President Donald J. Trump Is Protecting America’s Founding Ideals by Promoting Patriotic Education

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS PROTECTING AMERICA’S FOUNDING IDEALS BY PROMOTING PATRIOTIC EDUCATION “We will state the truth in full, without apology:  We declare that the United States of America is the most just and exceptional Nation ever to exist on Earth.” – President Donald J. Trump PROMOTING PATRIOTIC EDUCATION: President Donald J. Trump is working to better enable America’s rising generations to understand the history and principles of our Nation’s founding. Through a new Executive Order, President Trump is establishing the President’s Advisory 1776 Commission, which will work to improve understanding of the history and the principles of the founding of the United States among our Nation’s rising generations. Within a year, the Commission will produce a report regarding the core principles of America’s founding and how these principles may be understood to further the blessings of liberty and promote our continuing efforts to form a more perfect Union. The Commission will offer recommendations for the Federal Government to promote patriotic education at Federal sites – including National Parks and Monuments. The Commission will also create the “Presidential 1776 Award” to recognize student knowledge of the American founding and support the Federal Government’s plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence. Alongside the new Commission, the President is ordering Federal agencies to prioritize patriotic education in the delivery of Federal resources. The President is also taking steps to enhance compliance with laws that require America’s educational institutions that receive Federal funds to observe and celebrate Constitution Day. RESTORING NATIONAL UNITY: President Trump is promoting national unity through renewing understanding of and commitment to America’s shared founding principles. The United States of America was founded on the belief that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are unalienable rights – these principles form the core of our American identity. Throughout our history, the United States has strived to better embody our founding principles. Unfortunately, some versions of American history offer a misconstrued and one-sided account of our founding in an effort to paint America as a systemically racist country. In fact, fewer than one in six eighth graders have proficient knowledge of United States history according to the Nation’s Report Card. Restoration of patriotic education relies on State and local education leaders and parents, who must be empowered to choose an education that fits their values and meets their child’s needs. PRESERVING OUR HISTORY: President Trump will always defend the legacy of our exceptional Nation’s founding along with its extraordinary Founders, and protect America’s ideals and traditions. President Trump has firmly stood against attempts to distort America’s history and taken action to promote patriotic education that celebrates the truth about our Nation’s history. In September, the President assembled the first White House Conference on American History to address these distortions. The President has taken action to establish the National Garden of American Heroes, a statuary park that will memorialize our American heroes for generations to come. The President took executive action to ensure that radicals who seek to destroy America’s heritage by tearing down our monuments are prosecuted to the fullest extent under the law. ###

Executive Order on Establishing the President’s Advisory 1776 Commission

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER   - - - - - - -   ESTABLISHING THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY 1776 COMMISSION          By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to better enable a rising generation to understand the history and principles of the founding of the United States in 1776, and, through this, form a more perfect Union, it is hereby ordered as follows:      Section 1.  Purpose.  The American founding envisioned a political order in harmony with the design of "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God," seeing the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as embodied in and sanctioned by natural law and its traditions.      The formation of a republic around these principles marked a clear departure from previous forms of government, securing rights through a form of government that derives its legitimate power from the consent of the governed.  Throughout its national life, our Republic's exploration of the full meaning of these principles has led it through the ratification of a Constitution, civil war, the abolition of slavery, Reconstruction, and a series of domestic crises and world conflicts.  Those events establish a clear historical record of an exceptional Nation dedicated to the ideas and ideals of its founding.       Against this history, in recent years, a series of polemics grounded in poor scholarship has vilified our Founders and our founding.  Despite the virtues and accomplishments of this Nation, many students are now taught in school to hate their own country, and to believe that the men and women who built it were not heroes, but rather villains.  This radicalized view of American history lacks perspective, obscures virtues, twists motives, ignores or distorts facts, and magnifies flaws, resulting in the truth being concealed and history disfigured.  Failing to identify, challenge, and correct this distorted perspective could fray and ultimately erase the bonds that knit our country and culture together.        The recent attacks on our founding have highlighted America's history related to race.  These one-sided and divisive accounts too often ignore or fail to properly honor and recollect the great legacy of the American national experience ‑- our country's valiant and successful effort to shake off the curse of slavery and to use the lessons of that struggle to guide our work toward equal rights for all citizens in the present.  Viewing America as an irredeemably and systemically racist country cannot account for the extraordinary role of the great heroes of the American movement against slavery and for civil rights -- a great moral endeavor that, from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Jr., was marked by religious fellowship, good will, generosity of heart, an emphasis on our shared principles, and an inclusive vision for the future.      As these heroes demonstrated, the path to a renewed and confident national unity is through a rediscovery of a shared identity rooted in our founding principles.  A loss of national confidence in these principles would place rising generations in jeopardy of a crippling self-doubt that could cause them to abandon faith in the common story that binds us to one another across our differences.  Without our common faith in the equal right of every individual American to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, authoritarian visions of government and society could become increasingly alluring alternatives to self-government based on the consent of the people.  Thus it is necessary to provide America's young people access to what is genuinely inspiring and unifying in our history, as well as to the lessons imparted by the American experience of overcoming great national challenges.  This is what makes possible the informed and honest patriotism that is essential for a successful republic.      A restoration of American education grounded in the principles of our founding that is accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling must ultimately succeed at the local level.  Parents and local school boards must be empowered to achieve greater choice and variety in curriculum at the State and local levels.        The role of the Federal Government is to protect and preserve State and local control over the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, and personnel of educational institutions, schools, and school systems.  Indeed, that is why my Administration rejects the Common Core curriculum and all efforts to have the Federal Government impose a national curriculum or national standards in education.      Vigorous participation in local government has always been America's laboratory of liberty and a key to what makes us exceptional.  The best way to preserve the story of America's founding principles is to live it in action by local communities reasserting control of how children receive patriotic education in their schools.      Sec. 2.  The President's Advisory 1776 Commission.  (a)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall establish in the Department of Education the President's Advisory 1776 Commission ("the 1776 Commission") to better enable a rising generation to understand the history and principles of the founding of the United States in 1776 and to strive to form a more perfect Union.      (b)  The 1776 Commission shall be composed of not more than 20 members, who shall be appointed by the President.  Members shall serve for a term of 2 years and shall not be removed except for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance.  The 1776 Commission may include individuals from outside the Federal Government with relevant experience or subject-matter expertise.  The 1776 Commission shall also include the following ex-officio members or such senior officials as those members may designate:           (i)    the Secretary of State;           (ii)   the Secretary of Defense;           (iii)  the Secretary of the Interior;           (iv)   the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;           (v)    the Secretary of Education;           (vi)   the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; and           (vii)  the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs.      (c)  The 1776 Commission shall:           (i)    produce a report for the President, within 1 year of the date of this order, which shall be publicly disseminated, regarding the core principles of the American founding and how these principles may be understood to further enjoyment of "the blessings of liberty" and to promote our striving "to form a more perfect Union."  The Commission may solicit statements and contributions from intellectual and cultural figures in addition to the views of the Commission members;           (ii)   advise and offer recommendations to the President and the United States Semiquincentennial Commission regarding the Federal Government's plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence and coordinate with relevant external stakeholders on their plans;           (iii)  facilitate the development and implementation of a "Presidential 1776 Award" to recognize student knowledge of the American founding, including knowledge about the Founders, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, and the great soldiers and battles of the American Revolutionary War;           (iv)   advise executive departments and agencies (agencies) with regard to their efforts to ensure patriotic education -- meaning the presentation of the history of the American founding and foundational principles, the examination of how the United States has grown closer to those principles throughout its history, and the explanation of why commitment to America's aspirations is beneficial and justified -- is provided to the public at national parks, battlefields, monuments, museums, installations, landmarks, cemeteries, and other places important to the American Revolution and the American founding, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law;           (v)    advise agencies on prioritizing the American founding in Federal grants and initiatives, including those described in section 4 of this order, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law; and           (vi)   facilitate, advise upon, and promote other activities to support public knowledge and patriotic education on the American Revolution and the American founding, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.      (d)  The 1776 Commission shall have a Chair and Vice Chair, designated by the President from among its members.  An Executive Director, designated by the Secretary of Education in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall coordinate the work of the 1776 Commission.  The Chair and Vice Chair shall work with the Executive Director to convene regular meetings of the 1776 Commission, determine its agenda, and direct its work, consistent with this order.      (e)  The Department of Education shall provide funding and administrative support for the 1776 Commission, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations.      (f)  Members of the 1776 Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).      (g)  Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), may apply to the 1776 Commission, any functions of the President under that Act, except that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Education, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.      (h)  The 1776 Commission shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order, unless extended by the President.      Sec. 3.  Celebration of Constitution Day.  All relevant agencies shall monitor compliance with Title I of Division J of Public Law 108-447, which provides that "each educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution," including by verifying compliance with each educational institution that receives Federal funds.  All relevant agencies shall take action, as appropriate, to enhance compliance with that law.      Sec. 4.  Prioritize the American Founding in Available Federal Resources.  The following agencies shall prioritize Federal resources, consistent with applicable law, to promote patriotic education:      (a)  the Department of Education, through the American History and Civics Academies and American History and Civics Education-National Activities;      (b)  the Department of Defense, through the Pilot Program on Enhanced Civics Education; and      (c)  the Department of State, through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and through opportunities in the Fulbright, U.S. Speakers, and International Visitors Leadership programs, as well as in American Spaces.      Sec. 5.  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,     November 2, 2020.

West Wing Reads Under Trump, Americans Have Seen Their Best Wage Growth In 40 Years

 

Under Trump, Americans Have Seen Their Best Wage Growth In 40 Years “Many on the left refuse to admit President Trump’s populist policies have provided massive benefits to working-class Americans . . . Yet, during the first three years of the Trump presidency, wage growth was off the charts, especially for low-income workers and African Americans,” Robb Sinn writes for The Federalist.   “The Obama era proved dispiriting for many African American wage earners. The first three years of the Trump administration were a comparative godsend.”   Click here to read more. “An American citizen kidnapped in Niger last week was rescued in neighboring Nigeria by US special forces,” Jon Levine reports. “Our Nation salutes the courageous soldiers behind the daring nighttime rescue operation and celebrates the safe return of yet another American citizen!” President Trump tweeted. Read more in the New York Post. “A major part of the mainstream media’s strategy has been to preserve the perception of its neutrality and keep its role as hidden as possible . . . For four years, Mr. Trump has shined a piercing light on the media’s bias. He has blown the lid completely off its cover. And despite relentless attempts to discredit and destroy him in response, he has survived and even gained momentum,” Frank Pavone writes in The Wall Street Journal. “Trump’s focus on patient-centered markets is delivering better care, more choices, and lower costs. Since the release of Trump’s drug-pricing blueprint in 2018, drug price inflation has been flat—in significant part thanks to three consecutive years of record-breaking generic drug approvals by the Food and Drug Administration,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar writes for the Washington Examiner.   MORE: Melania Trump, Jim Carroll: Help Children Live Drug-Free Lives

Text of a Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2020   October 30, 2020     Dear Madam Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)   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 with respect to Sudan declared in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997, is to continue in effect beyond November 3, 2020.   Despite recent positive developments, the crisis constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan that led to the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13067; the expansion of that emergency in Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006; and with respect to which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13412 of October 13, 2006, Executive Order 13761 of January 13, 2017, and Executive Order 13804 of July 11, 2017, has not been resolved.  These actions and policies continue 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 13067, as expanded by Executive Order 13400, with respect to Sudan.                                 Sincerely,                                   DONALD J. TRUMP   ###

 

Presidential Message on National Veterans Small Business Week, 2020

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2020 Presidential Message on National Veterans Small Business Week, 2020   Veteran business owners drive our economy and power the American Dream.  As these patriots apply many of the skills they obtained in the Armed Forces, they make valuable and lasting contributions to our robust business landscape.  During National Veterans Small Business Week, we celebrate these hardworking men and women who defended our Nation in uniform and continue to strengthen it by starting businesses when they return to civilian life. Before the coronavirus pandemic, veteran unemployment was at a record all-time low.  Nearly 2.5 million veteran-owned small businesses employed close to 6 million people, generating more than a trillion dollars in sales annually.  The contributions and achievements of our veterans were essential to building a robust and thriving American economy, and they will be critical as we continue to rebuild it in the wake of the coronavirus. Already, we see robust economic growth and jobs returning at a record pace.  Our economy grew at an astounding rate of 33.1 percent in the third quarter of this year—more than twice as fast as any other period in our country’s history.  In September, we added 661,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 7.9 percent while manufacturing and construction sectors—prominent industries for veterans—have seen more than a million new jobs added since April.  We shall soon be back to where we were before the pandemic—well ahead of the schedule predicted by the experts. There is no group of patriots more dedicated, brilliant, and tenacious than our cherished veterans, and their entrepreneurial spirit is helping to fuel our V-shaped recovery.  Throughout National Veterans Small Business Week, we commend our veterans who strengthen our economy, propel our prosperity, and fuel our culture of freedom.  These men and women are the pride of our Nation, inspiring us with their courage, service, and character.

Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Sudan

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2020 NOTICE   - - - - - - -   CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SUDAN         On November 3, 1997, by Executive Order 13067, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Sudan pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) and took related steps to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan.  On April 26, 2006, by Executive Order 13400, the President determined that the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region posed an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067, and ordered the blocking of property of certain persons connected to the Darfur region.  On October 13, 2006, by Executive Order 13412, the President took additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067 and expanded in Executive Order 13400.  In Executive Order 13412, the President also took steps to implement the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-344).     On January 13, 2017, by Executive Order 13761, the President found that positive efforts by the Government of Sudan between July 2016 and January 2017 improved certain conditions that Executive Orders 13067 and 13412 were intended to address.  Given these developments, and in order to encourage the Government of Sudan to sustain and enhance these efforts, section 1 of Executive Order 13761 provided that sections 1 and 2 of Executive Order 13067 and the entirety of Executive Order 13412 would be revoked as of July 12, 2017, provided that the criteria in section 12(b) of Executive Order 13761 had been met.     On July 11, 2017, by Executive Order 13804, I amended Executive Order 13761, extending until October 12, 2017, the effective date in section 1 of Executive Order 13761.  On October 12, 2017, pursuant to Executive Order 13761, as amended by Executive Order 13804, sections 1 and 2 of Executive Order 13067 and the entirety of Executive Order 13412 were revoked.     Despite recent positive developments, the crisis constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan that led to the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997; the expansion of that emergency in Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006; and, with respect to which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13412 of October 13, 2006, Executive Order 13761 of January 13, 2017, and Executive Order 13804 of July 11, 2017, has not been resolved.  These actions and policies continue 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 13067, as expanded by Executive Order 13400, with respect to Sudan.     This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.                                 DONALD J. TRUMP   THE WHITE HOUSE,     October 30, 2020.

Remarks by President Trump After Air Force One Arrival | Charlotte, NC

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2020 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AFTER AIR FORCE ONE ARRIVAL   Charlotte Douglas International Airport Charlotte, North Carolina     5:44 P.M. EST        THE PRESIDENT:  So, I hope everybody is having a good time.  We’re doing our third stop of five.  We have great crowds.  The first two were extremely cold.  But they’re great people, so that warmed it up.         We’re doing tremendous numbers.  Florida is doing very well.  Ohio, as you heard, is doing phenomenally well.  I think we’re ahead of Ohio from four years ago, and we won by eight.  If you look at North Carolina, we’re doing great.  We’re doing -- I think we’re doing well all over.         Georgia looks like it’s -- it’s in our camp all the way.  Texas is beyond good.  We seem to be doing well all over.  And that’s not based on polls; that’s based on numbers based on early ballots.  So we’re very happy with it.        And I think Michigan is plus-two; it just came out.  We’re plus-two in Michigan.  We are -- we’re really doing incredibly well.        Does anybody have any questions?        Q    Do you have a response to Biden going to Ohio tomorrow?        THE PRESIDENT:  I have no idea.  Look, I don’t think he’s knows too much what he’s doing.  I think he’s proven that over the years.  It looks like Ohio is in our camp.  I won it by eight, as you know.  And my people tell me we’re going to be higher this year.        So he can do that.  He can do that.        Q    Are you going to declare a victory on Tuesday -- are you going to declare a victory on Tuesday night whether all the results are in?        THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, that was a false report.  We’ll look at what happened.  I think it’s a terrible thing when ballots can be collected after an election.  I think it’s a terrible thing when people or states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over because it can only lead to one thing, and that’s very bad.  You know what that thing is.  I think it’s a very dangerous, terrible thing.  And I think it’s terrible when we can’t know the results of an election the night of the election in a modern-day age of computers.  I think it’s a terrible thing.         And I happen to think it was a terrible decision for our country made by the Supreme Court.  I think it was a terrible decision for our country.  And I think it’s a very dangerous decision because you’re going to have one or two or three states, depending on how it ends up, where they’re tabulating ballots, and the rest of the world is waiting to find out.  And I think there’s great danger to it, and I think a lot of fraud and misuse could take place.  I think it’s a terrible decision by the Supreme Court -- a terrible decision.        Now, I don’t know if that’s going to be changed, because we’re going to go in the night of -- as soon as that election is over, we’re going in with our lawyers.  But we don’t want to have Pennsylvania, where you have a political governor -- a very partisan guy -- and we don’t want to have other states -- like Nevada, where you have the head of the Democratic clubhouse as your governor.  We don’t want to be in a position where he’s allowed to, every day, watch ballots come in.  “Gee, if we could only find 10,000 more ballots.”        Because we’re doing great in Nevada.  We’re doing great in Arizona.  We’re doing great all over.  But if you take Nevada or Pennsylvania -- and everyone knows what happens in Philadelphia.  You don’t have to say it.  But I’ve read about it for years.  And I don’t think it’s fair that we have to wait a long period of time after the election.        If people wanted to get their ballots in, they should have gotten their ballots in long before that -- a long time.  They don’t have to put their ballots in the same day; they could have put their ballots in a month ago.  And we think it’s a ridiculous decision.         Thank you.                                      END            5:49 P.M. EST

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 November 1, 2020 November 1, 2020         Dear Madam Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)   At my direction, on October 30, 2020, United States forces conducted an operation in Nigeria to rescue Mr. Philippe Walton, a United States citizen.  Mr. Walton had been kidnapped on the morning of October 27, 2020, from his home in Niger.  His captors transported him across the Niger border into Nigeria, demanded a ransom for his release, and threatened to kill him if his family failed to pay that ransom.    The operation was undertaken by a small number of combat equipped United States forces after the United States received reliable intelligence regarding Mr. Walton's location in Nigeria.  These forces departed Nigeria on October 31, 2020, successfully completing the operation.  Mr. Walton is safe and is now in the care of the United States Department of State.  No United States military personnel were injured or killed during the operation.   I directed this action consistent with my responsibility to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad and in furtherance of United States national interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.  I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148).  I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.                                 Sincerely,                                   DONALD J. TRUMP

Presidential Message on Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, 2020

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2020 Presidential Message on Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, 2020 Throughout this month, we come together as a Nation and pledge our heartfelt support for Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.  As we pray for their comfort and strength, we also hold in our hearts friends and family we have lost to this cruel disease, and promise to never waiver in our resolve to one day find a cure.     Millions of Americans have had their lives altered by an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in their family or among their friends.  This disease not only robs men and women of their treasured memories, but also disrupts their ability to live as they had once before.  Currently, the families of the nearly 6 million Americans living with this devastating disease carry the brutal weight of watching a loved one lose cognitive abilities and struggle with dementia.     That is why, as a national family, we must remain unrelenting in our efforts to provide men and women diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease the promise of hope.  Medical research is vital to ensuring that we continue making strides to improve early detection and develop treatments.  Last year, I signed into law a $1 billion increase in Alzheimer’s research funding.  This investment is a massive—and critical—part of my Administration’s focused commitment to supporting people living with Alzheimer’s today while also rewriting the futures of millions more who are projected to develop the condition over the next forty years.  This is a national effort involving doctors, researchers, scientists, advocates, nurses, caregivers, family, and friends, and we will remain resolute in our mission.   Throughout this month of November, we solemnly remember the precious lives lost to Alzheimer’s disease.  We also express our gratitude to the caregivers devoting themselves to ministering to both those coping with a diagnosis and their families adjusting to the difficult realities of this condition.  The First Lady and I hold all those affected by this challenging condition close to our hearts, and pledge our commitment to finding a cure.

Presidential Message on National Diabetes Month, 2020

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2020 Presidential Message on National Diabetes Month, 2020 Throughout National Diabetes Month, we reaffirm our continued efforts to discover better solutions for the more than 34 million Americans living with diabetes today.    Facing the threat of diabetes head on—particularly in our aging population—is a top priority of my Administration.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, and approximately a third are prediabetic, meaning they are at a high risk of developing it.    Through innovative policies, we are confronting the public health challenge of diabetes head on.  The United States has increased efforts to reduce the prevalence of diabetes, namely through increased physical activity and changes to our diets.  For those living with diabetes during the pandemic, the increased risk of experiencing poor clinical outcomes if diagnosed with COVID-19 is an extra burden, particularly for the elderly and those with other chronic conditions.  That is why my Administration has taken action to provide many seniors in Medicare Part D plans with access to a broad set of insulins at a maximum $35 copay for a month’s supply and started covering newer insulin delivery devices.  We have also made great strides to make prescription drugs, including anti-diabetic drugs, more affordable and accessible.  Since I took office, we have approved the largest number of generic drugs in history, and prescription drug prices declined for the first time in nearly 50 years.  Improving the price and accessibility of medications to manage diabetes enhances quality of life and provides security for patients and their loved ones.   As we collectively observe National Diabetes Month, the First Lady and I pray for the millions of Americans who are living with this condition.  Together, we will continue working towards innovative and affordable cures and therapies to secure a healthier future for all.

President Donald J. Trump Is Supporting Hydraulic Fracturing and Other Technologies to Protect Our Jobs, Economic Opportunity, and National Security

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS SUPPORTING HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES TO PROTECT OUR JOBS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND NATIONAL SECURITY “Under my Administration, we are no longer beholden to foreign powers or domestic radicals. We are powering our Nation on our own terms.” – President Donald J. Trump SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN JOBS: President Donald J. Trump will continue to defend the jobs and interests of American workers in energy and other key industries. President Trump is fighting misguided attacks on hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and other innovative energy and natural-resources technologies. Due to public calls to ban or restrict such technologies, the President has directed his Administration to assess the potential effects of such bans or restrictions on American citizens.  The Administration will assess the potential consequences of fracking bans – such as job losses – on Americans who are directly or indirectly benefiting from the energy industry and other industries, including mining for sand and other minerals. The President wants to protect these jobs and help out-of-work Americans who are seeking good jobs. No responsible public official should sacrifice vast numbers of American jobs and livelihoods to appease domestic radicals and curry favor with foreign powers. SECURE AND AFFORDABLE AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump will continue to ensure Americans have access to dependable, affordable energy to power their homes, cars, and lives. In 2019, the Council of Economic Advisers estimated that fracking and other innovations had reduced energy prices and saved Americans $203 billion per year, or $2,500 each year for a family of four.  These savings disproportionately benefit low-income households, who spend a large share of their incomes on energy. Banning or restricting such technologies would increase the prices of gasoline, electricity, heating, and air conditioning. These increases would greatly harm senior citizens, middle- and lower-income Americans, and others on fixed-incomes. In addition to assessing the potentially devastating effects of fracking restrictions on American jobs and workers, the Administration will assess potential effects on consumers, property owners, local governments, schools, hospitals, and medical clinics. PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY:  President Trump will continue to put America First and will guard United States national security through energy independence. Reliable, affordable energy is essential to our Nation’s well-being, our economic strength and global competitiveness, and our national security. The President is opposed to misguided policies that would take us back to the days of vulnerable dependence on foreign oil and natural gas.  As a result of the President’s continued push for energy independence and new technologies, our country recently became a net energy exporter for the first time since 1952, with American energy exports reaching an all-time high last year. The United States is now the world’s leading producer of both oil and natural gas. Crude oil production set record highs both last year and the year before, leaping past the previous record set in 1970. The Trump Administration has increased exports of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) by nearly five-fold and has issued more than 20 long-term authorizations for LNG exports.  LNG exports are reducing the trade deficit by $10 billion each year and are on pace to reduce the trade deficit by $30 billion per year by 2030. ·At the same time, America is a world leader in clean air and in reducing energy-related CO2 emissions.   Our Nation’s air quality has improved by 77 percent over the last 50 years, including 7 percent under President Trump. In 2019, the United States had the largest absolute decline in energy-related CO2 emissions of any country in the world. Through his strong leadership and common sense policies, President Trump has proven that energy production and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.

Memorandum on Protecting Jobs, Economic Opportunities, and National Security for All Americans

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2020

October 31, 2020         MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE                THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY                THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE                THE ATTORNEY GENERAL                THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR                THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE                THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE                THE SECRETARY OF LABOR                THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION                THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY                THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE                THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                   AGENCY                THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND                   BUDGET                THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL                   SECURITY AFFAIRS                THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC                   POLICY                THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS                THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND                   TECHNOLOGY POLICY                THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL                   QUALITY                THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION                   AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS   SUBJECT:       Protecting Jobs, Economic Opportunities, and National Security for All Americans by Ensuring Appropriate Support of Innovative Technologies for Using Our Domestic Natural Resources          By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct the following:        Section 1.  Purpose.  This memorandum sets forth policies related to protecting American jobs, economic opportunities, and national security by ensuring appropriate support of hydraulic fracturing and other innovative technologies for the use of domestic natural resources, including energy resources.  In support of these policies, this memorandum directs certain officials to assess the potential effects of efforts to ban or restrict the use of such technologies.        Sec. 2.  Background.  Our country has been favored with abundant land, wildlife, and natural resources.  Americans have rightly seen this abundance as both an opportunity and a responsibility.  Our blessings have rightly been a great source of national pride and gratitude.  As we enjoy these bounties, we are also bound by a responsibility of stewardship to use, protect, and preserve them for future generations.        Among the greatest of our blessings are our energy resources, which all too often we take for granted.  Our Nation has untold potential to deliver energy to provide us with the necessities -- light, heat, cold, food, and water, to say nothing of modern telecommunications -- for our daily lives at home and at work, and our travel from place to place.  Reliable, affordable energy is essential for running our homes, businesses, farms, factories, health care facilities, and schools, and is critical to every sector of our economy, including our energy-intensive and trade-exposed industries.  Access to dependable, inexpensive sources of energy is a cornerstone of our well-being, of our economic strength and global competitiveness, and of our national security.        One of the great success stories of our time has been the development of hydraulic fracturing (often known as "fracking") and other technologies to facilitate the extraction of natural resources from the earth.  Hydraulic fracturing is a process that provides access to reservoirs of natural gas and petroleum by opening rocks deep underground.  When coupled with horizontal drilling and other new technologies, fracking has opened up new sources of inexpensive, reliable, abundant energy for our country.  It has also produced jobs and economic opportunities for many Americans.        In a report issued in October 2019, the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) estimated that by lowering energy prices, the use of fracking and other innovations had saved United States consumers $203 billion per year, or $2,500 in annual savings for a family of four.  These savings disproportionately benefit low-income households, which spend a larger share of their income on energy bills, representing 6.8 percent of income for the poorest fifth of households compared to 1.3 percent for the richest fifth of households.  The CEA estimated that greater productivity had reduced the domestic price of natural gas by 63 percent as of 2018; had led to a 45 percent decrease in the wholesale price of electricity; and had reduced the global price of oil by 10 percent as of 2019.        The transformation wrought by technologies such as fracking is not only the result of America's natural abundance and Americans' capacity for scientific discovery and practical invention.  It is also a testament to our Nation's greatest resource:  our hardworking men and women.  Energy workers have dedicated their lives to an industry that is essential to the modern world, and their labors have demonstrated their talent, perseverance, and courage.  Even in the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, essential energy workers have continued to ensure that our Nation has the energy that it needs to survive and to flourish.  We owe these workers our gratitude.  We also owe them appropriate respect and support for their careers, their livelihoods, and their families.        It should be emphasized that technologies such as fracking -- when used lawfully and responsibly, with appropriate attention to environmental, health, and safety protections -- are vital not just to our domestic prosperity but also to our national security.  Shortly after I entered office, I issued Executive Order 13783 of March 28, 2017 (Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth), which directed an immediate review of all agency actions that potentially burdened the development or use of domestic energy resources.  That order also rescinded certain actions of the previous Administration that, in my judgment, were not consistent with the national interest and the Nation's geopolitical security.  As a result of new technologies and my Administration's continued push for energy independence, our country recently became a net energy exporter for the first time since 1952, as well as the leading producer of oil and natural gas in the world.  We are no longer beholden to foreign countries upon which we had depended for decades for the survival of our way of life.  This achievement is a great accomplishment for our country, which should not be taken for granted.        Now that we have achieved a dominant position in energy production, powerful voices in the United States, echoed by countries such as China and Russia, are clamoring for policies that would undermine that position, forgetting the very real costs and risks of energy dependence.  Some of these voices call for using legislative or regulatory mechanisms to ban, or sharply restrict, the use of fracking and other technologies.  In my view, such proposals are not responsible and would be harmful to the economic and national security of the United States.        Sec. 3.  Policy.  It is the policy of the Federal Government to aggressively protect and enhance American jobs, economic opportunities, and national security for all Americans by ensuring appropriate support of innovative technologies for using our domestic natural resources more efficiently and responsibly, including environmental protection and restoration technologies.  Before taking actions that may jeopardize such innovation, responsible officials should carefully consider the impacts on American citizens.        Sec. 4.  Assessing the Domestic and Economic Impacts of Undermining Hydraulic Fracturing and Other Technologies.  (a)  Within 70 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy (who shall act in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs), assessing:             (i)    the economic impacts of prohibiting, or sharply restricting, the use of hydraulic fracturing and other technologies, including the following:                  (A)  any loss of jobs, wages, benefits, and other economic opportunities by Americans who work in or are indirectly benefited by the energy industry and other industries (including mining for sand and other minerals);                  (B)  any increases in energy prices (including the prices of gasoline, electricity, heating, and air conditioning) for Americans (including senior citizens and other persons on fixed incomes) and businesses;                  (C)  any decreases in property values and in the royalties and other revenues that are currently available to private property owners; and                  (D)  any decreases in tax revenues, impact fees, royalties, and other revenues currently available to the Federal Government, to State and local governments, and to civic institutions (including public schools, trade and vocational schools, community colleges, and other educational and training institutions; hospitals; and medical clinics);             (ii)   the trade impacts of prohibiting, or sharply restricting, the use of hydraulic fracturing and other technologies, including impacts on United States exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other energy products, as well as exports of other commodities that may be affected by increases in transportation costs; and             (iii)  such other domestic or economic impacts as the Secretary of Energy deems appropriate.        (b)  In preparing the report described in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of Energy and the United States Trade Representative shall consult with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Chairman of CEA, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and such other officials as the Secretary of Energy and the United States Trade Representative deem appropriate.        Sec. 5.  Assessing the National Security Impacts of Undermining Hydraulic Fracturing and Other Technologies.  Within 70 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of Energy shall submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (who shall act in coordination with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy), assessing the national security impacts of prohibiting, or sharply restricting, the use of hydraulic fracturing and other technologies.  This report shall include an assessment of potential impacts on Russian and Chinese energy production, consumption, and trade activities, and on the energy security of United States allies, that may be attributable to changes in United States exports of LNG and other energy products.  In preparing this report, the Secretary of Energy shall consult with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the United States Trade Representative, and such other officials as the Secretary of Energy deems appropriate.  This report may be combined, as appropriate, with the report required by section 4 of this memorandum, in which case the combined report shall be submitted to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.        Sec. 6.  Reinforcing Executive Order 13211.  (a)  Executive Order 13211 of May 18, 2001 (Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use) provides that agencies "shall prepare" detailed Statements of Energy Effects when undertaking certain agency actions that are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the supply, distribution, or use of energy.  Such Statements "shall describe" "any adverse effects on energy supply, distribution, or use (including a shortfall in supply, price increases, and increased use of foreign supplies) should the proposal be implemented" and "reasonable alternatives to the action with adverse energy effects and the expected effects of such alternatives on energy supply, distribution, and use."  In order to enhance compliance with Executive Order 13211, I direct the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), through the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), to review the record of compliance with that order by agencies (as defined in that order) and to provide new guidance, as appropriate, concerning the implementation of and compliance with that order.        (b)  Within 30 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of OMB shall, as appropriate, identify for the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy (who shall act in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs), agencies on which the Administrator of OIRA intends to focus attention to ensure robust compliance with Executive Order 13211.        Sec. 7.  Definition.  For purposes of this memorandum, the terms "hydraulic fracturing" and "fracking" shall have the meaning assigned to "hydraulic fracturing" in 40 C.F.R. 60.5430.        Sec. 8.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this memorandum 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 memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.        (c)  This memorandum 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.      (d)  The Secretary of Energy is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.     DONALD J. TRUMP