Monday, May 13, 2019

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Office of the Press Secretary

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


May 13, 2019

 
Dear Madam Speaker:

I ask the Congress to consider the enclosed Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget amendments for the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State and Other International Programs, and Transportation, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers.  These amendments are necessary to correctly reflect policies assumed in my FY 2020 Budget.

Also included are amendments providing increased amounts for the Department of Education regarding funding for the Special Olympics, the Army Corps of Engineers regarding funding for the Florida Everglades, the Environmental Protection Agency regarding funding for the Great Lakes, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration regarding returning United States astronauts to the surface of the Moon by 2024.  These amendments are fully offset and do not change the overall discretionary budget authority requested in my FY 2020 Budget.

In addition, in recent weeks, my Administration announced that it would restore funding for the Refueling and Complex Overhaul of the USS Truman aircraft carrier.  However, no new amendments would be needed to effectuate this change.

The details of these amendments are set forth in the enclosed letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

                             Sincerely,
 

                             DONALD J. TRUMP
 

 
 
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NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE

Office of the Press Secretary
NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

     Jeffrey Byard, of Alabama, to be Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, vice Brock Long, resigned.

     Douglas Russell Cole, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, vice Susan J. Dlott, retired.

     Vincent F. DeMarco, of New York, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York for the term of four years, vice Charles Gillen Dunne, term expired.

     Charles R. Eskridge III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, vice Gray Hampton Miller, retired.

     William D. Hyslop, of Washington, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington for the term of four years, vice Michael C. Ormsby, resigned.

     Wilmer Ocasio, of Puerto Rico, to be United States Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico for the term of four years, vice Esteban Soto III, term expired.

     Peter Joseph Phipps, of Pennsylvania, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit, vice Thomas I. Vanaskie, retired.

     Kea Whetzal Riggs, of New Mexico, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico, vice M. Christina Armijo, retired.

     William Shaw Stickman IV, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, vice Joy Flowers Conti, retired.

     Peter M. Vito, of New York, to be United States Marshal for the Western District of New York for the term of four years, vice Charles F. Salina, term expired.

     Robert Wallace, of Wyoming, to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife, vice Thomas L. Strickland, resigned.

     Jennifer Philpott Wilson, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, vice Yvette Kane, retired.

 

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN OF HUNGARY BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Office of the Press Secretary

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN OF HUNGARY
BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Oval Office

 
2:14 P.M. EDT

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  It's a great honor to have with us the Prime Minister of Hungary.  And Viktor Orbán has done a tremendous job in so many different ways.  Highly respected.  Respected all over Europe.  Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that's okay.  That's okay.  You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe.

     We'll be discussing NATO.  As you know, Hungary is a proud member of NATO, and we are -- we've really gotten to know each other a little bit.  We'll be discussing trade, very much so, and lots of other subjects.  We'll be meeting with representatives of Hungary later on, and with the Prime Minister.  And we'll spend some very good time together.

     So, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for being at the White House.  Thank you very much.  It's a great honor.  Thanks.

     PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  May I have a word?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yes, please.

     PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  So, President, thank you very much for the invitation.

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you.

     PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  May I just say here that we are proud that so many Hungarians contributed to the tremendous progress of United States.  I'm very happy to be here again, and, may I say, to be young again.  It was 20 years ago, first time here.

     I have some expectations for this meeting this afternoon.  First of all, to strengthen our strategic alliance.  Then, to discuss global political issues because so many changes are going on, and we have some similar approaches.  And I would like to express that we are proud to stand together with the United States on fighting against illegal migration, on terrorism, and to protect and help the Christian communities all around the world.

     So, President, thank you very much for the invitation.

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  And you have been great with respect to Christian communities.  You have really put a block up, and we appreciate that very much.

     So we're going to have some meetings now.  A lot of subjects under discussion.  And the relationship is very good with Hungary.  Thank you all very much.

     Q    Mr. President, what's your reaction to China's decision today to retaliate on tariffs, and the market reaction to that?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, the reaction is very simple.  China has been taking advantage of the United States for many, many years.  I'm not just talking about during the Obama administration.  You can go back long before that.  And it's been taking out four hundred, five hundred, six hundred billion dollars a year out of the United States.  And we can't let that happen.

     We're in a very strong position.  Our economy has been very powerful; theirs has not been.  We've gone up a lot since our great election in 2016.  And if you look at the numbers, they've gone down quite a bit.

     We're dealing with them.  We have a very good relationship.  Maybe something will happen.  But we're going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan.  And that will be, I think, probably, a very fruitful meeting.

     But we're taking in, right now, hundreds of billions of dollars.  We're taking in billions of dollars of tariffs.  And those tariffs are going to be tremendously -- if you look at what we've done thus far with China, we've never taken in 10 cents until I got elected.  Now we're taking in billions and billions.

     Now, it went up, as of Friday, very substantially.  It's 25 percent on $200 billion.  So now the total is 25 percent on $250 billion.  In addition to that, we have another $325 billion that we can do if we decide to do it.

     So we are taking in tens of billions of dollars.  We've never done that before with -- with China.  We've never done that before with anybody, frankly, because we've been taken advantage of on all of our trade deals, practically.

     This is a -- a very positive step.  I love the position we're in.  There can be some retaliation, but it can't be very, very substantial, by comparison.  And out of the billions of dollars that we're taking in, a small portion of that will be going to our farmers because China will be retaliating, probably, to a certain extent, against our farmers.

     We're going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about $15 billion, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well.  They'll be planting.  They'll be able to sell for less, and they'll make the same kind of money until such time as it's all straightened out.

     So our farmers will be very happy.  Our manufacturers will be very happy.  And our government is very happy because we're taking in tens of billions of dollars.  I think it's working out very well.

     Again, we do much less business with China than they do with us.  If you take a look at $100 billion versus $600 billion -- and just so you understand, we don't have to pay any tariffs if you're a manufacturer in this country.  You pay nothing.  Open your division or open up your product.  Have it made in this country as opposed to made in China.  Or, if you don't want to do that -- and that would be the ideal; that's what it used to be a long time ago when we were smart, when we had an economy that was really something very special.  Now we're having a period of tremendous growth and tremendous success like we haven't seen for a long time.

But in the old days, we made our product and we took our product, and that's what it was.  Now we go to China, and we buy it -- not anymore.

     And if they don't want to pay tariffs, make it here or buy it from another country that's a non-tariffed country.  So whether you go to Vietnam or so many others, you can do that.

     So, the bottom line is we are taking in a tremendous amounts of money.  It already started as of last Friday, but it really started seven months before that.  It's in the form of tariffs or taxes, and it had a tremendous impact.

     If you looked at the first quarter -- which is always, historically, the worst quarter -- we were at 3.2 percent.  People were very surprised.  Well, a lot of that was the tariffs that we were taking in from China.  So we're in a very good positon and I think it's only going to get better.

     Q    Can you guarantee a trade deal with China by June 1st?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We're in a great positon right now, no matter what we do.  Yeah, I think China wants to have it because companies are already announcing that they're leaving China because they can't do that.  They can't compete if they're in China, with the tax.

     So what a lot of companies are going to be doing, quite naturally, is leaving China and going to other countries so they don't have to pay the tariff.  That's something that's a problem for China.  They don't want to have that.  And we don't want to have that necessarily happen to China.

But we had a deal with China; it was 95 percent there.  And then, my representatives -- as you know, Secretary Mnuchin and Bob Lighthizer -- Ambassador Lighthizer -- they went to China and they were told the things that were fully agreed to we're not going to get anymore; they're going to un-agree to them.  That's not acceptable.

     I said, "Good.  That's fine.  Put on the tariffs."  And again, so we have tens of millions of dollars pouring into our coffers -- the coffers of the U.S. Treasury.

     Q    Are you at war with Iran?  Are you seeking regime change there?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We'll see what happens with Iran.  If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake.  If they do anything.  I'm hearing little stories about Iran.  If they do anything, they will suffer greatly.  We'll see what happens with Iran.

     Q    Mr. President, will you meet with President Xi directly at G20?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I'll meet with him directly, yes.  I'll be meeting with President Xi of China.  Yes.

     Q    What about President Putin?  Will you also meet with him at G20?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yes, I'll be meeting with President Putin also.

     Q    On Russia: Secretary Pompeo is there -- or is heading there.  What message do you have for him to send to Putin?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia.  It makes sense to get along with Russia.

Nobody has sanctioned Russia like I have.  Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have.  I said it's very unfair -- having to do with the United States and NATO.  There has been nobody that's ever done -- and if you really look at something big, our energy business -- we're now the biggest in the world.  We're bigger than Russia.  We're bigger than Saudi Arabia.  We're bigger than anybody.  That it all happened since I've become President because I've made it so that you can do that.  And we're taking in a lot of money.

     Look, our country is doing really well.  We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue.  We have tremendous signs.  As far as the deal with China is concerned, believe it or not, it's very important, but it's a very, very small part of the kind of numbers that we're doing right now, since my election.

     Q    Will you pursue the $325 billion in tariffs?  The additional tariffs -- are you going to pursue that?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I haven’t made that decision yet.  We have the right to do another $325 billion at 25 percent in additional tariffs.  That is a tremendous amount of money that would come into our country.  I have not made that decision yet.

     Q    Should Don McGahn be held in contempt of Congress?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I don’t know anything about what's going on.  I can tell you that there has never been anybody so transparent as the Trump administration.  And it was no collusion and no obstruction.  And we're wasting a lot of time with that stuff.  But the Mueller report came out; it was a very good report for us.

     Q    Mr. President, are you concerned about democratic backsliding in Hungary under this Prime Minister?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, people have a lot of respect for this Prime Minister.  He's a respected man.  And I know he's a tough man, but he's a respected man.  And he's done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration.  And you look at some of the problems that they have in Europe that are tremendous because they've done it a different way than the Prime Minister.  But I'll let him speak to that question.

Mr. Prime Minister, please.

    PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  "From the people, by the people, for the people."  This is the basis for the Hungarian government.  So, it's a government which is elected by the Hungarian people several times, so we are happy to serve our nation.

     Q    What about democratic reforms, sir?

     PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  We have a new constitution accepted in 2011, and it's functioning well.

     Q    Mr. President, you talked about --

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Don't forget they're a member of NATO, and a very good member of NATO.  And I don’t think we can really go into too much of a discussion unless that's mentioned.

Yeah.

Q    You talked about transparency, sir.  If you're so transparent, why continue to block these House Democrats who are looking for information from Secretary Mnuchin and others?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Because they're asking for things that they're not entitled to.  I could ask them.  I assume, if they ask me, I could ask them for the same kind of thing.  They wouldn’t want to do it.  All they're doing is trying to win an election in 2020.

And I think we're in very good shape.  We're have the strongest economy we've ever had.  We have the single best employment numbers we've ever had -- and unemployment numbers.

You know, it's very interesting, but, Mr. Prime Minister, as of today, we have the most number of people working in the United States than we have ever had at any time in the history of our country.  Almost 160 million people --

PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  Congratulations.

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  -- are working.  So, that’s a big -- that’s a big number.

PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN:  Congratulations.

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I just saw the final number.  We're close to 160 million people.  If you look at African American, Asian, Hispanic unemployment, it's the lowest number it's ever been.

     So we’re doing really well.  And all the Democrats want to do is find any way they can to stop it.  They’re putting their own personal goals ahead of the country, and you can’t do that.  You just can’t do that.

     And we have a wonderful Attorney General.  He’s done a very, very good job.  And I’m sure it’ll all work out.

     Q    On your campaign, sir: Will you commit to not using any information stolen from a foreign adversary?  Will you make that commitment?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, I never did use, as you probably know.  That’s what the Mueller report was all about.  They said, “No collusion.”  And I would certainly agree to that; I don’t need it.  All I need is the opponents that I’m looking at.  I’m liking what I see.

     Q    Mr. President, are you concerned about the attacks on oil tankers in the Middle East?
     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We’ll see what happens.  It’s going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that.  They’re not going to be happy.  They are not going to be happy people.  Okay?

     Q    What do you mean by that?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  You can figure it out yourself.  They know what I mean by it.

     Okay, does anybody else have a question other than these two?  Any questions for the Prime -- are there any questions for the Prime Minister, please?

     Q    Mr. President, what can you tell us about this American citizen that was rescued by the French in Africa? 

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yes, the French did a great job.

     Q    Who is she?  Was it coordinated with your administration?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  The French did a great job and we appreciate it very much.  And I’ve already communicated that feeling.  We worked with them on intelligence, and we were able to get that person back.  And we thank the French very much.  Great job.

     Q    Who is she?  Who is she?  What work was she doing there?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I don’t want to -- I don’t want to tell you that now.  I’ll tell you at some later date, I’m sure.

     Okay?

     Q    The farmer aid package, sir -- the $15 billion -- can you elaborate on what that looks like or where that’s coming from?

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, it’s being devised right now.  It’s something that has taken place over the years.  And if you would like, speak to Sonny Perdue, Department of Agriculture.

We love our farmers.  We take care of our farmers.  Our farmers have been incredible.  No country can get in the way of our farmers.  Our farmers are great patriots and they’ve done a fantastic job.  So our farmers are going to be very well taken care of.

     Thank you all very much.  Thank you.

                             END                2:29 P.M. EDT

   


 

NOTICE - CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO YEMEN

Office of the Press Secretary
NOTICE

- - - - - - -

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO YEMEN

 
     On May 16, 2012, by Executive Order 13611, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of certain former members of the Government of Yemen and others that threaten Yemen's peace, security, and stability.  These actions include obstructing the political process in Yemen and blocking implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provided for a peaceful transition of power that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people.

     The actions and policies of certain former members of the Government of Yemen and others in threatening Yemen's peace, security, and stability continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared on May 16, 2012, to deal with that threat must continue in effect beyond May 16, 2019.  Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13611.

     This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

 
                             DONALD J. TRUMP


THE WHITE HOUSE,
    May 13, 2019.
###
 

Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Yemen

Office of the Press Secretary

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
 

      Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days before the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13611 of May 16, 2012, with respect to Yemen is to continue in effect beyond May 16, 2019.

      The actions and policies of certain former members of the Government of Yemen and others continue to threaten Yemen's peace, security, and stability, including by obstructing the political process in Yemen and the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provided for a peaceful transition of power that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people.  For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13611 with respect to Yemen.

 
                             DONALD J. TRUMP
 
 
THE WHITE HOUSE,
    May 13, 2019.
 
 

EXECUTIVE ORDER - ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

Office of the Press Secretary
EXECUTIVE ORDER

- - - - - - -

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy, it is hereby ordered as follows:

    Section 1.  Policy.  There are presently more than 20 million people of Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent residing in the United States, which amounts to more than 6 percent of the population.  The AAPI population is the most rapidly growing ethnic group in the country and is expected to increase to over 40 million individuals by 2060.  At that time, people of AAPI descent are projected to be more than 9 percent of the Nation's population.  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped build a strong and vibrant America.  Generations of AAPI individuals, families, and communities are composed of diverse and varied ethnicities, languages, and cultures, and include residents of United States Pacific Island territories and freely associated states.  They play an important economic role, having started businesses and generated jobs that pay billions of dollars in wages and taxes, including founding some of our Nation's most successful and innovative enterprises.  Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made important contributions to science and technology, culture and the arts, and the professions, such as business, law, medicine, education, politics, and economics.  Their shared accomplishments and legacies are an inspirational, significant, and celebrated part of the American experience.

    While we celebrate the many contributions of the AAPI communities to our Nation, we also recognize that AAPI communities and enterprises encounter challenges accessing economic resources and opportunities.  Many of the more than 1.9 million AAPI-owned enterprises are small sole-proprietorships that need assistance to access available resources such as business development counseling, small-business loans, and government procurement opportunities.  Today's AAPI workforce is the largest it has been in American history, and we will continue striving toward furthering AAPI advancement in employment and workforce development as well as increasing AAPI participation and representation in the upper levels of leadership in the public and private sectors.

    The purpose of this order is to establish the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  Each will work to broaden access by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities, thus empowering AAPIs to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy.  Additionally, each will work to advance relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis for AAPI populations, subpopulations, and businesses.

    Sec. 2.  President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (the "Commission") is established in the Department of Commerce.

    (a)  Mission and Function of the Commission.  The Commission shall provide advice to the President, through the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Transportation, who shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Initiative described in section 3 of this order, on:

        (i)     the development, monitoring, and coordination of executive branch efforts to broaden access by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities;

        (ii)    strategies for encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in AAPI communities, empowering the economic growth of AAPI enterprises and communities, and increasing AAPI business diversification, including through general reductions in regulatory and tax burdens;

        (iii)   strategies for increasing Federal procurement opportunities for AAPI enterprises;

        (iv)    strategies for increasing participation of AAPI enterprises in partnerships between the public and private sectors;

        (v)     economic strategies for AAPI enterprises and communities to employ existing knowledge and relationships in order to pursue trade and investment opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region;

        (vi)    opportunities to empower students and families with the freedom to pursue the educational opportunities that best prepare them for success in life and work;

        (vii)   strategies for increasing the diversity of our workforce with greater inclusion of AAPI employees through better recruitment, training, educational workshops, career development, advancement, vocational training, or other appropriate and effective means;

        (viii)  the compilation and analysis of research and data related to AAPI populations, subpopulations, and businesses; and

        (ix)    an analysis of the economic condition of the United States Pacific Island territories and freely associated states in an effort to devise strategies for helping each island develop and maintain a strong and diversified economy that supports its residents.

    (b)  Membership of the Commission.  The Commission shall consist of members appointed by the President who are United States citizens or nationals, or who are citizens of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia who are subject to an applicable compact of free association with the United States, and shall include individuals having a history of engagement and involvement with AAPI communities and enterprises.  The President shall designate one member of the Commission to serve as Chair.

    (c)  Administration of the Commission.  (i)  The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall designate an Executive Director for the Commission.  The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Commission to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations, and shall, as necessary and appropriate under section 1535 of title 31, United States Code, enter into one or more agreements to obtain goods or services from the Department of Transportation in support of the Commission.  The heads of other executive departments and agencies shall assist and provide information to the Commission, consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out its functions.  Each executive department and agency shall bear its own expenses of assisting the Commission.

    (ii)  Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701–5707).  Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.) (the "Act"), may apply to the administration of the Commission, any functions of the President under the Act, except that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.

    (d)  Termination Date.  The Commission shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order, unless renewed by the President prior to that date.

    Sec. 3.  White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  There is established the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (Initiative), a Federal interagency working group whose members shall be selected by their respective agencies.  The Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation shall serve as the Co-Chairs of the Initiative and shall convene regular meetings of the Initiative, determine its agenda, and direct its work pursuant to the guidance and direction of the President.  The Executive Director established in section 2(c) of this order shall serve in the same role for the Initiative and shall report to the Co Chairs, or their designees, on Initiative matters.

    (a)  Mission and Function of the Initiative.  The Initiative shall work to broaden AAPI access to economic resources and opportunities and thus empower AAPIs to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy.  The Initiative shall advise the Co-Chairs on the implementation and coordination of Federal programs as they relate to AAPI access to economic resources and opportunities.

    (b)  Membership of the Initiative.  In addition to the Co Chairs, the Initiative shall consist of senior officials from the following executive branch departments, agencies, and offices:

        (i)      the Department of State;

        (ii)     the Department of the Treasury;

        (iii)    the Department of Defense;

        (iv)     the Department of Justice;

        (v)      the Department of the Interior;

        (vi)     the Department of Agriculture;

        (vii)    the Department of Labor;

        (viii)   the Department of Health and Human Services;

        (ix)     the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

        (x)      the Department of Energy;

        (xi)     the Department of Education;

        (xii)    the Department of Veterans Affairs;

        (xiii)   the Department of Homeland Security;

        (xiv)    the Office of Management and Budget;

        (xv)     the Environmental Protection Agency;

        (xvi)    the Small Business Administration;

        (xvii)   the Office of Personnel Management;

        (xviii)  the Social Security Administration;

        (xix)    the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs;

        (xx)     the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs;

        (xxi)    the White House Office of Public Liaison;

        (xxii)   the National Economic Council;

        (xxiii)  the Domestic Policy Council;

        (xxiv)   the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

        (xxv)    the Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator; and

        (xxvi)   other executive branch departments, agencies, and offices as the President may, from time to time, designate.

    The heads of each of the foregoing executive branch departments, agencies, and offices shall designate the senior Federal officials who will serve as their respective representatives on the Initiative.  At the direction of the Co Chairs, the Initiative may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Initiative members or their designees under this section, as appropriate.  To the extent permitted by law, members of the Initiative, or their designees, shall devote the time, skill, and resources necessary and adequate to carry out the functions of the Initiative.  Each executive department, agency, and office shall bear its own expenses for participating in the Initiative.

    (c)  Administration of the Initiative.  The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Initiative to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations, and shall, as necessary and appropriate under section 1535 of title 31, United States Code, enter into one or more agreements to obtain goods or services from the Department of Transportation in support of the Initiative.

    Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a)  This order supersedes section 1(s) of Executive Order 13811 of September 29, 2017 (Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory Committees), and Executive Order 13515 of October 14, 2009 (Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Federal Programs).

    (b)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

        (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

        (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (c)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (d)  For purposes of this order, the term "Asian American" includes persons within the jurisdiction of the United States having origins or ancestry in any of the original peoples of East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia; and the term "Pacific Islander" includes persons within the jurisdiction of the United States having origins or ancestry in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or other Pacific Islands.

    (e)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
 


                        DONALD J. TRUMP

 
THE WHITE HOUSE,
    May 13, 2019.

President Donald J. Trump Signs Executive Order on the Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Office of the Press Secretary
President Donald J. Trump Signs Executive Order on the Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 



       

Today, President Donald J. Trump signed the Executive Order “Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” in Celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Looking on were the council’s Co-Chairs: Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao; and its commissioners: Amata Coleman Radewagen, Delegate for the U.S. House of Representatives, American Samoa; Sean Reyes, State of Utah Attorney General; Dr. Paul Hsu of Florida; David B. Cohen of California; Y. Lee of Michigan; George Leing of Colorado; Jan-Ie Low of Nevada; Herman Martir of Texas; Prem Parameswaran of New York; and Chiling Tong of Maryland.  (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
 
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West Wing Reads President Trump is Right on China, and Now is the Time for Congress to Act



West Wing Reads

President Trump is Right on China, and Now is the Time for Congress to Act


“President Trump understands that now is the time to hold China to account. For far too long China has repeatedly threatened U.S. economic and national security interests. Finally, we have a president who is serious about getting tough on China and fighting for reciprocal trade deals,” Bradley Blakeman writes in Fox News.

“In order to keep the pressure on China, now is the time for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to pass the trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, (USMCA). There is no doubt that if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., gave it her green light it would pass the House.”

Click here to read more.
In Fox News, Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) writes that Democrats’ absurd claims about Attorney General William Barr reveal a sad truth about President Obama’s Attorneys General Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch—and about Washington in general. “Democrats’ public vilification of Barr is a glimpse into how Holder’s ‘Fast and Furious’ scandal or Loretta Lynch’s tarmac summit with Bill Clinton might have played out without the air support of a breathless liberal media unwilling to portray Obama officials as anything but selfless public servants and Trump officials as anything but supervillains.”
Next month, the MISSION Act signed by President Trump “will enable VA to consolidate the department’s community care efforts into a single, simple-to-use program that will empower veterans with the ability to choose the health care providers they trust,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie writes in Fox News. So what can veterans expect? “Less red tape, more satisfaction and predictability for patients, more efficiency for our clinicians, and better value for taxpayers.”
At the White House last week, “President Donald Trump announced his principles to solve a huge problem facing our healthcare system: surprise medical bills. Present at the event were victims of outrageously large, surprise bills and their family members,” Joe Grogan, Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, writes in CNN. “Unlike Senator Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All legislation that would take away Americans' ability to choose their insurance and eliminate all private coverage, President Trump wants people to be able to keep insurance plans they like while no longer facing the issue of surprise medical bills.”