Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2021 Digest of Other White House
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Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2021 Digest of Other White House Announcements September 10, 2021 The following list includes the President's public schedule and other items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this Compilation. January 20 In the afternoon, in the President's Room at the U.S. Capitol, the President signed a proclamation declaring January 20 a National Day of Unity and nominations for Cabinet and sub- Cabinet positions. From the east front of the Capitol, he also reviewed formations of U.S. servicemembers from all branches of the Armed Forces, hosted by Maj. Gen. Omar J. Jones IV, USA, commanding general, National Capital Region and Military District of Washington. Dr. Biden and Vice President Kamala D. Harris and her husband Douglas C. Emhoff also attended. Then, they traveled to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, where, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, they participated in a wreath-laying ceremony. Former President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama, former President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush, and former President William J. Clinton and Mrs. Clinton also attended. Later, the President and Dr. Biden returned to Washington, DC. Upon arrival outside the White House, they received a Presidential Escort from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and several military bands and ensembles. Then, on the North Lawn driveway, he answered a question from a reporter. Later in the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President opened and read a letter from former President Donald J. Trump. White House Press Secretary Jennifer R. Psaki also attended. Then, in the Oval Office, he signed a number of executive actions and made brief remarks to reporters. Later, in the State Dining Room, he participated in a virtual swearing-in ceremony for senior White House staff and other aides and made remarks. In the evening, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the President and Dr. Biden and Vice President Harris and Mr. Emhoff attended a service. Then, at the Lincoln Memorial, they attended a "Celebrating America" inaugural concert at which the President and Vice President Harris made remarks. The concert featured musical performances by noted artists at iconic locations across the country. Later, on the Blue Room Balcony, the President and Dr. Biden greeted supporters. January 21 In the morning, in the State Dining Room, the President and Dr. Biden attended a virtual inaugural prayer service. Vice President Kamala D. Harris and her husband Douglas C. Emhoff also attended. In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Harris had an intelligence briefing. Later, in the State Dining Room, they received a briefing by members of their COVID–19 pandemic response team. He also met with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony S. Fauci. January 22 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had an intelligence briefing. He also had a telephone conversation with Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, ANG, to thank him for the work of the National Guard in keeping Washington, DC, safe following the civil unrest and violence at the U.S. Capitol on 1 January 6 and the days leading up to and including his Inauguration. He also, he spoke with White House Press Secretary Jennifer R. Psaki. In the afternoon, in the Private Dining Room, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had lunch. Later, they received an economic briefing from National Economic Council Director Brian C. Deese. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Justin P.J. Trudeau of Canada to discuss Canada-U.S. relations, acknowledge Prime Minister Trudeau's disappointment regarding the U.S. decision to rescind the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, and highlight their shared vision to promote a sustainable economic recovery and achieve a net- zero emissions future, including through advancements in the automotive sector. He also had a telephone conversation with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico to review bilateral cooperation on a range of bilateral and regional issues, particularly regional migration and coordination to combat the COVID–19 pandemic, and outline his administration's plan to reduce migration by addressing its root causes, increasing resettlement capacity and lawful alternative immigration pathways, improving processing at the border to adjudicate requests for asylum, and reversing the previous administration's draconian immigration policies. January 23 In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President met with his senior advisers. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom to discuss U.K.-U.S. relations, underscoring the critical role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to our collective defense as well as other opportunities for multilateral cooperation to confront the shared challenges of climate change, containing COVID– 19, ensuring global health security, pursuing shared foreign policy priorities, including China, Iran, and Russia. Also during the day, in the Library, the President made virtual remarks to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. January 24 In the morning, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Georgetown neighborhood, the President and Dr. Biden attended mass. The President's son Hunter and his children Finnegan and Maisy also attended. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with President Emmanuel Macron of France to discuss France-U.S. relations, stress the U.S. commitment to bolstering the transatlantic relationship, including through North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union, agree on the need for close coordination, including through multilateral organizations, in tackling common challenges such as climate change, COVID–19, and the global economic recovery, and pledge to work together on shared foreign policy priorities, including China, the Middle East, Russia, and the African Sahel. January 25 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had an intelligence briefing. Later, also in the Oval Office, they met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, USA; and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. In the afternoon, the President participated in a swearing-in ceremony for Secretary Austin. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to discuss Germany-U.S. relations and ways to revitalize the transatlantic alliance, 2 including through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and with the European Union, as the cornerstone of our collective security and shared democratic values, agree to work together on common foreign policy priorities, including Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans, and emphasize the importance of global cooperation, including via a renewed U.S. commitment to multilateral organizations, on combating climate change, containing COVID–19 and advancing health security, and pursuing a sustainable global economic recovery. He also participated in an interview with Kaitlan Collins of CNN. January 26 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had an intelligence briefing. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan to discuss the U.S.-Japan alliance, affirming its importance as the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific, renew the U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan under article 5 of our security treaty, which includes the Senkaku Islands, and review regional security issues, including China and North Korea, including the necessity of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He also had a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia to discuss their joint willingness to extend the New START treaty on strategic arms reduction for 5 years, instructing their teams work urgently to complete the extension by February 5, and agree to explore strategic stability discussions on a range of arms control and emerging security issues. President Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for Ukraine's sovereignty and raised other matters of concern, including the SolarWinds hack on Federal Government networks, reports of Russia placing bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, interference in the 2020 U.S. election, and the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Also during the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to thank him for his steadfast leadership of the alliance, convey his intention to consult and work with allies on the full range of shared security concerns, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Russia, reaffirm the U.S. commitment to collective defense under article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, emphasize the importance of shared values, consultation, and capabilities to strengthen deterrence and counter new and emerging threats, including climate change and global health security. January 27 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had an intelligence briefing. During the day, in the Blue Room, the President and Dr. Biden participated in an interview with Sandra Sobieraj Westfall for People magazine. January 28 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had an intelligence briefing. January 29 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Kamala D. Harris had an intelligence briefing. In the afternoon, in the Private Dining Room, the President and Vice President Harris had lunch. Then, he traveled to Bethesda, MD, where, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, he was greeted by Medical Center Director Col. Andrew M. Barr, USA, Command 3 Master Chief Randy F. Swanson, USN, and nurse Cmdr. Megan Nasworthy, USN, thanked the staff, toured vaccine demonstrations with Director Barr and other staff, and visited with five wounded U.S.