Bartle Doo Article Archives

Remarks by the President at Teacher of the Year Event

April 23, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/23/remarks-president-teacher-year-event

Rose Garden

2:10 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Well, hello, everybody. Please have a seat. I am thrilled to welcome our state and national teachers of the year to the White House this afternoon.

People who know me know I’ve just got a soft spot for teachers, partly — my sister is a teacher, my mom was a teacher for a while. And if there’s one thing we can’t say enough to our nation’s educators, it is “thank you.” So today, we’ve got a chance to do that — to show our extraordinary appreciation for the difference that they make in the lives of our children and the lives of our nation.

Now, before we get started, I’ve got to recognize another outstanding educator, our Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan — (applause) — who is as passionate about the future of our kids as anybody that I know. And I’d like to acknowledge and applaud the three outstanding principals of the year who are joining us — because we know that unless we’ve got outstanding leadership in our schools, it’s very hard for even great teachers to do their job. And so please give them a big round of applause as well. (Applause.)

Now, these educators behind me come from all over the country. They represent cities and towns of every shape and size, all types of schools. But the one thing that binds them together is that they are absolutely devoted to nurturing the next generation. They’re role models who show our kids how to work hard to reach their potential. They encourage our children’s passion. They inspire our children’s imaginations.

And this year’s national teacher of the year, Jeff Charbonneau, is from Zillah, Washington. Did I say that right, Jeff?

MR. CHARBONNEAU: Charbonneau, so yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Charbonneau —

MR. CHARBONNEAU: Charbonneau from Zillah.

THE PRESIDENT: From Zillah. (Laughter.) That’s why he’s a good teacher. (Laughter.) As Jeff put it, a teacher’s “greatest accomplishments are revealed each time a student realizes that he or she has an unlimited potential.” And I’ll bet any — everybody here can remember a moment like that, when a teacher helped them find that spark that allowed them to get to where they are today; a teacher who saw something in us that maybe at the time we didn’t see in ourselves.

Twelve years ago, when Jeff decided to return to his hometown to teach, Zillah High School had no engineering curriculum. The science curriculum was lagging. Kids had to go off campus for technology classes, and the computer resources were, frankly, pretty poor.

But Jeff was determined to turn that around. He wanted to convince kids that something like quantum mechanics wasn’t something to run away from, but something to dive into. And he said, “It's my job to convince them that they are smart enough, that they can do anything.”

And now, with Jeff’s leadership at his

Statement by the President on Senator Baucus

April 23, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/23/statement-president-senator-baucus

I want to thank Max Baucus for his nearly 35 years of service to the people of Montana. Max has made small businesses a top priority, often taking “Work Days” to visit local businesses across Montana and spend a day working alongside his constituents to gain perspective and help bolster the local economy. As Finance Committee Chairman and a senior member of both the Agriculture and the Environment and Public Works Committees, Max has been a leader on a broad range of issues that touch the lives of Americans across the country. Michelle and I commend Senator Baucus on his career, and wish him and his family well in the future.

President Obama Signs Massachusetts Disaster Declaration

April 23, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/22/president-obama-signs-massachusetts-disaster-declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ordered Federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the severe winter storm, snowstorm, and flooding during the period of February 8-9, 2013.

Federal funding is available to commonwealth 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 winter storm, snowstorm, and flooding in the counties of Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester.

In addition, federal funding is available to the commonwealth and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Worcester Counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties within the commonwealth.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named James N. Russo 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 commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

President Obama Signs Texas Emergency Declaration

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/22/president-obama-signs-texas-emergency-declaration

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Texas and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from an explosion beginning on April 17, 2013, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in McLennan County.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

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

Remarks by the President at the 2013 White House Science Fair

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/22/remarks-president-2013-white-house-science-fair

East Room

2:21 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. (Applause.) Please have a seat. Have a seat. Well, good afternoon, everybody. And welcome to the White House Science Fair, one of my favorite events during the course of the year.

And I just had a chance to see some of the outstanding exhibits that have been put forward by some of these amazing young people. And let me just start by saying, in my official capacity as President: This stuff is really cool. (Laughter.) And I want to thank these incredible young people for explaining to me what the heck is going on. (Laughter.)

Every one of you is enormously talented, obviously, but there’s also a community of people who helped all these young people succeed — dedicated teachers who believed in them and challenged them to do even more; all of them have loving parents and mentors and family. So I want to not only give the young people a big round of applause, but all the parents and teachers and principals and everybody who was involved, give yourselves a big round of applause as well. (Applause.)

Of course, primarily we’re here to celebrate these young scientists and visionaries who dream, and create, and innovate; who ask the question, why not? Why not try something better? Something that’s faster; something that helps more people. And that drive, that refusal to give up, that focus on the future is part of what makes America great. And all of you are participants in this long line of inventors and creators that have made this the most dynamic economy and the most dynamic country on Earth.

And that’s one of the things that I’ve been focused on as President is how do we create an all-hands-on-deck approach to science, technology, engineering, and math. And I’m happy to have so many key members of my science team who are here today, including my Chief Science Advisor, John Holdren, who is here. There’s John. NIH Director Francis Collins. There’s Francis right there, the tall guy. We’ve got Acting Director of the National Science Foundation, Cora Marrett, who is here. There’s Cora. And we’ve got real-life astronaut and NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden. Where’s Charlie? There he is, right there.

So we need to make this a priority to train an army of new teachers in these subject areas, and to make sure that all of us as a country are lifting up these subjects for the respect that they deserve. And one of the things that I’m concerned about is that, as a culture, we’re great consumers of technology, but we’re not always properly respecting the people who are in the labs and behind the scenes creating the stuff that we now take for granted. And we’ve got to give the millions of Americans who work in science and technology not

NEW DETAILS: President Obama to Host White House Science Fair

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/22/new-details-president-obama-host-white-house-science-fair

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, President Obama will host the White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. The President will also announce new steps as part of his Educate to Innovate campaign, an all-hands-on-deck effort to get more girls and boys inspired to excel in these key subjects.

“When students excel in math and science, they help America compete for the jobs and industries of the future,” said President Obama. “That’s why I’m proud to celebrate outstanding students at the White House Science Fair, and to announce new steps my Administration and its partners are taking to help more young people succeed in these critical subjects.”

The White House Science Fair will feature 100 students from more than 40 states, representing 45 different STEM competitions and organizations that recognize the talents of America’s next generation of scientists, engineers, inventors and innovators. Approximately 30 student teams will have the opportunity to exhibit their projects as part of the Fair. The President will view exhibits of the student work, ranging from breakthrough basic research to new inventions, followed by remarks to an audience of students, science educators and business leaders on the importance of STEM education to the country’s economic future.

The White House Science Fair is a key commitment in the President’s Educate to Innovate campaign to inspire more girls and boys to excel in STEM subjects. As the President has noted, “If you win the NCAA championship, you come to the White House. Well, if you're a young person and you produce the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too.”

New Commitments Being Announced Today to Advance the President’s Educate to Innovate Campaign
New AmeriCorps track focused on STEM Education: Starting this year, and in partnership with leading nonprofits, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) will announce a new dedicated cohort of national service participants, called STEM AmeriCorps. This effort will place national service members in nonprofits that mobilize STEM professionals to inspire young people to excel in STEM education. As a key first step, CNCS will place 50 AmeriCorps VISTA members across the country to build the capacity of FIRST, a nonprofit organization that sponsors robotics competitions and other tech challenges. As a result of support from the AmeriCorps VISTA members, FIRST will be able to connect more low-income children with FIRST’s exciting competitions. AmeriCorps VISTA will partner with leading non-profits in the Maker Movement to create Maker Spaces in high schools around the country. These investments will lay the foundation for an AmeriCorps competition later this year in which STEM will be a priority, allowing the funding of hundreds of STEM-focused AmeriCorps members across the country. These members will recruit and support thousands of STEM professionals to volunteer in schools and academic programs. To maximize this opportunity, CNCS will pursue partnerships with both the private sector and other Federal agencies.

Multi-year STEM

Readout of the President's National Security Council Meeting Today

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/22/readout-presidents-national-security-council-meeting-today

President Obama convened the National Security Council in the Situation Room today from 11:30 to 1:00 to review the events in Boston. The President was updated by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Monaco, National Security Advisor Donilon, Attorney General Holder, FBI Director Mueller, and Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano on the apprehension of Dzhokar Tsarnaev, and the related investigation. He was also briefed by the leadership of the intelligence community, including DNI Clapper and Director Brennan, about our ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and protect the American people. The President commended the work that was done to pursue justice in the Boston Marathon bombing, and underscored the need to continue gathering intelligence to answer the remaining questions about this terrorist attack going forward. As he did last night, the President also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by state and local officials, and law enforcement, in Boston and Massachusetts. Vice-President Biden joined the meeting via video-conference.

A photo of the meeting is available here: http://bit.ly/ZFYn6Y

Fact Sheet: The Equal Futures Partnership—From Promise To Progress

April 19, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/19/fact-sheet-equal-futures-partnership-promise-progress

The Promise of Equal Futures

In response to President Obama’s challenge to other heads of state to break down barriers to women’s political and economic participation, on September 24, 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched the Equal Futures Partnership on behalf of the United States along with 12 other founding members (Australia, Benin, Bangladesh, Denmark, Finland, Indonesia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Peru, Senegal, and Tunisia; as well as the European Union). Each founding member made national commitments to policy, legal, and regulatory reforms to promote two mutually reinforcing goals: expanded economic opportunity for women and increased political and civic participation by women at local, state and national levels. Multilateral stakeholders including UN Women and the World Bank and leading businesses and non-profit institutions also pledged support for the partnership.

Moving from Promise to Progress

Following the launch of the initiative, Equal Futures members have worked to identify priorities for action through consultations with civil society and other stakeholders and by establishing coordinating bodies or steering committees to develop and oversee the implementation of Equal Futures commitments. Going forward, Equal Futures countries will report on progress within the Partnership, and evaluate and strengthen commitments to ensure real impact.

Highlights from progress on U.S. commitments:

As a founding member of the Equal Futures Partnership, the United States made commitments in four key areas, and has achieved significant progress in each of these areas. Highlights include:

Opening Doors to Quality Education and High-Paying Career Opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math: Federal agencies and private partners have made great progress on connecting young women to high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related resources. In just seven months, over 20,000 students interacted with 500 women mentors via Harvey Mudd and Piazza’s online platform WitsOn, while the National Science Foundation, Office of Personnel Management, and non-profit partners joined forces to train Federal scientists and engineers on serving as a resource for girls interested in STEM.

Promoting Civic Education and Public Leadership for Girls: The Administration has advanced new efforts to promote girls’ leadership and civic education, including sponsoring an “app challenge,” hosting a conference on girls’ leadership and civic education at the White House with the Department of Education and the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), and advising on the development of a new initiative, Teach a Girl to Lead (TAG) – featuring online resources and a national speakers’ bureau.

Breaking the Cycle of Violence and Ensuring Economic Security for Survivors of Violence: To ensure that women who are victims of domestic violence are getting the support and tools they need to achieve economic independence, the Administration is now providing training on employment rights to lawyers and consumer advocates, working with state domestic violence coalitions and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to ensure that victims know about employment protections under federal law, and expanding research on domestic violence to include information about economic abuse.

Expanding Support for Women Entrepreneurs: The Administration has strengthened support for women entrepreneurs at

Fact Sheet: The Obama Administration’s Comprehensive Efforts to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Worldwide

April 19, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/19/fact-sheet-obama-administration-s-comprehensive-efforts-promote-gender-e

“When women succeed, nations are more safe, more secure, and more prosperous. Over the last year, we’ve seen women and girls inspiring communities and entire countries to stand up for freedom and justice, and I’m proud of my Administration’s efforts to promote gender equality worldwide.” –President Barack Obama, March 8, 2013

President Obama has made promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls central to our national security strategy and foreign policy, including by leading through example at home. The Administration will continue to prioritize these efforts in the coming years, in collaboration with stakeholders throughout the world, recognizing that our journey is far from complete and that securing equal rights and opportunity for women and girls is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do.

Highlights of the Obama Administration’s record to empower women and girls worldwide include:

Building Capacity and Enhancing Coordination and Accountability across the U.S. Government

Strengthening our leadership and coordination to enhance our impact abroad: On January 30, 2013, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum directing that the Secretary of State designate a Coordinator at the Ambassador at Large level, reporting directly to the Secretary of State, to lead the Office of Global Women’s Issues and to provide advice and assistance on issues related to promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls internationally. In this Memorandum, President Obama also recognized the accomplishments and leadership of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, and established an interagency working group led by the White House National Security Staff.

Bolstering agency policies, staffing, and training: Agencies have issued policy and operational guidance, including at the Department of State, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and USAID, to ensure a comprehensive approach on gender equality and women’s empowerment. From the Department of Justice to the Department of Defense, the Administration has expanded training and created new positions, including on the National Security Staff, to advance these policies.

Holding ourselves accountable and monitoring our progress: The MCC and its partners in compact countries have made significant progress in integrating gender equality into projects that support poverty reduction through growth. In March 2011, the MCC released guidelines for gender integration that make MCC’s Gender Policy fully operational, and MCC will continue to work to improve both global policy and practice. The Department of State and USAID are also launching new efforts to strengthen the evidence base on the importance of promoting gender equality, including by improving data collection and strengthening metrics.

Increasing Women’s Roles in Conflict Prevention and Security Decision-making

Empowering women as equal partners in preventing conflict and building peace: On December 19, 2011, the Obama Administration released Executive Order 13595 and the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security to support women’s voices and perspectives in decision-making in countries threatened and affected by

Remarks by the President to First Responders and Volunteers in Boston, MA

April 18, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/18/remarks-president-first-responders-and-volunteers-boston-ma

Cathedral High School
Boston, Massachusetts

12:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Well, listen, we just had a wonderful interfaith service, and I want to thank Governor Patrick for helping to organize that. I want to thank both the Governor and your extraordinary Mayor, Tom Menino — (applause) — for the incredible leadership and cool under pressure, the organization, the mobilization and the courage that they have shown reflective of this great city and reflective of this great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Now, I’m not going to speak long. I’m just — he started calling me Reverend Obama, so I know — (laughter) — I know I was — I don't want to go on any longer than I need to. The main message, in addition to just giving — having a chance to shake some hands and give some hugs, is just to say how proud the whole country is of you — (applause) — how grateful we are — how grateful we are that in the face of chaos and tragedy, all of you displayed the very best of the American spirit.

You displayed grit. You displayed compassion. You displayed civic duty. You displayed courage. And when we see that kind of spirit, there’s something about that that's infectious. It makes us all want to be better people. You’ve inspired the entire country. You’ve inspired the world. And for that, you should be profoundly proud.

But as Deval and I were talking as we were driving in from the airport, the key is that we hang on to a little bit of that, because it’s right there under the surface every day. And it expresses itself, obviously, in the Marathon. It expresses itself in Patriot’s Day. It expresses itself in all the small interactions, the gestures of kindness and generosity and tolerance and compassion that make up the fabric of our lives. And we don't always pay attention to it, and we don't always celebrate, and it’s certainly not usually on a television screen, it’s not always reported on. But that's who we are.

And if there’s anything that was a theme in that interfaith service it’s that out of these ashes, out of the blood that's spilled and the injuries borne, out of that, we get a chance to see and highlight and appreciate that spirit. And we’ve got to sustain it, because in all of our lives at some point there are going to be some troubles, and there’s evil in the world, and there’s hardship. But if that spirit is evident and manifest, and that's what we’re teaching our kids and that's what we’re embodying in our own lives, then who can stop us? Who can touch us? (Applause.)

So thank you, everybody. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of Boston. And as I just said, I’m looking forward to the 118th

Statement from the President on the Explosion in West, Texas

April 18, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/18/statement-president-explosion-west-texas

Today our prayers go out to the people of West, Texas in the aftermath of last night’s deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant. A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives. I want to thank the first responders who worked tirelessly through the night to contain the situation and treat the wounded. My Administration, through FEMA and other agencies, is in close contact with our state and local partners on the ground to make sure there are no unmet needs as search and rescue and response operations continue. West is a town that many Texans hold near and dear to their hearts, and as residents continue to respond to this tragedy, they will have the support of the American people.

Remarks by the First Lady at Lunch With Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy

April 17, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/remarks-first-lady-lunch-midshipmen-united-states-naval-academy

U.S. Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

12:17 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you so much. (Applause.) Well, since I know I'm the only thing that stands between you and your 20-minute meal, I'm not going to take long. But it is a pleasure and an honor to be back here at the United States Naval Academy.

I was here a couple of years ago when we first came into office; I brought Sasha, and it was an amazing experience. Sasha is our youngest daughter and she was just taken by the experience. And I'm not sure yet, she's just 11 — I'm not sure where her trajectory will lead her — but this is an amazing place, and you all are an amazing group of men and women. We are incredibly proud of you.

I want to congratulate you on winning the Commander-In-Chief's trophy. Go Navy! (Applause.) Well done. And I know that my husband will be here in May for your commencement, so I am particularly pleased that I get a chance to stop by and say hello, but, more importantly, to thank you for your service and your sacrifice.

The degree of discipline and rigor that it takes to do what you do is truly amazing. And Barack and I, we are so proud of you all. And we know you are some of the best and brightest that this country has to offer, and it's just important that you know that you have a President and a First Lady who will keep working to make sure that this country serves you as well as you serve us.

So with that, I bid you a wonderful, delicious lunch — I see a lot of greens on the plate, which is good. And congratulations on how far you've come, and I look forward to the leadership that you will exhibit in the years to come.

God bless you all. (Applause.)

END
12:20 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at the Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013 Bill Signing

April 17, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/remarks-first-lady-veterans-full-employment-act-2013-bill-signing

State House
Annapolis, Maryland

1:55 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Good afternoon. It is truly a pleasure to be here in Maryland today.

But before we get started, I want to take a moment to say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston. My husband continues to monitor the situation, and he has directed the full resources of the federal government to assist state and local authorities as they investigate this horrific act.

And what happened on Monday was a reminder that in times of crisis, here in America we respond with courage, and grit, and selflessness. That’s exactly what we saw from the people of Boston, and from all those who rushed to aid the victims, especially the police officers and firefighters, the first responders, and our men and women in uniform.

And that is the spirit of Boston, but it is also the spirit of this country. And in many ways, that’s the spirit of service and sacrifice that we are here to honor today.

So I want to thank Governor O’Malley for hosting us, but also for his tremendous leadership for the state of Maryland and for all of his efforts on behalf of our troops, veterans, and military families.

I also want to thank Lieutenant Governor Brown; the Secretary of the Navy, Secretary Mabus; and all of the servicemembers from Fort Meade and the United States Naval Academy who are here with us today.

And I’d like to recognize all of the Maryland state legislators: Attorney General Gansler, Mayor Cohen, the representatives we have here from veterans service organizations and the University of Maryland, and to all of the military family members who are joining us today. Welcome, and thank you for being here.

And, finally, I want to thank Senior Chief Hite and his wonderful family who I got to meet — Mom and Dad are here, and his handsome son, who I will embarrass — (laughter) — but we are proud of you all. But I want to thank you all for your service to this country, because the truth is, is that every family member serves, and every time I meet a servicemember, a veteran, I don’t just thank him or her, I think children and parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters, because everyone in some way is part of that service. And thank you for sharing your story with us today.

Two years ago, Jill Biden and I launched Joining Forces in large part because we’d heard too many stories like that of Senior Chief Hite’s. We had heard the stories of military spouses like Janelle Gray, whose husband serves in the Air Force at Fort Meade.

Janelle was a professional counselor for seven years in Minnesota and North Dakota. But when she and her husband were transferred here to Maryland, she found out that she’d either have to wait three

Statement by the President on Commonsense Immigration Reform

April 16, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/16/statement-president-commonsense-immigration-reform

This afternoon, Senators Schumer and McCain briefed me on the bipartisan immigration reform bill that they have drafted with their colleagues in the Senate. This bill is clearly a compromise, and no one will get everything they wanted, including me. But it is largely consistent with the principles that I have repeatedly laid out for comprehensive reform. This bill would continue to strengthen security at our borders and hold employers more accountable if they knowingly hire undocumented workers. It would provide a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million individuals who are already in this country illegally. And it would modernize our legal immigration system so that we’re able to reunite families and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers who will help create good paying jobs and grow our economy. These are all commonsense steps that the majority of Americans support. I urge the Senate to quickly move this bill forward and, as I told Senators Schumer and McCain, I stand willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that comprehensive immigration reform becomes a reality as soon as possible.

Statement by the President on Israeli Independence Day

April 16, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/16/statement-president-israeli-independence-day

On the 65^th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, I join my fellow Americans in wishing the Israeli people a joyous Independence Day. On this date 65 years ago, the Jewish people realized their dream of the ages—to be masters of their fate in their own sovereign state. From that moment on, a free and independent Israel has had no greater friend and ally than the United States. As I said during my visit to Israel last month, our two nations stand together because it makes our countries safer, stronger and more prosperous and it makes the world a better place.

Among the many memories I will always cherish from my visit will be my time at Mount Herzl. There, I was honored to pay tribute to Theodor Herzl who did so much to realize the dream of an independent Israel, to the presidents and prime ministers who guided her, and to those in uniform who have laid down their lives to protect her. The strong and prosperous Israel we see today proves Herzl’s vision—“if you will it, it is no dream.” On this anniversary, we reaffirm the unbreakable alliance between our two nations and our shared determination to realize the dreams of our people to live in security and peace.

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Donilon's Travel to Russia

April 12, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/12/statement-nsc-spokesperson-caitlin-hayden-national-security-advisor-doni

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon will travel to Moscow April 14-15 to meet with senior Russian officials and review next steps in our bilateral relationship, as well as a range of key foreign policy, security, and economic issues on our international agenda. This visit offers an important opportunity to consult with senior officials ahead of President Obama’s meetings with President Putin later this year.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, OMB Acting Director Jeffrey Zients, CEA Chairman Alan Krueger, NEC Director Gene Sperling, and Director of Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz on the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget, 4/10/13

April 10, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

South Court Auditorium

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

12:43 P.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for being here. As you know, the President announced today from the Rose Garden that he has submitted — or is submitting his budget to Congress. And you heard him make the very important point that his number-one priority is what it has always been, which is economic growth and job creation that strengthens the middle class.

He also made the very important point that you can grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and reduce our deficits in a responsible way. You can do both. That’s what he has been doing. As you know, he signed into law $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction, two-thirds of that coming from spending cuts. And the budget he presents today would further reduce the deficit over 10 years by more than $1.8 trillion.

I have with me today four members, top members of the President’s team to discuss the budget with you. I will begin with Jeff Zients, who is the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget. He will then introduce the other participants, and I will remain to field your questions after they make their presentations.

Thank you.

MR. ZIENTS: Thanks, Jay. And good afternoon, everybody. I’m going to do a quick overview of the major components of deficit reduction and the budget, and then I’m going to turn it to Alan to review the economic assumptions, and Gene and Cecilia to walk us through some of the investments and other policy highlights.

As Jay said, the main message of the President’s budget is that we can make critical investments that strengthen the middle class, create jobs, and grow the economy while continuing to reduce the deficit in a balanced way. We can do both balanced deficit reduction and jobs investments.

On the left hand side, in terms of balanced deficit reduction, the budget builds off the deficit reduction achieved to date, and it includes the President’s fiscal cliff compromise offer to Speaker Boehner from last December. Importantly, the budget replaces the indiscriminate cuts of the sequester with balanced deficit reduction. So it turns the sequester off.

At the same time, the President’s budget proposes important job investments to enhance economic growth through skills and competitiveness and in investments in education and R&D. All of these investments are fully paid for, so the investments do not add a dime to the deficit.

On deficit reduction, over the past couple of years, Democrats and Republicans have worked together to cut the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion. Here’s the breakdown of deficit reduction achieved to date: The Budget Control Act capped discretionary spending, saving over $1 trillion. Another $370 billion in savings through 2011 appropriations. The end of last year’s fiscal cliff agreement reduced the deficit by more than $600 billion.

President Obama Signs Oklahoma Disaster Declaration

April 8, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Oklahoma and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of February 24-26, 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 winter storm and snowstorm in the counties of Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Kay, Kingfisher, Major, Noble, Roger Mills, Washita, Woods, and Woodward.

In addition, federal funding is available to the state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period in the counties of Dewey and Ellis.

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 Sandy Coachman 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.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 4/8/2013

April 8, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

1:07 P.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY: Welcome. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for being here. I hate to startle to you with my relative punctuality — (laughter) — but I do have to — I have to leave at 1:45-ish, 1:50, so I want to go straight to your questions.

Julie.

Q Five Americans were killed in Afghanistan over the weekend, including a 25-year-old diplomat. Did that incident or any of the other recent violence we’ve seen in Afghanistan color the President’s decision-making as he’s looking to settle on a post-2014 force?

MR. CARNEY: Well, first of all, our thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their lives, both military personnel as well as civil personnel, as well as to those who were wounded. What is absolutely the case is Afghanistan remains a very violent place. It is also true that we have made great strides in our efforts to train up the Afghanistan National Security Forces as they take increasing responsibility for the security in their country, and that process continues.

So, broadly, in answer to your question, the answer is no, that no specific incident is affecting a decision-making process in a policy that the President is convinced is the correct one and that he is engaged in with his national security team and military commanders.

Q General Dempsey said that the U.S. should wait until the summer or perhaps even later to make the decision on the post-2014 force. Is that the timeline that the President is operating on — summer or perhaps later?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have any preview to give you of that process except that the President is committed to it as in keeping with the stated policy objectives he’s made in the past, as well as our coordination with our allies. But I have nothing further for you on that.

Q And then, just quickly, this is sort of a big week on a lot of different fronts — guns, immigration, the budget. How does the White House view this week in terms of the President’s second-term agenda? Do you see it as a pivotal week for him?

MR. CARNEY: I wouldn’t distinguish this particular week from ones that have led to it or that will come after it except to say that we have a lot of work to do on behalf of the American people. The President set forth in his State of the Union address and in his inaugural address a vision and a policy agenda that demonstrates his commitment in his second term to continue to build on the progress we made in the first.

When it comes to jobs and economic growth, that remains …read more