America is back. Ready to lead the world, not retreat from it. Pres. Elect biden hi, everybody. Ok. Good afternoon, everyone. Today i am pleased to announce nominations for staff for critical Foreign Policy and National Security positions in my administration. It is a team that will keep our country and people safe and secure, and it is a team that reflects the fact that americas back, ready to lead the world, not retreat from it, once again sit at the head of the table. Ready to confront our adversaries and not reject our allies. Ready to stand up for our values. In fact, in calls from World Leaders i have had 18 to 20 of them so far, im not sure the exact number in the weeks since we won the election, im struck by how they look forward to the United States reasserting its historic role as a global leader, in the pacific, as well as the atlantic, all across the world. As a global leader. Both in the pacific as well as the atlantic. All across the world. Embody mybehind me core beliefs that america is strongest when it works with its allies. Collectively, this team has secured some of the most defining National Security and diplomatic achievements in recent memory. Made possible through decades of experience working with our partners. That is how we truly keep america safe, without engaging in needless military conflict, and adversaries in check, terrorists at bay. That is how we Counter Terrorism and extremism. Control this pandemic and future ones. Climate crisis, nuclear proliferation, much more. They reflect the idea that we cannot meet these challenges was old thinking and unchanged habits. For example, we will have the first woman leading the intelligence community. The first latino and immigrant to lead the department of Homeland Security. And a groundbreaking diplomat at the United Nations. We will have a principal at the National Security council whose fulltime job will be to fight Climate Change. My Security Team will be led by one of the youngest National Security advisors in decades. Experience and leadership, fresh thinking and perspectives. An unrelenting belief in the promise of america. I have long said that america leads not only by the example of our power but by the power of our example. Im proud to put forward this Incredible Team that will lead by example. As secretary of state, i nominate tony blinken. Hes one of the better prepared for this job. No one is better prepared, in my view. He will be the secretary of state who served in top roles on capitol hill, the white house, and the state department. He delivered for the American People in each place. For example, leading our diplomatic efforts in the fight against isis, guiding our responses to the global refugee crisis with compassion and determination. He will rebuild morale and trust in the state department where his career in government began. He starts off with the kinds of relationships around the world that his predecessors have had to build over the years. I know. I have seen him in action. He is one of my closest and most trusted advisors. I know him and his family, immigrants and refugees, a holocaust survivor, who taught him to never take for granted the very idea of america as a place of possibilities. Possibilities. Tony is ready on day one. As secretary of Homeland Security, i nominate Alejandro Mayorkas. This is one of the hardest jobs in government. A gigantic agency. The dhs secretary needs to keep us safe from threats at home and abroad. And it is a job the plays a Critical Role in fixing our broken immigration system. After years of chaos, dysfunction, and absolute cruelty at dhs, i am proud to nominate an experienced leader who has been hailed by both democrats and republicans. Ali, as he goes by, is former director of citizenship and immigration services, former dhs deputy secretary. He helped implement daca, prevented attacks in the home and enhanced our cybersecurity, helped communities recover from natural disaster. Combated a bullet and sica. Zika. La and dhs affects everyone, given his Critical Role in the immigration matter, i am proud that for the first time ever, the department will be led by an immigrant, a latino, who knows that we are a nation of laws and values. One more thing. Today is his birthday. Happy birthday, man. Happy birthday. He is 21. [laughter] as a director of national intelligence, i nominate avril haines, the first woman ever to hold this post. To lead the intelligence community, i do not pick a politician or political figure. I picked a professional. She is eminently qualified. Former Deputy Director of the cia, former deputy National Security advisor to president obama, and a fierce advocate for telling the truth and leveling with decisionmakers. Straight up, nothing unnecessary. I know because i worked with her over a decade. Brilliant, humble, can talk literature and theoretical physics, fixing cars, riding planes, running a bookstore cafe, all in a single conversation because she has done all that. Above all, if she gets word of a threat coming to our shores, like another pandemic or foreign interference in elections, she will not stop raising the alarms until the right people take action. People will be able to take her word, as she always calls it as she sees it. I believe we are safer with avril on watch. I think she will make a great contribution. As United States ambassador to the United Nations, i nominate linda thomasgreenfield, a seasoned and distinct diplomat with 35 years in Foreign Service who never forgot where she came from. Growing up in segregated louisiana, the eldest of eight, her dad couldnt read or write. But she says he was the smartest person she knew. First in the family to go to to graduate from high school, then college. The whole world literally ahead of her, as her dad and mom taught her to believe. Posts in switzerland, kenya, pakistan, jamaica, liberia, where she was known as the peoples ambassador. Willing to meet with anyone, an ambassador, student, always treating them with the same level of dignity and respect. She was our Top State Department official in charge of african policy during the ebola crisis. She received overwhelming support from her fellow career Foreign Service officers. She will be cabinet status because i want to hear her voice on all the major Foreign Policy discussions we have. My National Security advisor, i choose jake sullivan. He is a once in a generation intellect with experience and temperament for one of the toughest jobs in the world. When i was Vice President , he served as my National Security advisor. He was a top adviser to secretary of state clinton. He helped lead the early negotiations that led to the iran nuclear deal. He helped broker the Gaza Ceasefire in 2012. Played a key role in the asiapacific rebalance in our administration. And in this campaign, he served as one of my most trusted advisors on foreign and domestic policy, including helping me develop our covid19 strategy. Jake understands my vision that Economic Security is National Security. Steer what i call Foreign Policy for the middle class, families, like kids growing up in minnesota, where he was raised by parents who were educators and taught him the importance of hard work, decency, service, and respect. What that means is to win the competition for the future. We need to keep us safe and secure and build back better than ever. We need to invest in our people, sharpen our innovative edge, unite the economic might of our democracies around the world to grow the middleclass and reduce inequity, do things like counter predatory trade practices that of our competitors and adversaries. Before i talk about the final person today, let me talk about this new position. For the first time ever, the United States will have a fulltime climate leader to participate in ministerial level meetings, fancy way of saying we will have a seat at every table around the world. For the first time ever, there will be a principal at the National Security council who can make sure Climate Change is on the agenda in the situation room. For the first time ever, we will have a president ial envoy on climate. He will be matched with the high level white house Climate Policy coordinator and policymaking structure to be announced in december, leading every effort to combat the crime Climate Crisis and meet the existential threat we face. Let me be clear, i dont for a minute underestimate the difficulties of meeting my bold commitment to fighting Climate Change. At the same time, no one should underestimate for a minute my determination to do just that. As for the man himself, if i had a former secretary of state who helped me negotiate the paris climate accord, former president ial nominee, former leading senator, i would show my commitment to the United States and the whole world. The fact that i picked the one person who is all of these things speaks unambiguously to my commitment. The world will know that one of my closest friends john kerry is speaking for america on one of the most pressing threats of our time. No one i trust more. To this team, i thank them for accepting the call to service, and for their families, i thank you all for your sacrifice. We cannot do this without you , in my view. Together, these Public Servants will restore america globally, global leadership, and moral leadership, and ensure that our service members, diplomats, intelligence vessels can do the job free of politics, not only repair, but reimagine american Foreign Policy and National Security for the next generation. They will tell me what i need to know, not what i want to know. What i need to know. To the American People, this team will make us proud to be american. As more states certify the results of this election, theres progress to wrap up our victory. Im pleased to have received the ascertainment from gsa to carry out a smooth and peaceful transition of power, so our teams can prepare to meet the challenge at hand, control the pandemic, to build back better, and protect the safety and security of the American People. Two to the United States senate, i hope these outstanding nominees receive a prompt hearing and we work across the aisle in good faith to move forward for the country. Lets begin that work to heal, unite, to heal and unite america as well as the world. I want to thank you all. May god bless you, may god protect our troops. I turn this over to the new team, starting with the next secretary of state, tony blinken. Let me get my mask so i dont get in trouble. We will clean off the podium. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, thank you for your trust and your confidence. If confirmed by the United States senate, i will do everything i can to earn it. Mr. President elect, working for you has been the greatest privilege of my professional life. So many people have brought me to this day, college classmates to bandmates, my colleagues in the clinton and obama administrations, the senate, and the state department. I thank them all, and i ask forgiveness for my special appetite for bad puns. Mostly, i would like to thank my family. Sisters and sisters in law, brothersinlaw, nieces and nephews, wonderful inlaws, and especially, my wife and our children. They are my greatest blessings. Family, as for so many generations of americans, america has been the last best hope on earth. My grandfather fled proogroms in russia to make a new life in america. His son, my father, served in the United States air force in world war ii and then as United States investor. He is my role model, my hero. His wife fled communist hungary as a young girl and help to future generations of refugees come to america. My mother builds bridges between america and the world through arts and culture. She is my greatest champion. In my late stepfather, he was one of 900 children in his school in poland, but the only one to survive the holocaust after four years in concentration camps. At the end of the war, he made a break into the woods in bavaria. From his hiding place, he heard a rumbling sound. It was a tank, but instead of the iron cross, he saw painted on its side the fivepointed white star. He ran to the tank. The hatch opened. An africanamerican g. I. Looked down at him. He got down on his knees and said the only three words in english his mother had taught him before the war. God bless america. Thats who we are. That is what america represents to the world, however imperfectly. We have to proceed with equal measures of humility and confidence, humility because as the president elect said, we cant solve all the worlds problems alone. We need to be working with other countries. We need their cooperation, we need their partnership. But also confidence, because america at its best still has a greater ability than any other country on earth to bring others together to meet the challenges of our time. That is where the men and women of the state department, Foreign Service officers, civil servants, that is where they come in. I have witnessed their passion, their energy, their courage, up close. Ive seen what they do to keep us safe and prosperous. Ive seen them add luster to work that deserves respect, diplomacy. If confirmed, it will be the honor of my life to help guide them. Thank you all. May god bless america. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, thank you for your trust in me to lead the department of Homeland Security. It is the honor of a lifetime. The department of Homeland Security has a noble mission, to keep us safe and advance our proud history as a country of welcome. There are more than 240,000 career employees who selflessly dedicate their talent and energy to this mission. Many risk their lives in doing so. I would be honored to return to the department and support these dedicated Public Servants in fulfilling their responsibilities and realizing our countrys greatest hopes, all in partnership with the communities we serve. For 12 years, i had the privilege to stand in a federal courtroom and announce Alejandro Mayorkas on behalf of the United States of america. The words on behalf of the United States of america meant everything to me and to my parents, whom i think of today and every day. My father and mother brought me to this country to escape. They cherished our democracy and were intensely proud to become United States citizens, as was i. Ive carried that pride throughout my nearly 20 years of Government Service and throughout my life. My parents are not here to see this day. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, please know that i will work day and night in the service of our nation to ably lead to the men and women of the United States department of Homeland Security, and its an honor to my parents, the trust you have placed in me to carry the vision of our country forward. Thank you. Mr. Biden thank you. Good job. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, i am grateful and even more so humbled by the trust you have placed in me for this role. Im especially honored to be standing not only by your side, but alongside some of the most talented and inspiring Public Servants this country has seen. I know, mr. President elect and madam Vice President elect, that you selected us not to serve you, but on behalf of the American People, to advance our security, our prosperity, our values, and it makes this nomination a tremendous honor. If afforded the opportunity to do so, i will never forget that my role on this team is unique. Bigger than as a policy advisor, i will represent to you congress and the american public, the patriots who comprise our intelligence community. Mr. President elect, you know that ive never shied away from speaking truth to power, and that will be my charge as director of national intelligence. Ive worked for you for a long time, and i accept this nomination knowing that you would never want me to do otherwise, and that you value the perspective of the intelligence community, and that you will do so even if what i have to say may be inconvenient and difficult, and i assure you there will be those times. And finally, to our professionals, the work you do, oftentimes under the most austere conditions imaginable you will be critical to helping this administration not only against threats such as Cyber Attacks and the proliferation of nuclear and biological weapons, but the challenges for the next generation, from Climate Change, pandemics, and corruption. It will be the honor of elect of a lifetime to work alongside you once again to meet these challenges together. Thank you so much. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, im honored by the trust youve shown in me to become a member of your cabinet as ambassador to the United Nations. In the years that ive worked in government, im always struck at how only in america would we be where we are today, where life can be hard and cruel, but there is hope in the struggle. There is promise in our dreams. Where you learn to believe in yourself, and that anything is possible. Like both of you, i learned from my family. Mr. President elect, thank you for those generous words you said about me. My parents had very little back in louisiana, where i grew up, but they gave me and my siblings everything they had, and i know how proud they would be of this day. On this day, my mentor, who served as u. S. Ambassador to the United Nations under president president george w. Bush and president clinton, and who was also from louisiana, he told me constantly, linda, dont undersell yourself, and he would do Everything Possible to lift me up. He passed away last week. I know hes here with us today. On this day, im thinking about the American People. My fellow career diplomats and Public Servants around the world. I want to say to you, america is back. Multilateralism is back. Diplomacy is back. Mr. President elect, i have often heard you say how all politics is personal and that is how you build relationships of trust and bridge disagreements and find common ground. In my 35 years in the Foreign Service across four continents, i have put a cajun spin on it. I called it gumbo diplomacy. [laughter] wherever i was posted around the world, i would invite different backgrounds and beliefs to make roux, to chop onions for the holy trinity and a make homemade gumbo. Starting to see each other on a human level. That is the charge in front of us today. The challenges we face, a global pandemic, a global economy, a global Climate Change crisis, mass migration and extreme poverty, social justice, are unrelenting and interconnected, but not unresolvable if americas leading the way. Thank you. Mr. Biden thank you. Good job. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, thank you. Mr. President elect, i am honored and humbled by the immense responsibility have placed in me of being your National Security advisor. I pledge to you and to the American People that i will work relentlessly in service of the mission you have given us. To keep our country and people safe, to advance our national interests, and to defend our values. I pledge to the exceptional National Security team you see behind me and to the brilliant and diverse career professionals across our government that i will manage a humane and rigorous decisionmaking process that honors their work. I pledge to my parents, who taught my brothers, sister and me, to work hard, tell the truth and serve others. I will do my utmost to make you proud. Sir, we will be vigilant in the face of enduring threats, of Nuclear Weapons to terrorists. You have also tasked us with reimagining National Security. The pandemic, the economic crisis, the Climate Crisis, technological disruption, threats to democracy, racial injustice, and inequality in all forms. The work of the team behind me today will contribute to progress across all of these. You have also tasked us with putting people at the center of our Foreign Policy. You have told us the alliances we rebuild, the institutions we lead, the agreements we sign, all of them should be judged by a basic question will this make life better, easier, safer for families across this country . Our Foreign Policy has to deliver for these families. Perhaps most importantly you have tasked us with helping unite america as you said in your remarks through our work. To pull people together to tackle big challenges. My wife, maggie, the love of my life and partner in all things, served as Senior Advisor to senator john mccain. We share this commitment deep in our bones. To the American People, i have the honor of serving as joe bidens National Security advisor when he was Vice President. I learned a lot about a lot. About diplomacy, strategy, policy, but most importantly human nature. I watched him pair strength and resolve with humanity and empathy. That is the person america elected. That is also america at its best. Thank you for giving this kid from the heartland an extra neri opportunity to serve the country i love. Mr. President elect, Vice President elect harris, thank you for your generous words. Most of all, thank you for the trust and responsibility of this appointment. I will do all in my power to live up to your expectations and to this moment for our country and the world. I begin by thanking my family for empowering me and encouraging me to take this task on. Secretary blinken, we have worked together many years of the Foreign Relations committee and foggy bottom. It will be a huge pleasure to partner with you again. You will be a terrific secretary. Mr. President elect, you have put forward a bold, transformative climate plan. But you have also underscored no country alone can solve this challenge. Even the United States, for all of our industrialstrength, is responsible for only 13 of global emissions. To end this crisis the whole world must come together. You are right to rejoin paris on day one and you are right to recognize that paris alone is not enough. At the global meeting in glasgow one year from now all nations must raise ambition together or we will all fail together. Failure is not an option. Succeeding together means tapping into the best of american ingenuity, creativity, and diplomacy from brainpower to alternative energy power using every tool we have to get where we have to go. No one should doubt the determination of this president , Vice President , they should not doubt the determination of the country that went to the moon, cured incurable diseases, and beat back global tyranny to win world war ii. This kind of crisis demands that kind of leadership again. President biden will provide it. The road ahead is exciting actually. It means creating millions of middleclass jobs. It means less pollution in our air and oceans. It means making life healthier for citizens across the world and it means we will strengthen the security of every nation in the world. In addressing the Climate Crisis, president elect joe biden is determined to seize the future now and leave a healing planet to future generations. 57 years ago, this week joe biden and i were college kids when we lost the president who inspired both of us to try and make a difference. A president who reminded us that here on earth, gods work must truly be our own. President joe biden will trust in god and he will also trust in science to guide our work on earth to protect gods creation. Mr. President elect, Vice President elect harris, i look forward to getting to work. Thank you. Mr. Biden thank you. Thank you for doing this. Thank you, secretary kerry. Congratulations, mr. President elect, on bringing together this extraordinary team. I have always believed in the nobility of Public Service and these americans embody it. Their lives and careers are a testament to the dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to Civic Responsibility that has strengthened our democracy and kept americas promise alive for more than 200 years. President elect biden and i have long known that when we were elected, we would inherit a series of unprecedented challenges upon walking into the white house. Addressing these challenges starts with getting this pandemic under control. Opening our economy responsibly and making sure it works for working people. We also know that our challenges will require us, here at home, to overcome those issues that block our ability to proceed. Our challenge here is the Necessary Foundation for advancing our leadership around the world and we are ready for that work. We will need to reassemble and renew americas alliances. Rebuild and strengthen the National Security and Foreign Policy institutions that keep us safe and advance our nations interest. Confront and combat the existential threat of Climate Change that endangers us all. I take these issues very seriously. My whole career has been about keeping people safe, from serving as District Attorney to californias attorney general to the United States senate, where i have served on the intelligence and Homeland Security committees. I have come to know firsthand the gravity of the challenges and threats facing the United States. Over the past few months, i have also come to know the sound judgment, expertise, and character of the people on this stage. I can say with confidence that they are, to a person, the right women and men for these critical positions. I look forward to working alongside them on behalf of the American People. And on behalf of a president who will ask tough questions, demand that we be guided by facts, and expect our team to speak the truth, no matter what. A president who will be focused on one thing and one thing only doing what is best for the people of the United States of america. When joe asked me to be his running mate, he told me about his commitment to making sure we selected a cabinet that looks like america, that reflects the best of our nation, and that is what we have done. Todays nominees and appointees come from different places. They bring a range of different life and professional experiences and perspectives. They also share Something Else in common. An unwavering belief in americas ideals and unshakable commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. They understand the indispensable role of americas leadership in the world. These women and men are patriots and Public Servants to their core. They are leaders. The leaders we need to meet the challenges of this moment and those that lie ahead. Thank you. Mr. Biden i think all of you for accepting. [applause] all right. Thank you, folks. [indiscernible] announcer stick with cspan for live coverage of the election process and transition of power. Cspan, your unfiltered view of politics. Cspans washington journal. Every day we are taking your calls live on the yard on the news of the day. We will discuss policy issues that impact you. Wednesday morning, the director for Infectious Diseases dr. Fauci discusses the response to the covid19 pandemic. A reporter talks about Airline Travel amid the pandemic and its impact on the aviation industry. Also, the National Congress of American Indians on issues affecting native americans and alaskan natives, and native americans role in campaign 2020. Washington journal live at 7 00 a. M. Eastern wednesday morning. Join the discussion with your phone calls, Text Messages and tweets. Senator Kelly Leffler and the democratic challenger will debate sunday december 6. The race is one of two Georgia Senate runoff elections that will be held january 5. We will have live debate coverage online at cspan. Org, or you can listen with the free cspan radio app. Tuesday, nevadas secretary of state went before the state Supreme Court to certify the results of the 2020 election. She announced nevada experienced record turnout for the general election with 77 of registered voters taking part. This is under 20 minutes. As nevadas chief election officer, im honored to hereby call to order the canvas of the vote for the 2020 general election as required by the statute. Today we have a majority of nevadas Supreme Court justices assembled come and can therefore proceed with the canvas