ICYMI: President Biden and Vice President Harris Thank CDC Staff and Meet with AAPI Leaders in Georgia

On Friday, President Biden and Vice President Harris traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to meet with Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders in the wake of this week's tragic shootings. At Emory University, they delivered remarks addressing the recent rise in violence against Asian Americans, urging all Americans to stand together against hate and racism.

The President and Vice president also met with Stacey Abrams, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Osoff to discuss making voting more accessible across the state.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, the President and Vice President thanked scientists and staff for their historic efforts to understand the virus and set guidelines to protect the public.

Read more about the trip to Georgia below:

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Biden condemns anti-Asian violence in Atlanta after spa shootings

"In an emotional address Friday on Emory University's campus, President Joe Biden condemned the "skyrocketing spike" in violence against Asian Americans and pressed Congress to pass a law to protect people victimized by hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[….]

Harris, the first woman and first Asian American to serve in the role, also delivered a passionate condemnation of racism, sexism and xenophobia that have factored into the attacks and deepened fears about rising anti-Asian hatred in the U.S."

AP: Biden, Harris offer solace, denounce racism in Atlanta visit

"Addressing the nation after a roughly 80-minute meeting with Asian American state legislators and other leaders, Biden said it was 'heart-wrenching' to listen to their stories of the fear among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders amid what he called a 'skyrocketing spike' of harassment and violence against them.

'We have to change our hearts,' he said. 'Hate can have no safe harbor in America.'

[…]

Harris, the first person of South Asian descent to hold national office, said that while the motive of the shooter remains under investigation, these facts are clear: Six of the eight killed were of Asian descent and seven of them were women.

'Racism is real in America. And it has always been. Xenophobia is real in America, and always has been. Sexism, too,' she said. 'The president and I will not be silent. We will not stand by. We will always speak out against violence, hate crimes and discrimination, wherever and whenever it occurs.'

She added that everyone has 'the right to be recognized as an American. Not as the other, not as them. But as us.'"

New York Times: Confronting Violence Against Asians, Biden Says That 'We Cannot Be Complicit'

"Mr. Biden expressed empathy for the victims' families, who he said were left with 'broken hearts and unanswered questions.' And he said Americans should take responsibility for failing to express enough outrage about the targeting of people of Asian descent during the pandemic that has gripped the country.

'Because our silence is complicity,' he said. 'We cannot be complicit. We have to speak out. We have to act.'"

CBS News: Biden meets with Asian American leaders in Atlanta following shootings

"Just before his remarks, Mr. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with Asian American leaders. 'We talked about Tuesday's mass shooting, about another example of public health crisis, of gun violence in this country,' the president said. 'Eight people killed, seven women. Six were of Asian descent. All fellow Americans. Each one of them we mourn.'"

[…]

The president released a statement Friday before heading to Georgia urging Congress to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which would 'expedite the federal government's response to the rise of hate crimes exacerbated during the pandemic, support state and local governments to improve hate crimes reporting, and ensure that hate crimes information is more accessible to Asian American communities.'"

NBC News: Biden, Harris extend support to Asian Americans in wake of Atlanta shootings

"Biden, whose own personal loss of his first wife and infant daughter in a car accident and his son to cancer has made him uniquely suited to console the nation during a time of grief, addressed the families of the victims directly, saying, 'The day will come when their memory brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye, as believable as that is now.'

'It will take a while, but I promise you it will come.'"

CNN: Biden condemns 'skyrocketing' hate crimes against Asian Americans in wake of deadly shooting

"Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta on Friday to meet with Asian American leaders in the wake of the deadly shooting. They had originally planned to travel to Atlanta to tout the benefits of the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 economic relief package that Biden recently signed into law, but the White House scrapped plans for a rally after the shooting.

[…]

Biden urged Congress to pass the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, which he has said would expedite the federal government's response to hate crimes that have risen during the pandemic, support state and local governments to improve hate crimes reporting and make information on hate crimes more accessible to Asian American communities."

FOX5: President Biden delivers remarks about visit to Atlanta focusing on COVID-19, anti-Asian violence

"Prior to the roundtable, the president and vice president visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's main campus in Atlanta to give an update on the distribution of the multiple COVID-19 vaccines across the country and give the staff there a pep talk.

'Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you... There's an entire generation coming up that is learning from what you have done. I don't just mean learning about how to deal with a virus, learning about it makes a difference from telling the truth, to follow the science,' the president told CDC staff.

Biden had previously set a goal of administering 100 million doses of vaccine in his first 100 days. Friday, 59 days into his presidency, the president said that the United States will hit that goal. He promised to unveil a new vaccination target next week, as the U.S. is on pace to have enough of the three currently authorized vaccines to cover the entire adult population just 10 weeks from now. 'We owe you a gigantic debt of gratitude and we will for a long, long, long time,' Biden said, adding that under his administration 'science is back' driving policy to combat the virus."

WSB-TV 2 Atlanta: President Biden, VP Harris visit Atlanta and meet Asian-American leaders

"Biden and Harris still met with officials at the CDC on Friday, but after that they met with leaders of Georgia's AAPI community.

One of those leaders was Gwinnett County lawmaker Sam Park.

[…]

Following Biden and Harris' visit, Park released this statement:

'Grateful to President Biden and Vice President Harris for meeting with us. They heard the heartbreak, fear, and anger of the Asian American community and shared our pain. President Biden's empathy and understanding was comforting. VP Harris' strength and determination was encouraging. Their commitment to continue to fight for all of us gave me hope. They reminded us that we are all in this together, that we are not alone, and that together we will overcome.'"

The Hill: Biden condemns anti-Asian violence, 'ugly poison' of racism

"President Biden called on Americans to unite against hate and racism, condemning the rise in attacks against Asian Americans and the recent shootings in Atlanta during a trip to the area Friday.

'I believe that with every fiber of my being there are some core values and beliefs that should bring us together as Americans. One of them is standing together against hate, against racism, the ugly poison that has long haunted and plagued our nation,' Biden said in remarks at Emory University in Atlanta."

The Hill: Biden, Harris discuss voting rights with Stacey Abrams

"President Biden on Friday met with Stacey Abrams and Georgia lawmakers while in Atlanta to discuss voting rights in the face of legislation introduced by state GOP lawmakers in various states that would restrict access to the ballot.

Biden and Vice President Harris met with Abrams, Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms during a stop at Emory University.

'They discussed state legislation in Georgia and across the country that would make it harder for people to vote, along with possible solutions to make voting more accessible,' White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. 'The President re-affirmed his commitment to re-authorizing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and his strong belief that every eligible voter should be able to vote and have their vote counted.'"

The Hill: Biden: Georgia officials 'helped save our democracy' by standing up to 2020 pressure

"President Biden on Friday credited Georgia officials with helping to 'save our democracy by standing up to pressure from former President Trump and his allies over the 2020 election.

[...]

'This is a democracy. The right to vote is fundamental. The fact that there was a record turnout in America in the last election in the midst of a pandemic should be something we celebrate, not attack,' Biden said in scripted remarks.

'The fact that you held a free and fair election in Georgia that stood up to recount after recount, court case after court case, is something you should be proud of,' he continued. 'The fact that your poll workers, your election workers, your volunteers, your local officials, your state officials, your courts stood up to the immense pressure with character and honesty and integrity helped save our democracy. And this country will long be grateful for it.'

The Grio: Biden addresses COVID-19 disparity among Black Americans during Atlanta visit

"Science is back," declared President Joe Biden as he and Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Centers for Disease Control headquarters in Atlanta on Friday.

[…]

While at the facility, President Biden acknowledged there is a huge disparity in the Black community versus white America when it comes to COVID-19. At the CDC headquarters, Biden acknowledged tracking for minority communities and the underserved during the pandemic was non-existent under the Trump administration, and now that crucial data tracking is available.

The CDC has recently announced it will be rewarding $2.25 billion to address COVID-19 health disparities and communities at high risk for infection and severe illness. This is an attempt to achieve health equity in the midst of the pandemic.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'Science is back.' Biden, Harris thank CDC scientists during Atlanta visit

"President Joe Biden visited the Atlanta headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday to thank public health workers racing to contain the coronavirus pandemic and declare that 'science is back...'

Biden was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, who echoed his praise for CDC employees.

'We are here to say thank you because it's not easy, and you're making difficult decisions right now,' Harris said. 'You do this work on behalf of people you will never meet, on behalf of people who will never know your names, because you care about this country.'"