Disabilities.  President Biden has increased annual funding by $1.4 billion for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants that support special education services for PreK-12 students since he came into office. The President has also continued to call for increased IDEA investment in each budget he has sent to Congress.
  • Expanding School-based Services. Under the President’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Department of Education (ED) and HHS are working together to help schools leverage Medicaid funding to increase access to mental health and disability services in schools. On June 25, 2024, CMS announced that 18 states will receive funding to implement, expand or enhance school-based services programs.

Had a Call Tweet

From Friday…

Readout of President Biden’s Call with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan.  He commended Jordan’s extraordinary humanitarian response in Gaza under His Majesty’s leadership, which has been critical in addressing the humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza.  The President updated King Abdullah on his ongoing efforts to secure a hostage release and ceasefire deal, and preparations for a surge in humanitarian assistance during a ceasefire period.  The two leaders discussed the situation in the West Bank and the President’s efforts to enhance the viability of the Palestinian Authority through encouragement of reforms and ensuring the PA has the revenues it needs to deliver for the Palestinian people.  The President finally thanked His Majesty for his friendship, and affirmed unwavering U.S. support for Jordan as a partner and ally in the promotion of a more stable, prosperous, and integrated Middle East region.

Readout of President Biden’s Call with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. 07/26/2024.

AI Meeting Tweet

From Friday

Show more =’s This comes as Apple signs on to the voluntary commitment we received from American companies last year, helping to ensure the responsible use of AI.

From the White House…

07/26/2024:

Readout of President Biden’s Briefing on Artificial Intelligence from White House Staff

President Biden was briefed today by senior White House staff on artificial intelligence (AI). The President and his team discussed national security issues related to AI and AI research and development to achieve a better future for all. The President also evaluated the progress in implementing his Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy AI. The President, Vice President, and the entire Biden-Harris Administration continue taking action to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of AI.

Readout of President Biden’s Briefing on Artificial Intelligence from White House Staff. 07/26/2024.

His National Address Tweets

From Saturday…

The video is 29 seconds long.

Remarks by President Biden in Statement to the American People; the YouTube is 11 minutes and 3 seconds long.

My fellow Americans, it’s been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years.  Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States.  But here I am.

That’s what’s so special about America.  We are a nation of promise and possibilities, of dreamers and doers, of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.

Remarks by President Biden in Statement to the American People; the YouTube is 11 minutes and 3 seconds long. 07/24/2024.

In just a few months, the American people will choose the course of America’s future.

I made my choice.  I have made my views known.

Remarks by President Biden in Statement to the American People; the YouTube is 11 minutes and 3 seconds long. 07/24/2024.

From Sunday

I have given my heart and my soul to our nation, like so many others.  And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people.
 
I hope you have some idea how grateful I am to all of you.  The great thing about America is here kings and dictators do not rule.  The people do.

Remarks by President Biden in Statement to the American People; the YouTube is 11 minutes and 3 seconds long. 07/24/2024.

Apprenticeship Tweet

From Sunday…

Supreme Court Reform Tweet

From Monday…

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Bold Plan to Reform the Supreme Court and Ensure No President Is Above the Law

From his first day in office—and every day since then—President Biden has taken action to strengthen American democracy and protect the rule of law.

In recent years, the Supreme Court has overturned long-established legal precedents protecting fundamental rights. This Court has gutted civil rights protections, taken away a woman’s right to choose, and now granted Presidents broad immunity from prosecution for crimes they commit in office.

At the same time, recent ethics scandals involving some Justices have caused the public to question the fairness and independence that are essential for the Court to faithfully carry out its mission to deliver justice for all Americans.

President Biden believes that no one—neither the President nor the Supreme Court—is above the law.

In the face of this crisis of confidence in America’s democratic institutions, President Biden is calling for three bold reforms to restore trust and accountability:

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Bold Plan to Reform the Supreme Court and Ensure No President Is Above the Law. 07/29/2024.
  1. No Immunity for Crimes a Former President Committed in Office: President Biden shares the Founders’ belief that the President’s power is limited—not absolute—and must ultimately reside with the people. He is calling for a constitutional amendment that makes clear no President is above the law or immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office. This No One Is Above the Law Amendment will state that the Constitution does not confer any immunity from federal criminal indictment, trial, conviction, or sentencing by virtue of previously serving as President.
  2. Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices: Congress approved term limits for the Presidency over 75 years ago, and President Biden believes they should do the same for the Supreme Court. The United States is the only major constitutional democracy that gives lifetime seats to its high court Justices. Term limits would help ensure that the Court’s membership changes with some regularity; make timing for Court nominations more predictable and less arbitrary; and reduce the chance that any single Presidency imposes undue influence for generations to come. President Biden supports a system in which the President would appoint a Justice every two years to spend eighteen years in active service on the Supreme Court.
  3. Binding Code of Conduct for the Supreme Court: President Biden believes that Congress should pass binding, enforceable conduct and ethics rules that require Justices to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest. Supreme Court Justices should not be exempt from the enforceable code of conduct that applies to every other federal judge.

President Biden and Vice President Harris look forward to working with Congress and empowering the American people to prevent the abuse of Presidential power, restore faith in the Supreme Court, and strengthen the guardrails of democracy. President Biden thanks the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States for its insightful analysis of Supreme Court reform proposals. The Administration will continue its work to ensure that no one is above the law – and in America, the people rule.

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Bold Plan to Reform the Supreme Court and Ensure No President Is Above the Law. 07/29/2024.

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About Tiff 3043 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.