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Author: WHIGA Staff           Published: 8/27/2022        WHIGA

President Biden Signs Executive Order to Implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022

EO Establishes CHIPS Implementation Steering Counciland Implementation Priorities;Commerce Department Launches CHIPS.gov

This week, President Biden signed an Executive Order to implement the semiconductor funding in the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. This legislation will lower the costs of goods, create high paying manufacturing jobs around the country, and ensure we make more critical technologies at home.  This law builds on more than a year of work from the Biden-Harris Administration to respond to acute semiconductor shortages and build more resilient semiconductor supply chains. The historic funding and incentives in the CHIPS Act will help rebuild our supply chains, manufacturing, and infrastructure here at home, along with crucial invests from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.This Executive Order reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to quickly increase production of semiconductors, strengthen research and design leadership, and grow a diverse semiconductor workforce to give the country a competitive edge on the world stage.Additionally, to ensure transparent and effective communication about CHIPS Act programs, the Department of Commerce launched CHIPS.gov, a central resource for stakeholders and interested parties on the $50 billion in manufacturing and research and development funds available through the Department of Commerce.Please find the full Fact Sheet here

 President Biden Announces Student Loan Relief for Borrowers Who Need It Most
This week, President Biden announced a three-part plan to provide more breathing room to America’s working families as they continue to recover from the strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan offers targeted debt relief as part of a comprehensive effort to address the burden of growing college costs and make the student loan system more manageable for working families.The President is announcing that the Department of Education will:

  • Provide targeted debt relief to address the financial harms of the pandemic, fulfilling the President’s campaign commitment. The Department of Education will provide up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients with loans held by the Department of Education, and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers are eligible for this relief if their individual income is less than $125,000 ($250,000 for married couples). No high-income individual or high-income household – in the top 5% of incomes – will benefit from this action. To ensure a smooth transition to repayment and prevent unnecessary defaults, the pause on federal student loan repayment will be extended one final time through December 31, 2022. Borrowers should expect to resume payment in January 2023.
  • Make the student loan system more manageable for current and future borrowers by:
    • Cutting monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans. The Department of Education is proposing a new income-driven repayment plan that protects more low-income borrowers from making any payments and caps monthly payments for undergraduate loans at 5% of a borrower’s discretionary income—half of the rate that borrowers must pay now under most existing plans. This means that the average annual student loan payment will be lowered by more than $1,000 for both current and future borrowers. 
    • Fixing the broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program by proposing a rule that borrowers who have worked at a nonprofit, in the military, or in federal, state, tribal, or local government, receive appropriate credit toward loan forgiveness. These improvements will build on temporary changes the Department of Education has already made to PSLF, under which more than 175,000 public servants have already had more than $10 billion in loan forgiveness approved.
  • Protect future students and taxpayers by reducing the cost of college and holding schools accountable when they hike up prices. The President championed the largest increase to Pell Grants in over a decade and one of the largest one-time influxes to colleges and universities. To further reduce the cost of college, the President will continue to fight to double the maximum Pell Grant and make community college free. Meanwhile, colleges have an obligation to keep prices reasonable and ensure borrowers get value for their investments, not debt they cannot afford. This Administration has already taken key steps to strengthen accountability, including in areas where the previous Administration weakened rules. The Department of Education is announcing new efforts to ensure student borrowers get value for their college costs.Please find the full Fact Sheet here
Virtual Briefing Hosted by NOAA 

DATE & TIME: Thursday, September 15, 2022 @ 4:00 PM ETREGISTRATION: Please register for the briefing hereAfter registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.ABOUT:The Climate Ready Coasts initiative will invest $1.467 billion to help coastal communities build the future they want to see, including natural infrastructure to increase resilience to climate change and extreme weather events. The initiative will be administered and implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) existing programs. The ClimateReady Coasts initiative will increase resilience through landscape-scale habitat restoration in coastal ecosystems nationwide and promote coastal resilience in underserved coastal communities as well as those most vulnerable to climate impacts.SPEAKERS:

  • Dr. Richard Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA Administrator
  • Carrie Selberg Robinson, Director, NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation
  • Joelle Gore, Stewardship Division Chief, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management
  • Nancy Wallace, Director, NOAA’s Marine Debris Program
  • Joshua Brown, NOAA’s National Sea Grant Office
  • Betsy Nicholson, North Regional Director, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management
U.S. Department of Education Announces American Rescue Plan Back-to-School Checklist for Parents

Through the American Rescue Plan, the Biden-Harris Administration provided states and school districts with $130 billion to help students recover, succeed, and thrive. Today, the Department of Education released a new back-to-school resource for parents and families. The checklist – part of the Department’s updated back-to-school resource site – will help parents, caregivers, and families engage with local school and district leaders about how they are supporting students as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic. This checklist elevates key evidence-based practices for supporting students’ learning, mental health and safety. Districts are encouraged to implement these practices using American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief funds. This back-to-school American Rescue Plan checklist also recognizes best practice examples of how states and school districts across the country are already using federal American Rescue Plan funds to support students and fully staff schools. You can see the checklist and highlighted communities here. Please share with your networks and elevate the impact that American Rescue Plan funds are having on our students!Learn how President Biden and Vice President Harris are reducing the cost of high-speed internet and find out if you qualify to sign upGet this year’s expanded Child Tax Credit

Statement by President Joe Biden on Strengthening Protections for Dreamers

Dreamers are part of the fabric of this nation. They serve on the frontlines of the pandemic response. They are students, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Many serve bravely in our military. They’ve only ever known America as their home.

Ten years ago, I stood by President Obama as he announced one of our proudest accomplishments — creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. The program has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young Dreamers by allowing them to live here and contribute their talents to this great country without fear of removal. Today, we are fulfilling our commitment to preserve and strengthen DACA by finalizing a rule that will reinforce protections, like work authorization, that allow Dreamers to live more freely and to invest in their communities more fully.

I will do everything within my power to protect Dreamers, but Congressional Republicans should stop blocking a bill that provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. It is not only the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do for our economy and our communities.

White House Pledges ‘Stability’ Vouchers for Homeless and At-Risk People
New housing vouchers build on efforts by the Biden administration to focus on unsheltered and rural homelessness and drive aid to people suffering domestic violence.

With rents and evictions on the rise nationwide, the specter of homelessness haunts a growing number of U.S. families.

A new federal fund aims to bolster those who are most vulnerable, and at the same time, get local authorities talking to each other. On Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development detailed a new category of housing vouchers for people who sleep outdoors or in their cars, or face severe risk of homelessness. These “stability” vouchers will provide permanent supportive housing for unsheltered families.The communities who are first in line for the $43 million stability voucher fund are those who can demonstrate that their public housing agencies and homeless authorities are working together to coordinate relief.Please find the full Article here

AmeriCorps invites you to honor, serve, and unite on this September 11th Day of Service

In just one month, the country will mark more than 20 years since the attacks of September 11 with the National Day of Service and Remembrance. This year, AmeriCorps invites you to honor those we lost by uniting in service to rekindle the spirit of unity that swept our nation after that tragic day.  Through service, we can come together across divides, differences, and ideologies. We can stand together and lift each other up, neighborhood by neighborhood, just as Americans did more than 20 years ago. AmeriCorps invites you to honor, serve, and unite on this September 11th Day of Service.

  • Serve on 9/11. Demonstrate the spirit of unity in your community by volunteering in honor of September 11 and invite someone from a different party, ideology, or background to serve with you. Share your service experience on social media using the hashtag #911Day.
  • Encourage your constituents to serve. Invite your constituents to volunteer in their communities by encouraging service on social media, in your newsletters, or other communications channels. Sample messages, graphics, and more are available in our 9/11 Day of Service Toolkit.  
  • Issue a proclamation. Issue a proclamation in your community to honor the 21st Anniversary. A sample proclamation is available in our 9/11 Day of Service Toolkit.

For more information or support getting involved, visit the September 11th Day of Service site or contact AmeriCorps Government Relations team at GovernmentRelations@cns.gov

White House Announces New Actions to Combat Monkeypox Outbreak

This week, the White House National Monkeypox Response team announced a series of actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to further accelerate its response to the monkeypox (MPV) outbreak and mitigate the spread of the virus.HHS to make 1.8 million doses of vaccine available for ordering beginning Monday.Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocated and began distributing another 442,000 doses of vaccine to jurisdictions across the country. The announcement was the first allocation of vaccine following FDA’s EUA allowing for intradermal administration of the JYNNEOS vaccine, so the 442,000 doses reflect the number of total doses that could be available through intradermal administration.

The Administration is making these doses available ahead of schedule to encourage rapid distribution of vaccine to individuals at high risk of contracting the virus. The Administration is making more vaccines available for jurisdictions hosting large LGBTQI+ events.HHS is launching a pilot program to provide additional vaccine allocations to state and local health departments in jurisdictions that are hosting large events that attract gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in the coming weeks and months. The pilot program is setting aside 50,000 doses of vaccine from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) that jurisdictions can request to order on top of their existing vaccine allocations and supply.

In addition to making more vaccine doses available, the CDC is offering assistance and support to jurisdictions to prepare for these large events, including helping develop vaccine and testing strategies to be stood up in and around these events, developing tools for information-gathering from event participants, and providing messaging and communications resources on vaccines, testing, and strategies to reduce one’s risk of contracting the virus.

ASPR is making 50,000 courses of TPOXX available to jurisdictions for prepositioning to facilitate timely access to TPOXX for eligible patients.The Biden-Harris Administration will make available 50,000 patient courses of TPOXX to jurisdictions next week – nearly five times more courses than confirmed cases in the United States – to make the treatment more readily available for providers and patients.

Please see the full Fact Sheet here

Nominate a “Uniter” – United We Stand: Countering Hate-Fueled Violence Together
On Thursday, September 15th, President Biden will host the United We Stand Summit at the White House to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety, highlight the response of the Biden-Harris Administration and communities nationwide to these dangers, and put forward a shared, bipartisan vision for a more united America.By September 1st, 2022, we invite you to nominate an extraordinary “Uniter” in your community to be recognized by the White House. Please email UnitedWeStand@who.eop.gov with information on a leader in your community who inspires change by building bridges and countering hate-fueled violence.Please see below more on the Summit from White House Domestic Policy Advisor, Susan E. Rice:Hate must have no safe harbor in America—especially when that hate fuels the kind of violence we’ve seen from Oak Creek to Pittsburgh, from El Paso to Poway, and from Atlanta to Buffalo. When we cannot settle our differences of opinion peacefully, and when ordinary Americans cannot participate in the basic activities of everyday life—like shopping at the grocery store, praying at their house of worship, or casting a ballot—without the fear of being targeted and killed for who they are, our democracy is at risk.That’s why, on Thursday, September 15, President Biden will host the United We Stand Summit at the White House to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety, highlight the response of the Biden-Harris Administration and communities nationwide to these dangers, and put forward a shared, bipartisan vision for a more united America.President Biden decided to run for president after the horrific violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Since taking office, his Administration has consistently taken steps to counter hate-motivated violence—from signing the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, to releasing the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, to signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislation in three decades to reduce gun violence.Nominate a “Uniter” in your community Across America, Americans are working to bring their communities together across lines of racial, religious,  political and other differences to prevent acts of hate-fueled violence, promote healing where such violence has had devastating consequences, and foster unity. These “Uniters” are bipartisan faith leaders and teachers, police officers and mayors, civic leaders and volunteers, and everyday members of our communities. Many of these Uniters are themselves survivors of hate-fueled violence who have turned their pain into purpose. They hold together our communities together and lift us up in the hardest times.By September 1st, 2022, we invite you to nominate an extraordinary Uniter in your community to be recognized by the White House. Please email UnitedWeStand@who.eop.gov with information on a leader in your community who inspires change by building bridges and countering hate-fueled violence.Please find the full Statement here
Recognizing Overdose Awareness Week and Recovery Month

Over the next several weeks, the Administration will recognize Overdose Awareness Week (August 28-September 3) and Recovery Month (September) to show support for people impacted by substance use. Through a series of events around the country, the White House will advance the President’s Unity Agenda to beat the overdose epidemic. and highlight significant, bipartisan actions to prevent overdoses, stop drug trafficking, and treat addiction like any other disease. We know that many State, tribal, and local leaders are planning actions during this time. Please feel free to share with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) what you will be doing and let us know how we can be helpful (OELA@ondcp.eop.gov). We have many resources that may be helpful including:

The DOT Navigator 
The DOT Navigator is a new resource from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help communities understand the best ways to apply for grants, and to plan for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services. Whether it’s the first time you’re applying for a DOT grant or you’re looking for more technical details and guidance, the DOT Navigator can help get you started.Learn more here:  DOT Navigator
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program
The U.S. Department of Education has implemented temporary changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program rules that make it easier for federal student loan borrowers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for forgiveness. These changes end on Oct. 31, 2022. Millions of government and private, non-profit employees have federal student loans and may now be eligible for loan forgiveness or additional credit toward forgiveness under these time-limited PSLF changes. We need your help to spread the word about PSLF and ensure all those who are eligible have access to this loan forgiveness and know what they need to do to apply.  Please continue to encourage participation by:

  1. Amplifying the PSLF program on social media.
  1. Sharing the new White House PSLF site at www.pslf.gov with your networks, and employees.
  1. Sending a personal email to your staff/networks  to promote the PSLF program.

The PSLF website includes a simple 3-Step Eligibility Tool that borrowers can use to determine eligibility, a one-page explainer document for borrowers, and social media graphics that you can use. Help us promote this opportunity leading up to the October 31 deadline. Please share any actions you plan to take with us.

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces the Application Period for Spring Session of the White House Internship Program
President Biden and Vice President Harris are announcing this week that the application period for the Spring session of the White House Internship Program will open on Monday, August 29th. The session will begin in January 2023.

The White House Internship Program is a public service leadership and development program that provides emerging leaders with an opportunity to gain valuable skills while supporting the work of the White House and furthering the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration. This program provides paid internships across the Executive Office of the President. Interns participating in the White House Internship Program will support the White House Office and the Office of the Vice President.

Program participants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years or older before the first day of the Program, and meet at least one of the three following criteria:

  1. Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution)
  2. Graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution) no more than two years prior to the first day of the Program
  3. A veteran of the United States Armed Forces who possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent and has served on active duty, for any length of time, no more than two years prior to the first day of the Program

The application period for the Spring 2023 session will open on Monday, August 29th and close on Friday, September 23rd.

Interested candidates can find the Program’s online application at WH.gov/intern. The website also features additional information about the Program, including a “Frequently Asked Questions” section.

Prospective candidates with questions about the Program, as well as college/university administrators, faculty, campus leadership, and others interested in more information to share with their communities can reach out to the White House Internship Program team at internship@who.eop.gov.

White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Stakeholder Call
Date: Monday, August 29Time: 4:15 PM ETRegister here: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_A-oIAYcqSQ6SedDbLGVM0Q
Weekly IGA Call
Tune in weekly for Administration updates Thursdays at 4 PM ET.
When: Every Thursday at 4 PM ETRegister here:https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_2fN1C5oHQ0Wuz06br1PbVw
See you next week!
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