Greene County Democrat

Tag: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

  • Newswire : Biden-Harris Administration unveils major new steps to curb gun violence and save lives;Executive Order targets emerging firearm threats and enhances school safety

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Writer


    President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris announced sweeping new measures to combat gun violence in America today, marking a significant escalation in the administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce firearm-related deaths. Central to this initiative is a new Executive Order that directs federal agencies to address the rising threats posed by machinegun conversion devices and 3D-printed firearms and to improve the effectiveness of school-based active shooter drills.

    The White House said the steps build on the administration’s already extensive record in gun violence prevention. Since taking office, the Biden-Harris administration said it has worked to address the alarming spike in violent crime left by the previous administration.

    The American Rescue Plan allocated over $15 billion to law enforcement and public safety strategies, focusing on community violence interventions. In June 2022, Biden signed the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which the White House called the most significant gun violence prevention law passed in nearly three decades. A year later, the administration established the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a ground-breaking program under Vice President Harris’ direction.

    The administration said this decisive leadership has had tangible results: in 2023, the U.S. witnessed the sharpest decline homicide rates in recent history, a trend that has only accelerated into 2024. From January to June of this year, homicides fell another 17%, while mass shootings declined by 20%, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

    As the administration celebrates the first anniversary of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Biden and Harris – the Democratic presidential nominee, said they are once again raising the bar with additional actions designed to save lives.

    Combating the Latest Firearms Threats

    A central focus of the new Executive Order is the fight against emerging firearms technologies. Two specific threats are highlighted: machinegun conversion devices and 3D-printed, unserialized firearms—both of which are increasingly found at crime scenes across the country. Machinegun conversion devices, which can turn a semi-automatic firearm into an illegal automatic weapon, have surged by 570% between 2017 and 2021, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). These devices, often 3D-printed for less than a dollar, can fire up to 20 bullets in a single second, posing an unprecedented threat.

    Unserialized firearms, commonly known as “ghost guns,” also present an evolving danger. Produced through 3D printing and undetectable by standard security measures, these firearms are often used for gun trafficking and other illegal activities. Officials noted that law enforcement cannot trace them, making criminal investigations harder and communities less safe.

    Biden and Harris announced they are forming an Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force in response. The Task Force will evaluate the federal government’s ability to detect and intercept these weapons and will submit a report within 90 days outlining what additional resources or authorities are necessary to stop this growing threat.

    Enhancing School Safety

    In the wake of numerous school shootings, the administration announced further steps to protect America’s students. The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Education and other top officials to improve active shooter drills in schools. While many schools have already conducted these drills, concerns about the psychological impact on students, teachers, and parents have emerged. The administration is committed to ensuring these drills are effective without causing trauma.

    Over the next 110 days, federal agencies will collaborate to create guidance for schools that will make drills safer and more developmentally appropriate while also accommodating people with disabilities and language needs.

    Expanding on Life-Saving Initiatives

    Beyond the Executive Order, the administration announced steps to promote firearm safety, improve background checks, and fund community violence interventions:

    Safe Gun Storage and Red Flag Laws: The Department of Education is launching a new tool for schools to promote safe gun storage, while the Department of Justice is awarding $135 million to states for implementing “red flag” laws, which temporarily remove firearms from individuals in crisis.
    Community Violence Interventions: An additional $85 million will go toward community violence intervention programs, a key part of the administration’s strategy to prevent gun violence before it happens.

    Background Check Improvements: New model legislation will be available for states to address legal gaps that prevent juvenile records from being shared during firearm background checks, a requirement under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
    Gun Violence Data: The ATF and FBI will release updated data on gun violence trends, including details on ghost guns and firearm trafficking.

    Addressing the Trauma of Gun Violence

    The toll of gun violence extends beyond the immediate victims, affecting entire communities. This fall, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will roll out new resources to support survivors of gun violence and their families. From best practices for trauma recovery to toolkits for educators and community leaders, the White House said these initiatives aim to help communities heal from the devastating effects of firearm violence.

    Looking Ahead

    Biden and Harris said they’ve continued to call on Congress to pass comprehensive gun safety legislation, including a ban on assault weapons, universal background checks, and the repeal of legal immunity for gun manufacturers.

    “These actions are saving lives, but we cannot do it alone. Congress must step up,” Biden stated. “Every day, we delay, more lives are at risk.”
     

  • Sketches #1932: by Hank Sanders – A Relay for Freedom

    A relay for freedom. We love relay races. We love the 4×100-meter race where each of four runners carry the baton for 100 meters for a total of 400 meters. Each runner plays his/her part. Each of the first three runners hand off the baton to the next runner. If the hand off is not performed correctly, it delays the next runner and results in defeat. The final runner is called the anchor. He/she carries the baton across the finish line but the victory belongs not just to her but to the team. There are similar races in the 4×200 and 4×400. Each carrier must be fast and strong. Each hands off the baton to the next runner until the anchor crosses the finish line. It is a team victory. No one feels that they must carry the baton all the way to obtain victory. A relay for freedom.
    I wonder if we should have a political relay. A political relay is even more important when freedom is at stake. We need a relay for freedom because liberty is at stake. The freedom of a diverse citizenry is at stake. The constitution is at stake. Ultimately democracy in this country and maybe the world over is at stake. So much of freedom as we know it is at stake. A relay for freedom.
    I wonder about a relay for the current and the next presidency of the United States. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have carried the weights of the baton of democracy under vicious attack for nearly four years. The weight is getting heavier and heavier. I wonder if there’s an opportunity for the runners to shift position. I wonder if there’s an opportunity for new runners to take turns in carrying the baton of the presidency. A relay for freedom.
    I greatly appreciate the tremendous leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris. They had to take on an incumbent President of these United States of America who was determined to hang on to the power of the presidency at all costs. That president initiated and fueled an insurrection to maintain the presidency by force. More than sixty judges ruled that the election was not stolen. In spite of all the court ruling against him he has continued the “stop the steal” lie to this day, insisting that he was wrongly deprived of the presidency. A relay for freedom.
    When President Biden and Vice President Harris commenced serving on January 20, 20221, they were met with a worldwide COVID Pandemic that killed more than one million persons just in the United States of America. More lives loss in this country than in any other country in the world, including China and India, each of which has four times the population of the U.S. The economy of the U.S. was busted because businesses were closed. Schools were closed. Governmental offices were closed. It was a terrible time made so much more terrible by the destructive leadership of then President Trump. A relay for freedom.
    President Biden and Vice President Harris are gallantly carrying the baton of economic recovery. They have provided 15 million jobs. They beat back inflation. They caused schools and other governmental entities to open again. They vaccinated tens of millions. They passed legislation that is rebuilding the country’s infrastructure. They reduced the stifling student loan debt. They reduced undocumented persons entering into this country. They fought off a rising tide of isms – sexism, racism. They tackled a threatening global weather change. They fought to protect voting rights and reduce gun violence. And there is so much more. A relay for freedom.
    The anti-democracy forces have been so determined that they commenced attacking President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris immediately after the election even before they were sworn into office. They attacked President Biden through his vice president because she is female and of color. They have been relentless for nearly four years. Lies told over and over in the media, on social media and otherwise take deep roots and are resistant to even waves of truth and reasons. A relay for freedom.
    A relay allows each of us to carry the baton for freedom as fast and far as we can. Then we pass it to the next runner in the race. President Biden and Vice President Harris are carrying the baton of freedom far and fast, and I salute them. I am not at all suggesting that Biden and Harris be pushed out of the highest leadership positions. I could not and would not ever push either out. They have contributed and are contributing too much. Besides, I still believe President Biden and Vice President Harris can win. I am just lifting the opportunities that exist in a relay for freedom. A relay for freedom.
    I wonder whether a unique application of the relay for freedom will help save this country. I wonder what happens if President Biden and Vice President Harris pass the baton in the reelection campaign for the presidency. I wonder about President Biden passing the presidency and allowing Vice President Harris to complete the final six months of the term. He helped her to become the very first very first female vice president in more than 200 years. He can help bring about the very first female President in more than 200 years. I wonder if she would voluntarily not pursue the presidency or vice presidency in 2024. I wonder if history would say President Biden not only saved the country but advanced civilization throughout the world. Both would go down in history. A relay for freedom.
    I wonder about a new two-person team of political warriors to carry the baton in the next relay for freedom. They would be fresh and fast. I wonder if President Biden and Vice President Harris could contribute greatly to the selection of these two warriors to avoid confusion and to unify the forces of freedom. Of course, they would need to agree. Such a move would increase the opportunities to win the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate by margins sufficient to govern effectively. I wonder if the new House and Senate would be in position to stem the destructive tide of the current Supreme Court. A relay for freedom.
    The likely Republican nominee for President still refuses to accept the 2020 election results and all court findings; promoted an insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol; has been impeached twice; has been convicted in a criminal court of law on 34 counts, has been found liable for sexual assault, rape and fraud; and promotes falsehoods and lies again and again. This nation cannot afford another term with former President Trump.
    The old folks have a saying: “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” Sometimes we are given something that we do not see as a gift. We may in fact see it as a curse. So, we examine and examine and examine it. We look the gift horse in the mouth. This moment that we are in may well be a gift if we are just willing to unwrap it. A relay for freedom.

    EPILOGUE – Every crisis contains seeds of opportunity. This may or may not be a crisis, but the seeds of opportunity are embedded. Can we look beyond the moment and see the opportunities? Relay for freedom.

  • Newswire: Annual Congressional Black Caucus conference concludes with power remarks from Biden and Harris

     Vice President Kamala Harris

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


    The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference concluded with resounding calls to action by Black lawmakers and their unwavering commitment to uphold democratic values and advance the rights of Black Americans.
    President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris paid tribute to the dedication of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) in their pursuit of progress and equality.
    “I chose to run because silence is complicit, and I would not be silent,” Biden said in an impassioned address at the Phoenix Awards, hoping to underscore the urgency of the moment. “Democracy was at stake in 2020, and thank God, because of you, we won,” Biden said.
    However, the president also issued a sobering reminder that the threat to democracy persists. “I wish I can say the threat to our democracy ended with our victory in 2020, but it didn’t. Our democracy is still at stake, don’t kid yourself,” Biden insisted.
    Vice President Harris, herself a former CBC member, lauded the Caucus as the nation’s moral compass, emphasizing their role as truth-tellers about the past and advocates for the future. “Across America, there is a full-on attack on many of the hard-fought, hard-won freedoms that the CBC has achieved,” Harris asserted.
    The evening also celebrated leaders and trailblazers who have dedicated themselves to advancing the cause of Black communities. The 2023 Phoenix Awards recognized individuals whose work is creating opportunities for the next generation:
• White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre received the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference Honorary Co-Chairs’ Award.
• Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass was honored with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Chair’s Award.
• House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8) received the Congressional Black Caucus’s Body Award.
• Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones (D-TN-52) was presented with the Congressional Black Caucus Chair’s Award.
• MC Lyte and LL Cool J were bestowed with the 2023 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Culture Icon Award.
    The conference featured insightful panels and discussions addressing critical issues facing Black communities throughout the week. Notable sessions included a press conference hosted by the Hip Hop Caucus, calling for continued activism around issues of policing and overpolicing.
    Additionally, a panel led by CBC Chair Rep. Steven Horsford and Small Business Association Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman highlighted the significant increase in SBA-backed loans going to Black-owned businesses under the Biden-Harris Administration.
    Other sessions delved into critical topics such as advancing equity in infrastructure access, protecting voting rights, and celebrating arts and foreign affairs achievements. A panel discussion on the battle for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the face of growing opposition was of particular significance.
    The conference also addressed critical issues such as transportation and the impact of innovations on Black communities. A panel on artificial intelligence delved into leveraging the potential of AI while mitigating risks and ensuring that Black voices are amplified in discussions surrounding emerging technologies.
    With the recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action and challenges to DEI initiatives, this year’s ALC took on added importance, said Nicole Austin-Hillery, President and CEO of CBCF. “It is vital that we all engage…to fortify our democracy, protect fundamental freedoms, and celebrate the richness and vibrancy of our cultural heritage” as the nation looks ahead to a pivotal 2024 presidential election,” Austin-Hillery asserted.

  • Newswire : Brittney Griner Freed

    Brittney Griner
    President Biden at White House speaks with Cherrelle Griner , with VP Kamala Harris and SOS Anthony Blinken

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    After 294 days in Russian custody, including the past several weeks in a dreaded and dangerous penal colony, WNBA star Brittney Griner is free.
    President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with Griner’s wife at the White House, where they spoke with the basketball player on the telephone.
    “She’s safe. She’s on a plane. She is on her way home,” Biden declared. The Biden administration secured Griner’s release after agreeing to a one-for-one prisoner swap that saw the president commute the 25-year sentence of notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
    The White House said it would continue efforts to bring home retired U.S. military officer Paul Whelan, who remains in Russian custody. Whelan has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years, and, recently, his family said they hadn’t heard from him. They were told he was transferred to a hospital, but the family doubted that explanation.
    The deal to release Griner was consummated a week ago in the United Arab Emirates. Biden said Griner’s expected home in the U. S, at a military base in San Antonio , Texas for a medical review and debriefing.
    “It’s a good morning,” the president exclaimed at a news conference where Vice President Kamala Harris and Griner’s wife, Cherelle, stood close. “After months of being unjustly detained and held under intolerable circumstances, she’s coming home,” Biden asserted.
    The president said his administration “never stopped pushing for her release.” “It took painstaking and intense negotiations for her release,” Biden stated. He thanked the UAE for helping to facilitate Griner’s release and noted that’s where her plane landed after finally leaving Russia.

    Biden noted that the past few months had been “hell” for Griner and her family. He said she’s in good spirits and relieved. “She lost months of her life,” Biden stated.
    He said she deserves space, privacy, and time to heal in a not-so-subtle appeal to media members. Biden added that Griner wrote him in July, not asking for special treatment. “She said, please don’t forget about me and the other American detainees,” Biden said.
    “We have not forgotten about Brittney and Paul Whelan. Biden emphasized that the one-for-one swap wasn’t America’s choice. He said he wished to bring Whelan and any other wrongly detained American home. “We have not yet secured Paul’s release. But we have not given up, and we will never give up,” Biden insisted.
    “We’ll keep negotiating for Paul’s release in good faith. I urge Russia to do the same. My administration has brought home dozens of wrongly detained Americans and many who were detained before I took office,” Biden continued.
    “Reunited Americans with their loved ones remain a priority. We will continue to work to bring home every American who endures such injustice.”
    Cherelle Griner called Brittney’s plight one of the darkest moments of her life.
    “Over the last nine months, you all have been privy to one of the darkest moments of my life. I’m overwhelmed with emotion but sincere gratitude to President Biden and his administration,” Cherelle Griner stated.
    “Today, my family is whole. As you are aware, there are so many families who are not whole. BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul, who remains in our hearts.”
    As expected, civil rights activists, many in the sports world, and politicians applauded Griner’s release.
    “This is long overdue,” Rev. Jesse Jackson declared. “This is a cause for global celebration and could be a step toward peace. Releasing prisoners and prisoner swaps as opposed to more bombing and killing is good news,” Jackson stated.
    And fellow Democratic Texas Rep. Colin Allred called Griner’s release a relief.“Brittney Griner is coming home. This is a huge relief for Brittney and her family after months of uncertainty,” Allred said.
    “I commend President Biden, Secretary [Antony] Blinken, the State Department, and all those who made this happen. We remain committed to getting every American detained abroad back home.”
    The Black Press of America also saluted the Biden administration’s efforts in bringing Griner home. “The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) profoundly welcomes the release of Brittney Griner from a Russian prison,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. stated.
    The NNPA is the trade association of more than 230 African American-owned newspapers and media companies in the United States. “Brittney Griner was a political prisoner,” continued Chavis, the leader of the famed Wilmington 10, also political prisoners. “Thanks to the effective leadership of President Joe Biden, our beloved sister is now free,” Chavis declare

  • Newswire: White House unveils steps to advance equity in America

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The Department of Health and Human Services said its increasing outreach to communities of color to encourage enrollment in free and low-cost health care, and the agency will address the maternal mortality crisis that disproportionately impacts Black and Native families, including by working with states to extend postpartum coverage in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

    Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security said its working to ensure that underserved communities are treated fairly in airport screenings by improving systems and enhancing training for officers.
    DHS officials said they’re also engaging with and improving underserved communities’ access to grant programs that help counter domestic violent extremism to better address the terrorism-related threat to the country posed by white supremacists and other domestic terrorists.
    The U. S. Department of Agriculture says in its statement, “All too often in the past, USDA programs and services were designed to benefit those with land, experience, money, and education while leaving behind those without means, resources or privilege of one kind or another. Over the course of decades, congressional reports, internal data, civil rights investigations, court actions, and stakeholder testimony have documented this long history of inequity and discrimination.”

    The USDA Equity Action Plan highlights a set of actions USDA will take to advance equity; these particular actions are highlighted in the plan because of their potential high impact for underserved farmers and ranchers, families and children, and rural communities. Below is a summary:

    Partner with trusted technical assistance providers
    Reduce barriers to USDA programs and improve support to underserved farmers, ranchers, landowners, and farmworkers
    Expand equitable access to USDA nutrition assistance programs
    Increase USDA infrastructure investments that benefit underserved communities
    Advance equity in federal procurement
    Uphold Federal trust and treaty Responsibilities to Indian Tribes
    Institutionalize an unwavering commitment to and actions towards ensuring civil rights

    On Thursday, April 14, each government agency also released plans that mesh with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ strategies and commitments in an overall Equity Action Plan.
    The plan results from an executive order that Biden almost immediately after taking office. The president said he’d set his sight on advancing racial equity and supporting underserved communities throughout the federal government.
The White House said the order marked a first for a U.S. president.
    “We set the mission and the mandate for every agency, the entire federal government, to center equity in all that we do,” stated Chiraag Bains, deputy assistant to the president for racial justice and equity.
    Following an extensive review, each federal agency released separate – but similar – action plans.
    Biden outlined the plan in January 2021 when he revealed over 300 strategies and commitments aimed at making federal policy fair for everyone, particularly poorer communities and neighborhoods of color.
    The president also detailed his desire to provide equal opportunity to individuals with disabilities and women and girls. “Advancing equity is not a one-year project – it is a generational commitment,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
    “These plans are an important step forward, reflecting the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to make the promise of America real for every American, including by implementing the first-ever national strategy on gender equity and equality; working to ensure the federal government is a model for diversity equity, inclusion, and accessibility; working to deliver environmental justice through the Justice40 Initiative; and working to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.”
    To ensure the broadest cross-section informs the government policies of Americans, the White House said agencies are engaging trusted intermediaries and tailoring outreach to make meaningful and authentic participation possible for a broader range of Americans.
    Also, as the largest buyer globally, the federal government will address racial and gender wealth gaps by leveraging the power of federal procurement to drive more significant investment in minority-owned and women-owned small businesses, officials stated.
    The White House has also pledged to deliver equity through grantmaking opportunities. The administration noted that persistent barriers make it difficult for under-resourced and underserved communities to be aware of, compete for, and effectively deploy federal grants for everything from infrastructure to medical research.
    “Agencies are addressing these barriers by helping underserved communities learn about and navigate federal funding opportunities, expanding capacity-building federal grants,” administration officials said.
    
The implementation of the president’s American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also will help advance equity, the White House said.
“The President has made equity a priority in the implementation of two of the most ambitious legislative packages in generations, with the goal of ensuring an inclusive response and recovery from the pandemic and in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure,” the officials concluded.

  • Newswire : Obama’s White House visit stirs laughter, memories and new health care proposal

    Obama with Biden and Harris

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    With the style, grace, and humor that personified his two terms in office, former President Barack Obama returned to the White House to help celebrate the Affordable Care Act and help announce plans to strengthen his signature law which many refer to as Obamacare.
“It’s good to be back at the White House,” Obama declared, much to the delight of an overflow crowd of reporters and onlookers in the East Room.
With President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris standing alongside him, Obama referred to the current commander-in-chief as “Vice President Biden.”
That brought laughter from all, including Biden, who would later jokingly declare, “My name is Joe Biden, and I’m Barack Obama’s vice president.”
Of course, Biden served as vice president under Obama from 2008 to 2017.
Donald Trump took the reigns from January 2017 to January 2021.
“It feels like the good old days – being here with you brings back so many good memories,” Biden declared.
It marked the first time Obama had visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since leaving office.
“I confess, I heard some changes have been made by the current president since I was last here,” Obama remarked. “Apparently, Secret Service agents have to wear Aviator glasses now. The Navy mess has been replaced by a Baskin-Robbins. And there’s a cat running around, which I guarantee Beau and Sunny would have been very unhappy about,” he continued, in reference to the president’s dogs.

    Turning serious, Obama reflected on celebrating 12 years of the Affordable Care Act. “It’s an example of why you run for office in the first place,” Obama asserted.
“We’re not supposed to do this just to occupy a seat or to hang on to power. We’re supposed to do this because it’s making a difference in the lives of the people who sent us here.”
Biden said the Affordable Care Act had been called a lot of things.
“But Obamacare is the most fitting,” he declared.
The President vowed to expand access to health care by proposing a change to Obamacare that would allow more eligibility for premium tax credits. “Once today’s proposed rule is finalized, starting next year, working families in America will get the help they need to afford full family coverage,” Biden said.
“With this change, it’s estimated that 200,000 presently uninsured Americans are going to gain coverage. Nearly one million Americans will see their coverage become more affordable.”
Under the President’s plan, families would receive tax credits if the cost of their coverage exceeds more than 10 percent of their incomes.
The U.S. Treasury Department said the change would allow 200,000 uninsured individuals to gain coverage while more than 1 million others would realize lower premium payments.
“Thanks to the landmark American Rescue Plan, ACA premiums are at an all-time low, while enrollment is at an all-time high,” the administration said in a Fact Sheet.
“Four out of five Americans can find quality coverage for under $10 a month, and families are saving an average of $2,400 on their annual premiums — $200 in savings every month back to families.”
    
The Fact Sheet continued:
“The Administration has lowered costs and increased enrollment to a record high of 14.5 million Americans—including nearly 6 million who newly gained coverage.
“With the addition of Missouri and Oklahoma, two states that expanded Medicaid last year, nearly 19 million low-income Americans are enrolled in the ACA’s Medicaid expansion coverage, adding up to a record nearly 80 million children, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities, and other low-income Americans covered by Medicaid.”
The administration said it’s seeking to fix the “family glitch” in the ACA law.
“Under the ACA, people who do not have access to ‘affordable’ health insurance through their jobs may qualify for a premium tax credit to purchase affordable, high-quality coverage on the ACA’s health insurance marketplaces,” administration officials stated.
“Current regulations define employer-based health insurance as ‘affordable’ if the coverage solely for the employee, and not for family members, is affordable, making family members ineligible for a premium tax credit even though they need it to afford high-quality coverage through the Marketplace.”
The officials added that for family members of an employee offered health coverage through an employer, the cost of that family coverage can sometimes be prohibitive and make health insurance out of reach.
The “family glitch” affects about 5 million people and has made it impossible for many families to use the premium tax credit to purchase an affordable, high-quality Marketplace plan, officials stated.
Biden’s proposal reportedly would require some time before taking effect. Thus the goal is for it to begin in January.
Administration officials said more than 14.5 million people purchased ACA marketplace plans this winter.
That number included 6 million who purchased health insurance for the first time.

  • President Biden signs Juneteenth Holiday into law

     Nancy Pelosi with Congressional Black Caucus members at signing

    By Stacy M.Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Beginning on Friday, June 18, federal employees enjoyed the country’s 12th – and perhaps most significant – paid holiday. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a signing ceremony, officially marking Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Because Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year, workers are enjoying the new holiday one day early. “Black history is American history, and I am proud to stand alongside President Biden and my fellow congressional colleagues in reaffirming that sacred principle,” Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) stated. “While we rightfully celebrate this momentous moment today, the Congressional Black Caucus recognizes that the work to build a brighter tomorrow for Black Americans is far from over. ‘Our Power, Our Message’ remains the same: equity, equality, and justice for all people.” Before attending the White House signing ceremony, Congresswoman Beatty witnessed the bill’s engrossment while flanked by CBC members and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. President Biden and Vice President Harris had made it a mission of their administration to undo as much systemic racism and defeat White supremacy. With a diverse cabinet and staff, and policies that aim to level the playing field for African Americans and other people of color, the administration has worked diligently in living up to its mission. Juneteenth was established on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Union soldiers – led by General Gordon Granger – arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War was over and all previously enslaved people were free. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862 to free enslaved people in Confederate states. However, it wasn’t until nearly three years later that news of the proclamation reached Black people in Texas. The fight to formally recognize Juneteenth has been a decades-long effort culminating in the broad bipartisan passage of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. Before the U.S. House of Representatives’ historic vote, Congresswoman Beatty called on her colleagues to support the measure. “You can’t change the future if you can’t acknowledge the past,” she proclaimed. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, applauded signage of the bill. However, Congresswoman Waters said recognition comes 156 years late. “While this is certainly welcomed, it comes 156 years late, and after legislation to protect voting rights and address police abuse sits idle because of Republican Senators who refuse to understand the need to protect our communities and our right to participate in this democracy,” the congresswoman asserted. “To put this moment into perspective, the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday happened in 1986, and we are still fighting for our civil rights,” she stated. Congresswoman Waters continued: “We are still waiting for Senate passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. We are still waiting for lynching to be classified as a federal hate crime. We are still waiting for the terrorists who destroyed Black Wall Street during the Tulsa Race Massacre to be held accountable, and we are still waiting for Black history to be accurately taught in our schools.” The congresswoman insisted further that “as we celebrate the passage of this legislation, let us be clear that we will not be distracted or appeased.” “We will not simply accept Juneteenth as a federal holiday in exchange for real action that honors our history and our place in this country and moves us closer to achieving justice,” Congresswoman Waters remarked. She said she fully expects her colleagues to join her urgent calls for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Senate passage of the For the People Act. “In the final analysis, it will be shown that platitudes and niceties are one thing but having the courage and taking real action on this issue is another,” Congresswoman Waters demanded. “Let us honor this day by working toward a nation in which Black lives and Black votes are protected and respected.”