Readout of Vice President Biden's Meeting with the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani

Earlier today, the Vice President met at the White House with the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.  They discussed developments in the Middle East and the enduring partnership between the United States and Qatar.  The two leaders reaffirmed their support for the historic changes sweeping the region.  The Vice President commended Qatar for its leadership on Libya and for successfully hosting the Libya Contact Group meeting in Doha today aimed at advancing the Libyan people’s desire for lasting peace and stability in their country.  The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to regional security in the Gulf and thanked the Amir for his country’s important support to U.S. troops stationed in Qatar.  Both leaders pledged to further strengthen the friendship between the United States and Qatar through sustained bilateral and multilateral cooperation. 

Vice President Biden Announces New Administration Effort to Help Nation’s Schools Address Sexual Violence

Vice President, Secretary Duncan introduce guidance on legal obligations to prevent and respond to sexual violence in school and on campus

Washington, D.C. – Today, Vice President Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan introduced comprehensive guidance to help schools, colleges and universities better understand their obligations under federal civil rights laws to prevent and respond to the problem of campus sexual assault. The new guidance, announced at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, makes clear the legal obligations under Title IX of any school, college or university receiving federal funds to respond promptly and effectively to sexual violence. The guidance also provides practical examples to aid educators in ensuring the safety of their students.

Under Title IX – a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities – discrimination can include sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery and sexual coercion. The guidance, the first specifically advising schools, colleges and universities that their responsibilities under Title IX include protecting students from sexual violence, also details enforcement strategies that schools and the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) may use to end sexual violence, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects.

“Today we are strengthening our response to sexual assault in schools and on college campuses,” said Vice President Biden. “Students across the country deserve the safest possible environment in which to learn. That's why we’re taking new steps to help our nation’s schools, universities and colleges end the cycle of sexual violence on campus.”

“Every school would like to believe it is immune from sexual violence but the facts suggest otherwise,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Our first goal is prevention through education.  Information is always the best way to combat sexual violence.  Our larger goal is to raise awareness to an issue that should have no place in society and especially in our schools,” Duncan continued.

“Schools must provide an environment where all students have an equal opportunity to learn,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlynn Ali.  “Schools are often in the best position to prevent sexual violence and to respond to it promptly and effectively if it occurs. OCR is already working with schools to help them in their fight against the harmful effects of sexual violence by providing technical assistance and seeking remedies designed to stop such conduct, prevent its recurrence, and remediate its impact.”

For over 20 years, Vice President Biden has led the fight to combat violence against women. As the author of the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, then-Senator Biden exposed high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking experienced by women every day in this country – redefining the way domestic violence is handled through changes in law enforcement, improvements in the criminal justice system and the establishment of shelters and services for victims. As Vice President, he has continued the cause, creating unprecedented coordination and cooperation across the federal government to combat violence against women.

Yet in spite of the significant progress made since the passage of VAWA, the threat of violence and abuse continues for a new generation of women. Young women aged 16-24 experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault, while 1 in 5 will be a victim of sexual assault during college. Today, with Secretary Duncan, the Vice President highlighted the Administration’s commitment to raising awareness and promoting policies to prevent sexual violence against women of all ages.

See HERE for the full text of the guidance, as well as HERE for a fact sheet.

See HERE for a fact sheet on Title IX and sexual violence.
For more information about the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the anti-discrimination statutes that it enforces, please visit their website.

Vice President Biden's Press Gaggle at the U.S. Capitol

U.S. Capitol

Washington, DC

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I think we’re making good progress. We’re all working off the same number now, $73 billion (inaudible). The appropriations committees met today.  Obviously, there’s a difference in the composition of that number -- what’s included, what’s not included.  It’s going to be a thorough negotiation.  We’re getting back -- we got to roll up our sleeves.  They’re going back, meeting tomorrow morning at what, 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. -- whatever it is tomorrow morning.

There is no reason why, with all that’s going on in the world and with the state of the economy, we can’t reach an agreement to avoid a government shutdown, because the bottom line here is we’re working off the same number.  This is -- it’s about how.

And we have very firm -- the Democrats are in full agreement on what we don’t want to do in that number.  We don’t want to eviscerate the ability of the economy to grow.  So we’re going to have a little debate.  And the negotiation between the appropriators is going on.  I’m not going to get into any detail of that.

The Democrats agree with the President and me, with the administration, on what the makeup of that $73 billion should be.  But the key point here is, in my view -- and, by the way there’s no deal until there’s a whole deal.  So the composition of the $73 billion makes a big difference.  But we are no longer working off $100 billion -- we are at the same place of where -- what number we’re working off, but the composition of that $73 billion.  

Q    What about riders?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  That is all part of what will be negotiated here.  The President and I are not really big on any riders at all.  But this is a process which is normal for the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to get into the details.  We’ve made it clear what we think are non-starters, both in numbers and riders.  But I’m not going to go -- I’m not going to negotiate out here.

But the main reason of being here today is to make sure that Democrats in the Senate and the President are both on the same page.  We’re on the same page.

Q    (Inaudible) $73 billion?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, yes.  Look, here’s the point.  The appropriators sat down.  Rogers’ and Inouye’s committee sat down and they started off with we’re working off of $73 billion.  Now, I spoke to John.  John makes it clear.  It’s the same as our position.  There is no deal until there’s a total deal, okay.

So if we do not get the makeup of that $73 billion the way we want it, we may not even be prepared to go that high.  If they don’t get the makeup of this, they may argue they’re not going to go -- they’re going to go higher.

Q    So you’re saying the makeup of the $73 billion is the equivalent of the riders (inaudible)?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No, no, no.  I’m not saying that.  Let me be very precise.  The makeup(inaudible) everything from discretionary spending to defense, mandatory to non-mandatory, it makes up all of the budget.  That’s what it makes up, the totality of what they want to put in the $73 billion and what we want to put in the $73 billion.

Part of the negotiation in there doesn’t relate to dollar amounts.  It relates to what they will swallow and we could swallow relative to riders.  There are certain things we’re just not going to do on riders, even if you agree with everything else.  We’re just not going to do it.  They may have positions that are equally as strongly as held.

So that’s why it’s not a deal until it’s a whole deal.  Thank you all.

Readout of Vice President Biden's Meeting with South African Deputy President Motlanthe

Earlier today, the Vice President met with South African Deputy President Motlanthe at the White House, building upon a conversation begun during the Vice President's June 2010 trip to South Africa.  In a substantive and wide-ranging discussion, the Vice President noted the importance of South Africa’s leadership across Africa and within the international community. Both leaders welcomed continued and increased cooperation through the Strategic Dialogue, established between our two nations last year, to address many pressing issues of mutual importance. The Vice President also lauded our bilateral partnerships in support of South Africa's commitment to increase trade and investment, counter the scourge of HIV and AIDS, improve access to education and promote agricultural development.  The Vice President and Deputy President Motlanthe discussed common efforts to meet aggressive global goals on climate change, nuclear security and nonproliferation, and to promote regional security, including progress toward peaceful outcomes in Libya, Cote D’Ivoire, Sudan and Zimbabwe. The meeting reflected the continuing strength and breadth of the bilateral relationship and both leaders agreed to continue the conversation on key issues of mutual interest.