Pool Reports of March 29, 2022

In-town pool report #1

Good morning. I'll be your pooler on this busy day for Biden. In-house pool call time starts at 10:00 a.m. but in the meantime the WH sends this:

From the WH:

This morning at 09:15 ET, President Biden will convene a call with President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Draghi of Italy, Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom to discuss the latest developments regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine

In-town pool report #2

President Biden's call with French President Macron, German Chancellor Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Draghi, and UK Prime Minister Johnson convened at 09:19 EDT.

In-town pool report #3: Gather for bilateral with PM Lee Hsien Loong

You pooler and other credentialed media are gathered in the briefing room ahead of the bilateral meeting with POTUS and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore in the Oval, followed by their joint press statement, a trip to the Capitol, and finally a bill signing ceremony.

Communications Director Kate Bedingfield will brief at 3:00 p.m.

Will circle back when I'm in the Oval. Here's today's schedule as a reminder:

10:45 AM THE PRESIDENT welcomes Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore to the White House to reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Singapore Strategic Partnership and deepen our cooperation on a range of shared interests, including a free, prosperous, and open Indo-Pacific
Oval Office
Restricted In-House Pool Spray at the Top (Gather 10:35 AM – Brady Press Briefing Room)

12:45 PM THE PRESIDENT and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore make a joint press statement
East Room
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media (Gather 12:35 PM — Palm Room Doors) [RSVP here by 8:00 AM]

2:05 PM THE PRESIDENT pays his respects to Congressman Don Young, the Dean of the House and the longest-serving House Republican in history, as he lies in state
United States Capitol
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media (In-Town Travel Pool Gather 1:3o PM – Palm Room Doors)

4:00 PM THE PRESIDENT signs into law H.R. 55, the "Emmett Till Antilynching Act"; THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT deliver remarks; THE SECOND GENTLEMAN attends
Rose Garden
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media (Gather 3:50 PM — Palm Room Doors) [RSVP here by 10:00 AM]

Briefing Schedule

3:00 PM Press Briefing with Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield

In-town pool report #4: Call concluded

WH sends this along:

President Biden's call with French President Macron, German Chancellor Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Draghi, and UK Prime Minister Johnson concluded at 10:12 EDT.

In-town pool report #5: The real gather

WH has summoned the pool ahead of the bilateral. Again, I'll send a report when I'm in the oval.

In-town pool report #6: in the oval

Pool entered the Oval at 11:25 a.m. and ushered out about 6 mins later at 11:31 a.m. POTUS did not answer questions yelled to him.

POTUS and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong flanked the fireplace. (Photo included)

POTUS opened by saying "this is a critical moment for both our countries…"

"The rule based order is facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's unprovoked and unjustifiable war against Ukraine is an urgent threat to both Europe and I believe, the Indo-Pacific as well, and it's attacking the core tenets of a rule based international order."

POTUS thanked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for a principled leadership in supporting the people in Ukraine."

"You've stepped up every time you've had to."

Before turning the floor over to the prime minister, Biden said the two would talk about: the US-ASEAN relationship, upholding freedom of the seas, promoting return of democracy in Burma, and advanced inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Catch quotes here.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?519112-1/president-biden-welcomes-singapor...

Attendees list:

Participating in the President's bilateral meeting with His Excellency Lee Hsien Long, Prime Minister of Singapore:

U.S. Manifest
The President
T.H. Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce
T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
T.H. Jonathan Kaplan, Ambassador of the United States to Singapore
T.H. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, National Security Council
T.H. Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
T.H. Edgard Kagan, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania, National Security Council
Ms. Henrietta Levin, Director for Southeast Asia, National Security Council

Singapore Manifest
H.E. Lee Hsien Long, Prime Minister of Singapore
H.E. Dr. Vivian Balakrishan, Minister for Foreign Affairs
H.E. Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Trade and Industry
H.E. Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information

In-town pool report #7 Another gather

Pool has gathered at the Palm Room doors for Joint Press statement in East Room.

In town pool report #8 awaiting in East Room

Pool was ushered into the East Room at 1:20 p.m.

In front of the two lecterns where presumably POTUS and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will stand are two rows of seats.

The WH released the joint statement. Join me in reading along.

In-town pool report #9 in the East Room

POTUS and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore entered the East Room at 1:28 p.m.

POTUS, early on, said he's "looking forward to hosting ASEAN leaders here in Washington DC for a special summit this spring."

You can listen/watch along on here:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?519100-1/president-biden-prime-minister-si...

And here's a photo of Biden speaking as the prime minister looks on.

In-town pool report #10: ended and moving quickly along

POTUS and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ended their comments at 1:42 p.m.

"We'll see. I don't read anything into it until I see what their actions are," Biden responded when asked about Russia's announcement that they would cutback operations in Kiev.

We'll see if they follow through with they've suggested."

Pool immediately an quickly gathered in vans to Capitol.

In-town pool report #11: pool rolling

Motorcade and pool rolling at 1:49 pm for a short trip to the U.S Capitol where POTUS will pay his respects to the late Rep. Don Young of Alaska who died March 18, 2021 at the age of 88. Young was the longest-serving House Republican in history where he has served since 1973.

In-town pool report #12: pool holding at Capitol

Pool arrived on the Senate side of the Capitol around 1:54 p.m. This pooler did not see POTUS exit the motorcade.

Traveling with the President to the United States Capitol, per the WH:
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President & Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific
Shuwanza Goff, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs & House Liaison
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Meghan Hays, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Message Planning
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations

In-town pool report #13: pool rolling again

…this time back to the White House. Pool departed the Capitol at 2:18 p.m.

In-town pool report #14: back at the WH

Pool arrived at the WH at 2:23 p.m. Outside of the bystanders along the roadshow, it was an uneventful short trip from the Capitol.

In-town pool report #15 - Two minute warning (briefing)

Send questions for Kate Bedingfield

In-town pool report #16: briefing concluded

Briefing with Kate Bedingfield concluded at 3:51 p.m.

Next up: A ceremonial bill signing of the Emmet Till Antilynching Act scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Your pooler is gathering at the Palm Room doors now for the event that is being held in Rose Garden.

In-town pool report #17: rose garden

The attendees are settling in at the bill signing for the ceremonial bill signing of the Emmet Till Antilynching Act.

About 200 chairs are lines along the grass of the Rise Garden as smooth jazz plays in the background.

At a glance, the pooler sees Reps. Bennie Thompson, Steny Hoyer, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Clyburn, Bobby Rush and Sen. Booker along other members of Congress.

Your pooler will ask for an attendees list.

In-town pool report #18 bill ceremony wrap up

POTUS signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act (excuse the misspelling of EMMETT on previous pool reports) at 4:10 pm surrounded by VPOTUS, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Warnock and a host of other guests.

Your pooler is not very tall and could not see past the many guests standing to take pics during the very quick signing but sharing the photo below anyway.

POTUS spoke first, then Michelle Duster ( the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells) and then VPOTUS

Murmurs of "mmhmm" could be heard by this pooler as POTUS and VPOTUS gave historical accounts of racial injustice incidents involving Till and Ahmaud Arbery.

The ceremony ended around 4:34 p.m POTUS lingered to greet guests and take selfies as jazz renditions of "God Bless America" and "Lean On Me" played in the background.

Joining the President on stage as he signs H.R. 55, the "Emmett Till Antilynching Act" into law:
Vice President Kamala Harris
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (NY-12)
Senator Cory Booker (NJ)
Senator Raphael Warnock (GA)
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-5)
Representative Bobby Rush (IL-1)
Representative Bennie Thompson (Ms-2)
Michelle Duster, Author and the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells
Merrick Garland, Attorney General
Lisa Monaco, Deputy Attorney General
Vanita Gupta, Associate Attorney General

In attendance for the bill signing:
Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior
Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Resources
Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation
Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security
Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative
Shalanda Young, Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Ambassador to the United Nations
Isabella Guzman, Administrator of the Small Business Administration
Senator Dick Durbin (IL)
Senator Alex Padilla (CA)
Senator Tina Smith (MN)
Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (SC-6)
Representative Alma Adams (NC-12)
Representative Colin Allred (TX-32)
Representative Karen Bass (CA-37)
Representative Joyce Beatty (OH-3)
Representative Sanford Bishop (GA-2)
Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE)
Representative Shontel Brown (OH-11)
Representative Cori Bush (MO-1)
Representative G.K. Butterfield (NC-1)
Representative Andre Carson (IN-7)
Representative Troy Carter (LA-2)
Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20)
Representative Yvette Clarke (NY-9)
Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-5)
Representative Danny Davis (IL-7)
Representative Dwight Evans (PA-3)
Representative Al Green (TX-9)
Representative Jahana Hayes (CT-5)
Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)
Representative Steven Horsford (NV-4)
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
Representative Hank Johnson (GA-4)
Representative Mondaire Jones (NY-17)
Representative Robin Kelly (IL-2)
Representative Brenda Lawrence (MI-14)
Representative Barbara Lee (CA-13)
Representative Lucy McBath (GA-6)
Representative Kweisi Mfume (MD-7)
Representative Gwen Moore (WI-4)
Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-10)
Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-5)
Representative Terri Sewell (AL-7)
Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10)
Representative Bennie Thompson (MI-2)
Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
Representative Marc Veasey (TX-3)
Representative Maxine Waters (CA-43)
Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)
Representative Nikema Williams (GA-5)
Representative Frederica Wilson (FL-24)

In-town pool report #19 travel/photo lid

The WH called a travel/photo lid at 5:08 p.m.

Have good evenings, everyone.

Foreign Pool Report #1 Background on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Visit

Good morning!

It's my pleasure to serve as your foreign pooler again for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore's visit to the White House.

Prime Minister's Visits to the White House

Prime Minister Lee visited the White House at least 3 times prior to 2016, but the Prime Minister's visit in 2016 was the very first time in 30 years that a Singaporean Prime Minister had an official state visit to the White House, demonstrating how the U.S. has been trying to "rebalance" or "pivot" to Asia since Obama era. However, the focus of the visit at that time was the TPP, which President Biden does not support as it stands. (I pooled back in 2016 for Prime Minister Lee's state visit).

In 2017, President Trump invited him to visit the White House. During President Trump's visit to Singapore to meet with Chairman Kim of D.P.R.K., he also met with Prime Minister Lee. They met again in 2019 during the U.N. General Assembly, which was Prime Minister Lee's last visit to the US prior to today.

Prime Minister Lee, now 70, will be the very first ASEAN leader to visit Biden's White House.

Statements from Singaporean Embassy

The following statements have been provided to your pooler, courtesy of the Embassy of Singapore in Washington, D.C.:

"Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will make a working visit to the United States from 26 March to 2 April 2022. PM will visit Washington D.C. and New York City. The visit will build on the robust, longstanding and multi-faceted relationship between Singapore and the United States. PM's last visit to the United States was in September 2019.

In Washington DC, PM will meet with US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. PM will have separate meetings with Vice President Kamala D. Harris and other Cabinet Secretaries. PM will also meet senior members of the US Senate and House of Representatives. The meetings will review and discuss ways to further advance our close cooperation in various fields. PM will also participate in a dialogue at the Council on Foreign Relations.

In New York City, PM will meet with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, industry and financial sector leaders, as well as other prominent US personalities.

PM will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo, and officials from the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Communications and Information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry."

In addition to that, the Singaporean Embassy provided the following information as well:

"Minister for Trade & Industry Gan Kim Yong signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Singapore on 28 March 2022 in Washington D.C., on the sidelines of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's bilateral visit to the United States.

Grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the Artemis Accords aim to promote the peaceful, sustainable and beneficial use of space for all humankind. The Accords lay out key principles to guide civil space actors in activities relating to space exploration, science and commerce. "

The White House is touting that today's visit "will reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Singapore Strategic Partnership".

About Prime Minister Lee

President Biden and Prime Minister Lee actually met last year in Rome during the G20 Summit. Prime Minister Lee also met U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris when she visited Singapore last August. President Biden has sent multiple senior officials to Singapore, including Secretaries Austin and Raimondo.

Lee Hsien Loong (Lee is his surname, and Hsien Loong is his given name, and Loong means dragon in Chinese) is the first son of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. As a Harvard alumni, Lee Hsien Loong speaks English, Mandarin, and Bahasa Melayu fluently, and he even studied Russian. He used to serve in the Singaporean military for more than a dozen years before joining the government. He has served as Prime Minister since 2004, and his party, the People's Action Party(PAP), won the general election in 2020. His current term as the Prime Minister will be extended until 2025.

There will be two major topics of discussion during their bilateral meeting – the Ukraine crisis and the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Lee has strongly condemned Russia and cooperated with the United States on this issue, including financial sanctions. In reality, Singapore rarely sanctions any country without U.N. backing. And according to Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, Prime Minister Lee also met Secretary Austin yesterday at the Pentagon for roughly 1 hour. They exchanged ideas about the Ukraine crisis, and the Prime Minister also said, "The U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region is critical to continued peace, stability, and development in the region, and Singapore continues to support the U.S. military presence in Asia." In fact, in 2019, Prime Minister Lee and President Trump renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for another 15 years for U.S.' forces accessing Singapore's air and naval bases, and providing logistic support for transiting personnel, aircraft and vessels. The original MOU was signed in 1990, which supported the U.S. military presence in the region for nearly 30 years.

Foreign Pool Report #2 What Ukraine Means for Asia Pacific

Prime Minister Lee of Singapore arrived at the White House at 11:16 AM, which is roughly 30 minutes behind the original schedule.

Soon after that, the poolers gathered and ushered into the Oval Office around 11:25 AM.

Your foreign pooler noticed that Prime Minister Lee wears not just a blue tie but also a blue shirt, which is Democrats' favorite color. He also put on a lapel pin with both Singapore and the U.S. flags on it. And President Biden wears a lapel pin with a U.S. flag.

They both emphasize the importance of building a strong relation between the U.S. and ASEAN countries.

They both talked for roughly 2 minutes, Prime Minister Lee said specifically, "we will of course exchange views also on Ukraine and what that means for Asia Pacific region".

And he called for the U.S. continues "to deepen its relationship with countries in Asia Pacific. China, certainly. But also other countries, besides China. And deepen it substantially in many different ways through Indo-Pacific Strategy. In doing so, to foster the peace, stability, and security, as you have done for so many decades." As always, please check against the official transcript.

Your pooler was ushered out right away. Both leaders did not take any question. And the wranglers said they will have a joint press "statement", which means they will unlikely take questions, which is confirmed by the Singaporean side as well.