Category Archives: Biden Administration

Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Landmark Step to Counter Antisemitism; Governors Show Support for Israel 

‘No Fear, No Hate’ Solidarity March against Antisemitism, NYC, Jan 5, 2020. Rising antisemitism has been a concern for years, hitting new records year after year, but spiking now with the Israel-Hamas war that seems to only provide another excuse to express hate and bigotry. Governors lead by New York State have taken a stand and the Biden Administration, even before the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre of 1400 Israelis, announced groundbreaking actions across eight federal agencies to address antisemitism. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Amid record rates of antisemitism and hate crimes –  given added fuel with the Israel-Hamas war –  for the first time, eight federal agencies make clear that a key civil rights protection prohibits certain forms of antisemitism; actions are major deliverable in implementing the President’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

According to an Oct. 7 analysis by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the instances of antisemitic rhetoric and calls for violence against Jews social media greatly increased following Hamas’ sneak attack on Israel earlier that day which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and resulted in hundreds more being taken hostage. On platforms favored by white supremacist extremists, however, hateful and violent rhetoric targeting Jews increased by 488 percent, the ADL said. New York State, New York City, and Long Island, home to the largest population of Jews outside of Israel, have had to step up police protection.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul led a bipartisan coalition of 17 governors to stand in solidarity with Israel, issuing a joint letter to federal leaders to express the broad support for Israel and condemnation of terror attacks from Hamas on October 17. The governors also reaffirmed their commitment to work with the U.S. Department of State to ensure the safe return of Americans.

“The bonds between America and Israel are unbreakable – now and forever,” Governor Hochul said. “As the Governor of the largest Jewish population outside Israel, I recognize we have a unique and solemn responsibility to support Israel during this critical moment. I’m proud to stand with my fellow Governors to show our support for Israel, and grateful to my colleagues for their bold moral leadership.”

The letter reads:

As Governors representing more than 144,000,000 Americans, we stand with Israel and unequivocally condemn the despicable acts of war and terror perpetrated by Hamas on Saturday, October 7, 2023, which have already claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people in Israel. In the days since these initial attacks, we have joined with members of our communities to mourn and pray, and we have experienced first-hand the deep emotional toll this horrendous evil has taken on so many. We also know that there are several Americans that have already been confirmed killed as a result of this violence, and we know that number is likely to rise in the days ahead.

We stand united in support of Israel in its efforts to secure the safe return of hostages and ensure the ongoing safety of its people. We commend President Biden for his swift response in providing increased military assistance to Israel, and members of Congress from both parties for their firm statements of support for Israel. We urge immediate and continued U.S. aid to Israel in the weeks and months to come. We also urge the Senate to swiftly confirm nominees to key diplomatic roles in the region, including ambassador roles in Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, and Kuwait as well as move forward with consideration of all pending military nominations and promotions to ensure that our most experienced leaders are occupying the most important jobs for our national defense.

Each of us has taken action in our respective states to increase security in Jewish communities and at Jewish houses of worship. Given these concerns, and the rise of antisemitism across the country, Congress should ensure funding for states and local governments to support activities and programs to ensure resources to safeguard houses of worship and religious-affiliated groups are available to combat antisemitism at home. We will continue to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement to monitor for potential domestic threats and provide support to community leaders as needed.

We stand ready to provide additional support to Israel and to work with the United States Department of State to ensure the safe return of Americans in Israel. Our prayers remain with those who have been lost, their loved ones, the people of Israel, and the Jewish community worldwide.

This fact sheet was provided by the White House on September 28, 2023, more than a week before Hamas massacre of 1400 Israelis in surprise attacks on October 7: As part of President Biden’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, eight federal agencies clarified—for the first time in writing—that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits certain forms of antisemitic, Islamophobic, and related forms of discrimination in federally funded programs and activities. These wide-ranging protections provide important tools to curb discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics and to better protect the civil rights of all Americans.

The Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Treasury, and Transportation will also ensure that agency staff understand and are ready to respond to this kind of discrimination, engage with entities that are prohibited from discriminating in these ways to explain their legal responsibilities, and inform communities of their rights to be free from such discrimination and how to file complaints. In addition, the agencies will continue to investigate complaints under Title VI and other civil rights authorities and vigorously enforce protections within federally funded programs and activities they administer. Examples include shielding people from harassment or discrimination on transit systems funded by the Department of Transportation (DOT); in housing funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); or in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded food programs.

Each agency today is clarifying the ways in which Title VI covers discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including certain forms of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination. These actions were developed with support from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and provide details about how these protections may cover individuals of many different faith traditions, such as people who are Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Hindu, or Buddhist. Agency fact sheets are being translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, Arabic, Punjabi, and other languages to ensure that a diverse array of populations can access this vital civil rights information, and additional languages will be available upon request.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act applies to all programs and activities supported by federal financial assistance. Thus, these protections are wide-ranging and provide important tools to prevent and curb discrimination. Today’s announcement is a deliverable of President Biden’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, released in May 2023. This strategy represents the most comprehensive and ambitious U.S. government effort to counter antisemitism in American history. It includes over 100 actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to address the rise of antisemitism in the U.S. Since the release of the strategy, agencies have taken dozens of actions. Highlights include:

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) published a resource guide for houses of worship and other faith-based institutions to increase security while sustaining an open and welcoming environment.

• DHS has held listening sessions nationwide with communities impacted by targeted violence to better understand evolving threats and address their safety and security needs, with an emphasis on underserved communities. These sessions are ongoing and will help improve accessibility and information-sharing of DHS’ resources to meet the needs of those impacted by hate-motivated violence.

• The Department of Education (ED) launched an Antisemitism Awareness Campaign to ensure all students are able to attend schools free of discrimination. To open this campaign, in May, ED issued a Dear Colleague Letter specifically on antisemitism to schools, reminding them of their legal obligation under Title VI. The Department of Education has long detailed how Title VI applies to shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics in the educational setting. To further these crucial efforts to counter antisemitism, today, ED will launch the first of several Fall site visits to address and learn about antisemitism at schools and colleges. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten will visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco to engage with students, educators, school administrators, and community leaders around countering antisemitism. Then, the ED team will join San Francisco Hillel for a closed-door conversation with Jewish students from Bay Area colleges around their experiences of antisemitism on college campuses.

• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at DHS is expanding security capacity-building services to historically targeted communities, including Jewish communities. This includes sessions on active shooter preparedness; an introduction to bomb threat management; tabletop exercise packages for places of worship, such as synagogues; a training on responding to suspicious behaviors and items; and a workshop held at the White House, in cooperation with the White House and DHS Offices of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, on Sept. 28.

• DOJ released updated informational materials about the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which provide an overview of the law and DOJ’s enforcement efforts, as well as information about how to identify and report violations. DOJ also announced that it will host a series of outreach events on RLUIPA in 2023 and 2024.

• By the end of September, DOJ will launch the United Against Hate program in all 94 of its U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to strengthen trust between law enforcement and communities that are often the targets of hate, including Jewish communities, teach community members how to identify and report hate crimes and hate incidents. DOJ has already held more than 200 events nationwide.

• DOT, through the Federal Transit Administration, has initiated research to identify the data available at the transit-agency level to better understand the extent to which race, ethnicity, and religion or religious appearance impact assaults on, harassment of, and discrimination against transit riders, including antisemitism. DOT completed interviews at the nine largest transit agencies in the United States and plans to share its findings in a future report.

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) is providing training and resources for small business owners and employees on preventing and responding to antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of hate. For example, SBA is working with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to encourage small businesses and employees to report antisemitic and other hate incidents to the proper authorities. SBA will host a webinar to share these resources broadly.

• The EEOC has disseminated materials on nondiscrimination and religious accommodations in the workplace, including a fact sheet to inform employees of their rights when they face antisemitism at work. Since last October, it has held more than 40 outreach and training events at its field offices around the country.

• HUD issued a letter to 200 federally-funded fair housing partners on how to identify and counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination in housing.

• The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) will extend its national tour of the Americans and the Holocaust exhibition at public and academic libraries in partnership with the American Library Association. To date, it has reached more than 300,000 visitors at 50 host sites across the country. The tour will continue to an additional 50 libraries in 2024.

• AmeriCorps circulated resources to its grantees and sponsors, who support about 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in nearly 40,000 locations across the country, on ways to help counter antisemitism and hate, and enhance the physical security of religious communities.

• The Department of the Interior (DOI) is distributing new resources on Jewish American heritage through the National Park Service (NPS). Additionally, starting in October, NPS will integrate guidance on stopping or preventing antisemitic behavior in parks into staff trainings. NPS will also add tools on countering antisemitism to bystander intervention and conflict de-escalation trainings that are available to all DOI staff.

• In November, USDA will host a summit in Omaha, Nebraska that will include a diverse group of more than 100 religious leaders from across the country to assess the state of antisemitism, highlight effective strategies to counter antisemitism, and build solidarity across faiths.

• The Department of State and the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism produced a report documenting existing overseas programs, policies, and actions that counter antisemitism to help inform domestic efforts to counter antisemitism.

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing ongoing trainings on antidiscrimination laws to medical students nationwide. HHS is also holding listening sessions with Jewish and Muslim chaplains on religious discrimination in healthcare settings. These sessions will inform future HHS departmental priorities.

• The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will launch its Artists for Understanding and Connecting initiative in October. Through this work, the NEA will raise awareness of the power of the arts to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia and others forms of hate.

• The National Endowment for the Humanities has placed a special call for applications within existing funding opportunities to encourage research and projects on antisemitism and Islamophobia. Additionally, last week, NEH announced $2.8 million in funding in every state and jurisdiction through its United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture initiative for humanities-based programming that counters hate-motivated violence as well as antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination in the United States.

Biden-Harris Administration Provides $4.4 Billion to Support Community Safety, Prevent Gun Violence and Violent Crime

This roundup of Biden-Harris administrations actions to support community safety, prevent gun violence and other violent crime has been provided by the White House:

The Biden-Harris Administration has taken new action to support community safety, reduce violent crime, and prevent gun violence in communities across the country with the announcement of $4.4 billion of Department of Justice grants. These new grants will invest in community violence intervention and prevention efforts, improve services for victims of gun violence, and support law enforcement as they work to reduce crime – and they build on President Biden’s historic efforts to reduce gun violence in our country.
 

New York City among communities pleading for action to stop the epidemic of gun violence. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken new action to support community safety, reduce violent crime, and prevent gun violence in communities across the country with the announcement of $4.4 billion of Department of Justice grants. These new grants will invest in community violence intervention and prevention efforts, improve services for victims of gun violence, and support law enforcement as they work to reduce crime – and they build on President Biden’s historic efforts to reduce gun violence in our country. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre“Over the past few days we have seen the traumatizing impact of the gun violence epidemic in our country. At Morgan State University in Baltimore, where a joyful Homecoming week was interrupted by violence. In Holyoke, where several people were shot at including a pregnant woman who tragically lost the child she was carrying hours later in the hospital. And in Philadelphia, where three police officers were shot while doing their jobs last night.
 
Americans should be able to go to their schools, places of worship, jobs, and out in their community without the fear of gun violence.
 
Last week, the Department of Justice announced that they are awarding more than $4.4 billion in grants to support state, local, and Tribal community safety efforts that reach every corner of the country. This historic investment in community safety is a major stride toward preventing violence in our communities.
 
Among some examples of where this critical funding will be going toward are: number one, first, community violence prevention efforts, including in new investments in states including North Carolina, Colorado, and Ohio; efforts to support victims of gun violence in all fifty states; investments in crime reduction strategies and support for law enforcement; crucial resources to keep our kids safe in and out of school; and much more.
 
This is just the latest action from the Biden-Harris Administration to keep communities safe.
 
And it builds on the historic action President Biden has taken to reduce gun violence and gun crime: including signing into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, announcing dozens of executive actions, and last month, launching the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.”
 
Department of Justice: Justice Department Awards Over $4.4 Billion to Support Community Safety
 
The Justice Department announced today that it is awarding more than $4.4 billion to support state, local, and Tribal public safety and community justice activities. The grants, from the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will help build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies.
 
“Everyone in this country deserves to be safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, in addition to continuing our efforts to identify and prosecute the most violent criminals, the Justice Department is putting every available resource to work to support the efforts of our law enforcement and community partners nationwide. This significant investment will go directly to state and local programs that support the victims of crime, support officer safety and wellness, build the public trust in law enforcement essential to public safety, and help make all of our communities safer.”
 
The more than 3,700 OJP grants being awarded this fiscal year will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges.
 
“Across the country, the Justice Department is working side-by-side with our partners in state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime by using our federal resources to amplify their work on the front lines,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The billions of dollars in grants announced today will augment those efforts and the tools law enforcement is using to curb violence, counter deadly drug abuse, and promote safety and public trust. Together with our state and local partners, the Department will continue to do everything we can to protect the communities we all serve.”
 
“The Department of Justice is investing in community-based approaches to violence prevention, law enforcement health and wellness, Tribal courts, improved services for victims, research and data collection efforts, reentry programs, and much more,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The grants announced today further our commitment to working with our state, Tribal, and local partners to increase public safety, build police-community trust, and ensure safe, healthy, and just communities for all.”
 
“Every sector of our society — not only the justice system, but nonprofit and faith-based groups, local leaders, and advocates, and people with lived experience who serve as credible messengers — plays a critical role in ensuring public safety and public health,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to make these substantial investments in building community infrastructure and supporting communities as co-producers of safety and justice.”
 
Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities:

  • Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country.
     
  • More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders. 
     
  • Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse.
     
  • More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization.
     
  •  Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims.   

In addition, OJP will award more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards announced today can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards

FACT SHEET: President Biden Calls on Congress to Advance Critical National Security Priorities Including Israel, Ukraine, Border

Following his Oval Office speech to the American people outlining the nation’s interests in aiding Israel, Ukraine and bolstering the border, President Joe Biden is requesting supplemental funding from Congress that advances our national security and supports our allies and partners. This is a fact sheet from the White House:

Following his Oval Office speech to the American people outlining the nation’s interests in aiding Israel, Ukraine and bolstering the border, President Joe Biden is requesting supplemental funding from Congress that advances our national security and supports our allies and partners.

Since the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas, President Biden has surged security, intelligence, and diplomatic support to the people of Israel. This supplemental request will continue to provide the necessary security assistance to Israel, support Israeli efforts to secure the release of hostages, and extend humanitarian assistance to civilians impacted by the war in Israel and in Gaza.
      
The United States’ support to Israel comes at the same time that Vladimir Putin’s illegal war against the people of Ukraine passes its 600th day. The actions of the Biden-Harris Administration have enabled the people of Ukraine to defend their nation against a brutal and unprovoked invasion and recapture territory seized by Russian forces, liberating Ukrainian civilians from Russian occupation. The Administration’s supplemental request will provide the critical training, equipment, and weapons necessary to help Ukraine defend and recapture its sovereign territory and protect the Ukrainian people against Russian aggression.
 
The Administration’s supplemental invests in our military industrial base to ensure our military readiness, including replenishing resources to meet our defense needs as we support Israel and Ukraine, as well as the growing security requirements in the Indo-Pacific. Resources for the American defense industrial base will support American jobs, increase our nation’s ability to produce critically important munitions and other equipment, and ensure our Military continues to be the most ready, capable, and best equipped fighting force the world has ever seen. The Administration’s supplemental also requests increased support to allies and partners in our strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It will mobilize hundreds of billions from international finance institutions to provide a sustainable source of financing to developing countries as an alternative to the coercive lending practices of the PRC.
 
Additionally, we’ve been clear that the Congressional Republicans need to stop playing political games with border security and provide the resources our law enforcement personnel need to secure the southwest border and stop the flow of fentanyl into our country. President Biden continues to implement a regional migration strategy focused on enforcement, deterrence, and diplomacy. While progress has been made, President Biden has made clear that we need more funding to enhance our enforcement measures.
 
To advance our critical national security interests, the Biden-Harris Administration is calling on Congress to provide additional national security resources that will:

Support Israel’s Defense Against Terrorism
 
Immediately following the brutal October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, President Biden directed his Administration to take swift and decisive action to ensure the government of Israel has everything it needs to defend itself consistent with the rule of law and the law of war. To build on that support, today the Administration is requesting funding to aid Israel’s defense against these horrific terrorist attacks. This request includes funds to:
 

  • Strengthen Israel’s defense from vicious terrorist attacks and bolster the Israeli Defense Forces through Department of Defense (DOD) assistance.
  • Ensure Israel’s air and missile defense systems’ readiness with support for the Government of Israel’s procurement of Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems and components, and development of Iron Beam.
  • Replenish DOD stocks that are being drawn down to support Israel in its time of need.
  • Strengthen Israel’s military and enhance U.S. embassy security with foreign military financing from the Department of State.

 
Defend Ukraine Against Russian Aggression

Previous supplemental appropriations for direct military aid, economic and humanitarian assistance, and other support for Ukraine have been committed or nearly committed. As Ukrainians wage a tough counteroffensive and as winter approaches, the world is watching what Congress does next. The Administration’s request will provide funding for:
 

  • Additional weapons and equipment to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield and protect its people against Russian attacks, as well as replenish DOD stocks provided to Ukraine via Presidential drawdown authority. The weapons and equipment the United States has provided to date include air defense systems, munitions, small arms, ground maneuver units, and other key capabilities that have made a significant difference on the battlefield, helping Ukraine save countless lives and win the battles for Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson.
  • Continued military, intelligence, and other defense support, including robust investments in the defense industrial base, transportation costs of U.S. personnel and equipment, and continuing an enhanced U.S. troop presence in Europe among other critical support activities, in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
  • Critical economic and civilian security assistance, including direct budget support to help Ukraine continue to provide critical services to its people and sustain its economy while under attack; assistance for investments in critical infrastructure; support for civilian law enforcement; and assistance for demining in territory recently liberated from Russian occupation.
  • Support for Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s war and provided safety and shelter in the United States through Uniting for Ukraine.
  • Nuclear and radiological crisis management, response, and partner capacity building in case of emergencies as part of our general contingency planning.

 
Provide Life-Saving Humanitarian Assistance
 
In addition to funding for security assistance for Ukraine and Israel, we are also requesting funding to address humanitarian needs of innocent civilians, including those impacted by the war in Israel and in Gaza. Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine also continues to have a global impact, particularly on food security, given Ukraine’s role as the leading grain producer in the world, and this humanitarian assistance will address global needs. Our humanitarian assistance is critical to demonstrating U.S. leadership amid unprecedented levels of humanitarian need, geopolitical competition, and global challenges. This request includes funds to:
 

  • Provide life-saving humanitarian assistance and support for innocent civilians devastated by Putin’s unjust war in Ukraine, Hamas’ attack on Israel, and the numerous other natural and man-made crises around the world. This includes life-saving humanitarian assistance in Gaza and support for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and surrounding areas

Strengthen Security in the Indo-Pacific


It is critically important that we not lose our focus on the importance of integrated deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Our allies and partners in the region need our support more than ever, and this request provides resources to help them build the capabilities necessary to meet emerging challenges. This request will provide funding for:
 

  • Security assistance for capacity building to address ongoing and emerging threats to critical allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. This funding will bolster deterrence and support key allies and partners as they face an increasingly assertive PRC, and will support partners transitioning off of Russian military equipment.
  • The United States’ Submarine Industrial Base, through improvements and infrastructure work at the Navy’s four public shipyards and increasing production rates and submarine availability through initiatives in supplier development, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, workforce development, technology advancements, government oversight, and strategic sourcing. This funding will accelerate build and sustainment rates for attack submarines, one of our most effective capabilities for maintaining deterrence, in order to meet U.S. military requirements.  
  • AUKUS. While this funding for our submarine industrial base is necessary to meet U.S. national needs, these investments will also support U.S. commitments under AUKUS – our trilateral security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom – the first major deliverable of which was our historic decision to support Australia acquiring conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines. Australia has also committed to provide a proportionate financial investment in the U.S. submarine industrial base to accelerate the delivery of Virginia class submarines.

 
Ensure Military Readiness
 
As we support our partners in Israel, Ukraine, and across the Indo-Pacific, the Administration’s request –including the items described above – provides funding to ensure American military readiness by investing over $50 billion in the American defense industrial base with through replenishment funding and other forms of security assistance, like foreign military financing and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Resources for the American defense industrial base will support American jobs, increase our nation’s ability to produce critically important munitions and other equipment, and ensure our Military continues to be the most ready, capable, and best equipped fighting force the world has ever seen. Without additional replenishment funding, DOD will be unable to continue to backfill the Military Services for equipment provided via drawdown to Ukraine and Israel, thereby degrading U.S. readiness.
 
Provide Alternatives to Coercive PRC Financing in Developing Countries
 
To provide a credible alternative to the People’s Republic of China’s coercive and unsustainable financing for developing countries around the world, the Administration’s request will advance high-leverage solutions through the international financial institutions. This historic U.S. action will support the mobilization of $200 billion of new financing for developing countries backed by our partners and allies. The requested funding will:
 

  • Materially expand development finance to the countries hard hit by the spillovers of Russia’s war through funding for the World Bank.
  • Unlock up to $21 billion in new transparent lending with no additional appropriations through the authorization to lend to two International Monetary Fund (IMF) trust funds.

 
Additionally, we are seeking authorization to ensure the IMF can respond quickly to future global financial shocks and restore stability to both economies and markets, minimizing negative spillovers that could affect the U.S. economy, by providing the authority to extend our participation in the IMF’s New Arrangements to Borrow mechanism.
 
Strengthen Border Security and Enforcement
 
The Administration is asking Congress to provide the resources our law enforcement personnel need to secure the southwest border and stop the flow of fentanyl into our country. President Biden continues to implement a regional migration strategy focused on enforcement, diplomacy, and legal pathways and work authorization. The plan has resulted in the largest expansion of legal pathways in decades, increased the number of law enforcement personnel along the border and expedited removals of unlawful crossings thanks to historic diplomatic agreements. Despite the progress made, President Biden has made clear that we need more funding to execute on our three-part strategy, including enhancing our enforcement measures. The requested funding supports:
 

  • An additional 1,300 border patrol agents to work alongside the 20,200 agents already funded in the FY2024 Budget.
  • Funding to deploy over 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect fentanyl at our southwest border ports of entry.
  • Additional 1,000 law enforcement personnel and investigative capabilities to prevent cartels from moving fentanyl into the country.
  • 1,600 additional asylum officers to increase by 2.5 times the number of personnel that interview and adjudicate claims for asylum and facilitate timely decisions so that those who are ineligible can be quickly removed and those with valid claims can have faster resolution.
  • 375 new immigration judge teams, the largest incremental request ever, to adjudicate and process immigration cases more quickly and help reduce the caseload backlog.
  • Additional grants to local governments and non-profits to support the provision of for temporary food, shelter, and other services for those recently released from DHS custody.
  • Critical border management activities, including additional temporary holding facilities and detention beds for fair and fast processing for recent arrivals.
  • Expansion of lawful pathways, including efforts to streamline the processing of eligible refugees and migrants through the Safe Mobility Offices Initiative.
  • Support for eligible arrivals, including services to successfully resettle in the United States and become self-sufficient.
  • Funding to conduct robust child labor investigations and enforcement, particularly to protect vulnerable migrant children entering the United States through the southern border.
  • Reimbursement to the Department of Defense for its support provided along the southwest border in FY 2024.

Finally, our nation faces additional urgent needs for millions of hard-working Americans. In coming days, the Administration will also submit a request for supplemental funds to address recent natural disasters, avoid the risk that millions of Americans lose access to affordable high-speed internet or child care, provide additional resources for FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and avert a funding cliff for wildland firefighter pay. Congress should also address critical funding needs the Administration communicated earlier this fall, including to protect critical nutrition assistance for millions of pregnant women, infants, and children through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Cut Energy Bills, Housing Costs and Climate Pollution

Administration invests over $100 million to renovate homes with zero energy and climate resilient technology

Announcement will help advance goal of cutting the cost of decarbonizing housing in half within a decade while lowering energy bills and increasing affordable housing supply

 

The Biden Administration announced awards of more than $100 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Inflation Reduction Act – the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever – to help renovate the homes of more than 1,500 low-income families to be zero energy and climate resilient. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

This fact sheet about Biden-Harris administration actions to cut energy bills, housing costs and climate pollution is provided by the White House:

Since Day One, the Biden-Harris Administration has advanced the most ambitious climate agenda in history, leading a whole-of-government approach to reduce emissions across every sector of the economy, including the buildings sector, and expand affordable clean energy to every American. Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration set a bold target to reduce the cost to decarbonize new and existing housing by 50% within a decade, while delivering energy bill savings for Americans and curbing greenhouse gas emissions that come from operating, constructing, and renovating buildings.
 
In the United States, more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions comes from the buildings sector – with 20 percent from heating, cooling, and operating our homes. By investing in solutions to cut pollution from homes, the U.S. will help curb 37% of greenhouse gas emissions that come from operating, constructing and renovating our buildings, while protecting people’s health and lowering energy and housing costs for hardworking families, a key pillar of Bidenomics.
 
That’s why today, the Administration announced awards of more than $100 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Inflation Reduction Act – the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever – to help renovate the homes of more than 1,500 low-income families to be zero energy and climate resilient. These energy-saving renovations will demonstrate the potential to preserve quality, affordable housing in our communities by cutting energy waste down to zero, increasing resiliency to extreme weather events worsened by climate change, and lowering costs for families. All the investments will be made in affordable housing communities serving low-income families in alignment with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. These investments will also preserve the long-term viability and affordability of our nation’s existing stock of affordable housing and advance fair housing by increasing housing options for communities.
 
In addition, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Energy today opened applications for the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit program, which will spur up to 1.8 gigawatts of clean energy investments annually in underserved communities. The program, also created by the Inflation Reduction Act, provides a bonus credit amount on top of the Investment Tax Credit for building clean energy projects, which is up to 30% of qualifying investments. The Low-Income Communities Bonus provides up to a 10 or 20- percentage point tax credit boost for small solar and wind projects placed in service in low- income or Tribal communities.
 
Today’s announcements build on key actions taken by the Administration to boost climate resilience in buildings and deliver lower home energy costs for families across the country, while increasing investments in housing supply and safer, healthier housing.
 

Lowering Energy and Housing Costs for Families and Achieving a Zero Emissions Building Sector

  • Last week, the Department of Energy launched its eighth Energy Earthshot – the “Affordable Home Energy Shot” – which sets a bold target to reduce the cost to decarbonize new and existing housing by 50%, save Americans money on their energy bills, and help address the persistent burdens faced by low-income households and communities of color. The initiative will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s environmental justice and equity goals, including the President’s Justice40 Initiative, by lowering the cost of energy-efficient retrofits while reducing overall energy costs and carbon intensity of homes across the country. Reducing the cost of building will also contribute to the Administration’s efforts to increase the nation’s affordable housing supply through the President’s Housing Supply Action Plan by expanding the production of affordable housing and ensuring the long-term viability of existing units.
     
  • The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced a goal of making zero emissions, resilient new construction and retrofits common practice by 2030. To achieve its goal, the Administration is developing a standard national definition for zero emissions buildings that will help establish a consistent, verifiable and measurable path to a zero-emissions building sector. With over 130 million existing buildings, which collectively cost over $400 billion a year to heat, cool, light and power, and 10 million new homes to be constructed by 2030, establishing a consistent uniform target will accelerate climate progress by driving investments into homes and buildings of the future.
     
  • The Department of the Treasury recently issued guidance on the Inflation Reduction Act’s amendments to the 45L new energy efficient homes tax credit that now offers up to $5,000 per home to eligible contractors who construct, reconstruct, or rehabilitate energy efficient homes.
     
  • Last week, the Department of Energy announced more than $30 million in awards through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, providing clean energy funding to eight states, 19 local governments and one Tribe. The EECBG Program is designed to assist states, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and to improve energy efficiency. DOE also awarded more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance through the Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) to teams across America with winning ideas to accelerate widespread, equitable energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades for homes and communities.
     
  • In addition, last month, the Department of Energy opened applications for $400 million through the Inflation Reduction Act for states and territories to adopt and implement the latest building energy codes or zero building energy codes in order to reduce utility bills, increase efficiency, lower greenhouse gas emissions that fuel the climate crisis, and make buildings more resilient to climate disaster.
     
  • FEMA last week announced the availability of $1.8 billion for two resilience grant programs designed to increase climate resilience nationwide and prepare communities for more frequent and severe extreme weather events. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) annual grant program is making an additional $1 billion available to fund projects that protect people and infrastructure from natural hazards and the effects of climate change. The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program will provide a further $800 million to fund projects that mitigate flood risks facing homes and communities across the nation.
  • Today Department of Housing and Urban Development released a Climate Resources for Housing Supply Framework that describes key funding opportunities for a climate-focused housing supply strategy. This follows the launch of HUD’s Funding Navigator, a user-friendly searchable database of Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law incentives and other resources from across federal agencies to support efforts to enhance climate resiliency, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, healthy housing, workforce development and environmental justice.
     
  • Recently, HUD announced its Funding Navigator, an interactive tool that allows users to browse and sort funding opportunities for billions of dollars in funding available under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
     
  • Earlier this month, EPA closed its application window for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction FundFor two of the competitions—the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund and the $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator—EPA identified net-zero emissions buildings, including multi-family housing, as a priority project category.

Together, these actions further the Administration’s commitment to reducing energy burdens, increasing housing supply and advancing fair housing, cutting climate pollution, boosting climate resilience, lowering household energy costs, and preserving the viability and affordability of America’s housing stock.

White House Announces New Actions to Expand Access to Homeownership, Make Homeownership More Affordable

To expand access to homeownership, President Biden has proposed $16 billion for the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit, which would result in more than 400,000 homes built or rehabilitated, creating a pathway for more families to buy a home and start building wealth.  The President has also proposed a $10 billion down payment assistance program that would ensure first-time homebuyers whose parents do not own a home can access homeownership alongside a $100 million down payment assistance pilot to expand homeownership opportunities for first-generation and/or low wealth first-time homebuyers. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

This fact sheet was provided by the White House to detail new actions to expand access to homeownership and ensure homeowners can afford to stay in their homes so that the wealth-building potential of homeownership works for everyone:

For millions of Americans homeownership is a foundation for so many parts of their lives, and for many it is also their primary source of wealth. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to expanding access to homeownership, ensuring homeowners can afford to stay in their homes and make the repairs they need, and that the wealth building potential of homeownership works equally for everyone.

Todaythe Biden-Harris Administration is releasing new data showing major federal investment in homeownership, and announcing key new actions to accelerate progress. These actions make important strides, but given the lack of homes on the market and current interest rates, to truly ensure homeownership is accessible to all households, we need Congress to act. That is why President Biden proposed $16 billion for the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit, which would result in more than 400,000 homes built or rehabilitated, creating a pathway for more families to buy a home and start building wealth.  The President has also proposed a $10 billion down payment assistance program that would ensure first-time homebuyers whose parents do not own a home can access homeownership alongside a $100 million down payment assistance pilot to expand homeownership opportunities for first-generation and/or low wealth first-time homebuyers.

New Data Shows Strong Investment in Homeownership

The Treasury Department released data demonstrating how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is supporting existing homeowners and helping more Americans access affordable homeownership through over $12 billion in support. The American Rescue Plan’s Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) has assisted nearly 400,000 homeowners at risk of foreclosure. Through Q2 2023, the state, territorial, and Tribal recipients of HAF have expended over $5.5 billion to assist homeowners, a 32% increase from Q1 2023. In addition, through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program local, state, territorial, and Tribal governments are also supporting home ownership, in part by dedicating more than $6.6 billion to support over 17,000 units of affordable housing, through June 30, 2023.

Federal agencies are also releasing data showing record support for low-, middle-income, and first-time homebuyers:

  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is announcing that the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) first-time homebuyer rate under the Biden-Harris Administration is the highest it has been since at least 2000. Since the start of the Administration, FHA has supported nearly 1.8 million homeowners with purchase mortgages, and 83.6 percent or 1.5 million of whom are first-time homebuyers.  
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing that in this past fiscal year it provided more than 7,100 direct housing loans, which subsidizes loan rates down to 1 percent for certain borrowers. This is the highest number of loans since 2010, serving homebuyers with an average income of $42,918. Roughly 55 percent of these borrowers were female-headed households and 22 percent identify as Black or African American.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing that in 2023 it helped 145,480 Veterans retain homeownership and/or avoid foreclosure.

New Actions to Support Homeownership
 
We know that despite these milestones and actions, homeownership is still out of reach for too many, which is why the Administration is committed to aggressively increasing homeownership opportunities, which includes:

  • Allow homebuyers to leverage income from accessory dwelling units: Today, HUD, through FHA, published new policy allowing prospective borrowers to use a portion of the actual or prospective rental income from an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to be added to the borrower’s effective income for purposes of qualifying for an FHA-insured mortgage. FHA’s new policies will increase the ability of homebuyers across the nation to obtain access to affordable mortgage credit when seeking to purchase properties with ADUs, add ADUs to existing structures, or construct new homes with ADUs. The flexibilities will help more first-time homebuyers, seniors, and inter-generational families leverage ADUs to build generational wealth through homeownership while creating new affordable housing in their communities.
     
  • Increase mortgage opportunities for Tribes: USDA is awarding $9 million in loans to nine Native American Community Development Institutions as a part of its efforts to increase access to homeownership for Native Americans on Tribal Lands through a relending demonstration program. The program provides capital to Native Community Development Financial Institutions (NCDFIs) to be relent to low- and very low-income people who live on tribal lands and are in need of affordable single-family homes.
     
  • Ensure innovative homeownership models can work: Before the end of the year USDA will launch a pilot to test alternative eligibility criteria related to community representation for Community Land Trust Organizations through its Section 502 Direct Home Loan Program. Through this pilot, USDA will evaluate whether expanding eligibility criteria in this way increases access to affordable homeownership opportunities.
     
  • Make home repairs easier to finance: HUD, through FHA, is continuing its work to update the 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program to help homebuyers and homeowners finance the purchase or refinance of homes in need of improvement. FHA is considering potential policy changes that could increase the funds available to borrowers to make renovations and repairs.  Other policies under review would permit more time for completion of those improvements. These and other program changes will increase the use of FHA-insured mortgages to finance renovations that will improve existing homes and restore them to viable use, adding to the supply of housing in communities across the country.
     
  • Help homeowners know their rights and remain in their homes: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an independent agency, is working on reforms to existing rules to help homeowners when they have trouble making their mortgage payments. The reforms build on observations during the COVID-19 pandemic about places where the rules could be streamlined and simplified. The reforms will ensure homeowners can get the help they need without unnecessary delays or hurdles and are better able to not fall into foreclosure.
     
  • Assist homeowners behind on their mortgages: In fiscal year 2024, VA will deploy a new home retention option that provides a long-term solution to address our most severely impacted Veteran borrowers. The VA Servicing Purchase (VASP) program will help Veteran borrowers who are behind on their mortgage loan who do not qualify for traditional home retention options.

The announcement builds on prior work across the Administration, including a policy announced earlier this year that reduced the mortgage insurance fees for borrowers receiving FHA loans, saving them on average $800 per year on housing costs. HUD has also made it easier for first-time homebuyers to qualify for FHA-insured mortgage financing by permitting lenders to use positive rental history as a factor in evaluating an applicant’s creditworthiness and by providing more access to affordable single-family FHA-insured mortgage financing for creditworthy individuals with student loan debt. Ginnie Mae is enhancing its security disclosures so that, for the first time, investors can measure their social impact in driving first time homeownership. This policy can expand access to capital for first time homebuyers.  And this work builds on efforts by the Administration’s Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE), which is making critical progress toward ensuring there is equity in the home appraisal process. However, the White House calls on Congress to pass the President’s proposals so that we can ensure homeownership is a possibility for all Americans.

IRS Launches New Initiatives to Ensure Large Corporations Pay Taxes Owed, Continues to Improve Service and Modernize Technology

This fact sheet is provided by the Department of the Treasury concerning new initiatives launched by the IRS using funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure large corporations pay the taxes they owe, while improving service and modernizing technology with the launch of the Business Tax Account:

U.S. Department of the Treasury. The IRS is announcing new initiatives to ensure large corporations pay taxes owed. As these initiatives to improve compliance among high-income individuals, complex partnerships, and large corporations ramp up, the IRS is continuing its work to improve customer service and modernize core technology infrastructure, most notably with the launch of Business Tax Account. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

WASHINGTON—Following a dramatically improved 2023 Filing Season thanks to Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investments, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has targeted IRA resources on strengthening enforcement, with announcements on new initiatives to pursue high-income, high-wealth individuals who do not pay overdue tax bills and complex partnerships. Today the IRS is announcing new initiatives to ensure large corporations pay taxes owed. As these initiatives to improve compliance among high-income individuals, complex partnerships, and large corporations ramp up, the IRS is continuing its work to improve customer service and modernize core technology infrastructure, most notably with the launch of Business Tax Account.

Ensuring Large Corporations and High-Income, High-Wealth Individual Taxpayers Pay Taxes Owed

The IRS is working to ensure large corporate and high-income individual filers pay the taxes they owe. Prior to the Inflation Reduction Act, more than a decade of budget cuts prevented the IRS from keeping pace with the increasingly complicated set of tools that the wealthiest taxpayers use to hide their income and evade paying their share. The IRS is now taking swift and aggressive action to close this gap.

  • Large Foreign-Owned Corporations Transfer Pricing Initiative: The IRS is increasing compliance efforts on the U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies that distribute goods in the U.S. and do not pay their fair share of tax on the profit they earn of their U.S. activity. These foreign companies use transfer pricing rules year after year to report losses that are engineered through the improper use of these rules to avoid reporting an appropriate amount of U.S. profits. To crack down on this strategy, the IRS is sending compliance alerts to approximately 150 subsidiaries of large foreign corporations to reiterate their U.S. tax obligations and incentivize self-correction.
     
  • Expansion of the Large Corporate Compliance program: The Large Business & International Division’s (LB&I) Large Corporate Compliance (LCC) program focuses on noncompliance by using data analytics to identify large corporate taxpayers for audit. LCC includes the largest and most complex corporate taxpayers with average assets of more than $24 billion and average taxable income of approximately $526 million per year. As new accountants come on board in early 2024, LB&I is expanding the program by starting an additional 60 audits of the largest corporate taxpayers selected using a combination of artificial intelligence and subject matter expertise in areas such as cross-border issues and corporate planning and transactions.
     
  • Cracking Down on Abuse of Repealed Corporate Tax Break: Following the 2017 repeal of a provision of the code that provided a deduction for producing goods in the U.S., the IRS received hundreds of claims collectively seeking more than $6 billion in refunds, with a significant portion of filers claiming the deduction for the first time. The IRS launched a campaign to address noncompliance and review high-risk claims in this area. IRS efforts have been incredibly successful in ensuring revenue is collected. The efforts have recently been supported by a significant win in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the Tax Court and IRS in denying a refund claim based on a $1.8 billion deduction. This will have far-reaching benefit to the IRS’ ongoing efforts in this space.
     
  • Prioritization of high-income cases: The IRS has been ramping up efforts to pursue high income, high wealth individuals who have either not filed their taxes or failed to pay recognized tax debt. These efforts are concentrated among taxpayers with more than $1 million in income and more than $250,000 in recognized tax debt. Building off earlier successes that collected $38 million from more than 175 high-income earners, dozens of Revenue Officers are focusing on these high-end collection cases in the coming fiscal year. As announced in September, the IRS has begun contacting about 1,600 new taxpayers in this category that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes.
    • The IRS has now collected $122 million dollars in 100 of these already assigned 1,600 cases. Examples of cases closed since the Inflation Reduction Act passed follow:
      • An individual last month was ordered to pay more than $15 million in restitution. The individual falsified millions of dollars of personal expenses as deductible business expenses and financed construction of a 51,000-square-foot mansion, including expenses of interior and exterior construction costs; an outdoor pool and pool house; and tennis, basketball, and bocce courts. The individual falsified millions of dollars of expenses for luxury vehicles, artwork, country club memberships, and homes for his children.
         
      • An individual last week pled guilty to filing false tax returns and skimming more than $670,000 from his business. The individual spent $110,000 on personal expenses and $502,000 on gambling.
         
      • An individual was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining $5 million in COVID relief loans for sham businesses. The individual then spent the money on himself, purchasing Ferrari, Bentley, and Lamborghini cars

Improving Taxpayer Service

The IRS is focused on helping taxpayers get it right the first time—claiming the credits and deductions they are eligible for and avoiding back-and-forth with the agency when errors arise. To help taxpayers get it right, the IRS is working toward taxpayers being able to seamlessly interact with the agency in the ways that work best for them on the phone, in-person, and online. The IRS is expanding in-person service and meeting taxpayers where they are, particularly those in underserved and rural communities. The IRS is continuing to expand Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country, while also starting a special series of events to help taxpayers living in areas far from the agency’s in-person offices.

  • Community Assistance Visits: In these new Community Assistance Visits, the IRS will set up a temporary Taxpayer Assistance Center to give taxpayers from hard-to-reach areas an opportunity to meet face-to-face with IRS customer service representatives. The IRS has conducted seven events in Paris, Texas Alpena, Michigan; Hastings, Nebraska; Twin Falls, Idaho; Juneau, Alaska; Lihue, Hawaii; Baker City, Oregon. Many of the taxpayers served at these events had exhausted all other options for IRS services. The feedback from IRS employees, taxpayers and the host sites have all been very positive. Currently, two additional locations have been identified to host Community Assistance Visits in Ciales, Puerto Rico and Gallup, New Mexico.
     
  • Opening Taxpayer Assistance Centers: Currently, the IRS has opened or reopened 50 Taxpayer Assistance Centers since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, including eight additional since the 1st anniversary of the law’s enactment:

1. Waco, TX 10/10/2023
2. Missoula, MT 10/2/2023
3. Martinsburg, WV 10/2/2023
4. Monroe, LA 9/25/2023
5. York, PA 9/18/2023
6. Topeka, KS 9/5/2023
7. Utica, NY 8/28/2023
8. Fayetteville, AR 8/14/2023
9. Hickory, NC 8/7/2023
10. Rome, GA 8/7/2023
11. Plantation, FL 8/3/2023
12. Panama City, FL 7/31/2023
13. Cranberry Township, PA 7/31/2023
14. Peoria, IL 7/24/2023
15. Huntington, WV, 7/5/2023
16. Lincoln NE, May 23, 2023
17. La Vale MD, May 15, 2023
18. Altoona PA, May 8, 2023
19. Fredericksburg VA, May 1, 2023
20. Parkersburg WV, May 1, 2023
21. Bend OR, April 17, 2023
22. Greenville MS, April 10, 2023
23. Trenton NJ, April 10, 2023
24. Bellingham WA, April 3, 2023
25. Augusta ME, March 30, 2023
26. Jackson TN, March 28, 2023
27. Joplin MO, March 28, 2023
28. Colorado Springs CO, March 27, 2023
29. Glendale AZ, March 27, 2023
30. Cranberry Township PA, Mar 22, 2023
31. La Crosse WI, March 20, 2023
32. Charlottesville VA, March 17, 2023
33. Queensbury NY, March 9, 2023
34. Santa Fe NM, Feb. 27, 2023
35. Longview TX, Jan. 17, 2023
36. Overland Park KS, Jan. 17, 2023
37. West Nyack NY, Jan. 5, 2023
38. Binghamton NY, Jan. 3, 2023
39. Casper WY, Jan. 3, 2023
40. Fort Myers FL, Dec. 19, 2022
41. Grand Junction CO, Dec. 19, 2022
42. Rockford IL, Dec. 12, 2022
43. Hagerstown MD, Dec. 1, 2022
44. DASE (Guaynabo) PR, Nov. 28, 2022
45. Johnson City TN, Nov. 28, 2022
46. Prestonsburg KY, Nov. 28, 2022
47. Vienna VA, Nov. 28, 2022
48. Greensboro NC, Nov. 22, 2022
49. Bloomington IL, Nov. 21, 2022
50. Ponce PR, Nov. 14, 2022

  • Taxpayer Assistance Center Hiring Update: As of September 23, the IRS has hired 745 employees to staff Taxpayer Assistance Centers. This represents a 31% net increase in Taxpayer Assistance Center staffing compared to Fiscal Year 2022, and IRS continues to hire to replace departing staff. Taxpayer Assistance Centers have served about 235,000 more taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2023 than Fiscal Year 2022, an 18% increase.

Taxpayers deserve the same functionality in their online accounts that they experience with their bank or other financial institutions. As detailed in the Strategic Operating Plan, in the next five years, taxpayers will be able to securely file all documents and respond to all notices online and securely access and download their data and account history. The IRS has hit or has in progress several milestones toward this goal, including the launch of Business Tax Account, the expansion of the Document Upload Tool to accept responses to nearly all notices and letters, and the launch of digital mobile-adaptive forms.

  • Business Tax Account: IRS launched the first phase of Business Tax Account that, over time, will allow business taxpayers to check their tax payment history, make payments, view notices, authorize powers of attorney and conduct other business with the IRS. This initial phase allows unincorporated sole proprietors who have an active Employer Identification Number to set up a business tax account, whether they can view their business profile and manage authorized users. Future improvements will allow taxpayers to use their business tax accounts to view letters or notices, request tax transcripts, add third parties for power of attorney or tax information authorizations, schedule or cancel tax payments and store bank account information.
     
  • Respond to notices online: Taxpayers are now able to respond to notices online. Until Filing Season 2023, when taxpayers received notices for things like document verification, they had to respond through the mail. During Filing Season 2023, taxpayers were able to respond to 10 of the most common notices for credits like the Earned Income and Health Insurance Tax Credits online, saving them time and money. As of September 29, the IRS has received more than 32,000 responses to notices via the online tool.
     
  • Enable taxpayers to submit mobile-friendly forms: The IRS is enabling taxpayers to submit mobile-friendly forms with the launch of the first three forms. These forms are adaptive for mobile device screen and can be submitted electronically when completed. This is also an important milestone toward the IRS goal of meeting taxpayers where they are and allowing them to interact with the IRS in the ways that work best for them. An estimated 15% of Americans rely solely on mobile phones for their Internet access—they do not have broadband at home—so it is important to make forms available in mobile-friendly formats. The first three forms launched at the end of September.
    • Form 15109, Request for Tax Deferment. Taxpayers can provide information related to their entry and exit from service in combat ones, contingency operations or hazardous duty stations.
       
    • Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Taxpayers can provide information related to the fraudulent use of their and/or dependent identity.
       
    • Form 14242, Reporting Abusive Tax Promotions and/or Preparers. Taxpayers use this form to provide detail information about tax schemes.
       
    • A fourth form, Form 13909, Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint, will launch later this fall. At least 20 of the most-used tax forms will launch in early 2024.

In addition, the IRS continues to expand the functionality of several online platforms:

  • Individual Account: The IRS continues to deploy enhanced capabilities for individual accounts, following the May launch of virtual assistance and live chat. Taxpayers can now validate their bank accounts and save multiple accounts, eliminating the need to re-enter bank account information every time they make a payment. This feature launched at the end of September.
     
  • Tax Professional Account: The IRS continues to provide enhanced capabilities for tax professionals’ online accounts, helping practitioners manage their active client authorizations on file with the Centralized Authorization File (CAF) database, which stores the information on individuals authorized to act on a taxpayer’s behalf. Other enhancements put into place in September 2023 allow tax professionals to view their client’s tax information, including balance due amounts. Tax Pro Account users can now also withdraw from their active authorizations online in real time.

Modernizing Technology
On the technology side, the IRS is modernizing decades-old technology to drive the agency’s efforts to provide world class customer service and protect taxpayers’ data.

  • Digitalization: The IRS also continues to make significant progress scanning and e-filing paper returns. As of October, the IRS had scanned more than 1 million forms during the 2023 calendar year—more than 480,000 Forms 940, 579,000 Forms 941 and more than 90,000 Forms 1040. Digitization has far-reaching implications for improving IRS service. Digitizing paper returns will eliminate errors that result from manually inputting data from paper returns, which will speed up processing, reduce storage costs, and allow IRS to focus more resources on customer service. Once paper returns are digitized, extracting the data will enable IRS customer service employees to answer taxpayer questions and resolve issues more quickly and accurately. Customer service employees do not currently have easy access to the information from paper returns and other correspondence submitted by mail. Digitization and data extraction will give them access to that information they need to better serve taxpayers.

For Further Information:

Biden Establishes First-Ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention

President Biden announces the formation of the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, to be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris. Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL), a gun violence survivor and gun violence prevention activist was on hand for the announcement at the White House © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com via MSNBC.

By Karen Rubin, news-photos-features.com

For those who insist the 2nd Amendment is absolute and government has no authority to regulate guns, look to the preamble of the Constitution, the authority is written there: “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

It’s a shonda that in face of 31,394 gun deaths and 506 mass shootings so far this year- that President Biden has felt the need to establish the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Headed by Vice President Kamala Harris, it is aimed at providing aid and comfort to communities after yet another incident of gun violence, in the same way FEMA does after a disaster, recognizing the trauma and dislocation of communities after such events. The office will also see to fully implement the provisions of the Safer Communities Act – the first serious gun control legislation in nearly 30 years – enact the many gun-safety Executive Orders, and see where new measures need to be taken.

President Biden also vowed to see renewed legislation banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and gave a long list of actions that Congress must take to end the scourge, the epidemic of gun violence that is uniquely “American.”

The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will be overseen by Vice President Harris, who has been a been a key leader in the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Stefanie Feldman, a longtime policy advisor to President Biden on gun violence prevention, will serve as Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, alongside leading gun violence prevention advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, who will join the Administration as Deputy Directors of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
 
“Every time I’ve met with families impacted by gun violence as they mourn their loved ones, and I’ve met with so many throughout the country, they all have the same message for their elected officials: ‘do something.’ It’s why, last year, I signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to keep guns out of dangerous hands, and have taken more executive action than any President in history to keep communities safe. But as I’ve said before – while these are important steps, they are just the first steps toward what is needed,” President Biden said at a ceremony announcing the office.
 
“That’s why I’m announcing additional steps forward, with the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to build upon these measures and keep Americans safe. The Office will include Stefanie Feldman, who has capably led my Administration’s gun violence prevention efforts and been a trusted aide for more than a decade, alongside leading experts Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox whose own lives and families have been touched by the tragedy of gun violence. They have turned their pain into purpose and dedicated their careers to being advocates for change – that important work will continue as they join my team in these new roles.
 
“I’ll continue to urge Congress to take commonsense actions that the majority of Americans support like enacting universal background checks and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. But in the absence of that sorely-needed action, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart,” Biden said.
  
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end gun violence in our country: including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action in nearly 30 years aimed at doing so, and taking more meaningful executive action than any other president to make our schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has worked to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years. This legislation is already saving lives by keeping guns out of the hands of individuals under 21 who are prohibited from purchasing firearms, empowering the Justice Department with new authorities to prosecute firearms traffickers, improving access to mental health services in our schools to help young people deal with the trauma and grief resulting from gun violence, and investing in community violence interventions.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced dozens of executive actions to: keep especially dangerous weapons and repeat shooters off our streets; hold rogue gun dealers and gun traffickers accountable; provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to reduce gun violence; and address the root causes of gun violence.  Most recently, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – a critical leader in work to reduce gun violence – proposed a rule to reduce the number of guns sold without background checks and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
 
President Biden continues to call on Congress to take additional action, including by:

  • Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines;
  • Requiring safe storage of firearms;
  • Requiring background checks for all gun sales;
  • Eliminating gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability; and

Enacting his Safer America Plan, which would put more police officers on our streets for accountable, community policing and invest in gun violence prevention and intervention.

 “Every person and every child deserves the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and live up to their God-given potential. Every family, in every community, should have the freedom to live and to thrive,” Vice President Kamala Harris stated. “We know true freedom is not possible if people are not safe. This epidemic of gun violence requires urgent leadership to end the fear and trauma that Americans experience every day. The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will play a critical role in implementing President Biden’s and my efforts to reduce violence to the fullest extent under the law, while also engaging and encouraging Congressional leaders, state and local leaders, and advocates to come together to build upon the meaningful progress that we have made to save lives. Our promise to the American people is this: we will not stop working to end the epidemic of gun violence in every community, because we do not have a moment, nor a life to spare.”

See also:

To Stop Scourge of Gun Violence, End Easy Access, Hold Manufacturers, Retailers, Owners Accountable

The 2nd Amendment Myth that ‘Gun Rights’ Cannot be ‘Infringed’

FACT SHEET: BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION TAKES ANOTHER LIFE-SAVING STEP TO KEEP GUNS OUT OF DANGEROUS HANDS

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FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Marks 29th Anniversary of Violence Against Women Act

Today, on the anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Biden-Harris Administration marks the progress we have made through VAWA to transform the United States’ response to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. President Biden’s commitment to preventing and addressing gender-based violence has remained a cornerstone of his career—from the initial passage of VAWA twenty-nine years ago to, in 2023 alone, implementing historic bipartisan military justice reform and issuing the first-ever U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
 
Since he first championed VAWA in 1994, President Biden has worked across the aisle to reauthorize and strengthen this critical legislation. With each reauthorization, VAWA has been expanded to improve safety and support for all survivors, increase prevention efforts, and inspire social change that will ensure all people are able to live free from violence.
 
Most recently, President Biden signed the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 and secured the highest-ever funding level for VAWA implementation. Over the last year, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to implement changes that were passed as part of the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 by:

  • Distributing record funding to states, Tribes, and territories for local prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim advocates to support survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.  Funding for the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), established formula grants that have increased funding markedly—for critical programs such as the Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program; the Sexual Assault Services Grant Program; and the Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program.  These funds will contribute to efforts to support victims and advance justice in communities across our Nation. 
    • Expanding special Tribal criminal jurisdiction with support to Native communities.  The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 expanded special Tribal criminal jurisdiction (STCJ) to cover non-Native perpetrators of sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, sex trafficking, and assaults on Tribal law enforcement officers on Tribal lands. It also authorized a pilot project to enhance access to safety for survivors in Alaska Native villages. The Department of Justice moved quickly to identify and deploy resources to support Tribal implementation of STCJ, including by issuing or announcing awards for new technical assistance and to establish an Alaska-specific Intertribal Technical Assistance Working Group. OVW also issued an interim final rule to reimburse Tribes for expenses incurred in exercising STCJ, which will permit OVW to administer the Tribal Reimbursement Program starting in 2024.
       
    • Increasing culturally-specific resources and support for survivors and communities. The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 increased services and support for survivors from underserved and marginalized communities—including for LGBTQI+ survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. OVW is supporting organizations to maintain and replicate existing successful LGBTQI+-specific services, including through two additional LGBTQI+-specific projects through the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations Program.
       
    • Addressing online harassment and abuse and combatting cybercrimes.  Complementing the Administration’s efforts to promote online safety through the Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse, the bipartisan year-end omnibus allocated $8 million to implement initiatives addressing cybercrimes, including two programs newly authorized by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022. 
       
      • To better support State, Tribal, and local law enforcement, prosecutors, and judicial personnel, OVW is working to establish the National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals, to assist victims of cybercrimes.
         
      • A $1 million grant will be released by OVW  along with a solicitation, to launch a technical assistance project on the prosecution and investigation of online abuse and harassment. 
         
      • DOJ’s Office of Access to Justice, in consultation with OVW, will work to raise awareness through United States Attorneys’ Offices about the new federal civil cause of action for the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, passed into law in VAWA 2022.
         
    • Promoting prevention and strengthening services for survivors of sexual assault. The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 improves prevention and response to sexual violence, including through increased support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rape Prevention and Education Program and Sexual Assault Services Program and enactment of the Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act, which requires state victim compensation programs to allow sexual assault survivors to file for compensation without being unfairly penalized due to rape kit backlogs. DOJ awarded $51.8 million—a nearly 45% increase in funding from the previous year—to provide victims of sexual assault with services in every state and the District of Columbia, as well as American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
       
    • Addressing the nexus between firearms and domestic violence.  The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 strengthened protections for domestic violence survivors at risk of experiencing gun violence, and established a historic restorative justice grant program, offering survivors alternative approaches to healing and justice. President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which narrowed the “boyfriend loophole” by helping to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. DOJ is training federal law enforcement and educating state and local law enforcement and prosecutors on this historic change. And the FBI is reporting denied transactions of firearm purchases, fully implementing the NICS Denial Notification Act, which helped state law enforcement investigate and prosecute cases against individuals legally prohibited from purchasing firearms who try to do so.
       

Expanding options for survivors to hold offenders accountable. VAWA established a historic restorative justice grant program, offering survivors alternative approaches to healing and justice. Recognizing that survivors and communities need more tools to hold offenders accountable and allow survivors to rebuild their lives, OVW released a solicitation to offer training and technical support to implement restorative practices, as defined in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022.

FACT SHEET: White House Cancer Moonshot Announces New Actions, Commitments to End Cancer as We Know It

Today, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden convened a meeting of the Cancer Cabinet to announce new actions federal agencies are taking to advance the mission of the White House Cancer Moonshot, as well as new commitments the Biden-Harris Administration has secured from non-governmental organizations and the private sector to deliver progress on the mission to end cancer as we know it.
 
Last year, the President and First Lady reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goals of reducing the cancer death rate in the United States by at least half—preventing more than 4 million cancer deaths—by 2047 and improving the experience of people who are touched by cancer. The President also established a Cancer Cabinet to mobilize the entire Biden-Harris Administration in pursuit of these ambitious goals. In the time since, the Cancer Moonshot has announced roughly 50 new programs, policies, and resources and secured more than 100 commitments from private companies, non-profit organizations, patient groups, and more toward the President’s and First Lady’s goals.
 
Accelerating the fight against cancer is a core component of the President’s Unity Agenda, a set of priorities that Americans from every walk of life can support. In his State of the Union address earlier this year, President Biden laid out a bold vision to advance his Unity Agenda, including the work of the Cancer Moonshot, specifically by driving innovation that changes patient outcomes, providing support to families as they navigate a cancer diagnosis, and preventing cancer by tackling the biggest single driver of cancer deaths in this country—smoking. Today’s actions build on the progress the Cancer Moonshot has delivered since then, and at today’s Cancer Cabinet meeting, the President and First Lady will hear from Cabinet leaders on the progress made and the important work ahead.

“Joe Biden is determined to be a president for all Americans,” White House deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed said in a statement Tuesday. “That is why his Unity Agenda is about making progress on the biggest challenges we all face regardless of party. At his direction, the entire federal government is mobilizing like never before to end cancer as we know it.”

Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health is announcing $240 million in investments to fund research and innovators this year for cancer-related projects, as well as a new partnership with the NIH, the National Cancer Institute to launch a so-called Biomedical Data Fabric Toolbox, which the administration says will be “the first step toward transforming data accessibility across all medical domains.”

In addition, new programs from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Environmental Protect Agency will seek to expand cancer care to underserved communities, reduce the impact of smoking in underserved, minority, tribal, and veterans’ communities, and invest in community centers offering cancer screenings.

And NASA, in partnership with the International Space Station, will also announce funding for in-orbit research projects to advance cancer technology.

Biden unveiled his “Cancer Cabinet,” as part of his administration’s broader Cancer Moonshot initiative in 2022. It’s made up of representatives from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy and Agriculture, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute and others across the executive branch.

For her part, First Lady Jill Biden has used her platform to support cancer patients and their families, participating in more than 40 Cancer Moonshot events in 16 cities across almost a dozen states, per the White House.

The issue remains a personal one for the Biden family – both have had cancerous lesions removed as part of routine checkups, while their son, Beau Biden, died of a glioblastoma brain tumor in 2015.
 
Today’s announcements from the Biden Cancer Moonshot include:

  • $240 million in additional investment this year to accelerate new ways to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) will award an additional $240 million to researchers and innovators this year for cancer-related projects. This includes projects to develop new tools to detect cancers early, when cancers are most treatable; produce innovative approaches to visualize cancer cells during surgery to improve patient outcomes through the Precision Surgical Interventions program; pursue new treatment approaches, like directing bacteria to kill cancer inside the body; and design devices that could deliver treatments directly to cancer cells to treat tumors more effectively.
     
  • A new “biomedical data fabric toolbox” to advance cancer research progress. ARPA-H is partnering with the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and other agencies to develop a new Biomedical Data Fabric Toolbox for Cancer. Starting with cancer datasets, this program represents the first step toward transforming data accessibility across all medical domains, promising a future of boundless possibilities in health innovation. Today, cancer research data is collected across thousands of research labs, clinical care organizations, and numerous other sources; these entities all store their datasets differently, making it difficult for cancer researchers to leverage the full potential of massive amounts of data that exist. This initiative will pioneer prototype technologies capable of seamlessly searching cancer datasets to reveal opportunities for groundbreaking disease detection, prevention, and treatment, reduce the time needed to integrate new data sources from months to days, and improve data usability by the research community—so we can break down existing data siloes and learn from the experiences of more patients. This project will help bring America’s cancer research system into the 21st century by transforming our health care system for cancer into a learning system, ensuring that knowledge gained through research is available to as many experts as possible, and delivering discovery and breakthroughs to patients sooner.
     
  • A new nationwide health innovation network to bring cancer clinical trials to underserved communities and drive research progress. ARPA-H is announcing that it’s new ARPANET-H, a nationwide health innovation network to tackle pressing health challenges, will be deployed to accelerate clinical trials for cancer and other diseases. This new network will reach all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and create a continuous feedback loop with patients, providers, researchers, and others that improves the goals, reach, and data sharing capabilities across ARPA-H programs to foster breakthrough collaborations and advance equitable health outcomes. ARPANET-H will comprise Customer Experience, Investor Catalyst, and Stakeholder and Operations hubs, along with a network of supporting spokes that connect local organizations, health providers, companies, and others to ARPA-H’s work. This new network will enable historically underserved populations to actively participate in clinical trials, improve equity in access to innovative cancer interventions and accelerate the agency’s work to drive breakthroughs in preventing, detecting, and treating cancer and other diseases.
     
  • New investments to reduce the impact of menthol and other flavored commercial tobacco products in communities that experience health disparities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is announcing awardees of a new five-year, $15 million program to help increase adoption, implementation, and enforcement of policies prohibiting the sale of menthol and other flavored tobacco products and increase awareness of cessation services and coverage options among populations experiencing tobacco-related disparities in order to accelerate smoking cessation.
     
  • A new award recognizing community health centers for exceptional performance and high clinical quality in cancer screenings. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is launching a new National Quality Leader (NQL) – Cancer Screening Badge. Federally qualified community health centers that meet two or more of the Healthy People 2030 breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening targets in their annual Uniform Data System performance report will receive the new NQL – Cancer Screening Badge. This badge, which will be awarded annually, was created in support of the Cancer Moonshot’s call to action on cancer screening, and highlights the critical role health centers play in providing historically medically underserved, high-need communities with access to lifesaving cancer screenings. In 2022, community health centers—which provide comprehensive, high-quality primary health care services tailored to their communities regardless of their patients’ ability to pay—served more than 30 million patients nationwide.
     
  • A new plan to decrease the impact of smoking on Americans’ health by expanding efforts to prevent smoking and to support everyone who wants to quit. While the United States has made important progress, smoking remains the biggest single driver of cancer deaths in the country. To ensure Americans who want to quit have the support they need, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will finalize its Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation this year. This Framework, which was developed with public input, will be a roadmap for enhancing collaboration and coordination across HHS—and with federal agencies and non-governmental organizations—to equitably accelerate smoking cessation progress, with a specific focus on communities disproportionately impacted by tobacco use.
     
  • New smoking cessation resources for underserved communities, including American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black communities, to reduce cancer health disparities. NCI’s SmokeFree.gov initiative is extending a partnership with the Indian Health Service to collaborate with experts from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and the American Indian Cancer Foundation to launch SmokeFreeNative, a text messaging program to help American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents and adults quit smoking, while honoring the significance of traditional tobacco. Additionally, NCI is launching digital resources this fall on www.smokefree.gov to encourage and help people who smoke menthol cigarettes to quit. These resources were created to address barriers to quitting in communities that experience disparities caused by menthol cigarette use, with a particular focus on Black communities. 
     
  • A new pilot program to increase veteran engagement in tobacco use treatment. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in collaboration with NCI, will conduct a clinical demonstration project to assess how to more effectively engage veterans in tobacco-use treatment programs. This clinical demonstration project will be implemented in the next year across a subset of Veterans Integrated Services Network clinical resource hubs and aims to address the high rates of tobacco use among veterans with mental health disorders and address gaps in the provision of treatment across facilities.
     
  • New resources and actions to reduce exposures to environmental carcinogens. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching epa.gov/cancer, with new information and prominently featured resources from EPA and other federal agencies about secondhand smoke, smoking cessation, and other cancer-related topics. New regulatory efforts, through rules and standards in progress, will regulate unreasonable cancer risks associated with carcinogenic chemicals under statutes including the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Clean Air Act. EPA will also continue to leverage its existing authorities under our nation’s bedrock health and environmental laws to accelerate the rate of progress to prevent cancer, including phase-outs of carcinogens, regulatory actions to protect children, workers and overburdened communities, and enforcement actions to ensure pollution is curbed. The Administration’s efforts to fight cancer linked with environmental exposure also advance President Biden’s commitment to environmental justice for all.
     
  • Leveraging research in space to fight cancer on earth and amplifying awareness on cancer screening. NASA’s Division for Biological and Physical Sciences, in partnership with the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, will fund several projects to advance cancer research and technology to take place in-orbit on the ISS. Projects will aim to develop new cancer treatments, broaden research advancements, foster new collaborations, and accelerate biomanufacturing. Additionally, NASA is piloting early cancer screening education videos, partnering with VA to drive targeted education on lung cancer screening for veterans.
     
  • A new partnership to further understanding of the impact cancer has on America’s veterans. In alignment with the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, VA and NCI are announcing a new partnership to develop a two-way exchange process to collect more data on cancers in VA patients. This process will allow NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and the VA cancer registry to work together to gain crucial insights on veteran cancer diagnoses and treatments, while maintaining and protecting veteran privacy. Prior to this effort, data exchange was sporadic and incomplete, resulting in a lack of complete information on cancer in this important population. This collaboration will help us better understand—and ultimately treat—cancer among veterans and all Americans.
     
  • An expansion of virtual cancer care for America’s veterans. VA is announcing that it is adding more than 30 new sites to its VA National TeleOncology program, which provides resources and staff support through partnerships with VA medical centers nationwide. This program makes highly specialized care, like virtual tumor boards for multiple cancers, available to veterans, in particular, living in rural locations.

The Cancer Moonshot is also announcing the following new commitments from non-governmental organizations:

  • The American Cancer Society (ACS) will create a new oncology professional navigator curricula and certification program. In 2024, the ACS, with input from key partners, will lead the creation and implementation of a standardized national curricula for professional, non-clinician navigators to support people with cancer. Navigation by trained professionals in clinical settings is an integral component to improving cancer outcomes in the United States, helping to ensure every cancer patient has access to timely, quality, and culturally competent care, especially in historically marginalized communities. Additionally, ACS with will work with key partners to establish new programs such as navigator certification to support evaluation and adherence to best practices that align with improved outcomes.
     
  • The HealthWell Foundation will provide more than $300 million in 2024 to underinsured oncology patients to offset out-of-pocket medication costs. This will enable these patients to adhere to prescribed treatment regimens, and improve survival. In 2024, HealthWell will also start providing financial assistance to address disparities in oncology clinical trials and to support oncology caregivers—self-funding $500,000 for the program. 
     
  • The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) is launching a coordinated effort to make Emotional Brain Training (EBT) services available for stress management and smoking cessation. In collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, AATCLC will launch a coordinated effort within three months to promote the use of a free app for anyone new to EBT to gain easily scalable, rapid-acting tools to assist with smoking cessation. EBT has shown long-term effectiveness in treating stress overload, as well as mood and addictive behaviors including smoking.
     
  • CVS Health will be launching an expanded smoking cessation program in a dozen states. In addition to their currently offered smoking cessation and counseling, CVS Health will launch a comprehensive smoking cessation assessment, prescribing and counseling program at its retail pharmacies in 12 states, further increasing patient access to smoking cessation care. Combined with its expanding digital capabilities, CVS Health will be able to reach patients in their neighborhoods, helping address health disparities and breaking down barriers to care, building on their commitment to not sell tobacco products.
     
  • Komodo Health, a health data and technology startup, is announcing a new platform to measure cancer disease burden, map cancer outcomes, and illuminate disparities in cancer care. Over the next two years, this effort will deliver insights to help public health officials, government agencies, and patient advocacy organizations to directly support efforts to close the screening gap and decrease the impact of preventable cancers. Built on more than 330 million patient experiences, Komodo’s platform can be used to spotlight gaps in care, identify disparities in disease burden, and understand the impact of cancer on discrete patient populations. This research will enable public and private partners to direct resources to reduce the burdens of lung cancer.
     
  • The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will invest more than $17 million to bring clinical trials and treatment innovation to diverse and underrepresented communities across the country. For example, LLS is expanding its Influential Medicine Providing Access to Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Research Grant Program to include seven major, geographically diverse cancer centers and surrounding local cancer care delivery settings, to bring blood cancer treatment studies into more communities. As part of the investment, LLS’s Equity in Access Research Program will spend $2.5 million withing the next year to initiate multi-year studies addressing systemic, institutional, clinician, and patient-related barriers to trial participation. In the next five years, LLS aims to improve the speed of innovation and expand equitable access to treatments that have the potential to increase blood cancer patients’ quality of life and survival. 
     
  • TOUCH, the Black Breast Cancer Alliance, will bolster Black women’s breast cancer clinical trial participation by 2025 committing to reaching 350,000 Black women and motivating 25,000 into trial portals. Additionally, TOUCH Care, the first program to provide a nurse navigator service to assist Black breast cancer patients in clinical trials by developing culturally-agile recruiting materials, training trial staff, and coaching patients, is being piloted with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and will add five trials annually. Less than three percent of breast cancer clinical trial participants are Black. 
     
  • xCures, a health-data technology platform, is launching a study to enhance the collection and organization of comprehensive data for Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) and Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). The study will streamline and standardize data gathering and identify patterns that can predict disease progression and treatment response, leading to more personalized treatment plans and targeted therapies. xCures pledges to maintain the data infrastructure for this study, and to make the data freely available to academic and government researchers. This will improve access and collaboration, with the ultimate goal of bringing innovation to more patients and providing a better understanding of these deadly cancers.
     
  • The DIPG DMG Research Funding Alliance is launching an online hub to support pediatric brain cancer patients from diagnosis through treatment and grief support. This hub, DIPG OneLink, will provide entry to two complementary data registry studies by the Children Brain Tumor Network and xCures, enrolling 250 DIPG/DMG patients in 2023 and expanding to over 700 patients by the end of 2024. The project will collect, store, and harmonize clinical records, imaging, and multiomics information that will be readily accessible to families and researchers.
     
  • The Focused Ultrasound Foundation (FUSF) is committing more than $3 million over the next three years for clinical trials exploring focused ultrasound as part of cancer treatment. In partnership with the Cancer Research Institute and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, FUSF has defined a roadmap to move towards clinical adoption of focused ultrasound and cancer immunotherapy combination treatments in glioblastoma, diffuse midline glioma, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, and pediatric solid tumors. In addition, and in partnership with Arms Wide Open, FUSF will co-fund a preclinical research project exploring focused ultrasound for neuroblastoma.   
     
  • The National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) is launching a comprehensive effort to advance quality of life (QoL) research for people facing brain tumors. NBTS will create a new QoL Research Agenda, the first of its kind in the brain tumor space. This work will foster strong patient, clinician, researcher, and industry partnerships to support future QoL research, and NBTS will formally launch its QoL research funding agenda in early 2024.
     
  • The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) will launch a national initiative to increase skin cancer awareness and early detection among firefighters. To protect first responders from the impacts of their unique exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, AAD will partner with fire stations and firefighter support organizations to educate them on the importance of early detection. To date, volunteer dermatologists have conducted screenings with over 2,700 local firefighters and volunteers in six states, including California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, with the program expanding nationwide in 2024.  
     

The National LGBT Cancer Network is making tailored tobacco cessation materials more readily available. LGBTQIA+ communities use commercial tobacco products at rates 49 percent higher than the general population, but there is a dearth of tailored cessation materials for these communities. Building on its community tailored website and a series of social media shareables, the National LGBT Cancer Network is creating at least six LGBTQIA+ tailored, print-based tobacco cessation materials, and will launch a print-on-demand store with all these materials available in the next year. The National LGBT Cancer Network will work with stakeholders like the North American Quitline Consortium, NCI-designated cancer centers, and community members to ensure these materials are compelling and motivational, and widely promote their availability. 

FACT SHEET: G20 Leaders Agree to Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment

At the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, President Biden and Prime Minister Modi co-hosted a group of G20 leaders to accelerate investments to scale high-quality infrastructure projects and the development of economic corridors through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI).
 
The meeting of the leaders from the United States, European Union (EU), France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the World Bank demonstrated the collective urgency to make meaningful progress in narrowing the infrastructure gap in low- and middle-income countries to enable inclusive and sustainable growth and promote economic activity and prosperity.

To further scale this work, the United States will continue to leverage public capital to mobilize private sector investments and collaborate with partners to develop agile and flexible relationships that directly respond to our partners’ needs, laying the groundwork to create more security, prosperity, and opportunities for generations to come.
 
Across the world, from Asia to Africa to the Western Hemisphere, PGI will continue to build and strengthen coalitions of partners — governments, the private sector, and multilateral development banks — to develop key economic corridors and drive high-quality investments.  
 
President Biden announced a range of new projects to generate economic growth, incentivize new investments, and create quality jobs. They include a landmark India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, as well as a partnership with the European Union to join the United States in supporting the expansion of the Lobito Corridor, and new PGI projects in a range of sectors and across regions.
 
Developing Key Economic Corridors
Launch of the Landmark India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor: Earlier this year, President Biden outlined his vision to develop economic corridors by strategically layering transformative investments across multiple sectors in countries to leverage broader effects of boosting economic development, securing supply chains, and bolstering regional connectivity. Today, the leaders of the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union announced a new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor . The transformative partnership has the potential to usher in a new era of connectivity from Europe to Asia with a railway, linked through ports, connected by the Middle East. This will create novel interconnections to facilitate global trade, expand reliable access to electricity, facilitate clean energy distribution, and strengthen telecommunications links.  The founding partners intend to work with international partners and the private sector to:

  • Connect India to Europe—linked by a railway line and existing ports through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel—that will generate economic growth while incentivizing new investments and the creation of quality jobs;
     
  • Connect two continents to commercial hubs and facilitate the development and export of clean energy;
     
  • Support existing trade and manufacturing synergies and strengthen food security and supply chains; and
     
  • Link energy grids and telecommunication lines through undersea cables to expand reliable access to electricity, enabling innovation of advanced clean energy technology and connect communities to secure and stable Internet.

Further development of the Lobito Corridor:  Since President Biden announced investments to develop the Lobito Corridor in May 2023, the United States and its partners are advancing efforts to support a transparent and developed critical minerals sector that can both diversify the global electric vehicle supply chain and benefit local economies. The Corridor serves as an important economic link connecting both the continent and the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia through the Lobito port in Angola. Once transport infrastructure connecting all three countries is fully operational, the Corridor aims to enhance export possibilities, boost the regional circulation of goods, and promote the mobility of citizens. Specific new announcements include:

  • Today, the European Union officially teamed up with the United States to support the development of the Corridor, including supporting the African Governments in launching feasibility studies for the construction of a new greenfield rail line expansion from eastern Angola through northern Zambia.  
     
  • Together, the United States and the European Union intend to explore cooperation in the areas of transport infrastructure investments; measures to facilitate trade, economic development and transit; and support to related sectors to fuel inclusive and sustainable economic growth and capital investment in Angola, Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo in the longer term. Specifically, this includes developing clean energy projects to increase the power supply to surrounding communities, supporting diversified investment in critical minerals and clean energy supply chains, extending digital access, growing agriculture value chains to enhance local food production for the region’s expanding population and to address global food insecurity, as well as augmenting local workforce training, support for small and medium enterprises and economic diversification.

Driving High Quality Transformative Investments Around the World
This G20 event builds on recent PGI investment announcements by President Biden and Vice President Harris, including at the ASEAN Summit and visit to Indonesia, the bilateral meeting with G20 host, India, and travel to Vietnam. In addition to economic corridors, PGI is driving high quality transformative investments around the world across PGI target sectors, including:
 
Greater Economic Cooperation with India:

  • Renewable Energy Generation: U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC)’s Board of Directors approved the provision of up to $425 million in financing to TP Solar Limited, a subsidiary of The Tata Power Company Limited, to build and operate a solar photovoltaic cell and module manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu, India. Pending congressional notification, this investment will support India’s ambitious program to increase renewable energy generation while developing domestic industry to take advantage of the global clean energy transition. DFC’s support of TP Solar will build on previous support for India’s leadership in clean energy and contributes to a more diverse global supply chain for clean energy technology. 
     
  • Renewable Infrastructure Fund: India and the United States are also advancing the creation of investment platforms to lower the cost of capital and accelerate the deployment of greenfield renewable energy, battery storage and emerging green technology projects in India. Towards this end, India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund and the DFC exchanged letters of intent to each provide up to $500 million to anchor a renewable infrastructure investment fund.
     
  • Diversified Supply Chain for E-Mobility: The United States and India committed to contribute public finance and mobilize philanthropic finance to execute a payment security mechanism that will expand electric mobility in India by accelerating the procurement and deployment of 10,000 electric buses in India, providing extensive climate benefits and diversifying the global e-mobility supply chain.  
     
  • Health Manufacturing in India and Making Insulin Accessible Globally: DFC approved an up to $50 million loan to GeneSys Biologics Private Limited (“GeneSys”) to support its construction of a manufacturing facility in Telengana, India, to scale its production of insulin biosimilars by 10X, with the expectation that the biosimilars will be reviewed for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as equivalent regulators in India and other countries. GeneSys will do drug substance manufacturing in Telangana and has partnered with Civica Rx to do fill-and-finish drug product manufacturing in Virginia. This effort will help to making insulin accessible and affordable in India, the United States, and around the world. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority has provided technical support throughout the development of the project.   
     
  • 5G Open RAN: The United States and India share a vision of creating secure and trusted telecommunications, resilient supply chains, and enabling global digital inclusion.  Further collaboration includes establishing two joint Task Forces on advanced telecommunications, focused on Open RAN and research and development in 5G/6G technologies. Public-private cooperation between vendors and operators will be led by India’s Bharat 6G Alliance and the U.S. Next G Alliance. Both countries are partnering on Open RAN field trials and rollouts, including scaled deployments, with operators and vendors of both markets.

Modern Ports in El Salvador: The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) intends to provide a technical assistance grant of $900,000 to El Salvador’s national ports commission to modernize the container terminal at the Port of Acajutla. USTDA’s technical assistance aims to promote operational efficiency, reliability, and safety at El Salvador’s busiest seaport and to provide recommendations for deploying green port and digital technologies to reduce the port’s energy consumption, and decrease air pollution from maritime vessels.
 
Supply Chains in Mozambique: DFC’s Board of Directors approved the provision of up to $150 million in financing to Twigg Exploration and Mining to fund investments in the company’s graphite mining and processing operation in Balama, Mozambique. Pending congressional notification, this investment will increase production and diversify the global supply chain for graphite which is a critical mineral for a range of clean energy and advanced technology products. DFC’s support will also lead to job creation and investment in local infrastructure while ensuring high environmental and social standards that are essential for responsible mining. 

Transportation Systems in the Philippines: USTDA intends to provide grant funding towards a feasibility study to support the Philippines’ Department of Transportation in assessing the viability of developing an expanded vessel traffic management system in the Philippines. As a nation comprised of over 7,000 islands, over 800 commercial ports, and growing vessel traffic activity, the Philippines aims to expand its vessel traffic management system capabilities to cover major ports and navigational paths. The feasibility study will assess the viability of potential implementation at 8 to 10 locations in the Philippines and develop the technical architecture and infrastructure requirements for each location.
 
Bridge the Gender Digital Divide: During her March 2023 trip to Africa, Vice President Kamala Harris announced the launch of the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (Wi-DEF) by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with a combined $60 million commitment.  Since then, that commitment has leveraged further investment and led to the launch of the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative.  This effort will advance digital access and affordability; develop relevant products and tools; provide digital literacy and skills training; promote online safety and security; and invest in sex-disaggregated data and research.

  • Since the launch of WiDEF, partners have pledged an additional $11.6 million – $10 million from Microsoft and $1.6 million from the Government of the Republic of Korea.
     
  • Building off of the success of this Fund, USAID is launching the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative which convenes new partners who have pledged over $515 million collectively to help close the gender digital divide.  Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have all pledged their support. In addition, private sector and philanthropic organizations have made contributions, including Amazon Web Services, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CARE, Citi, G20 EMPOWER India Chapter, the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, GSMA, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Microsoft Corporation, myAgro, Reliance Foundation, Viasat, Visa Foundation, and Visa Inc.