White House IGA Weekly Newsletter - 5/8/22

Sunday, May 8 , 2022

Biden-Harris Economy Created 428,000 Jobs in AprilWe learned that the economy created 428,000 jobs in April – bringing the total number of jobs created since President Biden took office to 8.3 million. That is record setting job creation, and the President’s plans and policies have produced the strongest job creation in modern times.

The unemployment rate stands at 3.6%— marking the fastest decline in unemployment to start a President’s term ever recorded. There have only been 3 months in the last 50 years when the unemployment rate in America was lower than it is now.

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Watch HERE!ECONOMY RESOURCES

WH: Statement by President Biden on the April Jobs Report
DOE Announces Long-Term Buyback Plan Ensuring Continued Availability of Strategic Petroleum Reserve
WH: FACT SHEET: Biden Administration Celebrates Launch of AM Forward and Calls on Congress to Pass Bipartisan Innovation Act

Mother's Day

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden made a stop in Uzhhorod, Ukraine and met with First Lady Olena Zelenska for a bilateral. It was followed by visits to classrooms with internally displaced people.

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President Biden and Vice President Harris on the Supreme Court's Draft Roe v. Wade Decision

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2022 | Link
Statement by President Joe Biden
We do not know whether this draft is genuine, or whether it reflects the final decision of the Court.

With that critical caveat, I want to be clear on three points about the cases before the Supreme Court.

First, my administration argued strongly before the Court in defense of Roe v. Wade. We said that Roe is based on “a long line of precedent recognizing ‘the Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty’… against government interference with intensely personal decisions.” I believe that a woman’s right to choose is fundamental, Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned.

Second, shortly after the enactment of Texas law SB 8 and other laws restricting women’s reproductive rights, I directed my Gender Policy Council and White House Counsel’s Office to prepare options for an Administration response to the continued attack on abortion and reproductive rights, under a variety of possible outcomes in the cases pending before the Supreme Court. We will be ready when any ruling is issued.

Third, if the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2022 | Link
Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris
The United States Supreme Court has now confirmed that the draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade is genuine.

Roe ensures a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. It also, at its root, protects the fundamental right to privacy. What is clear is that opponents of Roe want to punish women and take away their rights to make decisions about their own bodies. Republican legislators in states across the country are weaponizing the use of the law against women.

The rights of all Americans are at risk. If the right to privacy is weakened, every person could face a future in which the government can potentially interfere in the personal decisions you make about your life. This is the time to fight for women and for our country with everything we have. Vice President Harris and Labor Secretary Walsh Host Grassroots Worker OrganizersOn Thursday, May 5, Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh held a roundtable discussion with a diverse group of young, grassroots worker organizers to discuss their extraordinary efforts to organize unions in their workplaces, and how their efforts can inspire workers across the country to make the choice to join or organize a union. The roundtable was led by the Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, which the Vice President chairs with Secretary Walsh as vice-chair.
>> Readout of Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment Meeting with Grassroots Worker Organizers

President Biden Visits Defense Manufacturer Facility in AlabamaOn Tuesday, May 3, the President traveled to Alabama to visit a Lockheed Martin facility which manufactures weapon systems such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, which the Biden-Harris Administration is providing Ukraine to effectively defend against the Russian invasion.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $10M in Infrastructure Investments for Tribal Water Systems

The Department of the Interior announced that $10.65 million provided by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be used for vital repairs and upgrades for Indian Affairs-owned water systems. These systems serve Tribal workplaces, schools, detention centers and more.  

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $13 billion directly in Tribal communities across the country, including a total of $466 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs over five years, which includes funding for water and sanitation projects.

“Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, historic investments in Tribal water infrastructure will help ensure every community has access to safe, clean drinking water,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “This critical funding in water sanitation and water systems will facilitate much-needed repairs and upgrades for Tribal water systems, supporting our efforts to safeguard sacred water resources and water rights in Indigenous communities.”

Read more here:

DOI: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $10 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments for Tribal Water Systems

White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and HealthOn Wednesday, May 4, President Biden announced that for the first time in over 50 years, the White House will host a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health this September.

The Conference, and the preparatory work leading up to it, will accelerate progress and drive significant change to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, reduce diet-related disease, and close the disparities around them. Read more HERE!

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CDC Mask and Travel RecommendationMask & Travel Recommendation: CDC published a statement recommending that everyone aged two and older – including passengers and workers – properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, etc.) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, etc.).
Team USA VisitOn Wednesday, May 4, the President and the First Lady welcomed Team USA to the White House to celebrate their participation and success in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Watch the event HERE!

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Eid al-FitrOn Monday, May 2, President Biden and the First Lady hosted an Eid al-Fitr reception at the White House. Watch the event HERE!

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 2, 2022 Joint Statement by HHS Secretary Becerra, Ambassador Tai, Erika Moritsugu, and Krystal Ka‘ai in Celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Today, in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai – Co-Chairs of both the White House Initiative and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders – along with Deputy Assistant to the President and AA and NHPI Senior Liaison Erika Moritsugu, and White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Executive Director Krystal Ka‘ai, released the following joint statement:

“Every May, we honor the rich histories of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and recognize their central role in strengthening the fabric of our nation. The immeasurable contributions of AA and NHPI communities touch the lives of every American, and we celebrate their enduring strength and resilience.

“This Heritage Month is also a reminder that AA and NHPIs have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, risking their lives to save others even as the virus has