First Lady Pool Reports of May 17-18, 2023

FLOTUS Pool Report 1 - Bethel, Alaska

The jet carrying First Lady Jill Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland touched down in Bethel, Alaskaat 5:39 p.m.

Minutes later, Biden exited first, waving to reporters as she stepped outside the plane and onto the mobile stairway. The wind was strong and chilly, with temperatures in the low 40s.

The first lady and secretary were greeted by three Alaska Native women, Rep. Mary Peltola, and First Lady of Alaska Rose Dunleavy and the mayor of Bethel, Rose "Sugar" Henderson.

Biden hugged each of them warmly, and they were soon greeted by Haaland.

REPORTABLE BACKGROUND FROM THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY

On Wednesday, May 17th, First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Bethel, Alaska to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration's historic investments to expand broadband connectivity in Native American communities, including Alaska Native communities in Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (Y-K Delta). These investments were made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and are part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The Y-K Delta is one of the last regional hubs of Alaska without fiber optic connectivity, and internet access in the region is very limited.

Dr. Biden's visit will be the first visit to Bethel by a First Lady of the United States. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, U.S. Representative Mary Peltola, and First Lady of Alaska Rose Dunleavy will join the First Lady.

To date, the Biden Administration has awarded $386 million in Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) grants to 21 projects throughout Alaska, with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2021. In 2022, the Biden Administration awarded about $125 million in funding to two broadband infrastructure deployment projects in the Y-K Delta: the Airraq Network and the Alaska FiberOptic Project.

Arrival and Event at Bethel Regional High School

Upon arrival at the Bethel Airport, the First Lady and Secretary Haaland will greet Rep. Mary Peltola, First Lady of Alaska Rose Dunleavy, and Mayor of Bethel Rose Henderson.

The First Lady, Secretary Haaland, Rep. Peltola, and the First Lady of Alaska will then proceed to Bethel Regional High School to greet local leaders and learn more about the experiences of those living in Bethel and communities in the Y-K Delta. Afterwards, Dr. Biden, Secretary Haaland, First Lady Rose Dunleavy, and Rep. Peltola will deliver remarks.

Speaking program:

• Ana Hoffman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bethel Native Corporation
• First Lady of Alaska Rose Dunleavy
• U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
• U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola
• First Lady Jill Biden
• Performance from Ayaprun Elitnaurvik students

As part of his Investing in America agenda, President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is Delivering in Alaska and Native American Communities
The Biden-Harris Administration has hit the ground running to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and it is already delivering results for the people of Alaska.

To date, $3.9 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Alaska with over 885 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $2.5 billion has been announced for transportation – to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports – and roughly $386 million has been announced for clean water. And, as of today, more than 16,000 households across the state are receiving affordable high-speed internet due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Many more projects will be added in the coming months, as funding opportunities become grant awards and as formula funds become specific projects. By reaching communities all across Alaska – including rural communities and historically underserved populations – the law makes critical investments that will improve lives for Alaskans and position the state for success. Read more on how President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering in Alaska HERE.

To date, more than $4.4 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Tribal communities. Last year alone, Tribes received more than $1.6 billion for transportation and broadband to invest in highspeed internet, roads, bridges, and public transit—plus over $2.8 billion for clean water and sanitation improvements. Many more projects will be added in the coming months, as more funding opportunities become grant awards, and as the formula funds allocated to Tribes turn into specific projects. The law provides more than $13 billion in funding to directly support Tribal communities and makes Tribes eligible to apply for or request billions more in discretionary, formula, and other types of awards. By the time implementation is complete, the law will have made the largest single investment in Tribal infrastructure ever in United States history. Read more on how President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering in Native American communities HERE.

As First Lady, Dr. Biden has been an advocate for Tribal communities and has highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to Tribal Nations and Native communities, including the following engagements:

• November 2022: The First Lady hosted the first White House reception in honor of Native American Heritage Month with Secretary Haaland. Attendees included Tribal leaders; Native state and local elected officials, artists, writers, athletes, education and health care advocates, and business leaders; and Native youth who participated in the White House Tribal Youth Forum at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the day before.
• March 2022: The First Lady and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra visited the San Xavier Health Clinic, a primary care outpatient clinic on the Tohono O'odham Nation, as part of the Biden Administration's Cancer Moonshot. Dr. Biden met with Tribal health care leaders about the Tohono O'odham Nation's cancer program and services.
• December 2021: The First Lady and Secretary Haaland visited the Cherokee Immersion School on the Cherokee Nation to highlight the importance of – and the Biden Administration's support for – Native language revitalization efforts. Dr. Biden met with students and educators and heard about the Tribe's Cherokee language revitalization programs.
• November 2021: The First Lady delivered remarks on Native language revitalization at the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit. She was introduced by several Native youth, who spoke in their Native languages.
• October 2021: The First Lady and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan to hold a listening session on youth mental health and meet with families and educators.
• July 2021: The First Lady visited the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in Anchorage, Alaska, to hear about how it serves Alaska Natives who live in Anchorage and in communities across the state. Dr. Biden was briefed on ANTHC's role in the COVID-19 response and vaccination effort, as well the role of telehealth in Alaska – particularly rural communities.
• April 2021: The First Lady visited the Navajo Nation. She gave a radio address to the Nation from Window Rock, met with Navajo women leaders, held a listening session with Navajo students, and thanked frontline workers at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

FLOTUS Pool Report 2 - Bethel, Alaska

Dozens of Bethel residents pulled their cars and trucks over along the Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway to wave and take pictures as Jill Biden's motorcade passed, on its way to the Bethel high school from the airport. Two men and a dog stood atop a four-wheeler, cell phone aloft. Three people along the road held a sign that said, "Welcome, Dr. Jill Biden"

The high school gym was packed with hundreds of people, who gave the first lady a standing ovation when she arrived. People held up signs that said things like, "We heart Jill Biden" and "Welcome from Eek!" referring to a village in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region.

Following a prayer in Yup'ik, local leaders and the Alaska Native women who'd greeted Biden at the airport spoke before Biden did. They discussed some of the major concerns in the region beyond dropped calls and internet outages, including the salmon crash that's impacting the region's most important subsistence food, and the lack of running water and sewer in many communities.

Biden's speech was punctuated with applause and cheers from the crowd. At times she strayed slightly from her speech to wave and smile at audience members who were especially boisterous or hoisted signs, including one that said "We love FLOTUS."

She said she loved the name for the local Airraq Network, one of the major federally funded broadband projects in the region that's named after a Yup'ik string game that's used to tell stories, something akin to cat's cradle.

When her speech ended, local leaders presented Biden with a stylish red kuspuk with white strips on the collar and waist. The traditional pullover garment with big pockets is worn across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. She stood by smiling as the members of a traditional dance group from the local Yup'ik immersion school performed a last tribute to close out the program. Dozens of residents approached a secured area near the stage to greet her as she made her way out the gym before heading back to the airport.