Category Archives: U.S. Legislation

White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: Afghanistan

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By The White House


Afghanistan

In his State of the Union address, the President announced that the United States will withdraw 34,000 American troops from Afghanistan by this time next year, decreasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan by half – the next step to responsibly bringing this war to a close.

  • Afghans in the Lead: Beginning in the spring of 2013, Afghan forces will assume the lead across the country. Even as our troops draw down, they will continue to train, advise and assist Afghan forces. In that capacity, we will no longer be leading combat operations, but a sizeable number of U.S. forces will provide support for two additional fighting seasons before Afghan forces are fully responsible for their own security.

  • Planning for post-2014: We are continuing discussions with the Afghan government about how we can carry out two basic missions beyond 2014: training, advising and equipping Afghan forces, and continued counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda and their affiliates.

The Security Transition Process

At the 2010 NATO Summit in Lisbon, the United States, our International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners, and the Afghan Government agreed to transfer full responsibility for Afghanistan’s security to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) by the end of 2014. This transition process allows the international community to responsibly draw down our forces in Afghanistan, while preserving hard-won gains and setting the stage to achieve our core objectives – defeating al Qaeda and ensuring it can never again use Afghanistan as a launching pad for attacks against us.

At the Chicago NATO Summit in May 2012, leaders reaffirmed this framework for transition and agreed on an interim milestone in 2013 to mark our progress. This milestone will mark the beginning of the ANSF’s assumption of the lead for combat operations across the country. When we reach that milestone this spring, ISAF’s main effort will shift from combat to supporting the ANSF. As international forces shift our primary focus to training, advising, and assisting, we will ensure that the Afghans have the support they need as they adjust to their new responsibilities.

Today, Afghan forces are already leading nearly 90 percent of operations, and by spring 2013, they will be moving into the operational lead across the country. These forces are currently at a surge strength of 352,000, where they will remain for at least three more years, to allow continued progress toward a secure environment in Afghanistan.

As the international community’s role shifts and Afghan forces continue to grow in capabilities, coalition troop numbers will continue to decrease in a planned, coordinated, and responsible manner. By the end of 2014, transition will be complete and Afghan Security Forces will be fully responsible for the security of their country.

Supporting Political Transition

The United States believes that Afghan-led peace and reconciliation is ultimately necessary to end violence and ensure lasting stability of Afghanistan and the region. As the President has said, the United States will support initiatives that bring …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Excerpts of the President’s State of the Union Address

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By The White House

“It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.

It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country – the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love.

It is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many, and not just the few; that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiative, and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across this great nation of ours.”

…

“A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs – that must be the North Star that guides our efforts. Every day, we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation: How do we attract more jobs to our shores? How do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?”

…

“Tonight, I’ll lay out additional proposals that are fully paid for and fully consistent with the budget framework both parties agreed to just 18 months ago. Let me repeat – nothing I’m proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime. It’s not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth.”

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address

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By The White House

Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery
State of the Union Address
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Washington, DC
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:
Fifty-one years ago, John F. Kennedy declared to this Chamber that “the Constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress…It is my task,” he said, “to report the State of the Union – to improve it is the task of us all.”
Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the American people, there is much progress to report. After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home. After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over six million new jobs. We buy more American cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in twenty. Our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before.
Together, we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger.
But we gather here knowing that there are millions of Americans whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded. Our economy is adding jobs – but too many people still can’t find full-time employment. Corporate profits have rocketed to all-time highs – but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged.
It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.
It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country – the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love.
It is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many, and not just the few; that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiative, and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across this great nation.
The American people don’t expect government to solve every problem. They don’t expect those of us in this chamber to agree on every issue. But they do expect us to put the nation’s interests before party. They do expect us to forge reasonable compromise where we can. For they know that America moves forward only when we do so together; and that the responsibility of improving this union remains the task of us all.
Our work must begin by making some basic decisions about our budget – decisions that will have a huge impact on the strength of our recovery.
Over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion – mostly through spending cuts, but also by raising tax …read more
Source: White House Press Office
White House Press Office

Readout of the President's Call with Republic of Korea President Lee Myung-bak

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By The White House

The President spoke to Republic of Korea President Lee Myung-bak this morning to consult and coordinate on the response to North Korea’s announced nuclear test. The two leaders condemned this highly provocative violation of North Korea’s international obligations. They agreed to work closely together, including at the United Nations Security Council, to seek a range of measures aimed at impeding North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and reducing the risk of proliferation. President Obama unequivocally reaffirmed that the United States remains steadfast in its defense commitments to the Republic of Korea, including the extended deterrence offered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella. The President also thanked President Lee for his leadership and friendship over the past four years and pledged to work closely with President-elect Park to further strengthen U.S.-ROK cooperation.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 2/11/2013

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By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

12:43 P.M. EST

MR. CARNEY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the White House for your daily briefing. I know there’s a call time for the Medal of Honor ceremony, so we’re going to have to keep this quick so everybody who wants to attend, or is scheduled to attend, can do that.

I just wanted to note at the top — and I’ll do this quickly — that you probably saw a blog post by Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer over the weekend that makes clear a couple of points, and that is that, first, there is no reason why we should allow the sequester, with its indiscriminate cuts, to take effect. It is wholly false that the President has not put forward proposals that would eliminate the sequester. In fact, he’s done it three times — first, with his proposal to the super committee, which would have eliminated the sequester entirely. That was the whole idea behind the super committee’s work. Second, with his budget. And third, in his proposal to Speaker Boehner, which met Republicans more than halfway on spending cuts and entitlement reforms and revenues late last year.

We call on Congress — as you heard the President do — to allow itself the time and space to work together towards a broader budget agreement that eliminates the sequester entirely and reduces our deficit further by passing a short-term delay in the sequester in a balanced, responsible way — without drama, without delay, without inflicting the kind of unnecessary wound on our economy that we should absolutely not be allowing to happen at this time.

So I would also like to address briefly the fallacious assertions that Republicans have been making about who wants the sequester and who doesn’t. Let’s just be clear: When the Budget Control Act passed on August 11th, 2011, through the House of Representatives, it passed by a vote of 269 to 161. Based on statements by Republicans today, you would have thought that the vast majority of that vote was from Democrats. Well, in fact, 174 of the 269 were Republicans, House Republicans. Only 95 Democrats voted for that bill. And that included every Republican leader — Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, Congressman McCarthy, Congressman Ryan. The Speaker of the House, John Boehner, that day told CBS, “I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I’m pretty happy.”

So I’m not sure how that squares with some of the commentary we’ve seen in the last few weeks.

With that, I’ll take your questions. Jim.

Q Thanks, Jay. On that issue, particularly on the short-term solution that buys time and space, some lawmakers are suggesting that Congress could give the President authority to better target some of these cuts in the short term. Would the President be amenable to that? That would be one way to avoid the kind …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Presidential Memorandum — Presidential Determination Regarding Drawdown Under Section 506 (a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, for Chad and France to Support Their Efforts in Mali

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By The White House

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

SUBJECT: Drawdown Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, for Chad and France to Support Their Efforts in Mali

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2318(a)(1)(the “Act”), I hereby determine that an unforeseen emergency exists that requires immediate military assistance to Chad and France in their efforts to secure Mali from terrorists and violent extremists. I further determine that these requirements cannot be met under the authority of the Arms Export Control Act or any other provision of law.

I, therefore, direct the drawdown of up to $50 million in defense services of the Department of Defense for these purposes and under the authorities of section 506(a)(1) of the Act.

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to report this determination to the Congress, arrange for its publication in the Federal Register, and coordinate the implementation of this drawdown.

BARACK OBAMA

…read more
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White House Press Office

Statement by the President on His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

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By The White House

On behalf of Americans everywhere, Michelle and I wish to extend our appreciation and prayers to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Michelle and I warmly remember our meeting with the Holy Father in 2009, and I have appreciated our work together over these last four years. The Church plays a critical role in the United States and the world, and I wish the best to those who will soon gather to choose His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s successor.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by President Obama on SBA Administrator Karen Mills’ Departure

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By The White House

I want to thank Administrator Mills for her outstanding work on behalf of America’s small business owners and entrepreneurs. I asked Karen to lead the Small Business Administration because I knew she had the skills and experience to help America’s small businesses recover from the worst economic crisis in generations – and that’s exactly what she’s done. Over the last four years, Karen has made it easier for small businesses to interact with the federal government by reducing paperwork and cutting through red tape. She has played a leading role in my Administration’s efforts to support start-ups and entrepreneurs. And she was instrumental in the passage of the Small Business Jobs Act. Because of Karen’s hard work and dedication, our small businesses are better positioned to create jobs and our entire economy is stronger. I want to thank Karen and am grateful for her service.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Presidential Memorandum — Presidential Determination Regarding Waiver of Restriction on Providing Funds to the Palestinian Authority

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By The White House

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT: Waiver of Restriction on Providing Funds to the Palestinian Authority

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7040(b) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division I, Public Law 112-74) (the “Act”) as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 112-175) (the “CR“), I hereby certify that it is important to the national security interests of the United States to waive the provisions of section 7040(a) of the Act as carried forward by the CR, in order to provide funds appropriated to carry out chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended, to the Palestinian Authority.

You are directed to transmit this determination to the Congress, with a report pursuant to section 7040(d) of the Act as carried forward by the CR, and to publish this determination in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

President Obama to Honor Recipients of the 2012 Citizens Medal

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By The White House

Recipients from across the country will visit the White House to receive Presidential award for exemplary service to their fellow citizens

WASHINGTON, DC – On February 15, 2013, President Obama will welcome to the White House the recipients of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor.

“It is my distinguished honor to award these individuals the 2012 Citizens Medal for their commitment to public service,” said President Obama. “Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country.”

This event will be open press and begin at 10:45AM ET. Members of the media who wish to cover this event must send NAME, MEDIA OUTLET, PHONE AND EMAIL for each person planning to cover the event to media_affairs@who.eop.gov by Wednesday, February 13th at 5:00 PM ET. If we are able to accommodate your request for credentials, we will send a confirmation with further instructions and logistical details after the RSVP deadline passes.

NOTE: Members of the media who do not have a White House hard pass must also submit their full name (including middle name), date of birth, Social Security number, gender, country of birth, country of citizenship and current city and state of residence.

The Citizens Medal was established in 1969 to recognize American citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. President Obama is recognizing Americans whose work has had a significant impact on their communities but may not have garnered national attention. The President called on members of the public to nominate people in their lives who have performed exemplary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including individuals:

Who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home. Someone who has engaged in activities that have had an impact in their local community, on a community or communities elsewhere in the United States, or on fellow citizens living or stationed around the world.

Who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts. Individuals who have demonstrated notable skill and grace, selflessly placed themselves in harm’s way, taken unusual risks or steps to protect others, made extraordinary efforts to further a national goal, or otherwise conducted themselves admirably when faced with unusually challenging circumstances.

Whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem. Individuals who have made efforts to combat stubbornly persistent problems that impact entire communities; for example, those who have taken innovative steps to address hunger, homelessness, the dropout crisis, lack of access to health care, and other issues that plague too many Americans.

Whose service has had a sustained impact on others’ lives and provided inspiration for others to serve. The ideal nominee for a Citizens Medal is a person whose work has had a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of others.

For more information on the President’s Citizens Medal and to nominate someone for the 2013 Citizens Medal, visit www.whitehouse.gov/citizensmedal.

Nearly 6,000 public nominations …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on the Lunar New Year

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By The White House

Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all those who will be celebrating the Lunar New Year this Sunday, February 10th. Here in America and around the world, people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent will welcome the Year of the Snake. In Chinese tradition, the snake represents wisdom, and a thoughtful approach to tackling the challenges before us – principles that I hope will continue to guide us as we perfect our union and create a more just and equal future for every American. Our challenges may be great, but our diversity and the traditions that thrive here give us the strength to meet them. To everyone celebrating the Lunar New Year, I wish you peace, prosperity and good health and fortune.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: Examples of How the Sequester Would Impact Middle Class Families, Jobs and Economic Security

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By The White House

Unless Congress acts by March 1st, a series of automatic cuts—called a sequester—that threaten thousands of jobs and the economic security of the middle class will take effect. There is no question that we need to cut the deficit, but the President believes it should be done in a balanced way that protects investments that the middle class relies on. Already, the President has worked with Congress to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion, but there’s more to do. The President believes we can not only avoid the harmful effects of a sequester but also reduce the deficit by $4 trillion total by cutting even more wasteful spending and eliminating tax loopholes for the wealthy.

Unfortunately, many Republicans in Congress refuse to ask the wealthy to pay a little more by closing tax loopholes so that we can protect investments that are helping grow our economy and keep our country safe. Our economy is poised to take off but we cannot afford a self-inflicted wound from Washington. We cannot simply cut our way to prosperity, and if Republicans continue to insist on an unreasonable cuts-only approach, the middle class risks paying the price. The most damaging effects of a sequester on the middle class are:

• Cuts to education: Our ability to teach our kids the skills they’ll need for the jobs of the future would be put at risk. 70,000 young children would be kicked off Head Start, 10,000 teacher jobs would be put at risk, and funding for up to 7,200 special education teachers, aides, and staff could be cut.

• Cuts to small business: Small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs in America and instead of helping small businesses expand and hire, the automatic cuts triggered by a sequester would reduce loan guarantees to small businesses by up to $540 million.

• Cuts to food safety: Outbreaks of foodborne illness are a serious threat to families and public health. If a sequester takes effect, up to 2,100 fewer food inspections could occur, putting families at risk and costing billions in lost food production.

• Cuts to research and innovation: In order to compete for the jobs of the future and to ensure that the next breakthroughs to find cures for critical diseases are developed right here in America, we need to continue to lead the world in research and innovation. Most Americans with chronic diseases don’t have a day to lose, but under a sequester progress towards cures would be delayed and several thousand researchers could lose their jobs. Up to 12,000 scientists and students would also be impacted.

• Cuts to mental health: If a sequester takes effect, up to 373,000 seriously mentally ill adults and seriously emotionally disturbed children could go untreated. This would likely lead to increased hospitalizations, involvement in the criminal justice system, and homelessness for these individuals.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) now calculates that sequestration will require an annual reduction of roughly 5 …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President at House Democratic Issues Conference

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By The White House

Lansdowne Resort
Leesburg, Virginia
12:49 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you! (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat. Xavier, thank you for that very gracious introduction and your outstanding leadership.
Let me begin by saying that I could not be happier that one of my most important friends and partners is still leading our Democrats in the House of Representatives. I love Nancy Pelosi. Give her a big round of applause. (Applause.) Love Nancy Pelosi. (Applause.) Also, she just generates good-looking grandbabies. (Laughter.) They're all so handsome and sharp and beautiful.
To Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn, as well as Xavier and Joe Crowley, thank you so much for the great work that you guys are doing each and every day. And to Steve Israel, who worked tirelessly to bring on 49 new outstanding members of this caucus. (Applause.) I am looking forward to spending time with all 49 of you. And hopefully we'll be seeing you over at the White House and at various events, but obviously I know that you came here to get something done. And I am looking forward to working with you every single day to make sure that we're doing right by the people who sent us here.
Now, I actually just changed the format here. I called an audible — because originally the way this was scheduled was I was just going to talk and then I was going to shake some hands, and I thought, since this is not a shy bunch, it might make sense for me to take some questions and some advice I'm sure you guys have for me. (Laughter.) So what I'm going to do is I'm just going to make s few points at the top, and then what I'd like is maybe Xavier or Steve or somebody can come up here, you can call on folks, and we'll spend a little time with Q&A before I get a chance to say hello to everybody.
And part of the reason I want to keep my remarks short is because I just made a pretty long speech a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about to make another next week, and I don’t want you guys tired of me. (Laughter.)
But, obviously, I'm deeply grateful to have been reelected, and I'm humbled by the support that I received from all across the country. (Applause.) And I said at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning — and I was telling the truth — I genuinely am humbled. The fascinating thing about this job is the longer you're in it, the more humble you get, and the more you recognize your own imperfections. And you try to make up with effort and hard work those gaps in your personality or your intelligence that become …read more
Source: White House Press Office
White House Press Office

Remarks by the President in the Nomination of Sally Jewell as Secretary of the Interior

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By The White House

State Dining Room

2:06 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Well, good afternoon, everybody.

Ken Salazar likes to say that the Department of the Interior is actually the Department of America. Other members of my Cabinet may not entirely agree with that statement, but you can see where he’s coming from. The Secretary of the Interior is in charge of overseeing 500 million acres of public land — including places like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon — and protecting our natural heritage for our children and our grandchildren and their children to come.

But the job also requires keeping an eye on America’s future, and making smart decisions about how we create jobs and help businesses grow, and put ourselves on a path towards energy independence. And that’s not always an easy balancing act, but with enthusiasm and skill and dedication, that’s exactly what Ken Salazar has done over the last four years.

We were just reminiscing a little bit — I’ve known Ken since we were both running for the Senate together and became the only two incoming Democrats in our Senate class — Pete Rouse remembers this. It was a lonely time. (Laughter.) We actually lived in the same building when we first arrived in Washington. And, Ken, you'll recall it was a little discouraging because basically everyone else who lived there was 20 or 25. (Laughter.) So we were the two geriatrics in this building.

But I came to appreciate quickly not just his friendship — which, if you've got Ken Salazar as a friend, you've got a real friend. Not only did I come to appreciate his jump shot — he is surprisingly quick on the court — (laughter) — but also his patriotism, and his belief that we've got a responsibility to care for the land with which we’ve been blessed.

And it's not surprising that Ken feels this way — after all, his ancestors were living here before the Mayflower set sail. As he explains it — and relevant, as we are working to get immigration reform passed — his family did not cross the border, the border crossed them. (Laughter.) And that’s why, when I needed somebody to lead Interior, I didn’t have to look very far.

Since being confirmed, Ken has cracked down on waste. He's improved the management of the Department to make it work better for the American people. He has ushered in a new era of conservation for our land, our water and our wildlife. He's established seven new national parks, 10 new national wildlife refuges. He has opened more public land and water for safe and responsible energy production, not just gas and oil but also wind and solar, creating thousands of new jobs and nearly doubling our use of renewable energy in this country. He has helped to forge what is probably the strongest working relationship with tribal leaders that the federal …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at Wounded Warriors Reception at Winfield House

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By The White House

Hello, everyone! Thank you, Marjorie, for hosting us here today and for your ongoing collaboration as we support our service men and women and their families.

As Second Lady, and as a military mom, I have been honored to spend time with our troops, and our recovering service members—and I am so inspired by the strength and resilience of both British and American military families and veterans. Major Peter Norton, thank you for your service.

I know a spirit of service is deeply ingrained in all of you … that the warrior mentality doesn’t leave you when you return from war – or when you separate from the military.

Over the past few days, I have visited with Wounded Warriors and medical staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center … and spent the day with soldiers and their families at a US Army base in Germany.

With each visit, I am reminded that our service members and their families have done so much for us … and we can all do something in return.

That spirit is what fuels the Joining Forces initiative the First Lady and I started to support and honor our troops and military families.

And I am very pleased to not only visit with some of the heroes that make the British military so strong, but also all the organizations here that support them.

I know that over the past 10 years, you have all worked so hard to improve the lives of the men and women who have sacrificed so much. It is your dedication and support that has made all the difference for so many veterans and their families.

You are truly Joining Forces.

The bonds that British and American troops share are unbreakable. You have served alongside one another every step of the way. Over 250,000 British troops have served alongside Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. You are brothers and sisters in combat, but also in healing.

In 2010, a soldier named Brian attended a holiday gathering Joe and I hosted in our home. Brian was newly injured at the time, and he and his young family were adjusting to his new normal – walking on prosthetics … separating from the military … and caring for a newborn while healing from amputations and internal injuries sustained during a blast in Iraq.

Almost a year later, I was visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed hospital when I met another young soldier who had just been injured in Afghanistan.

He told me that he had been struggling to adjust to losing his legs, and to the long healing process ahead of him.

But he said he was feeling much better because a fellow injured soldier had reached out to him and was mentoring him. That soldier was Brian.

Just a year after being injured, Brian was thriving. He gave other wounded warriors confidence that they too would once again be whole.

I use Brian as an example of that same inner strength we have seen in you as many of you have pursued physical challenges beyond what you ever imagined you could accomplish after your injuries.

Not only do you inspire countless other recovering warriors, you inspire me … my husband Joe … President Barack Obama … First Lady Michelle Obama … and all Americans.

To our heroes and your families, thank you for your sacrifice and service, and to our British partners and friends, thank you for your ongoing commitment to our service men and women.

Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President

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By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

1:16 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody.

I wanted to say a few words about the looming deadlines and decisions that we face on our budget and on our deficit — and these are decisions that will have real and lasting impacts on the strength and pace of our recovery.

Economists and business leaders from across the spectrum have said that our economy is poised for progress in 2013. And we’ve seen signs of this progress over the last several weeks. Home prices continue to climb. Car sales are at a five-year high. Manufacturing has been strong. And we’ve created more than six million jobs in the last 35 months.

But we’ve also seen the effects that political dysfunction can have on our economic progress. The drawn-out process for resolving the fiscal cliff hurt consumer confidence. The threat of massive automatic cuts have already started to affect business decisions. So we’ve been reminded that while it’s critical for us to cut wasteful spending, we can’t just cut our way to prosperity. Deep, indiscriminate cuts to things like education and training, energy and national security will cost us jobs, and it will slow down our recovery. It’s not the right thing to do for the economy; it’s not the right thing for folks who are out there still looking for work.

And the good news is this doesn’t have to happen. For all the drama and disagreements that we’ve had over the past few years, Democrats and Republicans have still been able to come together and cut the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion through a mix of spending cuts and higher rates on taxes for the wealthy. A balanced approach has achieved more than $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction. That’s more than halfway towards the $4 trillion in deficit reduction that economists and elected officials from both parties believe is required to stabilize our debt. So we've made progress. And I still believe that we can finish the job with a balanced mix of spending cuts and more tax reform.

The proposals that I put forward during the fiscal cliff negotiations in discussions with Speaker Boehner and others are still very much on the table. I just want to repeat: The deals that I put forward, the balanced approach of spending cuts and entitlement reform and tax reform that I put forward are still on the table.

I’ve offered sensible reforms to Medicare and other entitlements, and my health care proposals achieve the same amount of savings by the beginning of the next decade as the reforms that have been proposed by the bipartisan Bowles-Simpson fiscal commission. These reforms would reduce our government’s bill — (laughter.) What’s up, cameraman? (Laughter.) Come on, guys. (Laughter.) They’re breaking my flow all the time. (Laughter.)

These reforms would reduce our government’s bills by reducing the cost of health care, not shifting all those costs on to middle-class seniors, or the working poor, or children with disabilities, but nevertheless, achieving the kinds of savings that we're looking for.

But in order to achieve the full $4 trillion in deficit reductions that is the stated goal of economists and our elected leaders, these modest reforms in our social insurance programs have to go hand-in-hand with a process of tax reform, so that the wealthiest individuals and corporations can’t take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren’t available to most Americans.
Leaders in both parties have already identified the need to get rid of these loopholes and deductions. There’s no reason why we should keep them at a time when we’re trying to cut down on our deficit. And if we are going to close these loopholes, then there’s no reason we should use the savings that we obtain and turn around and spend that on new tax breaks for the wealthiest or for corporations. If we’re serious about paying down the deficit, the savings we achieve from tax reform should be used to pay down the deficit, and potentially to make our businesses more competitive.

Now, I think this balanced mix of spending cuts and tax reform is the best way to finish the job of deficit reduction. The overwhelming majority of the American people — Democrats and Republicans, as well as independents — have the same view. And both the House and the Senate are working towards budget proposals that I hope reflect this balanced approach. Having said that, I know that a full budget may not be finished before March 1st, and, unfortunately, that's the date when a series of harmful automatic cuts to job-creating investments and defense spending — also known as the sequester — are scheduled to take effect.

So if Congress can’t act immediately on a bigger package, if they can't get a bigger package done by the time the sequester is scheduled to go into effect, then I believe that they should at least pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms that would delay the economically damaging effects of the sequester for a few more months until Congress finds a way to replace these cuts with a smarter solution.

There is no reason that the jobs of thousands of Americans who work in national security or education or clean energy, not to mention the growth of the entire economy should be put in jeopardy just because folks in Washington couldn’t come together to eliminate a few special interest tax loopholes or government programs that we agree need some reform.

Congress is already working towards a budget that would permanently replace the sequester. At the very least, we should give them the chance to come up with this budget instead of making indiscriminate cuts now that will cost us jobs and significantly slow down our recovery.

So let me just repeat: Our economy right now is headed in the right direction and it will stay that way as long as there aren’t any more self-inflicted wounds coming out of Washington. So let’s keep on chipping away at this problem together, as Democrats and Republicans, to give our workers and our businesses the support that they need to thrive in the weeks and months ahead.

Thanks very much. And I know that you're going to have a whole bunch of other questions. And that's why I hired this guy, Jay Carney — (laughter) — to take those questions.

Thank you, everybody.

END
1:23 P.M. EST

Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on the Twentieth Anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act

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By The White House

Twenty years ago today, the Family and Medical Leave Act became law, and we took a groundbreaking step forward for America’s workers and families. Before the FMLA, taking time off to care for yourself or a family member may have meant risking a job or derailing a career, especially for women, who often faced discrimination and stereotypes in the workplace. But this law helped level the playing field by extending protections to both women and men, so that more workers could meet their responsibilities to themselves and their families without jeopardizing their livelihood

Two decades later, we should take pride in the law’s success, and I am proud of the work my Administration has done to expand the FMLA’s protections to military families and airline workers. But we also know there is still more work to do. Not all employees are covered by the law, and oftentimes workers cannot afford to take unpaid leave. So as we mark this anniversary, let us also recommit ourselves to the values that inspired the law and redouble our efforts on behalf of fairer workplaces and healthier, more secure families.

Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 2/4/2013

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By The White House

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Minneapolis, Minnesota

11:58 A.M. EST

MR. CARNEY: I had something at the top here — oh, I meant to bring back my scarf, Margaret. It was not — I'm a Redskins fan. It was a scarf, actually, I got at the Vancouver Winter Olympics when I was traveling with the Vice President, a purchase of which I am fond.

Q It was too red.

MR. CARNEY: Yes, I wasn't really —

Q Was it 49er colors?

MR. CARNEY: No, I was — I like both teams, but I'm a Redskins fan. My son is sort of also a Redskins fan and kind of decided to go wholeheartedly in support of the Ravens. So I was happy for Baltimore. Great town. And San Francisco has won a lot of Super Bowls.

Q Did the President — did you talk about it with the President today?

MR. CARNEY: What's that?

Q The outcome? Did you talk about it with the President?

MR. CARNEY: He said — actually, I'm echoing what he said — he said, very happy for Baltimore. It was a very close, good game. It didn’t look like it was going to be that close. Lots of novel aspects to it, including the 109 return — 108-yard kickoff return and the power outage. But he said he enjoyed it, said it was a good game.

Q What did he think of the power outage? Did he comment on it?

MR. CARNEY: Based on the conversation I had with him, the initial response I think that we all had was I hope everyone is okay, it was not a security issue. And then once that became clear, it was just impatience to get the game going again.

Before I take your questions, let me just remind you that today the Senate is expected to take up a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. This bill was introduced by Senator Leahy and a bipartisan group of cosponsors.

If there is one issue Congress should be able to agree on it is protecting women from violence. When three women a day are killed as a result of domestic violence, and one in five have been raped in their lifetimes, we should be long past debate on the need for the Violence Against Women Act. We urge Congress to pass this critical bill without delay, and then to send it to the President's desk for his signature.

Now to your questions.

Q Jay, do you know when the President is going to send his budget, given that it looks like he's going to miss today's deadline?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have an update on the President's budget. I mean, I saw a tweet from the Speaker's office. The President has put forward consistently budgets that achieve what the American people overwhelmingly support, which is balanced deficit reduction, deficit reduction combined with investments in areas of our economy that would help the economy grow and create jobs. What he hasn't done is submit a highly partisan budget that has no support among the American public. That, unfortunately, is what House Republicans have consistently passed in the last couple of years.

So hopefully we’ll be able to change that dynamic. Republicans will agree with the President that we need to continue to reduce the deficit in a balanced way. As you know, the President signed into law nearly $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction, combining spending cuts with revenues and the interest saved from that reduction. And he's eager to do more.

Q Does he want to submit the budget before or after the State of the Union?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have a date for you for when that will happen.

Q Is there a reason why he can't make the deadline?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have anything more for you on it. The President — there’s a couple of things to be aware of here that might encourage you to focus on substance over deadlines and things like that.

He has a proposal that the Speaker of the House — a budget proposal that the Speaker of the House is welcome to take up today or tomorrow, as he might wish, which represents balanced deficit reduction; would achieve, combined with all the deficit reduction signed into law already, achieve the $4 trillion magical target that would put us on a fiscally sustainable path for the rest of the decade. The President submitted, prior to that, a budget proposal that had within it both the principles of balance and very specific spending cuts and revenue increases that would achieve the balanced deficit reduction we need.

So the President hopes that he will be able to work together with Congress to achieve what's necessary here, which is removing the cloud of crisis, as he said yesterday, from the process of dealing with our finances in Washington; making responsible decisions based on compromise, based on balance, reflecting the will of the American people and the approach they want Washington to take, and ensuring that Washington doesn't inflict wounds on the economy at a time when the economy is poised to grow and create jobs, as it is this year.

Q Jay, on today's event — not all Democrats are totally behind the President's initiatives. Would he be willing to jettison aspects of his proposal, such as the assault weapons ban, to gain broader support? As time passes support is likely to dissipate in any case.

MR. CARNEY: I think you're getting ahead of a process that's still in its relatively early stages. The President supports, as he long has, the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban. He also strongly supports limits on capacity of ammunition clips, supports and strongly urges Congress to pass a universal background check system. I think if you look at public opinion on that issue in particular — and speaking of the Super Bowl, as we were earlier, there was an ad that related to this issue about past NRA support for universal background checks. And this is something we ought to be able to get done.

The President has made clear that he recognizes these are hard. All of these things are. If they weren't hard, they would have been done in the past. But we need to press forward. And he supports all aspects of the proposals that he outlined a couple weeks ago.

Q Can you also address the reports of a separate Oval Office being constructed elsewhere on the White House property? There was a discussion of an entire facility, the chance of moving there to do the President's work while there’s a renovation taking place. Can you confirm that, talk at all about that?

MR. CARNEY: Renovations and building on the White House grounds is something that's handled by the GSA and I would refer you to them.

Q You know, they haven't actually answered any questions. That’s why we have been asking you guys for a year.

MR. CARNEY: — question about construction and renovation.

Q Are there any security reasons why you couldn’t answer those questions? Or is it just a matter of not —

MR. CARNEY: I'm just not in a position to answer those questions. I don't have any information to impart about it. There's been an ongoing process that we've all seen of renovation and stuff on the grounds. But I'm just — I would refer you to GSA.

Q On that front, would you preemptively make a commitment to ongoing open access between the press and the press office regardless of the construction?

MR. CARNEY: I think there’s no question that we will maintain that commitment.

Q Yesterday, Robert Gibbs said that Chuck Hagel was unimpressive and appeared unprepared. Does the White House agree with that assessment, or how would you react to it? And also, has the President reached out to Hagel since the confirmation hearing to talk with him about how he performed?

Q I think the broader point that Robert made — and it was correct — is that focusing on this hearing, which was dominated by a rehashing of a debate between Republicans about the Iraq war, misses the overall import of this, which is that Senator Hagel is an enormously qualified, decorated war veteran and two-term Republican senator who will be an excellent Secretary of Defense.

And regardless of reviews of the hearing, both of how Senator Hagel did and how Republican critics comported themselves, the fact is since that hearing, the number of senators who have announced their firm support for Senator Hagel has increased. And that includes a Republican just yesterday I believe who announced his support.

So we remain confident that Senator Hagel will be confirmed, and confident that he will be an excellent Secretary of Defense.

Q But reacting to the comment itself, what is the White House's reaction to those two specific comments that he was unimpressive and unready —

MR. CARNEY: Again, I think you would have to look at everything that Robert said. And he made clear that — I think he pointed to an example of Tim Geithner in the early days of his administration, and, as you know, Tim just left with reviews of his performance that were pretty uniformly positive and deserved. And the issue here is how will an individual do the job, and there’s no question in the President’s mind that Senator Hagel will do the job well.

And look, broadly speaking, the President feels, we feel Senator Hagel did fine and he answered the questions that were asked of him. The fact of the matter is, as you saw if you watched the hearings, there were exponentially more questions about a war that is over and that the President ended than there were about a war that is ongoing and involves, still, 66,000 American men and women in uniform in Afghanistan. And I think that reflects an interest in refighting old battles, relitigating debates that were had five years ago — a debate that was actually the focus of the 2008 campaign and on which I think the American people were quite divisive — decisive, rather, in their opinion.

Q And has the President reached out to Hagel since it? Have they spoken?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have any phone calls of the President to — or conversations of the President to relay. I know that members of the team are in regular conversation with Senator Hagel.

Q Just to follow on something that Mark asked on the assault weapons ban — I get that the President obviously supports reinstating the ban, and I get that he has acknowledged that it’s going to be difficult, but there is a certain point where you have to deal with reality. And Senator Reid and several other Democrats — including Senator Feinstein, who is pushing for an assault weapons ban — have said this — either they can't support this at this point, they're not making their public opinion known, or they acknowledge it's very unlikely that it's going to pass. At what point do you make a decision to put Democrats out there and have to take up a tough vote, or look to do something else that maybe has a better chance of passing, like universal background checks?

MR. CARNEY: I appreciate the question. And, again, the President recognizes, and we all recognize, that all the components of this are difficult and face challenges, some perhaps even more than others. But the President's support is firm and clear. And we're certainly not going to preemptively alter the President's set of proposals before there is even — there are even votes scheduled or this debate has been fully joined.

So I think it's just premature to start writing off the chances of any piece of this package. The fact is there is — for every piece of it, there is, at least by most public opinion polls, majority support. And we need to have this conversation. The President made clear when he talked about this on several occasions that that conversation should be, and is taking place, not just in the usual corners of the country but all around the country. And that’s very important, because this is a problem that affects the entire country in different ways and that the entire country needs to express itself on.

Q Jay, have Reid and Obama talked about the prospects for Democratic votes on an assault weapons ban?

MR. CARNEY: Has who?

Q Have Reid and Obama talked about the prospects for Democratic votes?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t know the context of their conversations about this issue.

Q Jay, to what extent is the President personally talking to any members of Congress about these gun proposals in the week since he announced them? And secondly, on terms of the timetable, how quickly does he want them to act, and how — does he feel like they're acting too slowly right now to get this legislation through, to start considering it?

MR. CARNEY: Well, I think he made his presentation with the Vice President two weeks ago — is that correct? So I wouldn’t accuse anyone of moving too slowly at this point. It was just two weeks ago.

The fact of the matter is we have two Senators on board Air Force One today and the President will be speaking with them, and he has had conversations with lawmakers and other stakeholders in this discussion, and will continue to have those conversations.

Q Who’s aboard Air Force One?

MR. CARNEY: Senators Franken and Klobuchar.

Q Is anyone else aboard Air Force One who would also be worth noting besides the people we saw board the plane?

MR. CARNEY: I'll take a scan of the aircraft and let you know.

Q Any advocates — any gun-rights advocates — anything like that? Or vice versa?

MR. CARNEY: Again, I don’t — I saw the two Senators on my way back here. I'll check and see if there’s anybody else.

Q Are they supporting the full legislative package?

MR. CARNEY: I certainly won't speak for them.

Q Can you preview what the President is doing tomorrow on immigration, the representatives who will be at the White House tomorrow?

MR. CARNEY: I can speak to that.

Q What the agenda is —

MR. CARNEY: Sure. I mean, well, just to give you a broader overview that I think demonstrates — or answers the question that some of you have had about our capacity to keep pressing on both the immigration issue and the gun violence issue, as well as the issue of economy and jobs and deficit reduction, and I can tell you that with regards to immigration reform, the President and his team will continue to highlight the importance of comprehensive immigration reform this week, meeting with key stakeholders, CEOs and law enforcement officials to discuss the benefits from an economic and a security perspective while also underscoring the historic progress that has been made when it comes to securing our nation's borders.

Secretary Napolitano will also travel to inspect border security operations and meet with law enforcement officials in California and Texas.

On Tuesday, the President will hold meetings at the White House with labor leaders and progressive leaders as well as, separately, a number of CEOs from across industries to discuss his commitment to getting a bipartisan bill passed in 2013 and how immigration reform fits within his broader agenda for economic growth and competiveness.

And just to provide a little more detail, on Monday and Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano will travel to San Diego and El Paso to tour border security operations on the Southwest border, meet with state and local stakeholders and discuss the department's ongoing efforts to secure the border while facilitating lawful travel and trade. This trip follows many similar trips the Secretary has made, as you know, including a recent trip to Arizona in December.

On Wednesday, following her trip, Secretary Napolitano, Assistant Attorney General Tony West and Director of Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz will meet with law enforcement officials from across the country to discuss the President's common-sense immigration reform proposal, and to underscore the unprecedented financial and human investment this administration has made in securing our borders and making borders communities safer.

So immigration reform will obviously be at the top of the agenda in his meeting with both progressive and labor leaders and CEOs tomorrow.

Q Can you say which CEOs are going to be —

MR. CARNEY: Sorry, I don’t have a manifest.

Q On foreign policy, the Vice President obviously had a series of meetings in Munich over the weekend and I just wanted to follow up on those. Does the President feel that the Vice President’s overture toward Iran and the response from Iran through the foreign minister have moved the ball at all, and why?

MR. CARNEY: I think I’d say a couple of things, which is that, as you know, the P5-plus-1 has proposed concrete dates and a venue ever since early December. After these initial proposals were not agreed to by Iran, the P5-plus-1's latest proposal is the week of February 25 in Kazakhstan. It is certainly good to hear that Foreign Minister Salehi finally confirmed this date and location. We hope the negotiating team from Iran will also confirm their participation.

It is time for Iran to come back to the negotiating table as soon as possible so that we can start dealing with substance again, and make concrete progress regarding the international community’s concerns and the nature of the Iranian nuclear program.

Q On Syria, as well — does the President have any concerns about the opposition leader's outreach that seems to go against what the U.S. is looking for? And has the President himself had any communication with the Syrian opposition leader? Or just Vice President Biden — is Vice President Biden the highest official to have that conversation at this point?

MR. CARNEY: I’ll have to check on the second question. Certainly, Vice President Biden, as you know; Secretary Clinton and others. But I would take issue with the first. During the meeting in Munich, the Vice President commended Syrian Opposition Coalition President al-Khatib recent statements expressing openness under certain circumstances to the possibility of negotiations to bring the Syrian people the leadership they deserve.

Now, the U.S. position is clear. It is also the position of the Syrian people. We support a political resolution to the crisis in Syria. And as the Syrian people have made clear, Bashar al-Assad has lost all legitimacy to enable a political solution and a democratic transition that meets the aspiration of the Syrian people.

So we will support the Syrian people as they determine which other members of the regime they can work with to facilitate a political transition that leads to a democratic, inclusive and unified Syria, that will protect the rule of law for all citizens and will hold those who have committed atrocities against the Syrian people to account.

The broader point here is support the need for and the efforts towards a political solution. We have been clear, I think the opposition has been clear, and the Syrian people have been clear that that transition cannot include Assad because he has rendered himself wholly illegitimate in the eyes of the people.

Q The opposition has already put some preconditions on the table that seem to — that Assad's regime has said they don’t want to deal with. So how realistic at this point do you think those talks are coming to fruition?

MR. CARNEY: Well, again, the point here isn't about Assad’s participation in Syria’s future because there cannot be such participation. I think the idea that the Assad regime is united and cohesive is belied by what we've seen over weeks and months in terms of defections and other problems that they’ve had as the opposition has gained momentum and won territory in its efforts.

So the fact is there has to be a political solution that cannot include, ultimately, Assad. And we support the Syrian people's efforts as they determine which members of the regime they can work with to facilitate that transition to a more democratic future for the country.

Q Jay, there’s a report this morning in The New York Times about cyber security and a legal review of the administration that showed broad powers for the President to have a preemptive strike, and I’m wondering if you have any comments on that.

MR. CARNEY: Well, I’m certainly not in a position to discuss details of classified discussions or documents. As you know, from early in the administration the President has worked to advance U.S. capabilities to defend against cyber threats, which, in May 2009, he described as, “one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation.”

Since then, the President has established principles and process for governing cyber operations by the U.S. government in a manner consistent with the U.S. Constitution as well as other applicable laws and policies of the United States and international law. And that policy employs a whole-of-government approach to cyber activities. But I certainly — I can't comment on specifics about classified —

Q Broadly speaking, does the President of the United States have the power to strike preemptively if the U.S. finds evidence of plans for a major cyber attack?

MR. CARNEY: I would have to take that question because I’m not in a position to answer.

Q Thanks, Jay.

MR. CARNEY: That’s it?

Q Actually I have one more — on skeet shooting. Why did the White House —

MR. CARNEY: I was wondering. (Laughter.)

Q Why did the White House decide to release the skeet shooting photo two days before this trip, particularly when the press corps had requested any photos of skeet shooting days earlier? And will you now release a list of friends or family or guests with whom the President has skeet shot, since you do that with golf partners? Thank you.

MR. CARNEY: Let me say this. I thought the question was going to be, why did we wait five days. The fact is the President was asked a question — did not volunteer, but was asked a question — about whether or not he had ever shot a weapon. He answered with the truth, which is that he has enjoyed shooting competitively with friends at Camp David on multiple occasions. I think it's fair to say that we believed that would have been answer enough.

And when I said from the podium that as a rule we don’t treat his private time at Camp David with friends and family as matters for public consumption, that's the truth, as you know. But there were persistent questions about this, so we decided to release a photo of the President shooting at Camp David. The timing of that I think is explained by what I just said.

Q Does he shoot skeet or trap when he shoots?

MR. CARNEY: I'm not an expert, and I don't think he would claim to be either. What I can tell you is that he has enjoyed competing with friends up there at Camp David. As you probably know, the President likes competition of all kinds.

Q Is he good?

MR. CARNEY: I think he has gotten better. But here's the thing to understand — the President has made clear he grew up in Hawaii; he spent time in his life in California and Chicago and Cambridge. I mean, this is not — he never pretended to, or suggested that he had grown up as a hunter, or engaging in sports activities with weapons. He simply said that he had — and this is the truth — that he had enjoyed shooting at Camp David. That's a fact.

Q Has he ever shot a weapon before being President?

MR. CARNEY: I'm not sure of the answer to that question. I know that he has shot weapons not just at Camp David.

Q Does he personally own any firearms?

MR. CARNEY: Not that I'm aware of, no.

Q What does that mean? You know he has shot weapons elsewhere?

MR. CARNEY: I'm just saying this is not — I don't know in terms of the timing, but I know that he has not —

Q He has — so skeet shooting at Camp David is not his only experience?

MR. CARNEY: It's not the only time he has shot a weapon.

Q So when were the other times?

MR. CARNEY: I don't have any details on that for you.

Q Could you find out?

MR. CARNEY: Again, the issue here is whether or not the President, in fact, as should have been apparent when he said it, had gone shooting at Camp David. So we released the photo to demonstrate that. But I don't have an accounting of all the times that he has shot a weapon for you.

Q Do you know whether he has fired a handgun at a shooting range or something like that, for sport?

MR. CARNEY: I don't have any more for you it, guys.

Q Thank you.

END
12:25 P.M. EST

Source: White House Press Office