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Understanding 9/11tv President Biden Awards Sen. John Mc Cain Others Medal of Freedom CSPAN July 8, 2022 2:06am-3:06am EDT
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victor simone kamel. father alex --. lorraine jobs accepting on behalf of steve jobs. congresswoman gaddy gifford. sandra lindsay. ambassador cindy mccain accepting on behalf of senator john mccain. richard -- accepting on behalf of richard concha. megan repeat no.
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>> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. [applause] pres. biden: please have a seat.
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good afternoon and welcome to the white house. thank you all very much and to all the cabinet members, elected officials that are here and former leg officials like joe lieberman, my good friend is here. so many critical people. i want to thank the vice presidents -- i want to thank vice president harris and this -- and the second gentleman. our nation has always been a work in progress. that is the work in story. it is not a simple one. it has never been a simple one. for the july week reminds us what draws us together long ago and still binds us at our best.
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what we strive for, we the people do what we can. the ideal america shines like a sun to light up the freedom of the world. that is the soul of our nation. it that is who we are as americans. that is who we see. an extraordinary group of americans on this stage that i have been honored to recognize today. the presidential honor of freedom, our nation's highest civilian award. [applause] pres. biden: simone biles, the most decorated american gymnast in history. [applause]
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when we see her compete, we see unmatched determination and grace. a trailblazer and role model when she stands on the podium. we see what she is. acts of courage, turned personal pain into a greater purpose. to stand up and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. today she has a metal count of 32. 32 olympic medals. at age 25. the youngest person ever to receive the medal of freedom. [applause] with so much more to give.
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megan is the first soccer player to receive the medal of freedom. beyond the world cup title and olympic medals, megan is -- the central american truth that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. everyone. [applause] along with her incredible teammates of the women's national team and by the way of my son hunter and daughter, his son is a great high school athlete and she was so excited to be with you when you one -- when you won the championship. walking off the field, we set high you and she said, i was busy. [laughter] so if she wins again, i assume she will say, i think i know
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that guy. [laughter] megan did something really -- she offered me the change for perhaps the most important victory for anyone on her soccer team or any soccer team. equal pay for women. [applause] and your amazing career, watching you, good lord, you are good. [laughter] simone and megan, would be the first to knowledge they stand on the shoulders of those that came before them. like air force colonel retired --. [applause] one of the most decorated women
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to serve in the united states women's -- one of the most decorated women to serve in the united states military. she held nearly 30 years in uniform. shattering conventions, shaping the new convention of our military and she couldn't stop after retirement. she led memorial at the national memorial and be inspired not just by her story but millions of women who serve this nation in uniform. [applause] a 23-year-old attending fisk university received a phone call from attorney general top deputies warning her about the violence at the next stop of the freedom ride she organized across the south. she replied -- we all signed our
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will and test before we left. we all know someone will be killed but we cannot let violence turn nonviolence. [applause] unmistakable courage and unshakable courage and leadership. after four little girls were murdered at the 16th street baptist church, she called for a nonviolent movement across alabama. it became the selma campaign two years later. her activism is my goal of freedom today. sacrifice so much for the cause of liberty and justice for all. she asked me to make sure to add that because she didn't want to
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take all the credit herself. [applause] dr. king, rosa parks and other giants in our history who fight for freedom, they call a guy named fred gray. [applause] one of the most important civil rights lawyers in our history. she went on to be elected as one the first african-american -- an ordained minister. he viewed a righteous calling that trumps the soul of our nation. at 91 years young, he is still practicing law. [applause]
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raul, you are something else man. you really are. he is the son of a father who fled violence in mexico and a mother who was a -- generation texan. he served with honor in the united states air force then turned a small civil-rights group into one of the nation's most important one. for over 30 years, it's role was in undaunted leader. for latino americans. never forgetting where he came from and the promise of this nation. born in brownsville, texas, became a professor at a local community college.
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community college professors are the best. [applause] i have learned, it is who they are. it is who juliet is. over the course of her nearly 30 year career, she helped transfer her community college in union texas brownsville. [applause] education is the cornerstone of our democracy. she created generosity for generations of students. the sisters of st. joseph --.
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nuns never forget anything. [laughter] i was doing a commencement and one of my nuns from school was getting her doctorate and she said, that was pretty good joe. but you -- a million times. [laughter] they gave me confidence that i could do anything. for so many people, 50 years with the believe that faith without works is dead. you will know me for what i do. what you do to the least of these, you doing to me.
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that is sister simone. that is what she does. i wasn't going to do this. they told me not to. i am going to do it anyway. i do not know if we will get to see pope benedict and his last months. we had a long conversation. he is a theologian. we finished the conversation. very generously he put his hand across my desk. he said can i ask you a favor? he said i would like some advice. you have any advice for me? i said it would be presumptuous of me to give you advice. she said no, really.
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i said, i go easy on the nine, they are more -- you are. it is a big deal to become a lawyer and the poor. when the nation was debating the affordable care act, there she was. leading a group of nuns in a nationwide buzz campaign. the obligation to help people most in need. the embodiment of a covenant of trust, i am happy to call her my friend. thank you, sister. [applause]
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another dear friend of mine, the regionwide back in delaware, the community called joe monopolies, down here to the left shoulder, we catholics go down into the right shoulder. i find myself being more greek sometimes. a man of deep calling, he survived -- with unmatched humility and grace. i have traveled the country and the world, including greece, to strengthen the bond between two
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nations found under the believe that democracy is the only way. on more than one occasion, father alex and i had the honor to visit -- patriarch bartholomew. this is the 100th anniversary. one of the most dedicated leaders, my dear friend, father alex. [applause] speaking of faith, when you meet congresswoman caffe -- getting ever -- getty gifford. [applause] they elected her in tucson, arizona because they trusted her. they still trust in her. i believe in her.
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they lead with the whole nation has learned. she is the embodiment of the single most significant american trait. never give up. my dad used to have expression. he said never been the, never bow, never yield, never get up, just get up, joey, just get up. proof that we have not grown numb to the epidemic of gun violence in this nation. proof the pain and sorrow we see far too often in america will -- will prevail. [applause] she is more consequential. on monday we sit -- on monday we celebrate the most significant gun law because of them. gabby is one of the most
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courageous people i have ever known. [applause] one of the most decent, stand up guys i have ever known, allison -- al simpson. [applause] from his beloved wyoming. we served in the united states senate for two decades. he never takes himself too seriously nor takes me seriously. [laughter] all kidding aside, this is the real deal. at his core she has always believed in the common good and what is best for the nation. we didn't agree on everything but we agreed on a whole heck of a lot. he never allowed his party or
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his state to get in the way of what he felt was right. he allowed his conscience to be his guide and he believed in real relationship. meeting with people on the others of the aisle. believing we can do anything as united states of america. it matters. we need more of your spirit can the united states senate. [applause] pres. biden: who studied u.s. constitution than pakistan. his wife and his young family when they were very little fully believed in the promise of this nation always sacrificed him so to serve his fellow soldiers.
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catholic -- an irish cap vice president -- observing a hindu holiday. that is the america that we know. that is the america the you and i believe in. we were parents united by the pain -- to live a life worthy of that. after today's medal of freedom, -- brian's purple heart.
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you continue to carry a copy. i imagine it is still in your pocket as a reminder of the charge that has to be kept. [applause] pres. biden: at 18 years old, -- immigrated to queens, new york to become a nurse. during the height of the pandemic, she poured her heart into helping patients, writing for their lives and to keep her fellow nurses safe. she became the first person in america to get fully vaccinated outside of clinical trials. as i told you before, if there was any angel in heaven, they are all nurses, males and females. many of you who spent a lot of time in the hospital, you know.
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nurses, male and female make you want to live. shannon's vaccination card and hospital scrubs -- history and covid-19. today she receives her highest honor. [applause] pres. biden: a man who couldn't be here today but wanted to be, denzel washington. one of our greatest actors in american history, academy awards, load -- golden globes, tony awards. he couldn't be with us today but i will be giving him this award at a later date when he is able to get here. i will now turn to three medalist being awarded. to the families i know receiving this award on behalf of their
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loved ones, it is bittersweet. it brings honor but it brings back everything, but it is hard. it reminds you of the day that you lost them. but i know. i appreciate your willingness to be here on this day. we are already seeing more technological change. we are going to see a lot more change in the next 10 years and much more of that is because of steve jobs. [applause] pres. biden: not just because of his innovations revolutionizing computers and our way of life, it is for his embodiment of the core american character. character that is true in perseverance. character define by what we
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leave on this earth when our time comes. what steve left us with something special. the family, lorraine, paul jobs and the children who had a great honor of working -- the previous administration, they carry on this incredible legacy doing big things. helping us in cancer as we know it. [applause] it matters to people who need help. matter to steve jobs. richard tomko, we do america's work, no one did more work were american workers than he did. [applause]
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his work was synonymous with the word that defined his life. dignity. dignity comes with a good paying job to build a decent life. his work was fierce. always trying to do the right thing for working people. fighting for the worker power. more than 30 years of shoot. he was always honest, fair and trustworthy. the guy you wanting your corner. i was in cleveland yesterday. barbara rich junior and the family, we felt him there, and we talk about him. feel him here today.
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he was the american worker. [applause] pres. biden: when i was a young man, too young to serve as senator but old enough to get elected, i got elected 17 days before that. and i had the great honor because of a guy named mansfield, a majority leader from montana to put me on a committee at the time. that is when i first met john mccain a couple years later. he was a navy liaison of the united states -- the united states senate. one would travel, we travel with a liaison person now. don and i traveled the world together. we became friends. we agreed on a lot more than we disagreed on.
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the two things we never talked about, we never talked about his imprisonment nor the deaths of my wife and my daughter. the pain was different but somehow we seemed to understand each other. it was a long time ago. we both wanted to make things better for the country. i am the guy that encouraged john to go home and run for office because i knew what incredible courage, intellect and conscience he had. we used to argue like hail on the senate floor. then we will go down and have lunch together afterwards. we ran against each other, which i didn't like, on tickets.
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i was a candidate for vice president, he was the candidate for president. i never stopped admiring john. never said a negative thing about him in my life because i knew his honor, his courage and his commitment. john mccain and what he inherited from his family before him, has passed on to his brother and sisters, children and grandchildren today. madam ambassador, and the family, i am honored. john was staffing me on a trip to asia in the late 70's. cindy, i think you were there, on vacation.
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my wife jill, john kept looking at her. jill and i at something that is a little presumptuous, we made sure we introduced each other. he still owes me. [laughter] [applause] pres. biden: the best thing we ever did. the best. please congratulate this year's presidential.
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-- please congratulate this year's presidential freedom recipients. [applause] >> simone biles. [applause] >> overcoming great odds, simone biles is the most decorated american in history. we came in once in a generation athlete transforming her sport with artistry and degrees of difficulty that reimagined what is possible. with absolute courage and honesty, she extends and speaks upper justice. leading on faith and god and family, simone biles has pride in those three letters, usa.
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[applause] >> simone campbell. inspired by nuns in catholic school, she is dedicated her life to --. she has led organizations that provide free legal services to
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the poor. she helped with the affordable -- with humility and fearlessness, sister simone and bodies faith in god and our obligations to one another as fellow americans. [applause] >> garcia. [applause]
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>> gabrielle giffords. [applause] >> a daughter of tucson, arizona. gabby giffords epitomizes -- five times to state and federal office. even after that january day in 2011 that shocked our nation, she's kept serving. with the support of her husband, she turned pain into purpose as
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one of the most powerful voices working to end gun violence in america. because of her, lives will be saved and america will be safer. [applause] >> david gray. [applause]
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one rosa parks refused to move to the back of the bus, freddie gray represent her in front of the court room, just as he did for martin luther king jr. and countless marchers for justice. risking his own safety, he helped secure voting rights, desegregated schools and when other battles for the soul of our nation. and a preacher at heart who follows the command to hate evil, love good and establish justice. [applause] [applause]
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>> lorraine jobs accepting on the behalf of steve jobs. [applause] >> t people in history invited the american spirit of steve jobs, the adopted son of a high school educated parents who redeemed soda bottles to pay for his mills after dropping out of college. he dared to think different. as the cofounder of apple, he created one of the most important companies in history, bringing computer into homes and revolutionizing our way of life, able hubbard -- a beloved
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husband and father, steve job embodied, what is next. [applause] >> alexander. [applause] the formal general of the greek orthodox archdiocese of american , he is a humble service of god and the body meant of the ancient idea that binds to great nations, democracy. the man known simply as father alex to presidents and professionals alike inspires us to believe in the power of we the people.
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[applause] >> [applause] [applause] a son of farmers in pakistan, he studied law inspired by the u.s. constitution, he met and married a college classmate and together
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they immigrated to america. he watched their three sons follow their american dream, including their middle son, who enlisted in -- college and pay the ultimate sacrifice in iraq. the father of a gold muslim family, he turned pain into purpose to become the defender of ideas in our constitution and an embodiment of ideas. [applause] sondra lindsay.
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it >> an immigrant from jamaica, she is a nurse in queens new york in the first american to be vaccinated outside of clinical trials. she directed a team of nurses and work tirelessly to save patients well-received their own lives. by the covid-19 vaccine became available, she was a rate of like in our nation's dark hour and continues to champion x nations and mental health for health-care workers. she represents the best of america. [applause]
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>> cindy mccain, accepting on behalf of john mccain the third. [applause] >> john mccain was a giant among americans from a family of patriots, a genuine hero who endured unspeakable torture as a prisoner in the war of vietnam. elected twice to the u.s. house of representatives and six times to the u.s. and its of the people of arizona and nominated for the presidency by the republican party, respected around the world to come when he was a eternal optimist who believed in consensus, character and putting countries first. his legacy continues to challenges integrity to
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serve with courage and conviction. [applause] [applause] >> diane j nash. >> a fearless leader of the freedom rides and nashville sit in movements, diane nash was a fierce light in darkness, she been more of dream a better america, she helped build one. of the committee committee in the 1960's, she pledged some of the most important campaigns
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that inspired activism around the world until this day. for her strategic savvy and absolute courage, diane nash for helping forge a path toward a more perfect union. [applause] [applause] >> megan rapino. world cup champion, olympic gold
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medalist, named the world's best woman soccer player, she is one of the -- one of america's great athletes. she also leads with eight -- off the field. champion protecting the rights of fellow lgbtq plus americans appeared a leader on the u.s. women's national team, perhaps the most dominant of any team in any in their successful fight in equal pay. making challenges and inspires millions of other people who believe in themselves and the possibilities of our nation. [applause] [applause] >> allen king.
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[applause] >> an army veteran and public servant, alan simpson served with integrity for 18 years as a republican u.s. senator from his beloved state of wyoming. despite increasing polarization, he brought people together with west and wisdom to find, ground. never afraid to stand up for what he felt was right. he worked on pressing issues, like campaign reform and
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marriage equality. our national ideas of civil discourse, and public service. [applause] [applause] richard trumpka junior,
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accepting on the behalf of richard trumka. >> the son of a coal miner, he followed his father into the minds to later become the president of the united mine workers and president of the afl-cio. he never forgot where he came from and always fought for the dignity of working people. he built work empowered by speaking truth to power. knowing that the middle-class class and built america and unions built the middle class. no one did more in the last century than he did. he was the american worker. [applause]
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wilma l vaugh. [applause] >> retired air force general, is one of the most decorated women in the history of united states military, enlisting in the 1950's, over the next 28 years she would serve in vietnam, europe and across america, continuing to rise in rank to become the first woman to hold every job she has ever had. she was awarded the elysian merit. honoring 3 million women who have served in uniform, further cementing her face in american history. [applause]
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>> barn to a mexican-american family in the san juan valley, role saw a better world beyond the segregated life in texas. he became one of our nation's preeminent civil rights leader as president of the national council. over 30 years, he has worst progress on voting rights, education and work to deliver the promise of america to millions of latino americans. and service to our nation, he has helped to ensure america remains a land of possibilities. [applause]
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pres. biden: folks, this concludes this event. we have a reception. i hope you will stay and enjoy it. again, thank you all. >> ladies, please remain in your seats as the president departs the east room. thank you. [applause] ♪
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act on potential policy efforts to impact climate change. >> we will hear argument this morning in case 201530 west virginia versus the environmental protection agency and the consolidated cases. >> mr. chief justice, may it please the court in section 111 of the clean air act, congress directed epa to partner with the state to regulate a sourced specific level, which means identifying measures with
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