Category Archives: U.S. Legislation

White House Press Office

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on Ukraine

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By The White House

The United States is encouraged by President Yanukovych’s decision to pardon former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko and former Environment Minister Heorhiy Filipchuk. This is an important step toward addressing concerns about democracy and the rule of law in Ukraine, however much more remains to be done. We urge Ukrainian authorities to end all politically motivated prosecutions, undertake comprehensive judicial reform to ensure such selective justice does not recur, and fully implement the OSCE recommendations made after the 2012 parliamentary elections. The United States strongly supports the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for a democratic, prosperous, and European future, which can only be realized through continued democratic reform and adherence to the rule of law. We remain dedicated to strengthening our bilateral relationship on the basis of our shared transatlantic values.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Presidential Memorandum — Presidential Determination on Eligibility of the Federal Republic of Somalia to Receive Defense Articles and Defense Services under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, and the Arms Export Control Act, as Amended

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By The White House

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT: Presidential Determination on Eligibility of the Federal Republic of Somalia to Receive Defense Articles and Defense Services under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, and the Arms Export Control Act, as Amended

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 503(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and section 3(a)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, I hereby find that the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Federal Republic of Somalia will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.

You are authorized and directed to transmit this determination, and attached memorandum of justification, to the Congress and to arrange for the publication of this determination in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey

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By The White House

On Thursday, May 16, President Obama will welcome Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to the White House. As friends and NATO allies, the United States and Turkey are partners in addressing a range of critical global and regional issues. The President looks forward to discussing these issues with the Prime Minister, to include Syria, trade and economic cooperation, and countering terrorism.

The Prime Minister’s visit underscores the close friendship between the United States and Turkey and the strategic importance we place on broadening and strengthening our relationship moving forward.

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White House Press Office

Remarks by the President and Vice President at Easter Prayer Breakfast

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By The White House

East Room

9:28 A.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all for being here today. And welcome to the White House, and a belated happy Easter — this time of the year when we celebrate renewal and we reflect on the faith that brings us together.

For me, the essence of my faith is tolerance: not being judgmental about people of different faiths. When I was in Rome a few weeks ago, Pope Francis spoke movingly in his homily about our commitments to each other, not just as people of faith, but, he went on to say, but as human beings.

I grew up in a tradition of Catholic social doctrine, and I was incredibly impressed by His Holiness’s homily, his sense of social justice. But I believe his message reads something essential about all faiths, and that is ultimately we all believe that we have a responsibility to one another and we all are our brothers’ and our sisters’ keepers.

When it comes down to it, we all know that we’re connected by much more than divides us, although the focus is always on what divides us. As we move forward as a nation, I do believe we’re going to be judged on how we answer that call — that call of moral responsibility, to whether we stand up for those who have the least among us, whether we act on their behalf.

And one of the things that I think at least the President and I believe has been the essence of this administration is the most animating principle of the administration has been just that: to look out for the least among us. Those are the values that I know that the President — and I personally know — the President holds extremely close to his heart.

So I’d like to introduce to you now, my friend, and our President, President Barack Obama. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Everybody, please have a seat. Thank you.

Well, good morning, everybody.

AUDIENCE: Good morning.

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome, once again, to the White House. It is always wonderful to see so many friends from all across the country. I want to thank you for joining us today. I want to thank everybody for their prayers, but, most importantly, I want to thank everybody for their good works through your ministries. It's making a difference in communities all across this nation, and we could not be more proud to often have a chance to work with you.

To all the pastors in the house, I hope you’ve enjoyed some well-deserved rest after a very busy Holy Week. I see some chuckles, so maybe not. (Laughter.) Here at the White House, I’m pleased to say that we survived yet another Easter Egg Roll. (Laughter.)

Now, if you’ve been to this breakfast before, you know that I always …read more

Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of the Amir of Qatar

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By The White House

President Obama will welcome to the White House the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, on Tuesday, April 23rd. The United States and Qatar have a strong bilateral relationship, reflecting our close defense partnership, expanding commercial ties, and many other areas of cooperation.

The United States is firmly committed to continuing to deepen our consultations with Qatar on the many important developments in the region. The President looks forward to a broad discussion with the Amir on a range of mutual interests and regional issues to further strengthen our bilateral partnership.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the Removal of Highly Enriched Uranium from the Czech Republic

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By The White House

Today we can announce that the United States, with the cooperation of our international partners, successfully removed 68 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU) – enough material for two nuclear weapons – from the Czech Republic. The HEU was securely transported to Russia, where it will be downblended into low enriched uranium (LEU) for use in nuclear power reactors. Unlike highly enriched uranium, low enriched uranium cannot be used to make a nuclear weapon. With this shipment, the Czech Republic becomes the tenth country from which all HEU has been removed since President Obama announced the international effort to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world.

This achievement comes on the anniversary of President Obama’s remarks in Prague on April 5, 2009, where he stated that nuclear terrorism remains our greatest threat. The President called on the world to act with a sense of purpose and without delay to secure vulnerable nuclear material. The United States and the global community have responded with an unprecedented effort that has secured thousands of kilograms of HEU and plutonium, enough for dozens of nuclear weapons.

The removal of highly enriched uranium from the Czech Republic was the culmination of a multi-year effort by the United States’ National Nuclear Security Administration, the Czech Republic’s Nuclear Research Institute, Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The United States is grateful to these partners and to the Czech and Russian governments for their outstanding cooperation.

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on the Passing of Roger Ebert

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By The White House

Michelle and I are saddened to hear about the passing of Roger Ebert. For a generation of Americans – and especially Chicagoans – Roger was the movies. When he didn't like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive – capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical. Even amidst his own battles with cancer, Roger was as productive as he was resilient – continuing to share his passion and perspective with the world. The movies won't be the same without Roger, and our thoughts and prayers are with Chaz and the rest of the Ebert family.

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White House Press Office

Letter — Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Somalia

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By The White House

April 4, 2013

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 of April 12, 2010, with respect to Somalia is to continue in effect beyond April 12, 2013.

On January 17, 2013, the United States Government announced its formal recognition of the Government of Somalia. The United States had not recognized a government in Somalia for the previous 22 years. Although the U.S. recognition underscores a strong commitment to Somalia's stabilization, it does not remove the importance of U.S. sanctions, especially against persons undermining the stability of Somalia. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Somalia and to maintain in force the sanctions to respond to this threat.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Notice — Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Somalia

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By The White House

NOTICE

– – – – – – –

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SOMALIA

On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

On July 20, 2012, I issued Executive Order 13620 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 22, 2012, and Resolution 2002 of July 29, 2011, and to address: exports of charcoal from Somalia, which generate significant revenue for al-Shabaab; the misappropriation of Somali public assets; and certain acts of violence committed against civilians in Somalia, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia.

The situation with respect to Somalia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date and on July 20, 2012, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 2013. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

BARACK OBAMA

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Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One en route Denver, Colorado, 4/3/2013

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By The White House

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Denver, Colorado
2:14 P.M. EDT
MR. CARNEY: Thanks for joining us today on our flight to Denver, where, as you know, the President will be meeting with law enforcement officials and others at the Denver Police Academy where he will discuss the need for Congress to act on common-sense measures to reduce the scourge of gun violence in America.
I think you can expect that he will note that the legislation he supports that has been moving through Congress represents real, sensible, middle-of-the-road attempts to address this problem; that nothing he supports would in any way violate the Second Amendment rights of the American people, the Second Amendment rights that the President strongly supports.
One provision that he supports — the effort to close loopholes in our background check system — is supported by over 90 percent of the American people, by vast majorities of Republicans and Democrats and independents, by a substantial majority of gun owners, and a substantial majority of members of the NRA.
He has made clear in his effort, his concerted effort, to move forward with these measures since the Newtown tragedy; that it is imperative the elected officials of the American people allow all of these measures to come to a vote — and, in his view, to vote for them — but at the very least, to allow them to come to a vote. Because if you disagree with 90 percent of the American people on background checks, you ought to vote no, and not oppose — not use parliamentary maneuvers to prevent a vote. That’s the President’s view.
In any case, he looks forward to this event. As you know, he will be going to Connecticut on Monday to continue this conversation.
Q When the President insists on these votes, particularly on assault weapons and the high-capacity magazines, is it because he thinks that there is a price to pay for voting no? And isn’t there just as well a price to pay by some members of Congress, some Democrats, for voting yes on those issues?
MR. CARNEY: Jim, there are definitely political issues involved in this. This has always been the case. But the President doesn’t look at this through a political lens. He’s not asking for a vote for political reasons, he’s asking for a vote because the victims of Newtown and of Aurora and Virginia Tech, and the countless lesser-known victims of gun violence across America deserve at least a vote. And the kids who were killed — the 20 children who were killed in Newtown, they weren’t Republicans or Democrats; they didn’t care, and their parents don’t care about the political implications of voting yes or no on these bills. They want things done that give other children more protection from this kind of violence, and that includes …read more
Source: White House Press Office
White House Press Office

First Lady Michelle Obama and Epicurious Host Second Recipe Challenge

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By The White House

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA AND EPICURIOUS HOST
SECOND RECIPE CHALLENGE
TO PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING NATIONWIDE

“The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge” Welcomes Children and Their Parents to Create
Healthy Lunch Recipes for an Invite to a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House

New York, NY (April 3, 2013) – With the overwhelming success of the inaugural Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' “State Dinner” in 2012, First Lady Michelle Obama is again teaming up with Epicurious, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture to host a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy eating among America’s youth.

“Last year’s Kids State dinner was one of my favorite events we’ve ever done for Let’s Move! because it perfectly captured how young people, parents, community leaders and businesses can come together for innovative, healthy solutions,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “Last year’s young chefs impressed and inspired me with their creativity, and I can’t wait to welcome a whole new group to the White House this summer and taste their creations. So kids, let’s get cooking!”

The second Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' “State Dinner” invites parents or guardians and their children, ages 8-12, to create and submit an original lunch recipe that is healthy, affordable, and tasty. In support of Let’s Move!, launched by the First Lady to solve the issue of childhood obesity, each recipe must adhere to the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate (at ChooseMyPlate.gov) to ensure that the criteria of a healthy meal are met. Entries must represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe.

All U.S. states and territories, including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, are invited to participate. Fifty-six children and their parent/guardian (one pair from each of the 50 states, plus the U.S. Territories, D.C., and Puerto Rico) will be flown to the nation’s capital where they will have the opportunity to attend a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House this summer, hosted by Mrs. Obama. A selection of the winning healthy recipes will be served.

“In order to promote a healthier next generation of Americans, we need to encourage kids to make healthier choices now – which they can carry into adulthood,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA is thrilled to be part of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge again this year because it inspires kids to use USDA’s MyPlate to take a hands-on approach to building healthier meal times.”

“We know healthy kids are healthy students, and healthy students are better able to engage in the classroom and excel academically,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “If we can get our children to eat healthier and exercise more, that’s a recipe for success. Kids are the best judges of what looks and tastes good, …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Lee of Singapore Before Bilateral Meeting

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By The White House

Oval Office

2:14 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, it is a great pleasure for me to welcome my good friend, Prime Minister Lee, to the Oval Office. He and I have had interacted in a whole range of international forums, and not surprisingly, he has proven to be an outstanding partner for us on the international stage — not surprising because Singapore and the United States have historically had an extraordinary relationship. Singapore is one of the most successful countries in the world.

I think their progress and their development over the last several decades has been an example for many countries around the world. We have extremely close military cooperation. And I want to thank Singapore for all the facilities that they provide that allow us to maintain our effective Pacific presence.

They are an outstanding economic partner. Over the last decade, since we signed our free trade agreement, we have seen a doubling of trade between our countries, and that creates jobs here in the United States as well as in Singapore. As a leader in ASEAN and the East Asia Summit, they’ve provided I think a steady vision of how countries in the Pacific region can cooperate effectively for the prosperity and security of all, and are strong promoters of rules of the road and international norms that the United States strongly supports.

And so, across the board, we have very much appreciated the extraordinary relationship between our two countries. And personally, I can tell you that there are very few world leaders who I am more appreciative of in terms of their advice and counsel and thoughtful analysis than Prime Minister Lee.

And as we continue the process that we called rebalancing when I first came into office, we’ve continued to seek out the advice and good counsel of Singapore in how to effect that in a way that creates not only strong security, but also increase prosperity for both the United States and the countries of the region.

So I’m very thankful for Singapore and its partnership. I’m thankful for Prime Minister Lee for his outstanding work. I’m grateful for the people of Singapore. As many of you know, I spent some time in my youth in this part of the world and have a great fondness and affection for the people of Singapore. I’m extraordinarily pleased to see their great success and I’m looking forward to a very productive discussion about how we can continue to improve prospects for people not just in the Asia Pacific region but around the world.

So thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER LEE: Thank you, Mr. President. I’m very happy to be here in Washington during cherry blossom season and very honored to be calling on the President so early in his second term.

We have very good relations between Singapore and the United States, grown in deep cooperation. We work together in education, …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at "42" Film Workshop

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By The White House

State Dining Room

11:57 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Well, hello! How’s everybody doing?

AUDIENCE: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Welcome to the White House. (Laughter.) It’s nice. Let's do this. (Applause.) I know sometimes it’s hard to know how are you supposed to act in the White House. (Laughter.) Everybody is sitting with their — just loosen up, loosen up. It’s okay. You all are here. You’re just going to talk. I can tell you all talk a lot. (Laughter.) So you’re just going to talk a little more right here in the White House. We are honored to have you. Welcome, welcome.

Let me start today by thanking Paulette for moderating today’s workshop. Paulette is the new Director of the Office of Public Engagement right here in the White House, and we’re glad to have her on our team. I want to give her a round of applause — Paulette. (Applause.)

I want to thank Harrison Ford — I’ve wanted to say that for a while. (Laughter.) Harrison Ford. So you think you trip because I’m here? I’m tripping out — (laughter) — because he’s here. And look at this stage — Mr. Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman — he’s as cute as he was in the movie. (Laughter.) Just admit it. (Applause.) Outstanding — as well as Brian Helgeland, who is here as well. You’re going to hear from them.

And I want to thank all of you young people here, because I want to make sure I know who’s here. We have students from Gaithersburg, Maryland — who are you, where are you? (Applause.) Maryland in the house. Alexandria, Virginia. (Applause.) You guys are here. We’ve got some D.C. kids. (Applause.) Of course you all are the loudest ones. (Laughter.) It’s okay. We’ve got students from the Animo Jackie Robinson Charter High School in Los Angeles — where are our L.A. kids? (Applause.) There you go. You can be louder. (Laughter.) It’s okay, you all traveled.

But I want to make sure that you all know how welcome you are here in this house, because the truth is we do these things — we make sure that we do these workshops so that you all know that this is your house, too. So we want you to make yourselves at home. We want you to feel good and relaxed and learn and ask questions, okay?

And finally, I saved the best for last. I want to pay special thanks to a woman that I am totally in awe of. And I’m not going to get emotional. I’m going to say that now, because I can tend to get emotional. But she’s a woman of strength, of courage, conviction; a woman …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President on the BRAIN Initiative and American Innovation

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By The White House

East Room
10:04 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat. Well, first of all, let me thank Dr. Collins not just for the introduction but for his incredible leadership at NIH. Those of you who know Francis also know that he’s quite a gifted singer and musician. So I was asking whether he was going to be willing to sing the introduction — (laughter) — and he declined.
But his leadership has been extraordinary. And I’m glad I’ve been promoted Scientist-in-Chief. (Laughter.) Given my grades in physics, I’m not sure it’s deserving. But I hold science in proper esteem, so maybe that gives me a little credit.
Today I’ve invited some of the smartest people in the country, some of the most imaginative and effective researchers in the country — some very smart people to talk about the challenge that I issued in my State of the Union address: to grow our economy, to create new jobs, to reignite a rising, thriving middle class by investing in one of our core strengths, and that’s American innovation.
Ideas are what power our economy. It’s what sets us apart. It’s what America has been all about. We have been a nation of dreamers and risk-takers; people who see what nobody else sees sooner than anybody else sees it. We do innovation better than anybody else — and that makes our economy stronger. When we invest in the best ideas before anybody else does, our businesses and our workers can make the best products and deliver the best services before anybody else.
And because of that incredible dynamism, we don’t just attract the best scientists or the best entrepreneurs — we also continually invest in their success. We support labs and universities to help them learn and explore. And we fund grants to help them turn a dream into a reality. And we have a patent system to protect their inventions. And we offer loans to help them turn those inventions into successful businesses.
And the investments don’t always pay off. But when they do, they change our lives in ways that we could never have imagined. Computer chips and GPS technology, the Internet — all these things grew out of government investments in basic research. And sometimes, in fact, some of the best products and services spin off completely from unintended research that nobody expected to have certain applications. Businesses then used that technology to create countless new jobs.
So the founders of Google got their early support from the National Science Foundation. The Apollo project that put a man on the moon also gave us eventually CAT scans. And every dollar we spent to map the human genome has returned $140 to our economy — $1 of investment, …read more
Source: White House Press Office
White House Press Office

Fact Sheet: BRAIN Initiative

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By The White House

“If we want to make the best products, we also have to invest in the best ideas… Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy… Today, our scientists are mapping the human brain to unlock the answers to Alzheimer’s… Now is not the time to gut these job-creating investments in science and innovation. Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race.”

– President Barack Obama, 2013 State of the Union

In his State of the Union address, the President laid out his vision for creating jobs and building a growing, thriving middle class by making a historic investment in research and development.

Today, at a White House event, the President unveiled a bold new research initiative designed to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. Launched with approximately $100 million in the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget, the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative ultimately aims to help researchers find new ways to treat, cure, and even prevent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.

The BRAIN Initiative will accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will enable researchers to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought. These technologies will open new doors to explore how the brain records, processes, uses, stores, and retrieves vast quantities of information, and shed light on the complex links between brain function and behavior.

This initiative is one of the Administration’s “Grand Challenges” – ambitious but achievable goals that require advances in science and technology. In his remarks today, the President called on companies, research universities, foundations, and philanthropists to join with him in identifying and pursuing the Grand Challenges of the 21st century.

The BRAIN Initiative includes:

  • Key investments to jumpstart the effort: The National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Science Foundation will support approximately $100 million in research beginning in FY 2014.

  • Strong academic leadership: The National Institutes of Health will establish a high-level working group co-chaired by Dr. Cornelia “Cori” Bargmann (The Rockefeller University) and Dr. William Newsome (Stanford University) to define detailed scientific goals for the NIH’s investment, and to develop a multi-year scientific plan for achieving these goals, including timetables, milestones, and cost estimates.

  • Public-private partnerships: Federal research agencies will partner with companies, foundations, and private research institutions that are also investing in relevant neuroscience research, such as the Allen Institute, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Kavli Foundation, and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

  • Maintaining our highest ethical standards: Pioneering research often has the potential to raise new ethical challenges. To ensure this new effort proceeds in ways that continue to adhere to our highest standards of research protections, the President will direct his Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues to explore the ethical, legal, and societal implications raised by this research …read more
    Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 4/1/2013

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By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
12:53 P.M. EDT
MR. CARNEY: Hello, everyone. It’s very good to see you. Thanks for taking care of Josh in my absence last week.
Before I take your questions, I want to say a couple of things. One, and perhaps most importantly, I apologize for keeping you here to miss the opening pitches of the Red Sox versus Yankees game and the Marlins at the Nationals here. I, for one, wish I were at the stadium, because it’s going to be a very exciting season I think for Nationals and Red Sox fans, of which I am one.
I’d also like to say something about the fact that this morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced its hearing for our D.C. Circuit Court nominee, Sri Srinivasan. As you know, Sri is the Principal Deputy Solicitor General, but you may not know that Sri was born in India and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, eventually becoming an all-star point guard at Lawrence High School. And, of course, he is still recovering today from the loss by his beloved Kansas Jayhawks over the weekend.
Sri is of course also a highly respected appellate advocate who has spent a distinguished career litigating before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals, both in private practice and on behalf of the United States for both Democratic and Republican administrations. He has argued before the Supreme Court 24 times; drafted briefs and several dozen additional cases; and has also served as lead counsel in numerous cases before the federal and state appellate courts.
As a testament to how highly regarded he is by members of both parties, 12 former officials from the Solicitor General’s office — six of them Democrats, six of them Republicans — all announced their support for Sri today. The signatories of the letter, including Paul Clement, Ted Olson, Ken Starr, and Walter Dellinger, write, “Sri has a first-rate intellect, an open-minded approach to the law, a strong work ethic, and an unimpeachable character. Sri is one of the best appellate lawyers in the country.”
The D.C. Circuit, as you know, is often considered the nation’s second-highest court, but it has twice as many vacancies as any other court of appeals, and its workload has increased by over 20 percent since 2005. Sri’s confirmation will be an important first step to filling this court’s four vacancies, and he will be, when confirmed, the first South Asian circuit court judge in history.
We also urge the Senate to move swiftly to confirm the 15 additional judicial nominees waiting for votes. Of those 15, 13 were approved out of the Judiciary Committee unanimously; not a single Republican dissent. And four would fill judicial emergencies; six are represented by Republican home-state senators who support their nominations.
Now, as I mentioned, the last time I gave an update on our judicial nominees, we have seen …read more
Source: White House Press Office
White House Press Office

President Obama To Nominate Brian Deese to Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget

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By The White House

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

  • Brian Deese – Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget

President Obama said, “From helping to navigate our rescue of a financial system on the brink of collapse to retooling a flatlining auto industry to crafting a policy to put our nation on a fiscally sustainable path, Brian Deese has proven an indispensable member of my economic team. He has a deep and intuitive understanding of economic and budgetary policy, and I am confident he will serve America well in this new role. As we continue to pursue a balanced approach that significantly reduces the deficit while investing in economic growth, job creation and the middle class, there's no one better suited to take on this important role than Brian.”

“Brian has impressed me and our entire team with his strong leadership and sound judgment, but most importantly, he never loses sight of who we are fighting for. I am grateful for his outstanding service on behalf of America’s families, and I look forward to working with him in the years to come.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

Brian Deese, Nominee for Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget
Brian Deese is Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. From 2009 to 2010, he served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. Prior to joining the Administration in 2009, Mr. Deese worked as a member of the Economic Policy Working Group for the Obama-Biden Transition Team and was the Deputy Economic Policy Director for the Obama for America Campaign. He served as Economic Policy Director for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign from 2007 to 2008. Previously, Mr. Deese was with the Center for American Progress from 2002 to 2005 where he worked as a Senior Policy Analyst for Economic Policy and focused on fiscal policy, international trade, and globalization. He also worked from 2001 to 2002 at the Center for Global Development and from 2000 to 2001 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Deese received a B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest Aboard Air Force One en route Miami, FL, 3/29/2013

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By The White House

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Miami, Florida
10:55 A.M. EDT
MR. EARNEST: Bienvenidos aboard Air Force One as we make our way to Miami today. Typically, at the beginning of gaggles like this, I’ll have a little presentation to preview for you the remarks of the President and give you a sense of the argument and the case the President will be making. Rather than doing that myself today, I’ve actually brought along an expert, Alan Krueger, who is the President’s chief economist.
Prior to working at the White House, Alan worked at the Treasury Department, where he was instrumental in putting together some of the administrations’ proposals related to the infrastructure bank and to the Build America Bonds that have proven to be so popular and helpful in stimulating economic growth and creating jobs all across the country. So I want to give Alan the opportunity to give you a sense of the case the President will make today about the infrastructure proposals that the President will be laying out, and the impact it would have on the economy and creating jobs. Alan can then take your questions about the event, and then we’ll open it up to other questions you may have on other topics today.
All right. So, Alan, do you want to give us a little opener here?
MR. KRUEGER: Sure. So why don’t I say a few words at 30,000 feet about how infrastructure is the right thing to invest in in the economy right now.
The U.S. is underinvested in our infrastructure. If we invest more in infrastructure, we’ll be more competitive — businesses tell us that. Businesses tell us, and the President cites this in his speech, that if we improve our infrastructure, that will bring more jobs back home to the U.S. Other countries that we compete with economically have been investing quite heavily in infrastructure.
On top of that, now is a particularly good time to invest in our infrastructure. No industry was harder hit by the downturn than construction. Fully 20 percent of the jobs that were lost from the end of 2007 to the end of 2009 were in the construction sector. The unemployment rate for construction has come down, but it still remains over 15 percent. So we have resources that we could put back to work today to improve our competitiveness tomorrow. It makes a great deal of economic sense.
The President today in Miami is going to discuss three proposals to make smarter, more leveraged investments in our infrastructure. And this builds on his previous announcement for the Fix it First initiative, and a good deal of research suggests that maintaining our existing infrastructure has a very high payoff.
One area where we do a very poor job in terms of infrastructure, given the siloed nature in which we …read more
Source: White House Press Office
White House Press Office

The “Rebuild America Partnership”: The President’s Plan to Encourage Private Investment in America’s Infrastructure

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By The White House

Investing in infrastructure not only makes our roads, bridges, and ports safer and gives our businesses and workers the tools to compete successfully in the global economy, it also creates thousands of good American jobs that cannot be outsourced. Since the President took office four years ago, America has begun the hard work of rebuilding our infrastructure: American workers have improved over 350,000 miles of U.S. roads and more than 6,000 miles of rail, and they have repaired or replaced over 20,000 bridges. But there’s more to do, and taxpayers shouldn’t have to shoulder the entire burden themselves.

We know that America works best when it’s calling upon the resources and ingenuity of our vibrant private sector. That’s why the President’s plan calls for a Rebuild America Partnership to help attract the private capital that can go toward building the infrastructure our workers and businesses need most.

By acting on the President’s plan, together we can build an infrastructure that’s second-to-none and prove that there is no better place to do business and create jobs than right here in the United States of America.

• Partnering with the Private Sector to Create Jobs and Invest in the Projects We Need Most: The President is continuing to call for Congress to enact a National Infrastructure Bank capitalized with $10 billion, in order to leverage private and public capital and to invest in a broad range of infrastructure projects of national and regional significance, without earmarks or political influence.

• Giving State and Local Governments Flexible New Tools to Invest in Infrastructure: The President’s new America Fast Forward Bonds program will build upon the successful example of the Build America Bonds program, broadening its use to include the types of projects that can be financed with qualified private activity bonds while also making the combined program more flexible. In addition, the Administration is proposing changes to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) aimed at enhancing the attractiveness of investment in U.S. infrastructure and real estate to a broader universe of private investors.

• Building the Transportation Network Our Businesses and Workers Need to Succeed: In addition to the sound implementation of TIFIA’s recent eight-fold expansion, the Administration is also proposing $4 billion in new competitive funding for the innovative TIGER and TIFIA programs.

The President’s Plan to Attract Private Infrastructure Investment
Through a “Rebuild America Partnership”

Despite progress over the last four years, too many construction workers remain out of work and too many of our nation’s infrastructure needs remain unmet. The President’s new “Rebuild America Partnership” will bring together an array of new and existing policies all aimed at enhancing the role of private capital in U.S. infrastructure investment as a vital additive to the traditional roles of Federal, State, and local governments, making American workers and businesses more competitive and putting more Americans back on the job:

• Partnering with the Private Sector to Create Jobs and Invest in the Projects …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Statement by the President on Intention to Nominate General Philip Breedlove for U.S. European Command and SACEUR

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By The White House

Today I am proud to announce my intention to nominate General Philip Breedlove as the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and Commander of U.S. European Command. For over three decades, General Breedlove has served with distinction in assignments at all levels of the U.S. Air Force and around the globe, from Washington to Germany, Italy, Spain, and South Korea. As Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the Commander of NATO’s Allied Air Command, General Breedlove has established trust and deep relations with our NATO allies and partners – assets he will draw upon in taking on this important new role on behalf of the United States and the Alliance.

If confirmed by the Senate, General Breedlove will replace Admiral Jim Stavridis as the Supreme Allied Commander in late Spring. Admiral Stavridis has played an absolutely essential role in strengthening the NATO Alliance to meet the challenges of the 21st century, to include enhancing our collective capabilities and partnerships. I am grateful for his steadfast service on behalf of our country and NATO.

…read more
Source: White House Press Office