5/15/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | May 15, 2021

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Rouse said this week’s figures showing a leap in consumer prices, as well as last week’s hugely disappointing employment data, need to be seen in context
Expect ‘choppiness’ in US economic recovery, says White House

WASHINGTON, May 15 — Expect “choppiness” in the US economic recovery as different sectors bounce back at varying speeds, but inflation will not be a longterm problem, a top White House official said yesterday.


Cecilia Rouse, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, said the current turbulence is unpredictable.

For example, she joked, the government health authority’s ruling on Thursday that vaccinated people can safely drop their coronavirus masks suddenly means “we now anticipate an oversupply of masks and an undersupply of lipstick.”

“In all seriousness, different sectors of the economy will come back online at different times,” she told reporters. “Given the extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic, it will remain difficult for analysts to accurately forecast economic data.”

Rouse said this week’s figures showing a leap in consumer prices, as well as last week’s hugely disappointing employment data, need to be seen in context.

An average of half a million jobs have been created every month since January, she said, while the inflation figures reflected wild, yet temporary swings in economic activity as Americans emerge from partial lockdowns — particularly a return to air travel and buying cars.

“Airline prices ticked up because they had completely cratered last year,” she said.

Those ticket prices still have some way to go to reach pre-pandemic levels — heralding more inflation — but the increases will eventually plateau, as pent-up demand is satiated.

“I do not expect those prices to continue... because at some point people will stop,” she said. “I don’t think people take multiple vacations.”

“There’s going to be some choppiness,” Rouse said.

Runaway inflation, however, is not on the White House’s horizon.

“People fully expect this inflation to be temporary,” Rouse said. “There are not the sort of structural factors that should lead to an inflation that the Federal Reserve cannot control.”

Rouse pointed out that the current recovery was in response to significant gains in taming the Covid-19 pandemic through vaccinations.

However, she cautioned that there is a long way to go, meaning more economic uncertainty.

“We are making fabulous progress in this country, in terms of controlling the virus, but I’d like to remind you that only 58 per cent of adults have had one shot at least,” she said. Only a quarter of 18 — to 29-year-olds are fully inoculated.

“We are still eight million jobs down from where we were last year. We have a long way to go.” — AFP     source from
Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Cecilia Rouse
Expect 'Choppiness' In US Economic Recovery: White House


May 15 - Expect "choppiness" in the US economic recovery as different sectors bounce back at varying speeds, but inflation will not be a longterm problem, a top White House official said Friday.
Cecilia Rouse, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, said the current turbulence is unpredictable.

For example, she joked, the government health authority's ruling on Thursday that vaccinated people can safely drop their coronavirus masks suddenly means "we now anticipate an oversupply of masks and an undersupply of lipstick."

"In all seriousness, different sectors of the economy will come back online at different times," she told reporters. "Given the extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic, it will remain difficult for analysts to accurately forecast economic data."

Rouse said this week's figures showing a leap in consumer prices, as well as last week's hugely disappointing employment data, need to be seen in context...     more

May 14, 2021 White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing on the Biden administration’s agenda. She was joined by economic adviser Cecilia Rouse, who talked about the state of the economy and job numbers. The press secretary discussed the CDC’s new mask guidance, the ongoing conflict in Israel and negotiations on the president’s proposed infrastructure plan.
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Cecilia Rouse, May 14, 2021

MS. PSAKI:  Hi everyone.  Happy Friday.  All right.  So, today, we have another special guest — it’s quite a week with special guests; our seventh of the week — Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Cecilia Rouse, a member of the President’s Families Cabinet.

 
This is not her first time in the briefing room, but, as a quick introduction, she is a renowned labor economist who recently served as Dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.  She previously served as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Obama-Biden Administration, where I had the pleasure of working with her, and on the National Economic Council in the Clinton Administration. She is the first African American and just the fourth woman to lead the CEA in the 74 years of its existence.
 
She has a busy day, as we all do — a lot going on here — but she’ll take just a couple questions when she wraps up. 
 
And I’m so happy I don’t have to put my mask back on.  Okay, come on over.
 
CHAIR ROUSE:  Thank you.  Okay. 
 
Q    Hello.
 
CHAIR ROUSE:  Hello.  So, this past year, we’ve been living through a once-in-a-hundred-years pandemic — or at least that’s what we certainly hope.
 
The speed with which we powered down the economy was unprecedented.  And while we have suffered and lost much over the past year, the efficiency and speed with which we have rolled out the vaccinations — even surpassing President Biden’s own initial and, I might say, ambitious goals — has meant that the U.S. has made tremendous progress at curbing the virus. 
 
As a result, we are now in the midst of restarting this economy in earnest and we are making good progress in doing so.  However, we must keep in mind that an economy will not heal instantaneously.  It takes several weeks for people to get full immunity from vaccinations and even more time for those left jobless from the pandemic to find and start a suitable job.  Supply chains have been disrupted and sectors that were hardest hit are just beginning to come back...     more
Hamas is trying to cause a chemical disaster in Israel

May 15 - GAZA, (BM) – One of Hamas’s combat brigades, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, tried to cause a chemical accident in Israel by attacking the chemical plant in Nir Oz with a massive missile and drone attacks, learned BulgarianMilitary.com, citing TASS and Forbes.

The attack took place yesterday, May 14 (Friday). Websites close to the Palestinian political military movement Hamas have started distributing a video claiming to show the rocket attack on the plant. Other sources say Hamas used Iranian-made kamikaze drones for the attack. So far, however, there is no official data on whether the chemical plant was hit by Palestinian missiles. The information cannot be confirmed.

BulgarianMilitary.com conducted a study of the production at the plant. In it, the Israelis produce various chemicals, using volatile chemical poisons such as chlorine, ammonia and others. The plant also stores toxic materials. Experts say that if the Hamas attack had been successful, cities near the plant would have been exposed to highly toxic and toxic airborne chemicals that could have caused serious damage...     more

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BulgarianMilitary.com 24/7 – Gaza Strip tension, Israel-Palestina

Missiles from Israel's Iron Dome defence system rise to intercept rockets fired from the Gaza Strip
Israeli-Palestinian conflict gives Biden foreign policy headache

Israel's air strikes on the militant Hamas movement in Gaza have forced the Middle East on to Joe Biden's agenda amid new questions about how his emphasis on human rights applies to Palestinians.


May 15 - It has also laid bare the extent to which the Israeli right has been empowered in occupied East Jerusalem during the presidency of Donald Trump. Unrest there sparked wider battles, and could draw the Biden administration more deeply into the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict even after this latest seismic eruption abates.

That's a prospect President Biden and his senior advisers would like to avoid.


They've made clear their diplomatic priorities lie elsewhere. Until now they've adopted a low-key minimalist approach in this graveyard of American-led peace initiatives, quietly trying to restore some elements of US policy upended by the Trump administration's unabashedly pro-Israel stance.

That has meant concentrating on repairing ruptured relations with the Palestinians, and voicing rhetorical support for a viable Palestinian state as key to a lasting peace with Israel.


But they've calculated the prospects for a new round of negotiations as bleak, and are determined to shift the focus of American foreign policy to China...     more

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5/13/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | May 13, 2021

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MAY 12, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and EPA administrator Michael Regan on the administration’s response to fuel shortages due to the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline. The administration urged the public not to hoard gasoline and explained steps they are taking to get fuel to needed areas. The press secretary went onto speak about House Republicans ousting Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) from her leadership position and talks with congressional leaders on passing legislation.
Cheney ouster points to rough time for Biden after midterm elections

May 13 - ...White House press secretary Jen Psaki said it was "disturbing" to see any political leader attacked for "speaking the truth." Last week, Biden admitted he did not "understand" House Republicans' calculation concerning Cheney.

"The president is no stranger to working with people who he disagrees with, or he has massive fundamental disagreements with," Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. "The facts are on our side, and more than 80 judges across the country threw out lawsuits attempting to overturn the outcome of the election."     quoted from

Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Restart of Colonial Pipeline and Continued Federal Government Efforts to Mitigate Impacts
MAY 13, 2021


Tonight’s announcement means there’s an end in sight for the supply disruptions that have affected States across the Southeast. As Colonial Pipeline works to safely and fully resume operations over the next few days, we will stay in close contact with the company and will continue to offer any assistance needed—as we have done since the outset of this shutdown on Friday.

As supplies return to normal, we will also continue our whole-of-government effort to mitigate any challenges, including the swift steps we’ve taken to boost gas supply in affected States through actions by the EPA, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies. Tonight, as part of that effort, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that he is issuing a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to an individual company. This waiver will enable the transport of additional gas and jet fuel between the Gulf Coast and East Coast ports to ease supply constraints.

President Biden and the White House will monitor the situation closely in the coming days, and continue to urge Americans to just purchase what they need, and not hoard fuel, as supply is restored. The President and his team also thank the Governors and State and local leaders throughout the affected region who have moved quickly to address problems in their communities, and will continue to partner closely with them to provide any additional assistance as needed.


Earlier tonight, President Biden signed an executive order to chart a new course to improve the nation’s cybersecurity. This incident demonstrates that Federal agencies and the private sector must work collaboratively to learn the lessons of this incident, strengthen cybersecurity practices, and deploy technologies that increase resilience against cyberattacks.     source from

A ball of fire engulfs a tower block in Gaza City early on Thursday morning as Israel presses forward with its campaign against Hamas. 'The campaign is still far from over,' a cabinet minister said after last night's meeting with Netanyahu. 'Whatever we don't do now, we will have to do in six months or a year from now.'
Netanyahu rejects Hamas ceasefire plea after nine of their commanders were 'neutralised', as Israel prepares for possible Gaza ground invasion and warns: 'We will not stop'


May 13 - Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a peace offering from Hamas as Israel today pressed ahead with fierce bombardments on the Gaza Strip and readied plans for a possible ground invasion. 

Barrages since Monday have levelled the Islamists' bases and slain nine top commanders including their intelligence chief, their lead missile designer and their terror boss in Gaza City.

Hamas offered a truce last night via the Russian foreign ministry, requesting ceasefire on a 'mutual basis' after they launched more than 1,000 rockets at densely populated towns and cities, killing seven Israeli civilians.

But Netanyahu has vowed his troops are committed to a long operation which will only 'increase in force' despite international outcry at the growing Palestinian death toll – 67 people have been killed, including more than a dozen children.  

'The campaign is still far from over,' a cabinet minister said after last night's meeting with Netanyahu. 'Whatever we don't do now, we will have to do in six months or a year from now.'

He told Israeli news site Ynet: 'When we have hit all our targets and the other side has still not surrendered, we will launch a ground operation even though we do not seek it'...     more

White House News (白宮消息) | May 12, 2021

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Granholm: No need to hoard gas amid pipeline attack

May 11 - Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says there may be a gasoline "supply crunch" for a few days as Colonial Pipeline gets up and running again following a ransomware cyberattack but she urged Americans not to hoard gas, insisting there is no need.      source from

MAY 11, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held briefing with reporters. She was joined by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. They spoke about increasing the fuel supply to the southeast region by other means and increasing cyber protections for critical infrastructure. 
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, May 11, 2021

MS. PSAKI:  Hi, everyone.  Good afternoon.  We have three guests joining us today: Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and Deputy Security of Energy David Turk.


I — since Secretary Granholm and Mayorkas have been here before, I will skip their introductions.  But I do want to note that Deputy Secretary Turk was previously the Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency during the Obama-Biden administration.  He coordinated international technology and clean energy efforts at DOE, and served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council. 

They obviously have a lot on their plates today but have agreed to stay for a few questions.  With that, I will turn it over to Secretary Granholm.

SECRETARY GRANHOLM:  Thank you.  Great.  Thanks, Jen.  So the White House and the Department of Energy have been leading an interagency response to the Colonial Pipeline hack and, fortunately, the interagency response is bringing a lot of expertise and resources and authorities from across the federal government. 

We’ve been working around the clock since Friday to help Colonial — Friday night, when we learned, of course, to hope — to help Colonia return the pipeline to normal operation as quickly and as safely and as securely as possible...      more

aMAY 11, 2021 | PART OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESU.S. House of RepresentativesRepresentative Liz Cheney on Democracy and Rule of LawRepresentative Liz Cheney (R-WY) spoke about the importance of upholding the U.S. Constitution and denounced former President Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent, calling it an attempt to undermine the democratic process. She spoke from the House floor a day before House Republicans were set to vote on whether to remove her from her leadership role as conference chair. 

Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, speaks at a news conference in the White House on Tuesday.
Homeland Security announces new efforts to combat violent extremism in the U.S.


May 12 - The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday dedicated an arm of its intelligence division to target domestic terrorism and opened a new center to help state and local law enforcement combat violent extremists, the latest Biden administration efforts on the problem in the wake of the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol.

The department said the moves were part of a strategy to “comprehensively combat domestic violent extremism, including violent white supremacy.”

President Biden asked federal intelligence agencies to assess the threat of domestic terrorism shortly after he took office. In March, the administration released a report that warned about the increasing threat from militias and white supremacists, which amplified calls for the need to fight extremism inside the United States.

“Individuals who may be radicalizing, or have radicalized, to violence typically exhibit behaviors that are recognizable to many but are best understood by those closest to them, such as friends, family, and classmates,” the homeland security secretary,

Alejandro N. Mayorkas, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

In the aftermath of the deadly Jan. 6 riot by a pro-Trump mob, federal law enforcement was widely criticized for not responding to a threat that was evolving publicly on social media.

On Wednesday, Mr. Mayorkas is set to testify alongside Attorney General Merrick B. Garland before the Senate Appropriations Committee about the current threat posed by domestic extremists.

Mr. Mayorkas emphasized that the department’s new programs were developed to comply with privacy protections required by law. The new center will replace a similar program that was started during the Trump administration.     source from

5/11/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | May 11, 2021

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Impact of Colonial Pipeline shutdown on New Hampshire gas prices expected to be minimal

May 11, MANCHESTER, N.H. --One of the largest gas and fuel pipelines in the United States is hoping to restore services by Friday after a cybersecurity attack forced it to shut down.

The Colonial Pipeline runs from Houston to New Jersey and the closure could soon have an impact on gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel in the Northeast.

AdvertisementOfficials with the company called it a ransomware attack, which is identified as a form of malware programed to encrypt files on a device rendering them unusable. The malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption of the files.


The FBI has reported the attack originated from a group of hackers in Russia called DarkSide.
Officials in President Joe Biden’s administration have said they are watching the situation closely and as of now there is no concern about supply.

“Right now, there is not a supply shortage. We are preparing for multiple possible contingencies because that’s our job, especially on the homeland security team,” said Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, U.S. Homeland Security advisor. “Considering what additional steps may be useful to mitigate any potential disruptions to supply.”

Experts worry the attack could contribute to already rising gas prices ahead of the summer travel season. The Department of Transportation is temporarily allowing truck drivers transporting gas to work longer days to maintain supply.

​The Northern New England AAA said New Hampshire is just far enough North that it may not cause a substantial impact.     more

MAY 10, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing on the Biden administration’s policy agenda. She was joined by Deputy National Security Advisers Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Anne Neuberger, who provided an update on the Colonial Pipeline hack
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger, May 10, 2021
MAY 10, 2021

MS. PSAKI:  Hi everyone.  Happy Monday.  Today, we are joined by Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger. 
 
I know you all know who they are, so I’m going to skip the introductions so we have more time for questions.  We have very limited time, but we will try to take as many as possible.
 
So, with that, I’ll turn it over to Liz.
 
DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  It’s great to be with you today.  Thank you, Jen.
 
I have an update for you on the Colonial Pipeline and what the Biden administration is doing to provide assistance through a whole-of-government effort.
 
On Friday evening, May 7th, Colonial Pipeline reported that its pipeline system had been subject to a ransomware cyberattack.  Colonial chose to shut down its pipeline operations as a precautionary measure and to ensure that the ransomware could not migrate from business computer systems to those that control and operate the pipeline.  We’ve been in ongoing contact with Colonial, and the President continues to be regularly briefed on the incident and our work.
 
Colonial is currently working with its private cybersecurity consultants to assess potential damage and to determine when it is safe to bring the pipeline back online.  Thus far, Colonial has told us that it has not suffered damage and can be brought back online relatively quickly, but that safety is a priority given that it has never before taken the entire pipeline down.
 
Beginning on Friday night, soon after we learned of the shutdown, the White House convened an interagency team that included the Department of Energy, which is the lead agency for incident response in this case; the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — or “CISA”; the FBI; the Department of Transportation Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; the Department of the Treasury; the Department of Defense; and other agencies.     more

Biden Raises the Minimum Wage for Federal Government Contractors and Subcontractors to $15/Hour Effective January 30, 2022

May 11 - On April 27, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors, requiring covered government contractors and subcontractors to pay workers performing work on or in connection with a government contract at least $15.00/hour.


The increase, which is generally effective on January 30, 2022, comes four months after President Biden directed his administration to “start work” to allow him to issue the Executive Order. Currently, covered government contractors and subcontractors have to pay their workers working on or in connection with a government contract or subcontract at least $10.95/hour. The Executive Order states that federal contractors paying their workers at least $15.00/hour will bolster economy and efficiency in federal procurement.

The Executive Order directs the Department of Labor to issue regulations implementing the Executive Order by November 24, 2021. Within 60 days of the issuance of the Department of Labor regulations, the FAR Council is to amend the FAR to include a clause requiring the $15.00/hour minimum wage.

The $15.00/hour minimum wage applies to new solicitations issued on or after January 30, 2022, and new contracts awarded on or after March 30, 2022, that are governed by the Davis-Bacon Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, or the Service Contract Act. It also will apply to contract extensions and . While the increase in the minimum wage is not required until 2022, the Executive Order strongly encourages the executive agencies to include the $15.00/hour minimum wage in solicitations issued and new contracts awarded before January 30, 2022. Therefore, contractors should carefully review new solicitations and contracts to see if the new minimum wage requirement has been included.

The $15.00/hour minimum wage will be adjusted for inflation annually beginning on January 1, 2023, based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (United States city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted).

The Executive Order also phases out the tipped minimum wage by 2024. The tipped minimum wage will be increased to $10.50/hour starting on January 30, 3022. Thereafter it will be increased to 85% of the adjusted minimum wage until the tipped minimum wage equals the federal minimum wage beginning on January 1, 2024.

​To the extent government contractors and subcontractors currently are paying wages below $15.00/hour, they should be prepared to provide higher wages on future contracts as well as contract options and extensions. It is likely that the new regulations will provide for an equitable adjustment if the contractor or subcontractor is required to pay higher wages for contract options and extensions. Government contractors and subcontractors will need to factor in wage increases for new contracts in their bids and proposals.     source from