It’s Tuesday…
President Biden’s schedule for 09/17/2024:
10:00 AM In-Town Pool In-Town Pool Call Time |
| 12:45 PM Closed Press The President receives the President’s Daily Brief |
| 1:30 PM James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre |
| 2:15 PM Oval Office Closed Press The President meets with Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, to discuss the Bank’s work to reduce global poverty and address global challenges including climate change under Banga’s tenure |
| 11:15 PM Oval Office In-House Pool Spray The President participates in a briefing regarding the ongoing wildfire season response and Federal efforts to reduce wildfire risk |
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre @1:30 PM D.C., time:
Two Tweets
From Monday…
Tune in as I deliver remarks at the 2024 National HBCU Week Conference. https://t.co/0F4MWM5lRN
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 16, 2024
Remarks by President Biden at the 2024 National HBCU Week Conference | Philadelphia, PA; the YouTube is 28 minutes and 33 seconds long.
From Tuesday…
It’s Voter Registration Day, America.
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 17, 2024
Head to https://t.co/qO2G50OYIK today to ensure you’re ready to make your voice heard this November. pic.twitter.com/R2vr9Rjmji
The video clip is 36 seconds long.
President Biden: The right to vote is the threshold of our democracy. With it, anything is possible. Without it, nothing is. Today on National Voter Registration Day, and as early voting beings in some states, I encourage every eligible voter to exercise their fundamental right. Check the status of your registration. Get registered if you’re not already. Remind your family and friends to do the same thing. For more information, visit vote.gov. It’s up to all of us to make our voices heard and strength our democracy. So please vote.
From the White House…
09/16/2024:
A Proclamation on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and Constitution Week, 2024
It has been said that, when he was leaving the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked whether the Founding Fathers had given America a monarchy or a republic, and he replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.” The Founders put the power to decide our Nation’s future in the hands of “We the People.” On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and during Constitution Week, we recommit to preserving our republic, perfecting our Union, and ensuring our democracy survives and thrives.
Our Constitution established that our Nation would be a democracy, meaning the rule of the people — not of monarchs, the monied, or the mighty. It gave us the separation of powers and checks and balances so that we would be a country that respects the institutions that govern a free society. And it remains the bulwark to prevent the abuse of power and ensures that “We the People” move forward together under the law. We are all responsible for maintaining our democracy — not only by adhering to the Constitution but also by our character and the habits of our hearts and minds. All of us must join the march to perfect our Union by protecting and expanding our rights with each successive generation.
I believe America is at an inflection point, one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine the fate of our Nation and the world for decades to come. That is why we must continue to protect the rights guaranteed by our Constitution and the values that make our Nation who we are. We must protect the right to vote — it is the threshold of democracy: with it, anything is possible, and without it, nothing is. Vice President Harris and I continue to call on the Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to expand voting rights and prevent voter suppression. We will continue to work to protect women’s reproductive freedoms and their constitutional right to choose. We continue to call on the Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in Federal law once and for all. And we will continue to preserve and strengthen our democracy and will never walk away from the values that have made us the greatest Nation in the history of the world: freedom and liberty.
Today, we also celebrate the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. From those who were born in this country to our naturalized citizens, America remains a great country because we are a good people. We are a Nation of promise and possibilities, of dreamers and doers, and of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things. May we welcome our Nation’s newest citizens, whose stories embody the hope of the American Dream and whose contributions strengthen our country.
On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and during Constitution Week, we recognize that the power to build a freer, more prosperous, and more just future lies in the hands of the American people. And we recommit to fulfilling the sacred tasks of our time — to ensure democracy prevails and to preserve our constitutional protections for generations to come.
To honor the timeless principles enshrined in our Constitution, the Congress has, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36 U.S.C. 106), designated September 17 as “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and authorized the President to issue a proclamation calling on United States officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on that day. By joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 108), the Congress further requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as “Constitution Week.”
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 September 17, 2024, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and September 17 through September 23 as Constitution Week. On this day and during this week, we celebrate our Constitution and the rights of citizenship that we enjoy together as the proud people of this Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of September, 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-ninth.
A Proclamation on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and Constitution Week, 2024. 09/16/2024.
A Proclamation on National Voter Registration Day, 2024
American democracy begins and ends with the ballot box — putting the right to vote and the right to decide our Nation’s future in the hands of “We the People.” Voting defines our threshold of liberty and makes everything possible. On National Voter Registration Day, we recommit to protecting the sacred right to vote, and we encourage every eligible American to register to vote.
Today, there are forces trying to take us back in time. They are trying to suppress voters and subvert elections. They are supporting unlimited dark money and extreme gerrymandering to try to influence the election system in their favor. We saw it on January 6, 2021, when a violent mob of insurrectionists and election deniers breached the Capitol. It is a solemn reminder that the work to secure our democracy and protect our fundamental rights and freedoms is not over in this country. Each generation must join the work to preserve our democratic values and norms.
That is why, when I came into office, I was determined to secure the right to vote and the right to have every vote counted. I signed an Executive Order that directed the entire Federal Government to work on promoting non-partisan access to voter registration and election information. So far, Federal agencies have worked to make voter registration more accessible for veterans and college students. The Department of Justice has doubled its voting rights enforcement staff. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has worked to ensure that all newly naturalized citizens understand the privilege of voting and have the opportunity to register. And the Department of the Interior is working to increase Indigenous peoples’ access to voter registration. Furthermore, Vice President Kamala Harris declared National Voter Registration Day to be one of three National Days of Action on Voting Rights, calling on all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to come together to encourage voter registration. This year, one of my guests at the State of the Union was one of the brave Americans who marched in Selma, Alabama, nearly 60 years ago on “Bloody Sunday.” Thanks to these activists who fought tirelessly for the right to vote — from Seneca Falls, New York, to Selma, Alabama — the 19th Amendment was ratified and the Voting Rights Act was signed into law. But to fully secure the right to vote in every State, the Congress must take action and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
Today, I am thinking of a quote from Benjamin Franklin. When he was asked if the Founding Fathers had given America a monarchy or a republic, he responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” On National Voter Registration Day, we are reminded that our republic is in our hands and it is incumbent upon us to maintain it. It is in that spirit that we encourage every eligible American to ensure they are registered to vote. You can verify that your registration is accurate and up to date and offer to help your neighbors do the same. For more information, visit Vote.gov.
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 laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2024, as National Voter Registration Day. I call on all eligible Americans to observe this day by ensuring that they are accurately registered and by committing to cast a ballot in upcoming elections.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of September, 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-ninth.
A Proclamation on National Voter Registration Day, 2024. 09/16/2024.
FYI:
Vote.org is also a good place to find information about voting.
The very best place to get voter information is your own states website; those can be found by searching the states secretary of states office: for example mine is California Secretary of State.gov. (sos.ca.gov).
“New” from the White House…
09/16/2024:
- Remarks by President Biden at the 2024 National HBCU Week Conference | Philadelphia, PA; the YouTube is 28 minutes and 33 seconds long.
- Remarks by President Biden at the 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner (September 14, 2024)/Remarks by Vice President Harris at the 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner(posted on 09/14/2024); the YouTube is 31 minutes and 45 seconds long.
09/15/2024:
09/14/2024
This is an open thread
