Pool Reports of July 21, 2021

Travel Pool Report #1 - Background Memo

Good morning. Ahead of the president's trip to Ohio today, the White House shares the following memo:

BACKGROUND MEMORANDUM

TO: Out-of-Town Travel Pool

FROM: White House Press Office

DATE: July 21, 2021

RE: Background for the President's Visit to Ohio

The Impact of the American Rescue Plan in Ohio

· $5.5 billion in state fiscal relief.

· $4.6 billion in local fiscal relief.

· More than $4.5 billion in relief for K-12 schools.

· Economic impact payments of up to $1,400 per person (above the $600 per person provided in December) for more than 7.4 million adults and 2.8 million children. This is 89% of all adults in the state and 87% of all children in the state.

· Additional relief of up to $1,600 per child through the Child Tax Credit to the families of 2,372,000 children, lifting 132,000 children out of poverty.

· Additional relief of up to nearly $1,000 through the Earned Income Tax Credit to 695,000 childless workers, including many in frontline jobs.

· Marketplace health insurance premiums that are $1,062 lower per month for a 60-year old couple earning $75,000 per year.

State of the Economy in Ohio

· Personal income surged 73 percent at an annual rate during the first quarter of 2021.

· The unemployment rate in Ohio has fallen by nearly half since June 2020 (10.3 percent to 5.2 percent).

· GDP increased 6.4 percent in the first quarter.

· Ohio's economy is gaining traction and making progress. The President's economic plan is working.

State of the Pandemic in Ohio

· Case rates have dropped by 93 percent since January 20, 2021.

· Death rates have dropped by 89 percent since January 20, 2021.

· Hospitalizations have dropped by 90 percent since January 20, 2021.

The Vaccination Program in Ohio

· Number of Ohio residents with at least one dose: 5,738,944 people (49.1% of the total population, 60.1% of the adult population)

· Number of Ohio residents fully vaccinated: 5,368,516 people (45.9% of the total population, 56.4% of the adult population)

The Biden Administration's Support for Ohio Vaccinations

· Pharmacies: As of July 19, there are over 1,600 local pharmacies administering vaccine in Ohio. A large majority of these pharmacies offer no-appointment, walk-in vaccinations. Over 3.4 million shots have been administered in Ohio through pharmacies.

· Community Health Centers: The Biden Administration is delivering vaccine doses directly to 15 Community Health Centers (CHCs) in the state, spanning 38 sites. As of July 19, 28,070 doses have been delivered directly to CHCs in the state. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the Administration has provided more than $160 million to 51 community health centers to help expand medical services, including vaccinations, in underserved communities.

· Federal Funding: As of July 14, the Administration has provided over $31 million in FEMA funding to Ohio to support vaccination operations in communities across the state. In addition, the Administration has provided $114 million in American Rescue Plan funding to the state and local public health departments, as well as community-based organizations in Ohio, to support vaccine education and outreach efforts.

· Federal Personnel: The Biden Administration has deployed over 270 federal personnel to Ohio to support community vaccination centers, and provided federal funding for over 900 National Guard members supporting the state's overall COVID-19 response.

· Community Vaccination Centers: As of July 14, the Biden Administration has provided federal support for 83 community and pop-up vaccination sites in the state, through federal funding, personnel, and/or equipment. This includes one federally-run community vaccination center at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, which administered more than 258,000 shots in arms.

The Need for Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework in Ohio

· Ohio's infrastructure received a C- grade on its Infrastructure Report Card.

· Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. In Ohio, there are 1,377 bridges and over 4,925 miles of highway in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 5.7% in Ohio and on average, each driver pays $506 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will devote more than $312 billion to transform our nation's transportation infrastructure and make it more resilient, including $110 billion for roads, bridges, and major projects. The Framework is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system.

· Improve healthy, sustainable transportation options for millions of Americans. Ohioans who take public transportation spend an extra 75.9% of their time commuting and non-White households are 6.2 times more likely to commute via public transportation. 16% of trains and other transit vehicles in the state are past useful life. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will modernize public transit with a $48.5 billion investment and invest $66 billion in passenger and freight rail. The Framework is the largest federal investment in public transit in history and is the largest federal investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.

· Prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, cyberattacks, and extreme weather events. From 2010 to 2020, Ohio has experienced 29 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $10 billion in damages. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework includes $47 billion to improve the resiliency of our infrastructure and support communities' recovery from disaster. The Framework is the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history. Note: estimates for deficient infrastructure in this state are accurate as of April 2021.

· Deliver clean drinking water to up to ten million American families and more than 400,000 schools and child care facilities that currently don't have it. Over the next 20 years, Ohio's drinking water infrastructure will require $13.4 billion in additional funding. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework includes a $55 billion investment to ensure clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities. The Framework would completely eliminate the nation's lead service lines and pipes and represents the largest investment in clean drinking water and waste water infrastructure in American history.

· Connect every American to reliable high-speed internet. 6.2% of Ohioans live in areas where, by one definition, there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds. And 58.2% of Ohioans live in areas where there is only one such internet provider. Even where infrastructure is available, broadband may be too expensive to be within reach. 14% of Ohio households do not have an internet subscription. Just as the federal government made a historic effort to provide electricity to every American nearly one hundred years ago, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will invest billions to bring universal, reliable, high-speed, and affordable coverage to every family in America.

· Upgrade our power infrastructure. In Ohio, an average low-income family spends 8-10% of their income on home energy costs forcing tough choices between paying energy bills and buying food, medicine or other essentials. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will represent the single largest investment in clean energy transmission in American history, building thousands of miles of new, resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewable energy, including through a new Grid Authority.

How the Build Back Better Agenda Will Help Ohioans

· Higher Education: To make higher education more accessible, the Build Back Better agenda will increase the maximum Pell Grant awards by nearly $1,500 to support the 202,731 students in Ohio who rely on Pell for their education.

· Universal Pre-School: Today, only 61,400 or 21 percent of the 283,000 3- and 4-year-olds in Ohio are enrolled in publicly-funded pre-school. The Build Back Better agenda will provide access to free, high-quality pre-school for all 3- and 4-year-olds in Ohio, and ensure that all employees in funded pre-school programs are paid a $15 minimum wage and that funded programs provide compensation and benefits comparable to kindergarten educators to those with similar qualifications.

· Investing in Ohio's Teachers: Ohio has seen a 30 percent decline in new teacher supply. And while we know that having teachers reflect the communities they serve is critical to student performance, in Ohio just 7.5 percent of teachers are teachers of color, while students of color make up 30 percent of the student population. The Build Back Better agenda will invest in our teachers so we address teacher shortages, improve teacher preparation, recruit and develop more teachers of color and leverage our veteran teachers to help support and train new teachers.

· Child Care: The average annual cost of child care for a toddler in Ohio is $8,698, meaning that the average two-parent household spends 9 percent of their income on child care every year. The Build Back Better agenda will enable low and middle-income families to pay no more than 7 percent of their income on high-quality child care, generating lifetime benefits for 253,709 children under 5 in Ohio and helping working families make ends meet.

· Child Nutrition: Currently17 percent of children in Ohio live in food insecure households and 34 percent are obese. The Build Back Better agenda will ensure that the nutritional needs Ohio's children are met by expanding access to free school meals to an additional 172,000 students and providing 845,000 students with resources to purchase food over the summer.

· Tax Cuts for Ohio's Families and Workers: The Build Back Better agenda will extend the American Rescue Plan's Child Tax Credit (CTC), Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and Earned Income Tax Credit.

Travel Pool Report #2 - Andrews

Good afternoon from Andrews Air Force Base.

Marine One touched down at 2:54 PM. President Biden exited at 2:58 PM wearing a dark suit with a blue shirt. He boarded Air Force One without taking questions.

Biden is traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio today to visit a union training center and to appear in a CNN town hall.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki is scheduled to gaggle during the flight. That will be carried on https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

We will be wheels up shortly.

From the White House:

Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, the President will be greeted by:
Col. Matthew E. Jones, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing
Traveling with the President to Cincinnati, Ohio:
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Cedric Richmond, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Jen Psaki, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Kate Bedingfield, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
David Kamin, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
Daleep Singh, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
Jeff Zients, Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response & Counselor to the President
Stephen Goepfert Personal Aide, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President and Trip Director

Travel Pool Report #3 - Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

Air Force One touched down at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Kentucky at 4:06 PM.

Jen Psaki gaggled during the flight, which should have been on https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/ There were no other visitors to the press cabin, where CNN was playing on the televisions.

President Biden exited the plane at 4:18 PM. He shook hands and chatted for several minutes with the Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and his family (full names below) and posed for photos with them. The governor's children were masked. Pool could not hear the conversation.

He entered his car at 4:28 PM. At 4:30 PM the motorcade was rolling. Next item on his schedule is the IBEW / NECA Electrical Training Center.

From the White House:

Upon arrival at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, the President will be greeted by:
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear
Will Beshear (12), son of Andy and Britainy Beshear
Lila Beshear (11), daughter of Andy and Britainy Beshear

Travel Pool Report #4 - Training center

The motorcade arrived at the training center at 5:11 PM after about a 40 minute drive that took us along tree lined highways, across the Ohio River and briefly into Indiana.

As we got closer to the center, people were lined up at intervals along the streets, holding up cell phones, including numerous Trump signs and banners. A few Biden signs were spotted.

Pool did not see President Biden enter. We are now holding inside the center.

From the White House:

Upon arrival at IBEW / NECA Electrical Training Center, the President will participate in a photo line with:
Mayor John Cranley, City of Cincinnati
Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas, Hamilton County
State Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (Cleveland)
State House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (Akron)
State Senator Cecil Thomas (Cincinnati)
State Representative Catherine Ingram (Cincinnati)
State Representative Sedrick Denson (Cincinnati)
Jason Mischke, President, IBEW Local 212

Travel Pool Report #4 - Tour, took one Q
[APP Note: See comment in Report #7, below, regarding report numbering.]

President Biden toured the electrical training center.

At 5:40 PM he made his first stop in front of a hands-on electrical training station. It's an area with a series of wall mounted displays covered in wires and sockets.

"Where am I supposed to stand?" Biden said as he came in. He was then given an explainer on the training system.

Biden asked about the length of apprentice training. Pool was moved to next stop at 5:43 PM.

Second stop was in a space with fire alarms and other devices on the walls, along with some "Build Back Better" signs. Biden came in at 5:45 PM and heard from an apprentice about his training experience.

Biden asked if the systems were commercial.

Pool was moved at 5:47 PM to the third stop, a room labeled Industry Partners Room, a room with large wooden tables with electrical equipment on them. Biden entered at 5:50 pm.

"What are we doing here," he asked and heard about wiring training from an apprentice and an instructor.

Biden said "unions are the best" when it comes to training, saying they "built the middle class."

Biden said that without electricians the country would "come to a halt."

He asked about how many students learn there and the nature of the training. He noted that apprentices work and train.

As he left he took one shouted question on whether he will get an infrastructure deal and he said "yes we will."

More details on the tour and the participants from the White House:

The IBEW/NECA Electrical Training Center will take in 120 apprentices this year. The electrical apprenticeship program runs for 5 years, which covers full-time work and two nights of classroom work each week.

Participating in the tour of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Training Center:
Rick Fischer, Business Manager, IBEW Local 212 (tour guide)
Robert Guthrie, Instructor and IBEW Local 212 Journeyman Wireman (stop 1)
Nicholas Patton, Apprentice (stop 1)
Jerry Mahoney, Instructor and IBEW Local 212 Electrician (stop 2)
Stephen Randolph, Apprentice (stop 2)
Dan McCarthy, Instructor and IBEW Local 212 Journeyman Wireman (stop 3)
Courtney Groeschen, Apprentice (stop 3)

Stop 1: Motor Control Training Area

Robert Guthrie and Nicholas Patton will give an overview of the motor control system and the training that apprentices receive. Motor control systems are installed in major industrial buildings, such as water treatment plants, production factories, and manufacturing plants, where they are used to control machines that produce products. Apprentices learn how to install, maintain, and troubleshoot these systems.

Stop 2: Fire Alarm System Training

Jerry Mahoney and Stephen Randolph will give an overview of the fire alarm systems and the training that apprentices receive to install and maintain these systems. When fire detection and smoke alarms get to a building, electricians must program these devices and connect them to the overall system of wires that run back to a fire alarm panel.

Stop 3: Industry Partner Room

Dan McCarthy and Courtney Groeschen will give an overview of the class conducted in this room, where apprentices learn to wire motor controls based on schematics provided by the instructor. This class is taken by fourth-year apprentices and once they master the basic wire schematics, they graduate to working on more complex motor control trainers that we visited earlier in the tour.

Travel Pool Report #5 - Rolling

The president's motorcade pulled out of the

Union training center at 6 PM and is rolling. Next on his public schedule is the CNN town hall.

Travel Pool Report #7 - university arrival

Motorcade arrived at Mount St. Joseph University at 6:09 PM. Pool did not see POTUS enter.

Pool is now holding in a small auditorium.

Note: this is the seventh pool report. I mistakenly sent out two with the number four. Apologies.

Travel Pool Report #8 - Gathering for spray

Pool has been holding in a separate room but is now moving for a spray of the CNN town hall. Pooler will send any color about the room, as the event is being taken live.

Travel Pool Report #9 - CNN spray

Pool was brought into the room at 8:18 PM.

The auditorium, which has blue seats and blue and white walls, is about a third full, with the audience in the first 10-12 rows.

Huge applause for Biden when he promised to "fix that damn bridge of yours." He got applause again when he spoke about how Democracies need to function.

Pool was brought down to the front of the stage briefly during the commercial break. Biden waved and smiled at the crowd and sat down for a moment. One person yelled "we love you!" Another called out "fix the bridge!"

Massive applause in the room on the return from break.

Pool was ushered out at 8:45 PM.

As pool was brought over we could hear some protesters outside on the street chanting "we are the pro life generation."

Travel Pool Report #10 - Leaving University

The president's motorcade left the university following the CNN town hall at 9:37 PM. Now en route back to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

From the White House:

Before departing, the President will greet with Dr. H. James Williams, President of Mount St. Joseph University, and Carole Campbell Williams, First Lady of Mount St. Joseph University.

Travel Pool Report #11 - Back to Airport, brief gaggle

The president's motorcade arrived at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport at 10:12 PM.

Some people and some Trump signs were visible on the dark route back.

President Biden exited the motorcade at 10:15 PM. Took a few Qs. Partial quotes below. Please check feed/transcript for full quotes.

On McConnell's comments today on the debt limit he said he is "hoping" is not the case."

On Nord Stream 2 he said it is "99 percent finished" and nothing was going to stop it. He also said there was a "commitment" from Germany to respond to Russia if necessary. And said he had a "fruitful exchange" with Merkel.

he said "Very very very few people" who are vaccinate her breakthrough covid cases.

And on Jan 6: "I think the American public can't not understand what happened"

We will be wheels up for DC shortly.

Travel Pool Report # 12 - Return to Andrews

Air Force One was wheels down at 11:24 PM after an uneventful flight with no visitors to the press cabin.

President Biden exited at 11:38 PM. He boarded Marine One and was on the way at 11:42 PM.

Handing over to in town pool. Thanks to co-pooler Aurelia End.

Fuller quotes from the gaggle below. Again check feed/transcript as he was hard to hear all of it.

On McConnell saying that GOP won't vote to raise debt limit:

"I was hoping that wouldn't be the case."

"The last four years they've just extended it"

"Couple of very difficult decisions that have to be made"

On Republicans/Fox changing commentary on vaccine:

"I thank them for it."

"Hopefully it will have an impact."

Nord Stream:

"Nord Stream is 99 percent finished. The idea that anything was going to be said or done that was going to stop it is not possible. I had as you know a very very fruitful discussion with Angela Merkel. She's working and the German government on commitments that suggest that if in fact Russia takes pains to deliberately inflict pain on Ukraine and other countries, they will respond."

To vaccinated Americans who get Covid:

"There are very, very, very, very, very, very few people."

On Jan 6 Commission and if it could be perceived as partisan:

"No, because I think the American public, as I said tonight, can't not understand what happened."

In-Town Pool Report #1: Gathering

Good afternoon from the White House! I'll be your in-town pooler for today. No changes to the schedule, with POTUS set to depart the White House for JBA at 2:25pm. There will be a gaggle with Psaki aboard AF1.

Your pooler was COVID tested and pool is gathering now at 2:05pm, ahead of POTUS departure. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

In-Town Pool Report #2: Update

No change to the schedule given, but pool still waiting? to head to South Lawn as of 2:34pm.

In-Town Pool Report #3: POTUS Departure

?POTUS exited the Oval at 2:41pm.

He waved but did not take shouted questions from the pool. POTUS yelled something brief to pool as he walked but he was too far away for anyone to hear.

Boarded at 2:43pm and wheels up at 2:46pm. Handing off to out of town until POTUS arrival later tonight.

Background from WH:

Traveling with the President on Marine One:
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Cedric Richmond, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Daleep Singh, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President?

In-Town Pool Report #4: Gathering for arrival

A late good evening from the White House — Pool is currently gathering for POTUS arrival.

In-Town Pool Report #5: POTUS Arrival

?POTUS touched back down at the WH at 11:53pm. He departed at 11:55pm and took a question from the pool on whether the Democratic Party wants to defund police. POTUS said he's the democratic party and doesn't want to defund police.

When asked if anyone in the party wants to defund police, he asked if any republicans believe we're sucking the blood of children (will confirm this quote….)

From the WH:

Returning with the President on Marine One:
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Cedric Richmond, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Daleep Singh, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

In-Town Pool Report #6: Clarification on question asked and potus answer

Question: a clarification, no one in the Democratic Party is anti police? I know that you have said that you don't want to defund the police…

POTUS: I didnt say that. I said that is not the Democratic party's position. Okay, I'm the Democratic Party.

Fuller quote TC

In-Town Pool Report #7: Lid/Fuller quote on blood comment

Lid at 12:07pm

POTUS said "we are not defunding the police." when asked a second question on if there are those in the party who want to defund the police, said: "are there people in the Republican Party who think we're sucking the blood out of kids?"

Otter link, please email if it doesn't work:

https://otter.ai/u/rEpj1mh0CdA2hHVH1IRGnrXDxmo