1600 Daily The White House • June 11, 2019 Ivanka Trump is Fighting to Get Women a Seat at the Table Across the Globe

The White House • June 11, 2019 Ivanka Trump is fighting to get women a seat at the table across the globe  Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump met with a group of bipartisan lawmakers on Capitol Hill today, previewing a new initiative from the Trump Administration to boost the role that women play in global peace and security processes. When women are involved in peace negotiations, important issues that help societies recover from conflict are more likely to be considered. In fact, research shows that peace agreements have a better chance of succeeding if women participate. Societies that empower women economically and politically are also more stable and peaceful, while those that marginalize women are likelier to experience regular conflict. President Donald J. Trump believes in policymaking that gets real-world results. His Administration’s new plan—the Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security—will help enhance women’s participation in resolving conflict, countering violent extremism, and building peace and stability. It's both a moral imperative and smart foreign policy. The new strategy implements the Women, Peace, and Security Act signed by the President in 2017. President Trump was the first world leader to sign standalone legislation on the topic—making the United States the first country in the world with a comprehensive law addressing women, peace, and security. That effort coincides with work already underway by the Trump Administration to empower women and girls across the globe. In February, the President signed a memorandum launching W-GDP, an initiative led by Ivanka Trump that seeks to empower 50 million women economically across the developing world by 2025. How President Trump is supporting women’s political empowerment globally The Wall Street Journal: Ivanka Trump Pushes Initiative to Give Women Bigger Role in Global Peace Efforts Getting Washington out of the way for farmers In Iowa earlier today, President Trump signed an executive order that will lift a major regulatory burden off of America’s farming community. Biotechnology has been used by our farmers for decades to produce safer, more sustainable crops. But Washington often has a way of making things more difficult than they should be. For years, agricultural innovators have been shackled with a regulatory maze that can take more than a decade to navigate. Far removed from America's heartland, politicians like to tack on regulation with little regard for the hidden costs. Effective immediately, President Trump’s executive order will direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to streamline the entire biotechnology approval process—giving our farmers much-needed certainty about the important work they do. Watch President Trump discuss renewable energy in Iowa. More welcome news: The Trump Administration approves year-round sales of E15 Video of the day: The 2019 Indy 500 winner Yesterday, President Trump welcomed Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud to the White House. Last month, Simon became the 103rd champion of the historic race. With the No. 22 Indy car parked on the South Lawn, President Trump congratulated Pagenaud along with Team Penske. “The job that Simon did, if you saw that—that was talent and it was a lot of courage,” the President said. Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead Marine One with President Trump aboard lands at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, en route to Iowa for an event on renewable energy | June 11, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019

EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - MODERNIZING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS       By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to conduct Federal oversight of agricultural biotechnology products that is science-based, timely, efficient, and transparent, it is hereby ordered as follows:     Section 1.  Purpose.  Recent advances in biotechnology have the potential to revolutionize agriculture and thereby enhance rural prosperity and improve the quality of American lives.  Biotechnology can help the Nation meet its food production needs, raise the productivity of the American farmer, improve crop and animal characteristics, increase the nutritional value of crop and animal products, and enhance food safety.  In order to realize these potential benefits, however, the United States must employ a science-based regulatory system that evaluates products based on human health and safety and potential benefits and risks to the environment.  Such a system must both foster public confidence in biotechnology and avoid undue regulatory burdens.     The September 2016 National Strategy for Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products (National Strategy) and the January 2017 Update to the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (Coordinated Framework) were important steps in clarifying Federal regulatory roles and responsibilities with respect to agricultural biotechnology.  The Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force established in April 2017 recommended additional steps to further modernize the regulatory framework for agricultural biotechnology products so as to facilitate innovation, ensure coordination across regulatory agencies, and safely enable billions of people across America and the world to reap the benefits of such products.  The directives below are intended to implement those recommendations.     Sec. 2.  Definition.  For the purposes of this order, the term "product of agricultural biotechnology" refers to a plant or animal, or a product of such a plant or animal, developed through genetic engineering or through the targeted in vivo or in vitro manipulation of genetic information, with the exception of plants or animals, or the products thereof, developed for non agricultural purposes, such as to produce pharmaceutical or industrial compounds.     Sec. 3.  Policy.  It is the policy of the Federal Government to protect public health and the environment by adopting regulatory approaches for the products of agricultural biotechnology that are proportionate responses to the risks such products pose, and that avoid arbitrary or unjustifiable distinctions across like products developed through different technologies.  Any regulatory regime for products of agricultural biotechnology should ensure public confidence in the oversight of such products and also promote future innovation and competitiveness.  To support these goals, the Federal Government shall:     (a)  base regulatory decisions on scientific and technical evidence, and take into account, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, economic factors;     (b)  review regulatory applications for products of agricultural biotechnology in a timely and efficient manner;     (c)  ensure the transparency, predictability, and consistency of the regulation of products of agricultural biotechnology, to the extent permitted by law;     (d)  as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, develop regulations and guidance through processes that provide fair notice to the public and allow for its participation;     (e)  make regulatory determinations based on risks associated with the product and its intended end use; and     (f)  promote trade in products of agricultural biotechnology by urging trading partners to adopt science- and risk-based regulatory approaches.     Sec. 4.  Regulatory Streamlining.  The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Administrator), and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (Commissioner), to the extent consistent with law and the principles set forth in section 3 of this order, shall:     (a)  within 180 days of the date of this order, identify relevant regulations and guidance documents within their respective jurisdictions that can be streamlined to ensure that products of agricultural biotechnology are regulated in accordance with the policy set forth in section 3 of this order and take the steps appropriate and necessary to accomplish such streamlining; and     (b)  use existing statutory authority, as appropriate, to exempt low-risk products of agricultural biotechnology from undue regulation.     Sec. 5.  Unified Biotechnology Web-based Platform.  To ensure that innovators can easily navigate the regulatory system for products of agricultural biotechnology, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration (collectively, the "agencies") shall, within 180 days of the date of this order, work together to design a plan to establish a web-based platform that contains and provides links to relevant United States Government regulatory information.  This web-based platform shall allow developers of products of agricultural biotechnology to submit inquiries about a particular product and promptly receive from the agencies a single, coordinated response that provides, to the extent practicable, information and, when appropriate, informal guidance regarding the process that the developers must follow for Federal regulatory review.  The web-based platform shall be funded by the Department of Agriculture, with the other agencies providing support, to the extent consistent with applicable law and within existing appropriations, through appropriate interagency agreements, including agreements under the Economy Act.     Sec. 6.  Review of Current Authorities, Regulations, and Guidance.  (a)  Each of the agencies shall, as appropriate, conduct a review of its regulations and guidance that may apply to genome-edited-specialty-crop-plant products designed to have significant health, agricultural, or environmental benefits, in particular those that are likely to benefit rural communities significantly.  Based on the findings of its review, each of the agencies shall take steps to update its regulations and guidance, as necessary and appropriate, to remove undue barriers that impede small, private United States developers, the United States Government, and academic institutions from bringing innovative and safe genome-edited-specialty-crop-plant products to the marketplace.     (b)  Every 90 days after the date of this order, for a period of 2 years, each of the agencies shall provide an update regarding its progress in implementing section 6 of this order to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.     Sec. 7.  Domestic Engagement Strategy.  (a)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator, the Commissioner, and any other Administration officials that the Secretary deems appropriate, shall develop an action plan to facilitate engagement with consumers in order to build public confidence in, and acceptance of, the use of safe biotechnology in agriculture and the food system.     (b)  In developing the plan described in subsection (a)  of this section, the following shall be considered:  supporting research and education on effective science communication; developing educational materials that integrate agricultural biotechnology into science education; creating consumer-facing web content; and developing other outreach materials that clearly communicate the demonstrated benefits of agricultural biotechnology, the safety record of the regulatory system, and how biotechnology can address agricultural challenges.  The strategy shall take into account the ongoing work of the Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative, which calls on the Food and Drug Administration to work with the Department of Agriculture to conduct public education and outreach on agricultural biotechnology and food and animal-feed ingredients derived from such technology.  The Secretary shall coordinate with State leaders in the fields of public health and agriculture as part of this strategy.     Sec. 8.  International Outreach.  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary and the Secretary of State (collectively, the "Secretaries"), in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, the Administrator, the Commissioner, and any other Administration officials that the Secretaries deem appropriate, shall develop an international communications and outreach strategy to facilitate engagement abroad with policymakers, consumers, industry, and other stakeholders.  The goal of the strategy shall be to increase international acceptance of products of agricultural biotechnology in order to open and maintain markets for United States agricultural exports abroad.     Sec. 9.  International Trade Strategy.  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretaries and the Trade Policy Staff Committee, shall develop an international strategy to remove unjustified trade barriers and expand markets for products of agricultural biotechnology.     Sec. 10.  General Provisions.  (a)  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.     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.     (c)  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,     June 11, 2019.

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019 TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE June 11, 2019   Dear Madam Speaker:    (Dear Mr. President:) I am providing this supplemental consolidated report, prepared by my Administration and consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148), as part of my efforts to keep the Congress informed about deployments of United States Armed Forces equipped for combat. MILITARY OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF UNITED STATES COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS In furtherance of counterterrorism efforts, the United States continues to work with partners around the globe, with a particular focus on the United States Central and Africa Commands' areas of responsibility.  In this context, the United States has deployed United States combat-equipped forces to conduct counterterrorism operations and to advise, assist, and accompany security forces of select foreign partners on counterterrorism operations.  Specific information about counterterrorism deployments to select countries is provided below, and a classified annex to this report provides further information. Military Operations against al-Qa'ida, the Taliban, and Associated Forces and in Support of Related United States Counterterrorism Objectives Since October 7, 2001, United States Armed Forces, including Special Operations Forces, have conducted counterterrorism combat operations against al-Qa'ida, the Taliban, and associated forces.  Since August 2014, these operations have targeted the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which was formerly known as al-Qa'ida in Iraq.  In support of these and other overseas operations, the United States has deployed combat-equipped forces to several locations in the United States Central, European, Africa, Southern, and Indo-Pacific Commands' areas of responsibility. Such operations and deployments have been reported previously, consistent with Public Law 107-40, Public Law 107-243, the War Powers Resolution, and other statutes.  These ongoing operations, which the United States has carried out with the assistance of numerous international partners, have been successful in seriously degrading ISIS capabilities in Syria and Iraq.  If necessary, in response to terrorist threats, I will direct additional measures to protect the people and interests of the United States.  It is not possible to know at this time the precise scope or the duration of the deployments of United States Armed Forces that are or will be necessary to counter terrorist threats to the United States. Afghanistan.  Consistent with the strategy I announced publicly on August 21, 2017, United States Armed Forces remain in Afghanistan for the purposes of stopping the reemergence of safe havens that enable terrorists to threaten the United States; supporting the Afghan government and the Afghan military as they confront the Taliban in the field; and creating conditions for a political process to achieve lasting peace.  United States forces in Afghanistan are training, advising, and assisting Afghan forces; conducting and supporting counterterrorism operations against al-Qa'ida and against ISIS; and taking appropriate measures against those who provide direct support to al-Qa'ida, threaten United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan, or threaten the viability of the Afghan government or the ability of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces to achieve campaign success. Although reconciliation efforts are ongoing, and peace efforts are our top priority, the United States remains in an armed conflict, including in Afghanistan and against the Taliban, and active hostilities remain ongoing. Iraq and Syria.  As part of a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS, United States Armed Forces are conducting a systematic campaign of airstrikes and other necessary operations against ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria and against al-Qa'ida in Syria.  United States Armed Forces are deployed to Syria to conduct operations against ISIS with indigenous ground forces and to Iraq to advise, coordinate with, and provide support to select elements of the Iraqi security forces, including Iraqi Kurdish security forces.  Support to Iraqi security forces includes training, equipment, communications support, and intelligence support.  United States Armed Forces also provide limited support to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission in Iraq.  Actions in Iraq are being undertaken in coordination with the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and in conjunction with coalition partners.  Although these efforts led to the territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, operations against the continuing terrorist threats emanating from Iraq and Syria remain ongoing. Arabian Peninsula Region.  A small number of United States military personnel are deployed to Yemen to conduct operations against al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS-Yemen.  The United States military continues to work closely with the Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) and regional partner forces to dismantle and ultimately eliminate the terrorist threat posed by those groups.  Since the last periodic update report, United States forces conducted a number of airstrikes against AQAP operatives and facilities in Yemen, and supported the United Arab Emirates- and ROYG-led operations to clear AQAP from Shabwah Governorate.  United States Armed Forces are also prepared to conduct airstrikes against ISIS targets in Yemen.   United States Armed Forces, in a non-combat role, have also continued to provide military advice and limited information, logistics, and other support to regional forces combatting the Houthi insurgency in Yemen.  United States forces are present in Saudi Arabia for this purpose.  Such support does not involve United States Armed Forces in hostilities with the Houthis for the purposes of the War Powers Resolution. Jordan.  At the request of the Government of Jordan, approximately 2,910 United States military personnel are deployed to Jordan to support Defeat-ISIS operations, to enhance Jordan's security, and to promote regional stability. Lebanon.  At the request of the Government of Lebanon, approximately 60 United States military personnel are deployed to Lebanon to enhance the government's counterterrorism capabilities and to support the Defeat-ISIS operations of Lebanese security forces. Turkey.  United States Armed Forces, including strike and combat-support aircraft and associated United States military personnel, remain deployed to Turkey, at the Turkish government's request, to support Defeat-ISIS operations and to enhance Turkey's security. East Africa Region.  In Somalia, United States Armed Forces continue to counter the terrorist threat posed by ISIS and al-Shabaab, an associated force of al-Qa'ida.  Since the last periodic report, United States forces have conducted a number of airstrikes against ISIS and al-Shabaab.  United States military personnel also advise, assist, and accompany regional forces, including Somali and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces, during counterterrorism operations.  Additional United States Armed Forces are deployed to Kenya to support counterterrorism operations in East Africa.  United States military personnel continue to partner with the Government of Djibouti, which has permitted use of Djiboutian territory for basing of United States Armed Forces.  United States military personnel remain deployed to Djibouti, including for purposes of staging for counterterrorism and counter-piracy operations in the vicinity of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and to provide contingency support for embassy security augmentation in East Africa, as required. Lake Chad Basin and Sahel Region.  United States military personnel in the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel Region continue to conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations and to provide support to African and European partners conducting counterterrorism operations in the region, including by advising, assisting, and accompanying these partner forces. Approximately 700 United States military personnel remain deployed to Niger.  United States military personnel are also deployed to Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria to support counterterrorism operations. Cuba.  United States Armed Forces continue to conduct humane and secure detention operations for detainees held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, under the authority provided by the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40), as informed by the law of war.  There are 40 such detainees as of the date of this report. Philippines.  United States Armed Forces deployed to the Philippines are providing support to the counterterrorism operations of the armed forces of the Philippines. MILITARY OPERATIONS IN EGYPT Approximately 455 United States military personnel are assigned to or supporting the United States contingent of the Multinational Force and Observers, which have been present in Egypt since 1981. MILITARY OPERATIONS IN GABON On January 4, 2019, I reported the deployment of United States Armed Forces to Gabon to be in position to support the security of United States citizens, personnel, and diplomatic facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has improved, and the previously reported forces have since departed Gabon. UNITED STATES AND NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION OPERATIONS IN KOSOVO The United States continues to contribute forces to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in cooperation with local authorities, bilateral partners, and international institutions, to deter renewed hostilities in Kosovo.  Approximately 660 United States military personnel are among KFOR's approximately 4,000 personnel. I have directed the participation of United States Armed Forces in all of the above-described operations pursuant to my constitutional and statutory authority as Commander in Chief and as Chief Executive (including the authority to carry out Public Law 107-40, Public Law 107-243, and other statutes), as well as my constitutional and statutory authority to conduct the foreign relations of the United States.  Officials of my Administration and I communicate regularly with congressional leadership and other Members of Congress with regard to these deployments, and we will continue to do so.                         Sincerely,                             DONALD J. TRUMP ###

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate: Halil “Sul” Ozerden of Mississippi, to serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Sul Ozerden currently serves as U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi, where he has served since he was confirmed by the United States Senate and appointed by President George W. Bush in 2007.  Before taking the bench, Judge Ozerden was a partner and shareholder at Dukes, Dukes, Keating & Faneca, P.A. in Gulfport, Mississippi.  Upon graduation from law school, Judge Ozerden served as a law clerk to Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.  Before entering law school, Judge Ozerden served as a flight officer in the United States Navy, achieving the rank of lieutenant.  While in the Navy, Judge Ozerden earned the Navy Commendation Medal for missions flown over Iraq and Somalia.  Judge Ozerden earned his B.S., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as an Associate Editor of the Stanford Law Review. John F. Kness of Illinois, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. John Kness is the General Counsel of the College of DuPage, where he oversees all legal matters at the second-largest institution of higher learning in the State of Illinois.  Prior to becoming General Counsel, Mr. Kness served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, with stints in the National Security and Cybercrimes, Narcotics, and General Crimes Sections.  Mr. Kness served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Pryor, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Mr. Kness earned his B.A. and J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University.  Mr. Kness also has experience in law enforcement, having served as a patrol officer for the Oak Park Police Department prior to law school. Eleni M. Roumel of Virginia, to serve as Judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Eleni Roumel currently serves as Deputy Counsel to the Vice President of the United States, a post she has held since stepping down as Assistant General Counsel to the United States House of Representatives in 2018.  Before embarking on a career of public service, she was a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, where her practice focused on class action and shareholder derivative litigation.  Ms. Roumel also served as an adjunct professor at Charleston School of Law, where she taught courses on Intellectual Property.  Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Roumel served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Pauley III of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.  Ms. Roumel earned her B.A., cum laude, from Wake Forest University, her M.B.A. from Tulane University A.B. Freeman School of Business, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Tulane Law School, where she served as Notes & Comments Editor for the Tulane Law Review.    ###

BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE UNITED STATES STRATEGY ON WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019

BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE UNITED STATES STRATEGY ON WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY Via Teleconference   2:04 P.M. EDT          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you so much.  And thank you everyone for joining us on the call today.  We're very excited to announce the release of the United States Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security, which President Trump just signed today.      This call will be background, to a senior administration official.  We will take questions after the call.  There will not be follow-up.  And with that, I'll go ahead and kick it over to my colleague to tell you a little bit about the strategy.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Hello, everyone.  I'm very excited today to talk about the strategy that, as my colleague mentioned, President Trump signed today.      To kick it off: President Trump is committed to protecting the United States and promoting global peace and stability by enhancing women's leadership in efforts to prevent conflict, stem terrorism, and promote security around the world.      As a little background: In October 2017, President Trump signed the Women, Peace, and Security Act, which aims to increase the United States’ efforts to enhance the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict prevention.  This is important because this is the first standalone, comprehensive legislation of its kind, globally, which solidifies the United States as a trailblazing global leader in building innovative solutions to difficult foreign policy challenges.      Promoting women's meaningful inclusion and participation across efforts to restore security and support economic development is not simply a women's issue; it is a national security issue and it's vital for human progress.      Women provide essential contributions to forging lasting solutions to conflict, terrorism, and crisis.  However, their perspectives and leadership are too often not tapped into.  A growing body of evidence actually demonstrates that women are partners that we cannot afford to ignore, as their participation leads to better outcomes not only for women, but for all societies. The administration fully supports the comprehensive integration of women into conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace building, and disaster recovery efforts worldwide, and recognizes that the protection of women from violence is critical to their meaningful participation in promoting security. The United States Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security is a whole-of-government plan, and it directs the federal departments and agencies within foreign policy to take steps to promote women's participation and safety in efforts to resolve conflict, recover from natural disasters, and to promote security.      This strategy essentially directs the interagency with foreign policy and assistance missions to increase efforts to guarantee meaningful participation of women in conflict resolution and disaster recovery; to increase women and girls' level of physical safety, access to assistance, and justice in areas experiencing conflict or disaster; and it ensures that the impact of our efforts are lasting.      The United States strategy and effort within this space, in conjunction with the initiative to support women's prosperity, including the Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, recognizes that societies that empower women economically and politically are far more stable and peaceful.      The primary implementers of this interagency strategy are the Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Agency for International Development -- USAID.      These departments and agencies will integrate the objectives of this strategy into their internal training and put its principles into action during foreign interactions and programs around the globe.      So as we approach next year's 20-year anniversary of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 -- which, for the first time, recognized women's essential contributions to preventing and resolving conflict -- the United States remains committed to expanding the role of women in the establishment and maintenance of global peace, security, and prosperity around the world.  Thank you.          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you so much.  And so I apologize, I didn't mention on the call -- it did come out in the invite to the call though -- this call is embargoed until the release of the strategy and the statement goes out here from the White House, which I expect to happen sometime later on this hour.      With that, we'll go ahead and take a few questions on the strategy.  As a reminder, this call is on background, to a senior administration official.  And I'll kick it back over to our lovely moderator to give directions on how to get in the queue.      Q    Hi, this is Patsy Widakuswara from Voice of America.  Can you hear me?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We sure can.      Q    Okay, great.  Thank you for doing this briefing.  I just really want to make a simple query.  Is there any new funding for this strategy?  And can you give us some real examples of what might be -- the initiatives be under this new strategy?  Thanks.          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yes, so -- thank you for asking that.  As a little background, we have existed in this space -- in contributing to women, peace, and security -- for quite some time in the interagency.  And so, rather than use new funding, we're actually reframing funding that's already in existence.  So, in other words, we're pivoting the funding and trying to work towards kind of a more integrated strategy to build on lessons learned and efficiencies of the past.      Q    Yes.  My name is Edward Szall with TruNews.  The question I have is actually related to -- this was brought up, to my understanding, in the Ivory Coast by President Trump's daughter, Ivanka.  And I was wondering, in the speech, she noted that this could also mean, potentially, that a woman would be mandated to be in the room, for example, at peace talks with North Korea.  Can you give a comment on that?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So, first of all, just to go back on kind of how we're going to implement this strategy -- we wouldn't necessarily mandate.  We rather, kind of, work to build capacity of different governments.      But we, for ourselves, mandate that the interagency -- like the Department of State, Department of Defense, and USAID -- will actually lead on programs under this strategy and kind of work towards integrated efforts. So, for the sake of right now, what's really mandated in this strategy is that, within 90 days, we come up with a (inaudible) to measure the framework and strategy moving forward.  Within 120 days, the interagency develops a consolidated implementation plan.  And then, within a year, we're really rolling out training to make this more established.  So, in other words, this takes time.      Q    Yes.  This is Karen Rubin from News and Photo Features.  So I'm wondering how this strategy and this philosophy underpins with the legislation and the support of this administration for legislation that takes away a woman's ability to make her own reproductive choices, and how it jives with the United States pulling back aid to countries that provide reproductive services? Also, I'm a little unclear as to why you give this timeline -- 90 days, 100 days, 120 days, a year -- when you said that this strategy has been in place for 20 years. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  So this is [senior administration official].  I'll leave it to [senior administration official] to answer the -- to clarify on where the strategy comes from after I mention this.  So this strategy resulted out of a requirement in the 2017 Women's Peace and Security Act that was passed by Congress bipartisanly and signed into law by the President.  So what you're finding in this strategy is answering a call from Congress that we worked with legislatures, with the interagency, and with NGOs to formulate. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And just on the 90 days, 120 days -- just to clarify it, there might be a little bit of confusion here.  So the strategy is actually quite new.  The reference to something 20 years ago is the U.N. Security Council Resolution, which recognized that women made essential contributions to preventing and resolving conflict.  However, this strategy is new in its kind.  And as [senior administration official] mentioned it, it was actually just signed in 2017 as an act into legislation. So this strategy is -- and kind of the integrated efforts -- though we've done work in the past in this area, this is all very, very new.  And so, when you're hearing about the timelines rolling out, it's really making sure that the interagency is working together and that we're working as a whole-of-government effort to not only name priorities, but also figure out how to measure them. So, once again, it's new that it's such a comprehensive strategy. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Okay, great.  Well, thank you so much, everyone, for joining the call.  As I mentioned, the information on this call is embargoed until the statement goes out from the White House and the strategy has been released.  It is on background, to a senior administration official.  If you have any additional questions, feel free to send me an email.  And with that, we'll go ahead and complete the call.                                          END                2:16 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS UNLEASHING INNOVATION FOR AMERICAN FARMERS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS UNLEASHING INNOVATION FOR AMERICAN FARMERS  “Our Nation will always be proud of the unmatched grit and faith and skill of the American farmer.” – President Donald J. Trump GROWING INNOVATION IN THE HEARTLAND: President Donald J. Trump is working to streamline the regulatory maze for agricultural biotechnology.  Today, President Trump is signing an executive order directing Federal agencies to streamline the agricultural biotechnology regulatory processes. This executive order will help eliminate delays, reduce developer costs, and provide greater certainty about the review process for farmers. Biotechnology has been used in farming for decades to produce safer, more sustainable crops. Streamlining the biotechnology regulatory process will help create an environment that fosters greater investment in these innovative crops.     The current regulatory process is a regulatory maze that can take over a decade to navigate, delaying innovations that can bring safe resilient crops to the market. An average of five petitions were processed by USDA each year from 1993 through 2017. HELPING FARMERS FUEL AMERICA: President Trump has delivered on his promise to open up E15 sales year-round, providing a boost to America’s corn growers.  The Trump Administration recently finalized a rule approving year-round sales of E15, which is gasoline with 15 percent ethanol.  The President made a commitment to finalize the approval of year-round E15 sales by the summer, and he has delivered. President Trump initiated the process to approve year-round sales in October of 2018. This expansion will provide consumers with more choices, while supporting America’s hardworking farmers. The Administration is also improving the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program by increasing transparency and reducing the potential for price manipulation in the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market. ALLY TO AGRICULTURE: President Trump has been an ally and friend to America’s farmers.  President Trump recently announced up to $16 billion in funds to support our farmers against unfair trade retaliation. The President negotiated the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will provide fairer markets for our farmers and ranchers. President Trump has negotiated better deals for our farmers, opening up market access for American beef and lamb to Japan, pork to Argentina, and more. The Trump Administration is working to expand opportunity and prosperity in our rural communities, including by investing in rural broadband. Last year, the Administration launched a new program to promote high-speed internet connectivity in rural America, offering up to $600 million in loans and grants. ###

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE CHAIRWOMAN AND CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS, CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON ARMED SERVICES, AND CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019 TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE CHAIRWOMAN AND CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS, CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON ARMED SERVICES, AND CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS June 11, 2019   Dear Madam Chairwoman:   (Dear Mr. Chairman:) In accordance with section 5 of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-68) (the "Act"), I have enclosed the United States Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security (the "Strategy").  The Strategy describes how my Administration will fulfill the policy objectives as set forth in section 4 of the Act.                                Sincerely,                                  DONALD J. TRUMP

BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE VISIT OF PRESIDENT DUDA OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2019 BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE VISIT OF PRESIDENT DUDA OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND Via Teleconference   1:07 P.M. EDT PRESS OFFICER:  Good afternoon.  Thank you very much for joining us this afternoon for this background call previewing the visit of President Duda of Poland.  To reiterate, the outline for today’s call: It will be on background, attributable to senior administration officials.  I will note that there’s a change to the embargo.  This call is embargoed until 3:00 p.m. today. I will introduce our speakers, and then I’ll turn to each one of them to provide a few remarks at the top, and then we’ll move to Q&A.  Our speakers today are [senior administration officials].  With that, I’ll turn to my colleague to kick us off. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Good afternoon.  As you know, we have a visit tomorrow from Polish President Duda.  He will be meeting with President Trump in the White House and with a high-level delegation, primarily on matters of security.  We’re looking to deepen the U.S.-Polish security partnership, consistent with NATO goals and NATO planning.  You will note that this is part of a pattern of high-level engagement that the President has undertaken this year with leaders from Central Europe. This is an important area, and we want to underscore our commitment to the defense of the region and to our shared relationship in NATO and shared values.  Poland is a particularly important part of this, as they have indicated their willingness to shoulder a greater share of the burden for their own security and for the security of the region.  Their defense spending is over the 2 percent NATO goal, and they have been a key partner in encouraging other allies to do so. This is a historic meeting, coming as it does 80 years since the beginning of the Second World War, in which Poland was the first country to undergo aggression from Germany.  It’s 30 years after the end of the communist rule in Poland, and 20 years since Poland has been a member of NATO.  So we’re celebrating many different anniversaries. So with that, I will end my preparatory remarks and turn it over to [senior administration official]. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, I think that that’s about right.  Again, we’re just here to reaffirm our commitment to the region and the region’s security, but we also are talking about a broader strategic relationship across many fronts.  Defense is obviously the most important and the most prolific one, but we also want to highlight our expanded trade relationships; also affirm our commitment to the region’s energy security and expanding our energy partnerships, as well; as well as people-to-people contacts and cultural relations, and things on that front, as well. So, really, a comprehensive look at our relationship will be discussed at this meeting tomorrow. PRESS OFFICER:  With that, we’ll turn to [senior administration official]. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Okay, thank you.  So, yes, I’m happy to be here to talk about the defense relationship with Poland.  Obviously, Poland, as a country, is a very strong ally with us at NATO, and they have stood with us around the globe, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, over the years.  And our relationship with Poland has helped to ensure peace and security not only in Europe, but around the world. This meeting between the Presidents is a great opportunity for us to highlight our deepening military-to-military relationship and our mutual commitment to NATO and its priorities.  And as everybody, I think, is aware, the Secretary of Defense -- Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan will host his Polish counterpart today, in about 45 minutes, for a bilateral meeting here in the Pentagon.  So we’re looking forward to that as well. PRESS OFFICER:  Thank you.  With that, moderator, we’re ready to move to Q&A. Q   Patrick Tucker from Defense One.  Thank you everybody.  A sort of defense question.  Polish officials, beginning last week, have said that they've reached a deal with the White House on the size of a potential troop commitment, in terms of U.S. troops to Poland.  I know that they were looking for something on par to like a brigade.  Can you tell us what is the change that’s going to be in the U.S. military troop presence in Poland?  Has an agreement been formally reached on that?  How big is it?  And what are some of the other aspects of additional equipment or training, or things that are going to Poland that have been agreed to? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So I think what you'll see tomorrow -- there will be a significant announcement made on this front tomorrow at the White House.  And we’re really looking forward to announcing this new military -- new facet of our military-to-military relationship.  We believe it’s going to significantly enhance our military-to-military relationship but also enhance the defense and deterrence posture in Europe as it relates -- and our commitment to NATO. So I’m not going to go into the details, but you’ll have to wait for the significant announcement tomorrow. Q    Hi.  This is Jeff Schogol with Task & Purpose.  Is there any legal agreement that prohibits the United States from permanently stationing troops in Poland, as opposed to having troops rotate in?  I think it’s referred to as the “founding agreement” with Russia.  Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Okay.  Thank you for your question.  So the NATO-Russia Founding Act is not a treaty, first of all; it’s a political agreement.  And tomorrow's announcement will be completely consistent with the commitments we’ve made at NATO.  And so I think I’ll just leave it at that. But as far as treaty agreements, we think that this announcement tomorrow will actually enhance our posture, our commitment to NATO and to the North Atlantic Treaty. Q    Hi there.  It’s Paul Sonne from the Washington Post.  I was just wondering: Is it accurate to say that there will not be a Fort Trump, as was floated by the Polish leader last time he was here in town?  And is it also accurate to say that there will not be any permanent Polish -- sorry, permanent American military bases or anything like that set up in Poland? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  From the NSC, I would once again say you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow for the full details that will be announced at that time, and they will pertain to the future of the U.S.-Polish defense relationship.  But we don't want to steal the President’s thunder for that, and I think you should look forward to hearing what he has to say. Q    Yeah, thanks.  Hey.  Aaron Mehta with Defense News.  I was wondering if you’re expecting a formal request from Poland to buy the F-35 during this trip and whether you expect that request would be cleared from this administration.  Thanks. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Okay, thank you.  So, yeah, I was actually honored to be able to accompany Minister Błaszczak yesterday down to Eglin Air Force Base to look at the F-35 training command down there.  As -- I think it’s public by now that they have already submitted a letter of request for the F-35, and we’re working through our formal military sales process right now to get them an offer, essentially. So that’s sort of where we are.  And I think that’s basically the facts of where we are on the F-35 in Poland right now.      Q    Hi, yes, this is Carla Babb with Voice of America.  I just want to go back to the troop commitment here.  You said that there's a significant announcement but then no other details to that.  So I'm trying to see why exactly we're on this call.  Is there going to be an increase in troops?  Or what -- can you give us any more details other than "there's going to be a significant announcement"?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Details will be available tomorrow.  At this time, we're not going to give anything else out on this particular issue.  What we want to do is discuss the fact that there is a very important presidential visit that is happening tomorrow, and it's going to be dealing with a number of issues beyond the significant announcement on the defense relationship.      Q    Yes.  Hi, this (inaudible) with (inaudible) Media.  On the energy security front, I was wondering if we should expect anything new on U.S. LNG exports to Poland and the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe?  Thank you.          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  This will be a subject for discussion.  We are working hard with the government of Poland and with other governments in the Central European region on energy security and on diversification of energy supplies.  So we do expect to be making progress on this front as well.      Q    Hi, this is Jeff Schogol with Task & Purpose again.  I know you can't give details of what the President is going to announce tomorrow, but will it be accurate to characterize that more troops are going to Poland, or something that we can describe the type of announcement that will be announced tomorrow?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I'm not going to go into details on the announcement tomorrow.  It will be a significant announcement on the future of the security partnership.      Q    Yeah, thanks.  Aaron Mehta with Defense News again.  Just more broadly speaking, aside from the F-35, are you expecting any arms sales announcements or any sort of package agreement similar to the big Saudi package that was announced a couple years ago?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  This is [senior administration official] at DOD.  I don't -- I'm not tracking anything like that at this time, so -- but I would defer to the White House.      Q    This is Tom Squitieri with Talk Media News.  I'd like to follow up on Jeff Schogol's first question to get some clarity.  I want to make sure I understood you all saying that there's no treaty or no legislative blocking -- blockage -- to have its permanent, expanded U.S. presence in Poland.  I'm not asking you to confirm if that's what's going to happen, I'm just trying to understand that the agreement that Jeff refered to between the United States and Russia does not forbid a permanent U.S. facility in Poland.          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Hi.  So, yeah, I'll try to make sure that my answer is clear.  So the first part of it is that the NATO-Russia Founding Act is not a treaty, it's a political commitment.  And the second part is that tomorrow's announcement will be completely consistent with the commitments we've made at NATO, and that includes the NATO-Russia Founding Act.  Over.      Q    Hi, yes.  This is Carla Babb with Voice of America again.  I just want to go back to what we were talking about with this significant announcement.  So in response to a question on the troop commitment, [senior administration official], I believe it was you that said that it would be made on this tomorrow.  And then on a question with Fort Trump, you said you're going to have to wait until tomorrow.  So can we at least say that the announcement will be in concern with troop commitments and Fort Trump?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  What I said is that the announcements tomorrow will be about the future state of our security cooperation and our defense relationships.  I did not mention any of the other things.  For specifics, I'm going to have to ask you to be patient and wait until then. Q    Thanks.  Patrick Tucker, again, with Defense One.  Is there a discussion at all about basing of missiles or potentially nuclear arms?  Is that something that had been spoken a little bit about?  Is that something that we can expect tomorrow, or is that a topic of discussion between the two leaders?      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Hi, this is [senior administration official] from DOD again.  No, there are no discussions on those.  Thank you.      Q    Hi, this is Jeff Schogol with Task & Purpose again.  I'm just wondering if you can talk about the strategic importance of Kaliningrad and whether the Russians have moved S-400 missiles there.  Thank you.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Hi, this is [senior administration official] again.  I'm sorry, I think that’s probably a little bit beyond the scope of this call so I'm going to have to -- I'm going to have to demur on that one.      Q    Hey, sorry.  It's Carla Babb with VOA.  And I'm sorry about this.  The way of doing this is really hard because we don’t have any follow-up.  But again -- unless they want to leave my mic open. Again, I have five minutes into the call, someone -- and I didn’t write down names because this is a background briefing -- I have, in quotations, "a significant announcement made on this" in response to a Washington Post question about White House troop commitment.  So my story is going to focus on there's going to be a significant announcement on White House -- on the troop commitment to Poland. And so -- but your response was what you had said later now, which was on the security issue -- which was more broad and more vague.  But, again, so could somebody just tell me, in what was said five minutes into the briefing, was that a misspeak -- "a significant announcement made on this"?  "This" being referring to a troop commitment to Poland.  Or if misspoke, just let me know.  But if not, that’s what I think the four left on this call are going to focus on. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  As we have said previously, we're not going to go into details as to what will be in the announcement tomorrow because we don’t want to preempt our bosses on that.  So you can write about that there will be a significant announcement tomorrow.  It will involve our security relationship and force posture, but we're not going to provide any details today. Q    Hi, it's Margaret Talev at Bloomberg.  I won't beat a dead horse, but I also want to know what's going to happen tomorrow.  But can you tell us, is the President going to make any commitment or announcement about plans to travel to Poland himself later this year, tomorrow?  Or could you do that for us now? And also, will he seek to tie any of those commitments that are going to be announced tomorrow to any agreement by Duda and the Polish government on rule of law, human rights issues, free press -- any of those kinds of concerns about governance or democratic governance?  Thanks. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  To answer your second question first, what is being announced tomorrow is self-contained.  Certainly the discussions on the rule of law, human rights issues that you mention are part of the dialogue between the Presidents but not captured in what they have agreed, but will be continuing subjects for discussion. And the first part of the question, I'm sorry?  Oh, was the possibility of travel.  I'm not in a position to make any announcement about that at this point. Q    Hi.  It's Demetri Sevastopulo at Financial Times.  Two questions.  First is: What is the state of negotiations between the U.S. and Poland for what Poland does with Huawei in its future 5G networks? And secondly, I missed the start of the call.  Is there going to be a kind of a joint statement from the President tomorrow?  Or what's the format?  Thank you.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  The issue of communications security is something that the Presidents will discuss tomorrow and there will be some kind of joint statement issued.      Q    Hi, this is Elizabeth McLaughlin at ABC News.  I was wondering if you guys could possibly do this call again tomorrow after the announcement is made so that we can actually ask some questions and get into the details about what the announcement will entail tomorrow. PRESS OFFICER:  I will say that you should have received a media advisory about a press conference that will take place with the Presidents tomorrow, and I expect it will addressed at that time.      Okay.  With that, we're ready to conclude.                                          END             1:29 P.M. EDT