White House Announces New Initiatives to Protect LGBTQI+ Communities

The White House yesterday released Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Protect LGBTQI+ Communities (full text). It reads in part:

Today, in celebration of Pride Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new actions to protect LGBTQI+ communities from attacks on their rights and safety.  Over a dozen states have enacted anti-LGBTQI+ laws that violate our most basic values and freedoms as Americans, and are cruel and callous to our kids, our neighbors, and those in our community. The Biden-Harris administration stands with the LGBTQI+ community and has their backs in the face of these attacks....

The Fact Sheet announced new federal action, including a new LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership and new initiatives to deal with LGBTQI+ youth homelessness, foster care and mental health. It also announced the release of federal funds "to support programs that help parents affirm their LGBTQI+ kids."  Additionally, it announced initiatives to counter book bans, which "disproportionately strip books about LGBTQI+ communities, communities of color, and other communities off of library and classroom shelves." The Department of Education will appoint a coordinator to "work to provide new trainings for schools nationwide on how book bans that target specific communities and create a hostile school environment may violate federal civil rights laws."

Memorial Day Proclamation Issued by President Biden

Congress has designated the last Monday in May as Memorial Day. President Biden last week issued A Proclamation on Prayer For Peace, Memorial Day, 2023 (full text). It reads in part:

On Memorial Day, we honor America’s beloved daughters and sons who gave their last full measure of devotion to this Nation....

In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer and reflection. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 29, 2023, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer and reflection.

White House Releases National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism

The White House today released The U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism (full text). The 60-page document sets out a strategy with four pillars:

• Pillar 1: Increase Awareness and Understanding of Antisemitism, Including its Threat to America, and Broaden Appreciation of Jewish American Heritage.
• Pillar 2: Improve Safety and Security for Jewish Communities.
• Pillar 3: Reverse the Normalization of Antisemitism and Counter Antisemitic Discrimination.
• Pillar 4: Build Cross-Community Solidarity and Collective Action to Counter Hate.

It lists over 100 actions the Administration plans to take.  Introducing the details of plans to increase awareness and understanding of antisemitism, the document says in part:

Antisemitism is a stereotypical and negative perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred of Jews. It is prejudice, bias, hostility, discrimination, or violence against Jews for being Jews or Jewish institutions or property for being Jewish or perceived as Jewish. Antisemitism can manifest as a form of racial, religious, national origin, and/or ethnic discrimination, bias, or hatred; or, a combination thereof. However, antisemitism is not simply a form of prejudice or hate. It is also a pernicious conspiracy theory that often features myths about Jewish power and control.

There are several definitions of antisemitism, which serve as valuable tools to raise awareness and increase understanding of antisemitism. The most prominent is the non-legally binding “working definition” of antisemitism adopted in 2016 by the 31-member states of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which the United States has embraced. In addition, the Administration welcomes and appreciates the Nexus Document and notes other such efforts.

The White House also released a Fact Sheet summarizing the National Strategy. Jewish Insider reports on the National Strategy.

Biden Announces Appointments to Holocaust Memorial Council

On Wednesday, President Biden announced the names of ten individuals whom he intends to appoint to the 68-member Holocaust Memorial Council. The President appoints 55 of the members. Presidential appointees serve five-year terms. Among the ten new appointees are Ted Deutch who is CEO of the American Jewish Committee; Rabbi Michael Beals who is rabbi of a congregation in President Biden's home town of Wilmington, Delaware; and Jonathan Lavine who is co-managing partner of Bain Capital.

Today Is National Day of Prayer

Yesterday, President Biden issued a Proclamation (full text) declaring today to be a National Day of Prayer, saying in part:

Throughout our history, prayer has empowered moral movements and fueled efforts to strengthen our democracy.  It was deeply rooted in the fight to abolish slavery and the expansion of voting rights and voter access.  And it continues to compel us to uphold our founding creed that all of us are created equal, are made in the image of God, and deserve to be treated with dignity and equality throughout our lives....

 The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has called on the President to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a “National Day of Prayer.”

... I call upon the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, in accordance with their own faith and conscience, for our many freedoms and blessings, and I invite all people of faith to join me in asking for God’s continued guidance, mercy, and protection.

White House Hosts Eid Reception; Conducts Listening Session on Islamophobia

On Monday evening, President Biden spoke at a White House reception to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. (Full text of remarks). The President said in part:

We remember Muslim communities around the world that are enduring conflict, poverty, hunger, disease, and those that are displaced from their homes. And we recommit to the tireless work of building peace and standing up for the rights and dignity of all people.  All people. 

And we’re determined to confront all forms of hate, including Islamophobia, which is important to me.  (Applause.)  This is a priority for my administration, which is why I established an interagency task force to address attacks on Muslims and anti-Muslim bias and discrimination....

Muslims have been part of the United States from the very start.  Muslims fought along the patriots during the War for Independence. One of the first countries to recognize the United States as an independent nation was a Muslim country, Morocco.  (Applause.) 

Today, there are 3.5 million of you in the United States.  You come from different ethnicities, races, speak different languages, but you’re united all as Americans.

The White House also announced that on Tuesday:

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Ambassador Susan Rice, Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Joshua Geltzer, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain, and Office of Public Engagement Director Stephen Benjamin hosted a listening session with Muslim community leaders to discuss efforts to counter Islamophobia....

Biden Declares May As Jewish American Heritage Month

Yesterday President Biden issued a Proclamation (full text) declaring May to be Jewish American Heritage Month. The Proclamation reads in part:

 Jewish Americans continue to enrich every part of American life as educators and entrepreneurs, athletes and artists, scientists and entertainers, public officials and activists, labor and community leaders, diplomats and military service members, public health heroes, and more.... 

All Americans — including business and community leaders, educators, students, athletes, entertainers, and influencers — must help confront bigotry in all its forms.  We must each do our part to put an end to antisemitism and hatred and create a culture of respect in our workplaces, schools, and homes and across social media.

This Jewish American Heritage Month, let us join hands across faiths, races, and backgrounds to make clear that evil, hate, and antisemitism will not prevail.  Let us honor the timeless values, contributions, and culture of Jewish Americans, who carry our Nation forward each and every day.  And let us rededicate ourselves to the sacred work of creating a more inclusive tomorrow, protecting the diversity that defines who we are as a Nation, and preserving the dignity of every human being — here at home and around the world.

President Biden Issues Yom HaShoah Proclamation

President Biden yesterday evening at the start of Yom Hashoah issued A Proclamation on Days Of Remembrance Of Victims Of The Holocaust, 2023 (full text). It reads in part:

During Yom HaShoah and throughout these days of remembrance, we mourn the six million Jews who were murdered during the horror of the Holocaust — as well as the millions of Roma and Sinti, Slavs, disabled persons, LGBTQI+ individuals, and political dissidents who were murdered at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators.  Together with courageous survivors, descendants of victims, and people around the world, we renew our solemn vow:  “never again.”...

Hate must have no safe harbor in America or anywhere else.  Today and always, we make our message clear:  Evil will not win.  Hate will not prevail.  And the violence of antisemitism will not be the story of our time.  Together, we can ensure that “never again” is a promise we keep....

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 16 through April 23, 2023, as a week of observance of the Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe this week and pause to remember victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

Biden Sends Greetings on Orthodox Christian Easter

President Biden today issued a Statement (full text) sending warm wishes from himself and the First Lady to those in the Orthodox Christian community celebrating Easter today. He said in part:

 Today, as we pray for all those suffering from war and persecution, we also give thanks for people around the world who are binding up the wounds of the injured and working to protect the dignity of all—including by welcoming refugees and standing up for human rights....

During this sacred season and the years ahead, we look forward to continuing to work together to build a more just and compassionate world for all God’s children.

White House Issues Easter Greetings

Today is Easter. In honor of the holiday, President Biden issued a Statement (full text) which says in part:

Jill and I join Christians around the world in celebrating Easter Sunday, a day of hope and joy, renewal and rebirth....

Today, we hold close the Easter message that nothing – not even death – can match the power of faith, hope, and love. And we remember Jesus’ sacrifice and recommit ourselves to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves, embracing His call to treat one another with compassion.

Last week, the White House also issued a Release (full text) giving extensive details for this year's annual Easter Egg Roll. It says that "In total, approximately 30,000 people will take part in this year’s Easter “EGGucation” Roll...."

Biden Marks Passover by Announcing Upcoming Release of National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism

Passover begins this evening. To mark the holiday, President Biden published an Op Ed (full text) on CNN (also posted on the White House website) titled "To fight antisemitism, we must remember, speak out and act". In it he announced that the federal government will be releasing the first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism.  In the op-ed, after recounting a number of instances of antisemitism, the President went on to say in part:

These acts are unconscionable and despicable. They carry in them terrifying echoes of the worst chapters in human history. And they’re not only a strike against Jews, they’re also a threat to other minority communities and a stain on the soul of our nation.

To the Jewish community, I want you to know that I see your fear, your hurt and your concern that this venom is being normalized.... 

Rest assured that I am committed to the safety of the Jewish people. I stand with you. America stands with you. Under my presidency, we continue to condemn antisemitism at every turn. Failure to call out hate is complicity. Silence is complicity. And we will not be silent....

But government alone cannot root out antisemitism and hate. All Americans, including businesses and community leaders, educators, students, athletes, entertainers and influencers must help confront bigotry in all its forms. We must each do our part to create a culture of respect in our workplaces, in our schools, on our social media and in our homes.

White House Recognizes Transgender Day of Visibility

Today the White House posted a Statement from President Joe Biden on Transgender Day of Visibility (full text) which says in part:

I want every member of the trans community to know that we see you. You’re each made in the image of God, and deserve love, dignity, and respect. You make America stronger, and we’re with you.

The White House also issued a Fact Sheet:  White House Honors Transgender Day of Visibility (full text), setting out a long list of initiatives of the Biden-Harris Administration supporting transgender individuals.

President Sends Ramadan Greetings

Yesterday President Biden issued a Statement (full text) extending best wishes from himself and the First Lady to Muslims across the U.S. and around the world as they begin the holy month of Ramadan. The Statement says in part:

Today especially, we remember the universal human right to practice, pray, and preach our faiths peacefully and openly. And together with our partners, the United States stands in solidarity with Muslims who continue to face oppression—including Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China, Rohingya in Burma, and other Muslim communities facing persecution around the world.

Presidential Proclamation Protects Sacred 500,000+ Acres in Nevada Under Antiquities Act

Yesterday, President Biden issued A Proclamation on Establishment of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument (full text). The lengthy Proclamation sets aside 506,814 acres in southern Nevada, and items within that area, as protected under the Antiquities Act. The Proclamation reads in part:

The mountain and the surrounding arid valleys and mountain ranges are among the most sacred places for the Mojave, Chemehuevi, and some Southern Paiute people, and are also significant to other Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, including the Cocopah, Halchidhoma, Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Kumeyaay, Maricopa, Pai Pai, Quechan, Yavapai, and Zuni....

For the Tribal Nations that trace their creation to Avi Kwa Ame, the power and significance of this place reside not just in the mountain itself, but radiate across the valleys and mountain ranges of the surrounding desert landscape containing the landmarks and spiritually important locations that are linked by oral traditions and beliefs.  Tribal Nations have shared those traditions and beliefs across many generations through ... origin songs, which are central to Tribal members’ knowledge of the landscape, enabling them to navigate across the diverse terrain, find essential resources, and perform healing, funeral, and other rituals....

This entire landscape is an object of historic and scientific interest requiring protection under ... the "Antiquities Act".... As well as being an object itself, the landscape contains innumerable individual geologic features, archaeological sites, and havens for sensitive and threatened species... and it provides habitat for centuries-old Joshua trees and other objects that are independently of historic or scientific interest and require protection under the Antiquities Act.  Some of the objects are also sacred to Tribal Nations; are sensitive, rare, or vulnerable to vandalism and theft; or are dangerous to visit and, therefore, revealing their specific names and locations could pose a danger to the objects or the public.

The White House also issued a Fact Sheet on the Proclamatioin. In another Proclamation issued yesterday, the President also created the Castner Range National Monument in El Paso, Texas. E&E News reports on these and related Presidential actions.

President Biden Sends Greeting To Those Celebrating Nowruz

Yesterday the White House issued a statement (full text) from President Biden and the First Lady extending best wishes to everyone celebrating Nowruz across the United States and around the world. Nowruz is the Persian New Year, celebrated in the Middle East, Central and South Asia, the Caucasus and parts of Europe. The Statement says in part:

This year, Nowruz comes at a difficult time for many families, when hope is needed more than ever—including for the women of Iran who are fighting for their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States will continue to stand with them, and all the citizens of Iran who are inspiring the world with their conviction and courage. And together with our partners, we will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable for their attacks against their people.

National Prayer Breakfast Held Yesterday

As reported by AP, the National Prayer Breakfast, attended by 450 invitees, was held yesterday in the Capitol's Visitor Center. As reported in an earlier AP article:

The National Prayer Breakfast, one of the most visible and long-standing events that brings religion and politics together in Washington, is splitting from the private religious group that had overseen it for decades, due to concerns the gathering had become too divisive.

The organizer and host for this year’s breakfast ... [was] the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, headed by former Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark.

Sen. Chris Coons, a regular participant and chairman of the Senate ethics committee, said the move was prompted in part by concerns in recent years that members of Congress did not know important details about the larger multiday gathering.

President Biden spoke at this year's Breakfast. (Full text of remarks.) The prior sponsor of Prayer Breakfasts, the International Foundation, held its own gathering at the nearby Washington Hilton hotel at which attendees watched the President's remarks.  Some 1300 people attended that event.

Today Is International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day marking the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp. The commemorative day was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/7, adopted by the General Assembly in 2005.  A European Union press release describes the EU's commemoration activities. U.S. President Joe Biden issued a Statement (full text) marking the day.  He said in part:

Sadly, we have seen over and over again that hate never goes away. It only hides—waiting to reemerge whenever it is given just a little bit of oxygen. And today, across our country, we are seeing swastikas on cars, antisemitic banners on bridges, verbal and physical attacks against Jewish businesses and Jewish Americans – even Holocaust denialism. It’s vile. It goes against everything we value as Americans. And each of us must speak out against this poison. Together, we must affirm, over and over, that hate has no safe harbor in America. 

Biden Issues Memo On Access To Medical Abortion Drug

 On January 22, President Biden issued a Memorandum on Further Efforts to Protect Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services (full text).   It provides in part:

My Administration remains committed to supporting safe access to mifepristone, consistent with applicable law, and defending women’s fundamental freedoms.  Defending and protecting reproductive rights is essential to our Nation’s health, safety, and progress.  It is the policy of my Administration to protect against threats to the liberty and autonomy of those who live in this country.

Sec. 2.  Continuing to Protect Access to FDA-Approved Medication.  In light of recent developments and consistent with Executive Order 14076, within 60 days of the date of this memorandum:

     (a)  The Secretary of HHS, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall consider:

(i)   issuing guidance for patients seeking legal access to mifepristone, as well as for providers and entities, including pharmacies, that provide reproductive healthcare and seek to legally prescribe and provide mifepristone; and

(ii)  any further actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to educate individuals on their ability to seek legal reproductive care, free from threats or violence.

Biden Renominates Persons To Be Commissioner and General Counsel of EEOC

With the convening of the 118th Congress yesterday, President Biden resubmitted a large number of nominations that had not been acted upon by the Senate last year. Among them were the nomination of Kalpana Kotagao to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2027, and Karla Ann Gilbride to be General Counsel of the EEOC for a four-year term. The EEOC enforces federal laws barring employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), age, disability or genetic information.

President Biden Delivers Christmas Address

Yesterday President Biden delivered his Christmas Address to the Nation (full text). He said in part:

And we look to the sky, to a lone star, shining brighter than all the rest, guiding us to the birth of a child — a child Christians believe to be the son of God; miraculously now, here among us on Earth, bringing hope, love and peace and joy to the world....

The Christmas story is at the heart of the Christmas — Christian faith.  But the message of hope, love, peace, and joy, they’re also universal.

It speaks to all of us, whether we’re Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other faith, or no faith at all.  It speaks to all of us as human beings who are here on this Earth to care for one another, to look out for one another, to love one another....

I sincerely hope ... this holiday season will drain the poison that has infected our politics and set us against one another.

I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation, because there is so much that unites us as Americans, so much more that unites us than divides us.