It’s Friday…
He says it will rain like that’s a bad thing…
When Biden Bits was posted for Thursday, President Biden had tweeted 4 times. He add 6 tweets giving him a Thursday Tweeting Total of 10 tweets and 0 retweets…
As mentioned in the above linked Biden Bits, President Biden traveled to Virginia to remark on; the Biden-Harris Administration’s Work to Lower Healthcare Costs. The YouTube is 36 minutes and 13 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: So, when I became President of the United States, that’s what we did. We passed the American Rescue Plan, which made quality coverage through the Affordable Care Act more affordable than ever before, with families saving, on average, who have signed up — a family, on average — $2,400 a year in their annual premiums.
President Biden: Today, one in four Americans who need prescription drugs struggle to afford them — one in four. Nearly 30 percent have skipped doses of essential drugs they’re supposed to take. Others have simply not filled prescriptions that the doctor had given them; tried to use over-the-counter drugs or pills cut in half because they can’t afford the cost of their prescription.
President Biden: You know, we’re now in a position where we can cap co-pays for insulin at $35 a month. And it’s still a staggering profit: three and half times what it costs to produce the drug. You can do that with a stroke of a — we can do that with a stroke of a pen. In my Build Back Better legislation that with Abigail’s leadership passed in the House of Representatives, we can do that. Now we just have to get through the United States Senate, and we’re close.
Joshua’s family found out that he had type 1 diabetes when was just 11 months old. He says in the clip there were days when he needed 10 injections of insulin or even 12. He now has a pump, but he says as he gets older the dosage gets higher.
Prior to when the NowThis clip starts, Joshua says he is in 7th grade, active in Scouts and also plays goalie for his Lacrosse team.
His mother Shannon Davis also offers remarks; hers can be found at the 10 minute and 45 second mark of the shared YouTube above.
The above doesn’t appear in his remarks…
It’s I believe a twofer tweet; talking about inflation without saying inflation and self-promoting his remarks…
The above did not appear in yesterday’s remarks…
It struck a familiar tone with me, but as of now, I’ve been unable to locate the exact time he said the above in some form…
But here from the White House is a fact-sheet on the; Biden-Harris Administration Hits the Ground Running 60 Days into Infrastructure Implementation
Since President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 60 days ago, the Biden-Harris Administration has hit the ground running to deliver results. The Administration has made key progress towards implementing the largest long-term investment in America’s infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century.
The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild crumbling road and bridges, replace lead pipes, help provide high-speed internet to every family in America, and produce concrete results that change people’s lives for the better. These results will create good-paying, union jobs, support domestic manufacturing and supply chains, and position the United States to win the 21st century. As the Administration implements the law, it is following through on President Biden’s commitment to ensure investments advance equity and racial justice, reach communities all across the country – including rural communities, communities of color, and disability communities – and strengthen the nation’s resilience to climate change.
On the day President Biden signed the bill into law, he appointed Mitch Landrieu as Senior Adviser and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator and signed an Executive Order establishing an Infrastructure Implementation Task Force to ensure the Administration achieves results for the American people. The Administration launched Build.gov to serve as a growing hub of implementation resources, and it kicked off a nationwide tour to highlight the benefits of the law for people across the country.
President Biden surveyed a bridge needing repairs in New Hampshire, toured an electric vehicle plant in Michigan, visited a public transit authority in Missouri. Vice President Harris joined Transportation Secretary Buttigieg in North Carolina to tour an electric bus facility. EPA Administrator traveled across the South during an environmental justice tour. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland toured the West to discuss resilience projects while Energy Secretary Jen Granholm touted clean energy projects from Illinois to Tennessee to Rhode Island. Throughout the tour, the Administration demonstrated how we will work as one team with one mission: to deliver results to the American people while advancing racial equity, combatting climate change, and creating job opportunities for American workers.
White House.gov.
Roads, Bridges, and Transportation Infrastructure
- The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $27 billion in funding to replace, repair, and rehabilitate bridges across the country to all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Tribal governments over the next five years.
- Vice President Harris announced an EV Charging Action Plan to achieve the President’s goal of building a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers.
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm formed a Joint Office of Energy & Transportation focused on building out the national network of EV chargers.
- FHWA at USDOT announced $52.5 billion in Federal Highway Apportionment for fiscal year 2022 the largest in decades for all 50 states and DC.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at USDOT announced $3 billion for 3,075 airportsacross the country that can use investments to upgrade critical infrastructure.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at USDOT announced $260 million for highway safety programsto reduce traffic crashes.
- USDOT awarded $1 billion in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants to invest in 90 major projects across 47 states funding that will be boosted by an additional $7.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- The Maritime Administration (MARAD) at USDOT announced $230 million in Port Infrastructure Development grants to improve ports, strengthen the nation’s supply chains to meet demand resulting from the rapid economic recovery over the past year, and help ease inflationary pressures. Funding for this program will be boosted by an additional $2.25 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Water Infrastructure
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan issued a letter to Governors outlining the key priorities for water investments, including targeting resources to disadvantaged communities, making rapid progress on lead-free water for all, and tackling dangerous chemicals such as PFAS.
- EPA announced $7.4 billion in funding allocations for states to upgrade America’s aging water infrastructure, sewerage systems, pipes and service lines, and more.
- Vice President Harris announced a Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan to replace all of the nation’s lead pipes in the next decade and expand access to clean drinking water.
High-Speed Internet
- The Federal Communications Commission launched the Affordable Connectivity Program providing broadband subsidies of up to $30/month for low-income households (up to $75/month for households on Tribal Lands) and up to $100 towards the purchase of a desktop, laptop or tablet computer.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began accepting applications for the $1.15 billion ReConnect rural broadband program for loans and grants to state, local or territory governments, corporations, Native American Tribes and limited liability companies and cooperative organizations to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet, which will be boosted by the infrastructure law.
- Vice President Harris and the Department of Commerce (DOC) announced the first and second sets of grants for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, totaling $2.4 million, which is receiving additional funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the DOC hosted the first two in a series of broadband listening sessions with more than 1,400 participants to inform how the Administration implements several of the historic broadband program funded by the infrastructure law.
- The NTIA also published a request for comment seeking public input on the design and implementation of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, the Middle-Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, and the Digital Equity Planning Grant Program which together will distribute more than $43 billion in broadband funding.
Clean Energy and Environmental Remediation
- EPA announced $1 billion in funding to clean up 49 Superfund sites across 24 states to accelerate cleanup at dozens of other sites across the country, stop toxic waste from harming communities, and create good-paying jobs.
- DOE established the new Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which will oversee $20 billion of infrastructure funding to scale up clean energy, create new, good-paying jobs for American families and workers, and reduce pollution while benefiting underserved communities.
- DOE launched a new Building a Better Grid initiative to accelerate the deployment of new transition lines, enabled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As part of this initiative, Office of Electricity at DOE released a notice of intent to inform the design and implementation of this historic investment.
- DOI released initial guidance for the states interested in applying for funding to cap and plug orphaned oil and gas wells that reduce methane emissions and create jobs, with 26 states expressing interest in a portion of the $4.7 billion in funding for well plugging, remediation and restoration available in infrastructure programs.
- DOI announced the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is extending the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund program through 2034. This extension will provide for continued funding to states and Tribes for reclaiming hazardous abandoned mines, replacing polluted water supplies, and reducing legacy pollution in coalfield communities.
- DOE released a request for information on deployment and demonstration opportunities for carbon reduction and removal technologies, representing $10 billion in infrastructure programs.
The White House posted the following readout:
This afternoon, as part of their continued engagement with lawmakers in both parties about the Supreme Court nomination process, the President and Vice President hosted the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Oval Office.
As two former members of the committee, the President and Vice President emphasized that there are a wealth of extraordinarily qualified potential nominees under consideration who are dedicated to the Constitution and the rule of law, with top-rate legal intellects, and the strongest credentials, records, and character any person could possess. And that based on these qualities, any of the candidates being reviewed would be deserving of bipartisan support.
The President reiterated that, having chaired the Judiciary Committee and been involved with many confirmations, he has a unique appreciation for the significance of decisions about Supreme Court nominations, and that he welcomes the perspectives of Democrats and Republicans, as well as diverse legal experts and scholars, as he decides on a nominee later this month.
White House.gov. 02/10/2022.
For Friday, February 11th, 2022, President Biden has received his daily brief. This afternoon President Biden will travel to Camp David.
President Biden has tweeted 2 times so far for Friday…
As seen in Biden’s First 100 Day‘s…
April 9th, 2021 for the tweet; I covered it on April 12th…
The study President Biden does not name was released on April 2nd, 2021, days after President Biden announced his Made In America Tax Plan. According to the left-leaning research group Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) based in D.C., “At least 55 of the largest corporations in America paid no federal corporate income taxes in their most recent fiscal year despite enjoying substantial pretax profits in the United States.”
ITEP goes on to say “This report is based on ITEP’s analysis of annual financial reports filed by the nation’s largest publicly traded U.S.-based corporations in their most recent fiscal year. All data presented here come directly from the income tax notes of these reports. Some companies with unusual fiscal years have not yet filed such reports. Some publicly traded corporations paid nothing on profits in their most recent fiscal year but are not included in this report because they are not part of the S&P 500 or Fortune 500.”
Figures used in the report; The tax-avoiding companies represent various industries and collectively enjoyed almost $40.5 billion in U.S. pretax income in 2020, according to their annual financial reports. The statutory federal tax rate for corporate profits is 21 percent. The 55 corporations would have paid a collective total of $8.5 billion for the year had they paid that rate on their 2020 income. Instead, they received $3.5 billion in tax rebates.
The New York Times explained on April 2nd, “Companies’ tax returns are private, but publicly traded corporations are required to file financial reports that include federal income tax expense. The institute used that data along with other information supplied by each company on its pretax income.”
Sahil Kapur’s 4 tweet thread…
NEW: Don’t look now but there’s a sudden rush of bipartisan activity on Capitol Hill
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 11, 2022
• Violence Against Women Act
• Postal reform
• Forced arbitration limits
• US-China competition bill
• Approps deal
• Stock trade ban
• Preventing stolen elections https://t.co/3Byl9tZ3M3
What’s behind it?
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 11, 2022
Democrats say they’re delivering on restoring functional government and taking wins where they can: “We're lawmakers, not law-suggesters.”
Republicans attribute it to BBB stalling and preservation of the filibuster.
w/ @scottwongDC 👇https://t.co/3Byl9tZ3M3
.@MittRomney: "The Senate does work. We've passed a number of very important pieces of legislation."
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 11, 2022
.@Sen_JoeManchin: "People realize we’re not going to get rid of the filibuster. If you want to get something done, you’ve got to work together."https://t.co/3Byl9tZ3M3
President Biden weighs in… https://t.co/KkrXkEDT0p
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 11, 2022
What the article shared says about:
The Violence Act Women Act:
A day earlier, senators unveiled a compromise to renew the Violence Against Women Act, resolving a host of disputes, from coverage for LGBTQ survivors to jurisdiction on tribal lands. A large bipartisan group of senators was joined by the actor Angelina Jolie.
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
Postal reform:
And the House voted 342-92 on Tuesday to pass a bill to straighten out the finances of the Postal Service and improve mail delivery — which the Senate plans to take up next week.
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., called the bill a “huge accomplishment” on a tangible issue that affects every American, particularly those who live in rural America.
“It’s really important to the people in my state, where we have a lot of rural people who count on the mail for medications, for packages, for communication,” Shaheen said.
Forced arbitration limits:
The Senate approved a bill by voice vote Thursday to end the employment practice of forcing women to resolve sexual assault allegations in closed-door arbitration settings, sending it to Biden’s desk after a lopsided House vote to pass it.
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
US-China competition bill:
Meanwhile, the House and the Senate have each passed their versions of the Make It in America Act, a broad U.S.-China competition bill, and plan to hash out their differences in a conference committee.
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
Approps deal: [I think it’s this section]…
The same day, top appropriators announced a “framework” agreement for a full-year omnibus spending bill after negotiations had stalled out for months and set federal funding on autopilot.
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
These last two are combined…
Stock trade ban/Preventing stolen elections:
Separately, Congress is buzzing with bipartisan efforts to ban stock trades by lawmakers. And a Senate group of moderates, which includes Collins and Manchin, is working to bolster federal law to make it harder to steal elections.
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
A quote that I read that make me go wtaf:
“What the Democratic leaders seem to have finally realized is that in a 50-50 Senate, the only way you’re going to be able to produce any accomplishments that matter to the American people is to work across the aisle,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “All of a sudden there is sincere Democratic participation.”
NBC News. 02/11/2022.
Of course, it’s Collins…
The daily press briefing is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. D.C., time.
This is an Open Thread.
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