James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
1:51 P.M. EDT
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Good afternoon, everyone.
Q Good afternoon.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I have a few things at the top, so please brace yourselves.
Q Uh-oh. (Laughter.)
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hold on tight to those new seats. Okay.
So, during his first State of the Union Address, President Biden announced his Unity Agenda, which focused on issues where members of both parties can come together and make progress for the American people: ending cancer as we know it, delivering on our sacred obligation to veterans, tackling mental health crisis, and beating the overdose epidemic.
Today, we continue to deliver real progress across all four areas, including significant action over this past week.
This morning, the President marked a significant milestone in the fa- — in the fight to end cancer as we know it by launching the first program dedicated to driving breakthroughs in the way we treat cancer through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
The VA also announced this morning that toxic-exposed veterans are now eligible for breast cancer risk assessments and mammograms regardless of their age, symptoms, family history, or whether or not they are enrolled in VA healthcare.
Additionally, the agency will conduct a scientific review to determine whether there is a relationship between three types of cancer conditions and toxic exposure for service members — another important step to further expand benefits for veterans and their families through the PACT Act.
With these key actions, we continue to deliver on our sacred obligations to our veterans and they build on our progress to expand medical care and housing guarantees for veterans, invest in VA medical facilities, and expand employment protections for military spouses.
Now, as you all know, the President also announced this week a landmark rule to strengthen mental health parity requirements for more than 150 million Americans. This week's monumental news on health — on mental health parity builds on steps we've already taken to tackle the mental health crisis, including launching the 988 Lifeline — a confidential line Americans in crisis can call any time. And if you are someone out there who is in crisis, please do call 988. As I just mentioned, this is a federal government program that is there to help all of you or any one of you.
Investing historic resources to remove barriers to care. And making sure servicemembers and veterans can men- — can get the mental health care they need.
We also recently announced additional steps to address the overdose epidemic and save lives. We introduced a whole-of-government response against the emerging threat of fentanyl combined with xylazine; Vice President Harris convened attorneys general to discuss state and federal coordination; and we — we announced additional resources for law enforcement officials working to disrupt drug trafficking.
Because of decisive actions that this administration has taken to remove barriers to addiction treatment, expand access to naloxone, and target drug trafficking operations, we have seen a leveling off of overdose deaths for an entire year.
It is hopeful — it is a hopeful trend we are working to ensure actually continues.
Finally, I do want to talk about a recent trip our team took to further address the illicit fentanyl global supply chain.
As you all know, the opioid epidemic is a global challenge as well, and we're engaging at high levels with other countries to fight it together.
So, this week, Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall led a senior delegation to Mexico City to further cooperation with Mexico and Canada on countering illicit fentanyl and arms trafficking.
Our three countries are committed to working together to promote the safety and security of our citizens, prosecute drug traffickers, target the supply of the precursor chemicals used for illicit fentanyl production, prevent these drugs from coming across borders, and promote public health services to reduce harm and demand. We also have deepened cooperation with Mexico on the related challenge of Southbound arms trafficking.
All of these issues — ending cancer as we know it, delivering on our sacred obligation to our veterans, tackling the mental health crisis, and beating the overdose epidemic — matters to Americans in both red states and blue states.
We are taking meaningful steps to deliver on the President's Unity Agenda for our nation.
Now, tonight, as you all know, the President will deliver remarks at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the desegregation of the military and the forward march to redeem the soul of the nation.
He'll talk about the courageous action President Truman took to respond to the mistreatment of Black veterans that led to creating the greatest fighting force in the history of the world that is also the most — the most diverse fighting force in the history of the world.
And he'll talk about how, 75 years after President Truman's courage, today in 2023 a senator from Alabama is blocking more than 300 military nominations with an extreme political agenda.
The senator's action and the failure on the part of the 48 Republican senators to do something about it are dangerous. They are harming our military readiness, they're undermining national security, and they're hurting troop morale.
And tonight, President Biden is going to make that clear. So I suggest that all of you tune in.
Today's G- — GDP report shows Bidenomics at work. After a year of recession predictions, we saw the economy grow at a 2.4 percent rate last quarter while inflation fell significantly. Business investment increased by nearly 8 percent. And construction of factories contributed more to growth than it has in 40 years.
As you can see from the chart behind me, that's what the President's Investing in America agenda is all about. Bidenomics is growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down.
Unemployment remains below 4 percent. Inflation has fallen by two thirds. Wages are higher than before the pandemic. And businesses have invested more than half a trillion dollars in clean energy and manufacturing.
In short, the President's economic plan is indeed working.
And finally — and finally, we have some goodbyes today.
First, I want to give a shout-out to Sebastian Smith, aka Thor. If you guys missed that briefing — (laughter) — you should go back and check it out. Probably one of the most — funniest briefing that we've had in the last two years. And as well, we want to say goodbye to Ket Gorjestani, as well. Thank you both for your time here with us at the White House Press Briefing Room. And we are very sad to see you all go. And we'll miss you both.
Additionally, I wanted to congratulate Ket on your service as — on your service as the president of the foreign press group. And we're looking forward to working with Richard, who is going to be taking — taking on the responsibilities in the new role.
We also want to share another devastating, devastating farewell that I want to share on our team. Our very own Abdullah Hassan is leaving us next week, and he's heading to law school. Abdullah deferred law school by a year in order to continue working in the White House, and we are grateful — grateful for his dedications — dedicated service to the country, to the President, and our press team.
I did promise his mom that I would — that I would not keep him longer than a year. And I kept my promise to his mother. Hi, Mom. (Laughter.) And we are very sad to let him go. And if I could, I would hold — hold him for another year or more. But we do keep our promises here, Mom. We do.
Abdullah has had an extraordinarily important portfolio here as our spokesperson, as you will know, on immigration, student debt, climate, and more.
Abdullah, we know you're — you're going to do great things and amazing things. I think you are going to be a fantastic lawyer because you are a good human and you care about people. So I can't wait to see what you — what you do after law school.
And so, with that, we are also thrilled to welcome Angelo Fernan- — Fernandez to fill Abdullah's shoes. He comes from DHS. And we hope that you take a minute to say hello to Angelo and also say goodbye to — to Abdullah.
With that, Seung Min —
Q Sure.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: The floor is yours.
Q I wanted to ask about the President's reaction to the legal developments yesterday and with the initial plea deal for his son appearing to fall apart.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I'm really not going to say anything more than what I shared yesterday. This is a personal matter for Hunter Biden. This is, you know, a personal issue. And as you know, this has been done in an independent way by the Department of Justice. It has been led by a Trump-appointed prosecutor. And I'm just not going to comment beyond — beyond what I said yesterday.
And, of course — and we have said this multiple times — the President and the First Lady, they love their son and they support — they support him as he is working to rebuild his life. I'm just not going to say anything beyond that.
Q And on Leader McConnell, he mentioned that the President called him yesterday. Can you talk a little bit about that conversation, what the President's message was to Leader McConnell, and whether the President believes he is able to serve, considering his medical conditions, as the Republican
Leader?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I'm not going to get into the medical condition of — of — of the Republican Leader in the Senate.
What I can say is the President respects Senator McConnell. There's — there is a lot that they disagree on, but they have found ways to work together to find common ground. And I think that's important for the American people to see that bipartisanship and how they've been able to work together.
Obviously, the President has known the senator for some time now. Like the — like the Leader mentioned, they — the President called him yesterday. I'm just not going to go into details on that conversation. As we — as you know, and we say this often here, we try to keep those conversations private. And so, I'm just not going to go into details from here.
