Tag Archive for: fact

FACT SHEET: $50B+ of U.S. Private Sector Investments into APEC Economies, as well as Private Sector Contributions to Sustainability, Inclusivity, and Resilience

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Under President Biden’s leadership, the U.S. host year of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has demonstrated that the United States is uniquely positioned to drive sustainable, inclusive, dynamic growth in one of the most vibrant and economically important regions in the world.

American businesses are the largest source of foreign direct investment in APEC economies. The United States’ strong and resilient economy remains an indispensable driver of prosperity and innovation across our partners in the Asia-Pacific. Our public and private sectors continue to deliver for APEC economies, catalyzing sustainable, high-quality investments that create good jobs within APEC member economies as well as in the United States.

Many of these investments also advance the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), President Biden and the G7’s flagship infrastructure initiative for leveraging the expertise and financing from the private sector to scale quality investments in low- and middle-income countries to generate economic growth.

Today, U.S. companies represented at the APEC CEO Summit highlighted and announced over $50 billion of investments into APEC economies in 2023. This slate of announcements includes:

  • Nearly $25 billion in additional investments to increase digital connectivity and resilience throughout our region, including new subsea cables—both across the Pacific and within APEC economies—that will result in more than $1 trillion in GDP over the next four years, making our economies more interconnected and secure.
  • 50+ new direct flights per week from the United States to APEC economies to support increased people-to-people & business-to-business ties and trade/shipping; this steep growth in flights marks the largest U.S. airline expansion into the South Pacific in history.
  • Significant investments in a wide range of sustainability and clean energy technologies, including carbon sequestration, grid decarbonization, and sustainable aviation fuel.
  • Trailblazing investments and financings that both drive economic growth and advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s values, including an investment in an environmental…

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FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Executive Order to Strengthen Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Across the Federal Government

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On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. That Order emphasized the enormous human costs of systemic racism and persistent poverty, and provided a powerful and unprecedented mandate for all federal agencies to launch a whole-of-government approach to equity. Over the past two years, agencies have taken historic steps toward ensuring that federal programs are serving the American people in an equitable and just manner and supporting communities that have been locked out of opportunity. Through the implementation of landmark legislation and historic executive action, the Biden-Harris Administration is working to make real the promise of America for everyone—including rural communities, communities of color, Tribal communities, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, women and girls, and communities impacted by persistent poverty.

Despite the meaningful progress that the Biden-Harris Administration has made, the reality is that underserved communities—many of whom have endured generations of discrimination and disinvestment—still confront unacceptable barriers to equal opportunity and the American Dream.  It is imperative that we reject the narrow, cramped view of American opportunity as a zero-sum game. When any segment of society is denied the full promise of America, our entire Nation is held back. But when we lift each other up, we are all lifted up. As the President has said: “Advancing equity is not a one-year project. It’s a generational commitment.”  

To strengthen the federal government’s ability to address the barriers that underserved communities continue to face, today, President Biden signed a new Executive Order, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. This second Order reaffirms the Administration’s commitment to deliver equity and build an America in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.

The Executive Order:

  • Launches a new annual process to strengthen racial equity and support for underserved communities….

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Separating Wi-Fi Security Fact From Fiction

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It seems like with each passing year we depend more and more on Wi-Fi technology. The number of appliances, devices, and gadgets that connect via Wi-Fi continues to rapidly expand, while Wi-Fi networks and Wi-Fi connectivity has become essentially ubiquitous. Interestingly, while our use of Wi-Fi has grown exponentially and Wi-Fi technology has evolved significantly over the past couple decades, there are a number of myths and common misconceptions that are stubbornly persistent.

Today’s Wi-Fi is not invulnerable, but neither is any other networking technology. The problem is that the myths and misconceptions that drive much of the perception of Wi-Fi security are based on partial truths and outdated information. It’s like having a debate about vehicle safety but using arguments that rely on partial data from before seatbelt laws, or before antilock brakes and airbags became standard. Those arguments are meaningless today.

So, let’s examine and debunk the myths.

Wi-Fi Encryption Is Weak

Yes. The encryption standard in early Wi-Fi equipment was exceptionally weak. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption could be cracked in minutes. However, WEP was superseded by WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) in 2003, and current Wi-Fi technology includes WPA3, which uses advanced encryption methods to protect wireless communications from eavesdropping and other types of attacks.

Public Wi-Fi Is Insecure

Almost anywhere you go, you will find a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Every Starbucks and McDonald’s provides free Wi-Fi, and you can find one of those two (or both) roughly every half mile or so. I’m exaggerating—but not by much. Public networks are often unencrypted in order to make it easy for anyone to connect, but all of the devices on the unencrypted network can potentially intercept or view data to and from other devices on the network. WPA3 provides stronger data protection and password security, and establishments can use technologies like Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint and Wi-Fi…

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FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Launches New Initiatives to Strengthen U.S.-Philippines Alliance

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The United States and the Philippines enjoy an alliance and partnership based on deep historical, economic, and cultural ties, and our shared democratic values.  The United States and the Philippines stand together as friends, partners, and allies.  Now and always, the U.S. commitment to the defense of the Philippines is ironclad, and we are committed to strengthening our economic and investment relationship.
 
The Vice President’s travel to the Philippines reaffirms the bilateral alliance and will spur cooperation on a range of issues, including:  advancing clean energy, addressing the climate crisis, promoting inclusive growth and innovation, increasing access to quality education and health resources, combating trafficking in persons, facing common security challenges, supporting freedom of the seas, and deepening people-to-people ties.
 
The Vice President is launching the following initiatives.
 
CLIMATE ACTION, ENERGY SECURITY, AND SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Energy Policy Dialogue: The U.S Department of Energy, U.S. Department of State, and Philippine Department of Energy will establish an Energy Policy Dialogue, a high-level platform for the two nations to develop new forms of energy cooperation, including on short and long-term energy planning, offshore wind development, and grid stability and power transmission.
  • Launching 123 Agreement Negotiations for Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation: The Vice President announced that the United States and the Philippines are initiating negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement (“123 agreement”) to support expanded cooperation on zero-emission energy and nonproliferation priorities.  Once in force, this agreement will provide the legal basis for U.S. exports of nuclear equipment and material to the Philippines. The United States is committed to working with the Philippines to increase energy security and deploying advanced nuclear reactor technology as quickly as safety and security conditions permit to meet the Philippines’ dire baseload power needs.  Such a deployment would support both energy security and climate goals, as well as support workers and businesses in both countries.
  • Critical Mineral…

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