Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 4, 2019

Presidential Message on the 243rd Anniversary of the Adoption of the Declaration of Independence Two hundred forty-three years ago today, our Founding Fathers, gathered in Philadelphia, adopted the Declaration of Independence and cast off the shackles of tyranny.  They boldly proclaimed the inherent truth that each individual has unalienable rights that come from our Creator, and that among them are the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  As we celebrate these rights upon which our Nation was built, we also recognize the courageous men and women of our Armed Forces who have valiantly defended them. Four days after the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Liberty Bell echoed through the streets and alleyways of Philadelphia, calling citizens of the city to the first public reading of the celebrated document.  Today, freedom continues to ring proudly throughout the United States and around the world because of the service and sacrifice of our Nation’s veterans and military members, who have fearlessly answered the call of duty.  From the Battles of Lexington and Concord to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the members of our Armed Forces have demonstrated remarkable patriotism and unrivaled courage. The ideals and values of the American Revolution gave birth to a just and virtuous republic that has both fostered and been sustained by a people animated by courage, faith, and love.  Countless contributions from statesmen, businessmen, philanthropists, educators, and other Americans from coast to coast have shaped our communities and inspired generation after generation to preserve and advance liberty, equality, and the American dream. In 1815, reflecting on the character of America, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his friend—and hero of the Revolutionary War—Major General Marquis de Lafayette: “The cement of this union is in the heart blood of every American.”  These words are still true today, as the unmatched patriotism of Americans continues to bind us as a Nation.  Looking to the future, we resolve to remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding liberty for ourselves and future Americans. Melania joins me in sending our best wishes to all Americans celebrating Independence Day.  Happy Fourth of July!

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts   Keith E. Sonderling of Florida, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for the remainder of a five-year term, expiring July 1, 2024. Mr. Sonderling currently serves as Deputy Administrator of the United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.  He previously served as the Agency’s Acting Administrator.  The Wage and Hour Division administers and enforces some of the Nation’s most comprehensive Federal labor laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family Medical Leave Act.  Before joining the Department of Labor in 2017, Mr. Sonderling practiced labor and employment law at the Gunster Law Firm in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Mr. Sonderling received his B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University. Charlotte A. Burrows of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for the remainder of a five-year term, expiring July 1, 2023. Charlotte A. Burrows has served as Commissioner with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission since January 2015.  Before joining the Commission, Ms. Burrows served in the United States Department of Justice in a variety of positions, including as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Chief for the Civil Rights Division.  She previously served as general counsel for civil and constitutional rights to United States Senator Edward M. Kennedy.  Earlier in her career, she served as a judicial clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and as an associate at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton.  Ms. Burrows received her A.B., cum laude, from Princeton University and her J.D. from Yale Law School. ###

Tijuana Authorities Investigating Migrant Groups Trying to Buy Children to Cross into the United States “Some migrants in Tijuana are trying to purchase children from vulnerable single mothers in local shelters so they can more easily cross into the United States, according to shelter directors, migrants and Tijuana law enforcement authorities,” Wendy Fry reports for The San Diego Union-Tribune. “U.S. border authorities have been warning since June 2018 about people fraudulently using children who aren’t theirs to pose as family units and gain entry into the United States a claim that critics said was overblown. But now, authorities in Tijuana are warning migrant mothers to keep their children close by and supervised, after reports of men offering to purchase migrant children in order to cross.” “I can’t go to work because I can’t take my eyes off my boys,” a migrant from Honduras says. “They want to rob our kids so they can cross into the United States.” Click here to read more. “Don’t look now, but quietly or at least in a way that hasn’t really been absorbed by much of America, there is positive movement on health care reform. Before anyone knows it, we might just find that the ground has been set for meaningful reform,” The Dallas Morning News editorial board writes. Most recently, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order last week that pushes for greater transparency in healthcare pricing. “The president is on the right track. We have a right to know what we’ll be charged and keeping it all a secret until we’re on the hook invites waste and inefficiency.” Former President Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security criticized Democrats who came out in support of decriminalizing illegal border crossings, Julio Rosas reports in the Washington Examiner. “That is tantamount to declaring publicly that we have open borders,” Jeh Johnson told The Washington Post. “That is unworkable, unwise and does not have the support of a majority of American people or the Congress, and if we had such a policy, instead of 100,000 apprehensions a month, it will be multiples of that.” “For the first time in a U.S. trade agreement, the USMCA would include rules to address all biotechnologies, including new technologies such as gene-editing, to support 21st century innovations in agriculture,” Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) writes in Lancaster Online. “These important and forward-thinking changes will prepare our farmers of today with the tools for tomorrow.”