Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 10, 2021

VP Pool Report #1: Pooler at JBA + Background on Hampton Event

Good morning,

It's a bright sunny day. A little on the chilly side as we approach the end of the summer.

Your pooler for Vice President Harris' visit to Hampton University has received her covid test and arrived at Joint Base Andrews. She is now awaiting wheels up.

The pool is now holding for the VP's arrival and our flight departure.

Additional color about today's events:

Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to tour facilities at Hampton University and participate in a roundtable with students. The focus of today's trip is to promote STEM education at the legacy Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as part of the White House's National HBCU Week.

President Biden announced on Wednesday his intent to appoint Dr. Tony Allen as the Chair of the President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs.

The Board will advance the goal of the HBCU Initiative, established by the Carter Administration, to increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education to its students and continue serving as engines of opportunity.

More to come.

VP Pool Report #2: VP arrival and soon departure

The Vice President arrived at JBA at 9:57 and was greeted by Lt Col Rob Chance, Director of Staff, C-37A/B Aircraft Commander. The pool gathered at the hanger for Air Force 2 at 9:35and boarded the aircraft at 10:01.

VP Pool Report #3: Arrived at PHF airport

Air Force 2 touched down at Newport News/Williamsburg Airport - Patrick Henry Field (PHF) at 10:42. The Vice President and the pool are in route to Hampton University.

No remarks while I'm the air, but the VP came to the back cabin to chat with the pool off the record for approximately 5 minutes.

VP Pool Report #4: Arrived at Hampton University (slight correction)

Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D-VA-2) and Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck greeted the VP at PHF just before she entered the motorcade at 10:58. The VP spoke with both for several minutes on the tarmac.

Apologies for the false start on our en route time. The VP and pool left at 11:00.

The Vice President arrived at Hampton University at 11:17. A few people waited at the front gate and outside buildings to wave to the motorcade. A huge crowd of students greeted the motorcade closer to the heart of campus.

As mentioned in the first pool report, Vice President Harris will tour facilities on campus and participate in a roundtable with students.

VP Pool Report #5: VP remarks during tour

On the tour, the Vice President saw the Lidar Lab with Pat McCormick and Dr. James Russell, the roof of the university with Dr. Kunio Sayanagi and Direct Severe Weather Forecasting Data Laboratory with Dr. Moore.

During the tour, the VP noted four satellites Hampton currently has in space. She was also presented with a conversation on atmospheric changes and a connection to climate change. The VP nodded and asked if Russell's hypotheses on the changes. She also inquired about a spacecraft model on a table set in front of her.

"It's part of the pride of our county," Vice President Harris said about a telescope to one of the scientists on the first leg of the tour.

The VP walked up to the top of the telescope to get a better look while on the rooftop. After the rooftop, the VP learned about the Hampton University Center for Research and Education.

Three of the former students of HU:CARE are full time NASA employees.

I'm the lab, the VP reviewed the projection of Hurricane IDA and wind power research that the university is doing in collaboration with Dominion.

The VP said the work is "outstanding."

Tour participants include:
-Congresswoman Elaine Luria
- Dr. Pat McCormick, Member, Hampton University Center for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS)
- Dr. James Russell, Member, Hampton University Center for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS)
- Dr. Kunio Sayanagi, Associate Professor, Hampton University
- Dr. William Moore, Associate Professor, Hampton University
- Jordan Lyles-Holly, Hampton University student (tourguide)

The upcoming roundtable event will be livestreamed by White House. More details on the roundtable to come.

VP Pool Report #6: Roundtable comments + event concludes

The Vice President highlighted in her opening statements sat in between Vince Evans and Hampton student Jonathan Nash. The university hosted the Vice President at a student desk complete with the seal of the Vice President.

Hampton university signage surrounded the round table participants as well posters fir the 2021 National HBCU Week Conference: Exploring Equity.

I'm the VP's remarks she emphasized a "new era" she believes is in our midst. She discussed the newest of climate change, the pandemic and diverse leadership. Main highlights in the opening remarks featured acknowledgement/praise of Hampton's partnership with NASA and shoutouts to Mary Jackson, who was a Hampton grad and American mathematician and aerospace engineer at NASA.

"HBCUs are not only competing but they're leading," the Vice President said. "If we are to invest in the strength of our nation we must invest in our HBCUs."

The event is being livestreamed. Please check quotes with official transcript.

VP Pool Report #7: Roundtable ends, motorcade departs campus and Wheels up at PHF.

The roundtable ended at 12:46.

Here are the participants of the roundtable:
- Vince Evans, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement & IGA for the Vice President (moderator)
- Amanda Harvey, Hampton Student
- Aaron Jones, Hampton Student
- Kayla Patterson, Hampton Student
- Madison Stampley, Hampton Student
- Schyler Turner, Hampton Student
- Jonathan Nash, Hampton Student

The VP met with students in the James T. George School of Business during a surprise drop in at 1:20. Just as the VP was speaking with students at the roundtable, Virginia passed its Voting Rights Act. This is the first such legislation to pass in a southern state. The Vice President stressed the importance of equal access to the ballots during the surprise visit.

"Dont not let anyone ever take your power from you," the Vice President urged students. "part of your power is your power to vote."

Renaldo St. James II an Atlanta senior shared his appreciation of the VPs visit from across the room.

The VP also greeted students who waited outside to see her just before jumping in the motorcade.

The pool left the University at xx and arrived at PHF at 1:40.

On Background

National HBCU Week:
On Friday, September 3, President Biden signed a proclamation to acknowledge September 5-11, 2021 as National HBCU Week, which has included a series of events and opportunities for federal agencies, private sector companies and philanthropic organizations to engage with HBCUs.

As a prelude to HBCU Week, President Biden also signed an executive order establishing the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Opportunity, and Excellence through HBCUs which will create a government-wide approach to support the needs of HBCUs and the communities they serve and eliminate systemic barriers impeding HBCU participation in Federal programs.

This week, the White House Initiative on HBCUs is hosting the National HBCU Week Conference with virtual events including President Biden, Vice President Harris, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, White House Senior Advisor Cedric Richmond, NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and HBCU students and administrators from across the country.

Today, the Vice President, the first HBCU graduate to serve in the office, closes out the week with a visit to Hampton University to tour the Center for Atmospheric Sciences and hold a roundtable on STEM education to stress the importance of science, technology, engineering and math as fields of study at HBCUs. Hampton University supports cutting-edge STEM research and spotlights the Administration's proposal to invest in HBCU Research and Develop infrastructure to train the next generation of STEM professionals. As the Chair of the National Space Council, the Vice President is interested in learning how the students and faculty at Hampton utilize space science to address today's problems, including severe weather and climate change.

Commitment to HBCUs:
The Biden-Harris Administration has proposed approximately $239 million in new institutional aid funding for HBCUs in the Department of Education budget for next year, including $72 million in new discretionary funding for HBCUs. In addition, the Administration has proposed approximately $167 million in new mandatory funding for HBCUs and 2 years of subsidized tuition and expansion of programs in high-demand fields at HBCUs.

In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, which provided nearly $3 billion in relief funding to HBCUs, including $1.6 billion in emergency grants under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund which was announced in July 2021. Lastly, the Biden-Harris Administration provided approximately $1.6 billion in debt relief to 45 HBCUs (13 public institutions and 32 private institutions) in April 2021.

The Vice President, like President Biden, has long supported increased investment in HBCUs and minority serving institutions as vital engines of opportunity that are instrumental in preparing our nation's future leaders.

VP Pool Report #8: VP returns

The Vice President and the pool have returned to JBA. Our arrival time was 2:39. There are no changes to the VP's schedule.

This concludes the VP pool reports for today.

Also, finally have stable connection to share a picture from today's trip. It's not Reuters or AP but I hope you find this well!