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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 8 February 2022
Jill Biden says bills aren't footballs to 'pass or pivot'

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE has access to free com-
Associated Press munity college and training
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill programs," she said in 2021.
Biden went public Monday Speaking in person on Mon-
with her frustration over a day to a masked audience
political process that she inside a hotel ballroom, she
says treats legislation like a blamed failure to deliver on
football to "pass or pivot" the "compromise" the presi-
while real people, such as dent had to make.
her community college The first lady, who teaches
students, keep waiting for at Northern Virginia Com-
assistance that would help munity College, talked
them build better futures. about having to lend a
"Governing isn't a game. book to one of her students
There are no teams to root last week because he
for or against, just people, couldn't buy it before pay
Americans from all walks day, and about the stu-
of life who need help and dent mom who eventually
hope," t he first lady told a dropped out of class after
meeting of advocates for her child got sick with CO-
community colleges in a VID-19.
message that also seemed Both students would bene-
directed at members of fit from tuition-free college,
Congress. First lady Jill Biden speaks at the Community College National Legislative Summit, Monday, Feb. child care support and oth-
She was speaking about 7, 2022, in Washington. er provisions of the stalled
a proposal to make com- Associated Press legislation.
munity colleges tuition free, "Build Back Better isn't just
promised during the 2020 many years and is a long- But the "Build Back Better" knows that community col- a piece of legislation and
presidential campaign time advocate of waiving bill ended up stalled in the leges do just that," the first it's certainly not a football
but now dropped from a tuition at these schools. She Senate anyway, and one lady said to applause. to pass or pivot," Jill Biden
much larger social welfare worked on the issue during of those Democrats, Sen. Last year, Jill Biden, a vet- said.
and climate bill that was a the Obama administration, Joe Manchin of West Vir- eran community college The first lady, who grew up
core domestic priority for when her husband was ginia, recently declared English and writing profes- in Pennsylvania, opened
her husband, President Joe vice president. that measure "dead." sor, addressed the organi- with a few words about her
Biden. President Biden scrapped On Monday, Jill Biden told zation with taped remarks, love for sports and Philadel-
Her pointed comments the tuition plan as he tried the Association of Com- bowing to the COVID-19 phia's pro teams, before
were unusual since first la- to win the support of key munity College Trustees pandemic, and promised she got to her point.
dies generally try to avoid Senate Democrats who national legislative summit that her dream of waiv- "I'm a first lady for all Ameri-
being drawn into the po- objected to the scope and that the president will con- ing some tuition would be- cans, but when it comes to
litical fray or getting too cost of the overall mea- tinue to push Congress to come reality with her hus- teams, my heart belongs
involved in the legisla- sure, and whose votes he adopt the proposal. band in the White House. to the Philadelphia Eagles,
tive process. But the issue desperately needed given "Joe doesn't quit. He "We have to get this done. the 76ers, the Phillies, and
is deeply personal for Jill solid opposition from Re- doesn't give up. He is keep- And we have to do it now. the Flyers," she said. "The
Biden, who has taught at publicans in a chamber ing his promise to rebuild That's why we're going to competition, the crowds,
community colleges for split 50-50. our middle class and he make sure that everyone the rivalries, I love it all."q

Commerce Dept. adds 33 Chinese

companies to red flag list

By ERIC TUCKER control because U.S. offi- and signal to the PRC gov-
Associated Press cials have been unable to ernment the importance of
WASHINGTON (AP) — The do customary checks. their cooperation in sched-
Biden administration is rais- "The ability to verify the le- uling end-use checks."
ing red flags about 33 Chi- gitimacy and reliability of The announcement comes
nese companies whose foreign parties receiving as Beijing occupies the
legitimacy it cannot verify, U.S. exports through the world's attention by hosting
imposing new restrictions timely completion of end- the Winter Games. And it
on their ability to receive use checks is a core prin- follows a speech last week
shipments from U.S. ex- ciple of our export control from FBI Director Christo-
porters and requiring extra system," Matthew Axelrod, pher Wray in which he said
diligence from American the department's assistant the bureau was opening in- The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park
ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou,
companies that want to do secretary for export en- vestigations related to Chi- China
business with them. forcement, said in a state- nese intelligence opera- Associated Press
The Commerce Depart- ment. He added that the tions about every 12 hours
ment said Monday that it addition of 33 parties in the and warned that there was ment's action puts U.S. ex- flagged companies that
was adding the companies People's Republic of China "no country that presents a porters on notice that they they must certify that they
to what is known as the "Un- to the Unverified List "will broader threat to our ideas, will now need a license are legitimate and willing
verified List," a roster of busi- assist U.S. exporters in con- innovation and economic if they want to ship prod- to comply with U.S. regula-
nesses worldwide that are ducting due diligence and security than China." ucts to any of the compa- tions to continue receiving
subjected to stricter export assessing transaction risk, The Commerce Depart- nies on the list. It alerts the shipments.q