Presidential Message on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, 2020

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2020

Presidential Message on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day is an opportunity to draw attention to PTSD, raise awareness for the treatments available to those affected, and recommit to supporting Americans who are burdened by this disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder results from having experienced or witnessed a terrifying event.  The most common traumas associated with PTSD are sexual and interpersonal violence, being involved in a car accident, witnessing serious injury or the death of another person, or being in combat.  Those experiencing PTSD often struggle to control their emotions and may have unexpected outbursts, often straining supportive personal relationships and causing them to feel alone or uncared for.  Many individuals suffering from PTSD also struggle with depression and substance abuse. Diagnosis and treatment of this disorder are critical.  Unfortunately, far too many Americans suffering from PTSD don’t get the care they need, a problem that has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus.  That is one of the reasons why we have increased Medicare telehealth coverage under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, providing those who are suffering from PTSD with expanded access to medical care from the comfort and safety of their own homes. We also recognize that our veteran community has long been disproportionately affected by PTSD, and we must use all tools at our disposal to ensure every veteran knows they are not alone in their fight, especially during our ongoing response to the coronavirus.  The CARES Act allocates $19.6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand programs that support our veterans, including services for mental health and additional access to the VA Video Connect app—an innovation that offers a virtual and secure platform free of charge for patients to video conference with their VA medical providers.  This effort builds on the success of an Executive Order I signed in March of 2019 establishing the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS).  The groundbreaking PREVENTS initiative brings together government and private-sector organizations to deploy extraordinary, evidence-based tactics that help prevent veteran suicide.  Additionally, during the coronavirus pandemic, Second Lady Karen Pence has also been raising awareness about the #MoreThanEverBefore campaign to encourage all Americans to reach out to veterans during these unusual and difficult circumstances.  In order to support and sustain these much-needed initiatives into the future, my fiscal year 2021 budget requests $313 million for suicide prevention—a 32-percent increase from the enacted fiscal year 2020 level—to ensure that our veterans receive the care they have so rightly earned. On this day, we embrace the more than 8 million Americans struggling with PTSD and remind them that they are not alone.  Together, we will work to ensure that every American has access to the support and care they need to live a healthy and happy life.

Presidential Message on National HIV Testing Day, 2020

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2020

Presidential Message on National HIV Testing Day, 2020 Each year in June, the United States observes National Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing Day.  An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are currently living with HIV.  Sadly, 1 in 7 of these individuals are unaware that they have HIV, which poses serious health risks.  On this day, we reaffirm our Nation’s leading role in advancing prevention, research, treatment, and cures for this virus and pledge to continue working to raise awareness about the importance of testing and early diagnosis in combating HIV. While infections in the United States have dropped by more than two-thirds since the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, nearly 40,000 Americans are still diagnosed with the virus each year.  Of these new infections, roughly 80 percent are transmitted by people who are either undiagnosed or not receiving treatment.  These numbers demonstrate how critically important it is that we continue to use American innovation and ingenuity to develop treatments that mitigate the spread of HIV.  No other country is better prepared to succeed in these efforts or has helped champion significant medical advancements more than the United States.  Availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) are dramatically reducing virus transmission and enabling good health.  People who are properly diagnosed and adhere to their ART have a very high likelihood of remaining virally suppressed for years.  This means that these individuals will have the opportunity to live healthy and fulfilling lives while also reducing the risk of transmission to others. To better close the gap between testing and treatment, last year my Administration launched “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” through the Department of Health and Human Services.  As part of the second year of this bipartisan, multiyear initiative, my 2021 Budget Request includes $716 million to prevent the spread of HIV infections and to better care for, treat, and protect those people living with this virus.  By actively empowering Americans with the tools they need to combat HIV, this initiative aims to drastically reduce transmissions and build healthier and safer communities throughout our Nation. On National HIV Testing Day, we acknowledge the incredible strides our Nation has made in combating this terrible epidemic.  Together, through spreading awareness and advancing science, we recommit to using prevention, testing, and treatment tools to end HIV in the United States and around the world.

President Donald J. Trump’s Letter to the Governor of Illinois and Mayor of Chicago

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020

President Donald J. Trump’s Letter to the Governor of Illinois and Mayor of Chicago

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS COMBATING VIOLENCE AND PROTECTING AMERICA’S MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS, AND STATUES

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS COMBATING VIOLENCE AND PROTECTING AMERICA’S MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS, AND STATUES “They’re tearing down statues, desecrating monuments, and purging dissenters. It’s not the behavior of a peaceful political movement; it’s the behavior of totalitarians and tyrants and people that don’t love our country.” – President Donald J. Trump DEFENDING OUR SHARED HISTORY: President Donald J. Trump is taking action to defend our Nation’s historical monuments, statues, and memorials. President Trump has signed an Executive Order that ensures that any person or group that destroys or vandalizes a monument, memorial, or statue is prosecuted to the fullest extent. United States law authorizes a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment for the willful injury of Federal property. The Executive Order also directs that those who incite violence and illegal activity are prosecuted to the fullest extent under the law. State and local law enforcement agencies that fail to protect monuments, memorials, and statues will be subject to the withholding of Federal support. The Attorney General will take all appropriate action against individuals and organizations found to have participated in unlawful acts—related to rioting and the destruction of Federal property. The Federal Government will ensure personnel are available across the Nation to assist with the protection of Federal monuments, memorials, statues, and property. COMBATING VIOLENT EXTREMISM: The President is fulfilling his duty to defend the life, property, and rights of the American people. President Trump will not tolerate the rampant violence and destruction that has occurred over the last 5 weeks. Left-wing extremists are rioting, looting, and calling for the destruction of the United States system of government. Through mob intimidation, these violent extremists are attempting to impose their ideology on the law-abiding citizens of this country. Some State and local governments are failing their citizens by not distinguishing between peaceful protest and violent chaos. STANDING UP TO SENSELESS DESTRUCTION: In recent weeks we have seen rioters senselessly deface and destroy historical sites, monuments, and statues. Rioters have defaced and torn down monuments and statues honoring some of the most important figures in our Nation’s storied history. In Portland, mobs tore down statues of our Founding Fathers--George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  In San Francisco, rioters tore down a statue honoring Ulysses S. Grant. There are even calls to remove statues of Abraham Lincoln in Boston and Washington, D.C. A statue of Hans Christian Heg, who died fighting for the Union Army during the civil war, was torn down in Wisconsin. These monuments memorialize the history we all share as Americans, and they deserve to be defended for future generations.

Statement from the Press Secretary

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020 Statement from the Press Secretary   The first duty of government is to ensure domestic tranquility and defend the life, property, and rights of its citizens. Over the last 5 weeks, there has been a sustained assault on the life and property of civilians, law enforcement officers, government property, and revered American monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial. Today, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to put an end to this lawlessness and protect American streets from vandalism and mob violence. Rioters, arsonists, and left-wing extremists have sought to advance an ideology that paints the United States of America as fundamentally unjust and have sought to impose that ideology on Americans through violence and mob intimidation.  They have led riots in the streets, burned police vehicles, killed and assaulted government officers and business owners defending their property, and even seized an area within one city where law and order has given way completely to anarchy.  These criminal acts are frequently planned and supported by agitators who have traveled across state lines to promote their own violent agenda. The latest targets in the violent extremists' campaign against our country are public monuments, memorials, and statues.  Many of their targets show that they are ignorant of our history and seek nothing more than to destroy anything that honors our past and to erase from the public mind any suggestion that our past may be worth honoring.  In the last week, vandals toppled a statue of President Ulysses S. Grant in San Francisco.  To them, it made no difference that President Grant led the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War, enforced Reconstruction, fought the Ku Klux Klan, and advocated for the Fifteenth Amendment.  In Charlotte, North Carolina, the names of 507 veterans memorialized on a World War II monument were painted over with a symbol of communism.  And earlier this month, in Boston, a memorial commemorating an African-American regiment that fought in the Civil War was defaced with graffiti. Today, President Trump has taken swift action to protect and preserve our Nation’s history from mob violence by signing an executive order directing the enforcement of laws that carry firm penalties of incarceration for those found guilty of desecrating public monuments. This Order will provide assistance for the protection of Federal monuments, memorials, statues, and property. Under this Order, the Federal Government is directed to prosecute any person or entity that damages or defaces religious property and withhold certain Federal support from State and local governments that fail to protect public monuments, memorials, and statues from destruction or vandalism. President Trump will never allow violence to control our streets, rewrite our history, or harm the American way of life.

Executive Order on Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020

EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - PROTECTING AMERICAN MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS, AND STATUES AND COMBATING RECENT CRIMINAL VIOLENCE        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 first duty of government is to ensure domestic tranquility and defend the life, property, and rights of its citizens.  Over the last 5 weeks, there has been a sustained assault on the life and property of civilians, law enforcement officers, government property, and revered American monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial.  Many of the rioters, arsonists, and left-wing extremists who have carried out and supported these acts have explicitly identified themselves with ideologies -- such as Marxism -- that call for the destruction of the United States system of government.      Anarchists and left-wing extremists have sought to advance a fringe ideology that paints the United States of America as fundamentally unjust and have sought to impose that ideology on Americans through violence and mob intimidation.  They have led riots in the streets, burned police vehicles, killed and assaulted government officers as well as business owners defending their property, and even seized an area within one city where law and order gave way to anarchy.  During the unrest, innocent citizens also have been harmed and killed.      These criminal acts are frequently planned and supported by agitators who have traveled across State lines to promote their own violent agenda.  These radicals shamelessly attack the legitimacy of our institutions and the very rule of law itself.      Key targets in the violent extremists' campaign against our country are public monuments, memorials, and statues.  Their selection of targets reveals a deep ignorance of our history, and is indicative of a desire to indiscriminately destroy anything that honors our past and to erase from the public mind any suggestion that our past may be worth honoring, cherishing, remembering, or understanding.  In the last week, vandals toppled a statue of President Ulysses S. Grant in San Francisco.  To them, it made no difference that President Grant led the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War, enforced Reconstruction, fought the Ku Klux Klan, and advocated for the Fifteenth Amendment, which guaranteed freed slaves the right to vote.  In Charlotte, North Carolina, the names of 507 veterans memorialized on a World War II monument were painted over with a symbol of communism.  And earlier this month, in Boston, a memorial commemorating an African-American regiment that fought in the Civil War was defaced with graffiti.  In Madison, Wisconsin, rioters knocked over the statue of an abolitionist immigrant who fought for the Union during the Civil War.  Christian figures are now in the crosshairs, too.  Recently, an influential activist for one movement that has been prominent in setting the agenda for demonstrations in recent weeks declared that many existing religious depictions of Jesus and the Holy Family should be purged from our places of worship.      Individuals and organizations have the right to peacefully advocate for either the removal or the construction of any monument.  But no individual or group has the right to damage, deface, or remove any monument by use of force.      In the midst of these attacks, many State and local governments appear to have lost the ability to distinguish between the lawful exercise of rights to free speech and assembly and unvarnished vandalism.  They have surrendered to mob rule, imperiling community safety, allowing for the wholesale violation of our laws, and privileging the violent impulses of the mob over the rights of law-abiding citizens.  Worse, they apparently have lost the will or the desire to stand up to the radical fringe and defend the fundamental truth that America is good, her people are virtuous, and that justice prevails in this country to a far greater extent than anywhere else in the world.  Some particularly misguided public officials even appear to have accepted the idea that violence can be virtuous and have prevented their police from enforcing the law and protecting public monuments, memorials, and statues from the mob's ropes and graffiti.      My Administration will not allow violent mobs incited by a radical fringe to become the arbiters of the aspects of our history that can be celebrated in public spaces.  State and local public officials' abdication of their law enforcement responsibilities in deference to this violent assault must end.      Sec. 2.  Policy.  (a)  It is the policy of the United States to prosecute to the fullest extent permitted under Federal law, and as appropriate, any person or any entity that destroys, damages, vandalizes, or desecrates a monument, memorial, or statue within the United States or otherwise vandalizes government property.  The desire of the Congress to protect Federal property is clearly reflected in section 1361 of title 18, United States Code, which authorizes a penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment for the willful injury of Federal property.  More recently, under the Veterans' Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003, section 1369 of title 18, United States Code, the Congress punished with the same penalties the destruction of Federal and in some cases State-maintained monuments that honor military veterans.  Other criminal statutes, such as the Travel Act, section 1952 of title 18, United States Code, permit prosecutions of arson damaging monuments, memorials, and statues on State grounds in some cases.  Civil statutes like the Public System Resource Protection Act, section 100722 of title 54, United States Code, also hold those who destroy certain Federal property accountable for their offenses.  The Federal Government will not tolerate violations of these and other laws.      (b)  It is the policy of the United States to prosecute to the fullest extent permitted under Federal law, and as appropriate, any person or any entity that participates in efforts to incite violence or other illegal activity in connection with the riots and acts of vandalism described in section 1 of this order.  Numerous Federal laws, including section 2101 of title 18, United States Code, prohibit the violence that has typified the past few weeks in some cities.  Other statutes punish those who participate in or assist the agitators who have coordinated these lawless acts.  Such laws include section 371 of title 18, United States Code, which criminalizes certain conspiracies to violate Federal law, section 2 of title 18, United States Code, which punishes those who aid or abet the commission of Federal crimes, and section 2339A of title 18, United States Code, which prohibits as material support to terrorism efforts to support a defined set of Federal crimes.  Those who have joined in recent violent acts around the United States will be held accountable.      (c)  It is the policy of the United States to prosecute to the fullest extent permitted under Federal law, and as appropriate, any person or any entity that damages, defaces, or destroys religious property, including by attacking, removing, or defacing depictions of Jesus or other religious figures or religious art work.  Federal laws prohibit, under certain circumstances, damage or defacement of religious property, including the Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996, section 247 of title 18, United States Code, and section 371 of title 18, United States Code.  The Federal Government will not tolerate violations of these laws designed to protect the free exercise of religion.      (d)  It is the policy of the United States, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to withhold Federal support tied to public spaces from State and local governments that have failed to protect public monuments, memorials, and statues from destruction or vandalism.  These jurisdictions' recent abandonment of their law enforcement responsibilities with respect to public monuments, memorials, and statues casts doubt on their willingness to protect other public spaces and maintain the peace within them.  These jurisdictions are not appropriate candidates for limited Federal funds that support public spaces.      (e)  It is the policy of the United States, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to withhold Federal support from State and local law enforcement agencies that have failed to protect public monuments, memorials, and statues from destruction or vandalism.  Unwillingness to enforce State and local laws in the face of attacks on our history, whether because of sympathy for the extremists behind this violence or some other improper reason, casts doubt on the management of these law enforcement agencies.  These law enforcement agencies are not appropriate candidates for limited Federal funds that support State and local police.      Sec. 3.  Enforcing Laws Prohibiting the Desecration of Public Monuments, the Vandalism of Government Property, and Recent Acts of Violence.  (a)  The Attorney General shall prioritize within the Department of Justice the investigation and prosecution of matters described in subsections 2(a), (b), and (c) of this order.  The Attorney General shall take all appropriate enforcement action against individuals and organizations found to have violated Federal law through these investigations.      (b)  The Attorney General shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, work with State and local law enforcement authorities and Federal agencies to ensure the Federal Government appropriately provides information and assistance to State and local law enforcement authorities in connection with their investigations or prosecutions for the desecration of monuments, memorials, and statues, regardless of whether such structures are situated on Federal property.      Sec. 4.  Limiting Federal Grants for Jurisdictions and Law Enforcement Agencies that Permit the Desecration of Monuments, Memorials, or Statues.  The heads of all executive departments and agencies shall examine their respective grant programs and apply the policies established by sections 2(d) and (e) of this order to all such programs to the extent that such application is both appropriate and consistent with applicable law.      Sec. 5.  Providing Assistance for the Protection of Federal Monuments, Memorials, Statues, and Property.  Upon the request of the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Administrator of General Services, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, personnel to assist with the protection of Federal monuments, memorials, statues, or property.  This section shall terminate 6 months from the date of this order unless extended by the President.      Sec. 6.  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.      (d)  This order is not intended to, and does not, affect the prosecutorial discretion of the Department of Justice with respect to individual cases.                              DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE,     June 26, 2020.   ###

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE POLICY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE POLICY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING     East Room   2:55 P.M. EDT      THE PRESIDENT:  Nice to see you.  Thank you very much.  Busy time.      MS. TRUMP:  Absolutely.      THE PRESIDENT:  We’re making a lot of progress with the whole situation that came in from a place called China, as you probably know.  You probably see.  But we have a little work to do, and we'll get it done.  We’re having some very good numbers coming out in terms of the comeback -- the comeback of our nation.  And I think it's going very rapidly and it's going to be very good.  But right now, we're in that process of building.      And it's an honor that you're with us today.  We very much appreciate it.  I'm delighted to welcome members of the Workforce Policy Advisory Board.  And I want to thank Ivanka; she works very hard on this board.  She works very hard to get jobs.  And it's “Made in the USA” and jobs in the USA.      I saw a group of your people yesterday, having to do with ships.  You're involved in that partnership and it's fantastic, what they're doing in Wisconsin.  It was really a great day.      The Secretary of Treasury is with us, and he's worked very hard, and I think he's got some very good things to say and some pretty big news.      And Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Labor Gene Scalia, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and Small Business Administrator -- who has definitely kept busy -- Jovita.  Where is Jovita?  Jovita.  Good.  Jovita Carranza.      Thanks also to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who's done terrifically.  Kim -- hi, Kim.      GOVERNOR REYNOLDS:  Good to see you.      THE PRESIDENT:  Nice to see you.  Thank you very much.      And Eric Holcomb, Governor of Indiana.  And we always recognize Eric because he's -- how tall are you, Eric?  (Laughter.)  Little -- he’s a pretty tall guy.  Right?  But we have one that's a little taller.  You know where that is?  Alaska.  You know that, right?  You're doing a great job.  We appreciate it.      As well as the CEOs who have signed our Pledge to American Workers: Marillyn Hewson -- thank you very much -- of Lockheed Martin; Sebastian Thrun of Udacity; and Ginni Rometty of IBM.  I want to thank you all.  You've been really here from -- from the beginning, very much from the beginning, and we appreciate it very much.      Together we built the greatest economy in history -- and, literally, in the history of the world.  Greatest we've ever had.  The greatest the world has ever seen.  And now we have to bring it back because we had to close in order to save millions of lives.  We added 2.5 million jobs last month, which was incredible.  A number -- the largest monthly increase in history and more than double the previous record.      So we're bringing it back.  We had the greatest ever and we had to close it, and now we bring it back.  And we start off with 2.5 million jobs in one month; I would say that's pretty good, Marillyn.  Right?  That's the highest ever done.      And then likewise, retail sales surged by nearly 18 percent last month.  That was the biggest jump ever recorded.  So that's great.      The stock market is seeing you go back a week -- one week.  It’s the -- saw the best 50 days in its history -- best 50-day increase in the history of the stock markets.      Our Pledge to America's Workers has secured commitments to over 16 million job and training opportunities from employers nationwide.  And some of the employers are with us, and they've been fantastic.      I want to thank the American people for doing such an incredible job.  They understand what's happening, and they see how fast we're turning it around.  I want to just state that this is Americans of all backgrounds that we're talking about, to have the chance -- we want to get them the chance to learn and to build a successful career.  We want to train Americans and we want to hire Americans.  So we're training American and we're hiring American.      Before the pledge -- and this is a very big factor.  I mean, we have a -- a problem that has about 22 different names, but I'll just call it “the plague.”  But before the plague struck, we had the lowest African American and Hispanic American, Asian American unemployment ever.  We had the most jobs we've ever had, almost 160 million jobs.  We've never been in a position like that.  Women were thriving.  Best numbers ever.  And since my election, more than half of those jobs -- more than half; first time that's ever happened -- went to women.  But now we want to get that all back.      The African American group got hit very hard.  The Hispanic American group got hit very hard.  Essentially all groups got hit hard, but now it's all coming back.      To further expand opportunity, I'm taking a bold action to reform the federal workforce.  Today I'll sign an executive order that directs the federal government to replace outdated -- and really outdated -- it's called “degree-based hiring” -- with skill-based hiring.  So we want it based on skill.      The federal government will no longer be narrowly focused on where you went to school, but the skills and the talents that you bring to the job.  We want that skill to be there.  We want it based on merit.  We've looked at merit for a long time, and we've been able to get that done.      And today’s signing is a very, very important one.  I think maybe before I sign, I'll ask Ivanka to say a few words.  And then we'll go around a little bit, we'll pick a few people, and then we'll sign, and we go back to work.      Thank you very much.  Ivanka.      MS. TRUMP:  Thank you, Mr. President.  It's an honor to have you here.  We just convened our sixth meeting of our Workforce Advisory Board, and we got an update on the team's response to your bold call to action.      First, we're going to be launching -- and Ginni Rometty, in partnership with Tim Cook, spearheaded this group -- a massive advertising campaign that directs those that need to reskill, learn a new trade, to secure a job to the resources to enable them to do that.  So we're very excited about the launch of this private-sector-led and driven campaign to match Americans with the training they need, and ultimately the job vacancies that exist.      The advisory board is also creating a series of pilot programs -- and Scott Pulsipher and Doug McMillon have been running these groups -- where we really think about how we create the resumes of the future and allow people to find job vacancies based on skill -- and for employers to connect with those unemployed workers, again, based on skill.  So creating a lot more efficiency to that process.      You are once again leading by example here today with this EO signing.  As the nation's largest employer, we are always seeking to recruit and retain the best and the brightest to serve the American people.  Last December, you fought for and secured paid leave for every federal worker -- this was a first -- creating a workplace that reflects our American values of work and family, and helping us retain our amazing talent.      It's also why you fought so hard this spring, when COVID struck, to secure paid sick leave for Americans employed by small businesses and additional funding for child care providers helping millions and millions of Americans remain employed and providing relief to small businesses across the country.  This is going to ensure a faster and stronger recovery.      Today, we're taking that next step, as you mentioned, in signing an executive order that directs federal agencies to hire based on skills and knowledge, not just outdated degree requirements.  This will allow us to better recognize the talents and competencies of all Americans we hire.  You built once the most inclusive economy in this country's history, and you'll build it again.      Through our Pledge to America's Workers, the private sector has committed to investing in the training and education of over 16 million American students and workers.  And this continues, despite the vast change that -- that the plague ushered in.      Companies like Udacity -- Sebastian Thrun joins us today -- have been leading the way, and they've been using their pledge commitment and fulfilling it by providing free tech training to American workers laid off as a result of COVID.      I recently had the opportunity to virtually meet one of the students that went through your program and received your scholarship in conjunction with the pledge, and it was incredible.  His name was Tony.  He was a lifelong truck driver.  He owned his own business.  It was a single rig that he had.  Through a series of setbacks, the company ended up going under.  He signed up for a course in tech, and is now a software engineer, providing for his family, absolutely loving what he does.  And there are many, many stories like Tony that hopefully will inspire millions across the nation.      Marillyn Hewson, also an early pledge signer, of Lockheed Martin committed to hiring during the pandemic using virtual technology and other techniques to ensure recruitment processes move forward.      So with more people teleworking and learning from home than ever before, we have a lot to accomplish in the months ahead, and I'm really excited about your effort to extend this working group and to reform our federal hiring practices, as we think about building that inclusive American economy as we transition to greatness.      So, thank you for today.  And it's a pleasure to have you join us.      THE PRESIDENT:  Great.  Thank you very much, honey.  Great job.  It really has been.  It's been a labor of love.      MS. TRUMP:  That’s true.      THE PRESIDENT:  And Ivanka loves helping people.  That’s a wonderful thing.      Marillyn, how about starting with you?  Thank you.      MS. HEWSON:  Well, thank you, Mr. President.  It's really an honor to serve on this policy board.  And I must say, I agree with you: Advisor Trump -- Ivanka Trump -- and Secretary Ross have led us well.  We've had a great effort over the last several meetings and put forward some strong recommendations that I help- -- helped to match the skills together with the jobs that are there.  And at Lockheed Martin, we're proud that this year we're on a path to hire 12,000 people.  And a lot of it is around making sure that we are getting the kind of apprenticeships and scholarships and skills training for them so that they can link up to jobs in our operation.      Thank you.      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, you've done a great job.  And I got to see it again.  I mentioned it -- it was so impressive what I saw -- the whole group yesterday.  It was really great to be there.  And I didn't know you had a big chunk of that one, but you've done very well with it, so we appreciate it.      Please, Sebastian.  Please.      MR. THRUN:  It's a great honor to meet you.  And I want to thank you for keeping us safe and moving us forward.  This has been, of course, a vital time for all of us with over 30 million unemployed.  It's our chance to really redefine how education looks like and move into a world where people learn lifelong, have lifelong access, and unfold their livelihoods.      Ivanka was, of course, the visionary behind all of this.  And thank you for doing this.  I mentioned Tony Boswell -- a truck driver who was driving trucks for 10 years, and then his truck broke down, and he couldn't finance the new engine that he needed.  He was unemployed, had no income, no education, and came across, by randomness, a Google scholarship that Udacity launched.  And then, in 10 months’ time, was able to become a software engineer.      These are the stories that I believe this nation needs.  I think we have so much opportunity, so much potential in this -- in this great nation to bring people forward, and I think this is the time to do it.      THE PRESIDENT:  That's a great story.  It's a great story.  Amazing story.      Ginni, please.      MS. ROMETTY:  Yes.  Well, first, Mr. President, thank you for your leadership during this time.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you very much.      MS. ROMETTY:  And you used an important word when you described Ivanka's contribution here as a "labor of love" because this is something -- I think what the team has done collectively will have a very long-term impact, as well as short-term.  And we are solving probably -- or working towards helping solve one of the most important pro- -- programs for growth for the country as well, so -- to help anyone from any socio-economic background.      So I really -- my hat is off and a thanks to Secretary Ross and to Ivanka for having led us through this.  And I think what we have put on the table is substantive change, and I know it is a change to a company like mine.      So as you sign skills first, we've adopted that, and 15 percent of our hires last year were people from non-traditional backgrounds.  And so it's a -- it's really what this is all about, I think, in giving everyone a bright -- a bright future in the digital era.      So thank you for that.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much, Ginni.  Good job.      MS. ROMETTY:  Thank you.      THE PRESIDENT:  Eric, go ahead, please.      GOVERNOR HOLCOMB:  Well, I'll just add my appreciation.  I mean, what you're doing today is leveling the playing field.  And there's been a lot of people, a lot of have-nots that will have an opportunity to join the haves.  And to -- to do it during a time of such challenge, but to recognize the opportunity that's here, and to do it now -- there couldn't be a more important time.      So appreciate everyone's effort around this table and your leadership on this front.      THE PRESIDENT:  And Indiana is doing very well.  I'm hearing good things.      GOVERNOR HOLCOMB:  We are.  We are moving in the right direction.  We are -- we've got 93,000 unfilled jobs right now --      THE PRESIDENT:  Amazing.      GOVERNOR HOLCOMB:  -- that we need to fill.  We've ushered in 100,000 jobs in just three and a half years; the previous record was 93,000 in four years.  These are high-wage, high- demand jobs.  These are $28, north, an hour.      THE PRESIDENT:  That's great.      GOVERNOR HOLCOMB:  So this is what it's all about --skilling up the workforce.  Thank you.      THE PRESIDENT:  That’s great.  Great job.  Thank you very much.      Kim.      GOVERNOR REYNOLDS:  Well, thank you, Mr. President.  And what I so appreciate about your administration is it's really an administration of action.  You identified barriers and gaps, and then you helped bring the right people together to find the solutions and enact those.  So thank you very much.      It's been an honor to be a part of this advisory board.  I appreciate how, with the leadership of Ivanka and Secretary Ross, we really have identified the various elements, connected those elements -- whether it's been consistent data, definition, goals, and messaging.  And I look forward to really amplifying that in the state of Iowa.      By executive order, I just created an economic task force.  I brought several CEOs, business leaders, and nonprofits together to utilize their expertise in the way through innovation, adaptation, and creativity adjusted within weeks to the coronavirus.      And everything that this group has talked about will fold so well into what we're trying to do at the state level.  And when you think about that happening in every state across the country, we really are going to come back stronger and better and really help provide opportunities for every single American.      So thank you for leading it.      THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  And we see it now, Kim.  Next year is going to be, we think, amazing, actually.      GOVERNOR REYNOLDS:  Yep.  I agree.      THE PRESIDENT:  It’s going to be an amazing year.      Larry, would you like to say something?      MR. KUDLOW:  Yeah.  Thanks, sir.  I spoke just before you came, but I'll just repeat the “V” shaped recovery.  Virtually every number is showing a “V” shaped recovery now -- private surveys, government statistics, restaurants, home builders, truckers, durable goods makers, Apple mobility and travel, gasoline demand.      As you said, the jobs went up really about 3 million in May.  We had tremendous retail sales.  Actually, today, in the income report, we had tremendous consumer spending: 8 percent at an annual rate for one month.  It's a great story.      THE PRESIDENT:  That’s a great number.  Yeah.      MR. KUDLOW:  And I still think we’ll get 20 percent in the second half of the year.  And if we get another 5 percent in the first quarter of next year, we will be right back to the peak in 2019, where you got us the first time with the growth policies.      And I just want to say: Ivanka, I gave you a big pitch, gave you -- did the best I could.  Private sector reskilling and retraining -- and not only will people come back to the labor force when they're reskilled; they'll come back with higher wages, and they'll come back with more confidence, and it'll make a huge difference as it already has.      And so I've added you to the four pillars of growth.  The President --      THE PRESIDENT:  Good.            MR. KUDLOW:  Tax cuts --      THE PRESIDENT:  Good taste.      MR. KUDLOW:  -- deregulation, energy unleashing, fair trade deals, and private-sector-led reskilling.  How's that, sir?      THE PRESIDENT:  That's great.  That's great.  And I'm very happy what you said about early next year.  I think next year is going to be an incredible year.      Thank you very much, Larry.      MR. KUDLOW:  Appreciate it.      THE PRESIDENT:  Wilbur, would you like to say something?      SECRETARY ROSS:  Yes, Mr. President.  Thank you for the opportunity to help Ivanka and the others on this group.  I've been very, very impressed with the productivity of this advisory board.  Most advisory boards create a big, thick book at the end.  It goes in the library and nothing happens.  This group, every single meeting, there's a specific, tangible thing that gets filed up and it gets implemented.      So it's really been a heartwarming thing to see how productive these folks have been, and I congratulate all of them.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Thank you.      Gene, please.      SECRETARY SCALIA:  Thank you, Mr. President.  And you mentioned the three and a half percent unemployment rate just a few months ago.  You did so many things for the American worker during those three years.      You know, back in the summer of 2016, the Congressional Budget Office said that we'd be at 5 percent unemployment in February.  They said that, between then and February 2020, they said we'd create 1.9 million jobs; we created 7 million jobs.      So Larry touched on it.  It was -- it was policies of tax cuts, of deregulation that brought us there, which was just a wonderful thing for the American worker as jobs were being created and wages were rising.      But there was other work going on.  And what you see today is a manifestation of other things that were being done that are now going to have their day to really help workers.  We -- we are coming back.  Larry has mentioned some of the numbers.  But we know that the training will be important, and we're fortunate that this really, very extraordinary group -- and as Secretary Ross has said, a group that really generated valuable product -- they were working quietly to help train American workers.      I spoke earlier about a new apprenticeship rule that we adopted at the Labor Department that I think will be very helpful.  This will be an important part of the rebound.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Gene, very much.  Appreciate it.      Steve, please.      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Well, as others said, your economic team, working with you, knew how to create jobs and it created an enormous amount.  And because of this virus, we had to, unfortunately, shut down the economy.      We know how to reopen the economy safely.  Working with Congress, we put $3 trillion in.  It's beginning to work; we see it.  And we’re -- our work isn't going to be done until every single one of these jobs is done.      We know we need a few more tools.  We'll go back to Congress next month, but we're going to get everybody back to work.  And I'm confident we're going to see a strong third and fourth quarter as we reopen.      THE PRESIDENT:  That’s great, Steve.  Thank you very much.      Anybody else would like to say something?  Anybody?  Anybody?  This is your chance.  Go ahead.  Please.      MS. ROLLINS:  Mr. President, I just want to say, as your Domestic Policy Chief, what an extraordinary today -- day today is, and here's why: It's not just the work of this council and the leadership of Ivanka, it is the executive order that you are about to sign that completely resets the playing field.      The federal government is the largest employer in the country, with 2 million employees.  Two thirds of American adults do not have a college degree.  Your signature that is recalibrating the workforce away from being degree-only to skillset is transformational.      And the opportunity for you to fight for all Americans -- I think about Tony that Ivanka talked about; that Sebastian talked about from Udacity -- from a truck driver, to a software engineer, next potentially into the federal government because of this executive order that is focusing on skills, rather than degrees.      Congratulations and thank you for your leadership.  It's extraordinary.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  Anybody?  Jovita.      ADMINISTRATOR CARRANZA:  Yes, President Trump, thank you very much for your strong leadership.      You know, I sit in the audience here as part of a participate -- participation of this particular advisory board, and I'm a recipient of the type of programs that you are actually implementing and supporting.      I started out as a box handler in a -- in the world's largest logistics company.  And so when I hear everyone talk about the dedication of the workforce and establishing some really comprehensive training, I took advantage of every training opportunity there was in the private sector.  And perhaps you'll see another Administrator similar to me, based on the programs that you're going to advocate and support.      And because of the public-private partnerships that this administration has enabled -- the Paycheck Protection Program, just one example that has fortified small businesses, sustained their viability, and also protected their employees -- a baseline of about 60 million employees.  And so I thank you again for putting small businesses front and center.      And one other comment.  I'm looking at all of these private sector companies -- the super leaders in your various sectors.  You are the primary contractors for the -- the subcontractors that I represent as an advocate for Small Business Administration.  So once you reinstate your viability, the small-business sector will then follow soon -- soon after.      So thank you again, President.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much, Jovita.  Thank you very much.      SECRETARY DEVOS:   Mr. President --      THE PRESIDENT:  Please.      SECRETARY DEVOS:  I just appreciate your unrelenting focus on creating opportunity for all Americans, and that begins with opportunities in education.  And I so appreciate your leadership there.  And it's been a privilege to be part of this, Ivanka.  And, Secretary Ross, thank you for your work here.      We are privileged to carry out your vision in policy and action, as Governor Reynolds said.  And thank you for your leadership.         THE PRESIDENT:  Choice -- how's that going?  Choice.  Right?      SECRETARY DEVOS:  Yes, sir.      THE PRESIDENT:  That’s what we want.  Please.      MR. PULSIPHER:   Yeah, I was just going to say thank you, Mr. President.  From a university’s perspective, it’s often perceived as skills versus degrees.  But in reality, in a skills-denominated future, it is that tide that lifts all boats.  Because even those who possess degrees, they can better articulate the skills and competencies that they now have for the future of work.       And the reality is, too -- is that it's also more fair, it's more equitable, it's more prosperous for our workforce because what it really is, is it -- it's now about what you possess and what you can demonstrate, not how you acquired the competency and skill.      THE PRESIDENT:  Right.      MR. PULSIPHER:  And so it just creates much more of an equitable -- equitable pathway.  And WGU, as a competency-based education provider, has always been focused on how do you articulate the outcomes of achieving a degree in a skills and competency-based way so it's much more aligned with the future of work.  And so it is truly that tide that lifts all boats.      So, this is a huge step in the right direction.  So, thank you very much.      THE PRESIDENT:  I agree with you 100 percent, I must say.  I do.      Okay?  Why don't we sign?  And this is a big deal.  Congratulations to everybody in the room.  This means a lot.      (The executive order is signed.)      Okay.  We’ll do that for Marillyn.  Who will take this?      (The President distributes a signing pen.)      (Applause.)      Thank you very much. (Inaudible.)      (The executive order is signed.)      Okay.  That’s very good.  We have pens for everybody.  Here, honey.  (Applause.)  All right.  Phase two.  Thank you very much.      Well, thank you all very much.  We appreciate it.  This is really an important day for a lot of reasons.  But this is one of them.  Thank you all for being with us.  We appreciate it very much.  Thank you very much.                          END                3:20 P.M. EDT

Executive Order on Continuing the President's National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - CONTINUING THE PRESIDENT'S NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER AND THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE POLICY ADVISORY BOARD        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.  Continuing the President's National Council for the American Worker.  To continue the President's National Council for the American Worker established by Executive Order 13845 of July 19, 2018, as amended, that Executive Order is further amended by revising section 10 to read as follows:  "Termination of Council.  The Council shall terminate on September 30, 2021, unless extended by the President.".      Sec. 2.  Continuing the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board established by Executive Order 13845, as amended, is continued until September 30, 2021.      Sec. 3.  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,     June 26, 2020.

Executive Order on Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - MODERNIZING AND REFORMING THE ASSESSMENT AND HIRING OF FEDERAL JOB CANDIDATES         By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and sections 1104(a)(1), 3301, and 7301 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:      Section 1.  Purpose.  The foundation of our professional merit-based civil service is the principle that employment and advancement rest on the ability of individuals to fulfill their responsibilities in service to the American public.  Accordingly, Federal Government employment opportunities should be filled based on merit.  Policies or practices that undermine public confidence in the hiring process undermine confidence in both the civil service and the Government.      America's private employers have modernized their recruitment practices to better identify and secure talent through skills- and competency-based hiring.  As the modern workforce evolves, the Federal Government requires a more efficient approach to hiring.  Employers adopting skills- and competency-based hiring recognize that an overreliance on college degrees excludes capable candidates and undermines labor-market efficiencies.  Degree-based hiring is especially likely to exclude qualified candidates for jobs related to emerging technologies and those with weak connections between educational attainment and the skills or competencies required to perform them.  Moreover, unnecessary obstacles to opportunity disproportionately burden low-income Americans and decrease economic mobility.      The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) oversees most aspects of the civilian Federal workforce, including creating and maintaining the General Schedule classification system and determining the duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements for Federal jobs.  Executive departments and agencies (agencies), however, are responsible for vetting and selecting specific candidates to fill particular job openings consistent with statutory requirements and OPM rules and guidance, including applicable minimum educational requirements.  Currently, for most Federal jobs, traditional education -- high school, college, or graduate-level -- rather than experiential learning is either an absolute requirement or the only path to consideration for candidates without many years of experience.  As a result, Federal hiring practices currently lag behind those of private sector leaders in securing talent based on skills and competency.      My Administration is committed to modernizing and reforming civil service hiring through improved identification of skills requirements and effective assessments of the skills job seekers possess.  We encourage these same practices in the private sector.  Modernizing our country's processes for identifying and hiring talent will provide America a more inclusive and demand-driven labor force.      Through the work of the National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, my Administration is fulfilling its commitment to expand employment opportunities for workers.  The increased adoption of apprenticeship programs by American employers, the creation of Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, and the implementation of Federal hiring reforms, including those in this order, represent important steps toward providing more Americans with pathways to family-sustaining careers.  In addition, the Principles on Workforce Freedom and Mobility announced by my Administration in January 2020 detail reforms that will expand opportunities and eliminate unnecessary education costs for job seekers.  This order builds on the broader work of my Administration to expand opportunity and create a more inclusive 21st-century economy.      This order directs important, merit-based reforms that will replace degree-based hiring with skills- and competency-based hiring and will hold the civil service to a higher standard -- ensuring that the individuals most capable of performing the roles and responsibilities required of a specific position are those hired for that position -- that is more in line with the principles on which the merit system rests.      Sec. 2.  Revision of Job Classification and Qualification Standards.  (a)  The Director of OPM, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the heads of agencies, shall review and revise all job classification and qualification standards for positions within the competitive service, as necessary and consistent with subsections (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of this section.  All changes to job classification and qualification standards shall be made available to the public within 120 days of the date of this order and go into effect within 180 days of the date of this order.           (i)   An agency may prescribe a minimum educational requirement for employment in the Federal competitive service only when a minimum educational qualification is legally required to perform the duties of the position in the State or locality where those duties are to be performed.           (ii)  Unless an agency is determining a candidate's satisfaction of a legally required minimum educational requirement, an agency may consider education in determining a candidate's satisfaction of some other minimum qualification only if the candidate's education directly reflects the competencies necessary to satisfy that qualification and perform the duties of the position.      (b)  Position descriptions and job postings published by agencies for positions within the competitive service should be based on the specific skills and competencies required to perform those jobs.      Sec. 3.  Improving the Use of Assessments in the Federal Hiring Process.  (a)  In addition to the other requirements of this order, the Director of OPM shall work with the heads of all agencies to ensure that, within 180 days of the date of this order, for positions within the competitive service, agencies assess candidates in a manner that does not rely solely on educational attainment to determine the extent to which candidates possess relevant knowledge, skills, competencies, and abilities.  The heads of all agencies shall develop or identify such assessment practices.      (b)  In assessing candidates, agencies shall not rely solely on candidates' self-evaluations of their stated abilities.  Applicants must clear other assessment hurdles in order to be certified for consideration.      (c)  Agencies shall continually evaluate the effectiveness of different assessment strategies to promote and protect the quality and integrity of their hiring processes.      Sec. 4.  Definitions.  For purposes of this order:      (a)  the term "assessment" refers to any valid and reliable method of collecting information on an individual for the purposes of making a decision about qualification, hiring, placement, promotion, referral, or entry into programs leading to advancement;      (b)  the term "competitive service" has the meaning specified by section 2102 of title 5, United States Code;      (c)  the term "education" refers to Post High-School Education as that term is defined in the OPM General Schedule Qualification Policies; and      (d)  the term "qualification" means the minimum requirements necessary to perform work of a particular position or occupation successfully and safely.      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,     June 26, 2020.

Resolute Reads FIVE STORIES PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS

FIVE STORIES PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS Trump Wants Federal Hiring to Focus on Skills Over Degrees -The Associated Press President Trump signed an executive order today that prioritizes skills over degrees for many federal jobs. “Aides say the change will create more opportunities for Americans to work for the federal government,” Darlene Superville reports in The Associated Press. Trump Is Right About Police. We Ask Officers to Take on Too Many Duties. -USA Today “President Donald Trump’s executive order on policing has been pilloried by the 'defund the police' crowd who want substantial police reforms. But Trump’s approach represents the best hope yet for improving policing . . . By narrowing the role of policing, both police critics and supporters can achieve their aims,” Jason Johnson writes. MORE: Instead of joining bipartisan bill, Democrats choose to play politics Boston Korean War Vet’s Family Thanks President Trump in Search for Remains -Boston Herald “Army 1st Lt. Thomas J. Redgate is finally coming home to Massachusetts, decades after being killed in action during the Korean War,” Joe Dwinell writes in the Boston Herald. “Without President Trump, this never would have happened,” said Redgate’s nephew. “We are eternally grateful to him.”  WATCH: President & First Lady honor 70th anniversary of Korean War 'One Job at A Time' Strategy Brings Ship Construction to Marinette -Wisconsin State Journal President Trump visited Wisconsin yesterday to celebrate a new $5.5 billion Navy shipbuilding contract. “Together, the Marinette shipyard’s contribution to America’s defenses and to job creation perfectly capture a key guiding principle of the Trump administration, namely, that ‘economic security is national security,’” White House Director of Trade & Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro writes. 200 Judges: A Milestone for President Trump -USA Today “This week the Senate reached a milestone, confirming President Trump’s 200th judge,” Carrie Campbell Severino writes in USA Today. “The 200 confirmations occurred in the face of unprecedented obstacles. Democrats, intent for years on using the courts to impose their own policy agenda, abused one Senate process after another.”