and ensure safety or to ensure fairness. we saw that with the parris olympic games. the work is already being done. and that's going to continue. let's entrust those decisions with governing bodies that are set up and comprised of experts. and not put it in the hands of politicians. host: what laws already exist -- >> distinguished guests, the president of the united states accompanied by the secretary of

the interior. ♪ [applause] ♪♪ [cheers and applause]

[indiscernible chatter] [cheers and applause]

hello everyone, relatives and friends, i am honored to be here with you at the white house. yes, you can sit down, please. i am so honored to be here with you at the white house to celebrate president biden's establishment of chuckwalla national monument and reflect on the biden-harris administration's conservation legacy. [cheers and applause] >> you're very welcome. hiking canyon in the valley was the highlight of my time as secretary and i am so proud that i was able to keep up with him. chuckwalla is an incredible place and one that we are so lucky to experience as our

ancestors did. there is no better way to appreciate the land than to walk it. hearing, seeing and smelling the earth. today is special because it represents another example, a capstone of the biden-harris administration's unwavering commitment to protect the places we all love by uplifting them who stuarded them across time. chuckwalla is a living landscape that vibrates with beauty and painted canyons and woodlands are home to species of plants and animals and there are recreational opportunities and a place that has been stuarded by our indigenous ancestors by the songs the tribes still song

today of the trails that weave across the region. when we stepped into these roles we understood that tribes must be at the forefront of our efforts to conserve the lands and waters we depend on. today i'm grateful for president biden's leadership and he has listened to tribes across the country and committed our administration to conserving the places that are core to our identities and to our shared experiences. above all, i am grateful for the outstanding partners we share this day with. today, the chuckwalla national monument is protected for all of us. [cheers and applause] .. . . .

it's been my honor to work alongside them for a shared mission for a better future. our next speaker is one of those young people. everyone please welcome from california, ryan reyes. >> thank you. thank you, secretary, for your inspiring words and that

beautiful picture you painted. hello. my name is ryan reyes. i was born and raised in the coachella valley with my parents and three younger brothers, about 30 minutes from chuck walla. i didn't appreciate the treasurers found in my back yard and wasn't until i left california to go to college in a big city i realizeled i needed to be around the mountains, the sun and beauty of the desert i quickly returned home to the coachella valley to stargaze and enjoy the beauty of the desert. after finishing college i entered as a chuckwalla ambassador as a project that worked to protect california deserts. then i joined the team at the national autobahn society, a conservation nonprofit that works to protect birds and their habitats. it's been an empowering journey to learn how to advocate for

these irreplaceable and incredible places we all need. and i plan to devote my career to environmental policies to protect these precious land, water, and animals. i realize how lucky i am to live in that magical place and how transformative it can be for our physical and mental well-being. i want everyone to understand the magic of chuckwalla. it's more than protecting land but a investment in our community's future. so families can enjoy the natural beauty around us. scientists can explore its mysteries and we can honor the cultural and historical landscape -- significance it holds for so many. i want to thank congressman and others and everyone else who helped make today happen. and of course our deepest thanks

to president biden. as a young person who feels the weight of the climate crisis, it means everything to know that we have a president who recognizes the importance of protecting these lands and waters for future generations. a champion who never stopped fighting for us and our planet, a leader who has shown the world what bold climate leadership looks like. it's now my greatest honor to introduce him, ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states, joe biden. president biden: thank you, ryan. thank you, thank you, thank you.

thank you. thank you. ryan, thank you for the introduction. your commitment for the land makes me have optimism. i wanted to explain why we have these screens up here. i was hoping we'd do this in place so the american people that's being covered by the media would see what we're talking about, feel it, sort of taste it. this is as close as we can get. as i speak, hopefully they'll bring up the areas i'm talking about so people get some sense of what we're talking about. but i wanted to make a special thanks to secretary deb haaland whose incredible leadership these past four years has scared the hell out of me. i've been doing this job a long time, not as president but in

public life. i'm afraid to tell her no. she doesn't take no for an answer on anything. i promise you she has a list. still. you've done a hell of a job. i'm so proud to have nominated you for that and thank you for job well done. as you all know, i was in california last week where the event was supposed to be held. we had to postpone it because of the fires in los angeles. among the worst wildfires in california history. it's devastating. and common for so many you. it's home. she and i and our entire administration has been working closely with governor newsom, senator padilla and senator schiff and the entire delegation to make sure california's every possible resource is there to fight these fires and help the survivors. and fight back against the misinformation that's going on.

that includes our heroic firefighters and first responders, the heart of the nation is with the victims and families left behind and all the people who lost their homes, livelyhoods and so much to these fires. it's been devastating. it's incredible. it's incredible. the thousands of homes lost. folks have another reminder, tragedies like this is not about blue states and red states, not about conservatives and liberals, it's about the united states of america. the united states of america. and now to turn to today's event, secretary haaland, we have elected officials from the community and tribal community, indian nations, i learned that from danny a -- danny inohe. i learned it quickly when i was 30 years old.

senator padilla and others and those with the council of economic equality and the staff and the bureau of land management and the fire service, the forest service. like many families, jill and i made a tradition to take our children and grandchildren to the national parks and monuments every year. i wanted them to see, feel, smell, taste, look at, just what had been preserved. and every time i looked at it, i thought about teddy roosevelt and these people, all they preserved. imagine had they not acted. imagine had they not acted. i wanted them to witness the magic and beauty of america. it's absolutely majestic. our natural wonders are the heart and soul of our nation. you all know it in this room. they unite us and inspire us. it's a birthright we passed down from generation to generation.

and that's why on day one of my administration since then, we've been carrying out the most aggressive climate agenda in the history of the world. i mean it. make no mistake, i was able to do it because of you! no, i mean it. but i'm not kidding you. because of you, including historic steps to conserve our natural resources for the ages. my second week as president i signed an executive order establishing the first ever conservation goal to protect 30% of all our lands and waters everywhere in america by 2030, 30%. i call this national campaign

america the beautiful. that's what it's called. and over the last four years, we've delivered with your help, putting america on track to meet that bold goal, restoring and creating new national monuments, preserving hundreds of millions of acres of lands and water across america, new england to minnesota, texas to arizona and alaska. i've also created the first natural marine sanctuary in the u.s. by united states imposed by indigenous communities and thank you for your push. it stretches 116 miles along the california coast, 116 miles to protect the natural and cultural resources while also supporting our progress on offshore wind, i might add. and today i'm proud to use my authority under the antiquities act to dedicate two national monument in california.

first, chuckwalla national monument. the southern california desert. this monument will protect more than 624,000 acres of wildlife habitat and sacred ancestoral lands. together with prior designations we'll create a continuous corridor along the colorado river of over 18 million acres of protected land, the largest in the lower 48 states. he those at home listening, that's bigger than the entire state of west virginia. it's called the moab mojave national corridor. we'll protect desert valleys and stunning peaks tucked away in

the desert landscapes with beautiful springs and over 50 rare plants and animals, palm trees, cacti, mountain lion, bats, bighorn sheep, owls, desert tortoises. it's incredible what's there. this action also preserves the mosaic of trails woven together by tribal nations that trace their origins back thousands of years, thousands of years. and left behind on these trails are ancient ceramics, tools, rock art, sacred ceremonial sites that also will be preserved. we're also preserving ruins of old mines and the construction drove out indigenous people from their homes, a reminder of the harm that was done and remnants of u.s. army camp, trained units in desert combat shortly after we entered world war ii. for generations, this place of wonder has attracted outdoor

enthusists from hikers, horseback riders exploring these vast lands as well as scientists and geologists studying how the earth evolves. many veterans also returned here to heal their wounds, mental and physical, and invisible wounds as well, seeking solace ander isennity -- and searennity that only nature could provide, nothing else. and next to the monument solar energy is being built which proves, as i've often said, we don't have to choose between the environment and the economy and between conservation and clean energy, we can do both at the same time. at the same time. this monument offers a perfect roadmap for how to strike that balance. it's a key element 6 our climate agenda and includes the most significant climate law ever in

the history of the world. that's not hyperbole, that's a fact. a law that's positioned us to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030, that's generated $300 billion so far in new private sector clean energy investment, $300 billion. and that's created hundreds of thousands of jobs and increased the manufacturing boom all across america. and you know, this matters a great deal. second, a second national monument i'm designating today is an important one, i mispronounced it the first time. the highlands in southern california, 200,000 acres of lands that contain lava fields, craters, and volcanic activity

centuries ago. the center of these highlands, a dormant volcano created a beautiful lake inside the summit. the highlands are homes for countless plants and animals including frogs, walled eagles, bumblebees, the night scares are the darkest in america and distant galaxies and stars are extra visible. it's incredible. in the the 1960 these lava formations were used by nasa to train astronauts on apollo missions how to observe and take samples from the moon. ever since this landscape supported california's outdoor recreation economy from biking, hunting, fishing, canoeing and so much more. this land is sacred to many tribal nations violently forced to leave their homes. they held ancient ceremonies and

they are preserving lands fundamental to who they are and their way of life. today's monument announcements builds on other actions i took. last week i signed two bills to protect the alaska shore from offshore drilling. and i might add, that is a big deal. my state is only three feet above sea level. you're laughing but it's important. nearly 40% of americans live in coastal communities. and it's not only good for the environment, it's good for our economy. it will protect coastal fishing industry that generates $320 billion of income a year.

beach tourism that generates nearly $220 billion annually. and three million american jobs. and it also saves us billions in potential damages by avoiding oil spills like the deep water horizon. you know, in the spirit of conserving not just the waters and lands, but our shift. i did something else. i became the first american president to formally recognize a group of mostly native hawaiians. they lived for years in unhabitted pacific islands in the run-up to world war ii to claim them for the united states as a nation we honor the service and sacrifice as patriots and stewards of the land we owe them. as president i've had the privilege of bestowing the highest honors on the preeminent world leaders. two weeks ago i bestowed the presidential medal of freedom on

jane goodell and these memorialized a movement to protect the planet. in october i bestowed the national medal of arts on clyde butcher who grew up in california and became america's most acclaimed landscape in photography today. it once said wilderness is a spiritual necessity. i'd add that our wilderness is a national necessity. over the past four years, i'm proud i kept my commitment to protect more land and water than any president in american history, more than 670 million acres, bigger than the size of texas and alaska combined. and without you standing up, we never could have done it. it's about our planet, our people, it's about america

itself. it's the bond between the physical and spiritual world, a bridge to our past and to our future. conserving that protects the livelihoods of people who depend on them and preserves a key piece of our history. the full american story. it unites us through the ages and connects us with something bigger than ourselves and above all, reminds us who we are, who we are. i just had another baby grand child born. guess what? actually, to be precise, hate to say it, a great granddaughter, a great great grandson. guess what? think what it means for your children and great grandchildren, i mean it sincerely. think of what it means if we don't do this. above all, it reminds us of who we are. we're the united states of america and there's nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.

i want to thank you all again because i'm not -- it's not hyperbole. i never could have done any of this without the support of the people in this room. they stepped up and made the case. people listened to you. ordinary people listen to you about how important this is. and by the way, if i had my way, i'd make sure everyone could see the natural wonders because they would have a more reverent view of where we are. folks, god bless you all and may god protect our troops. thank you, thank you. [applause] president biden: the first bill

i'm signing is the establishment of the california chuckwalla national monument. [applause] president biden: today's the 14th, right? >> yes. [applause] president biden: the signing thing goes to the secretary because i'm afraid not to give it to her. you've done an incredible job. i'll get each of you a signing pen. all right. deb haaland: thank you. president biden: you're welcome. the second i'm establishing is

the highlands national monument. got to fill this in? >> the sattitla. president biden: the day of in this hand, you'll fill in the dates here, guys? all right. >> the 14th, sir. president biden: i know that. thank you. thank you, thank you. [applause] president biden: thank you very much.

[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] president biden: i genuinely mean it, this is a national monument. thank you. >> thank you, mr. president. >> distinguished gentlemen, please remain in your seat as the president departs. thank you. ♪

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♪ >> democracy is always an unfinished creation. >> democracy is worth dying for. >> democracy belongs to us all. >> we're here in the sanctuary of democracy. >> great responsibilities befall once again to the great democracies. >> american democracy is bigger than one person. >> freedom and democracy must be constantly guarded and protected. >> we still at our core a democracy. >> this is also a massive victory for democracy and for freedom. ♪ >> candidates running to be the next chair of the democratic national committee met to discuss the d.n.c. strategy during the 2024 election and certain changes needed for future success. this is 90 minutes.