Thread: President Joe Biden

What a ballsy move. They even flew in on Air Force One.

Originally Posted by bsnub

I'll be damned, Biden is in Kyiv.

been on BBC news all morning

Originally Posted by bsnub

What a ballsy move. They even flew in on Air Force One.

i cannot imagine a scenario where the Russians would have tried to take it out.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

been on BBC news all morning

Sure it was. The press that knew about this was on Air Force One with the president, and they all had their electronic devices taken away until they were in Kyiv.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

i cannot imagine a scenario where the Russians would have tried to take it out.

They couldn't even if they tried. F-22s and F-35s are flying all over Ukraine right now.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

i cannot imagine a scenario where the Russians would have tried to take it out.

They could, you know, shoot it down and blame Ukraine.

^ Yes Dr Strangelove, the "Reds under the bed" Generals in the US could have it shot down and blamed the Ruskies too.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

^ Yes Dr Strangelove, the "Reds under the bed" Generals in the US could have it shot down and blamed the Ruskies too.

Except I gave you an actual example of Russia shooting down a plane and then trying to pin it on Ukraine.

Or did you miss that bit?

None of these Republican wankers have the slightest clue about being a world leader.

But some House Republicans quickly seized on the visit, criticizing Biden over the trip.
"This is incredibly insulting," tweeted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. "Today on our President's Day, Joe Biden, the President of the United States chose Ukraine over America, while forcing the American people to pay for Ukraine's government and war. I can not express how much Americans hate Joe Biden."
Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., wrote that it was "breathtaking that President Biden can show up in Ukraine to ensure their border is secure, but can't do the same for America."
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, "Of course Joe Biden is in Ukraine and not Ohio…Because screw Americans."

Biden has a big task in convincing Turkeyi to give up its opposition to allowing Sweden and Finland into NATO. That may be the main reason for his overseas journey.

• Sneaking a president from DC to Kyiv without anyone noticing

President Joe Biden’s motorcade slipped out of the White House around 3:30 a.m. Sunday. No big, flashy Air Force One for this trip -– the president vanished into the darkness on an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used for domestic trips to smaller airports.

The next time he turned up — 20 hours later — it was in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine.

Biden’s surprise 23-hour visit to Ukraine on Monday was the first time in modern history that a U.S. leader visited a warzone outside the aegis of the U.S. military — a feat the White House said carried some risk even though Moscow was given a heads-up.

Over the next five hours, the president made multiple stops around town — ferried about in a white SUV rather than the presidential limousine — without any announcement to the Ukrainian public that he was there. But all that activity attracted enough attention that word of his presence leaked out well before he could get back to Poland, which was the original plan. Aides at the White House were surprised the secret held as long as it did.

But Russia knew what the Ukrainian public did not. U.S. officials had given Moscow notice of Biden’s trip.

The president had been itching since last year to join the parade of other Western officials who have visited Kyiv to pledge support standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the capital.

Once Biden was secreted aboard the Air Force jet, the call sign “SAM060,” for Special Air Mission, was used for the plane instead of the usual “Air Force One.” It was parked in the dark with the window-shades down, and took off from Joint Base Andrews at 4:15 a.m. Eastern time.

After a refueling stop in Germany, where the president was kept aboard the aircraft, Biden’s plane switched off its transponder for the roughly hour-long flight to Rzeszow, Poland, the airport that has served as the gateway for billions of dollars in Western arms and VIP visitors into Ukraine. From there, he boarded a train for the roughly 10-hour overnight trip to Kyiv.

He arrived in the capital at 8 a.m. Monday, was greeted by Ambassador Bridget Brink and entered his motorcade for the drive to Mariinsky Palace. Even while he was on the ground in Ukraine, flights transporting military equipment and other goods were continuing unabated to Rzeszow from Western cities.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv, many main streets and central blocks were cordoned off without explanation. People started sharing videos of long motorcades of cars speeding along streets where access was restricted — the first clues that Biden had arrived.

Biden traveled with a far smaller than usual retinue: Sullivan, deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon and the director of Oval Office operations, Annie Tomasini. They were joined by his Secret Service detail, the military aide carrying the so-called “nuclear football,” a small medical team and the official White House photographer.

Only two journalists were on board instead of the usual complement of 13. Their electronic devices were powered off and turned over to the White House for the duration of the trip into Ukraine. A small number of journalists based in Ukraine were summoned to a downtown hotel on Monday morning to join them, not informed that Biden was visiting until shortly before his arrival.

Even with Western surface-to-air missile systems bolstering Ukraine’s defenses, it was rare for a U.S. leader to travel to a conflict zone where the U.S. or its allies did not have control over the airspace.

“We did notify the Russians that President Biden will be traveling to Kyiv,” Sullivan told reporters. “We did so some hours before his departure for deconfliction purposes.” He declined to specify the exact message or to whom it was delivered but said the heads-up was to avoid any miscalculation that could bring the two nuclear-armed nations into direct conflict.

While Biden was in Kyiv, U.S. surveillance planes, including E-3 Sentry airborne radar and an electronic RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft, were keeping watch over Kyiv from Polish airspace.

Biden has crossed into Poland [at roughly 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET)] after surprise trip to Ukraine

Originally Posted by russellsimpson

Biden has a big task in convincing Turkeyi to give up its opposition to allowing Sweden and Finland into NATO. That may be the main reason for his overseas journey.

You'd think actually going to Turkey might have been on his itinerary if this were the case, wouldn't you?

Biden ups pressure for gun reform in wake of Mississippi shooting: ‘Enough’

President Biden responded on Friday to the shooting in rural Mississippi that left six dead, saying it’s “enough” and calling on Congress to “act now” to pass gun reform.

“Jill and I are mourning for the six killed in today’s violence in Tate County, Mississippi — as we have for far too many Americans,” Biden said in a statement. “We grieve with their families and with Americans nationwide as gun violence claims yet more lives.”

“We are also praying for the recovery of those injured in this horrendous attack, and for survivors who will carry both grief and trauma with them for the rest of their lives,” he added.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin confirmed the deaths in Tate County on Friday, adding that the state’s Bureau of Investigation was asked to assist in the ongoing investigation.

Federal law enforcement is also involved, according to Biden, who said he’s “directed that all federal support be made available.”

“Enough. We are 48 days into the year and our nation has already suffered at least 73 mass shootings,” Biden wrote. “Thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. Gun violence is an epidemic and Congress must act now.”

“We need—need—commonsense gun law reforms,” he continued. “That includes requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, fully closing the boyfriend loophole to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, requiring safe storage of guns, and eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets.”

President Biden Delivers Remarks

President Biden delivers remarks ahead of the one year anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, addressing how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy, and how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.

EPA restores legal basis for coal plant pollution regulations undercut by Trump

The Biden administration has restored the legal justification for regulating releases of toxic mercury from coal- and oil-fired power plants after the Trump administration made the rule easier to challenge in court.

In 2020 the Trump administration undercut the legal basis for limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic substances like arsenic from the plants.

The Trump administration did not change the substance of the rule itself, but made it more open to court challenges from industry.

It did so by rescinding the Obama-era determination that it is “appropriate and necessary” to regulate the pollutants.

The Trump administration spurred legal action from the coal company Westmoreland Mining that attempted to knock out the pollution limits. Mark DeLaquil, outside litigation counsel for Westmoreland told The Hill on Friday that the case had already been halted.

DeLaquil added, in an interview prior to the EPA’s announcement, that the company would evaluate whether or not it is appropriate to continue its lawsuit once the EPA reestablished the “appropriate and necessary” finding.

Mercury can cause brain and nervous system damage with in-utero exposure, and can cause kidney problems in both adults and children. Meanwhile, exposure to other substances limited by the rule such as arsenic, chromium and nickel can cause cancer.

The EPA said on Friday that it was leaving the substance of the standards unchanged while it was restoring their legal justification.

Biden EPA proposes restoring pesticide protections for farmworkers rolled back under Trump

The Biden administration is proposing to restore regulations aiming to protect farmworkers from pesticides that had been rolled back under the Trump administration.

The Trump administration sought to limit the scope of rules preventing pesticides from being sprayed when there are people nearby.

Under Obama administration rules, there either needed to be a 100-foot zone or a 25-foot zone with no people around pesticide spraying depending on how prone the chemicals were to causing accidental exposures. The rule included both on-farm and off-farm areas if they would otherwise be within the zone’s boundary.

But the Trump administration got rid of the 100-foot category for pesticides that are applied on the ground, meaning only 25 feet would be required between pesticides and people.

It also said that the protected areas can only go as far as the boundary of a farm’s property — meaning that people can stand near the pesticides so long as they are officially off the property where the pesticide is applied.

The Trump rule was prevented from taking effect after it was halted in court, but it remained officially on the books.

The Biden administration proposed to formally restore those provisions of the Obama-era protections on Thursday.

In a written statement, EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the new proposal “a significant step forward to further protect the farmworkers, farmers and pesticide handlers who deliver the fuel, fiber and food that runs America.”

• Biden in Warsaw: ‘Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia’

President Biden on Tuesday declared that Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia in a speech from Warsaw in which he marked one year since the start of the war.

“Autocrats only understand one word: no, no. no. No you will not take my country, no you will not take my freedom, no you will not take my future. And I’ll repeat tonight what I said last year in the same place, a dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never be able to ease the people’s love of liberty. Brutality will never grind down the will of the free,” he said. “And, Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, never.”

Biden’s speech came a day after he made a surprise visit to Ukraine in which he made a historic stop into the war-torn capital city of Kyiv.

“One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv. Well, I just came from a visit to Kyiv and I can report, Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall, and most important, it stands free,” Biden said.

One year later since the start of the Kremlin’s invasion, Biden said, “Ukraine is still independent and free.”

“The defense of freedom is not the work of a day or a year, it’s always difficult,” he said. “But Ukraine is steel for the fight ahead and the United States, our allies and partners continue to have Ukraine’s back as it defends itself.”

Biden’s speech at the Royal Castle complex in Warsaw was also where Biden delivered his remarks in March 2022 that marked one month into the invasion.

“All that we do now must be done so our children and grandchildren will know it as well, freedom. The enemy of the tyrant, and the hope and the brave and the truth of the ages, freedom. Stand with us, we’ll stand with you, let us move forward with faith and conviction and the abiding commitment to be allied yes, of freedom,” Biden said

He also took the opportunity to go after Russian President Vladimir Putin in his remarks, declaring him a dictator and autocrat who thought that NATO wouldn’t respond when he first rolled tanks into Ukraine.

“He found himself at war with a nation led by a man whose courage would be forged in fire and steel, President Zelensky.” Biden said, referring to the Ukrainian president. “President Putin is confronted with something today that you didn’t think was possible a year ago. The democracies of the world have grown stronger, not weaker. But the autocrats of the world have grown weaker, not stronger.”

Biden stressed that the U.S. support for Ukraine will not waver, which comes as polls show that American public support for Ukraine is slowly eroding.

“That’s what Americans are and that’s what Americans do,” he said.

“Democracies of the world will stand guard over freedom today, tomorrow, and forever,” he added. “That’s what’s at stake here, freedom.”

In attendance for Biden’s major speech were Polish citizens, Ukrainian refugees, embassy staff and children, elected officials of Poland, government and military leaders, and White House staff. Polish President Andrzej Duda, who Biden met with earlier on Tuesday, spoke before him.

Remarks by President Biden Ahead of the One-Year Anniversary of Russia's Brutal and Unprovoked Invasion of Ukraine

Remarks by President Biden and President Andrzej Duda of Poland After Bilateral Meeting

• Biden set to pounce on much-wanted surprise at World Bank

President Biden plans to move quickly to replace David Malpass as president of the World Bank Group, seizing on his departure to transform the bank into an institution dedicated to fighting climate change, White House advisers say.

Why it matters: Malpass’ surprise decision to leave his term early gives the Biden's administration something it wanted even before the president was inaugurated: A chance for Biden to pick a new World Bank leader.

• Team Biden wants a candidate who is committed to expanding the bank's lending facilities to finance more renewable energy projects in the developing world.
• Climate needs to be one of its central missions, advisers say.

Flashback: In September, Malpass, a former Trump official who was installed at the bank by the former president, caused a furor when he appeared to question the causes of climate change.

• Malpass apologized and tried to clarify his remarks, saying he wasn't a scientist. Biden officials considered removing him before his term was scheduled to end in April 2024.
• Ultimately, they decided against publicly ousting him, partly because they didn’t want to upset an informal agreement that allows the U.S., the bank's largest shareholder, to pick the president.

The intrigue: Minutes after Malpass informed the bank’s board on Wednesday that he was leaving, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was out with a statement — a sign that top officials were aware of Malpass’ early exit plans.

• After thanking Malpass for his service, she indicated the U.S. wanted to preserve its prerogative to pick the president.
• “We will put forward a candidate to lead the World Bank and build on the bank’s long-standing work,” she said.

What we’re hearing: Whispers about Malpass’ plans have been quietly circulating in Washington for a few weeks, giving team Biden time to consider potential replacements.

• News of his announcement flew across Washington, leading to speculation on who Biden would reward with the plum — and powerful — position.
• As with his approach to his Cabinet, Biden is interested in diversity, according to advisers.

The big picture: The Biden administration has been working on a broader effort to transform the World Bank, and other multilateral development banks, to expand their mission beyond poverty alleviation and focus on a range of global issues.

• The plan, described by Yellen last week at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, calls for “decisive action on global challenges like climate change.”
• Along with implementing some $370 billion in domestic climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden advisers are focused on reducing carbon emissions around the globe.
• With little congressional appetite for additional spending, the White House plans to rely on institutions like the World Bank to help developing countries transition to renewable energy.

Be smart: Reforming the World Bank was an undercurrent to Yellen’s 10-day tour of Africa in January.

• She was also explicit on her criteria for who should lead the bank.
• "I would not want to see a new head of the World Bank appointed who is really dismissive of that kind of agenda," she told Axios in an interview in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Biden gets chance to redefine World Bank role

• ‘Big mistake’: Biden condemns Putin’s withdrawal from nuclear treaty

Joe Biden on Wednesday night condemned as a “big mistake” Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to suspend his country’s participation in the last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty.

The comment came as the US president closed out his wartime visit to Europe, working to shore up partnerships with allies on Nato’s perilous eastern flank – even as Putin was drawing closer to China for help as his invasion of Ukraine neared the year mark.

Biden’s meeting with leaders of the Bucharest Nine nations in Warsaw came at the conclusion of a whirlwind, four-day visit to Ukraine and Poland meant to reassure allies that US support in fending off Russia is not at risk of waning.

In dramatic counterpoint, Putin on Wednesday played host in Moscow to Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist party’s most senior foreign policy official, as US intelligence warned that Beijing is considering supplying arms and ammunition to the worn-down Russian military.

The flexing of alliances was a fresh indication that both sides are digging in for prolonged conflict in Ukraine with the fighting expected to intensify with the arrival of spring.

Biden had delivered a ringing speech on western unity in Warsaw, a day after he swept into Kyiv unannounced for a visit with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. As Biden spoke in Poland, Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty.

Biden has now called that departure “a big mistake”. The exit is expected to have an immediate impact on US awareness of Russian nuclear activities. However, the pact – known as New Start – was already on life support following Moscow’s cancellation late last year of talks that had been intended to salvage an agreement that each side has accused the other of violating.

“You’re the frontlines of our collective defense,” Biden told the Bucharest Nine, which comprises Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. “And you know, better than anyone, what’s at stake in this conflict. Not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world,” he added.

These countries have worried that Putin could move to take military action against them next if he’s successful in Ukraine. Biden responded to that anxiety by pledging that Nato’s mutual defense pact is “sacred” and that “we will defend literally every inch of Nato”.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, who attended the meeting, pointed to past Russian conduct in Georgia and Ukraine and said: “We cannot allow Russia to continue to chip away at European security. We must break the cycle of Russian aggression.”

• Congressional Black Caucus praises Biden administration for racial justice agenda

The Congressional Black Caucus applauded President Biden on Thursday for policies that it said have helped address systemic racial inequities.

In a press call with members of the administration’s Building Back Together initiative, CBC Chairman Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) discussed how policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law have been overwhelmingly positive for Black Americans.

“This is all about jobs, small businesses and community impact in all of America’s communities, but especially Black and other marginalized communities,” Horsford said. “We have been intentional to address racial equity in a way that really does ensure that communities that have historically been left out or left behind are prioritized in the funding that Congress passed and that the president has signed.”

The IRA, Horsford said, has lowered health care costs and expanded the Affordable Care Act, which lowered health care premiums and benefitted nearly 360,000 Black Americans. It’s also helped Black families save hundreds on energy bills — a major success for Black families, who on average face 64 percent higher energy burden than white families.

The infrastructure act, Horsford added, has been critical in cleaning Superfund sites, or areas that have been contaminated by hazardous material. More than 25 percent of Black Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.

That act has also expanded access to high speed internet services for Black families who are less likely to have access to high speed internet than white families, he touted.

Still, despite these success, Horsford explained that the CBC is working closely with the White House to ensure all these services are not only implemented, but also shared with communities to ensure maximum benefit.

“We don’t want people to have to come to a governmental agency to get these benefits. We need to be able to take that information directly to them,” Horsford said. “That’s what we’ve told the administration quite honestly, is use the Congressional Black Caucus and our relationships in our communities to promote the benefits from this legislation so that people can really see this is what happens when we put people over politics.”

On the campaign trail in 2020, Biden promised to prioritize racial justice if he was elected. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order to advance his racial justice agenda.

Then, just this month, Biden signed a second executive order meant to expand upon the first.

That order — titled Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government — is designed to address systemic barriers that hold communities of color back from prospering. It included addressing civil rights discrimination in technologies, pushing agencies to improve community engagement and working with rural communities to build community wealth.

But parts of Biden’s racial justice agenda still haven’t passed.

Despite pardoning all federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana, which advocates have said is a major step toward criminal justice reform, marijuana use and possession remains illegal at the federal level. And cash bail, which many have argued perpetuates economic barriers, remains legal in most states.

Meanwhile, the president’s attempt to forgive up to $20,000 in student loans has been met with pushback and now faces challenges before the Supreme Court. Advocates like the NAACP have also argued that $20,000 isn’t nearly enough to address the racial wealth gap.

And within the last year, concerns around voting rights and police brutality have grown. Many have called for the president to take firm action to protect voting rights and push for police reform.

“We’ve got a lot more work ahead. But we’re proud of the progress that we’re making and we want all of our constituents to know that this is what we do when we put people over politics,” Horsford told reporters on Thursday.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

• Biden set to pounce on much-wanted surprise at World Bank

An update

President Biden Announces U.S. Nomination of Ajay Banga to Lead World Bank

Today, President Biden announced that the United States is nominating Ajay Banga, a business leader with extensive experience leading successful organizations in developing countries and forging public-private partnerships to address financial inclusion and climate change, to be President of the World Bank.

Statement from President Biden: “Ajay is uniquely equipped to lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history. He has spent more than three decades building and managing successful, global companies that create jobs and bring investment to developing economies, and guiding organizations through periods of fundamental change. He has a proven track record managing people and systems, and partnering with global leaders around the world to deliver results.

He also has critical experience mobilizing public-private resources to tackle the most urgent challenges of our time, including climate change. Raised in India, Ajay has a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing developing countries and how the World Bank can deliver on its ambitious agenda to reduce poverty and expand prosperity.”

Ajay Banga, Nominee for President, The World Bank

Ajay Banga currently serves as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic. Previously, he was President and CEO of Mastercard, leading the company through a strategic, technological and cultural transformation.

Over the course of his career, Ajay has become a global leader in technology, data, financial services and innovating for inclusion. He is Honorary Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chairman from 2020-2022. He is also Chairman of Exor and Independent Director at Temasek. He became an advisor to General Atlantic’s climate-focused fund, BeyondNetZero, at its inception in 2021. He previously served on the Boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. Ajay has worked closely with Vice President Harris as the Co-Chair of the Partnership for Central America. He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a founding trustee of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum, a former member of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, and Chairman Emeritus of the American India Foundation.

He is a co-founder of The Cyber Readiness Institute, Vice Chair of the Economic Club of New York and served as a member of President Obama’s Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity. He is a past member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Ajay was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal in 2012, the Padma Shri Award by the President of India in 2016, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Business Council for International Understanding’s Global Leadership Award in 2019, and the Distinguished Friends of Singapore Public Service Star in 2021.

Biden orders weekend door-to-door checks in Ohio after train derailment

President Biden issued an order Friday directing federal agencies to check-in with residents of East Palestine, Ohio, after a train derailment earlier this month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency will go door-to-door, visiting homes to see how families are doing and connect them any resources they may need.

After hurricanes and other natural disasters, similar “walk teams” perform the same duties. Biden didn’t specifically say how many homes need to be visited, but he said he told employees to visit as many homes as possible by Monday.

Harris warns against trying to ‘erase America’s past’ during Black History Month event

President Biden and Vice President Harris on Monday emphasized the importance of teaching Black history and warned of the dangers of trying to “erase America’s past.”

The comments from Harris and Biden came amid a growing debate over the teaching some aspects of the nation’s history, with some Republican leaders pushing to limit certain subject matter within African American studies.

“Black history is American history. Living history. Breathing history,” Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president, said at a Black History Month reception. “History that we create every day. And history that we then must teach and celebrate. A history that helps us to understand how the past has influenced the present, and potentially our future.

“And let us all be clear — we will not as a nation build a better future for America by trying to erase America’s past,” Harris continued. “This month, and all year round, we must recognize the full arc of our nation’s history.”

Biden, speaking after Harris, echoed her message about the importance of giving Americans an accurate depiction of the nation’s past.

“It’s important to say from the White House, for the entire country to hear, history matters, and Black history matters,” Biden said. “I can’t just choose to learn what we want to own. We learn what we should know. We have to learn everything, the good, the bad and the truth, and who we are as a nation. That’s what great nations do.”

Biden, Harris host reception celebrating Black History Month

Biden to nominate Julie Su to head Labor Department

President Biden announced Tuesday that he plans to nominate Julie Su, a longtime advocate for workers' rights, to lead the Labor Department.

Why it matters: If confirmed, Su, who currently serves as the department's No. 2, will replace outgoing labor secretary Marty Walsh, making her the first Cabinet-level secretary of Asian heritage in the Biden administration.

• Asian American lawmakers and advocates, who first pushed for Biden to nominate Su after his election in 2020, had renewed their calls in recent weeks.
• Biden's Cabinet was the first in 20 years without an Asian American or Pacific Islander secretary — despite his promise to build the "single-most diverse" Cabinet in U.S. history.

What he's saying: "Julie has spent her life fighting to make sure that everyone has a fair shot, that no community is overlooked, and that no worker is left behind," Biden said in a statement Tuesday.

• Alongside Walsh, Su "helped avert a national rail shutdown, improved access to good jobs free from discrimination through my Good Jobs Initiative, and is ensuring that the jobs we create in critical sectors like semiconductor manufacturing, broadband and healthcare are good-paying, stable and accessible jobs for all," Biden added.
• "I look forward to continuing to work with Julie to build an economy that works for working people, and I respectfully ask the Senate to take up this nomination quickly."

The big picture: The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Su served as California's labor secretary before joining the federal government.

• She has "worked closely with unions" and "spent 17 years as a civil rights attorney representing workers who are often invisible," per Biden's statement.
• During that time, she represented "workers who are often invisible," Biden said, including dozens of Thai garment workers who were trafficked into the U.S.

What's next: Biden will formally nominate Su for the job during a White House ceremony this week, according to Senate officials briefed on the decision.

• Her nomination will then go to the Senate for approval, where it will be taken up by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the committee chair, said in a statement Tuesday that he is "confident Julie Su will be an excellent Secretary of Labor."
• Sanders had backed Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, or former Labor Secretary Robert Reich to step into Walsh's role, Punchbowl News reported. But Sanders noted Tuesday that he looks forward to working with Su.

Yes, but: Su is likely to face some opposition from Republicans, who previously questioned her handling of fraud during her time leading California's unemployment insurance office.

• In a statement Tuesday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), ranking member of the HELP committee, called Su's record "troubling."
• Cassidy, who voted against Su's nomination for her current job, said she "is currently overseeing the Department of Labor’s development of anti-worker regulations that will dismantle the gig economy. This does not inspire confidence in her ability to hold her current position, let alone be promoted."
• Her nomination is nonetheless a win for Asian American Democrats, two of whom at one point threatened to oppose Biden's "non-diversity" nominees due to tensions over the absence of an AAPI Cabinet-level secretary.

Don't forget: Three Asian Americans — Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and Arati Prabhakar, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy — currently serve as Cabinet-level officials but are not Cabinet secretaries.