Pool Reports of December 23, 2021

In-town pool report #1 -- two minutes to briefing

The White House gave a two-minute warning for Jen Psaki's briefing at 12:05 pm

It's expected to be Psaki's last briefing of the year.

In-town pool report #2 -- briefing starts

Psaki started her briefing at 12:07 pm

In-town pool report #3 -- briefing ends

The press briefing ended at 12:36 pm

In-town pool report #4 -- lunch lid

The White House called a lunch lid until 3pm

In-town pool report #5 -- gathering for bill signing

The pool is gathering for the president's bill signing event in the South Court Auditorium.

From today's guidance:

3:30 PM THE PRESIDENT signs into law H.R. 3537, the "Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act"; the Secretary of Health and Human Services attends
South Court Auditorium
In-House Pool and Pre-Credentialed Media (Gather 3:15 PM – Stakeout Location) [RSVP here by 12:00 PM]

In-town pool report #6 -- two minutes to bill signing

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

In-town pool report #7 -- bill signing event begins

POTUS entered the South Court Auditorium at 3:31 pm

The event is being streamed live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY1QNOrQ2pA

In-town pool report #8 -- event ends, no questions

POTUS, reading from a teleprompter, spoke at a lectern in front of a video screen that showed live feeds of lawmakers and people affected by ALS watching the event from around the country. One woman appeared to be watching from her car.

After his remarks, the president sat at a desk next to the lectern and signed the bill.

"God willing, have a happy holiday," Mr. Biden told the virtual attendees.

He left the auditorium at 3:42 pm. He did not take questions.

The White House provided the following list of people who attended the event virtually. They were not in the room:

In attendance for the signing of H.R. 3537, the "Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act," are members of the Biden-Harris Administration, Members of Congress and Congressional staff, and individuals living with ALS, caregivers and advocates. Attendees include:

Secretary Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services
Senator Chris Coons (DE)
Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Representative Anna Eshoo (CA-18)
Representative Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01)
Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05)
Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06)
Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)
Dr. Reynolds Archer, Legislative Director, Representative Jeff Fortenberry
Allison Jarus, Chief of Staff, Representative Mike Quigley
Meghan Taira, Legislative Director for Leader Schumer, Father died of ALS
Brian Winseck, Legislative Director for Senator Coons, Father died of ALS
Nicole Cimbura, caregiver
Jenny Dwyer, cousin of Senator Lisa Murkowski
James Heywood, Founder, ALS Therapy Development Institute
Ben Heywood, Founder, PatientsLikeMe
Shelly Hoover, living with ALS
Michelle Lorenz, advocate
Alexander Mackler, father passed away from ALS
Lynn Snyder-Mackler, husband passed away from ALS
Sandy Morris, living with ALS
Becky Mourey, living with ALS
Sally Okun, patient advocate & Executive Director, Clinical Trials Transformative Initiative
Deb Paust, surviving caregiver
Mayuri Saxena, living with ALS
Mayank Saxena, caregiver
Dan Tate, living with ALS
Christa Thompson, caregiver
Brian Wallach, living with ALS
Sandra Abrevaya, caregiver
Tom Ward, living with ALS
Mary Ward, caregiver
Fernando Vieira, CEO of ALS Therapy Development Institute

In-town pool report #9 -- lid

Travel/photo lid called at 4:04 p.m.