Vice Presidential Pool Reports of March 23, 2024

VP travel pool report #9- departure to Parkland

Good morning,

Vice President Harris is expected to focus on addressing gun violence during a trip to Parkland, FL today.

The pool did not see the VP enter the motorcade on this wet and stormy morning in Ft. Lauderdale. The motorcade began rolling at 11:42 a.m.

The VP will meet with families of those killed during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. She will also walk through the school with them. The VP is expected to give remarks at 3:05 p.m. eastern (to be live streamed at whitehouse.gov/live), including on steps the administration has taken on gun safety and work ahead. (Please see background information below). According to information from a White House official, the VP is expected to announce the launch of a resource center focused on the implementation of red flag laws and call for states to pass/implement such laws.

Your pooler notes the freshman building of the high school had been preserved as evidence since the shooting February 14th, 2018, in which 14 students and three staff members were killed. During the penalty phase trial of the shooter in 2022, a jury viewing was conducted of the 1200 building. A small pool of journalists viewed the building after. Descriptions at the time indicated books, essays, writings on classroom boards and Valentine's day flowers were left in place, amidst shattered glass, bullet holes and blood stains. The building is expected to be demolished following this school year, according to a previous statement from the school district.

More background:

On Background From a White House Official:

On Saturday, March 23, Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Parkland, FL to continue her leadership on addressing the epidemic of gun violence and keeping communities safe.

The Vice President and the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention will meet with families whose loved ones were murdered during the 2018 mass shooting that took the lives of 14 students and three staff members. She will also bear witness while walking through Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with family members, U.S. Representative Jared Moskowitz, State Attorney Harold Pryor, and members of the Broward County State Attorney's Office. Additionally, the Vice President will deliver a statement to press in which she will highlight the historic gun safety measures that the Biden-Harris Administration has enacted, and outline the work ahead to reduce gun violence. Her 2:45 p.m. ET statement to press will be livestreamed atWhiteHouse.Gov/Live [whitehouse.gov].

During the visit, Vice President Harris will make two announcements:

1. The launch of the first-ever National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center, which will support the effective implementation of state red flag laws. This innovative Resource Center will provide training and technical assistance to support states and localities in the implementation of their red flag programs. The Resource Center is funded by a DOJ grant that was made possible by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and is run by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

2. An official call to action for states across the nation to pass red flag laws and use the historic federal funding President Biden and Vice President Harris fought to enact to help implement laws that already exist. The Biden-Harris Administration made $750 million available to implement state crisis intervention programs, including red flag programs, through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. However, only six of the 21 states with red flag laws are currently accessing this funding to implement their red flag laws. The remaining 15 states with red flag laws are strongly encouraged to use BSCA's funding to implement their red flags laws, and the 29 states that do not currently have red flag laws should pass them and use this money for implementation.

As President Biden emphasized [whitehouse.gov] during his State of the Union address earlier this month, the Vice President continues to lead the Administration's work to address the epidemic of gun violence while overseeing the first-ever White House Office [whitehouse.gov] of Gun Violence Prevention. The Office is charged with centralizing, accelerating, and intensifying the Administration's efforts to reduce gun violence. The Vice President also continues to call on Congress to renew the assault weapons ban, pass red flag legislation, and require background checks for all gun sales at a time when guns are the leading cause of death for children in America.

Florida will be the 16th state that Vice President Harris has visited since the beginning of 2024, and this is her 11th trip to the state since being sworn in. Last fall, her nationwide "Fight for Our Freedoms" college tour included a stop at Florida International University where she spoke [whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com] with young leaders about a range of issues including gun violence.

Additional background about the Vice President's record of fighting for the freedom to live safe from gun violence:

Vice President Harris has mourned with families and consoled communities that have been directly impacted by gun violence across the nation – from Buffalo and Highland Park to Nashville, Monterey Park, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh. The stories she heard have only underscored the need for additional action.

• Last month, Vice President Harris participated in a convening of community violence intervention leaders from 21 cities in 17 states across the country. During her remarks [whitehouse.gov], she underscored the role that community violence intervention plays in reducing gun violence and keeping communities safe. She also highlighted the more than $250 million in funding for community violence intervention programs that is a result of the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

• In January, Vice President Harris convened [charlotteobserver.com] a roundtable discussion at a middle school in Charlotte, NC where she announced [whitehouse.gov] an additional $285 million in funding to help schools hire and train mental health counselors. The funding is a result of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which is the single largest investment in student mental health in history and will help to hire and train more than 14,000 school mental health professionals throughout America.

• The Vice President also began the year by announcing [ed.gov] more than $6 million for community violence intervention through the Department of Education. This funding was awarded to seven school districts as part of the Project Prevent grant program, which will support community- and school-based strategies to help prevent and mitigate the impacts of community violence on students, including exposure to gun violence.

• In December, she convened nearly 100 state legislators from 39 states to launch [whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com] the Biden-Harris Administration's Safer States Initiative, which will provide states with additional tools and support to advance commonsense gun safety initiatives and save lives in communities.

• In December, she also met with [twitter.com] Gabby Giffords and gun safety advocate Trevon Bosley to discuss ongoing work to end gun violence.

• In September, she welcomed Grammy-nominated artist Quavo from the hip hop group Migos to the White House for a conversation [youtube.com] about advancing commonsense gun safety policies.

• In August, she headlined [whitehouse.gov] Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund's annual Gun Sense University conference.

• In June, she traveled to Springfield, VA to mark Gun Violence Awareness Day and deliver remarks [whitehouse.gov] calling on young people to continue leading efforts to end gun violence – a message she brought to every campus on her nationwide "Fight for Our Freedoms" college tour [whitehouse.gov] that took place this fall with more than 15,000 students in attendance.

Additional background about the Biden-Harris administration's actions to reduce gun violence:

• In September 2023, President Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is being overseen by Vice President Harris.

• In May 2023, the administration announced [whitehouse.gov] more than a dozen actions to reduce gun violence.

• In March 2023, the President signed [whitehouse.gov] an Executive Order which improved regulation of gun dealers, including clarifying the definition of who is engaged in the business of dealing in firearms in order to increase compliance with the federal background check requirement for firearm sales; promoting extreme risk protection orders; and developing policies designed to ensure the prompt entry of ballistics data recovered in criminal investigations into the national database.

• In June 2022, President Biden signed [whitehouse.gov] the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which enhances background checks for people under 21 by requiring an investigative period to review juvenile and mental health records, invests in mental health services, increases grant funding for implementation of state red flag laws, and protects domestic violence victims by addressing the "boyfriend loophole."

• In March 2021, Vice President Harris cast the tie-breaking Senate vote to advance the American Rescue Plan, which has provided over $15 billion to prevent crime and promote public safety, including through community violence intervention programs and crisis responders.

• The President has also signed more than two dozen executive actions to provide crucial funding and other authorities to help keep guns out of dangerous hands.

Additional background about the Vice President's record on combatting gun violence prior to being sworn in:

• As District Attorney, Vice President Harris prosecuted homicide cases and saw first-hand the devastation of gun violence. She also invested in community violence intervention efforts by championing Community Response Networks.

• As Attorney General of California, Vice President Harris worked to get illegal firearms off the street and to prosecute gun trafficking.

• As Senator, Vice President Harris co-sponsored several pieces of gun safety legislation, including an assault weapons ban.

For reference, here is the weekend guidance from the VP's office:

WEEKEND GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2024 AND SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2024
Saturday, March 23

At 12:30 pm ET, the Vice President will meet with families whose loved ones were murdered during the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, FL that took the lives of 14 students and three staff members. This meeting will be closed press.

At 1:45 pm ET, the Vice President will bear witness while walking through Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with family members. This will be closed press.

At 3:05 pm ET, the Vice President will deliver a statement to press in which she will highlight the historic gun safety measures that the Biden-Harris Administration has enacted, and outline the work ahead to reduce gun violence. These remarks in Parkland, FL will be pooled press, open to pre-credentialed media, and livestreamed at WhiteHouse.Gov/Live.

At 4:05 pm ET, the Vice President will participate in a moment of silence at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School memorial. This will be pooled press.

At 4:55 pm ET, the Vice President will depart Fort Lauderdale, FL en route to Washington, DC. This departure from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport will be pooled press.

At 7:05 pm ET, the Vice President will arrive at Joint Base Andrews. This arrival in Washington, DC will be pooled press.

Sunday, March 24

The Vice President will be in Washington, DC and has no public events scheduled.

VP travel pool report #10- Parkland arrival

The VP’s motorcade arrived at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The pool saw the VP enter the school at 12:26 p.m.

The VP is expected to meet with families and walk through the school, both moments are closed press

The ride out of Fort Lauderdale was rainy, past onlookers along the route and cruise ship terminals.

The pool is now holding.

VP travel pool report #11- holding

A note to acknowledge the pool is still holding, your pooler will update with any further guidance on timing of remarks when available.

VP travel pool report #12- remarks timing

The VP's remarks are now estimated to begin at 4:30 p.m.

As a reminder, they will be livestreamed at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

VP travel pool report #13- remarks in Parkland

The pool was led into a school gym at 3:58 p.m., past the 1200 building where the mass shooting took place in 2018. A fence with a banner with the school's logo on it surrounds the building.

Your pooler was told the VP met with ten families today.

Family members of 8 students and staff killed in the 2018 mass shooting later entered the gymnasium, most holding photos of their loved ones.

The VP entered the room at 4:24 p.m.

She started by thanking the families for their courage and bravery, turning to look at them at times during her remarks.

"I do believe we have a duty to remember and to bear witness to what happened here. It is extraordinarily tragic."

"These were beautiful people who I've come to know through their family members. They are so much bigger and more than statistics. They should be so much bigger and more than subject to politics or gamesmanship," describing them each as heroes in different ways.

The VP then spoke about the prevalence of gun violence. She said she spoke with the families about the fact that one if five families had a loved one who has died because of gun violence.

"What I saw then here after I spent time with the families during the walk through of the building where these crimes occurred is a moment frozen in time. High school classrooms," she said noting the desks were still in the same configuration from that day. She described the laptops and snacks still there.

The VP then addressed the trauma for families, "those injuries that in acts of violence like this are seen obvious and also invisible."

The VP said "we must do better."

She called the families extraordinary advocates, noting things like the construction of schools for emergencies and technology involved.

She then turned to talk from the perspective of the office of gun violence prevention, noting steps the administration has taken before focusing on flag laws.

"Part of why I'm here today is to challenge every state to pass a red flag law," she said.

Harris also announced the launch of a national resource center for red flag laws, specifically in part to provide training for local leaders. She noted she will continue to advocate for things like universal background checks and banning assault weapons. She called some steps "no brainers." She also acknowledged the families work to change legislation.

"This school is soon going to be torn down but the memory of it will never be erased," Harris said, noting the courage of families as a level of motivation to do more.

The VP concluded her remarks at 4:38 p.m. before speaking with each family individually. She left the gym at 4:39 p.m. Please check quotes against the audio.

Your pooler also spotted Greg Jackson, deputy director of the office of gun violence prevention, speaking with family members.

The families in attendance for remarks included (as provided by the VP's office):

Tony and Jennifer Montalto
Anne Ramsay
Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg
Tom and Gena Hoyer
Max Schachter
Phil and April Schentrup
Debbie and Tommy Hixon
Terri Robinovitz (grandmother of victim Alyssa Alhadeff)

Your pooler notes these are relatives of:
Gina Montalto
Helena Ramsay
Jaime Guttenberg
Luke Hoyer
Alex Schacter
Carmen Schentrup
Chris Hixon
Alyssa Alhadeff
The pool is now holding for a moment of silence.

VP travel pool report #14- moment of silence and correction

Your pooler notes the correct spelling is Schachter and apologizes for the typo. (Max Schachter, the father of Alex Schachter was among those standing behind the VP).

The VP next took part in a moment of silence at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School memorial.

She entered the memorial at 5:23 p.m. by herself.

The memorial includes a low brick wall in a half circle, with photos of each of the 14 students and three staff members killed, with writing under the photos and a rose placed beneath. There are four benches in the garden area between the school's buildings. The VP was silent as she stopped at each photo.

The VP left the area around 5:25 p.m.

Your pooler did not see her enter the motorcade. The motorcade is rolling at 5:30 p.m.

VP travel pool report #15- departure

The VP's motorcade arrived back to the airport at 6:00 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale (which is now sunny and clear) after an uneventful ride.

The VP departed the motorcade at 6:03 p.m. and waved at press before boarding AF2.

AF2 is rolling at 6:12 p.m. Please consider this your wheels up.

VP travel pool report #16- JBA arrival

AF2 touched down at Joint Base Andrews 8:05 p.m. The VP disembarked at 8:20 p.m. and entered her motorcade.

With that, please consider this a good evening from your pooler.