Pool Reports of April 21, 2022

Travel pool report 1 - background on POTUS trip to Oregon + Washington

Good morning - I'll be the print pool reporter for President Biden's trip to Portland and Seattle today and tomorrow. Passing along from the press office:

FROM: White House Press Office

DATE: April 21, 2022

RE: Background on President Biden's Visit to Oregon and Washington

On the President's first trip to Oregon and Washington, he will highlight the historic economic growth and nearly 8 million jobs created as a result of his and Congressional Democrats' actions, including the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and his Administration's work to lower costs for American families. The President will call on Congress to pass his plan to lower health care and energy costs. But he's not waiting for Congress to act and will highlight recent actions he's taken to lower costs and give families more breathing room. Those actions from just the last few weeks include:
• A historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve,
• Extending the use of E15 gasoline,
• Taking 100 actions this year that would save families more than $100 annually on their utility bills,
• Finalizing standards for cars and trucks that will allow drivers to travel further on every gallon of fuel,
• Fixing the family glitch in the ACA,
• Reducing the burden of medical debt,
• Freezing student loan payments through August, and
• Helping 3.6 million student loan borrowers move closer to debt forgiveness.

Background on Portland International Airport Portland International Airport is the largest airport in Oregon, accounting for over 80% of the state's passenger airplane traffic. In 2019, approximately 19.8 million passengers traveled through Portland International Airport.

The airport is a major economic engine for the region, employing approximately 10,000 employees, airline workers, air traffic controllers, facilities workers, technicians, janitors, and retail workers. The airport also supports air cargo trade, such as the shipment of Nike products, semiconductor parts and equipment, and agricultural and seafood from the Pacific Northwest region. Air Cargo has grown more than 19% since 2019, due to the rise of eCommerce during the pandemic.

In addition, the airport helped facilitate the import of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) coming from China during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped the Oregon Health Authority ship testing kits to India.

** EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM EDT, THURSDAY, APRIL 21**

Runway Resilience Project
The airport and the Portland region sit on the Cascadia subduction zone (a tectonic plate fault line), and are at significant risk of experiencing a major earthquake. As part of the airport's resilience planning to ensure emergency support aircraft can get in and out of the region after a major earthquake, the airport has begun design and planning work to upgrade its South runway so that the runway can survive an earthquake. The design is modeled after the runway of the Sendai airport in Japan that survived the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

At the request of Oregon's Congressional delegation, the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus included $3.75 million toward engineering and design work through a FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant.

PDX Next

The Portland International Airport is currently undergoing a major $2 billion improvement program called PDX Next. A core part of PDX Next is an expansion of the airport's main terminal. The PDX Next project will support more than 1,250 direct jobs through design and construction. Over 95% of this work is being performed by union workers. In addition, up to 30,000 workers are expected to contribute to PDX Next projects indirectly through offsite production of materials like beams and flooring. So far, the project has resulted in $80 million across 278 contracts for minority, women, and veteran owned small businesses.

Among the key features of the new main terminal design is a giant, 392,000 square foot roof made out of "mass timber" that is being assembled near the airport and which the President will tour today. Mass timber is an engineered wood product that consists of multiple layers of lumber, joined together to form solid timber panels or beams to create a structurally strong and low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel. The roof was designed, sourced, and built in the Pacific Northwest by 40 Oregon and Washington landowners, mills and fabricators. In fact, some of the wood on the roof was harvested to reduce the risk of wildfires in the region.

Airport Improvement Program (DOT)

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $15 billion in funding for airport infrastructure and improvement projects. This funding is typically dedicated to airport maintenance projects. In 2022 alone, Portland International Airport will receive $20 million in funding from this program to rehabilitate several taxiways at the airport, repave a major runway, and repair escalators, baggage claim, and elevators. According to airport officials, the significant increase in airport funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow them to accelerate projects on their capital plan, completing them faster and at lower cost.

** EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM EDT, THURSDAY, APRIL 21**

Background on Lowering Health Care Costs
Since taking office, the President has taken important steps to lower health care costs and make coverage more affordable and accessible for American families. This includes:
• Enacting the American Rescue Plan, which is saving families that buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act an average of $59 per person per month.
• Opening a Special Enrollment Period at HealthCare.gov during 2021 that allowed 2.8 million Americans to enroll in coverage.
• Running a record-breaking Open Enrollment Period for Affordable Care Act coverage in 2022, bringing total enrollment to 14.5 million.
• Quadrupling the number of in-person assisters available to help people enroll in coverage at HealthCare.gov.
• Facilitating Medicaid expansion in Missouri and Oklahoma, the 37th and 38th states to expand.
• Proposing a rule to fix the so-called "family glitch," so that people will no longer be blocked from ACA coverage if the offered expensive coverage from a spouse or parents' employer.

President Biden has also laid out an ambitious plan to continue to build on the ACA and lower the cost of health care, including prescription drugs. Congress should:
• Extend the American Rescue Plan savings, so that people continue to see low premiums.
• Close the Medicaid coverage gap, so that 4 million people are no longer locked out of coverage because of their state's failure to expand Medicaid.
• Lower prescription drug costs by capping cost sharing for insulin at $35 per month, holding drug companies accountable if they increase their prices faster than inflation, protecting seniors from runaway drug prices by capping Medicare costs to $2,000 per year for drugs purchased at the pharmacy counter, and finally letting Medicare negotiate the price of prescription drugs.

Travel pool report 2 - greetings from JBA

Greetings from JBA, where the travel pool is mustering for POTUS's two-day west coast swing. First stop Portland, Oregon, five-hour flight. See travel pool report 1 for press office background on today and tomorrow events.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre will gaggle aboard AF1 at 1:15 pm EDT, per the schedule. Audio will be live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm0sdeJlkI0

Please send any questions for gaggle before we take off (skedded for 10:40 a.m. EDT).

POTUS remarks on infrastructure at Portland International Airport – skedded for 2:10 PDT/5:10 pm EDT – will be viewable here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMisiej3Fg0

After the airport remarks, POTUS will appear at a DNC fundraiser in Portland. After that, we fly to Seattle, where he will appear at another DNC fundraiser. I have asked DNC comms folks for info on the fundraisers.

Travel pool report 3 - Traveling w/POTUS + JBA greeter

From the press office:

On arrival at Joint Base Andrews, the President will be greeted by:
Col Matthew Jones, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing

Traveling with the President on Air Force One en route Portland, Oregon:
Deputy FEMA Administrator Erik Hooks
Kate Bedingfield, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Emmy Ruiz, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Political Strategy and Outreach
Ali Zaidi, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Climate Advisor
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Liz Jurinka, Special Assistant to the President & Senate Legislative Affairs Liaison

Travel pool report 4 - rolling shortly for Portland

Marine One landed at JBA at 10:37. Potus stepped out at 10:41, saluted JBA greeter. They chatted as they walked toward AF1.

Potus waved to the pool as he approached, turned and walked up the stairs. Saluted military from top of stairs and entered the plane.

We are on big AF1, tail number 28000. Rolling shortly for Portland Oregon.

Travel pool report 5 - Portland arrival

AF1 landed Portland Air National Guard Base at 12:41 PDT.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gaggled mid-flight for about a half hour starting around 1:35 pm EDT. Topics included aid to Ukraine, covid relief funds, Title 42, masks, climate change. WH tech support confirms the audio piped into briefing room and streamed online.

Travel pool report 6 - arrival at Portland airport infrastructure event

Potus emerged from AF1 at 12:55 pm PDT, descended steps, saluted military at bottom, and walked over to receiving line of greeters (listed below) for chats. Too far away for pool to hear. Weather is breezy, partly cloudy, 57 degrees.

Potus close talked with Gov Kate Brown for a bit, each gripping the other's forearms - neither wearing masks - then Potus got into Beast.

Motorcade rolling to airport infrastructure event at 1:10 PDT

From the WH press office:

Greeting the President on arrival at Portland International Airport:

Colonel Christopher Edward Lantagne, Vice Wing Commander, 142nd Wing, Oregon Air National Guard
Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon
Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator (OR)
Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator (OR)
Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Congressman (OR-03)
Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland

Travel pool report 7 - airport infra event

Motorcade pulled up to PDX (Portland International Airport) event at 1:14 pacific

Per the guidance, Potus will be highlighting an infrastructure project aimed at making the airport more earthquake resilient.

We are standing under the timber roof that will be the roof of the airport. There are no walls- we are essentially outside. Posters explaining the project are on display.

Project officials, wearing yellow or orange vests, one in a hard hat, explain the roof project to Potus, who is wearing a blue suit. No one is masked. Potus is told how important federal funds, including a FEMA grant, are to the project.

Oregon political leaders are standing nearby, listening to the presentation.

Everyone lines up for a group photo.

Motorcade is rolling again at 1:31 pm.

Travel pool report 8 - from the press office

In attendance as the President receives an overview of the Portland International Airport Infrastructure Projects:
Dan Pippenger, Chief Operating Officer, Port of Portland,
Kimberly Sutton, Equity in Contracting Manager, Port of Portland (Station 1)
Brad Harrison, Senior Manager of Construction Services, Port of Portland (Station 1)
Christian Schoewe, ZGF Architects (Station 2)
Katrina Day, Senior Project Manager, Hoffman Skanska (Station 2)
Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon
Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator (D-OR)
Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator (D-OR)
Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Congressman (OR-03)
Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. Congresswoman (OR-01)
Peter DeFazio, U.S. Congressman (OR-04)
Kurt Schrader, U.S. Congressman (OR-05)
Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland
Erik Hooks, Deputy Administrator of FEMA

Travel pool report 9 - photo line ID's

From the press office:
In attendance for a photo line with the President:

Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon
Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator (OR)
Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator (OR)
Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Congressman (OR-03)
Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. Congresswoman (OR-01)
Peter DeFazio, U.S. Congressman (OR-04)
Kurt Schrader, U.S. Congressman (OR-05)
Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland
Deborah Kafoury, County Chair
Peter Courtney, President of the Oregon State Senate
Dan Rayfield, Speaker of the Oregon House
Lew Frederick, Oregon State Senator
Travis Nelson, Oregon State Representative

Travel pool report 10 - run of show for POTUS infrastructure event

Motorcade arrived at next venue - a large, semi-open-air hangar-like structure at Portland Air National Guard Base - at 1:37 Pacific. A gigantic American flag is hanging on a wall to one side.

Event began at 1:54 pm Pacific, and can be viewed at WhiteHouse.gov/live

From the press office:

In attendance for the President's remarks on Building a Better America:

Approximately 100-125 invited guests, local elected officials, community leaders, union members, and stakeholders

Run of Show
Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland
Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon
Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. Congresswoman (OR-01)
Kurt Schrader, U.S. Congressman (OR-05)
Peter DeFazio, U.S. Congressman (OR-04)
Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Congressman (OR-03)
Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator (D-OR)
Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator (D-OR)
Lauren Heitzman, Apprentice Electrician, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48
The President

Travel pool report 11 - 2 minute warning

to POTUS remarks, per WH press office.

WhiteHouse.gov/live

Travel pool report 12 - POTUS remarks

POTUS began speaking at 2:35 pm PDT.

A few notable moments - as always, check against transcript:

Talks about the "last guy," who often talked about "infrastructure week." But never got it done.

"America can do big things again, we can do anything we want to do," Biden said. "We must build a better America."

"Here's the deal, it's been much too big and much too long since American has invested in its airports."

"We stopped investing in ourselves, we stopped investing in our people, we stopped investing in America."

"I wrote the original [infrastructure bill] with my own paw." (referring to his time as a senator)

"We're investing $25 billion this year to modernize America."

"I'm calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan innovation bill to speed up the supply chain."

On gas prices: "It's Vladimir Putin's gas price increase."

"We need to declare America's energy independence," he said to applause.

"We have the best workers in the world. Not a joke!"

"Anything's possible in America." "Stop feeling sorry for yourselves, get the hell up, and take this country back." Crowd cheered.

Pool ushered out at 3:00 pm PDT, as remarks were concluding.

Travel pool report 13 - motorcade rolling for fundraiser

Motorcade departed airport event at 3:17 PDT, en route fundraiser for Democratic National Committee at Portland Yacht Club.

Travel pool report 14 - arrival at yacht club

Motorcade arrived Portland Yacht Club at 3:26 pm PDT for DNC fundraiser.

Onlookers en route, including a few people waving anti-Biden and pro-Trump flags. One said "F*** Biden" another said "Trump Won"

Other onlookers just watched, holding up their phones.

From the press office:

The President is attending a DNC Finance Reception hosted by Carol Butler and Win McCormack at the Portland Yacht Club in Portland, Oregon. Joe Boyle is introducing him at the event.

Otter link:

https://otter.ai/u/DaXK4NXBE7Oitfn2EdyhradJ0Es

We are in a medium sized function room, decorated with boating flags and photos. Potus senior aide Bruce Reed spotted off to the side.

Potus entered to applause at 3:35. After intro by Joe Boyle of Columbia Sportswear, Potus began speaking at 3:38. Speaks softly. Two American flags and a large ship's wheel behind him.

"Im here for a simple reason, to say thank you."

Had no intention of running again, he said, then Charlottesville happened. Quotes his predecessor on "good people on both sides," without saying his name.

Starts talking about grandson Hunter, Beau's son: "Daddy wants you to run"

"We're at one of those inflection points in history."

"We all figured out that we had to invest in America", shout out to Sen Ron Wyden, who is present.

Talks about appointing judges and admin officials who are diverse.

"This is not your father's Republican Party."

Talks about Rick Scott's campaign platform, highlights the provision that would require renewing social security and Medicare every five years. "I'll send it to you." Biden said.

Walks around the room, goes off mic. Hard to hear. Talking about the nurses who helped him. Talking about Nato. "The most important thing we have to do to is, how do we keep Nato united"

"we're not going to send a single American Force in Ukraine to start world war three. We're going to give every Ukrainian military capability that they have that we need in order to protect us."

A woman standing near the front is dressed in Ukrainian folk style.

Apologizes for "going on so long". Crowd applauds and cheers.

Talks about Intel adding 13,000 jobs. "We are in a position like no other nation"

I'm getting out more "and making the case for what we've done"

Goes back to mic, back to his script.

Good news is we have 50 senators and VP. "Bad news is we have 51 presidents" and refers to two who have thrown their weight, but does not name check Manchin and Sinema.

Ends remarks at 4:06 pm PDT.

Travel pool report 17 - motorcade rolling to airport

At 4:25 pm PDT we are rolling to Portland Air National Guard Base, en route Seattle.

Travel pool report 18- rolling for Seattle

Motorcade arrived at Portland Air National Guard Base at 4:32 PDT.

Potus was going up the steps into AF1 as pool was running to the plane.

At 4:39 we are rolling for Seattle

Travel pool report 19- Seattle arrival

AF1 landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 5:11 pm PDT.

Travel pool report 20 - greeters/rolling for fundraiser

In a chilly, light rain, Potus stepped out of AF1 at 5:24 pm PDT, saluted at the bottom of the steps, and greeted his greeters. See list below.

We are rolling for next DNC fundraiser at 5:27.

Greeting the President upon arrival at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport:

Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington
Adam Smith, U.S. Congressman (WA-09)
Bruce Harrell, Mayor of Seattle
Jake Simpson, Mayor of SeaTac

Travel pool report 21 - arrival Seattle fundraiser

Motorcade arrived at a private home overlooking Lake Washington at 5:51 pm PDT. En route, Lots of onlookers, waving and smiling and holding up phones.

Pool is holding in vans, and it's now pouring rain. We will be allowed into the event at some point, and will find out whose house this is.

Travel pool report 22 - fundraiser deets

From the Press office:

The President is attending a DNC Finance Reception hosted by Brad Smith and Kathy Surace Smith at the home of Mary Snapp and Spencer Frazer in Seattle, WA.

Travel pool report 23- Potus fundraiser remarks

Host of fundraiser, Brad Smith, is president and vice chair of Microsoft. Spencer Frazer, whose house we are at, owns a specialty knife company. There are beautiful Japanese gardens outside.

We were told to wipe our feet before entering this home.

Inside the house: entire back wall is glass, overlooking the lake. Stunning view. Beautiful art on the walls.

Smith makes introductory remarks, applauds swift job creation, access to vaccines. Applauds civility and compassion Potus brings to Oval Office.

Gov Jay Inslee is here, standing at back of room. Biden senior aide Bruce Reed here as well, leaning on wall off to the side.

Potus begins remarks at 6:29 pm PDT. Speaks rather softly.m, not sure Otter is getting this. Check against transcript:

Says to assembled guests: "Of all the help you've given me, not one has called and asked for a favor."

"I think in the year 2020 and beyond, we're in the battle between democracies and autocracies."

"Xi Jinping doesn't have a democratic bone in his body."

Says Xi called him after winning election, and they spent 3 hours on the phone. Biden pointed out to him that the us is the only country organized on an idea, he says.

Told Xi he wouldn't stop being critical (on human rights).

"Putin thot when we got elected it would be easy to break up nato…. He got exactly what he didn't want"- Finland and Sweden wanting to join nato.

"The Ukrainian people are incredibly brave, incredibly resolved."

Re price of gas and inflation: "people are angry and don't quite know what to do"

"We have not invested in ourselves. America has not invested in America." Speaking of education and infrastructure.

"I'm a capitalist. I think you should be able to make a million, a billion dollars. No joke. … But everybody needs to pay their fair share."

"There's nothing conservative about throwing Disney out of its current posture… over saying gay?"

"We are more united… when we focus on what we have in common"

"If we don't bring it together, what the hell are we gonna do?"

Potus steps away from mic's, leans against a pillar, speaks even more softly.

"We can't afford to lose the house, we can't afford to lose the senate"

"We've gotten a helluva lot done"

"I'm here asking for your help"

Pool ushered out at 6:58.

Travel pool report 24- motorcade rolling

Motorcade is rolling from the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Seattle at 7:45 pm PDT.

Travel pool report 25- RON hotel arrival/lid

Motorcade arrived at the RON hotel at 8:05 pm PDT. We have a travel/photo lid.

In-town pool report #1 -- pool gathering

Good morning. The pool is gathering for the president's remarks on Russia and Ukraine in the Roosevelt Room. The remarks will be carried live here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

I'll send any color from the room.

In-town pool report #2 — POTUS meeting with Ukrainian PM

From the White House:

The President met with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal today ahead of his remarks.

In-town pool report #3 — Two minute warning

Two minute warning to POTUS remarks

In-town pool report #4 — POTUS remarks begin

POTUS entered the Roosevelt Room at 10:01 pm

In-town pool report #5 — POTUS remarks end

Remarks ended at 10:14 pm. He took a few questions. It was carried live

In-house pool report #6 — Biden comments on supplemental

I'm told the feed cut out before he answered question on how much supplemental request to Congress would be

Biden said he has asked the Defense Department to come up with a figure. Will get exact quote asap

WH also clarifies that Biden's meeting with the Ukrainian PM was in person at the WH

In-town pool report #7 — Biden departs, no qs

Biden walked past reporters and waved at 10:23 am. He didn't take questions

He entered Marine One and was wheels up at 10:29 am

Handing off to travel pool. Still working on exact quote on the supplemental question. To be clear: he did not provide a number for how much he would request.

From WH:

Traveling with the President on Marine One from the White House to Joint Base Andrews:

Kate Bedingfield, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Ali Zaidi, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Climate Advisor
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

In-town pool report #8 -- Biden quote on supplemental

Pool asked how much money the president would request in the supplemental request to Congress he said he would send next week.

Biden: "That's being decided now. I'm asking the Defense Department to put together what they think we need. Thank you."

Thanks to fellow poolers for sharing audio and helping me decipher what he said. It was hard to hear.

In-town pool report #8 -- clarification on Biden's Title 42 remarks

The WH sends this along, in response to questions about Mr. Biden's comments about Title 42:

Statement from President Biden:

"I want to clarify that, in comments at the conclusion of my remarks this morning, I was referring to the CDC's mask mandate and there is no Department of Justice action on Title 42."