4/03/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Apr. 3 , 2021

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 APRIL 2, 2021

White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was joined by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to discuss the March jobs report. Secretary Walsh said the job numbers indicate the economic recovery is building momentum but there is still a long way to go. He and the press secretary advocated for the American Jobs Plan saying it could create 19 million jobs over the next decade. 
Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh Addresses Public as Labor Secretary
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said during a White House press briefing that employers added more than 900,000 jobs in March and spoke in favor of raising the federal minimum wage.    click for video

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh calls jobs report 'encouraging' but says there's 'a lot of work to do'
​'Good paying jobs for the future'

Apr. 3 - ...For his part, Walsh is touting President Joe Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan unveiled Wednesday as a tool to boost the labor market, particularly for communities of color who have faced a higher jobless rate than whites. 

That plan, which will largely be funded by boosting the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, proposes a host of measures to not only fix the nation's crumbling infrastructure but to also invest in so-called human infrastructure. That includes higher pay for crucial but low-paid workers like home health care workers.


Walsh hopes the plan gets people in the U.S. "back into the workforce, and create real opportunities that are good paying good jobs for the future," he said.

In his interview with Yahoo Finance on Friday, Walsh also commented on a union vote underway at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama. "I think everyone, everyone in this country should have the right to join a union if they feel they want to join a union, and everybody who has an opportunity to take a vote on that should have that right to take a vote vote," he said.

​Walsh, who served as Democratic mayor of Boston from 2014 to 2021, is the former head of the Boston Building Trades Council, making him the first union leader to serve in the position in nearly 45 years. He stands in stark contrast to his predecessor, former Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, a longtime corporate lawyer whom the New Yorker described as "a wrecking ball aimed at workers"...     quoted from

APRIL 2, 2021
U.S. Capitol Police Briefing on Capitol Hill Vehicle Incident
Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman and Acting Washington, DC Police Chief Robert Contee briefed the press on an incident on Capitol Hill in which a vehicle struck two U.S. Capitol police officers before slamming into a barricade. Chief Pittman announced, “with a heavy heart,” that one of the police officers succumbed to his injuries. The suspect was also pronounced dead on the scene. 
APRIL 2, 2021
U.S. Capitol Security Incident
C-SPAN showed video coverage outside the U.S. Capitol, where an individual drove a car into a security barrier, killing one U.S. Capitol Police officer and injuring another. The suspect was identified as Noah Green, who was killed in the attack.

4/02/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Apr. 2 , 2021

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April 1, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing on news of the day. The press secretary answered a series of questions about President Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan including an increase to the corporate tax rate, allocation of funding for roads and bridges, and possible compromises with Republicans. She also clarified the White House expects Johnson & Johnson to meet vaccine supply deadlines despite recent contamination of 15 million doses.


President Joe Biden speaking on an Amtrak train in February 2011.
What Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan means for you


Apr. 2 - President Joe Biden is willing to spend big.

Just the first part of his next sweeping economic package — focused on various types of infrastructure spending — has a price tag of $2 trillion. Taken together with the second part of the package, to be announced in coming weeks, it could result in around $4 trillion of spending.

In his Wednesday announcement of the American Jobs Plan, Biden emphasized the importance of rebuilding not just crumbling roads and bridges, but the middle class as a whole. 

"Even before the crisis we're now facing, those at the very top in America were doing very well, which is fine," Biden said. "They were doing great. But everyone else was falling behind."

He added: "We all will do better when we all do well.  It's time to build our economy from the bottom up and from the middle out, not the top down."

The package certainly faces a long, rocky road before anything becomes law. But if all of its provisions get passed, here's how the current plan could impact you.

Anyone who commutes — whether by train, bus, or car — could feel the impact of the infrastructure package

Broadly, transportation infrastructure would get a $621 billion investment. The biggest expenditures go towards modernizing roads, bridges, and highways; electric vehicles; public transit; and Amtrak.     continue to read


US loses focus by inserting anti-China in infrastructure plan: Global Times editorial

Aprl 2 - US President Joe Biden unveiled a roughly $2 trillion American Jobs Plan focused on infrastructure and the climate crisis in a speech in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. To win support, he said that the "once-in-a-generation" investment would "put [the US] in a position to win the global competition with China in the upcoming years," Global Times wrote.

Much of infrastructure in the US has been old. Both Democrats and Republicans are on the same page on this matter. US former president Barack Obama in September 2010 proposed his ambitious plan to renew the US' transportation infrastructure, but failed to achieve it in both of his terms. Neither did Donald Trump. Biden launched the third round of such attempt. His plan contains the greatest details and seems to be the most serious one, Global Times wrote.

However, the Biden administration's infrastructure plan was met with opposition from Republicans when it was announced. Trump slammed the infrastructure plan as a "giveaway to China" in a statement on Wednesday, and said that the proposed tax increases designed to fund the $2 trillion proposal would end up backfiring by sending American jobs overseas. Biden may once again have mired himself down in a situation where everyone agrees that it was the right thing to do, but no one can agree on how to do it or where the money will come from, Global Times wrote.     source from

SOLUTIONS FROM THE LAND: BIDEN PLAN MAKES CLEAN ENERGY, AGRICULTURE PART OF HIS MAJOR CLIMATE INITIATIVE

Apr. 2 - ...SfL applauds President Biden's infrastructure proposal and calls on lawmakers to come together and support provisions that, while reshaping the U.S. economy, would build out the clean energy infrastructure as part of a broader effort to curb climate change. As policy makers move forward on this massive proposal, they are urged to remember the major contributions that U.S. agriculture and rural communities will continue to make in solving the challenges of our time.
     quoted from

4/01/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Apr. 1 , 2021

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MARCH 31, 2021
President Biden on Infrastructure, Jobs and the Economy
President Biden traveled to Pittsburgh to announce his $2 trillion infrastructure and jobs proposal, known as the American Jobs Plan. He called the plan “a once in a generation investment in America,” and said it will create “the strongest, most resilient, innovative economy in the world.” The event was held at the Carpenters Training Center just outside of downtown Pittsburgh.


Biden infrastructure plan targets electric cars, clean power

Apr. 1 - President Joe Biden is calling for sweeping investment in electric vehicles, renewable power and the electric grid as part of a broad blueprint to bolster the US economy while combating climate change.

The president’s plans, part of a $2.25-trillion infrastructure and stimulus blueprint he is set to unveil in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, are meant to catalyze investments in a clean energy economy and encourage low-emission technology necessary to constrain global warming.

Biden’s initiative would give a ten-year extension to tax credits that have been a boon to wind, solar and other renewable energy projects. His plan, which requires congressional approval, would also make those clean energy tax credits refundable -- a so-called direct-pay option that developers have sought as tax equity financing has dried up.     continue to read


Biden's Billions for Higher
president unveiled his new infrastructure plan Wednesday, with billions of dollars for community colleges, research and minority-serving institutions.

Apr. 1 - President Biden unveiled his new infrastructure legislation plan Wednesday, proposing billions of dollars for higher education over eight years.


The plan -- which is about $2 trillion in total -- would give $12 billion to updating infrastructure in community colleges and $50 million to the National Science Foundation. Historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions would also be in for more funding under the proposal. The plan calls for a $10 billion investment in research and development and $15 billion to create 200 research incubators at those institutions, with the framing that those investments could eliminate racial and gender inequities in R&D and STEM. Of the $40 billion dedicated to improving research infrastructure and laboratories, half would be set aside specifically for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.

While there are some additions they say could be made, many in higher education are applauding the plan and its proposed investment.

“One thing that strikes you when you look at the summary the Biden folks put out is just the number of ways higher education serves in the recovery,” said Jon Fansmith, director of government relations at the American Council on Education. “It’s a pretty impressive commitment to higher education but I think it also demonstrates how inextricably linked colleges and universities are to the health of our economy.”     continue to read


On March 10, 2015 shows workers on an assembly line of the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) Kawasaki plant in Kawasaki, suburban Tokyo.
Japan and South Korea reported unexpectedly strong economic data, as Asian stocks rise

Apr. 1, BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher Thursday after Japan and South Korea reported unexpectedly strong economic data and President Joe Biden announced a $2.3 trillion U.S. infrastructure spending plan.


Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney advanced.

Japan’s closely watched Tankan survey found business conditions improved more than expected. South Korea reported higher

March export growth. House prices rose in New Zealand and Australian manufacturing expanded.

“Asia-Pacific released a lot of data today, including Japan’s latest Tankan survey. Most of it was positive,” Robert Carnell of
ING said in a report.

​Biden announced plans to spend on broadband internet and clean energy, roads, bridges and public transit. The plan would roll back corporate tax cuts enacted under his predecessor, Donald Trump.     continue to read

3/31/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Mar. 31, 2021

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MARCH 30, 2021
President Biden Signs PPP Extension Act
President Biden signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Extension Act of 2021. He spoke briefly about the importance of the program and thanked the group of bipartisan senators that helped get the bill passed.


President Biden signs the Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act of 2021 into law at the White House on March 30, 2021.
Biden signs PPP extension into law, moving application deadline to May 31


Mar. 31 - Washington -- President Biden on Tuesday signed an extension for the popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created last year to help small businesses weather the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The deadline to apply for a PPP loan has been extended from March 31 to May 31, and the law extends authorization of loans to June 30 to give the Small Business Administration additional time to process applications.

"It is a bipartisan accomplishment," Mr. Biden said in remarks at the bill signing at the White House on Tuesday. "Without somebody signing this bill today, there are hundreds of thousands of people who could lose their jobs, and small family businesses that might close forever."

Mr. Biden thanked Democratic Senators Ben Cardin and Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Susan Collins for helping to shepherd the bill through Congress, where it received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress. The bill extending the deadline passed the House by a vote of 415 to 3, and was approved in the Senate by a vote of 92 to 7.

In late February, the Biden administration announced several additional changes to the program aimed at making the distribution of loans more equitable. As of early March, Small Business Administration data shows average loans to minority-owned businesses were up 20% during the two-week exclusive window from the average over the previous 10 days. Loans to women-owned businesses were up 14%, and loans to small businesses in rural areas were up 12% over the same periods.     source from

MARCH 30, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing on news of the day. Topics discussed included a preview of President Biden’s speech on infrastructure and the World Health Organization’s report on COVID-19.


President Biden to announce $2 trillion infrastructure proposal on Wednesday
The proposal will reportedly be be paid for by increasing the corporate tax rate up to 28 percent from 21 percent, and through developing a global tax on corporate earnings.


Mar. 31 - Less than a month after approving a whopping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, President Biden on Wednesday will unveil a $2 trillion infrastructure package.
Information regarding the plans was provided to legislators in a Tuesday call with White House staff, according to The Hill.

The Hill noted that "a source familiar with the call" confirmed to the outlet that the proposal would be paid for through increasing the corporate tax rate up to 28 percent from the 21 percent, and through developing a global tax on corporate earnings... The president will officially reveal the proposal in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.      source from


Israeli Firm Working on Sensitive Project Signed MOU With Chinese State-owned Company Without Government's Knowledge
An Israeli company working on a major aviation project signed a deal with a Chinese state-owned corporation blacklisted by the U.S. Defense officials voiced concerns it could harm ties with Washington

Mar. 31 - ...Chinese involvement in Israel has been sharply criticized in recent years by the United States, especially the Pentagon. The American security establishment is concerned that Chinese projects will open a door to technological surveillance of the U.S. Army deployed in the region, and Israel has been warned multiple times about collaboration with China. One of the main issues Israel has been cautioned about is the expansion of Haifa Port by a Chinese company. In closed-doors meetings, American officials said that the U.S. Sixth Fleet would cease anchoring at the port over espionage concerns...     quoted from


Floyd’s nephew, Brandon Williams (center), with the Rev. Al Sharpton (left) outside the heavily guarded Hennepin County Government Center, in Minneapolis, Minn., before the murder trial of Officer Derek Chauvin began, March 29, 2021
Derek Chauvin trial begins in George Floyd murder case: 5 essential reads on police violence against Black men


Mar. 31 - The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd is underway in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Chauvin, who is white, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the death of George Floyd, who was Black, during an arrest last May. For 8 minutes and 46 seconds, Floyd – handcuffed and face down on the pavement – said repeatedly that he could not breathe, while other officers looked on.

A video of Floyd’s agonizing death soon went viral, triggering last summer’s unprecedented wave of mass protests against police violence and racism. Chauvin’s murder trial is expected to last up to four weeks.

These five stories offer expert analysis and key background on police violence, Derek Chauvin’s record and racism in U.S. law enforcement.

1. Police violence is a top cause of death for Black men
Since 2000, U.S. police have killed between 1,000 and 1,200 people per year, according to Fatal Encounters, an up-to-date archive of police killings. The victims are disproportionately likely to be Black, male and young, according to a study by Frank Edwards at the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, in Newark.

In 2019, Edwards and two co-authors analyzed the Fatal Encounters data to assess how risk of death at the hands of police varies by age, sex and race or ethnicity. They found that while “police are responsible for a very small share of all deaths” in any given year, they “are responsible for a substantial proportion of all deaths of young people.”


Police violence was the sixth-leading cause of death for young men in the United States in 2019, after accidents, suicides, homicides, heart disease and cancer.

That risk is particularly high pronounced for young men of color, especially young Black men.
“About 1 in 1,000 Black men and boys are killed by police” during their lifetime, Edwards wrote.

In contrast, the general U.S. male population is killed by police at a rate of .52 per 1,000 – about half as often.     more to read

3/30/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Mar. 30, 2021

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MARCH 29, 2021
President Biden Delivers Remarks on COVID-19 Response and Vaccinations
President Biden delivered remarks on the COVID-19 response amid an increase in cases around the country. He said, “the war against COVID-19 is far from won,” and encouraged the public to continue to follow the health guidelines. He went onto announce vaccination sites will be available within five miles of 90 percent of Americans and 90 percent of adults will be eligible for the vaccine, both by April 19, 2021. He also said he thinks states should pause their reopening efforts. 
President Joe Biden is delivering remarks Monday on the government’s Covid-19 response and vaccination efforts around the country.

Biden’s remarks come just hours after the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, issued a dire warning to reporters. She said she’s worried the U.S. was facing “impending doom” as daily Covid-19 cases begin to rebound once again, threatening to send more people to the hospital even as vaccinations accelerate nationwide.
U.S. health officials are urging Americans to get vaccinated as quickly as possible while also following pandemic safety measures.
CDC study looking at health-care personnel and other essential workers published Monday found Pfizer’s and Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines were 80% effective in preventing coronavirus infections two weeks after a single dose. Two doses were better than one, with the vaccines’ effectiveness jumping to 90% two weeks after the second dose, the agency found.     source from

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MARCH 29, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing on news of the day. She said President Biden was closely watching the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd. She also spoke about the administration’s goal for advancing equity and racial justice. When asked about CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky’s warning about increases in COVID-19 cases ,she said the president had not held back in calling for the public to follow public health guidance. 
Biden doesn’t intend to meet with NK leader: White House

Mar. 30 - The White House said it is not the intention of US President Joe Biden to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as part of the diplomacy that Biden has said he was prepared for.


In response to the question, “Now that the president said he’s ‘prepared for some form of diplomacy,’ does this include sitting with President Kim Jong-un?” at the White House daily press briefing Monday, press secretary Jen Psaki said, “I think his approach would be quite different, and that is not his intention.”

Psaki reconfirmed the Biden administration’s position on North Korea that, unlike former US President Donald Trump who met with Kim three times, it will not go for summits without reaching a concrete agreement toward denuclearization in advance.

Biden said in his first press conference as US president on Thursday that he is “prepared for some form of diplomacy,” but made it clear that “it has to be conditioned upon the end result of denuclearization.”      continue to read


Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden area expected to hold talks in Washington on April 9. 
Japan and U.S. arranging Suga-Biden Washington summit on April 9
Mar. 30 - Japan and the United States are arranging for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and President Joe Biden to hold their summit in Washington on April 9, a government source said Tuesday.

It will be Biden’s first in-person meeting with a foreign leader since taking office in January, with the two likely to discuss human rights issues in China and ways to counter the Asian power’s growing maritime assertiveness, as well as efforts to denuclearize North Korea.     continue to read

The Iran-China deal is cause for Israeli concern
The 25-year agreement effectively neutralizes U.S. economic pressure, seriously bolsters Tehran’s bargaining position and could herald the regime’s renewed effort to achieve regional hegemony.

Mar. 30 - (March 30, 2021 / JNS) While Israel was busy with the domestic political imbroglio surrounding last week’s Knesset elections, a strategic threat that could threaten the country’s very existence was developing. If the Iranian-Chinese alliance reaches its full potential, the Middle East could once again be dragged into a new cold war between superpowers.


Soviet support for the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s radical policies ensured him regional hegemony that threatened Israel for more than a decade. The American attempt to placate the Egyptian leader only made things worse.

Now, massive Chinese assistance to the radical regime in Tehran could provide Iran support in its attempts to impose its hegemony on the region within the framework of another kind of cold war now developing between Washington and Beijing. Such Chinese support, along with U.S. President Joe Biden’s conciliatory tone, could pose the kind of strategic threat Israel has not seen since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.     more to read