Pool Reports of August 4, 2021

In-Town Pool Report #1: Morning

The weather is warm here at the White House but not at all unpleasant for August. The daily briefing is still slated for 12:30. I am your print pool reporter. Happy Wednesday.

In-Town Pool Report #2: Briefing moved to 12:45pm.

Per the White House just now, the daily press briefing will begin at 12:45pm.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Two Minute Warning on Briefing

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-Town Pool Report #4: Briefing Begins

"Happy Wednesday," White House press secretary Jen Psaki says at the top.

In-Town Pool Report #5: Briefing Ends

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-Town Pool Report #6: Motorcade rolling

The motorcade now rolling to undisclosed location.

In-Town Pool Report #7: Motorcade Arrival

After an uneventful ride, the motorcade arrived at a union hall in Lanham, Maryland.

The White House passes along the following:

The President is visiting Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 Training Facility in Lanham, Maryland. At the Local 5 Training Facility, the President will meet with trainers and apprentices, as well as union members from the United Association.

The President will tour the training facility across three stops: the sand training station, the welding station, and the final assembly station. He will discuss how his Build Back Better agenda prioritizes investing in America’s workers and creating good-paying, high-skill, union jobs across the country.

Background on Local 5

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 is an affiliated Local of the United Association (UA). The Local has been a local of the UA for over 125 years. They currently represent over 1600 members in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Their jurisdiction covers all of Washington D.C, and portions of Maryland and Virginia. Local 5 are predominately plumbers and gas fitters. The projects they work on in the area have included water service at the Pentagon, gas upgrades at the State Department, and mechanical service upgrades on the DC Metro.

Background on Local 5 Training Center

The United Association spends over $100 million annually on training programs efforts involving approximately 100,000 journeymen and apprentices in over 400 local training facilities across the nation.

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 operates the Apprenticeship School in Lanham, Maryland, which accepts 90-120 apprentices each year. The apprentice slots are gauged based upon the contractor projections for the number of skilled plumbers needed on upcoming projects.

Background on the United Association

The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States, Canada (UA) represents over 360,000 union members across the nation. They were established in 1889 and represent members in three basic crafts, including plumbers, steamfitters, and gas fitters.

In Town Pool Report #8: Sand Room

The president arrived in the sand room at 2:49. "Should I jump in?" Biden joked.

Before the plumbing demonstration, he told the instructors and students that "a lot of jobs are coming." Biden is now watching intently.

The two instructors, per White House, are Julius Wright and Jack Schoen.

Pool is being moved to another room for another demo.

In-Town Pool Report #9: No News, Rolling Again

Pool was escorted out of the building at about 3:10 as the president watched students wrenching on sinks and made quite small talk with an instructor. No news.

Before that, Biden visited with a student learning to stick weld. Other students hammered on pipes in the background, and the president could be heard saying again "a lot of jobs are coming," no doubt a reference to the infrastructure package. Otherwise, no news.

Motorcade is now rolling back to the White House.

In-Town Pool Report #10: White House Arrival

Motorists yielded. Cheerful tourists waved. After an uneventful trip, the motorcade arrived back at the White House at 3:40.

In-Town Pool Report #11: Lid

The White House called a lid at 3:43. Have a good one.