REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT SIGNING OF EXECUTIVE ORDER ON ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT SIGNING OF EXECUTIVE ORDER ON ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE International Training and Education Center Crosby, Texas   4:07 P.M. CDT      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  And one of my all-time favorite governors is right here.  Greg, thank you very much.  Greg Abbott.  (Applause.)  Great, great job.      I'm thrilled to be here in Crosby, Texas, with the incredible members of the International Union of Operating Engineers.  (Applause.)  I know you well.  I know you well and I also know who most of you voted for, and I appreciate it.  (Laughter.)      When our nation builds and maintains pipelines and pumps, oil rigs and runways, bridges and boilers, operators get the job done with unmatched excellence and skill.  There is nobody like you.  Nobody.  (Applause.)      With the help of the incredible workers in this room, the United States is now the number-one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world, anywhere on the planet.  (Applause.)  Not even close.  Made a lot of progress in the last two and a half years, haven't we?  Huh?  Took down a lot of barriers.  A lot of barriers to production and to the pumping.  So many different things. I just met some of your folks outside; they gave me a little lesson.  I didn’t learn a lot, but I didn't know they could lay as much pipe as that and so fast, Jim, right?  So fast.  Incredible.      There's no -- nobody in the world can do what you folks do.  (Applause.)  We're going to make it easier for you.      So, in a few moments, I will sign two groundbreaking executive orders to continue the revival of the American energy industry and jobs.      My action today will cut through destructive permitting delays and denials.  You know about that?  You know about delays -- (applause) -- where it takes you 20 years to get a permit?  Those days are gone.  Now, you may not get it at all, but it's going to take -- going to be quick if you don't.  It'll be quickly missed.  You know they say, "Miss it quick."  Do you ever hear that?  "Miss it quick."  But that's not going to happen too often.      So that you can get to work producing the energy and the infrastructure our country needs to thrive and compete and to win.  All over the world, we're winning.  Our country is respected again.  (Applause.)  Respected again.      So we're pleased to be joined by your great union leadership, General President, a friend of mine, Jim Callahan.  He knows all my friends back in New York.  (Applause.)  Big Jim.  And your General Secretary-Treasurer, Brian Hickey.  Brian?  (Applause.)      As I've said from day one, American labor will always have a friend in the White House.  You know that.  I've proven that.  Jobs are at an all-time high in the history of our country.  Unemployment is at a 51-year low.  The unemployment in our country -- and we will soon break the all-time record.  African American, Asian American, Hispanic American -- all-time historic lows.  We're doing well.  We're doing well.  And we're going to keep it going because we believe in two fundamental rules: Buy American and hire American.  Okay?  (Applause.)      I introduced your great governor, Greg Abbott.  And we love Greg.  He's been so incredible.  So incredible in so many ways. And my friend -- his friend and my friend, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.  What a job he's done.  (Applause.)  Dan.  Thank you, Dan.  Thank you, Dan.  And his son is doing a fantastic job, too.  Thank him for me, please. And Texas Attorney General -- somebody that wins a lot of lawsuits on your behalf -- Ken Paxton.  (Applause.)  Ken?  Thank you, Ken. And Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.  Dan.  (Applause.)  Dan.  Thank you, Dan.  Thanks, Dan.  Thank you. As well as Representatives Pete Olson, Randy Weber, and Brian Babin.  (Applause.)  Thanks, fellas.  They help a lot.  I'll tell you, those three guys.      AUDIENCE:  (Inaudible), Mr. President!      THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)  Thanks also to Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush for being here.  (Applause.)  Where's George?  Where is George?  Come here, George!  This is the only Bush that likes me.  (Laughter.)  This is the only one.  Can we -- come here.  I want to meet you.  He's a friend of my son and he's a great guy.  Truly, this is the Bush that got it right.  (Laughter and applause.)  Good guy.  I like him.  I like him.  He's going far.  He's going places.  Thank you, George. Here at the IUOE International Training and Education Center, operators are perfecting their skills on cranes and pipelifters, sidebooms, and angle dozers.  I just saw them all outside.  I'd love to work -- I used to work machines.  I'd work them -- my father would have a job -- when I was very young.  I won't say it because they'll report me.  (Laughter.)  But I was much too young to work a machine.  But I used to work a machine.  And then, I used to love the D10s.  Now they make D12s.  You don’t get too many of them, but they still make them.  Right? Under this administration, we have ended the war on American energy like never before.  Nobody believed that this was going to happen.  (Applause.)  And we put thousands and thousands of patriotic union members like you to work building our energy future. Since the election, we have created more than 5.5 million new jobs, and more than 60,000 brand new oil and gas pipeline construction jobs.  We approved the Keystone Pipeline almost on day one.  (Applause.)  And we got the Dakota Access Pipeline out of a lot of trouble.  They had built it, but they had a little problem.  They had a river and they didn’t have that permit.  I gave it to them.  I gave it to them.  (Applause.)  So we got that open.  That was 40,000 jobs, between the two of them.  We withdrew the United States from the one-sided Paris Climate Accord, where you don’t do any more drilling for oil and gas.  (Applause.)  That was going to cost us a lot of money.  No more oil and gas with the Paris Accord.  That’s good for Paris, but that's not good for us.  Right? And we're replacing the previous administration’s job-crushing Clean Power Plan and putting our miners back to work.  And they're back to work all over the country.  It's incredible what's happened with the miners and with steel -- with steel.  (Applause.)  Right now, they're building many, many steel plants.  All of them -- Nucor, U.S. Steel -- they're building many plants.  They hadn’t built a plant in 40 years. We finally opened ANWR in Alaska.  I don’t know if you like that.  Yeah, you liked that.  You liked that.  (Applause.)  A little competition.  We've got to give them -- George, we have to give them a little competition here, right? But that was something -- I don’t know if you know -- that they've been trying to get that approved since Ronald Reagan.  Ronald Reagan tried it.  They all tried to get ANWR done.  And I had it in a plan; I was close to getting it done.  Then I didn’t like somebody or something that somebody did.  I said, "Let's take it out of the plan.  Why should we do it?" Then a friend of mine, who's in the oil business, called.  Unrelated.  Didn’t have anything to do with it.  He says, "Is it true that you're going to get ANWR?"  And I said, "Yeah, I can get it.  I don’t know.  I think I'm not going to, though.  They don't appreciate it.  They don’t appreciate it at all."  He said, "Aw, that’s too bad because, you know, everybody from Ronald Reagan all the way up to you couldn’t get it done."  I said, "Really?  Oh."  I called up, "Put that back in the plan."  (Laughter.)  You know, that was just a competitive thing, right?  “Put it back.”  (Applause.) So we put ANWR back, and that’s one of the biggest in the world.  So it's going to be something very special.  A lot of you folks are going to be there. We've added more than 450 oil and gas rigs nationwide.  And that number is going up very substantially and rapidly, right?  Rapidly. Here in Texas, we've have nearly doubled the number of land rigs, and crude oil production has reached a record high -- highest in the history of Texas.  And if I get you the pipelines, which I will -- you know, they've been trying to get these pipelines -- how many years, Governor?  Ten, twelve, fifteen -- how many? AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Too long. THE PRESIDENT:  Too long.  And we're going to try and do it in six months.  Is that okay?  We'll try.  EPA.  (Applause.) And that means jobs, jobs, jobs.  And that’s a lot of jobs, and it's a lot of additional product.  It's a lot of stuff. At the same time, we're strongly protecting the environment.  We have to protect the environment.  The United States has among the very cleanest air and water developments in the world.  And also we have the cleanest air and water, they say, in the world.  We are the best.  And you want that and I want that.  I want clean air and beautiful, crystal-clean water.  Right?  We want that.  (Applause.)  People don’t understand that about us.  They don’t understand that.  (Applause.) And we also have, right now, the strongest, by far, economy anywhere in the world.  We're the envy of the world. And we're negotiating deals with China, with Mexico, with Canada.  And many of them already negotiated.  We have others to go, but we're doing a great job.  The trade deals -- we were being taken advantage of.  You would not believe.  Yeah, you would believe.  You guys understood it.  You understood it better than the politicians.  You understood it better than the people that used to stand here. But too often, badly needed energy infrastructure is being held back by special interest groups, entrenched bureaucracies, and radical activists.  Shocking to hear that, isn't it?  (Laughter.)  So true. For example, this past winter, Americans in New England -- New England, great place -- paid up to four times more than nearby Pennsylvania to heat their homes. And also, in New York, they're paying tremendous amounts of money more for energy to heat their homes because New York State blocked a permit to build the Constitution Pipeline.  It’s a pipeline that goes across.  And we actually buy a lot of oil from other countries like Russia because we aren’t being permitted to build a pipeline through New York State.  How about that?  Not too good. This obstruction does not just hurt families and workers like you; it undermines our independence and national security.  The two executive orders that I’ll be signing in just a moment will fix this, dramatically accelerating energy infrastructure approvals.  So we’re going to get these approvals done quickly. We need help with New York.  New York is hurting the country because they’re not allowing us to get those pipelines through, and that’s why they’re paying so much for their heating and all of the things that energy and our energy produces.  So hopefully they can come on board and get in line with what’s happening. They also have a lot of energy under their feet, and they refuse to get it.  And people are living up there, not doing well with jobs.  It’s not a good situation.  But it’ll change. My first order will speed up the process for approving vital infrastructure on our nation’s borders, such as oil pipelines, roads, and railways.  It will now take no more than 60 days.  That’s a vast improvement.  And the President, not the bureaucracy, will have sole authority to make the final decision when we get caught up in problems.  (Applause.)  We’ll do what’s right. My second order will modernize regulations for LNG export terminals and encourage new infrastructure financing.  It will improve access for workers and operators to maintain electrical lines.  And finally, it will stop state-level abuse of water quality certifications -- they abuse you; when you’re nowhere near water, they abuse you -- from blocking the construction of vital pipeline projects as we rebuild our energy infrastructure.  And it will be like never before.  It’s already -- look at what’s happened over the last two years. Now is also the time to train even more.  American workers are going to perform their job better and better.  Places like this -- what a job you’ve done here, Jim.  I just met your people.  What a job you’ve done.  (Applause.)  What a job.  Incredible. And you know what else?  I just met them, and they also love what they do.  If I say, “I’ll trade places: You can have a beautiful apartment on Fifth Avenue, and I can work teaching pipelines or helping.”  You know what?  They would not switch with me, would they?  (Laughter.) And as far as the White House is concerned, they definitely wouldn’t switch.  (Laughter and applause.)  The apartment, maybe close.  But the White House, I don’t know.  But we’re having a good time.  We’re doing better. The country has never done like it’s doing right now.  Never had an economy like it.  It’s never done.  (Applause.) And, you know, the world took advantage of us in so many ways, but certainly on trade.  And that’s coming to a halt.  They understand that.  They understand.  They understood what was happening, and they don’t even blame me.  And I don’t blame them.  I don’t blame China for taking out $500 billion a year.  Five hundred billion dollars.  How about that?  That wouldn’t happen if you were negotiating. You almost say, “Who were these people that were making this whole -- letting this happen?”  And I said to President Xi of China, “I don’t blame you.  I blame the people that were in my position.”  But those days are over.  I said that.  Those days are over.  And we’re in the process of doing a reasonable deal.  (Applause.) But this is all why we launched the Pledge to American Workers, and our partners have committed to providing more than 6.7 million training and enhanced career opportunities to their American workforce.  We’ve done an incredible job.  My daughter, Ivanka, she worked so hard on it.  Walmart and all of the big companies have just stepped up, and they’re doing an incredible job hiring people. So I’m proud to announce that the International Union of Operating Engineers signed the pledge today and committed to train almost 550,000 Americans for the jobs of tomorrow.  (Applause.)  Big.  That’s pretty good, Jim.  That’s pretty big.  That puts you up there with the biggest companies in the world, Jim.  I’m impressed.  You’ve come a long way, huh? (Laughter.) With us today is Brandon Cooper, from the Operating Engineers Local 3.  Brandon, come on up.  He lost his job a few years ago and came here to learn about pipeline construction.  Brandon?  Where’s Brandon?  Where is Brandon?  Come here, Brandon.  Say a few words, Brandon.  Maybe you’ll be a politician, who knows?  (Applause.) MR. COOPER:  I’ve worked in construction for years.  I’ve been a member of Local 3 of California for over a decade, doing utility work, grading -- a little bit of everything.  But I’ve never worked in a pipeline industry and I needed training. You can fake -- you can’t fake your way through things in this industry.  You have got to produce or you’re gone.  Any contractor will let you go at a drop of a hat if you’re not making money. It’s funny -- the pipeline industry has a totally different language.  Despite working in the industry for years, I didn’t know the lingo.  Their terminology is different than the rest of the industry.  With the union, you have that opportunity to expand your skills.  I didn’t used to be proficient on all the equipment until I got in the union. Union training opportunities have given me a chance to better my operating engineer -- making more money, building retirement, security, and having good healthcare.  This opportunity at this International Training Center is going to pay my dividends.  It has been a great experience. We appreciate what you’re doing, President Trump, to grow this industry.  Thank you.  (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT:  Good job.  Good job, Brandon.  Thank you very much. I also want to introduce the great Larry Kudlow.  Please. He wanted to be here today.  (Applause.)  I said, “You don’t have to come, Larry.”  He said, “This is very important.”  Larry Kudlow, thank you. So now, more than ever, our nation needs dedicated operators like all of you.  With incredible grit and talent and spirit, you lay the pipes that power our industries, you raise the beams that build our skyscrapers, and you are the men and women who get up every day and make this country run and, frankly, make this country great.  You do a great job.  (Applause.) And what you understand better than anyone is you take pride in your work, and our nation will always take pride in you.  We have great respect for the work you do, believe me. To all of the talented operating engineers: Thank you for inviting me here today.  It was very special.  I know so many in this world, as Jim learned in the plane.  He got to be on Air Force One today.  He was very proud.  (Applause.)  We took a couple of pictures with that big plaque behind us.  He was very happy.  Huh?  (Laughs.)  Thank you, Jim. And thank you to the extraordinary devotion of all of you to our country.  Together, we are making America stronger and prouder and greater than ever before. God bless you all.  And God bless America.  Thank you.  (Applause.) Should I sign it? PARTICIPANT:  Yeah! (The executive order is signed.) THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you, folks.  (Applause.)                            END                 4:28 P.M. CDT

EXECUTIVE ORDER - PROMOTING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - PROMOTING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH      By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:      Section 1.  Purpose.  The United States is blessed with plentiful energy resources, including abundant supplies of coal, oil, and natural gas.  Producers in America have demonstrated a remarkable ability to harness innovation and to cost-effectively unlock new energy supplies, making our country a dominant energy force.  In fact, last year the United States surpassed production records set nearly 5 decades ago and is in all likelihood now the largest producer of crude oil in the world.  We are also the world's leading producer of natural gas, and we became a net exporter in 2017 for the first time since 1957.  The United States will continue to be the undisputed global leader in crude oil and natural gas production for the foreseeable future.      These robust energy supplies present the United States with tremendous economic opportunities.  To fully realize this economic potential, however, the United States needs infrastructure capable of safely and efficiently transporting these plentiful resources to end users.  Without it, energy costs will rise and the national energy market will be stifled; job growth will be hampered; and the manufacturing and geopolitical advantages of the United States will erode.  To enable the timely construction of the infrastructure needed to move our energy resources through domestic and international commerce, the Federal Government must promote efficient permitting processes and reduce regulatory uncertainties that currently make energy infrastructure projects expensive and that discourage new investment.  Enhancing our Nation's energy infrastructure, including facilities for the transmission, distribution, storage, and processing of energy resources, will ensure that our Nation's vast reserves of these resources can reach vital markets.  Doing so will also help families and businesses in States with energy constraints to access affordable and reliable domestic energy resources.  By promoting the development of new energy infrastructure, the United States will make energy more affordable, while safeguarding the environment and advancing our Nation's economic and geopolitical advantages.      Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to promote private investment in the Nation's energy infrastructure through:      (a)  efficient permitting processes and procedures that employ a single point of accountability, avoid duplicative and redundant studies and reviews, and establish clear and reasonable timetables;      (b)  regulations that reflect best practices and best-available technologies;      (c)  timely action on infrastructure projects that advance America's interests and ability to participate in global energy markets;      (d)  increased regulatory certainty regarding the development of new energy infrastructure;      (e)  effective stewardship of America's natural resources; and      (f)  support for American ingenuity, the free market, and capitalism.      Sec. 3.  Water Quality Certifications.  Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1341) provides that States and authorized tribes have a direct role in Federal permitting and licensing processes to ensure that activities subject to Federal permitting requirements comply with established water quality requirements.  Outdated Federal guidance and regulations regarding section 401 of the Clean Water Act, however, are causing confusion and uncertainty and are hindering the development of energy infrastructure.      (a)  The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shall consult with States, tribes, and relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies) in reviewing section 401 of the Clean Water Act and EPA's related regulations and guidance to determine whether any provisions thereof should be clarified to be consistent with the policies described in section 2 of this order.  This review shall include examination of the existing interim guidance entitled, "Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification:  A Water Quality Protection Tool for States and Tribes" (Section 401 Interim Guidance).  This review shall also take into account federalism considerations underlying section 401 of the Clean Water Act and shall focus on:           (i)    the need to promote timely Federal-State cooperation and collaboration;           (ii)   the appropriate scope of water quality reviews;           (iii)  types of conditions that may be appropriate to include in a certification;           (iv)   expectations for reasonable review times for various types of certification requests; and           (v)    the nature and scope of information States and authorized tribes may need in order to substantively act on a certification request within a prescribed period of time.      (b)  Upon completion of the consultation and review process described in subsection (a) of this section, but no later than 60 days after the date of this order, the Administrator of the EPA shall:           (i)   as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, issue new guidance to States and authorized tribes to supersede the Section 401 Interim Guidance to clarify, at minimum, the items set forth in subsection (a) of this section; and           (ii)  issue guidance to agencies, consistent with the policies outlined in section 2 of this order, to address the items set forth in subsection (a) of this section.      (c)  Upon completion of the consultation and review process described in subsection (a) of this section, but no later than 120 days after the date of this order, the Administrator of the EPA shall review EPA's regulations implementing section 401 of the Clean Water Act for consistency with the policies set forth in section 2 of this order and shall publish for notice and comment proposed rules revising such regulations, as appropriate and consistent with law.  The Administrator of the EPA shall finalize such rules no later than 13 months after the date of this order.      (d)  Upon completion of the processes described in subsection (b) of this section, the Administrator of the EPA shall lead an interagency review, in coordination with the head of each agency that issues permits or licenses subject to the certification requirements of section 401 of the Clean Water Act (401 Implementing Agencies), of existing Federal guidance and regulations for consistency with EPA guidance and rulemaking.  Within 90 days of completion of the processes described in subsection (b) of this section, the heads of the 401 Implementing Agencies shall update their respective agencies' guidance.  Within 90 days of completion of the processes described in subsection (c) of this section, if necessary, the heads of each 401 Implementing Agency shall initiate a rulemaking to ensure their respective agencies' regulations are consistent with the rulemaking described in subsection (c) of this section and with the policies set forth in section 2 of this order.      Sec. 4.  Safety Regulations.  (a)  The Department of Transportation's safety regulations for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities, found in 49 CFR Part 193 (Part 193), apply uniformly to small-scale peakshaving, satellite, temporary, and mobile facilities, as well as to large-scale import and export terminals.  Driven by abundant supplies of domestic natural gas, new LNG export terminals are in various stages of development, and these modern, large-scale liquefaction facilities bear little resemblance to the small peakshaving facilities common during the original drafting of Part 193 nearly 40 years ago.  To achieve the policies set forth in subsection 2(b) of this order, the Secretary of Transportation shall initiate a rulemaking to update Part 193 and shall finalize such rulemaking no later than 13 months after the date of this order.  In developing the proposed regulations, the Secretary of Transportation shall use risk-based standards to the maximum extent practicable.      (b)  In the United States, LNG may be transported by truck and, with approval by the Federal Railroad Administration, by rail in United Nations portable tanks, but Department of Transportation regulations do not authorize LNG transport in rail tank cars.  The Secretary of Transportation shall propose for notice and comment a rule, no later than 100 days after the date of this order, that would treat LNG the same as other cryogenic liquids and permit LNG to be transported in approved rail tank cars.  The Secretary shall finalize such rulemaking no later than 13 months after the date of this order.      Sec. 5.  Environment, Social, and Governance Issues; Proxy Firms; and Financing Energy Projects Through the United States Capital Markets.  (a)  The majority of financing in the United States is conducted through its capital markets.  The United States capital markets are the deepest and most liquid in the world.  They benefit from decades of sound regulation grounded in disclosure of information that, under an objective standard, is material to investors and owners seeking to make sound investment decisions or to understand current and projected business.  As the Supreme Court held in TSC Industries, Inc. v. Northway, Inc., 426 U.S. 438, 449 (1976), information is "material" if "there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable shareholder would consider it important."  Furthermore, the United States capital markets have thrived under the principle that companies owe a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to strive to maximize shareholder return, consistent with the long-term growth of a company.      (b)  To advance the principles of objective materiality and fiduciary duty, and to achieve the policies set forth in subsections 2(c), (d), and (f) of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall, within 180 days of the date of this order, complete a review of available data filed with the Department of Labor by retirement plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) in order to identify whether there are discernible trends with respect to such plans' investments in the energy sector.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall provide an update to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy on any discernable trends in energy investments by such plans.  The Secretary of Labor shall also, within 180 days of the date of this order, complete a review of existing Department of Labor guidance on the fiduciary responsibilities for proxy voting to determine whether any such guidance should be rescinded, replaced, or modified to ensure consistency with current law and policies that promote long-term growth and maximize return on ERISA plan assets.      Sec. 6.  Rights-of-Way Renewals or Reauthorizations.  The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce approve rights-of-way for energy infrastructure through lands owned by or within the jurisdiction or control of the United States.  Energy infrastructure rights-of-way grants, leases, permits, and agreements routinely include sunset provisions.  Operating facilities in expired rights-of-way creates legal and operational uncertainties for owners and operators of energy infrastructure.  To achieve the policies set forth in section 2 of this order, the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce shall:      (a)  develop a master agreement for energy infrastructure rights-of-way renewals or reauthorizations; and      (b)  within 1 year of the date of this order, initiate renewal or reauthorization processes for all expired energy rights-of-way grants, leases, permits, and agreements, as determined to be appropriate by the applicable Secretary and to the extent permitted by law.      Sec. 7.  Reports on the Barriers to a National Energy Market.  (a)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, regarding the economic and other effects caused by the inability to transport sufficient quantities of natural gas and other domestic energy resources to the States in New England and, as the Secretary of Transportation deems appropriate, to States in other regions of the Nation.  This report shall assess whether, and to what extent, State, local, tribal, or territorial actions have contributed to such effects.      (b)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, regarding the economic and other effects caused by limitations on the export of coal, oil, natural gas, and other domestic energy resources through the west coast of the United States.  This report shall assess whether, and to what extent, State, local, tribal, or territorial actions have contributed to such effects.      Sec. 8.  Report on Intergovernmental Assistance.  State and local governments play a vital role in supporting energy infrastructure development through various transportation, housing, and workforce initiatives, and through other policies and expenditures.  The Federal Government is, in many cases, well positioned to provide intergovernmental assistance to State and local governments.  To achieve the policies set forth in section 2 of this order, the heads of agencies shall review existing authorities related to the transportation and development of domestically produced energy resources and, within 30 days of the date of this order, report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy on how those authorities can be most efficiently and effectively used to advance the policies set forth in this order.      Sec. 9.  Report on Economic Growth of the Appalachian Region.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the heads of other agencies, as appropriate, shall submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, describing opportunities, through the Federal Government or otherwise, to promote economic growth of the Appalachian region, including growth of petrochemical and other industries.  This report also shall assess methods for diversifying the Appalachian economy and promoting workforce development.      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 or 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,     April 10, 2019.

1600 Daily The White House • April 10, 2019 A $32 trillion, socialist takeover of your healthcare

The White House • April 10, 2019 A $32 trillion, socialist takeover of your healthcare  “If you like your insurance plan, you will keep it. No one will be able to take that away from you. It hasn't happened yet. It won't happen in the future.” In April 2010, former President Barack Obama famously promised Americans that his government overhaul of U.S. healthcare wouldn’t burden their families: They could keep their plans, keep their doctors, and expect to see large savings in their premiums. Those all proved to be lies. Nearly 5 million Americans were told their healthcare plans were going to be canceled in the first year of Obamacare. Average individual market premiums more than doubled from 2013 to 2017. Average premiums on the Federal exchange rose by $2,600 from 2016 to 2017 alone. And even President Obama himself later admitted that families would have to “make choices” to keep their doctors. Congressional Democrats lied to the American people about healthcare once. Now, they’re prepared to do it again. Today, self-proclaimed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed a total government takeover of American healthcare. Less than a decade after Obamacare was passed, Congressional Democrats are lining up behind this radical vision—a stunning admission of Obamacare’s continued failure to deliver on its core promises to working families. “Medicare for All” is what Democrats call the new plan. It’s a big, messy proposal, but here are the three things that every citizen should know about what it would do: End private insurance as we know it. The core of the Medicare-for-All scheme is to force nearly 180 million Americans with private health insurance onto government-run plans. Families would face the threat of losing their doctors and, indeed, any choice at all in their health care decisions.   Seniors pay the price. America’s seniors have been paying their whole lives into a system that promised to take care of them in their old age. But as seen in European single-payer systems, “Medicare for all” will likely lead to less care for seniors and longer wait times. Twenty million Americans would lose their Medicare Advantage Plans.   Cost $32 trillion. Who pays the exorbitant price tag? Working families. According to the Council of Economic Advisers, the tax increases would lower household incomes by $17,000 annually after taxes and healthcare expenditures.   Democrats are right that Americans need relief from Obamacare. They are wrong that doubling down on its worst mistakes will make our country stronger. No plan that hurts seniors, kicks 180 million Americans off their health plans, and burdens future generations with unprecedented debt is acceptable. Instead, the Trump Administration is working on realistic solutions to provide Americans with the options they want, the affordability they need, and the quality they deserve. Compare Democrats’ socialist plan with President Trump’s real solutions  More: Statement from Press Secretary Sarah Sanders  The war on American energy is over President Trump traveled to Houston today, where he signed two important executive orders to continue the revival of American energy dominance. Under the Obama Administration, America had no shortage of energy supply but a huge shortage of the political will to become the world’s energy leader. Instead, crippling regulations stifled production and stalled projects—with the brunt of the pain felt by the workers who lost jobs and the families who were denied affordable electricity and gasoline. President Trump took office with a commitment to responsibly develop our abundant resources and put American energy back on top globally. Now, just two years into his Administration, the United States is the number one producer of oil and natural gas on Earth. Today’s actions continue this upward path by clearing the way for energy infrastructure development. The first order will speed up the approval process for vital energy projects—oil pipelines, roads, and railways—that were frequently blocked by entrenched bureaucrats. The second modernizes outdated regulations for liquefied natural gas export terminals, opening markets for American energy around the globe. Watch: President Trump is making American energy number 1 on Earth Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Donald J. Trump salutes as he boards Marine One on the South Lawn | April 10, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS PAVING THE WAY FOR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT   “When it comes to the future of America’s energy needs, we will find it, we will dream it, and we will build it.” – President Donald J. Trump   DEVELOPING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE: President Trump is signing two Executive Orders to streamline Federal processes surrounding energy infrastructure development. The President is signing an Executive Order to address regional and local energy supply constraints and to promote an efficient energy market. The Environmental Protection Agency will review and update the outdated guidance regarding certification under section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The Department of Transportation will update its regulations to reflect the modern Liquefied Natural Gas development ongoing in the United States. The Executive Order addresses regulatory and permitting barriers to financing new energy infrastructure and prioritizes the safe operation of existing infrastructure on Federal lands. President Trump is also signing an Executive Order to improve the process for issuing Presidential permits for certain cross-border infrastructure projects. The Executive Order clarifies that any decision to issue or deny a permit shall be made solely by the President. The Secretary of State will continue to receive permit applications and provide advice to the President on whether a project would serve United States foreign policy interests. UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump is promoting an efficient domestic energy market that creates jobs and provides affordable, reliable energy to consumers. The President’s Executive Orders will strengthen America’s energy security by improving our ability to efficiently, reliably, and cost-effectively transport energy resources. Inefficient energy infrastructure forces Americans to depend on energy that is more expensive and less reliable. Improving permitting processes and increasing regulatory certainty will support American ingenuity and create more jobs for American workers. Outdated and burdensome Federal guidance and regulations cause confusion and uncertainty, leading to project delays, lost jobs, and reduced economic performance. A more efficient cross-border permitting process is good for the American economy. Important cross-border projects will generate significant State and local tax revenues that can be invested into American communities. ACHIEVING ENERGY DOMINANCE: President Trump is committed to responsibly developing our Nation’s abundant resources and advancing American energy dominance.  The Trump Administration has taken action to unleash America’s incredible energy resources. President Trump approved the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines. The President enacted legislation opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration and development for the first time. President Trump has worked tirelessly to end the war on coal, and, thanks to his efforts, coal exports increased by 60 percent during his first year in office. The President is working to replace burdensome regulations that target America’s energy producers—like the Obama Administration’s Waters of the United States rulemaking. ###

The White House Office of the Press Secretary NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019

NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:      Kate Marie Byrnes, of Florida, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of North Macedonia. WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:      Kate Marie Byrnes, of Florida, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Macedonia, which was sent to the Senate on January 16, 2019.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 EXPOSING CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS’ COMPLETE GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF OUR HEALTHCARE   “We oppose efforts from Democrats to raid Medicare to fund socialism, robbing seniors of their benefits.” – President Donald J. Trump   RADICAL GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER: "Medicare for All" is a total government takeover of healthcare that will end private insurance as we know it, hurt seniors, and cripple our economy. Democrats are pushing to end private insurance as we know it, rob Americans of any choice in their own care, and put the wellbeing of patients in the hands of Washington bureaucrats. Their government takeover of healthcare would force the nearly 180 million Americans with private health insurance into government-run plans.   Americans would face the threat of losing their doctor and any choice in their own care.  Even the proposals that keep private insurance save it for only a wealthy few.  Congressional Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare will divert resources away from seniors who have paid into the system their whole lives. As seen in European single-payer systems, this radical proposal will likely lead to less care for seniors, hospital closures, fewer doctors, and long wait times.    Twenty million seniors would lose their Medicare Advantage Plans. American families would face massive tax hikes to pay for the extreme $32 trillion price tag of this plan. According to the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), these tax increases would lower household incomes by $17,000 annually after taxes and healthcare expenditures.  LESSONS FROM THE OBAMACARE DISASTER: Congressional Democrats lied to the American people about healthcare once, and they are doing it again.  Democrats told Americans they could keep their plan, keep their doctor, and would see large savings in premiums. Those all proved to be lies. 4.7 million Americans were told their plans were going to be canceled in the first year of Obamacare. Even President Obama admitted families would have to “make choices” to keep their doctors. Obamacare has burdened American families with devastating premium increases. Average individual market premiums more than doubled from 2013 to 2017. Average premiums on the Federal exchange rose by $2,600 from 2016 to 2017 alone. Taxpayers are spending more than $50 billion a year on premium subsidies and individual market enrollment has increased by only about 3 million people from pre-Obamacare levels. REAL SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICAN PATIENTS: President Trump and his Administration have taken action to help ensure Americans have access to affordable, quality care and lower healthcare costs.   President Trump expanded health coverage options through short-term, limited-duration plans, which are far cheaper than Obamacare plans. The Administration is working to expand association health plans to make it more affordable for small businesses and the self-employed to access options enjoyed by larger employers. The President repealed the individual mandate penalty that burdened low income households. President Trump took action to lower drug prices, and the results are already showing, with prescription drug prices falling in 2018 for the first time in 46 years. The Food and Drug Administration approved record numbers of generic drugs in 2017 and 2018, saving Americans $26 billion in just the first year and a half of the Administration. ##

Statement from the Press Secretary on “Medicare for All”

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 Statement from the Press Secretary on “Medicare for All”   Self-proclaimed socialist Senator Bernie Sanders is proposing a total government takeover of healthcare that would actually hurt seniors, eliminate private health insurance for 180 million Americans, and cripple our economy and future generations with unprecedented debt.  Americans deserve relief from the empty promises of Obamacare.  The Trump Administration is working on realistic solutions to provide Americans with the options and control they want, the affordability they need, the ease they expect, and the quality they deserve, rather than forcing a government takeover of the healthcare system.  We will protect people with pre-existing conditions, lower prices for care and prescription drugs even further, end surprise medical bills, and make sure Americans get the absolute best quality of care.   ###

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

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 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 13536 of April 12, 2010, with respect to Somalia is to continue in effect beyond April 12, 2019.       The United States is strongly committed to Somalia's stabilization, and it is important to maintain sanctions against persons undermining its stability.  The situation with respect to Somalia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 with respect to Somalia.                              DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE,     April 10, 2019.

NOTICE - - - - - - - CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SOMALIA

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019   NOTICE - - - - - - - CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SOMALIA        On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, and acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have been the subject of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.      On July 20, 2012, the President issued Executive Order 13620 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 22, 2012, and Resolution 2002 of July 29, 2011, and to address:  exports of charcoal from Somalia, which generate significant revenue for al-Shabaab; the misappropriation of Somali public assets; and certain acts of violence committed against civilians in Somalia, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia.      The situation with respect to Somalia continues 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 April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date and on July 20, 2012, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 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 13536.     This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.                              DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE,     April 10, 2019.

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE MARINE ONE DEPARTURE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE MARINE ONE DEPARTURE South Lawn   9:28 A.M. EDT      THE PRESIDENT:  The economy is doing very, very well.  We have numbers coming from companies that are beyond expectation.  The tax cuts are working very, very well.  So we’re very proud of the economy.  Job numbers are as good as we’ve ever had, and more people are working right now than ever worked in our country before.  We’re doing really well. I’d like to congratulate Bibi Netanyahu.  It looks like that race has been won by him.  It may be a little early, but I’m hearing he’s won it and won it in good fashion.  So, he’s been a great ally and he’s a friend.  I'd like to congratulate him.  That was a well fought-out race, I can tell you.  But it looks like Bibi has won that race.      Go ahead, Steve.      Q    Are you going to release the Middle East Peace Plan now?      THE PRESIDENT:  Say it?      Q    Are you going to release the Middle East Peace Plan now?      THE PRESIDENT:  So, the fact that Bibi won, I think we’ll see some pretty good action in terms of peace.  Look, everyone said -- and I never made it a promise -- but everybody said you can’t have peace in the Middle East with Israel and the Palestinians.  I think we have a chance.  And I think we have, now, a better chance with Bibi having won.      Yes, please.  Major.      Q    Mr. President, have you been briefed on the --      THE PRESIDENT:  Hold it.  Major.      Q    Do you believe (inaudible) law requires you to give Congress your tax returns?      THE PRESIDENT:  No, there is no law.  As you know, I got elected last time with this same issue.  And while I’m under audit, I won’t do it.  If I’m not under audit, I would do it.  I had no problem with it.  But while I’m under audit, I would not give my taxes.  There’s no law whatsoever.      Now, I will say this: I would love to give them, but I’m not going to do it while I’m under audit.  It’s very simple.  Remember, I got elected last time -- the same exact issue, with same intensity, which wasn’t very much because, frankly, the people don’t care.      What I have done is approximately a 104-page summary -- and, really, in great detail -- of assets and values.  And nobody wants to go over that because it’s so good.  I built a great company, one of the best companies.  I have some of the greatest assets in the world.  I did a good job.  And now, frankly, I don’t care about them; I only care about the United States. But I have no obligation to do that while I’m under audit.  And no lawyer would tell you to release your tax returns while you’re under audit.      Q    Do you want to see a binary choice for asylum seekers?      THE PRESIDENT:  I think that the whole asylum rules, laws, and regulations have been taken advantage of by people that are very bad people, in many cases.  These are the people running the cartels.  They’re gaming the system; they have been for years.  The only difference is our economy is now so strong that more people come up. We have done a great job at the border with bad laws.  It’s very important that the Democrats in Congress change these loopholes.  If they don’t change them, we’re just going to be fighting.          Now, the other thing: We've built a lot of wall.  A lot of wall.  And it's new wall.  You know, when we rip down an old wall and then replace it, it's called a "new wall."  And that's what we've done.  A lot of wall is going up.  And every place we build the wall, it's less and less.      But the power of the economy, it's like a magnet; it's bringing more people than we've seen in a long time.      Major.      Q    Mr. President, what is your current thinking on releasing as much of the Mueller Report as possible?  The Attorney General yesterday said (inaudible).  Do you agree with that?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, the Mueller Report is interesting.  After $35 million, with 13 -- increased to 18 -- angry Democrats -- people that truly hated Donald Trump, truly hated Trump -- they found no collusion whatsoever with Russia.  But I could have told you that and so could most people.  And so could have everybody that voted for me, which was a lot of people.      So after wasting all of this money and all of this time with people that were haters -- people that worked on the Hillary Clinton Foundation, people that were absolutely haters of Trump -- they found no collusion.      What has been found during this period of time are the illegal acts of getting this whole phony investigation started.  And hopefully that's where people are going now.  That's where people are going. And it's very interesting.  It was an illegal investigation.  Major, it was an illegal investigation.  It was started illegally.  Everything about it was crooked -- every single thing about it.  There were dirty cops.  These were bad people.  If you look at McCabe and Comey, and you look at Lisa and Peter Strzok, these were bad people. And this was a -- an attempted coup.  This was an attempted takedown of a President.  And we beat them.  We beat them.      So the Mueller Report, when they talk about obstruction, we fight back.  And do you know why we fight back?  Because I knew how illegal this whole thing was.  It was a scam.  And what I'm most interested in -- Q    (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT:  Excuse me.  What I'm most interested in is getting started. Hopefully, the Attorney General -- he mentioned it yesterday -- he's doing a great job -- getting started on going back to the origins of exactly where this all started, because this was an illegal witch hunt and everybody knew it, and they knew it too.  And they got caught. And what they did was treason.  What they did was terrible.  What they did was against our Constitution and everything we stand for. So hopefully that will happen.  There is a hunger for that to happen in this country like I have never seen before, including all of the millions of people that voted for me. What they did was disgraceful.  There's never been anything like it in the history of our country.      Q    Mr. President, Senate Republicans have concerns about Herman Cain.  Is his nomination safe?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I like Herman Cain.  And Herman will make that determination.  Herman is a wonderful man.  He's been a supporter of mine for a long time.  He actually ran a very good campaign.  And that's up to Herman. Herman is -- you know, he's already sat on one the Fed boards, and he's just somebody I like a lot.  As to how he's doing in the process, that I don’t know.  You go through a process.  But Herman is a great guy, and I hope he does well.      Q    Mr. President, since Stephen Miller is already, basically, running your Homeland Security apparatus, have you ever thought about making Stephen Miller the DHS Secretary?      THE PRESIDENT:  No, Stephen is an excellent guy.  He's a wonderful person.  People don’t know him.  He's a wonderful -- been with me from the beginning.  He's a brilliant man.  And, frankly, there's only one person that's running it.  You know who that is?  It's me.      Q    Mr. President, has anyone in this White House been briefed on the Mueller report, or have you seen it?      THE PRESIDENT:  I have not seen the Mueller report.  I have not read the Mueller report.  I won.  No collusion.  No obstruction.  I won.  Everybody knows I won.  And the pros knew it was illegally started.  The whole thing was illegal. I have not read the Mueller report.  I haven’t seen the Mueller report.  As far as I'm concerned, I don’t care about the Mueller report.  I've been totally exonerated.  No collusion.  No obstruction. And I'm off to dealing with China.  I'm off to dealing with North Korea.  I'm off to dealing with Venezuela and all the problems in this world.  I'm not worrying about something that never, ever should've taken place.      Q    Did you see what happened to Candace Owens yesterday?      THE PRESIDENT:  I did not see what happened.  I did not see what happened to Candace Owens. Q    (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT:  Excuse me.  I did not see what happened to Candace Owens.      Q    Congressman Ted Lieu played a little snip of audio and accused her of being a Hitler supporter, and then she slapped back at him.      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think that's a terrible thing.  I think that’s a terrible thing that he would do that.  I find her to be a very -- I know her.  I think she's a fine person, a fine young woman, and I think that’s disgraceful that they could say that.      Q    The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Southern District has spoken to Hope Hicks, Keith Schiller, and others in their investigations.  Any response to that?      THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t hear you.      Q    The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Southern District has spoken to Keith Schiller, Hope Hicks --      THE PRESIDENT:  I have no idea.      Q    Mr. President, what are your thoughts on Kris Kobach for DHS?  Is he a leading contender for you?      THE PRESIDENT:  I respect him.  I like him.  And he's somebody that, you know, I have a lot of regard for.      Q    SDNY, Mr. President -- SDNY (inaudible) into your finances up in New York.  Are you concerned about that investigation?      THE PRESIDENT:  My finances are very clean.  I don’t think there is an investigation.  If you say it, I don’t know.  But I don’t think there is an investigation.  My finances are very clean.      Q    Mr. President, will Kevin be your nominee for DHS Secretary permanently?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I like him a lot.  He's doing a very good job.  It could happen.  We'll make a determination.      Q    Are you looking at others like Rick Perry or Matt Whitaker?      THE PRESIDENT:  We have others, but right now he's the man.  He's doing a great job. Q    Kevin? THE PRESIDENT:   Kevin. Thank you.  See you in Texas.                               END                 9:39 A.M. EDT