Category Archives: U.S. Legislation

White House Press Office

Joint Statement by the United States and Japan

Leave a comment

By The White House

The two Governments confirm that should Japan participate in the TPP negotiations, all goods would be subject to negotiation, and Japan would join others in achieving a comprehensive, high-standard agreement, as described in the Outlines of the TPP Agreement announced by TPP Leaders on November 12, 2011.

Recognizing that both countries have bilateral trade sensitivities, such as certain agricultural products for Japan and certain manufactured products for the United States, the two Governments confirm that, as the final outcome will be determined during the negotiations, it is not required to make a prior commitment to unilaterally eliminate all tariffs upon joining the TPP negotiations.

The two Governments will continue their bilateral consultations with respect to Japan’s possible interest in joining the TPP. While progress has been made in these consultations, more work remains to be done, including addressing outstanding concerns with respect to the automotive and insurance sectors, addressing other non-tariff measures, and completing work regarding meeting the high TPP standards.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan After Bilateral Meeting

Leave a comment

By The White House

Oval Office

1:30 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I want to extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Abe and congratulate him on his victory and his leadership of Japan.

Obviously, Japan is one of our closest allies, and the U.S.-Japan alliance is the central foundation for our regional security and so much of what we do in the Pacific region. And that friendship extends not just between our governments but also between our peoples.

Prime Minister Abe himself is no stranger to the United States. I think he and I studied in California around the same time, and this is not his first visit to the Oval Office. So we’re looking forward to building a very strong working relationship on a whole range of issues.

We had close consultations on a wide range of security issues, in particular our concerns about the provocative actions that have been taken in North Korea and our determination to take strong actions in response.

We also discussed a wide range of multilateral issues, and I expressed my appreciation for the support Japan has provided to our efforts in Afghanistan, our efforts to resolve the nuclear issue in Iran, and we expressed mutual condolences around the loss of life at the BP plant in Algeria and pledged that this would spur greater counterterrorism cooperation.

After this brief session with the press, we’ll have an opportunity to extend these discussions over lunch, and we’ll have a chance to talk about the close economic cooperation between our two countries.

And I know that Prime Minister Abe and I both agree that our number-one priority has to be making sure that we are increasing growth and making sure that people have the opportunity to prosper if they're willing to work hard in both our countries. And so we’ll be talking about a host of issues that — and steps that we can take in our respective countries to encourage the kind of trade, expanded commerce, and robust growth that will lead to greater opportunity for both the United States and Japan.

Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. And please extend our warmest wishes to the people of Japan, and you can rest assured that you will have a strong partner in the United States throughout your tenure as Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) Mr. President, you already gave a very detailed briefing of the content of our briefing so there’s nothing for me to add, but I would like to make some additional remarks.

First of all, I would like to thank President Obama for creating this opportunity to have a summit meeting between Japan and the United States at a very busy time when his second term is beginning.

I think today’s — one big theme in our meeting today was for us to …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, 2/22/2013

Leave a comment

By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

11:34 A.M. EST

MR. CARNEY: I just want to say that it is my pleasure, and clearly yours, to have with me today the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, who is here to speak with you about the impacts of sequester, if it comes to pass, on the American travel industry.

And as we’ve talked about a lot, the indiscriminate, deep cuts will affect everyone, really, in America, and industries. And Secretary LaHood is here to discuss one aspect of that with you and to take some questions. And afterwards, I’ll be here to take questions on other issues.

I just want to remind you that we’re on a slightly constrained time schedule. We have the President’s meeting with national governors — Democratic governors, and then also the pool spray with the Prime Minister of Japan.

With that, I turn it over to Secretary LaHood.

SECRETARY LAHOOD: Sequester will be a very — will have a very serious impact on the transportation services that are critical to the traveling public and to the nation’s economy. At DOT, we will need to cut nearly a billion dollars, which will affect dozens of our programs. Over $600 million of these cuts will need to come from the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency that controls and manages our nation’s skies.

As a result of these cuts, the vast majority of FAA’s nearly 47,000 employees will be furloughed for approximately one day per pay period until the end of the fiscal year, and in some cases it could be as many as two days.

Today we are sharing more details with our unions and with industry so they can start planning for serious impacts of sequester. Here is what these automatic cuts are going to mean for the traveling public.

Obviously, as always, safety is our top priority, and we will never allow the amount of air travel we can handle safely to take off and land, which means travelers should expect delays. Flights to major cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco and others could experience delays of up to 90 minutes during peak hours because we have fewer controllers on staff. Delays in these major airports will ripple across the country.

Cuts to budgets mean preventative maintenance and quick repair of runway equipment might not be possible, which could lead to more delays. And once airlines see the potential impact of these furloughs, we expect that they will change their schedules and cancel flights.

So we are beginning today discussions with our unions to likely close more than 100 air traffic control towers at airports with fewer than 150,000 flight operations per year. And we’re talking about places like Boca Raton, Florida; Joplin, Missouri; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and San Marcos, Texas. The list of the towers — the list of potential towers that are to be closed, or elimination of midnight shifts, is posted on our …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

President Obama Signs Louisiana Disaster Declaration

Leave a comment

By The White House

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of January 8-17, 2013.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in the parishes of Acadia, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Jefferson Davis, Livingston, Madison, St. Landry, and Vermilion.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gerard M. Stolar as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT: FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

First Lady Michelle Obama and Big Bird Team Up to Help Get Kids Healthy

Leave a comment

By The White House

New Let’s Move! Public Service Announcements Filmed in the White House
Encourage Kids to Eat Healthy and Get Active

Washington, D.C. – First Lady Michelle Obama and Sesame Street’s Big Bird teamed up to film two public service announcements encouraging kids to eat healthy and get active. The new PSAs, which can be viewed HERE and HERE, are launched as part of the third anniversary celebration of Let’s Move! – Mrs. Obama’s initiative to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.

The new PSAs feature Mrs. Obama and Big Bird in the White House showing kids how easy and delicious it is to eat healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables and demonstrating fun ways to get active like dancing and jumping. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, will distribute these PSAs to 320 PBS Stations, Sesame Workshop’s partner channels as part of their Healthy Habits for Life Initiative. The PSAs are also posted on the Sesame Street and Let’s Move! websites.

These PSAs are part of the celebration of Let’s Move!’s third anniversary. Next week, the First Lady will kick off a two day nation-wide tour celebrating the anniversary by showcasing progress and announcing new ways the country is coming together around the health of our children.

Mrs. Obama launched Let’s Move! on February 9, 2010 to unite the country around our kids’ health and create real support for families to live healthier lives. Since then parents, business leaders, educators, elected officials, military leaders, chefs, physicians, athletes, childcare providers, community and faith leaders, and kids themselves have stepped up to improve the health of our nation’s children.

Thanks to these efforts, families now have access to more information to make healthier decisions for their children. Young people now have more opportunities for physical activity in their communities. Food in schools has been dramatically improved. More Americans now have access to healthy, affordable food closer to home. And the national childhood obesity rate has leveled off, and even declined in some cities and states.

More information on three years of healthy changes can be found here: http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/2013/02/08/lets-move-three-years-working-towards-healthier-generation-children

About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 150 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Presidential Memorandum – Delegation of Authority to Submit to the Congress Certain Certifications, Reports, and Notifications

Leave a comment

By The White House

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT: Delegation of Authority to Submit to the Congress Certain Certifications, Reports, and Notifications

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby delegate to you:

(1) the function of the President to make all certifications, reports, and notifications to the Congress prior to entry into force of the Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Australia Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation, as well as to provide annual reports thereafter, consistent with section 2 of the Senate Resolution of Advice and Consent to Ratification of the Treaty, dated September 29, 2010; and

(2) the responsibility of the President, under the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaties Implementation Act of 2010 (the “Act”), to provide congressional notification of amendments to the implementing arrangements that are made pursuant to section 105(c) of the Act.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

First Lady Michelle Obama to Embark on National Tour Celebrating Third Anniversary of Let’s Move!

Leave a comment

By The White House

February 27-28th, First Lady to make stops in Clinton, MS; Chicago, IL; Springfield, MO

WASHINGTON, DC – On February 27, 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama will kick off a two day nation-wide tour celebrating the third anniversary of Let’s Move!, her initiative to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential. The tour will showcase progress and announce new ways the country is coming together around the health of our children. Mrs. Obama will also travel to New York City this week to talk about the third anniversary of Let’s Move! on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show.

On Twitter, follow @FLOTUS and @LetsMove for live updates from the national tour and join the conversation using the hashtag #LetsMoveTour.

Mrs. Obama launched Let’s Move! on February 9, 2010 to unite the country around our kids’ health and create real support for families to live healthier lives. Since then parents, business leaders, educators, elected officials, military leaders, chefs, physicians, athletes, childcare providers, community and faith leaders and kids themselves have stepped up to improve the health of our nation’s children.

Thanks to these efforts, families now have access to more information to make healthier decisions for their children. Young people now have more opportunities for physical activity in their communities. Food in schools has been dramatically improved. More Americans now have access to healthy, affordable food closer to home. And the national childhood obesity rate has leveled off, and even declined in some cities and states.

More information on three years of healthy changes can be found here: http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/2013/02/08/lets-move-three-years-working-towards-healthier-generation-children

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013

New York, NY

Mrs. Obama will be in New York City to talk about the third anniversary of Let’s Move! with several national TV outlets. Mrs. Obama will appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, to air the evening of Friday, February 22. The First Lady previously appeared on the show in a special comedy sketch facing off with Fallon in a lively fitness challenge taped at the White House for the second anniversary of Let’s Move!.

Mrs. Obama will also film a segment with Robin Roberts about the anniversary and a new Let’s Move! partnership that makes finding healthy, reliable recipes easy for busy parents. The interview will air on Good Morning America on Tuesday, February 26.

The First Lady, joined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, will also tape an episode of The Dr. Oz Show to talk about how physical activity affects both children’s health and academic achievement. This episode will air on Thursday, February 28, the day Mrs. Obama and Secretary Duncan will make a major announcement about bringing physical activity back to schools.

The First Lady’s Let’s Move! national tour schedule is below:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Clinton, MS * 2:00 PM CT /3:00 PM ET * Change is Happening

First Lady Michelle Obama will join TV personality and child nutrition advocate Rachael Ray to highlight the new healthy school lunches that are now being …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: The President’s Plan to Make America a Magnet for Jobs by Investing in Infrastructure

Leave a comment

By The White House

The President’s Plan to Make America a Magnet for Jobs by Investing in Infrastructure

Investing in infrastructure not only makes our roads, bridges, and ports safer and allows our businesses and workers to be as competitive as they need to be in the global economy, it also creates thousands of good American jobs that cannot be outsourced. Since the President took office four years ago, America has begun the hard work of rebuilding our infrastructure. But there’s more to do, and that’s why the President’s plan ensures that the money we invest in infrastructure is spent wisely by adopting a “fix-it-first” policy.

Repair and maintenance of our existing roads, bridges and public transportation systems should take priority before we consider investing in new facilities. This will ensure that our cities are safer and more modern. But taxpayers shouldn’t have to shoulder the entire burden either. We also know that America works best when we’re tapping the resources and ingenuity of a vibrant private sector.

That’s why the President’s infrastructure plan calls for a Rebuild America Partnership that will attract private capital to build the infrastructure our businesses need most. By acting on the President’s plan, together we can prove that there is no better place to do business and create jobs than right here in the United States of America.

  • Investing in a “fix-it-first” policy: The President’s plan will immediately invest $50 billion in our nation’s transportation infrastructure, with $40 billion targeted to the most urgent upgrades and focused on fixing our highways, bridges, transit systems, and airports most in need of repair.

  • Attracting private investment through a “Rebuild America Partnership”: The President’s plan will partner federal, state, and local governments with businesses and private capital to provide America with the best transportation, electric, water, and communications networks in the world.

  • Cutting red tape: The President’s plan will cut timelines in half for infrastructure projects and create incentives for better outcomes for communities and the environment through a historic modernization of agency permitting and review regulations, procedures, and policies.

The President’s Plan to Put Workers Back on the Job & Build the Infrastructure we Need to Succeed in the Global Economy

Despite progress over the last four years, too many construction workers remain out of work and too many of our nation’s infrastructure needs remain unmet. The President’s plan would help put workers back on the job in the near term, while also building the infrastructure our businesses and workers need to succeed in the global economy:

  • Investing in a “fix-it-first” policy. The national transportation system faces an immense backlog of state-of-good-repair projects, a reality underscored by the fact that there are nearly 70,000 “structurally deficient” bridges in the country today. The President’s plan for $50 billion in frontloaded transportation infrastructure investment would direct $40 billion towards reducing the backlog of deferred maintenance on highways, bridges, transit systems, and airports nationwide. For example, the President’s proposed investments …read more
    Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Readout of the President’s Calls to Senate Republicans on Commonsense Immigration Reform

Leave a comment

By The White House

This afternoon, the President placed calls to Senator Graham, Senator McCain, and Senator Rubio to discuss their shared commitment to bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform and to commend the Senators for the bipartisan progress that continues to be made by the Gang of 8 on this important issue. During the calls, which build on conversations that have taken place at the staff level, the President reiterated that he remains supportive of the effort underway in Congress, and that he hopes that they can produce a bill as soon as possible that reflects shared core principles on reform. The President has made clear that he believes commonsense reform needs to include strengthening border security, creating an earned path to citizenship, holding employers accountable, and streamlining legal immigration. As the President made clear when he met with Democratic Senators involved in the process last week, that while he is pleased with the progress and supportive of the effort to date, he is prepared to submit his own legislation if Congress fails to act. He thanked the Senators for their leadership, and made clear that he and his staff look forward to continuing to work together with their teams to achieve needed reform.

The President did not speak with Senator Flake, who is traveling, but he looks forward to discussing the issue with him in the near future.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 2/19/2013

Leave a comment

By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

11:59 A.M. EST

MR. CARNEY: Good day, everyone. Thanks for being here. Welcome to your White House briefing. I have no announcements to make, so we'll go straight to the Associated Press.

Q Thank you. The President outlined some pretty dire consequences for the economy today if the sequester takes effect. I'm wondering, though, if those consequences are so dire why has he not picked up the phone to talk to Senator McConnell about supporting the Senate Democrats plan, and why are the two staffs not in any communication about this deadline.

MR. CARNEY: Well, we are in regular communication with Congress about a variety of topics that are high priorities for the President, including the need to ensure that Washington does not manufacture a crisis that puts hundreds of thousands of people’s jobs at risk, as you heard the President talk about today.

This is a simple thing. Over all, it’s a complicated subject, but it’s a simple thing: Congress needs to act to make sure we do not allow the so-called sequester to take effect. It’s wholly unnecessary and would be a self-inflicted wound on the economy.

There are ample ways to do this. The Democrats in the Senate and the House have tabled legislation that — put forward legislation that would buy down the deficit — buy down the sequester, postpone it to the end of the year in a balanced way. And as the President made clear, there should — we've done this before, just a few months ago. Republicans supported it then. There’s no reason why we can't do it again in order to allow Congress to have the time to work on the regular budgetary process so that we can achieve the larger goal, which is further significant deficit reduction in a balanced way. It can't be —

Q But that doesn’t really answer the question about why he’s not, or his staff is not apparently in communication with the top Republican in the Senate on this issue.

MR. CARNEY: Well, look, we are in regular communication with Congress on a variety of issues, including this.

Q Are you in communication with McConnell on this?

MR. CARNEY: I don't have any calls or communications to read out to you. But this is not a complicated piece of business. The broader issue of further deficit reduction in a balanced way will require time, and that's why it’s so important for Congress to move forward with a temporary postponement of the sequester, because the consequences of not doing that would be catastrophic, as the President made clear in his event just this morning.

Q Should the sequester take effect — and we are only 10 days away — I know the President and the government have outlined some severe consequences, but does the White House think the economy could handle the …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement from the President on General John

Leave a comment

By The White House

Today, I met with General John Allen and accepted his request to retire from the military so that he can address health issues within his family. I told General Allen that he has my deep, personal appreciation for his extraordinary service over the last 19 months in Afghanistan, as well as his decades of service in the United States Marine Corps. General Allen presided over the significant growth in the size and capability of Afghan National Security Forces, the further degradation of al Qaeda and their extremist allies, and the ongoing transition to Afghan security responsibility across the country. He worked tirelessly to strengthen our coalition through his leadership of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and to improve our relations with the Afghan government. Above all, he cares deeply for the men and women in uniform who serve our nation – as well as their families – and I am grateful for the sacrifices made by his family in supporting him during his service. John Allen is one of America’s finest military leaders, a true patriot, and a man I have come to respect greatly. I wish him and his family the very best as they begin this new chapter, and we will carry forward the extraordinary work that General Allen led in Afghanistan.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by President Obama and President Napolitano Before Bilateral Meeting

Leave a comment

By The White House

Oval Office

10:10 A.M. EST

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I want to extend the warmest greetings to my good friend, President Napolitano, on a return visit to the White House. I think it’s entirely appropriate the day after Valentine’s Day, since we know that St. Valentine was associated with Italy, that we had a chance to express our love for the Italian people and my high regard for President Napolitano.

He has been an extraordinary leader not just in Italy but also in Europe. We’ve had occasion to meet many times in which we have expressed again and again the importance of the transatlantic relationship, and the deep and abiding friendship and connection and bond between the Italian people and the American people.

And obviously, we have constantly talked about the extraordinary connection that derives from the tradition of Italian-Americans making enormous contributions to the United States. President Napolitano has been so gracious in talking about his memories of the role that America played in liberating Europe and instituting the kinds of democratic practices and traditions that have served both sides of the Atlantic so well for so many years.

I want to thank the people of Italy for their enormous contributions to the NATO Alliance. Italy is one of our biggest contributors in Afghanistan, and makes enormous sacrifices. They welcome and host our troops on Italian soil. The economic bonds between our two countries are very significant. And in all this, President Napolitano has shown himself to be a visionary leader who has helped to guide and steer Europe towards greater unification, but always with a strong transatlantic relationship in mind.

The last point I would make is that President Napolitano has also just been a good personal friend, a tremendous host to my family when they visited Italy. You should know, Mr. President, that one of the few things that my daughters asked me after I was reelected was, does this mean we can go back to Italy again? (Laughter.) So I confirmed to them that any excuse we can find to visit Italy, we shall return hopefully.

And this will give us an opportunity to not only visit but also to talk about some important issues, including the world economy. I announced at the State of the Union this week my interest and intention in pursuing a U.S.-European Union free trade agreement, which I know is something of great interest to the President. I’ll be interested in hearing from him how he anticipates the elections and government formation in Italy and what implications that has for the larger European project. And I’m sure we’ll have a chance to talk about some national security issues as well.

But my main message is to say thank you for your extraordinary service, and I’m so glad that we had an opportunity to visit once again before you move onto even better things — I assume they’re at least having more fun than …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President at Presentation of 2012 Presidential Citizens Medals

Leave a comment

By The White House

East Room

11:30 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, everybody. Please, please have a seat. Well, it is a pleasure to welcome some of our nation’s finest citizens here to the people’s house. And let me be the first to congratulate each of you and your family members for the receipt of the highest honor a civilian can receive –- the Citizens Medal.

We host a lot of events at the White House but I have to admit this is one of my favorites, because it’s a moment when, as a people, we get to recognize some extraordinary men and women who have gone above and beyond for their country and for their fellow citizens — often without fanfare; often with not a lot of attention; very rarely for any profit. You do it because it’s the right thing to do, because you want to give back. And today, we honor you. We celebrate you. And, most of all, we have a chance to say thank you. Because all of us are what the rest of us aspire to be.

In America, we have the benefit of living in this big and diverse nation. We’re home to 315 million people who come from every background, who worship every faith, who hold every single point of view. But what binds us together, what unites us is a single sacred word: citizen.

It’s a word that, as I said in my State of the Union Address, doesn’t just describe our nationality or our legal status, the fact that we hold a passport. It defines our way our life. It captures our belief in something bigger than ourselves — our willingness to accept certain obligations to one another, and to embrace the idea that we’re all in this together; that out of many, we are one. It’s the thing that Tocqueville noticed about America when he first came to visit — these folks participate, they get involved, they have a point of view; they don’t just wait for somebody else to do something, they go out there and do it, and they join and they become part of groups and they mobilize and they organize.

That’s who we are, that’s in our DNA. That’s what it means to be a citizen of the United States of America. We’ve all got busy lives. We’ve got bills to pay. We’ve got kids to carpool, errands to get done. And in the midst of all the running around, it would be easy — and even understandable — for folks to just focus on themselves, to worry about our own lives, to look down the street and see a neighbor in need and say, “I’d like to help but I’ve got problems of my own.” To look across town at a community that’s in despair and say, “That’s just too big a challenge …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of Her Excellency Park Geun-hye, President-elect of the Republic of Korea on February 25, 2013

Leave a comment

By The White House

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Seoul, Korea to attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Park Geun-hye, President-elect of the Republic of Korea on February 25, 2013.

The Honorable Tom Donilon, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Sung Kim, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea

General James D. Thurman, Commander of the United Nations Command, Republic of Korea– U.S. Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea

The Honorable Daniel Russel, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs, NSS

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: The President’s Plan to Ensure Hard Work Leads to a Decent Living

Leave a comment

By The White House

There’s a basic bargain in America. It says that no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you’re willing to work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to find a good job, feel secure in your community, and support a family. President Obama has fought for the middle class, and has made historic investments in making sure that there are ladders of opportunity for those working hard to make it to the middle class.

The President’s plan builds on the progress we’ve made over the last four years to expand opportunity for every American and every community willing to do the work to lift themselves up. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the challenges we face. It will take a collaborative effort—between business and federal, state, and local officials; faith-based and non-profit organizations; kids and parents—to ensure that hard work leads to a decent living for every American. The President’s plan:

• Rewards hard work by raising the minimum wage to $9.00: Right now, a full-time minimum wage worker makes $14,500 a year. That means too many Americans who are putting in an honest, hard day’s work are living in poverty. That’s unacceptable. The President’s plan raises the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00, which would directly boost wages for 15 million workers and reduce poverty and inequality.

• Provides high-quality preschool for every child: Let’s give every child the fair shot he or she deserves. For America to succeed in the 21st century, we must have the most dynamic, educated workforce in the world, and that education has to start early in life. But today, most four-year-olds aren’t in a high-quality public preschool program. The President’s plan partners with states to expand high-quality preschool to every child.

• Partners with communities to help them rebuild and put people back to work: A child’s zip code should never determine her destiny; but today, the neighborhood she grows up in impacts her odds of graduating high school, her health outcomes, and her lifetime economic opportunities. This year, the Administration will begin to partner with 20 communities that were hardest-hit by the recession to help get them back on their feet. Working with local leaders, the President’s plan targets resources at creating jobs, public safety, education, and housing.

• Creates pathways to jobs for all Americans: The President’s plan offers incentives to companies that hire Americans who’ve got what it takes to fill a job opening, but have been out of work so long that no one will give them a chance anymore. His plan also supports summer and year-round jobs for low-income youth. This is in addition to his plan to equip Americans with the skills they need for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the 21st century.

• Expands early childhood opportunity for all Americans: In addition to providing access to high-quality preschool for every child, the President …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on Senator Lautenberg

Leave a comment

By The White House

Frank is a steadfast champion of the people of New Jersey. Throughout his time in the Senate, Frank has fought tirelessly for workers, veterans, members of our military and their families, and immigrants, and he continues to make extraordinary contributions to our nation’s safety, and the health and welfare of our citizens. His service in World War II is a testament to his character and deep commitment to public service. I look forward to working with Frank on critical issues before us these next two years, and Michelle and I wish him and Bonnie all the best.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Gaggle By Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest aboard Air Force One en route Decatur, Georgia, 2/14/2013

Leave a comment

By The White House

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Decatur, Georgia

10:35 A.M. EST

MR. EARNEST: Good morning, everybody. And Happy Valentine's Day. I'm glad you're on board for our trip to Decatur, Georgia today. Rest assured you can — we'll be back in plenty of time for you to do something nice for your valentines this evening.

So let me begin with a brief opening statement, and then we'll open it up to questions.

As I mentioned, we're headed to Georgia this morning where the President will discuss one of the initiatives that he unveiled in the State of the Union that will expand economic opportunity for the middle class and everyone working hard to get there — high-quality preschool education for every child in America.

Studies show that for every dollar we invest in a quality preschool program, we’ll save more than 7 dollars because of the impact that a good early childhood education program has for our youngest students, including on things like graduation rates, teen pregnancy rates, and even violent crime rates. The OECD estimates that the United States ranks 28th out of 38 for our share of children that are enrolled in high-quality preschool programs.

So the point is that these programs have a profound impact on the lives of our children, and yet we're not doing enough on it. States like Georgia and Oklahoma, which are states that are run by Republican governors — and routinely vote for Republican presidential candidates, by the way — have made important investments in these kinds of programs. So there is no reason this should get bogged down in partisan politics. And the President will call on members in his remarks today — members of Congress in both parties — to act quickly on this.

With that, we’ll open it up for a few questions.

Q All right, Josh, moving straight to a political question — it sounds like the Republicans are planning a full-scale filibuster of Senator Hagel. Does the President still stand by his nomination? And how do you intend to move on?

MR. EARNEST: The President stands strongly behind Senator Hagel. The President believes that Senator Hagel would do a wonderful job in a very important role, which is leading the Department of Defense at a challenging time for our country.

Currently, we have 66,000 men and women in uniform who are deployed in Afghanistan. The President talked in his State of the Union address earlier this week about the important transition that’s underway there to bring those troops home. We need our new Secretary of Defense in place to be a part of that process.

We obviously have some looming questions about the impact of the sequester on the Department of Defense budget. The outgoing Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, has commented about the terrible impact that the sequester would have on our military readiness.

Next week, there is a defense ministerial …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at the Beasts of the Southern Wild Workshop

Leave a comment

By The White House

State Dining Room

11:07 A.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA: Hi! How is everybody? You guys good? Good morning!

AUDIENCE: Good morning.

MRS. OBAMA: I am thrilled, beyond thrilled. You guys excited to be here?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Was it a good movie?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, wonderful. I am so glad you all are here to help us celebrate Black History Month at the White House. We're doing a bunch of stuff this month, but this is one of the highlights. And we are thrilled to be here with you all.

I want to start by thanking Rachel Goslins for agreeing to moderate the workshop today. Rachel is a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. And what that means is that her job is to connect all Americans, especially young people, to music, art, dance and film. So thank you, Rachel, as always. Thanks for all your hard work, and — yes. (Applause.)

And, of course, I also want to thank our guests who are with us today — Benh Zeitlin, Dwight Henry, and Quvenzhané — my girl. Did I say that right? Did I get that right? Quvenzhané Wallis for being here today. Let's give them a round of applause. (Applause.)

But it's a special joy to have so many bright, smart and talented young people here. You guys are looking good. And I know that some of you have traveled all the way from New Orleans — is that correct? And many of you are here right from D.C., right in our neighborhood, our neighbors. But let me tell you, no matter where you've come from or how far you traveled, we're just glad you're here today to watch what I consider to be one of the most powerful and important movies that has been put out this year — or in a long time, quite frankly — Beasts of the Southern Wild.

And as I was telling the cast and the directors and the producers in the other room, I had the opportunity to watch this movie this summer with a large group of our friends and family. And the ages ranged from three to 75 years old — we had a big family. But it's rare these days to find a movie that can so completely and utterly captivate such a broad audience, and that was one of the things that struck me about this movie. It managed to be beautiful, joyful and devastatingly honest.

It's a movie that makes us all think deeply about the people we love in our lives who make us who we are. It …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on Ash Wednesday

Leave a comment

By The White House

Michelle and I join with Christians here and around the world in marking Ash Wednesday. This is a day of both reflection and joy, a time to ponder the meaning of repentance and restoration. As we enter Lent, we join millions in renewing our faith and remembering our commitment to love and serve one another.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: The President’s Plan to Reward Work by Raising the Minimum Wage

Leave a comment

By The White House

The President’s plan strengthens the middle class by making America a magnet for jobs, equipping every American with the skills they need to do those jobs, and ensuring hard work leads to a decent living.

The President believes that no one who works fulltime should have to raise their family in poverty. But right now, a full-time minimum wage worker makes $14,500 a year – which leaves too many families struggling to make ends meet, with a family of four with a minimum wage worker still living below the poverty line. That’s why the President is calling on Congress to raise the Federal minimum wage for working Americans in stages to $9 in 2015 and index it to inflation thereafter.

  • Reward work by raising the Federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9: The President is calling on Congress to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 in stages by the end of 2015 and index it to inflation thereafter, which would directly boost wages for 15 million workers and reduce poverty and inequality.
  • A stronger middle class is a key to a stronger economy: A range of economic studies show that modestly raising the minimum wage increases earnings and reduces poverty without jeopardizing employment. In fact, leading economists like Lawrence Katz, Richard Freeman, and Laura Tyson and businesses like Costco, Wal-Mart, and Stride Rite have supported past increases to the minimum wage, in part because increasing worker productivity and purchasing power for consumers will also help the overall economy.
  • Helping parents make ends meet: Around 60 percent of workers benefiting from a higher minimum wage are women. Less than 20 percent are teenagers. Also, those workers who would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage brought home 46 percent of their household’s total wage and salary income in 2011. These factors show that raising the minimum wage directly helps parents make ends meet and support their families.

Rewarding Work and Ensuring a Decent Living for Working Families

  • Raising wages for over 15 million workers: The minimum wage has a substantial impact on the wages of low-income workers. Raising the minimum wage to $9 would directly boost the wages of about 15 million workers by the end of 2015 and would raise wages for millions more by causing a ripple effect of employers choosing to raise wages for workers above the minimum wage.
  • Reducing poverty and inequality, and helping more families realize the American Dream: A higher minimum wage will allow more families a shot at the American Dream– lifting many out of poverty and offsetting the roughly 10 to 20 percent of the increase in income inequality since 1980 that can be traced to the erosion of the minimum wage adjusted for inflation.
  • Raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour would restore its real value to what it was at the beginning of the Reagan Administration: Since it was first established in 1938, the minimum wage has been increased 22 times, but was eroded substantially over several …read more
    Source: White House Press Office