Category Archives: U.S. Legislation

White House Press Office

Statement by the Press Secretary on the House Republican Budget

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By The White House

The President believes that there is an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to come together around a balanced plan to grow the economy and shrink the deficit by investing to create jobs, cutting wasteful spending, and strengthening programs like Medicare and Medicaid. This approach will require both parties to compromise and make tough choices.

While the House Republican budget aims to reduce the deficit, the math just doesn't add up. Deficit reduction that asks nothing from the wealthiest Americans has serious consequences for the middle class. By choosing to give the wealthiest Americans a new tax cut, this budget as written will either fail to achieve any meaningful deficit reduction, raise taxes on middle class families by more than $2,000 – or both. By choosing not to ask for a single dime of deficit reduction from closing tax loopholes for the wealthy and well-connected, this budget identifies deep cuts to investments like education and research – investments critical to creating jobs and growing the middle class. And to save money, this budget would turn Medicare into a voucher program–undercutting the guaranteed benefits that seniors have earned and forcing them to pay thousands more out of their own pockets. We've tried this top-down approach before. The President still believes it is the wrong course for America.

That’s why the President has put forward a balanced approach to deficit reduction with no sacred cows. It includes more Medicare savings over the next decade than the House Republican budget, but it does so by cracking down on waste and fraud, not by asking middle class seniors to bear the burden. It closes tax loopholes for the wealthiest and biggest corporations so we can still afford to create jobs by investing in education, manufacturing, infrastructure, and small businesses. The President’s plan puts our nation on a fiscally sustainable path and grows our economy from the middle class out.

While the President disagrees with the House Republican approach, we all agree we need to leave a better future for our children. The President will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to grow the economy and cut the deficit in a balanced way. This is the approach the American people overwhelmingly support, and that is what the President will continue to fight for each day.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 3/11/2013

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By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

12:25 P.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY: Happy Monday. Good afternoon. Thanks for being here for your White House briefing. Spring is here early.

Q Can we do a briefing outside?

MR. CARNEY: We'll see. I like the idea in theory, anyway.

I have no announcements to make. You obviously know much of what’s on the President’s schedule this week, including his visits to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to meet with Senate Democrats on Tuesday, House Republicans on Wednesday, Senate Republicans on Thursday and House Democrats also on Thursday.

While he’s there he will want to discuss a range of priorities including, of course, conversations he’s been having on budget-related issues, the need to reduce our deficit in a balanced way, but also immigration reform and the progress that's being made on that subject in a bipartisan way, efforts to move forward on actions to reduce gun violence — also efforts that involve both Democrats and Republicans. Other items that are on his list of priorities include increasing our energy independence, the need to do something about the pace of nominations being confirmed and considered in the Senate — judicial nominations, in particular — as well as the need for Congress to take action on cybersecurity.

With that, I'll go to Jim.

Q Thanks, Jay. So since we are on week two of the charm blitz — (laughter) — on Wednesday, as you mentioned, the President is going to the Hill, but he’s also speaking to Organizing for Action, which is the group that grew out of his campaign reelection. And I'm wondering whether there’s potentially a mixed message there. Because last week OFA sent out an email saying that — calling Republicans obstructionists, blaming them for the sequester, saying if only they had voted for closing tax loopholes the public wouldn't be in this jam. So is there a mixed message there from the President, on the one hand appealing to and speaking to Republicans on the issues you just mentioned, and then going to OFA, potentially a partisan — a more partisan address?

MR. CARNEY: Organizing for Action, as you know, Jim, was established to promote the President’s public policy agenda. It is certainly the President’s position that sequester has been implemented because Republicans made a choice. Rather than go along with a balanced approach to deficit reduction, rather than go along with either a buy-down or the deal that has been on the table since the President tried to negotiate it with Speaker Boehner last year, they said, no way, no how, and the choice they made was to allow sequester to be implemented. Let’s be clear about that. And that is not a position that we’ll take a …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President at the Gridiron Dinner

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By The White House

Washington Renaissance Hotel
Washington, DC

10:03 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Before I begin, I know some of you have noticed that I'm dressed a little differently from the other gentlemen. Because of sequester, they cut my tails. (Laughter.) My joke writers have been placed on furlough. (Laughter.) I know a lot of you reported that no one will feel any immediate impact because of the sequester. Well, you're about to find out how wrong you are. (Laughter.)

Of course, there's one thing in Washington that didn't get cut — the length of this dinner. (Laughter.) Yet more proof that the sequester makes no sense. (Laughter.)

As you know, I last attended the Gridiron dinner two years ago. Back then, I addressed a number of topics — a dysfunctional Congress, a looming budget crisis, complaints that I don't spend enough time with the press. It's funny, it seems like it was just yesterday. (Laughter.)

We noticed that some folks couldn't make it this evening. It's been noted that Bob Woodward sends his regrets, which Gene Sperling predicted. (Laughter.) I have to admit this whole brouhaha had me a little surprised. Who knew Gene could be so intimidating? (Laughter.) Or let me phrase it differently — who knew anybody named Gene could be this intimidating? (Laughter.)

Now I know that some folks think we responded to Woodward too aggressively. But hey, when has — can anybody tell me when an administration has ever regretted picking a fight with Bob Woodward? (Laughter.) What's the worst that could happen? (Laughter and applause.)

But don't worry. We're all friends again in the spirit of that wonderful song. As you may have heard, Bob invited Gene over to his place. And Bob says he actually thinks that I should make it too. And I might take him up on the offer. I mean, nothing says “not a threat” like showing up at somebody's house with guys with machine guns. (Laughter.)

Now, since I don't often speak to a room full of journalists — (laughter) — I thought I should address a few concerns tonight. Some of you have said that I'm ignoring the Washington press corps — that we're too controlling. You know what, you were right. I was wrong and I want to apologize in a video you can watch exclusively at whitehouse.gov. (Laughter.)

While we're on this subject, I want to acknowledge Ed Henry, who is here — who is the fearless leader of the Washington press corps now. (Applause.) And at Ed's request, tonight I will take one question from the press. Jay, do we have a question? (Laughter.) Surprisingly, it's a question from Ed Henry. (Laughter.) “Mr. President, will you be taking any questions tonight?” (Laughter.) I'm …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady to the Partnership for a Healthier America Summit

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By The White House

George Washington University
Washington, D.C.

1:45 P.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA: (Applause.) Thank you all so much. (Applause.) Oh, my goodness. Yes! (Applause.) Thank you all so much. It’s great to see you. It is truly a pleasure to be with all of you today.

And of course, I want to start by thanking Eli Manning — (applause) — oh, my gosh! — for that very kind introduction. I’m probably as excited to see him as I am to see all of you. (Laughter.) But I’m thrilled that he could join us today, and I’m just grateful for all of his work and leadership.

I also want to thank Dr. Steven Knapp, not just for hosting us here at GW, but for all the wonderful work this university is doing to forward the agenda of nutrition and fitness. We are so grateful that they are our partners and our neighbors as well.

And I also want to recognize Larry Soler — Larry for — and everybody else at the partnership for all of their wonderful work, as well as Kathleen Tullie and the team at Reebok for all of their leadership. And it’s just a thrill to be working with both of these wonderful organizations and companies that are doing all of these terrific things.

But most of all, I want to thank all of you — the advocates, experts, and executives who have been leading the way to give all of our children a healthy start to their lives. Because of your tremendous efforts, more than half a million people in underserved communities now have access to fresh, healthy food. Because of you, major American businesses like Disney and Walmart and Darden Restaurants are now offering healthier menus and products. Military leaders are serving healthier food on their bases. Faith leaders are educating their congregations about eating healthy. Nearly two and a half million kids have enrolled in recreational sports classes. Democrats and Republicans right here in Washington — (laughter) — came together to pass groundbreaking legislation that is transforming our school lunch program.

And just last week, we had the sheer delight to launch Let’s Move Active Schools, an unprecedented effort to invest more than $70 million to promote physical activity and bring physical education back to our schools. Yes. (Applause.)

And today, we are beyond thrilled to announce that Reebok is joining this effort with an additional investment of $30 million over the next three years. Absolutely. (Applause.) This investment — oh — as you’ve seen, it comes after years of leadership through their BOKS Kids program which supports innovative programs to get kids active in our schools.

So again, I just want to take a moment today to say how grateful I am for Reebok’s longstanding commitment to this issue, and for their groundbreaking investment to take that work to the next level. Thanks to efforts like …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Readout of the President’s Meeting on Commonsense Immigration Reform

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By The White House

This morning, the President, joined by members of his senior staff, met with leaders from the faith community to discuss the need to fix the broken immigration system so that everyone plays by the same rules. The President thanked the leaders for their support and reiterated his strong commitment to working with Congress in a bipartisan manner so that they can swiftly pass and send a commonsense immigration reform bill to his desk. The leaders expressed their concerns over the impact the broken immigration system is having on families throughout their congregations. The President and the leaders discussed the pillars the President has put forward for reform, including that any bill must include a pathway to earned citizenship, as well as measures to crack down on employers who game the system and exploit both American and immigrant workers, continuing to strengthen our border security, and strengthening the legal immigration system for families, employers, and workers. The President noted that there is good progress being made by a bipartisan group in the Senate, but urged the leaders to continue to make this important issue a priority. The President and the leaders agreed that the diversity of faith communities represented around the table was indicative of the growing consensus across America in support of fixing the broken immigration system. The leaders thanked the President for his leadership, offered a prayer, and agreed to continue working together to move the immigration debate forward in Congress.

Participants in the meeting included:

  • Leith Anderson, National Association of Evangelicals
  • Stephan Bauman, President and CEO, World Relief
  • Bishop Minerva Carcaño, United Methodist Church
  • Rev. Luis Cortés, President, Esperanza
  • Barrett Duke, Southern Baptist Convention
  • Bishop Orlando Findlayter, Senior Pastor, New Hope Christian Fellowship
  • Archbishop José Horacio Gomez, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
  • Mark Hetfield, President and CEO, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
  • Rev. Kathryn Lohre, National Council of Churches
  • Imam Mohamed Magid, President, Islamic Society of North America
  • Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
  • Rev. Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition
  • Dieter Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
  • Jim Wallis, President and CEO, Sojourners

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: Implementation of Export Control Reform

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By The White House

Today, the Administration announced two key steps to further the goals of President Obama’s Export Control Reform Initiative, which is a common sense approach to overhauling the nation’s export control system. President Obama signed an Executive Order today to update delegated presidential authorities over the administration of certain export and import controls under the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, and yesterday the Administration notified Congress of the first in a series of changes to the U.S. Munitions List.

Executive Order

Executive Order 11958 delegated authority to control exports of defense articles and services to the Secretary of State and delegated the comparable authority to control imports to the Secretary of the Treasury. The Department of State controls the export of defense articles and services on its U.S. Munitions List (USML); the Department of Justice controls their import pursuant to the U.S. Munitions Import List (USMIL) administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The USMIL was previously a subset of State’s USML. The most recent comprehensive delegation of these authorities was in Executive Order 11958 of January 18, 1977. The President’s new Executive Order updates delegated authorities consistent with the upcoming changes to our export control lists. It supersedes and replaces Executive Order 11958 and amends Executive Order 13222 of August 17, 2001, that pertains to the Department of Commerce-administered controls. The new Executive Order makes the following changes:

  1. Consolidation of All Brokering Responsibilities with the Department of State: The Arms Export Control Act requires the registration and licensing of brokering activities for defense articles and services for both exports and imports. A broker is a person who acts as an agent for others in negotiating or arranging contracts, purchases, sales or transfers of defense articles or services. The Executive Order consolidates and delegates to the Secretary of State all statutory responsibility for maintaining registration and licensing requirements for brokering of defense articles and services on either the State or ATF lists which both control defense articles and services under the Arms Export Control Act. This one-stop approach provides better clarity for the defense trade community and makes it easier for industry to comply and for the U.S. Government to enforce.

  2. Elimination of Possible “Double Licensing” Requirements: Today the Department of State licenses entire systems, including any accompanying spare parts, accessories, and attachments, yet many of these items will be moved to the Commerce list which may mean that an exporter would need two licenses instead of one. The President’s delegation, via an amendment to Executive Order 13222, will allow the Department of State to authorize those accompanying items that may have moved to the Commerce list and prevent any potential double-licensing requirement. This ensures that the prioritization of our controls, in which we facilitate secure trade with Allies and partners, does not add new red tape. Items licensed or otherwise approved by the Secretary of State under this delegation remain subject to the …read more
    Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Executive Order — Export Control Reform

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By The White House

EXECUTIVE ORDER

– – – – – – –

ADMINISTRATION OF REFORMED EXPORT CONTROLS

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Arms Export Control Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) (the “Act”), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Delegation of Functions. The following functions conferred upon the President by the Act, and related laws, are delegated as follows:

(a) Those under section 3 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2753), with the exception of subsections (a)(1), (b), (c)(3), (c)(4), and (f) (22 U.S.C. 2753(a)(1), (b), (c)(3), (c)(4), and (f)), to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State, in the implementation of the delegated functions under sections 3(a) and (d) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2753(a) and (d)), is authorized to find, in the case of a proposed transfer of a defense article or related training or other defense service by a foreign country or international organization not otherwise eligible under section 3(a)(1) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2753(a)(1)), whether the proposed transfer will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.

(b) Those under section 5 (22 U.S.C. 2755) to the Secretary of State.

(c) Those under section 21 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2761), with the exception of the last sentence of subsection (d) and all of subsection (i) (22 U.S.C. 2761(d) and (i)), to the Secretary of Defense.

(d) Those under sections 22(a), 29, 30, and 30A of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2762(a), 2769, 2770, and 2770a) to the Secretary of Defense.

(e) Those under section 23 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2763), and under section 7069 of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-74, Division I) and any subsequently enacted provision of law that is the same or substantially the same, to the Secretary of Defense to be exercised in consultation with the Secretary of State and, other than the last sentence of section 23(a) (22 U.S.C. 2763(a)), in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, except that the President shall determine any rate of interest to be charged that is less than the market rate of interest.

(f) Those under sections 24 and 27 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2764 and 2767) to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense shall consult with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury in implementing the delegated functions under section 24 (22 U.S.C. 2764) and with the Secretary of State in implementing the delegated functions under section 27 (22 U.S.C. 2767).

(g) Those under section 25 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2765) to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of Defense shall assist the Secretary of State in the preparation of materials for presentation to the Congress under that section.
(h) Those under section 34 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2774) to the Secretary of State. To the extent the standards and criteria for …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at the International Women of Courage Awards

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By The White House

State Department
Washington D.C.

2:57 P.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you all. Thank you. (Applause.) Well, let me begin by thanking Under Secretary Sherman for that very kind and gracious introduction, but also for your leadership on behalf of our country.

I also want to thank Secretary Kerry for hosting us here today. Needless to say, we are all thrilled to have you as our new Secretary of State, for no other reason than I love your wife. You do know that. (Applause.) I love our Secretary, but Teresa Heinz Kerry is another woman of courage who has been just a dear friend and supporter to me for a very long time, and it is just a thrill to have you both in this role. Congratulations, and thank you. (Applause.)

I also want to recognize Secretary Sebelius, who can also do the dougie — (laughter) — I’ve seen it — and all of the administration officials, members of Congress and members of the diplomatic community who have joined us today.

And of course, I want to thank all of you for joining us this afternoon as we celebrate International Women’s Day. This is the fifth time I’ve had the privilege to take part in this event, and every year, I look forward to it because it shows us what our most basic values look like when they’re put to the test.

When these women witnessed horrific crimes or the disregard for basic human rights they spoke up, risking everything they had to see that justice was done. When they saw their communities or their countries were ignoring issues like sexual violence or women’s rights, they gave those issues a face and a voice. And with every act of strength and defiance, with every blog post, with every community meeting, these women have inspired millions to stand with them, and find their own voices, and work together to achieve real and lasting change.

And that is truly the power of the International Women of Courage Award — that this is not simply an honor bestowed upon a few, but a call for all of us to open our eyes to the injustices around us, and to ask ourselves just what kind of courage we’ve got inside our own hearts.

And that is the lesson we can learn from the journalist who speaks out against torture and racism; from the poet who takes to Twitter to make a stand against oppression; from the mother whose son was murdered, but channeled her grief into a nationwide movement for change. That is the spirit that we celebrate today. And that is the potential that lies within every woman and every girl — the potential to stand up, to demand action, and to build a better world for our next generation.

And that is why we have once again invited young women from our White House Leadership and Mentoring …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on International Women’s Day

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By The White House

On International Women’s Day we celebrate the many milestones on the road to gender equality, and recommit ourselves to fight for the rights and opportunities of women and girls around the world.

Empowering women isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do. When women succeed, nations are more safe, more secure, and more prosperous. Over the last year, we’ve seen women and girls inspiring communities and entire countries to stand up for freedom and justice, and I’m proud of my Administration’s efforts to promote gender equality worldwide.

As a nation, we’ve launched new efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment and political participation, to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and to strengthen our commitment to helping more women participate in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. We are promoting food security initiatives that recognize the rights and needs of women farmers, and ensuring that women and girls are at the center of global health programs. And we will continue to focus on empowering women and girls at home and abroad.

We’ve also worked with a wide range of partners – from the United Nations and civil society groups to the private sector – to advance this important agenda. Because when it comes to creating a world in which our sons and daughters can reach their potential, we each have a role to play. And we can make even more progress together.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the Press Secretary on Next Week’s Caucus Meetings

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By The White House

Next week, the President will travel to Capitol Hill and meet separately with the Democratic and Republican caucuses in both the House and Senate. The President asked for the opportunity to speak to the caucuses about the priorities on his legislative agenda. More details about the time and day of each meeting will be announced later.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on Republican Filibuster of Caitlin Halligan

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By The White House

I am deeply disappointed that despite support from a majority of the United States Senate, a minority of Senators continues to block the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Nearly two and a half years after being nominated, Ms. Halligan continues to wait for a simple up-or-down vote. In the past, filibusters of judicial nominations required “extraordinary circumstances,” and a Republican Senator who was part of this agreement articulated that only an ethics or qualification issue – not ideology – would qualify. Ms. Halligan has always practiced law with the highest ethical ideals, and her qualifications are beyond question. Furthermore, her career in public service and as a law enforcement lawyer, serving the citizens of New York, is well within the mainstream.

Today’s vote continues the Republican pattern of obstruction. My judicial nominees wait more than three times as long on the Senate floor to receive a vote than my predecessor’s nominees. The effects of this obstruction take the heaviest toll on the D.C. Circuit, considered the Nation’s second-highest court, which now has only seven active judges and four vacancies. Until last month, for more than forty years, the court has always had at least eight active judges and as many as twelve. A majority of the Senate agrees that Ms. Halligan is exactly the kind of person who should serve on this court, and I urge Senate Republicans to allow the Senate to express its will and to confirm Ms. Halligan without further delay.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

One-Year Update on the Implementation of the National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security

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By The White House

The National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security, released in January 2012, established the U.S. Government’s policy to strengthen the global supply chain to protect the interests of the American people and enhance our Nation’s economic prosperity.

The Administration, in coordination with private sector stakeholders and foreign government partners, made significant progress in implementing the Strategy throughout 2012 and in defining our priorities for future work. As required by the Strategy, Federal Departments and Agencies prepared a consolidated report outlining these efforts and defining 2013 implementation goals. The public version of this report is available HERE.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the Vice President to the AIPAC Policy Conference

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By The White House

Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.

10:35 A.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.) It’s great to be here. It’s great to be here. (Applause.) Hey, Debbie.

Ladies and gentlemen, oh, what a difference 40 years makes. (Laughter.) I look out there and see an old friend, Annette Lantos. Annette, how are you? Her husband, Tom Lantos, a survivor, was my assistant, was my foreign policy advisor for years. And Tom used to say all the time, Joe — he talked with that Hungarian accent — he’d say, Joe, we must do another fundraiser for AIPAC. (Laughter.) I did more fundraisers for AIPAC in the ‘70s and early ‘80s than — just about as many as anybody. Thank God you weren’t putting on shows like this, we would have never made it. (Laughter.) We would have never made it.

My Lord, it’s so great to be with you all and great to see — Mr. President, thank you so much for that kind introduction. And President-elect Bob Cohen, the entire AIPAC Board of Directors, I’m delighted to be with you today. But I’m particularly delighted to be with an old friend — and he is an old friend; we use that phrase lightly in Washington, but it’s real, and I think he’d even tell you — Ehud Barak, it’s great to be with you, Mr. Minister. Great to be with you. (Applause.)

There is a standup guy. There is a standup guy. Standing up for his country, putting his life on the line for his country, and continuing to defend the values that we all share. (Applause.) I’m a fan of the man. (Applause.) Thanks for being here, Ehud. It’s good to be with you again.

Ladies and gentlemen, a lot of you know me if you’re old enough. (Laughter.) Some of you don’t know me, and understand I can’t see now, but in the bleachers to either side, I’m told you have 2,000 young AIPAC members here. (Applause.) We talked about this a lot over the years. We talked about it a lot: This is the lifeblood. This is the connective tissue. This is the reason why no American will ever forget. You’ve got to keep raising them. (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder, a lot of us in this auditorium, defending the legitimate interest of Israel and our enduring commitment over the last 40 years. And many of you in this hall — I won’t start to name them, but many of you in this hall, starting with Annette Lantos’s husband, who is not here, God rest his soul — many of you in this hall have been my teachers, my mentors and my educators, and that is not hyperbole. You literally have been.

But my education started, …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President Before a Cabinet Meeting

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By The White House

Cabinet Room

1:08 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Well, this is my 17th meeting with my Cabinet; the first one in a second term. And, obviously, we’ve got some familiar faces, we have some new faces, we have some familiar faces in new positions. I want to make sure that I say thank you to all of you for the work that you’ve already done and the work that you’re going to be doing.

I want to welcome Jack Lew, former Chief of Staff and OMB Director, and now Secretary of the Treasury. We’re thrilled to have him in that position. I want to welcome Mr. Chuck Hagel, who’s in the position of Secretary of Defense. And to all of you, I appreciate everything that you’ve done.

Obviously, we’re going to be spending some time talking about the potential impact of the sequester on all the agencies and missions across the board. It is an area of deep concern and I think everybody knows where I stand on this issue. We are going to manage it as best we can, try to minimize the impacts on American families, but it’s not the right way for us to go about deficit reduction.

It makes sense for us to take a balanced approach that takes a long view and doesn’t reduce our commitment to things like education and basic research that will help us grow over the long term. And so I will continue to seek out partners on the other side of the aisle so that we can create the kind of balanced approach of spending cuts, revenues, entitlement reform that everybody knows is the right way to do things.

In the meantime, we’re going to do our best to make sure that our agencies have the support they need to try to make some very difficult decisions, understanding that there are going to be families and communities that are hurt, and that this will slow our growth. It will mean lower employment in the United States than otherwise would have been.

But we can manage through it, and we’re going to rely on the outstanding leadership of all these agencies to make sure that we do whatever it is that we need to get done to help America’s families.

Now, my agenda obviously is broader than just the sequester, because I laid out both in the inauguration and during the State of the Union a very robust agenda to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to grow this economy and to help families thrive and expand their opportunities. We want to make sure we’ve got a growing middle class and more ladders of opportunity into the middle class.

So in addition to talking about budget issues, we’re also going to spend some time talking about making sure that we have comprehensive immigration reform done. And I want to again thank members of Congress who on a bipartisan basis are moving forward on that …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

White House Announces New Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region

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By The White House

Today, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon announced that Philip Gordon will be joining the National Security Staff as Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region. He will take up his duties beginning on March 11.

National Security Advisor Donilon said, “Phil has been a key member of President Obama’s foreign policy team for the past four years and his work with our European Allies and partners has been indispensable in helping us to formulate policy and address issues around the globe, including Libya, Syria and Iran. His work on international security, international economics and European and Middle Eastern Affairs make him the perfect person to coordinate our policy in this time of great challenge and opportunity in the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf. His appointment further strengthens a superb team that includes Puneet Talwar, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Gulf States, Iran and Iraq, and Prem Kumar, Acting Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa.”

Since May 2009, Dr. Gordon has served as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. As Assistant Secretary he was responsible for U.S. policy with regard to 50 countries in Europe and Eurasia as well as NATO, the EU and the OSCE. Prior to joining the Administration, Dr. Gordon was a senior foreign policy advisor to the 2008 presidential campaign of then-Senator Barack Obama, and served as: a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC; Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton; and a Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London.

He has a Ph.D. and M.A. in international relations from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. from Ohio University.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

First Lady Michelle Obama Announces New Effort to Make Healthier, MyPlate Recipes Easy to Find and Share

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By The White House

America’s Largest Media Companies Are Compiling and Promoting Thousands of Recipes that Align with USDA’s Guidance for Healthier Eating

WASHINGTON, DC –Today, five of America’s largest media companies, as well as Pinterest, announced a new collaboration in support of Let’s Move! to make it easier for their millions of online visitors to put nutritious meals on the table every day. Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, Meredith, Food Network and Time, Inc. in collaboration with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate have identified thousands of nutritious recipes that meet the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate, and are labeling, compiling and promoting these recipes on their most popular cooking websites, which collectively garnered 150 million views in January alone. More than 3,000 recipes have been identified across 18 websites, and today nearly 1,000 of these recipes have been collected on a new Pinterest page associated with the effort, providing a one-stop-shop where parents, beginner home cooks and even the most experienced chefs can find and share healthier recipes.

“As a mom, I know how challenging it can be to think of new meal ideas that your kids will like and that will be good for them,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This partnership takes the guess work out of finding healthier recipes and gives parents the information and the tools they need to make healthy choices for their families every day.”

Below is a list of publications participating in this collaborative effort:
• Allrecipes.com
• Better Homes & Gardens
• CookingLight.com
• CountryLiving.com
• Delish.com
• Diabeticliving.com
• EatingWell.com
• Epicurious.com
• Everyday with Rachael Ray
• FamilyCircle.com
• FoodNetwork.com
• GoodHousekeeping.com
• MyRecipes.com
• Parents.com
• RealSimple.com
• Redbook.com
• Recipe.com
• Woman’sDay.com

For more information on this partnership, visit www.pinterest.com/MyPlateRecipes

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President and Vice President at Meeting of the National Governors Association

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By The White House

State Dining Room

11:18 A.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. I tell you what, I didn't know Jack was as good as he is until I heard that rhyme last night. (Laughter.) Jack, if you had done that, I’d be introducing you here. (Laughter.)

Thank you all very, very much. I’m sorry — you guys are much more disciplined than the place I lived for 36 years, up on the Hill, and you’re running ahead of schedule. And so the President is with me, and I want to thank you all for being here.
We have a lot to work on. There’s a lot from fixing a broken immigration system to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, and this new word everybody in America is learning about — “sequester.”

This town, unlike many of your capitals, is I hope temporarily frozen in — not indifference but in sort of an intense partisanship, the likes of which in my career I’ve only see the last couple years. But you know the American people have moved to a different place. By the way, thanks for being so nice to my wife last night. I like you a hell of better. (Laughter.) We disagreed on some things.

But all kidding aside, I think the American people have moved — Democrats, Republicans, independents. They know that the possibilities for this country are immense. They're no longer traumatized by what was a traumatizing event, the great collapse in 2008. They're no longer worried, I think, about our economy being overwhelmed either by Europe writ large, the EU, or China somehow swallowing up every bit of innovation that exists in the world. They're no longer, I think, worried about our economy being overwhelmed beyond our shores.

And I don't think they're any more — there’s no — there’s very little doubt in any circles out there about America’s ability to be in position to lead the world in the 21st century, not only in terms of our foreign policy, our incredible defense establishment, but economically. I think the American people are ready to get up. As a civil rights leader, when I was coming up as a kid, said, they're just — the American people are tired of being tired. I think they're ready to get up and move. And you guys know that because it’s happening in your states. You probably feel it in your fingertips more than most of us do here in Washington.

And as I said, I think they know we’re better positioned than any nation in the world to lead the world. And that's why I think they're so frustrated by what they see and don't see happening here in Washington. And I think their frustration is turning into a little bit of anger.

I found an interesting dynamic — without ruining any of your reputations and picking out …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Renewing the National Commitment to Putting America’s Heroes Back to Work

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By The White House

Washington, D.C. – As part of their Joining Forces initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden addressed the National Governors Association and renewed their call on governors to do their part putting America’s heroes back to work, and to serve our military veterans and spouses as well as they’ve served us. The First Lady’s remarks are a call to action – building on President Obama’s June 2012 announcement of the Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force – setting a goal that by the end of 2015, all 50 states will have taken legislative or executive action to help our troops get the credentials they need to successfully transition to the civilian labor market.

The remarks by Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden coincide with a new report by the Executive Office of the President that details the barriers veterans and their families face as they seek employment, the Administration’s commitment to help them leverage their skills to good, meaningful jobs and the progress that has already been made.

FACT SHEET: The Fast Track to Civilian Employment

The United States has the most highly trained military in the world, sustained by individuals who have skill sets with enormous breadth and depth because of their military education and experience. The members of our Armed Forces and their families make great sacrifices, and when their service is concluded, we owe it to our veterans and their families to help them accomplish a successful transition to the civilian labor market. That is why over the past year and a half, the President has taken significant action to create a “career-ready military” and streamline the transition process.

Too often the talented men and women who have served our country face barriers that make it difficult to find jobs that capitalize on their skills. Many service members and veterans are required to repeat education or training in order to receive industry certifications and state occupational licenses, even though much, and in some cases, all, of their military training and experience overlaps with credential requirements.

Additionally, frequent moves, and the resulting need to search for new employment, can be a significant problem for military spouses, especially when getting a job in a new state requires obtaining an occupational license. Leveraging the skills of our military veterans and their families will build a stronger workforce and a more competitive economy.

The Fast Track to Civilian Employment

In the coming years, America will see a continued demand for skilled workers in high-growth industries from healthcare and information technology to clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

Studies generally find that both occupational licenses and government certifications are associated with higher wages, with substantial wage premiums—on the order of 15 to 18 percent—for individuals who hold an occupational license. Those without licenses often have to take jobs in different, lower-paying occupations.

Helping Servicemembers Gain Industry Recognized Licenses and Credentials
Despite having valuable military experience which in many …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President at National Governors Association Dinner

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By The White House

State Dining Room

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome, everybody. It is wonderful for us to have you here at the White House. Michelle and I are so happy to host you, and I want to start by acknowledging your outstanding chair, Jack Markell — (applause) — and your vice chair, Mary Fallin. (Applause.) But more importantly, I want to recognize the First Lady of Delaware and the First Gentleman of Oklahoma because we know that the spouses put up with an awful lot. (Laughter and applause.) And we hope that you all get a chance to celebrate a little bit tonight.

Last year, I got to see firsthand some of the great work that our governors are helping to accomplish all across the country. Now, it’s true that I had the chance to see some accomplishments in some states more than others — Ohio — (laughter) — Iowa –(laughter) — Colorado — (laughter) — Virginia. But I hope to see more of you this year, the rest of you.

But all of you have helped to steer your states through some of the nation’s toughest times. You’ve had to make hard choices. You’ve had to make wise investments and mobilize the constituencies to do what needs to be done to grow your state. And that work is paying off. Companies are bringing jobs back to our shores. New homes are popping up in our neighborhoods. Small businesses are revitalizing our communities.

And many of you also had to deal with some incredible natural disasters. And, obviously, it’s always painful to see the loss and the hardship that our families have suffered, but it’s always wonderful to see the way in which governors in particular are able to lead and mobilize their states and their communities, rallying around neighbors, friends in communities.

So we know we’ve got more work to do — more jobs to create and more children to educate, and more roads to repair. The task before us is to find smart, common-sense solutions to each of these challenges that we can move forward on. And I’m looking for good partners. Because while nobody in this room sees eye to eye on everything, we know that when we work together –- Democrats and Republicans, North, South, East and West — we can accomplish so much more than we can on our own. Whether it’s helping our citizens rebuild from a horrific hurricane or a turbulent economic storm, we’re stronger when we work together as a team.

One of my predecessors, a former governor himself, put it well — America is nothing if it consists merely of each us — if it consists merely of each of us, Woodrow Wilson said. “It’s something only if it consists of all of us.”

And nearly one hundred years later, I expect that those words continue to be true, and they should be guiding all …read more
Source: White House Press Office