White House News

Executive Order from the President -- Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to North Korea

News from the White House - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 3:43pm

EXECUTIVE ORDER

BLOCKING PROPERTY OF CERTAIN PERSONS WITH RESPECT TO NORTH KOREA

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code; in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1718 of October 14, 2006, and UNSCR 1874 of June 12, 2009; and to take additional steps with respect to the situation in North Korea,

I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, hereby expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 of June 26, 2008, finding that the continued actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, manifested most recently by its unprovoked attack that resulted in the sinking of the Republic of Korea Navy ship Cheonan and the deaths of 46 sailors in March 2010; its announced test of a nuclear device and its missile launches in 2009; its actions in violation of UNSCRs 1718 and 1874, including the procurement of luxury goods; and its illicit and deceptive activities in international markets through which it obtains financial and other support, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking, destabilize the Korean peninsula and imperil U.S. Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.

I hereby order:

Section 1.  (a)  All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person, including any overseas branch, of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:

(i)   the persons listed in the Annex to this order; and

(ii)  any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:

(A)  to have, directly or indirectly, imported, exported, or reexported to, into, or from North Korea any arms or related materiel;

(B)  to have, directly or indirectly, provided training, advice, or other services or assistance, or engaged in financial transactions, related to the manufacture, maintenance, or use of any arms or related materiel to be imported, exported, or reexported to, into, or from North Korea, or following their importation, exportation, or reexportation to, into, or from North Korea;

(C)  to have, directly or indirectly, imported, exported, or reexported luxury goods to or into North Korea;

(D)  to have, directly or indirectly, engaged in money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods or currency, bulk cash smuggling, narcotics trafficking, or other illicit economic activity that involves or supports the Government of North Korea or any senior official thereof;

(E)  to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the activities described in subsections (a)(ii)(A)-(D) of this section or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;

(F)  to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(G)  to have attempted to engage in any of the activities described in subsections (a)(ii)(A)-(F) of this section.

(b)  I hereby determine that, to the extent section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) may apply, the making of donations of the types of articles specified in such section by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 and expanded in scope in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by subsection (a) of this section.

(c)  The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section include, but are not limited to:

(i)   the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and

(ii)  the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

(d)  The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date of this order.

Sec. 2.  (a)  Any transaction by a United States person or within the United States that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

(b)  Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

Sec. 3.  The provisions of Executive Order 13466 remain in effect, and this order does not affect any action taken pursuant to that order.

Sec. 4.  For the purposes of this order:

(a)  the term "person" means an individual or entity;

(b)  the term "entity" means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;

(c)  the term "United States person" means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States;

(d)  the term "North Korea" includes the territory of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Government of North Korea;

(e)  the term "Government of North Korea" means the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, its agencies, instrumentalities, and controlled entities; and

(f)  the term "luxury goods" includes those items listed in 15 C.F.R. 746.4(b)(l) and Supplement No. 1 to part 746 and similar items.

Sec. 5.  For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render these measures ineffectual.  I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 and expanded in scope in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1(a) of this order.

Sec. 6.  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA and the UNPA, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order.  The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government consistent with applicable law.  All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.

Sec. 7.  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to determine that circumstances no longer warrant the blocking of the property and interests in property of a person listed in the Annex to this order, and to take necessary action to give effect to that determination.

Sec. 8.  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, agents, or any other person.

Sec. 9.  This order is effective at 12:01 p.m., eastern daylight time on August 30, 2010.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
August 30, 2010.

Categories: White House News

Letter from the President -- Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to North Korea

News from the White House - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 3:43pm

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

August 30, 2010

Dear Madam Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)

Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the "order") that expands the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 of June 26, 2008, and takes additional steps with respect to that national emergency.

In 2008, the United States terminated the exercise of certain authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA) with respect to North Korea, and also declared a national emergency pursuant to IEEPA to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the existence and risk of the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula.  Executive Order 13466 continued certain restrictions on North Korea and North Korean nationals that had been in place under TWEA.

I have determined that the Government of North Korea's continued provocative actions, such as its unprovoked attack on and sinking of the Republic of Korea Navy ship Cheonan in March 2010, which resulted in the deaths of 46 sailors; its announced test of a nuclear device and missile launches in 2009; its violations of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1718 of October 14, 2006, and UNSCR 1874 of June 12, 2009, including the procurement of luxury goods; and the illicit and deceptive economic activities through which it obtains financial and other support, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking, destabilize the Korean peninsula and imperil U.S. Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region, and warrant the imposition of additional sanctions.

The United Nations Security Council, in Resolutions 1718 and 1874, requires Member States to take certain measures to prevent, among other activities, the transfer of most arms and related materiel to or from North Korea and the transfer of luxury goods to North Korea.  The United States has implemented those two UNSCRs, and the order strengthens that implementation.

The order is not targeted at the people of North Korea, nor at those who provide legitimate humanitarian relief to those people, but rather is aimed at specific activities of the Government of North Korea and others undertaken in defiance of UNSCRs 1718 and 1874.  The order targets the international network that supports the Government of North Korea through arms sales and illicit economic activities, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking.

The order leaves in place all existing sanctions imposed under Executive Order 13466, and blocks the property and interests in property of persons listed in the Annex to the order.  The order also provides criteria for designations of persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:

• to have, directly or indirectly, imported, exported, or reexported to, into, or from North Korea any arms or related materiel;

• to have, directly or indirectly, provided training, advice, or other services or assistance, or engaged in financial transactions, related to the manufacture, maintenance, or use of any arms or related materiel to be imported, exported, or reexported to, into, or from North Korea, or following their importation, exportation, or reexportation to, into, or from North Korea;

• to have, directly or indirectly, imported, exported, or reexported luxury goods to or into North Korea;

• to have, directly or indirectly, engaged in money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods or currency, bulk cash smuggling, narcotics trafficking, or other illicit economic activity that involves or supports the Government of North Korea or any senior official thereof;

• to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the activities described in sections l(a)(ii)(A)-(D) of the order or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order;

• to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order; or

• to have attempted to engage in any of the activities described in sections l(a)(ii)(A)-(F) of the order.

I have delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury the authority, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA and the United Nations Participation Act, as may be necessary

to carry out the purposes of the order.  I have also delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the authority to determine that circumstances no longer warrant the blocking of the property and interests in property of a person listed in the Annex to the order, and to take necessary action to give effect to that determination.

The order was effective at 12:01 p.m., eastern daylight time on August 30, 2010.  All executive agencies of the United States Government are directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of the order.

I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

BARACK OBAMA

Categories: White House News

Obama expands sanctions against North Korea

White House via MSNBC - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 3:18pm

The Obama administration expanded sanctions against North Korea on Monday by freezing assets of individuals, companies and organizations allegedly linked to support for Pyongyang's nuclear program.



North Korea - Pyongyang - Asia - Presidency of Barack Obama - Weapon

Categories: White House News

Remarks by the President on the Economy

News from the White House - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 2:17pm

Rose Garden

1:17 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  I just finished a meeting with my economic team about the current state of our economy and some of the additional steps that we should take to move forward.

It’s been nearly two years since that terrible September when our economy teetered on the brink of collapse.  And at the time, no one knew just how deep the recession would go, or the havoc that it would wreak on families and businesses across this country.  What we did know was that it took nearly a decade -- how we doing on sound, guys?  Is it still going in the press -- okay.  What we did know was that it was going to take nearly a decade in order -- can you guys still hear us?  Okay.  Let me try this one more time.

What we did know was that it took nearly a decade to dig the hole that we’re in -– and that it would take longer than any of us would like to climb our way out.  And while we have taken a series of measures and come a long way since then, the fact is, that too many businesses are still struggling; too many Americans are still looking for work; and too many communities are far from being whole again.

And that’s why my administration remains focused every single day on pushing this economy forward, repairing the damage that’s been done to the middle class over the past decade, and promoting the growth we need to get our people back to work.

So, as Congress prepares to return to session, my economic team is hard at work in identifying additional measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth and hiring in the short term, and increasing our economy’s competitiveness in the long term -- steps like extending the tax cuts for the middle class that are set to expire this year; redoubling our investment in clean energy and R&D; rebuilding more of our infrastructure for the future; further tax cuts to encourage businesses to put their capital to work creating jobs here in the United States.  And I’ll be addressing these proposals in further detail in the days and weeks to come.

In the meantime, there’s one thing we know we should do -– something that should be Congress’ first order of business when it gets back -- and that is making it easier for our small businesses to grow and hire.

We know that in the final few months of last year, small businesses accounted for more than 60 percent of the job losses in America.  That’s why we’ve passed eight different tax cuts for small businesses and worked to expand credit for them. 

But we have to do more.  And there’s currently a jobs bill before Congress that would do two big things for small business owners:  cut more taxes and make available more loans.  It would help them get the credit they need, and eliminate capital gains taxes on key investments so they have more incentive to invest right now.  And it would accelerate $55 billion of tax relief to encourage American businesses, small and large, to expand their investments over the next 14 months.

Unfortunately, this bill has been languishing in the Senate for months, held up by a partisan minority that won’t even allow it to go to a vote.  That makes no sense.  This bill is fully paid for.  It will not add to the deficit.  And there is no reason to block it besides pure partisan politics. 

The small business owners and the communities that rely on them, they don’t have time for political games.  They shouldn’t have to wait any longer.  In fact, just this morning, a story showed that small businesses have put hiring and expanding on hold while waiting for the Senate to act on this bill.  Simply put, holding this bill hostage is directly detrimental to our economic growth.

So I ask Senate Republicans to drop the blockade.  I know we’re entering election season, but the people who sent us here expect us to work together to get things done and improve this economy.

Now, no single step is the silver bullet that will reverse the damage done by the bubble-and-bust cycles that caused our economy into this slide.  It’s going to take a full-scale effort, a full-scale attack that not only helps in the short term, but builds a firmer foundation that makes our nation stronger for the long haul.  But this step will benefit small business owners and our economy right away.  That’s why it’s got to get done.

There’s no doubt we still face serious challenges.  But if we rise above the politics of the moment to summon an equal seriousness of purpose, I’m absolutely confident that we will meet them.  I’ve got confidence in the American economy.  And most importantly, I’ve got confidence in the American people.  We’ve just got to start working together to get this done. 

Thank you very much.

END
1:21 P.M. EDT

Categories: White House News

Economic issues loom over Obama's busy week

White House via MSNBC - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 1:16pm

Those hoping that President Obama would make a hard pivot to the economy after his 10-day vacation might not get their wish - at least over the next two weeks.



Barack Obama - President of the United States - United States - President - History

Categories: White House News

Vice President Joe Biden in Iraq

News from the White House - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 11:23am

Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Iraq to participate in a Change of Command and Change of Mission Ceremony, fulfilling the commitment made by the President in his first month in office. 

This is the Vice President’s sixth trip to Iraq since January 2009.  The United States ends its combat mission in Iraq on August 31st, having drawn down to fewer than 50,000 troops from approximately 144,000 troops in January 2009.  The remaining troops will advise and assist Iraq’s security forces, conduct partnered counter-terrorism operations, and protect U.S. civilians.  In accordance with an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi governments, all U.S. forces will leave Iraq by December 31, 2011.

President Obama will deliver a National Address on Iraq on August 31st.  The Vice President’s visit at this juncture will reinforce the long-term U.S. commitment to Iraq.  The Vice President will meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, Vice President Adil Abd al-Mahdi, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, leader of the Iraqiyya coalition Ayad Allawi, Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim and other political leaders to discuss the latest developments in Iraq and to urge Iraqi leaders to conclude negotiations on the formation of a new government.

Categories: White House News

Video Remarks by The President to the Department of Commerce Annual Export Controls Update Conference

News from the White House - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 11:18am

Below are remarks by the President that will be delivered via videotape tomorrow, August 31, at the Department of Commerce’s Annual Export Controls Update Conference in Washington, D.C.

Hello everyone.  I’m sorry I’m not able to be with you in person today, but I’m pleased to have the chance to join you by video to talk about our export control reform initiative. 

About a year ago, we launched a comprehensive review of our export controls and determined that we need fundamental reform in all four areas of our current system – in what we control, how we control it, how we enforce those controls, and how we manage our controls.  I want to thank Secretary Locke, Secretary Gates, Secretary Clinton and many others for their work on this initiative.  And today I want to highlight the key elements of our new approach and the first steps toward its implementation.

For too long, we’ve had two very different control lists, with agencies fighting over who has jurisdiction.  Decisions were delayed, sometimes for years, and industries lost their edge or moved abroad.  Going forward, we will have a single, tiered, positive list – one which will allow us to build higher walls around the export of our most sensitive items while allowing the export of less critical ones under less restrictive conditions. 

In the past, there was a lot of confusion about when a license was required.  It depended on which agency you asked.  Now, we will have a single set of licensing policies that will apply to each tier of control, bringing clarity and consistency across our system.

In addition, I plan to sign an Executive Order that creates an Export Enforcement Coordination Center to coordinate and strengthen our enforcement efforts – and eliminate gaps and duplication – across all relevant departments and agencies. 

Finally, right now, export control licenses are managed by multiple, different IT systems or, in some cases, even on paper.  Going forward, all agencies will transition to a single IT system, making it easier for exporters to seek licenses and ensuring that the government has the full information needed to make informed decisions. 

While there is still more work to be done, taken together, these reforms will focus our resources on the threats that matter most, and help us work more effectively with our allies in the field.  They’ll bring transparency and coherence to a field of regulation which has long been lacking both.  And by enhancing the competitiveness of our manufacturing and technology sectors, they’ll help us not just increase exports and create jobs, but strengthen our national security as well. 

All of this represents significant progress.  And as we implement these reforms and take further steps – including working to create a single licensing agency – I look forward to working with both Congress and the export control community to ensure their success.  Thank you.
 

Categories: White House News

President Obama Lays the Foundation for a New Export Control System To Strengthen National Security and the Competitiveness of Key U.S. Manufacturing and Technology Sectors

News from the White House - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 11:17am

Tomorrow, President Obama will announce a major step forward in the Administration’s efforts to fundamentally reform the export control system and will outline the foundation of our new export control system. These changes – in what we control, how we control it, how we enforce those controls and how we manage our controls – will help strengthen our national security by focusing our efforts on controlling the most critical products and technologies and by enhancing the competitiveness of key U.S. manufacturing and technology sectors.

 Last August, the President directed a broad-based interagency review of the U.S. export control system with the goal of strengthening national security and the competitiveness of key U.S. manufacturing and technology sectors by focusing on current threats and adapting to the changing economic and technological landscape. The review determined that the current export control system is overly complicated, contains too many redundancies, and, in trying to protect too much, diminishes our ability to focus our efforts on the most critical national security priorities:

• The current system operates under two different control lists with fundamentally different approaches to defining controlled products, administered by two different departments. This has caused significant ambiguity, confusion and jurisdictional disputes, delaying clear license determinations for months and, in some cases, years;
• There are three different primary licensing agencies, each applying their own policies. None sees the others’ licenses, and each operates under unique procedures and definitions, leading to gaps in the system and disparate licensing requirements for nearly identical products;
• A multitude of agencies with overlapping and duplicative authorities currently enforce our export controls, creating redundancies and jeopardizing each other’s cases; and
• All these agencies operate on a number of separate information technology (IT) systems, none of which is accessible to other licensing or enforcement agencies or easily compatible with the other systems, resulting in the U.S. Government not having the capability of knowing what it has approved for export and, more significantly, what it has denied.

The Control Lists

Under the approach outlined by the President, agencies will apply new criteria for determining what items need to be controlled and a common set of policies for determining when an export license is required. The control list criteria are based on transparent rules, which will reduce the uncertainty faced by our Allies, U.S. industry and its foreign partners, and will allow the government to erect higher walls around the most sensitive items in order to enhance national security.

Agencies will apply the criteria and revise the lists of munitions and dual use items that are controlled for export so that they:

• are “tiered” to distinguish the types of items that should be subject to stricter or more permissive levels of control for different destinations, end-uses, and end-users,
• create a “bright line” between the two current control lists to clarify jurisdictional determinations and reduce government and industry uncertainty about whether particular items are subject to the control of the State Department or the Commerce Department, and
• are structurally aligned so that they potentially can be combined into a single list of controlled items.

To accomplish these tasks, both the U.S. Munitions List and the Commerce Control List need to be fully structured as “positive lists.” A “positive list” is a list that describes controlled items using objective criteria (e.g., technical parameters such as horsepower or microns) rather than broad, open-ended, subjective, catch-all, or design intent-based criteria. Doing this will end most, if not all, jurisdictional disputes and ambiguities that have come to define our current system.

Applying the criteria, the existing two lists will be split into three tiers:

• Items in the highest tier are those that provide a critical military or intelligence advantage to the United States and are available almost exclusively from the United States, or items that are a weapon of mass destruction.
• Items in the middle tier are those that provide a substantial military or intelligence advantage to the United States and are available almost exclusively from our multilateral partners and Allies.
• Items in the lowest tier are those that provide a significant military or intelligence advantage but are available more broadly.

This flexible construct will improve the nation’s national security and permit the government to adjust controls in a timely manner over a product’s life cycle in order to keep lists targeted and up-to-date based on the maturity and sensitivity of an item.

Licensing Policies

Once a controlled item is placed into a tier, a corresponding licensing policy will be assigned to it to focus agency reviews on the most sensitive items:

•  A license will generally be required for items in the highest tier to all destinations. Many of the items in the second tier will be authorized for export to multilateral partners and Allies under license exemptions or general authorizations. For less sensitive items, a license will not be required more broadly.
• For items authorized to be exported without licenses, there will be new controls imposed on the re-export of those items to prevent their diversion to unauthorized destinations.
• At the same time, the U.S. Government will continue our sanctions programs directed toward specific countries, such as Iran and Cuba.

The restructuring of the control lists and the harmonized licensing policies based on the tier of control will revolutionize our current control system. The preliminary results of deploying this new system highlight this fact.

•  Technical experts across the government have completed the overhaul of one category of controls on the U.S. Munitions List and the corresponding entries on the Commerce Control List and have restructured USML Category VII (Tanks and Military Vehicles) into a positive, tiered list.
• The results are significant. Our preliminary analysis is that about 74 percent of the 12,000 items we licensed last year in this Munitions List category will either be moved to the Commerce Control List or will be decontrolled altogether.
• Our preliminary estimate is that about 32 percent of the total may be decontrolled altogether. Of the 26 percent of items that remain on the Munitions List, none were found to be in the highest tier of control, about 18 percent are in the middle tier, and the remaining 8 percent in the lowest tier.

Under the current system, whether a product requires a license depends on which list it falls. The same product may be subject to two significantly different licensing requirements, depending on how it is categorized.

• Examples include brake pads for the M1A1 tank. These brake pads are virtually identical to brake pads for fire trucks but the tank brake pads require a license to be exported to any country around the world, while the fire truck brake pads can be exported to virtually all countries without a license. Still, under our current system, we devote the same resources to protecting the brake pad as we do to protecting the M1A1 tank itself.

Restructuring the control lists and applying the same licensing policies across the government will eliminate these anomalies and allow us to focus our resources on protecting the items and technologies most critical to our national security.

Export Enforcement

Agencies will focus and strengthen our enforcement efforts, including by building higher walls around the most sensitive items. There will be additional end-use assurances against diversion from foreign consignees, increased outreach and on-site visits domestically and abroad, and enhanced compliance and enforcement.

•  The President will announce tomorrow that he will sign an executive order establishing an Export Enforcement Coordination Center that will coordinate and strengthen the U.S. Government’s enforcement efforts – and eliminate gaps and duplication – across all relevant departments and agencies.

Information Technology Systems

Finally, the U.S. Government is transitioning to a single information technology (IT) system to administer its export control system. The Departments of State and Defense are currently being linked to the same IT system and the Department of Commerce will integrate into this system by next year. All relevant departments and agencies will have access to the system. These improvements will create efficiencies within the U.S. Government for reviewing applications and ensure that decisions are fully informed. It will also make it easier for exporters seeking licenses and for enforcement authorities to see what actions have been taken.

The Administration’s goal is to begin issuing proposed revisions to the control lists and licensing policies later this year. These changes, along with enhancements to enforcement capabilities and information technology systems, will create an export control system that is more effective, transparent and predictable – one that enhances U.S. national security, improves the functioning of the government, and maintains the competitiveness of critical manufacturing and technology sectors.

As we implement these steps, the Administration will continue to work with Congress and the export control community, including on the necessary authorities to consolidate these activities under a single licensing agency and single export enforcement coordination agency.

Categories: White House News

Obama visits New Orleans on Katrina anniversary

White House via MSNBC - Sun, 08/29/2010 - 7:16pm

President Barack Obama celebrated New Orleans's revival from Hurricane Katrina on Sunday and pledged common purpose with residents in the continuing struggle to protect and rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Categories: White House News

Obama: I’ll ‘make sure we get the job done’

White House via MSNBC - Sun, 08/29/2010 - 6:54pm

President Barack Obama rejected criticism of his response to the Gulf oil spill Sunday, saying in an interview on “NBC Nightly News” that his administration jumped on the crisis immediately.

Categories: White House News

Obama says he ignored Beck rally

White House via MSNBC - Sun, 08/29/2010 - 4:34pm

Glenn Beck - Barack Obama - United States - Lincoln Memorial - Rallying

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Remarks by the President on the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana

News from the White House - Sun, 08/29/2010 - 4:33pm

Xavier University
New Orleans, Louisiana

1:50 P.M. CDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  It is good to be back.  (Applause.)  It is good to be back.

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  It’s good to have you back!

     THE PRESIDENT:  I’m glad.  (Laughter.)  And due to popular demand, I decided to bring the First Lady down here.  (Applause.)

     We have just an extraordinary number of dedicated public servants who are here.  If you will be patient with me, I want to make sure that all of them are acknowledged.  First of all, you’ve got the governor of the great state of Louisiana -- Bobby Jindal is here.  (Applause.)  We have the outstanding mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu.  (Applause.)  We have the better looking and younger senator from Louisiana, Mary Landrieu.  (Applause.) 

     I believe that Senator David Vitter is here.  David -- right here.  (Applause.)  We have -- hold on a second now -- we’ve got Congressman Joe Cao is here.  (Applause.)  Congressman Charlie Melancon is here.  (Applause.)  Congressman Steve Scalise is here.  (Applause.) 

     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who has been working tirelessly down here in Louisiana, Shaun Donovan.  (Applause.)  We’ve got our EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson here -- homegirl.  (Applause.)  Administrator of FEMA Craig Fugate is here.  (Applause.)  The person who’s heading up our community service efforts all across the country -- Patrick Corvington is here.  (Applause.)  Louisiana’s own Regina Benjamin, the Surgeon General -- (applause) -- a Xavier grad, I might add.  (Applause.)  We are very proud to have all of these terrific public servants here. 

     It is wonderful to be back in New Orleans, and it is a great honor --

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We can’t see you!

     THE PRESIDENT:  It is a great honor -- (laughter) -- you can see me now?  (Laughter.)  Okay.  It is a great honor to be back at Xavier University.  (Applause.)  And I -- it’s just inspiring to spend time with people who’ve demonstrated what it means to persevere in the face of tragedy; to rebuild in the face of ruin. 

     I’m grateful to Jade for her introduction, and congratulate you on being crowned Miss Xavier.  (Applause.)  I hope everybody heard during the introduction she was a junior at Ben Franklin High School five years ago when the storm came.  And after Katrina, Ben Franklin High was terribly damaged by wind and water.  Millions of dollars were needed to rebuild the school.  Many feared it would take years to reopen -- if it could be reopened at all. 

     But something remarkable happened.  Parents, teachers, students, volunteers, they all got to work making repairs.  And donations came in from across New Orleans and around the world.  And soon, those silent and darkened corridors, they were bright and they were filled with the sounds of young men and women, including Jade, who were going back to class.  And then Jade committed to Xavier, a university that likewise refused to succumb to despair.  So Jade, like so many students here at this university, embody hope.  That sense of hope in difficult times, that's what I came to talk about today.

     It’s been five years since Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast.  There’s no need to dwell on what you experienced and what the world witnessed.  We all remember it keenly:  water pouring through broken levees; mothers holding their children above the waterline; people stranded on rooftops begging for help; bodies lying in the streets of a great American city.  It was a natural disaster but also a manmade catastrophe -- a shameful breakdown in government that left countless men, and women, and children abandoned and alone. 

     And shortly after the storm, I came down to Houston to spend time with some of the folks who had taken shelter there.  And I’ll never forget what one woman told me.  She said, “We had nothing before the hurricane.  And now we’ve got less than nothing.”

     In the years that followed, New Orleans could have remained a symbol of destruction and decay; of a storm that came and the inadequate response that followed.  It was not hard to imagine a day when we’d tell our children that a once vibrant and wonderful city had been laid low by indifference and neglect.  But that’s not what happened.  It’s not what happened at Ben Franklin.  It’s not what happened here at Xavier.  It’s not what happened across New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast.  (Applause.)  Instead this city has become a symbol of resilience and of community and of the fundamental responsibility that we have to one another. 

     And we see that here at Xavier.  Less than a month after the storm struck, amidst debris and flood-damaged buildings, President Francis promised that this university would reopen in a matter of months.  (Applause.)  Some said he was crazy.  Some said it couldn’t happen.  But they didn’t count on what happens when one force of nature meets another.  (Laughter.)  And by January -- four months later -- class was in session.  Less than a year after the storm, I had the privilege of delivering a commencement address to the largest graduating class in Xavier’s history.  That is a symbol of what New Orleans is all about.  (Applause.) 

     We see New Orleans in the efforts of Joycelyn Heintz, who’s here today.  Katrina left her house 14 feet underwater.  But after volunteers helped her rebuild, she joined AmeriCorps to serve the community herself -- part of a wave of AmeriCorps members who’ve been critical to the rebirth of this city and the rebuilding of this region.  (Applause.)  So today, she manages a local center for mental health and wellness.

     We see the symbol that this city has become in the St. Bernard Project, whose founder Liz McCartney is with us.  (Applause.)  This endeavor has drawn volunteers from across the country to rebuild hundreds of homes throughout St. Bernard Parish and the Lower Ninth Ward. 

     I’ve seen the sense of purpose people felt after the storm when I visited Musicians’ Village in the Ninth Ward back in 2006.  Volunteers were not only constructing houses; they were coming together to preserve the culture of music and art that’s part of the soul of this city -- and the soul of this country.  And today, more than 70 homes are complete, and construction is underway on the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music.  (Applause.) 

     We see the dedication to the community in the efforts of Xavier grad Dr. Regina Benjamin, who mortgaged her home, maxed out her credit cards so she could reopen her Bayou la Batre clinic to care for victims of the storm -- and who is now our nation’s Surgeon General.  (Applause.)

     And we see resilience and hope exemplified by students at Carver High School, who have helped to raise more than a million dollars to build a new community track and football field -- their “Field of Dreams” -- for the Ninth Ward.  (Applause.)

     So because of all of you -- all the advocates, all the organizers who are here today, folks standing behind me who’ve worked so hard, who never gave up hope -- you are all leading the way toward a better future for this city with innovative approaches to fight poverty and improve health care, reduce crime, and create opportunities for young people.  Because of you, New Orleans is coming back.  (Applause.)

     And I just came from Parkway Bakery and Tavern.  (Applause.)  Five years ago, the storm nearly destroyed that neighborhood institution.  I saw the pictures.  Now they’re open, business is booming, and that’s some good eats.  (Laughter.)  I had the shrimp po’boy and some of the gumbo.  (Applause.)  But I skipped the bread pudding because I thought I might fall asleep while I was speaking.  (Laughter.)  But I’ve got it saved for later.  (Laughter.) 

     Five years ago, many questioned whether people could ever return to this city.  Today, New Orleans is one of the fastest growing cities in America, with a big new surge in small businesses.  Five years ago, the Saints had to play every game on the road because of the damage to the Superdome.  Two weeks ago, we welcomed the Saints to the White House as Super Bowl champions.  (Applause.)  There was also food associated with that.  (Laughter.)  We marked the occasion with a 30-foot po’boy made with shrimps and oysters from the Gulf.  (Applause.)  And you’ll be pleased to know there were no leftovers.  (Laughter.)

     Now, I don’t have to tell you that there are still too many vacant and overgrown lots.  There are still too many students attending classes in trailers.  There are still too many people unable to find work.  And there are still too many New Orleanians, folks who haven’t been able to come home.  So while an incredible amount of progress has been made, on this fifth anniversary, I wanted to come here and tell the people of this city directly:  My administration is going to stand with you -- and fight alongside you -- until the job is done.  (Applause.)  Until New Orleans is all the way back, all the way.  (Applause.)  

     When I took office, I directed my Cabinet to redouble our efforts, to put an end to the turf wars between agencies, to cut the red tape and cut the bureaucracy.  (Applause.)  I wanted to make sure that the federal government was a partner -- not an obstacle -- to recovery here in the Gulf Coast.  And members of my Cabinet -- including EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, who grew up in Pontchartrain Park -- (applause) -- they have come down here dozens of times.  Shaun Donovan has come down here dozens of times.  This is not just to make appearances.  It’s not just to get photo ops.  They came down here to listen and to learn and make real the changes that were necessary so that government was actually working for you. 

     So for example, efforts to rebuild schools and hospitals, to repair damaged roads and bridges, to get people back to their homes -- they were tied up for years in a tangle of disagreements and byzantine rules.  So when I took office, working with your outstanding delegation, particularly Senator Mary Landrieu, we put in place a new way of resolving disputes.  (Applause.)  We put in place a new way of resolving disputes so that funds set aside for rebuilding efforts actually went toward rebuilding efforts.  And as a result, more than 170 projects are getting underway -- work on firehouses, and police stations, and roads, and sewer systems, and health clinics, and libraries, and universities. 

     We’re tackling the corruption and inefficiency that has long plagued the New Orleans Housing Authority.  We’re helping homeowners rebuild and making it easier for renters to find affordable options.  And we’re helping people to move out of temporary homes.  You know, when I took office, more than three years after the storm, tens of thousands of families were still stuck in disaster housing -- many still living in small trailers that had been provided by FEMA.  We were spending huge sums of money on temporary shelters when we knew it would be better for families, and less costly for taxpayers, to help people get into affordable, stable, and more permanent housing.  So we’ve helped make it possible for people to find those homes, and we’ve dramatically reduced the number of families in emergency housing. 

     On the health care front, as a candidate for President, I pledged to make sure we were helping New Orleans recruit doctors and nurses, and rebuild medical facilities -- including a new veterans hospital.  (Applause.)  Well, we have resolved a long-standing dispute -- one that had tied up hundreds of millions of dollars -- to fund the replacement for Charity Hospital.  And in June, Veterans Secretary Ric Shinseki came to New Orleans for the groundbreaking of that new VA hospital. 
 
     In education, we’ve made strides as well.  As you know, schools in New Orleans were falling behind long before Katrina.  But in the years since the storm, a lot of public schools opened themselves up to innovation and to reform.  And as a result, we’re actually seeing rising achievement, and New Orleans is becoming a model of innovation for the nation.  This is yet another sign that you’re not just rebuilding -- you’re rebuilding stronger than before.  Just this Friday, my administration announced a final agreement on $1.8 billion dollars for Orleans Parish schools.  (Applause.)  This is money that had been locked up for years, but now it’s freed up so folks here can determine best how to restore the school system. 

     And in a city that’s known too much violence, that’s seen too many young people lost to drugs and criminal activity, we’ve got a Justice Department that's committed to working with New Orleans to fight the scourge of violent crime, and to weed out corruption in the police force, and to ensure the criminal justice system works for everyone in this city.  (Applause.)  And I want everybody to hear -- to know and to hear me thank Mitch Landrieu, your new mayor, for his commitment to that partnership.  (Applause.)  

     Now, even as we continue our recovery efforts, we’re also focusing on preparing for future threats so that there is never another disaster like Katrina.  The largest civil works project in American history is underway to build a fortified levee system.  And as I -- just as I pledged as a candidate, we’re going to finish this system by next year so that this city is protected against a 100-year storm.  We should not be playing Russian roulette every hurricane season.  (Applause.)  And we’re also working to restore protective wetlands and natural barriers that were not only damaged by Katrina -- were not just damaged by Katrina but had been rapidly disappearing for decades. 

     In Washington, we are restoring competence and accountability.  I am proud that my FEMA Director, Craig Fugate, has 25 years of experience in disaster management in Florida.  (Applause.)  He came from Florida, a state that has known its share of hurricanes.  We’ve put together a group led by Secretary Donovan and Secretary Napolitano to look at disaster recovery across the country.  We’re improving coordination on the ground, and modernizing emergency communications, helping families plan for a crisis.  And we’re putting in place reforms so that never again in America is somebody left behind in a disaster because they’re living with a disability or because they’re elderly or because they’re infirmed.  That will not happen again.  (Applause.)  

     Finally, even as you’ve been buffeted by Katrina and Rita, even as you’ve been impacted by the broader recession that has devastated communities across the country, in recent months the Gulf Coast has seen new hardship as a result of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  And just as we’ve sought to ensure that we are doing what it takes to recover from Katrina, my administration has worked hard to match our efforts on the spill to what you need on the ground.  And we’ve been in close consultation with your governor, your mayors, your parish presidents, your local government officials.

     And from the start, I promised you two things.  One is that we would see to it that the leak was stopped.  And it has been.  The second promise I made was that we would stick with our efforts, and stay on BP, until the damage to the Gulf and to the lives of the people in this region was reversed.  And this, too, is a promise that we will keep.  We are not going to forget.  We’re going to stay on it until this area is fully recovered.  (Applause.)  

     That’s why we rapidly launched the largest response to an environmental disaster in American history -- 47,000 people on the ground, 5,700 vessels on the water -- to contain and clean up the oil.  When BP was not moving fast enough on claims, we told BP to set aside $20 billion in a fund -- managed by an independent third party -- to help all those whose lives have been turned upside down by the spill. 

     And we will continue to rely on sound science, carefully monitoring waters and coastlines as well as the health of the people along the Gulf, to deal with any long-term effects of the oil spill.  We are going to stand with you until the oil is cleaned up, until the environment is restored, until polluters are held accountable, until communities are made whole, and until this region is all the way back on its feet.  (Applause.)  

     So that’s how we’re helping this city, and this state, and this region to recover from the worst natural disaster in our nation’s history.  We’re cutting through the red tape that has impeded rebuilding efforts for years.  We’re making government work better and smarter, in coordination with one of the most expansive non-profit efforts in American history.  We’re helping state and local leaders to address serious problems that had been neglected for decades -- problems that existed before the storm came, and have continued after the waters receded -- from the levee system to the justice system, from the health care system to the education system. 

     And together, we are helping to make New Orleans a place that stands for what we can do in America -- not just for what we can’t do.  Ultimately, that must be the legacy of Katrina:  not one of neglect, but of action; not one of indifference, but of empathy; not of abandonment, but of a community working together to meet shared challenges.  (Applause.) 

     The truth is, there are some wounds that have not yet healed.  And there are some losses that can’t be repaid.  And for many who lived through those harrowing days five years ago, there’s searing memories that time may not erase.  But even amid so much tragedy, we saw stirrings of a brighter day.  Five years ago we saw men and women risking their own safety to save strangers.  We saw nurses staying behind to care for the sick and the injured.  We saw families coming home to clean up and rebuild -- not just their own homes, but their neighbors’ homes, as well.  And we saw music and Mardi Gras and the vibrancy, the fun of this town undiminished.  And we’ve seen many return to their beloved city with a newfound sense of appreciation and obligation to this community. 

     And when I came here four years ago, one thing I found striking was all the greenery that had begun to come back.  And I was reminded of a passage from the book of Job.  “There is hope for a tree if it be cut down that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease.”  The work ahead will not be easy, and there will be setbacks.  There will be challenges along the way.  But thanks to you, thanks to the great people of this great city, New Orleans is blossoming again.

     Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END                 2:16 P.M. CDT

Categories: White House News

Newsweek: Why the 44th president is no FDR

White House via MSNBC - Sun, 08/29/2010 - 10:38am

United States - President - History - Newsweek - Barack Obama

Categories: White House News

For Obamas, a (mostly) uninterrupted vacation

White House via MSNBC - Sat, 08/28/2010 - 3:23pm

President Barack Obama wrapped up a 10-day vacation Saturday that was blissfully free of the news emergencies that have interrupted some of his past getaways.



Barack Obama - President of the United States - President - United States - History

Categories: White House News

Weekly Address: President Obama: As the Combat Mission in Iraq Ends, We Must Pay Tribute to Those Who Have Served

News from the White House - Sat, 08/28/2010 - 6:00am

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Obama pledged to uphold the sacred trust the nation has with its troops and veterans as the combat mission in Iraq comes to an end.  The administration is building a 21st century VA, making it easier for veterans with PTSD to receive the benefits they need, funding and implementing a Post-9/11 GI Bill, and devoting new resources to job training and placement to help those veterans looking for work in a tough economy.  The President also encouraged Americans who want to send our troops and veterans a message of thanks to visit www.whitehouse.gov and upload a message.

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 28, 2010

On Tuesday, after more than seven years, the United States of America will end its combat mission in Iraq and take an important step forward in responsibly ending the Iraq war.

As a candidate for this office, I pledged I would end this war.  As President, that is what I am doing.  We have brought home more than 90,000 troops since I took office.  We have closed or turned over to Iraq hundreds of bases.  In many parts of the country, Iraqis have already taken the lead for security.

In the months ahead, our troops will continue to support and train Iraqi forces, partner with Iraqis in counterterrorism missions, and protect our civilian and military efforts.  But the bottom line is this: the war is ending.  Like any sovereign, independent nation, Iraq is free to chart its own course.  And by the end of next year, all of our troops will be home.

As we mark the end of America’s combat mission in Iraq, a grateful nation must pay tribute to all who have served there.  Because part of responsibly ending this war is meeting our responsibility to those who have fought it.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan now make up America’s longest continuous combat engagement.  For the better part of a decade, our troops and their families have served tour after tour with honor and heroism, risking and often giving their lives for the defense of our freedom and security.  More than one million Americans in uniform have served in Iraq – far more than any conflict since Vietnam.  And more than one million who have served in both wars have now finished their service and joined the proud ranks of America’s veterans.

What this new generation of veterans must know is this: our nation’s commitment to all who wear its uniform is a sacred trust that is as old as our republic itself.  It is one that, as President, I consider a moral obligation to uphold.

At the same time, these are new wars; with new missions, new methods, and new perils.  And what today’s veterans have earned – what they have every right to expect – is new care, new opportunity, and a new commitment to their service when they come home.

That’s why, from the earliest days of my Administration, we’ve been strengthening that sacred trust with our veterans by making our veterans policy more responsive and ready for this new century.

We’re building a 21st century VA, modernizing and expanding VA hospitals and health care, and adapting care to better meet the unique needs of female veterans.  We’re creating a single electronic health record that our troops and veterans can keep for life.  We’re breaking the claims backlog and reforming the process with new paperless systems.  And we are building new wounded warrior facilities through the Department of Defense

But for many of our troops and their families, the war doesn’t end when they come home.  Too many suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – the signature injuries of today’s wars – and too few receive proper screening or care.  We’re changing that.  We’re directing significant resources to treatment, hiring more mental health professionals, and making major investments in awareness, outreach, and suicide prevention.  And we’re making it easier for a vet with PTSD to get the benefits he or she needs.

To make sure our troops, veterans, and their families have full access to the American Dream they’ve fought to defend, we’re working to extend them new opportunity.  Michelle and Jill Biden have forged a national commitment to support military families while a loved one is away.  We’ve guaranteed new support to caregivers who put their lives on hold for a loved one’s long recovery.  We’re funding and implementing the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which is already helping some 300,000 veterans and their family members pursue their dream of a college education.

And for veterans trying to find work in a very tough economy, we’ve devoted new resources to job training and placement. I’ve directed the federal government to hire more veterans, including disabled veterans, and I encourage every business in America to follow suit. This new generation of veterans has proven itself to be a new generation of leaders.  They have unmatched training and skills; they’re ready to work; and our country is stronger when we tap their extraordinary talents.

New care.  New opportunity.  A new commitment to our veterans.

If you’d like to send our troops and veterans a message of thanks and support, just visit whitehouse.gov.  There, you’ll find an easy way to upload your own text or video.

Let them know that they have the respect and support of a grateful nation.  That when their tour ends; when they see our flag; when they touch our soil; they’ll always be home in an America that is forever here for them – just as they’ve been there for us.  That is the promise our nation makes to those who serve.  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, it’s a promise we’ll keep.  Thank you.
 

Categories: White House News

Letter from the President to the Secretary of State Regarding Kyrgyzstan

News from the White House - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 5:41pm

Presidential Determination No. 2010-12

SUBJECT: Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Resulting from Violence in Kyrgyzstan
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the "Act"), as amended (22 U.S.C. 2601(c)(1)), I hereby determine, pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Act, that it is important to the national interest to furnish assistance under the Act in an amount not to exceed $9.5 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for the purpose of meeting unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State, related to humanitarian needs resulting from recent violence in Kyrgyzstan.

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

BARACK OBAMA

Categories: White House News

Statement by President Obama on the Promulgation of Kenya's New Constitution

News from the White House - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 5:02pm

I congratulate Kenya on the promulgation of the new constitution, which was approved by a majority of voters on August 4, 2010. This historic approval and signing of the constitution is an important step forward, and demonstrates the commitment of Kenya’s leaders and people to a future of unity, democracy, and equal justice for all – even the powerful. With this Constitution, the people of Kenya have set a positive example for all of Africa and the world.

Today represents a moment of promise for Kenya, similar to the early days of independence – a new moment of promise that must be seized to usher in an era of progress for the Kenyan people. The United States looks forward to partnering with Kenya as it moves through the multi-year process of implementing the new constitution. We share the expectations of the Kenyan people that this process will usher in an era of deepened democracy and expanded economic opportunity for all Kenyans.

I am disappointed that Kenya hosted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in defiance of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The Government of Kenya has committed itself to full cooperation with the ICC, and we consider it important that Kenya honor its commitments to the ICC and to international justice, along with all nations that share those responsibilities. In Kenya and beyond, justice is a critical ingredient for lasting peace.

Categories: White House News

Presidential Proclamation--National Preparedness Month, 2010

News from the White House - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 3:23pm

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH, 2010

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

During National Preparedness Month, we stress the importance of strengthening the security and resiliency of our Nation through systematic preparation for the full range of hazards threatening the United States in the 21st century, including natural disasters, cyber attacks, pandemic disease, and acts of terrorism.  This year marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most tragic and destructive disasters in American history.  In remembrance of this national tragedy, we must reaffirm our commitment to readiness and the necessity of preparedness.

By empowering Americans with information about the risks we face, we can all take concrete actions to protect ourselves, our families, our communities, and our country.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Ready Campaign provides simple and practical steps every American can take to be better prepared.  At the community level, Citizen Corps enables volunteers to contribute to homeland security efforts by educating, training, and coordinating local activities that help make us safer, better prepared, and more responsive during emergencies.  I encourage all Americans to visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov for more information and resources on emergency preparedness, including how to prepare a family emergency plan, create an emergency supply kit, and get involved in community preparedness efforts.

My Administration has made emergency and disaster preparedness a top priority, and is dedicated to a comprehensive approach that relies upon the responsiveness and cooperation of government at all levels, the private and nonprofit sectors, and individual citizens.  I also encourage Americans to get involved with the thousands of organizations in the National Preparedness Month Coalition, which will share preparedness information and hold preparedness events and activities across the United States.  By strengthening citizen preparedness now, we can be ready when disaster strikes.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2010 as National Preparedness Month.  I encourage all Americans to recognize the importance of preparedness and observe this month by working together to enhance our national security, resilience, and readiness.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

Categories: White House News

President's deli choice cited over sanitation

White House via MSNBC - Thu, 08/26/2010 - 7:42pm

The Miami Beach restaurant where President Barack Obama ordered pastrami sandwiches to go last week was cited this week by a state inspector for critical violations of sanitation and safety laws, a newspaper reported.

Categories: White House News

Presidential Proclamation--Women's Equality Day, 2010

News from the White House - Thu, 08/26/2010 - 2:17pm

WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY, 2010

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Ninety years ago, on August 26, 1920, the ratification of the 19th Amendment to our Constitution was completed, guaranteeing women the right to vote, renewing our commitment to equality and justice, and marking a turning point in our Nation's history.  As we celebrate this important milestone and the achievements and shattered ceilings of the past, we also recognize the inequalities that remain and our charge to overcome them.

In a letter to John Adams, who was then serving as a delegate to the First Continental Congress, Abigail Adams once implored her husband to "remember the ladies" in the "new code of laws" of our fledgling country.  It has taken the collective efforts of daring and tenacious women over many generations to realize the principles and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution.  Standing on the shoulders of these trailblazers, we pay tribute to the brave women who dot the pages of our history books, and to those who have quietly broken barriers in our workplaces, communities, and society.

We can see the remarkable fruits of past struggles and victories today.  For nearly two centuries, America could only imagine a female justice sitting on the Supreme Court of the United States.  Today, for the first time in our Nation's history, three women sit on the bench of the highest court of the land, and I am proud to be the first President to nominate two women to the Court.  Women lead in boardrooms and in our Armed Forces, in classrooms and conference rooms, and in every sector of society.  Their boundless determination has enabled today's young women to dream bigger as they see themselves reflected at the highest levels of business, communications, and public service -- including in my Administration and Cabinet.  If we continue to fight for our hopes and aspirations, there will be no limit to the possibilities for our daughters and granddaughters.

As we celebrate 90 years of progress on Women's Equality Day, we also recognize the realities of the present.  Women comprise less than one-fifth of our Congress and account for a mere fraction of the chief executives at the helm of our biggest companies.  Women hold only 27 percent of jobs in science and engineering, which are critical to our economic growth in a 21st-century economy.  And, almost 50 years after the Equal Pay Act was enacted, American women still only earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn.  This gap increases among minority women and those living with disabilities.

These disparities remind us that our work remains unfinished.  My Administration remains committed to advancing women's equality in all areas of our society and around the world.  I was proud to create the White House Council on Women and Girls to help ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy.  I also appointed the first White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, whose leadership will guide my Administration in confronting violence and sexual assault against women.  The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill I signed as President, restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women, and to build upon that law, I support passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act.  I have also established the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to ensure equal pay laws are vigorously enforced throughout the country.  Workplace flexibility is also important to women and families, and we will continue coordinating with Federal agencies to make quality child care more affordable, promote work policies that improve work-family balance, and advance the economic development and security of all women.

Fifteen years after the world gathered in Beijing for the Fourth World Conference on Women, far too many women around the world still lack access to basic education and economic opportunity, face gender-based violence, and cannot participate fully and equally in their societies.  To help address this, I appointed the first-ever Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues to elevate the importance of women's empowerment in all aspects of our foreign policy.  From Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States will continue its commitment to the rights of women around the world.

Women's rights are ultimately human rights, and the march for equality will not end until full parity and equal opportunity are attained in every State and workplace across our Nation.  It remains our responsibility to ensure that the principles of justice and equality apply to all Americans, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status.  If we stay true to our founding ideals and the example of those who insisted upon nothing less than full equality, we can and will perpetuate the line of progress that runs throughout our Nation's history for generations to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 26, 2010, as Women's Equality Day.  I call upon the people of the United States to celebrate the achievements of women and recommit themselves to the goal of true gender equality in this country.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

Categories: White House News