Shakebird/white_house_speech huggingface dataset:
Remarks by President Biden Commemorating LGBTQ+ Pride Month
JUNE 25, 2021
Location: Not determined

2:39 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, my name is Joe Biden.  I’m Jill Biden’s husband.  (Laughter.) 

Ashton, thank you.  You seemed awfully comfortable up here.  (Laughter and applause.)  You were awfully comfortable up here.  I don’t know.  I — I’m not sure I’ll be around, but, you know — (laughter) — if you’re here, just don’t pretend you don’t know me.  Okay?  (Laughter.)
Remarks by President Biden After Meeting with a Bipartisan Group of Senators on Infrastructure Negotiations
JUNE 24, 2021
Location: Not determined

THE PRESIDENT:  We had a really good meeting.  And to answer your direct question, we have a deal.  And I think it’s really important — we’ve all agreed — that none of us got what we — all that we wanted.  I clearly didn’t get all I wanted.  They gave more than, I think, maybe they were inclined to give in the first place. 
 
But this reminds me of the days we used to get an awful lot done up at the United States Congress.  We actually worked with one — we had bipartisan deals.  Bipartisan deals means compromise.
 
One of the things that I’ve — I’ve made clear: I’ve signed on — and I’m going to let them give you the detail because — and you can ask them — and I’m — I will — I will talk to you all later, in the next hour or two.  What- — I promise you I’m not going away. 
 
But one of the things that we agreed on: infrastructure.  We made serious compromises on both ends.  There is — and they’ll — they’ll give you the numbers.  But we did not — they did not — and I understand their position — Republicans and this group did not want to go along with my — any of my Family Plan issues — the childcare tax credits, the human infrastructure that I talk about.
 
And that — we’ll see what happens in the reconciliation bill and the budget process — if that — if we get some compromise there.  And if we can’t, see if I can attract all the Democrats to a position that is there.  But we’re going to — they’re going to move on a dual track.  And — and that’s all I’ll say.
 
But I want to thank each and every one of them.  It’s been — you know, a lot of us go back a long way, where we’re used to doing one thing: Give each other our word and that’s the end.  Nobody questions it.  They have my word, I’ll stick with what they proposed, and they’ve given me their word as well. So, where I come from, that’s good enough for me. 
 
So, I’m going to turn it over to the two Chairs here.  And I’ll talk to you all a little bit later. 
 
Q    Have you been briefed about the building collapse in Miami? 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I have.  I spoke with the mayor.  I spoke with the congresswoman.  And I’ll have more to say about that as well.
 
Q    Are you committed to the two-track system, Mr. President?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Pardon me?
 
Q    Are you committed to the two-track system?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  That is — there is going to be a two-track system.
 
Q    And are you confident that you’re going to have all of the Democrats support it in the Senate?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Let them talk to you. Okay?  I’m not confident in anything except I trust their word.
 
END
REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AT SIGNING OF THE JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY ACT
JUNE 17, 2021
Location: Not determined

3:45 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon. 

So, throughout history, Juneteenth has been known by many names: Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day, Emancipation Day, and, today, a national holiday.  (Applause.)  (Motioning to the audience.)  Ms. Opal Lee.  (Audience.)

And looking out across this room, I see the advocates, the activists, the leaders who have been calling for this day for so long, including the one and only Ms. Opal Lee — (applause) — (the President walks into the audience to greet Ms. Lee) –(laughter) — who just received a very special recognition from the President of the United States.  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  (Inaudible.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And I see members of Congress, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, members of the United States Senate who passed this bill unanimously, and all — (applause) — and all of whom, collectively, were responsible for delivering this bill to the President’s desk.  And I thank you all.  We thank you all.  Your nation thanks you all.

And, you know, when we establish a national holiday, it makes an important statement.  National holidays are something important.  These are days when we, as a nation, have decided to stop and take stock and, often, to acknowledge our history.

 And so, as we establish Juneteenth as our newest national holiday, let us be clear about what happened on June 19, 1865 — the day we call “Juneteenth.”

Because, you see, that day was not the end of slavery in America.  Yes, on that day, the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas learned that they were free.  But, in fact, two and a half years earlier, the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in the Confederacy.

So think about that.  For more than two years, the enslaved people of Texas were kept in servitude.  For more than two years, they were intentionally kept from their freedom.  For more than two years.

And then, on that summer day 156 years ago, the enslaved people of Texas learned the news.  They learned that they were free, and they claimed their freedom.  It was indeed an important day.  (Applause.)
Excerpts from Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Vice President Harris to the Brussels Forum
JUNE 15, 2021
Location: Not determined

In the chaos of the crisis, Autocrats have become more destructive. Human rights abuses have multiplied. The rule of law that underpins our international order is under assault. Even basic truth, even basic facts, are being undermined by disinformation—chipping away at public confidence in our press and scientists, our courts and our elections.
Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom Before Bilateral Meeting
JUNE 10, 2021
Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom

3:23 P.M. BST

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  Well, it is a — what a great, great pleasure, Mr. President, to welcome you to Cornwall.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It is a great pleasure to be here.

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  Fantastic to see you.  Fantastic to see you here on what — what I think is your — is your first big overseas trip since you’ve been —

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It is.

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  — since you’ve been President.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It is.  I’ve visited your great country many times, but this is the first time as President of the United States. 

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  Well, everybody is —

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It’s a great honor. 

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  Everybody is absolutely thrilled to see you.  And —

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  And I’m thrilled to be here.  I’m thrilled to meet your wife.

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  Yes, well — and they’ve gone off to do something else.  (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  They did.  I told the Prime Minister we have something in common: We both married way above our station. 

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  And I’m — and I’m not going to — I’m not going to — I’m not going to dissent from that one.  I’m not going to disagree with the President on that or indeed on anything else, I think, either, likely. 

Are we — are we going to — are we going to have like — we could just continue —

AIDE:  Okay, thank you, press.

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  I was going to say, we generally agree, Joe.  You could probably (inaudible).

Q    (Cross-talk.)

PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON:  Thanks, everybody. 

3:25 P.M. BST
Remarks by President Biden Before Air Force One Departure
JUNE 09, 2021
Location: Prince George’s County, Maryland

8:26 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  You dropped your phone.  You dropped your phone. 

Watch out for the cicadas.  I just got one — it just got me.

Q    What’s your main goal today when you get over there?

THE PRESIDENT:  Strengthening the alliance and make it clear to Putin and to China that Europe and the United States are tight, and the G7 is going to move.

Q    Mr. President, do you expect to come out with a vaccine strategy for the world?

THE PRESIDENT:  I have one and I’ll be announcing it.  Thank you.

Q    Do you expect that Putin will be able to work out any kind of understanding with you on the cyberattacks?

THE PRESIDENT:  Who knows at this point.  It’s going to be a subject of our discussion.

8:27 A.M. EDT
REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS DURING MEETING WITH WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
JUNE 08, 2021
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, it is an honor to be with all of you today, and I’m very much looking forward to our conversation. 
 
You are extraordinary leaders.  You are role models.  And a lot of the work that we have done — and that has been personally important to me — in the United States and, by extension, among our friends is what we can do to lift up the status of women in my own country and around the globe.
 
I think we would all agree that when you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up the economic status of families, of neighborhoods, communities, and — and all of society benefits.  And so the work that you have done as entrepreneurs is a great model of the work that is happening and can happen more around the globe. 
 
So, I’m looking forward to our conversation and highlighting that.  In so many of our countries — and I’ll speak for mine — we still have a lot of work to do in terms of parity.  When we look at wage disparities, for example, there’s still a lot of work that we have to do.  And especially if you break that down by race, there is work that we have to do in terms of recognizing the demands on a woman’s life.  And not only for sustenance she may need to work and to take care of her family and keep a roof over their head and food on the table, but also to pursue her passion.  And what kind of structure do we have and system do we have in place to support her, such as affordable childcare, such as paid family leave?
 
The pandemic has made it clear the work that we have yet to do, and, frankly, the failures in — in the structure of our system.  But let’s take this as a moment of opportunity to share the stories, to uplift those stories in a way that we encourage all women and all people to see the capacity. 
 
And it is, again, not only in the best interests of those families and those individuals; it is in the best interest of all of society. 
 
Being in Mexico today has been, for me, a trip that is about also reinforcing the partnership between the United States and Mexico.  We have — we share families; we share history; we share a border, obviously.  And so, the work that we can do together, in a bilateral way, on this subject and so many others, I think, has great potential. 
 
So, with that, I thank each of you for being a part of this — this conversation.  And — and I will hand the microphone, as we say, over to our Chargé d’Affaires.
 
 END
Remarks by President Biden Before a Meeting on Infrastructure
MAY 13, 2021
Location: Not determined

1:41 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, you all in the press may be getting tired of seeing me all day today.  I’m going to see you again later, too.  But I hope my colleagues aren’t tired of seeing me because they just got here.  (Laughter.)
 
Look, what we’re doing is — at the — at the request of — mutual request of us getting together, getting leading Republicans in the Senate together to see if we can work out something on a compromise on infrastructure.  And — and I know they’re sincere about it, and so am I. 
 
And what we’re going to try to do is figure out what we can agree constitutes infrastructure from each of our perspectives, and then see whether or not we’re in a position that — how — how much we want to fund it above the baseline — the baseline, meaning what we spent last year.  And then, we’ll talk about how to proceed from there.
 
But I assure you — I know, Senator Capito, this is in good faith —
 
SENATOR CAPITO:  Yes.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  It’s a genuine effort.  I think we can get there.  And I’m hoping that — just in case, I brought along two of the Secretaries who are smarter than I am so they can answer the really tough questions. 
 
But all kidding aside, I’m looking forward to this meeting. 
 
And I want to thank you all for coming in, and we appreciate you being here.  So, thank you for being here.
 
Q    Mr. President, are you open to a deal that isn’t fully paid for?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m going to get a chance to talk to you later.
 
Q    Sir, will you be making a new scaled-down offer to the GOP today?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’m prepared to compromise.
 
1:44 P.M. EDT
Remarks by President Biden on the Colonial Pipeline Incident
MAY 13, 2021
Location: Not determined

12:27 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, folks.  I want to update everyone on the ransomware cyberattack that impacted on the Colonial Pipeline over this past week.
 
As of yesterday evening, Colonial has begun restarting the flow of refined products in their pipeline.  
 
This morning, Colonial reported that fuel is beginning to flow to a majority of the markets that they service, and they should be reaching full operational capacity as we speak — as I speak to you right now.
 
That is good news.  But I want to be clear: We will not feel the effects at the pump immediately.  This is not like flicking on a light switch.  This pipeline is 5,500 miles long.  It had never been fully shut down in its entire history, and so — so fully.  And we have to — now they have to safely and fully return to normal operations.  And it’s going to take some time, and there may be hic- — hic- — hiccups, like I just had, along the way here.  (Laughter.)
 
Still, we expect to see a region-by-region return to normalcy beginning this weekend and continuing into next week.
 
In the meantime, I want to update you on what our administration is doing to accelerate this process, to mitigate shortages, and to protect you from price gouging — to protect the American people from price gouging — all those along the line.
 
First, we relaxed rules for pipeline operators to provide flexibility for emergency personnel to help manually get portions of the pipeline up and running earlier this week.  Secondly, over the weekend, we reviewed and worked with the company to get a portion of the pipeline system from North Carolina to Maryland to operate under manual control and deliver its ex- — deliver its existing inventory. 
 
In addition, we’ve put in place emergency orders that lifts hours — the hours restrictions and allowed states to lift weight restrictions for tank truck drivers to be on the road.  This allows those drivers to work more and carry more fuel to the affected regions. 
 
Third, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a targeted, 20-day waiver of standards in several states to give fuel suppliers more flexibility to use available fuels where they’re needed, which will boost the fuel supply. 
 
And those — those last two actions have made tens of millions of gallons of additional fuel available each day to be able to be distributed. 
 
Put another way: The extraordinary measures the administration has taken, we estimate, sent enough gas to stations to fill the tanks of over 5 million vehicles in the last few days.
Remarks by President Biden Before Meeting with Members of Congressional Leadership to Discuss Policy Areas of Mutual Interest
MAY 12, 2021
Location: Not determined

11:12 A.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’m happy to have the House and Senate leadership here.  You can see Senator McConnell and Leader McCarthy and Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer.  And what we’re going to talk about today is — you know, when I ran, I said wasn’t going to be a Democratic President; I was going to be a President for all Americans.
 
And what the bottom line here is: We’re going to see whether we can reach some consensus on a compromise on moving forward.  And we’re going to talk a lot about infrastructure today to see if there’s any way we can reach a compromise that gets the people’s work done and is within the bounds of everyone agreeing.  And that’s the purpose of this meeting.
 
Not much more to say right now, but we’ll — we’re going to get — we’re going to get going.  That’s it.
 
Q    How do you expect to do that, sir?  How do you expect to come to a compromise?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Easy.  Just snap my fingers.  It’ll happen.  (Laughter.)
 
Thank you.
 
11:13 A.M. EDT
Remarks by Vice President Harris at the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Opening Session
APRIL 22, 2021
Location: Not determined

8:04 A.M. EDT

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Your Excellencies, distinguished leaders, and esteemed colleagues from around the world: Welcome to this historic Leaders Summit on Climate.

     I want to thank you for being here and for your leadership.  I have spoken with a number of you about the climate crisis.  We have talked about the scarcity of water, we have talked about the need to build resilience, and we have talked about the importance of investing in clean technologies. 

Together, of course, we come from very different places, but we share this common concern and this common threat.  Here in the United States, the storms hitting our Gulf Coast are worse every year.  The wildfires in my home state of California have grown in intensity.  And, of course, no nation or region is immune — whether it is Western Europe, where heat waves have made it very difficult to stay indoors, while risking a health risk; or the Pacific Islands, where rising sea levels threaten to encroach on the land and homes of lifelong residents; or in Central America, where, last year, two major hurricanes devastated entire communities. 

     As a global community, it is imperative that we act quickly and together to confront this crisis.  And this will require innovation and collaboration around the world.  It will require the use of renewable energy and new technologies.  And it will give each of our nations the opportunity to build healthier communities and stronger economies.

Here, we believe tackling climate change, improving communities, and creating jobs can occur simultaneously.  And we must recognize the importance, of course, of justice in the work that we do.  The communities hardest hit by climate change are the same communities harmed by wealth and gender inequality, toxic air pollution, and so much more.  This truth holds around the world.

So I urge all of us to focus on these communities, including indigenous communities, and consider their insight and experience in our efforts moving forward.  They are critical leaders in this fight.

Friends, the health of our communities, the wellbeing of our workers, and the strength of our economies depend on what we do now.  And I can think of no one more committed to achieving our collective goals than President Joe Biden.

The President was one of the first members in the United States Congress to take on the issue of climate change.  And on of first day in office, he led the fact that we would rejoin the Paris Agreement.  And the President is just getting started as we work to tackle this crisis while creating clean energy jobs across our nation.

It is now my great honor to introduce the President of the United States, Joe Biden.
Remarks by President Biden Before Meeting with Bipartisan Group of Members of Congress to Discuss Historic Investments in the American Jobs Plan
APRIL 19, 2021
Location: Not determined

1:36 P.M. EDT
    
THE PRESIDENT:  Thanks for coming in, guys.  I want to thank my colleagues — they’re still my colleagues; I’m more of a member of Congress than I’ve been here.  And — but I’m glad you all came down. 
    
We’re going to talk about our infrastructure package.  And as I indicated earlier, I am prepared to compromise, prepared to see what we can do and what we can get together on.  It’s a big package, but there’s a lot of needs. 
 
And so we’re going to be talking about, number one, what should be included in the package — obviously, I put a lot in the package; I think it all should be included — and how to pay for it.  And there are two issues. 
 
I’ve noticed everybody is for infrastructure.  The question is: Who’s going to pay for it?  And — and that’s what we’re going to try to work out today, at least in this bipartisan group of members of the House and Senate.
 
And a little — a little secret here, we’re going to — in full disclosure, I asked senators and congressmen who had either been governors or mayors because they know what it’s like to make things work, to make sure that you get things done and deal with infrastructure and the needs of your community. 
 
So that’s why we’re here.  We — hopefully, we’ll be able to reach some kind of consensus, at least in broad terms.
 
So thank you all for coming in.  And we’ll be talking to you later.
 
Q    Mr. President, what do you think about the idea of paying for it with user fees?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  That’s what we’re going to talk about.  We’re going to talk about all that right now.
 
Thank you very much.  Thank you. 
 
1:38 P.M. EDT
Remarks by Vice President Harris and Prime Minister Suga of Japan Before Bilateral Meeting
APRIL 16, 2021
Location: Not determined

11:06 A.M. EDT

     VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS:  Good morning.  I briefly want to discuss the tragedy that occurred in Indianapolis last night.  

Yet again, we have families in our country that are grieving the loss of their family members because of gun violence.  There is no question that this violence must end.  And we are thinking of the families that lost their loved ones.  And the President will speak later about the case.

It is now my great pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister of Japan and to thank him for this visit, which is the first visit to the United States of a world leader since we came in office.  

The President and I are very excited about the conversations we will have with the Prime Minister today.  As you know, Mr. Prime Minister, you and I met just about a month ago, during the Quad summit, which was a meeting with the United States, with our allies — Japan, with Australia, and with India — where we had extensive conversations about a collaboration and a friendship around some of the biggest challenges facing our world.

I also look forward to our conversations about our mutual commitment to the Indo-Pacific and the work that our nations will do together to continue with peace and prosperity in that region of the world.  

And it is also a personal point of privilege for me to spend this time with you.  As you know, I come from California, where we have a very strong and vibrant Japanese American community who has made great contributions, obviously, to not only the state, but to the country.  And it is a community which I have — with which I have worked and lived for my entire life.  

And so I welcome you.  So welcome, and thank you.  

PRIME MINISTER SUGA: (As interpreted.)  Thank you very much.  I’d like to, first of all, express my sincere gratitude for inviting me as the first foreign guest to Washington, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, since the inauguration of the Biden administration.

I’m also very delighted to have the opportunity to meet with you, Vice President Harris, face to face today and have a wonderful conversation.  So I very much look forward to it.

Japan highly praises and appreciates that the Biden-Harris administration puts high importance on cooperating with its allies and partners.  There is no other time than today when the Japan-U.S. alliance needs to be strong.  This is an alliance that is connected by universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. 

Today, I very much look forward to discussing with you, Vice President Harris, as well as with President Biden later on, regarding important challenges — a wide range of challenges –that both Japan and the United States face and reconfirm the bond of our alliance.

Thank you very much, Vice President.

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS:  Thank you very much.  I look forward to our conversation.  Thank you.
Remarks by First Lady Jill Biden for the Next Phase of Joining Forces in Virtual White House Event
APRIL 07, 2021
Location: Not determined

THE FIRST LADY:  Thank you, Ryzun. You know, when you joined us back in February, I felt like I knew you from the first words you spoke. You’re open and funny and sincere. In fact, it doesn’t surprise me at all that you managed to make friends when your family moved to Germany, despite not speaking any German. And then you became a mentor so that you could help others feel less alone. It’s that resilience and heart that makes military kids like you so special. So thank you, Ryzun, for joining us today.
Remarks by President Biden on the Tradition of Easter at the White House
APRIL 05, 2021
Location: Not determined

1:07 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  Jill and I are — thank you for joining us today.  And we’re — we have a special guest, as you can see to my left here.

And I’m thankful to our friends at the White House Historical Association and the National Park Service for helping us deliver thousands of commemorative eggs to vaccination sites in communities and healthcare centers all across America.

Easter is a day of joy, when we celebrate resurrection and renewal.  But this year, we know many are still going without the familiar comforts of the season. 

The virus is not gone, and the second year in a row most will be apart from their families or friends and a full congregation to fill us with so much joy.  But the Scripture tells us, “Joy cometh in the morning.”

As we celebrate the renewal of this season, we know that longed-for dawn is almost here.  We will rebuild our nation.  We will reengage and reimagine what we can be.  We’ll remember that with faith, hope, and love, anything is possible.  And we look forward to next year when the White House will ring with joy the season once again and there’ll be an Easter Egg Roll, God willing.

May God bless you all.  May God protect our troops — and take care of the Easter Bunny.  (Laughter.)

Thank you all very, very much. 

1:09 P.M. EDT
Statement by President Biden on the Attack on the Right to Vote in Georgia
MARCH 26, 2021
Location: Not determined

Yet instead of celebrating the rights of all Georgians to vote or winning campaigns on the merits of their ideas, Republicans in the state instead rushed through an un-American law to deny people the right to vote. This law, like so many others being pursued by Republicans in statehouses across the country is a blatant attack on the Constitution and good conscience. Among the outrageous parts of this new state law, it ends voting hours early so working people can’t cast their vote after their shift is over. It adds rigid restrictions on casting absentee ballots that will effectively deny the right to vote to countless voters. And it makes it a crime to provide water to voters while they wait in line – lines Republican officials themselves have created by reducing the number of polling sites across the state, disproportionately in Black neighborhoods.
Remarks By Vice President Harris In Press Gaggle After Listening Session On Child Poverty
MARCH 26, 2021
Location: New Haven, Connecticut 

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Do you have any questions?

     Q    Madam Vice President, how should Democrats respond in the face of new voting restrictions that are now law in the state of Georgia and being proposed as well elsewhere in the country?

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I believe very strongly that Congress needs to pass the For [The] People Act, and we need to restore the — the teeth and the strength of the Voting Rights Acts.  And we need to also provide for what is necessary clearly when we see the kind of abusive practices that we’ve seen in the — from the Georgia legislature, which is to intentionally, I believe, attempt to prevent whole populations of people from exercising their constitutional right to vote in their elections.  So that’s what we need to do.

     Q    A lot of Democrats want to see the filibuster — they want to see you presiding over the Senate when the filibuster is abolished.  The President yesterday himself said this is a relic of the Jim Crow era.  Is that the step you’re willing (inaudible)?

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think the President was quite clear.  And, by the way, I thought he did a really great job in his press conference yesterday and answered everything for over an hour.  

And he was very clear, which is that we should take a look at the filibuster.  He made his thoughts clear about the talking filibuster.  And ultimately, it’s going to be the Senate that’s going to make that decision.  

But — but — but let me just add that we do have to get to a place where it’s not so easy to block progress, because the American people need us to act.  And what we saw with the American Rescue Plan — and it was the point of this discussion — and we’re going to later see our young leaders and our babies — four-year-olds, five-year-olds — the children of America deserve to have their Congress act to meet their needs, especially when they are suffering, especially when we’re talking about issues like poverty.  

And so, look, that — the point then is that it should not be so easy to block progress in our country.

(Cross-talk from reporters.)
You guys work it out.  (Laughs.)
Remarks by President Biden Before Boarding Air Force One
MARCH 23, 2021
Location: Columbus, Ohio 

6:34 P.M. EDT

Q    Were you getting a briefing, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, I was. 

Q    Can you share what’s going on?

THE PRESIDENT:  It was a foreign policy issue.

Q    Mr. President, a couple of Asian American senators have threatened to veto your — your nominees if you don’t nominate diverse candidates.  Have you spoken to them?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I don’t know what you’re —

Q    An Asian American in your Cabinet, sir, is what they’re asking for.

THE PRESIDENT:  We — we have the most diverse Cabinet in history.  We have a lot of Asian Americans who are in the Cabinet and sub-Cabinet levels.  Our Cabinet is formed. 

Q    Mr. President, are you concerned that the administration’s statements that the border is closed but children will be cared for is a mixed message?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll have more to say about that in the next couple of days.  The key here relates to what’s happening in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.  And the last administration dismantled all we had put in place, relative to dealing with the problems in country.  And we’ll have something to say about that very shortly. 

Q    Is Ambassador Jacobson — is she trying to get some concessions from Guatemala and El Salvador? 

THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll more to say about that tomorrow and the next day.

Q    Could you tell you us about North Korea and firing of the rockets — what you’ve learned?

THE PRESIDENT:  We have learned that there is nothing much has changed. 

Thank you.

 6:36 P.M. EDT
Remarks By Vice President Harris In Press Gaggle
MARCH 22, 2021
Location: Jacksonville, Florida

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’m glad to be in Jacksonville.  And we’re here — just been talking with the Mayor, the Commissioner, and the Congressman about the good work that’s happening here on the ground.  And they have expressed their appreciation for, of course, what we’ve been able to do with the ARP, with our American Rescue Plan, getting more shots in arms, helping out folks.
Remarks By Vice President Harris At Emory University
MARCH 19, 2021
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

5:49 P.M. EDT

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  Over the past week, the President and I have traveled across the country to mark the passage of the American Rescue Plan, to tell the American people about how 100 million checks are on their way, about how 100 million vaccines have now been administered.  Big news.  Good news.  And we planned to come down here to Georgia, to the place that made it possible, to share that information.

And then, Tuesday night, we learned that eight of our neighbors were killed in a heinous act of violence — violence that has no place in the state of Georgia or in the United States of America.  And we were reminded, yet again, that the crises we face are many; that the foes we face are many.

As the President and I discussed with our AAPI community in a meeting earlier today, whatever the killer’s motive, these facts are clear: Six out of the eight people killed on Tuesday night were of Asian descent.  Seven were women.  The shootings took place in businesses owned by Asian Americans.  The shootings took place as violent hate crimes and discrimination against Asian Americans has risen dramatically over the last year and more.

In fact, over the past year, 3,800 such incidents have been reported — two of three by women — everything from physical assaults to verbal accusations.  And it’s all harmful, and sadly, it’s not new.

Racism is real in America, and it has always been.  Xenophobia is real in America, and always has been.  Sexism, too.  In the 1860s, as Chinese workers built the transcontinental railroad, there were laws on the books, in America, forbidding them from owning property.  In the 1940s, as Japanese American soldiers defended our nation, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced to live in internment camps — an obvious and absolute abuse of their civil and human rights.

Asian Americans have been attacked and scapegoated.  People who are perceived as Muslim know what it was like to live in our country after 9/11.  For the last year, we’ve had people in positions of incredible power scapegoasing [sic] — scapegoating Asian Americans.  People with the biggest pulpits spreading this kind of hate.

Ultimately, this is about who we are as a nation.  This is about how we treat people with dignity and respect.  Everyone has the right to go to work, to go to school, to walk down the street and be safe, and also, the right to be recognized as an American — not as the other, not as them, but as us. 

A harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us.  The President and I will not be silent.  We will not stand by.  We will always speak out against violence, hate crimes, and discrimination, wherever and whenever it occurs.

And it is now my great honor to introduce the President of the United States, Joe Biden.

END                 5:53 P.M. EDT
Remarks by Vice President Harris at Emory University
MARCH 19, 2021
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

5:49 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  Over the past week, the President and I have traveled across the country to mark the passage of the American Rescue Plan, to tell the American people about how 100 million checks are on their way, about how 100 million vaccines have now been administered.  Big news.  Good news.  And we planned to come down here to Georgia, to the place that made it possible, to share that information.

And then, Tuesday night, we learned that eight of our neighbors were killed in a heinous act of violence — violence that has no place in the state of Georgia or in the United States of America.  And we were reminded, yet again, that the crises we face are many; that the foes we face are many.

As the President and I discussed with our AAPI community in a meeting earlier today, whatever the killer’s motive, these facts are clear: Six out of the eight people killed on Tuesday night were of Asian descent.  Seven were women.  The shootings took place in businesses owned by Asian Americans.  The shootings took place as violent hate crimes and discrimination against Asian Americans has risen dramatically over the last year and more.

In fact, over the past year, 3,800 such incidents have been reported — two of three by women — everything from physical assaults to verbal accusations.  And it’s all harmful, and sadly, it’s not new.

Racism is real in America, and it has always been.  Xenophobia is real in America, and always has been.  Sexism, too.  In the 1860s, as Chinese workers built the transcontinental railroad, there were laws on the books, in America, forbidding them from owning property.  In the 1940s, as Japanese American soldiers defended our nation, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced to live in internment camps — an obvious and absolute abuse of their civil and human rights.

Asian Americans have been attacked and scapegoated.  People who are perceived as Muslim know what it was like to live in our country after 9/11.  For the last year, we’ve had people in positions of incredible power scapegoasing [sic] — scapegoating Asian Americans.  People with the biggest pulpits spreading this kind of hate.

Ultimately, this is about who we are as a nation.  This is about how we treat people with dignity and respect.  Everyone has the right to go to work, to go to school, to walk down the street and be safe, and also, the right to be recognized as an American — not as the other, not as them, but as us. 

A harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us.  The President and I will not be silent.  We will not stand by.  We will always speak out against violence, hate crimes, and discrimination, wherever and whenever it occurs.

And it is now my great honor to introduce the President of the United States, Joe Biden.

5:53 P.M. EDT
REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS BEFORE LISTENING SESSION WITH LABOR LEADERS
MARCH 18, 2021
Location: Vice President’s Ceremonial Office  

11:26 A.M. EDT
 
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  It is a great honor to welcome to our office these incredible American leaders — national leaders, labor leaders, women leaders. 
 
I have worked with many of you for many years on many issues.  And I am so looking forward to a deep-dive conversation about where we are as a country and where we can go, always thinking and motivated by, as the President likes to say, all of the possibilities, but knowing it requires coalition building.  It requires organizing like only labor knows how to do.  It requires having our ear on the ground and our feet on the ground, as only organized labor and unions can do, and hearing from the people and speaking with the people and on behalf of the people.
 
And so I’m honored to have these incredible leaders at this table with me.  It is Women’s History Month.  And so, in a nod to that, I will also say that we know that women are a part of the foundation of America’s labor movement from the time that we have the Washerwomen of Jackson in the 1860s, to the Triangle Shirtwaist Workers of the 1910s, to all the women who are at this table, virtually and in person. 
 
And when we look at the state of our workforce in our country and how women are doing, we also know, even before this pandemic and the crisis that hit, there are a multitude of challenges facing women in the workforce, both in terms of wages and benefits and their safety at the job, but also in terms of their ability to organize.  Ai-jen Poo, Mary Kay, so many of us have been talking about this for a long time — what we need to do around women who are in service industries, women who are in the care industry. 
 
And then, of course, we look at the fact that during the course of the pandemic, over 2 million women left the workforce, and most of whom did not want to leave the workforce for a variety of reasons that are both about economic but also they’re professional, and goals around just them appreciating the dignity of work and their work ethic.
 
It has highlighted in many ways — this pandemic — the failures and the fissures in our system on every level, including women in the workforce, in the workforce in general, both around paid leave, sick leave, family leave, affordable childcare.
 
And so all of these are the issues that we have been working on together for years but that you in particular — these leaders — have been fighting for, for dare I say — for — on behalf of generations of workers in America.
 
And so I thank you for joining me today.  It is great to see you all.  And I look forward to our discussion.  So, thank you.
 
END                 11:29 A.M. EDT
Remarks By Vice President Harris On International Women’s Day
MARCH 08, 2021
Location: Not determined

4:23 P.M. EST
 
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, military and national security leaders, we’re here today for an extremely important occasion.
 
At this moment, we face global threats to our climate and our health, to our physical security and cyber security.  Our capacity to meet this moment is determined both by our diplomatic strength and by our ability to build a strong, smart, and sustainable military force — a force that recruits the most talented, a force that retains the most capable, a force that advances the best of the best.
 
General Jacqueline Van Ovost and Lieutenant General Laura Richardson are some of the best — and, in fact, I would say, “the best of the best.”
 
General Van Ovost graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988.  Since then, she has logged more than 4,200 hours in the air.  And she serves today as Commander of the Air Mobility Command.
 
Lieutenant General Richardson was commissioned into the United States Army Aviation Branch in 1986.  She has flown Black Hawks and commanded battalions.  And today, she serves as Commanding General of United States Army North.
 
General Van Ovost and Lieutenant General Richardson have been tested under the most difficult circumstances, and they are proven leaders.
 
The President and I have full confidence in them to address the complex threats we face, to help lead our troops, and to keep our nation safe.
 
As it is International Women’s Day, I should also mention that General Van Ovost and Lieutenant General Richardson are but two of the many, many women who have defended our nation throughout our history.
 
During the American Revolution, women rode horseback through enemy territory to transport sensitive military information.  During the Civil War, women disguised themselves as men and fought for the Union Army.  In World War II, women served as SPARS, as WACs, as WAVES, and WASPS.  And today, women military members are stationed around the world.
 
I say this to remind us: While it has only been five years since all combat jobs have opened to women, women have been in the line of fire, risking their lives to protect our nation,
long before that. 
 
Today, we know women make up 16 percent of our active-duty military and 19 percent of our enlisted officers.  We also know that women want to serve, and that our military is stronger when they do.  Look no further than General Van Ovost and Lieutenant General Richardson for proof.
 
Recruiting more women to our military, adjusting policies to retain more women, enforcing policies to protect women and ensure they are heard, and advancing more women on fair and equal footing will, without any question, make our nation safer.  And that’s the work ahead.
 
So, for now, let me congratulate General Van Ovost and Lieutenant General Richardson.  And with that, it is my great honor to introduce our Commander-in-Chief, President Joe Biden.
 
                              END                 4:27 P.M. EST
Remarks by President Biden Before Economic Briefing with Treasury Secretary Yellen
MARCH 05, 2021
Location: Not determined

2:25 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Welcome, folks.  Can you hear me in my mask?

Q    Yes, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  We’re about to have an economic meeting, but I want to make a few very brief comments.

Today’s jobs report shows that the American Rescue Plan is urgently needed, in our view.

Now, our economy still has 9.5 million fewer jobs than it had this time last year.  And at that rate, it would take two years to get us back on track.  We have 1 million fewer educators — 1 million fewer educators — than we did this time last year.  We’ve lost 400,000 small businesses.  All of those empty storefronts aren’t just shattered dreams, they’re warning lights that are going off and state and local budgets that are being stretched because of the lack of tax revenue.

And some of last month’s job growth is a result of the December relief package.  But without a rescue plan, these gains are going to slow.  We can’t afford one step forward and two steps backwards.  We need to beat the virus, provide essential relief, and build an inclusive recovery. 

People need the help now.  In less than two weeks, enhanced unemployment benefits will begin to expire for 11 million people.  At least 7 million kids don’t have enough food to eat on a regular basis.  Thirteen million people are behind in their rent. 

And the rescue plan is absolutely essential for turning this around, getting kids back to school safely, getting a lifeline to small business, and getting the upper hand on COVID-19.  That’s what we’re going to be talking about now. 

So I thank you all for coming on in.  Thank you.

2:27 P.M. EST
Remarks by President Biden and President López Obrador of Mexico Before Virtual Bilateral Meeting
MARCH 01, 2021
Location: Not determined

     PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It’s great to be with you, Mr. President.  You know, this is — my second call to a foreign leader in my third day as President was you.  And now you’re my second virtual meeting with a foreign leader, and that’s not by accident.  The important of our relation- — the importance of our relationship with Mexico is vital to a North American partnership we have and paramount to all the elements of my administration’s priorities.  So I’m delighted to be with you.
Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris During Tour of the State Farm Stadium Vaccination Site in Glendale, Arizona
FEBRUARY 08, 2021
Location: Not determined

MR. ZIENTS:  Good afternoon, Mr. President and Madam Vice President.  On your second day in office, you announced a comprehensive national strategy to fight the pandemic.  Importantly, you called for a whole-of-government approach.  Central to that strategy, you directed your team to activate the full resources of the federal government to get more shots in arms.  We immediately got to work.  First, to increase vaccine supply.  Second, to get more vaccinators in the field.  And third, to create more places where Americans can get vaccinated.