It’s Thursday…
President Biden’s public schedule for 07/18/2024:
| 12:00 PM Pool Call Time | Out-of-Town Pool Call Time Biden Beach House, Rehoboth Beach, DE Out-of-Town Pool |
On Wednesday, it was announced that President Biden has COVID-19…
Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (posted at 6:12 PM D.C., time)
Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the President’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.
Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (posted at 6:12 PM D.C., time). 07/17/2024.
Note from the President’s Doctor:
The President presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general mailaise. He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus. Given this, the President will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals. PCR confirmation testing will be pending. His symptoms remain mild, his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97%. The President has received his first dose of Paxlovid. He will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth.
President Biden tweeted confirmation that he got the Rona about an hour later…
I tested positive for COVID-19 this afternoon, but I am feeling good and thank everyone for the well wishes.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 17, 2024
I will be isolating as I recover, and during this time I will continue to work to get the job done for the American people.
And with that we move on to the rest of the tweets…
Rest of the Tweets
From Wednesday…
Mental health is health.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 17, 2024
Every American ought to be able to get help during a mental health crisis just as quickly as they would dialing 911.
That's why we launched 988, the most accessible version of our nation's Crisis Lifeline, and available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
Like I said yesterday, if you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help.
When we talk about standing against violence, let's talk about standing against all violence. pic.twitter.com/Kpg4NQNJ9j
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 17, 2024
The video is 1 minute and 8 seconds long.
Remarks by President Biden at the 115th NAACP National Convention | Las Vegas, NV; the YouTube is 43 minutes and 41 seconds long. President Biden’s remarks begin at the 12 minute mark.
Few organizations know that better than the NAACP. For the race riots in Springfield, Illinois, in 1908, the NAAC[P] was formed. That’s what started it. You know the pain and the price of violence. You understand, if you’re going to talk about standing against violence, you must stand against all violence. (Applause.)
We’re going to stand against violence perpetrated against presidential candidates in Pennsylvania. We must stand against all violence: the violence perpetrated against George Floyd in Minnesota — (applause); against Black veterans like Police Officers Eugene Goodman on January 6th; and Black election workers like Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in Atlanta. (Applause.)
We have to stand against the violence and intimidation of white supremacy that murdered innocent lives in that grocery store in Buffalo, New York — when I went up there — Mother Emanuel church in Charleston, South Carolina.
We must stand against the violence that murdered children in Sandy Hook and Uvalde, concertgoers in Las Vegas, innocents on the street all across America that never make the news. There’s a Uvalde every day in the communities across the country.
If you’re going to be outspoken on one, don’t be silent on others. (Applause.)
If we’re going to speak about violence, we’re going to speak about guns.
Remarks by President Biden at the 115th NAACP National Convention | Las Vegas, NV; the YouTube is 43 minutes and 41 seconds long. President Biden’s remarks begin at the 12 minute mark. 07/16/2024.
Today, the U.S. Navy rights a historic wrong by exonerating 258 Black Sailors who were unjustly convicted following the Port Chicago explosion 80 years ago.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 17, 2024
They fought for a nation that denied them equal justice. Let us remember their service and sacrifice.
Statement from President Joe Biden on U.S. Navy Port Chicago Exonerations
Today, the U.S. Navy is righting an historic wrong by announcing the exoneration of 258 Black Sailors who were unjustly tried and convicted of mutiny and disobeying orders following the tragic explosion at Port Chicago, California nearly 80 years ago. At the time, future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall represented the “Port Chicago 50” in their appeal of their courts-martial convictions, writing that, “justice can only be done in this case by a complete reversal of findings.” With this action, we are answering that call.
On July 17, 1944, two U.S. Navy ships were destroyed when the S.S. E.A. Bryan cargo ship exploded at Port Chicago while being loaded with ammunition. This explosion, the deadliest home-front disaster in the U.S. during World War II, led to the tragic deaths of 320 Sailors and civilians, with hundreds more injured. In the wake of that tragedy, Black Sailors were required to clean up the carnage and return to the dangerous work of handling munitions without adequate training and protective equipment while white Sailors were granted leave. In the face of this injustice, 258 Black Sailors refused orders to load ammunition and soon after were convicted at courts-martials for disobeying orders and mutiny.
After conducting a careful and deliberative review, the U.S. Navy has determined that the courts-martials for all 258 Black Sailors were fundamentally unfair, plagued by legal errors, and tainted by racial discrimination. Today’s announcement marks the end of a long and arduous journey for these Black Sailors and their families, who fought for a nation that denied them equal justice under law. May we all remember their courage, sacrifice, and service to our Nation.
Statement from President Joe Biden on U.S. Navy Port Chicago Exonerations. 07/17/2024.
The U.S. Navy released the following statement:
The Secretary of the Navy announced on July 17 the full exoneration of the remaining 256 defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial.
The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, made the announcement on the 80th anniversary of an explosion that occurred at Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California. The explosion killed 320 people, injured 400 others, destroyed two ships and a train, and caused damage to the nearby town of Port Chicago.
Secretary Del Toro expressed his deepest condolences for the Sailors, civilians, Coast Guardsmen, members of the U.S. Maritime Service, and one Marine who lost their lives and for their family members.
Following the 1944 explosion, white supervising officers at Port Chicago were given hardship leave while the surviving African-American Sailors were ordered back to work. The circumstances surrounding the disaster were reflective of the Navy’s personnel policies at the time, which barred African-American Sailors from nearly all seagoing jobs. Most of the Navy ordnance battalions assigned to Port Chicago Naval Magazine and similar facilities were comprised of African-American enlisted personnel and white officers.
In the absence of clarity on the explosions or further safety training, 258 African-American Sailors refused to resume ammunition handling. After threats of disciplinary action, 208 of the Sailors returned to work; however, the Navy still subsequently convicted all 208 Sailors at a summary court-martial for disobeying orders.
The Navy sentenced each of the summary court-martial defendants to a Bad Conduct Discharge and forfeiture of three month’s pay. During subsequent reviews of the summary court-martial, the Bad Conduct Discharges were suspended, the forfeitures reduced, and one conviction was set aside for insufficient evidence.
The remaining 50 Sailors continued to refuse to return to work and were charged with mutiny. The Navy later convicted all 50 Sailors (who came to be called the “Port Chicago 50”) of mutiny at a mass general court-martial. Each of these defendants was sentenced to a Dishonorable Discharge, fifteen years confinement at hard labor, reduction in rate to E-1, and total forfeitures of their pay.
During subsequent reviews of the general court-martial, the Dishonorable Discharges were suspended and the period of confinement was reduced from 15 years to 17-29 months. One conviction was also set aside for mental incompetency. By January 1946, nearly all the Sailors were released and given the opportunity to finish their contracts.
“The Port Chicago 50, and the hundreds who stood with them, may not be with us today, but their story lives on, a testament to the enduring power of courage and the unwavering pursuit of
justice,” said Secretary Del Toro. “They stand as a beacon of hope, forever reminding us that even in the face of overwhelming odds, the fight for what’s right can and will prevail.”
After a thorough review of the case and related materials, the General Counsel of the Navy concluded that there were significant legal errors during the courts-martial. The defendants were improperly tried together despite conflicting interests and denied a meaningful right to counsel.
The courts-martial also occurred before the Navy’s Court of Inquiry report on the Port Chicago explosion was finalized, which certainly would have informed their defense and contained nineteen substantive recommendations to improve ammunition loading practices.
Following the Navy’s most recent review, Secretary Del Toro fully exonerated the remaining 256 defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial.
If any family members of the defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial would like to reach out to the Department of the Navy for future notifications on the topic or more information, please reach out to PortChicago@us.navy.mil, or 703-697-5342.
For questions related to this release, contact the U.S. Navy Office of Information at CHINFONewsDesk@us.navy.mil or 703-697-5342.
Navy.MIL. 07/17/2024.
From Thursday…
We launched a calculator on https://t.co/zcbDCq8fnK that'll allow you to view how my Administration's actions have provided hardworking American families with a little more breathing room.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 18, 2024
Find out how much you could be saving: pic.twitter.com/bHntbbY8Vc
The tweet basically explains what you’ll find by visiting invest.gov/savings.
Today, my Administration is canceling student debt for 35,000 public service workers through Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 18, 2024
Now 4.76 million folks have benefitted from our various debt relief actions, each receiving an average of over $35,000 in cancellation.
That matters.
Statement from President Joe Biden on $1.2 Billion in Student Debt Cancellation for 35,000 Borrowers
Today, my Administration is canceling student debt for 35,000 people through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, bringing the total number of Americans who have benefitted from our various debt relief actions to 4.76 million people. Each of those borrowers has received an average of over $35,000 in debt cancellation. These 35,000 borrowers approved for forgiveness today are public service workers – teachers, nurses, law enforcement officials, and first responders who have dedicated their lives to strengthening their communities, and because of the fixes we made to Public Service Loan Forgiveness, they will now have more breathing room to support themselves and their families.
Today’s announcement comes on top of the significant progress we’ve made for students and borrowers over the past three years. That includes providing the largest increases to the maximum Pell Grant in over a decade; fixing Income-Driven Repayment so borrowers get the relief they are entitled to under the law; and holding colleges accountable for taking advantage of students and families. And earlier this year, I laid out my Administration’s new plans that would cancel student debt for more than 30 million Americans when combined with everything we’ve done so far.
From day one of my Administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I will never stop working to make higher education affordable – no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us.
Statement from President Joe Biden on $1.2 Billion in Student Debt Cancellation for 35,000 Borrowers. 07/18/2024.
This is an open thread
