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Still Not a "Government Takeover"
Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on January 31, 2010 at 12:21 PM EST
In an appearance on a morning news show today, House Minority Leader John Boehner repeatedly charged that the health insurance reform bills being considered in Congress represent a “big government takeover” of health care.
It’s important to know that’s just not true. The claim of a “government takeover” is a time-worn attack raised by opponents of reform whenever real change is in sight. But the bills passed by the House and Senate would enact nothing of the sort.
The legislation would create a marketplace where private insurance companies would compete for business, and it would expand coverage by providing subsidies for Americans to purchase affordable coverage from private insurers. At the same time, the legislation would put the brakes on rising health care costs and put an end to insurance company abuses.
That's not a "government takeover": it's the solution to problems that have plagued our health care system for decades and slowed American competitiveness. And if the specifics sound familiar, it's because this legislation is very much like the bipartisan approach proposed by former Senate leaders Bob Dole, Howard Baker, and Tom Daschle, and the health care system supported by Senator-elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, the knowing repetition of false claims has become a defining characteristic of this debate – and as the President said on Friday to House Republicans, that’s a loss for everyone:
“So I am absolutely committed to working with you on these issues, but it can’t just be political assertions that aren’t substantiated when it comes to the actual details of policy. Because otherwise, we’re going to be selling the American people a bill of goods.”
The President also stressed the broader point that in these trying times, the American people expect more from their elected officials than the same old political tactics:
“But we’ve gotten caught up in the political game in a way that’s just not healthy. It’s dividing our country in ways that are preventing us from meeting the challenges of the 21st century. I’m hopeful that the conversation we have today can help reverse that.”
If you haven’t seen the video of President Obama’s remarkable question-and-answer with House Republicans yet, you can check it out here.
Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director
Sunday, January 31, 2010
New Reports from Recovery Act Recipients
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New Reports from Recovery Act Recipients
Posted by Ed DeSeve on January 30, 2010 at 11:07 PM EST
A short time ago, the independent Recovery and Transparency Board posted the latest round of reports from recipients of Recovery Act dollars on Recovery.gov. These reports provide a detailed look at how a portion of Recovery Act spending was put to work in the last three months of last year creating jobs and boosting local economies.
If you visit Recovery.gov, you will see how you can pull up the latest map, type in your zip code and zoom in to get a closer look at how some Recovery Act projects are unfolding right in your own backyard. Take for example my hometown, the great city of Philadelphia. If I zoom in on the map, I can see details on Recovery Act projects - including who the dollars went to, when they got them and how many workers were funded last quarter through them. And if you zoom back out to look at all of last quarter’s reports, you’ll see the total number or workers these recipients reported paying in that three month period using this small portion of Recovery dollars.
Now, you’ll notice I keep saying “some projects” and a “portion of spending” – that’s key here. While these reports provide an extraordinary level of detail about Recovery Act projects, they only cover about $50 billion – or one fifth- of Recovery Act spending and tax relief through the end of last year. Congress asked that these reports only be filed by a portion of Recovery Act recipients – specifically those putting the dollars to work in areas like infrastructure projects and education spending.
So that gives you a pretty good sense of what the reports and related jobs numbers do include: the number of workers recipients of a small pool of Recovery Act funds report they funded in the last three months of 2009 with Recovery Act dollars. That’s an informative sample that tells us a lot about the kinds of projects underway, how far along they are and what sort of direct employment impact they may be having. But here is what they don’t show us:
•Jobs funded by those dollars from previous or future quarters. Remember, that $50 billion may have also funded jobs before October 1, 2009 – and may fund more jobs in the future.
•The job impact of the other 80 percent of Recovery Act spending last quarter which includes things like small business loans, tax credits, and financial assistance for individuals and families – all of which are job-creators.
• Any jobs where the salary was not directly paid with Recovery Act dollars like the worker hired by the subcontractor for a government contract. Or the worker hired by the asphalt quarry supplying asphalt for a half dozen Recovery Act projects. Or the fast food worker hired because of the growing lunch rush due to a Recovery Act project underway across the street.
It’s also important to keep in mind that posting this level of information about a Federal Government program in full public view like this is quite simply unprecedented -- it’s never been done before in the entire history of our government. And these reports are no ordinary government-released reports. They come directly from the recipients of Recovery dollars themselves -- people like local government employees, community organization administrators and small business owners who don’t count jobs for a living. While these are honest efforts to be as accurate as possible, we know they’re not perfect.
With all of that in mind – just how many jobs has the Recovery Act created? Is it the 599,108 number for this quarter posted on Recovery.gov? Nope – remember, that represents just a portion of the job impact in the fourth quarter. Is it that 599,108 number this quarter plus last quarter’s number? No – both just account for a portion of spending and, since the method for counting was changed slightly this quarter to make it easier for recipients, the two numbers are pretty much apples and oranges. The good news is that we already know the overall estimated job impact of the Recovery Act. The Council of Economic Advisers recently released analysis that found the Recovery Act is already responsible for about 2 million jobs and the independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office agrees, putting the number at as many as 2.4 million jobs.
So what exactly does the roughly 600,000 jobs number tell us? Well, that small portion of Recovery spending recipients say yielded about 600,000 jobs funded is right in line with our goal to create or save 3.5 million jobs through the Recovery Act by the end of 2010. That’s good news for the millions of Americans across the country that have or will bring home a paycheck thanks to the Recovery Act.
Ed DeSeve is Special Advisor to the President
New Reports from Recovery Act Recipients
Posted by Ed DeSeve on January 30, 2010 at 11:07 PM EST
A short time ago, the independent Recovery and Transparency Board posted the latest round of reports from recipients of Recovery Act dollars on Recovery.gov. These reports provide a detailed look at how a portion of Recovery Act spending was put to work in the last three months of last year creating jobs and boosting local economies.
If you visit Recovery.gov, you will see how you can pull up the latest map, type in your zip code and zoom in to get a closer look at how some Recovery Act projects are unfolding right in your own backyard. Take for example my hometown, the great city of Philadelphia. If I zoom in on the map, I can see details on Recovery Act projects - including who the dollars went to, when they got them and how many workers were funded last quarter through them. And if you zoom back out to look at all of last quarter’s reports, you’ll see the total number or workers these recipients reported paying in that three month period using this small portion of Recovery dollars.
Now, you’ll notice I keep saying “some projects” and a “portion of spending” – that’s key here. While these reports provide an extraordinary level of detail about Recovery Act projects, they only cover about $50 billion – or one fifth- of Recovery Act spending and tax relief through the end of last year. Congress asked that these reports only be filed by a portion of Recovery Act recipients – specifically those putting the dollars to work in areas like infrastructure projects and education spending.
So that gives you a pretty good sense of what the reports and related jobs numbers do include: the number of workers recipients of a small pool of Recovery Act funds report they funded in the last three months of 2009 with Recovery Act dollars. That’s an informative sample that tells us a lot about the kinds of projects underway, how far along they are and what sort of direct employment impact they may be having. But here is what they don’t show us:
•Jobs funded by those dollars from previous or future quarters. Remember, that $50 billion may have also funded jobs before October 1, 2009 – and may fund more jobs in the future.
•The job impact of the other 80 percent of Recovery Act spending last quarter which includes things like small business loans, tax credits, and financial assistance for individuals and families – all of which are job-creators.
• Any jobs where the salary was not directly paid with Recovery Act dollars like the worker hired by the subcontractor for a government contract. Or the worker hired by the asphalt quarry supplying asphalt for a half dozen Recovery Act projects. Or the fast food worker hired because of the growing lunch rush due to a Recovery Act project underway across the street.
It’s also important to keep in mind that posting this level of information about a Federal Government program in full public view like this is quite simply unprecedented -- it’s never been done before in the entire history of our government. And these reports are no ordinary government-released reports. They come directly from the recipients of Recovery dollars themselves -- people like local government employees, community organization administrators and small business owners who don’t count jobs for a living. While these are honest efforts to be as accurate as possible, we know they’re not perfect.
With all of that in mind – just how many jobs has the Recovery Act created? Is it the 599,108 number for this quarter posted on Recovery.gov? Nope – remember, that represents just a portion of the job impact in the fourth quarter. Is it that 599,108 number this quarter plus last quarter’s number? No – both just account for a portion of spending and, since the method for counting was changed slightly this quarter to make it easier for recipients, the two numbers are pretty much apples and oranges. The good news is that we already know the overall estimated job impact of the Recovery Act. The Council of Economic Advisers recently released analysis that found the Recovery Act is already responsible for about 2 million jobs and the independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office agrees, putting the number at as many as 2.4 million jobs.
So what exactly does the roughly 600,000 jobs number tell us? Well, that small portion of Recovery spending recipients say yielded about 600,000 jobs funded is right in line with our goal to create or save 3.5 million jobs through the Recovery Act by the end of 2010. That’s good news for the millions of Americans across the country that have or will bring home a paycheck thanks to the Recovery Act.
Ed DeSeve is Special Advisor to the President
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tough Choices
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Tough Choices
Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on January 30, 2010 at 03:32 PM EST
During these tough economic times, American families are forced to make tough choices about what they can spend money on and what they need to cut from their household budgets.
Through the course of the budget process we did the same thing.
The President believes we need to be honest about what is working and what isn’t and that making tough choices about which programs to fund and which to reduce or terminate is part of governing.
In the 2011 Budget we will release on Monday we terminated or reduced programs that weren’t working well or duplicated efforts, some in areas that are important to the President and to the Administration.
Last year, President Obama sought to end or reduce 121 programs for a one-year savings of approximately $17 billion of which $11.5 billion was from discretionary savings. Congress approved cuts that produced a net discretionary savings of $6.8 billion, nearly 60 percent of the discretionary cuts proposed. According to the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget, this far exceeds the best the last Administration did (40 percent), and far exceeds the less than 15 percent success rate they had in their last two years in office (pdf).
This year, we are proposing more than 120 terminations, reductions, and savings for approximately $20 billion in savings this year.
Some of the programs eliminated or scaled back include:
•Consolidating 38 Education programs into 11. The current program structure at the Department of Education is fragmented and ineffective. The Department operates dozens of grant programs that impose narrow requirements on districts and fail to demand better outcomes or build a knowledge base of what works. Some of these programs have little evidence of success, while others are demonstrably failing to improve student achievement. As part of the Administration’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization proposal, the Budget therefore proposes to consolidate 38 K-12 programs into 11 new programs that give states and districts more flexibility about means but impose greater accountability for outcomes.
•Cutting Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America grant programs at the National Park Service. Save America’s Treasures program was started to mark the millennium and was supposed to last for two years. Both programs lack rigorous performance metrics and evaluation efforts so the benefits are unclear.
•Eliminate the Advanced Earned Income Tax Credit (AEITC). EITC eligible taxpayers with children may file a form with their employers and receive a portion of their EITC throughout the year in their paychecks. Only a tiny number of EITC eligible taxpayers claim the AEITC; 3 percent, or 514,000 taxpayers according to the Government Accountability Office. And the error rate for the program is high: 80 percent of recipients did not comply with at least one program requirement. This ineffective and prone-to-error program should be eliminated.
•Terminate the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative. While a consistent supporter of the brownfield clean-up on the campaign trail and a strong advocate for expanding economic opportunity in urban areas, the President proposes to eliminate BEDI, a small program duplicative of larger programs. Instead, the Administration consolidates its support for the brownfield clean-up – funding larger programs and thereby reducing overhead costs.
•End Abandoned Mine Lands Payments to Certified States. The Abandoned Mine Land program was established to restore abandoned coal mine lands. Changes to this program allowed these funds to go to states and tribes who already have cleaned up these mine. Paying states and tribes to clean up mines that are already cleaned up was not the intention of this program, and is why it is being terminated.
These choices are never easy, but the President never expected that governing during tough economic times with rising deficits would be easy. e
Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director
Tough Choices
Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on January 30, 2010 at 03:32 PM EST
During these tough economic times, American families are forced to make tough choices about what they can spend money on and what they need to cut from their household budgets.
Through the course of the budget process we did the same thing.
The President believes we need to be honest about what is working and what isn’t and that making tough choices about which programs to fund and which to reduce or terminate is part of governing.
In the 2011 Budget we will release on Monday we terminated or reduced programs that weren’t working well or duplicated efforts, some in areas that are important to the President and to the Administration.
Last year, President Obama sought to end or reduce 121 programs for a one-year savings of approximately $17 billion of which $11.5 billion was from discretionary savings. Congress approved cuts that produced a net discretionary savings of $6.8 billion, nearly 60 percent of the discretionary cuts proposed. According to the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget, this far exceeds the best the last Administration did (40 percent), and far exceeds the less than 15 percent success rate they had in their last two years in office (pdf).
This year, we are proposing more than 120 terminations, reductions, and savings for approximately $20 billion in savings this year.
Some of the programs eliminated or scaled back include:
•Consolidating 38 Education programs into 11. The current program structure at the Department of Education is fragmented and ineffective. The Department operates dozens of grant programs that impose narrow requirements on districts and fail to demand better outcomes or build a knowledge base of what works. Some of these programs have little evidence of success, while others are demonstrably failing to improve student achievement. As part of the Administration’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization proposal, the Budget therefore proposes to consolidate 38 K-12 programs into 11 new programs that give states and districts more flexibility about means but impose greater accountability for outcomes.
•Cutting Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America grant programs at the National Park Service. Save America’s Treasures program was started to mark the millennium and was supposed to last for two years. Both programs lack rigorous performance metrics and evaluation efforts so the benefits are unclear.
•Eliminate the Advanced Earned Income Tax Credit (AEITC). EITC eligible taxpayers with children may file a form with their employers and receive a portion of their EITC throughout the year in their paychecks. Only a tiny number of EITC eligible taxpayers claim the AEITC; 3 percent, or 514,000 taxpayers according to the Government Accountability Office. And the error rate for the program is high: 80 percent of recipients did not comply with at least one program requirement. This ineffective and prone-to-error program should be eliminated.
•Terminate the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative. While a consistent supporter of the brownfield clean-up on the campaign trail and a strong advocate for expanding economic opportunity in urban areas, the President proposes to eliminate BEDI, a small program duplicative of larger programs. Instead, the Administration consolidates its support for the brownfield clean-up – funding larger programs and thereby reducing overhead costs.
•End Abandoned Mine Lands Payments to Certified States. The Abandoned Mine Land program was established to restore abandoned coal mine lands. Changes to this program allowed these funds to go to states and tribes who already have cleaned up these mine. Paying states and tribes to clean up mines that are already cleaned up was not the intention of this program, and is why it is being terminated.
These choices are never easy, but the President never expected that governing during tough economic times with rising deficits would be easy. e
Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director
Weekly Address: Reining in Budget Deficits
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Weekly Address: Reining in Budget Deficits
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 30, 2010 at 06:00 AM EST
The President pledges to rein the deficit, citing three specific steps to this end. He praises the Senate for restoring the pay-as-you-go law, discusses his proposal for a freeze in discretionary spending, and calls for a bipartisan Fiscal Commission to hammer out further concrete deficit reduction proposals.
Weekly Address: Reining in Budget Deficits
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 30, 2010 at 06:00 AM EST
The President pledges to rein the deficit, citing three specific steps to this end. He praises the Senate for restoring the pay-as-you-go law, discusses his proposal for a freeze in discretionary spending, and calls for a bipartisan Fiscal Commission to hammer out further concrete deficit reduction proposals.
The President Holds an Open Discussion Across the Aisle
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The President Holds an Open Discussion Across the Aisle
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 29, 2010 at 05:58 PM EST
Today the President did something unusual in American politics – initiated an open dialogue with members of the opposite party. Visiting the House Republican retreat, he took questions on anything they wanted to talk about. He heard them out, acknowledged where they were right, and gave a genuine explanation where he felt they were wrong.
It's worth noting that the President is looking to answer your questions as well. That's why immediately after the State of the Union, we partnered with YouTube to give you an opportunity to ask questions of the President. Go and ask whatever you want, or just vote on other questions that your fellow citizens have submitted, and the President will answer some of those questions in a unique live event on Monday at WhiteHouse.gov.
President Barack Obama addresses the Republican GOP House Issues Conference in Baltimore, Md. Listening at left are US House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va) and House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) January 29, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The President Holds an Open Discussion Across the Aisle
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 29, 2010 at 05:58 PM EST
Today the President did something unusual in American politics – initiated an open dialogue with members of the opposite party. Visiting the House Republican retreat, he took questions on anything they wanted to talk about. He heard them out, acknowledged where they were right, and gave a genuine explanation where he felt they were wrong.
It's worth noting that the President is looking to answer your questions as well. That's why immediately after the State of the Union, we partnered with YouTube to give you an opportunity to ask questions of the President. Go and ask whatever you want, or just vote on other questions that your fellow citizens have submitted, and the President will answer some of those questions in a unique live event on Monday at WhiteHouse.gov.
President Barack Obama addresses the Republican GOP House Issues Conference in Baltimore, Md. Listening at left are US House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va) and House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) January 29, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Helping Middle Class Families with Soaring Child Care Costs
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Helping Middle Class Families with Soaring Child Care Costs
Posted by Terrell McSweeny on January 29, 2010 at 04:48 PM EST
This week, the Middle Class Task Force unveiled a series of initiatives in the President’s FY 11 budget aimed at helping families with soaring child care costs, balancing work with caregiving, paying for college and saving for retirement. These are costs that have risen dramatically for families at a time when their incomes have not.
Arguably no one is more familiar with the strain on family budgets than families paying for child care. The two-thirds of families headed by either two working parents or a single working parent know all too well that child care costs can be higher than rent or a house payment. The cost of child care has grown twice as fast as the median income of families with children since 2000. Full time infant care often costs more than $10,000 per year – or higher. Of course, the price of child care varies depending on where you live, the number of kids you have in care, and the type of child care your kids receive – in-home care is generally less expensive than day care; care for older kids is usually less expensive than care for infants. But the average yearly costs are still hefty - ranging between $4,000 and $15,000 for infants, and $4,000 and $11,000 for 4-year-olds. In 39 states, child care fees are higher than a year’s tuition at a four year public college.
To help these families, the Middle Class Task Force is proposing an expansion of the Child Care and Dependent Care Tax Credit. For families making more than $43,000 a year, this tax credit currently covers only 20 percent of either $3,000 in expenses for one child or $6,000 in expenses for two or more children. So the maximum credit is $1,200. The credit has only been increased once in 28 years and is not indexed for inflation. We’re proposing to increase the credit to 35 percent of child care expenses for all families making between $43,000 and $85,000. So now, the families above would get $2,100 instead of $1,200. Families making between $85,000 and $115,000 would see a credit increase as well, as the rate is phased down from 35 percent to 20 percent.
Here’s how it will work for most families – when they file their income taxes they will be able to use the credit against their tax liability. For those who pay taxes directly out of their paycheck, the tax credit may count toward a tax refund.
Because the credit is not refundable, if you don’t have any tax liability then you won’t get it. That’s why the Middle Class Task Force is also recommending $1.6 billion in child care funding for the Child Care and Development Fund, which provides direct assistance to working families who need help paying for child care. The increase will allow the program to serve an additional 235,000 children
.
As Mark Ginsberg, from the National Association for the Education of Young Children noted, “Together, these budget requests provide an economic as well as education benefit to individual children and society as a whole.” Data shows that quality early childhood education substantially increases children’s readiness for school.
Heather Boushey and Ann O’Leary of the Center for American Progress called the Middle Class Task Force announcement “a critical first step toward job stability for the millions of American workers who are one step away from losing their job due to breakdowns in family care arrangements.”
We recognize that these investments in child care address only part of the very real challenges of balancing work and family – and that more, such as paid sick leave and greater flexibility, will also help. The Task Force plans to continue to work on these issues in the coming months.
Terrell McSweeny is Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President
Helping Middle Class Families with Soaring Child Care Costs
Posted by Terrell McSweeny on January 29, 2010 at 04:48 PM EST
This week, the Middle Class Task Force unveiled a series of initiatives in the President’s FY 11 budget aimed at helping families with soaring child care costs, balancing work with caregiving, paying for college and saving for retirement. These are costs that have risen dramatically for families at a time when their incomes have not.
Arguably no one is more familiar with the strain on family budgets than families paying for child care. The two-thirds of families headed by either two working parents or a single working parent know all too well that child care costs can be higher than rent or a house payment. The cost of child care has grown twice as fast as the median income of families with children since 2000. Full time infant care often costs more than $10,000 per year – or higher. Of course, the price of child care varies depending on where you live, the number of kids you have in care, and the type of child care your kids receive – in-home care is generally less expensive than day care; care for older kids is usually less expensive than care for infants. But the average yearly costs are still hefty - ranging between $4,000 and $15,000 for infants, and $4,000 and $11,000 for 4-year-olds. In 39 states, child care fees are higher than a year’s tuition at a four year public college.
To help these families, the Middle Class Task Force is proposing an expansion of the Child Care and Dependent Care Tax Credit. For families making more than $43,000 a year, this tax credit currently covers only 20 percent of either $3,000 in expenses for one child or $6,000 in expenses for two or more children. So the maximum credit is $1,200. The credit has only been increased once in 28 years and is not indexed for inflation. We’re proposing to increase the credit to 35 percent of child care expenses for all families making between $43,000 and $85,000. So now, the families above would get $2,100 instead of $1,200. Families making between $85,000 and $115,000 would see a credit increase as well, as the rate is phased down from 35 percent to 20 percent.
Here’s how it will work for most families – when they file their income taxes they will be able to use the credit against their tax liability. For those who pay taxes directly out of their paycheck, the tax credit may count toward a tax refund.
Because the credit is not refundable, if you don’t have any tax liability then you won’t get it. That’s why the Middle Class Task Force is also recommending $1.6 billion in child care funding for the Child Care and Development Fund, which provides direct assistance to working families who need help paying for child care. The increase will allow the program to serve an additional 235,000 children
.
As Mark Ginsberg, from the National Association for the Education of Young Children noted, “Together, these budget requests provide an economic as well as education benefit to individual children and society as a whole.” Data shows that quality early childhood education substantially increases children’s readiness for school.
Heather Boushey and Ann O’Leary of the Center for American Progress called the Middle Class Task Force announcement “a critical first step toward job stability for the millions of American workers who are one step away from losing their job due to breakdowns in family care arrangements.”
We recognize that these investments in child care address only part of the very real challenges of balancing work and family – and that more, such as paid sick leave and greater flexibility, will also help. The Task Force plans to continue to work on these issues in the coming months.
Terrell McSweeny is Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President
Young Women Scholars Highlight President’s Commitment to STEM
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Young Women Scholars Highlight President’s Commitment to STEM
Posted by Phillip Larson on January 29, 2010 at 04:36 PM EST
[Ed. note: Learn more about the Educate to Innovate campaign]
Two remarkable young women sat with First Lady Michelle Obama during the President’s State of the Union address, representing President Obama’s commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM).
Li Boynton, an 18-year-old senior from Bellaire, Texas, was a winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair last year for developing a new and potentially ground-breaking method for testing the quality of drinking water, an accomplishment that could someday help the one billion people around the world lacking potable water. Having learned about the limitations and significant expense of conventional chemical-specific tests, Boynton saw a need for a broader, more efficient assay for testing -- and developed a bacterial bio-sensor. Li’s work has the potential to improve public health worldwide.
Li’s passion for science and innovation can be traced back to fifth grade, when she designed a solar-distillation device after reading Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a novel involving a shipwreck. The device would come in handy, she reasoned, if she ever got stranded in the middle of the ocean.
Also sitting with the First Lady was Gabriela Farfan, a 19-year-old Stanford University freshman and geology major from Madison, Wisconsin, who won one of the top awards in the Intel Science Talent Search for her independent research describing why certain gemstones appear to change color when viewed from different angles—work that has potential applications in nanotechnology and materials science. Gabriela is also a Hispanic Scholar awardee.
After getting an invitation from the White House last week, the two young women flew to Washington on Wednesday and were immediately swept up in a whirlwind of activities leading up to the State of the Union address last night.
That included a behind-the-scenes tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History, where Gabriela and Li learned about weird life forms known as foraminifera and how to calculate climate temperatures from the ancient fossil record. They also learned about the process of bone fossilization and what fossils can tell us about human-animal interaction in ancient Africa.
After the museum visit, they met with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Then it was onward to the White House, where they were greeted by OSTP Director and Presidential science advisor John Holdren and First Lady Michelle Obama. Finally the two joined other special guests to travel by motorcade to the Capitol, where they listened to the President's speech from their prime perch in the Presidential box seats.
Even though Wednesday’s schedule left Gabriela and Li exhausted (not to mention their 5 a.m. television news gig on Thursday), they took the time Wednesday night to write a little bit about their brief and exhilarating experience here in the Nation’s capital. By Friday they will be back at their respective schools, continuing to hit the books hard to remain outstanding young leaders in the scientific community.
By Gabriela Farfan:
I am still trying to calm down from the adrenaline rush of tonight’s events. I feel deeply honored to have been invited to sit with the First Lady in her box at the State of the Union Address. I think that President Obama’s speech was inspirational and moving. It was a forceful reminder of how far we have come this year and how much more we have to go. I was particularly happy at how he stressed the importance of science and math education as the key to our future and a competitive society. I believe that government encouragement and funding of science education is essential. But it is ultimately up to the students and their parents to make the real difference. As a student, it is important to take your interests seriously and ask questions. There are so many resources out there waiting for you to grab them. As for the parents, I can say that it was my parents’ (and many other friends’) support of my interest in geology that fueled my enthusiasm and success.
As for the experience of the State of the Union itself, the room was freezing! However, everyone is packed into a room that is much smaller than what it appears to be on TV, so it warmed up quickly. Before the President took the podium, it was incredible to see the faces of people I had learned about in high school – Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Biden, Supreme Court Justices and many more. They were all in front of me at once, milling around like normal people! During the speech it was very interesting to observe the different reactions. Sometimes everyone cheered, sometimes only the Democrats and sometimes it was random. Every few sentences, we would all stand up and clap, especially when the First Lady rose. I found the entire process fascinating and truly gratifying. Sitting in the First Lady’s box made it feel like we were participating in history and democracy. After the Address, I got a picture with both Barack and Michelle Obama. The President shook my hand and the First Lady gave me a hug. I thanked Michelle Obama for being such a great role model and told the President that he did an amazing job on his speech. I could not have asked for a better evening.
By Li Boynton:
Being in the Capitol for the State of the Union Address was completely surreal. When Michelle Obama walked in the room, I was stunned. I was so used to seeing her on TV, I expected a glass screen to be right in front of me! But Michelle was so warm, down-to-earth, and inviting that I began to feel at home in the White House theater. Later on, when we met in the Presidential Box at the Capitol, she shook my hand and told me she was proud of me. I was so star-struck I whispered, “I just touched Michelle Obama!” to the guest next to me.
Even more so, I loved Obama’s speech. I think he executed his first State of the Union Address very powerfully. I probably clapped the hardest when he talked about education reform that supports students excelling in math and science, since I knew I was a role model for that. He also spent a lot of time emphasizing the need to revamp our energy infrastructure towards one of clean energy, which I believe is vital to the state of our nation and economy. His relentless belief and optimism in our nation, despite status quo hardships, was really inspiring.
But what really inspired me was all the support from people in my community, my state, and even the world. A couple days ago, a family friend from Chicago emailed me and told me he and his kids were going to have a “little watch party and pop popcorn” for me. He said his kids were also aspiring scientists and looked to me as a role model. I realized then that what inspires me most is inspiring other people. Before all the opportunities and awards Intel provided me with, I was following in the footsteps of scientists I could only dream to be. Now I realize that not only am I capable, but also I set an example for others. This is what really inspires me to keep achieving and solving problems in the world around me with science and real-life applications.
I must admit that I rarely watched the State of the Union Address before. But after tonight, I’m sure I’ll watch it every year. However, it certainly can’t compare to watching it live next to Michelle Obama!
Phillip Larson is a student volunteer in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Young Women Scholars Highlight President’s Commitment to STEM
Posted by Phillip Larson on January 29, 2010 at 04:36 PM EST
[Ed. note: Learn more about the Educate to Innovate campaign]
Two remarkable young women sat with First Lady Michelle Obama during the President’s State of the Union address, representing President Obama’s commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM).
Li Boynton, an 18-year-old senior from Bellaire, Texas, was a winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair last year for developing a new and potentially ground-breaking method for testing the quality of drinking water, an accomplishment that could someday help the one billion people around the world lacking potable water. Having learned about the limitations and significant expense of conventional chemical-specific tests, Boynton saw a need for a broader, more efficient assay for testing -- and developed a bacterial bio-sensor. Li’s work has the potential to improve public health worldwide.
Li’s passion for science and innovation can be traced back to fifth grade, when she designed a solar-distillation device after reading Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a novel involving a shipwreck. The device would come in handy, she reasoned, if she ever got stranded in the middle of the ocean.
Also sitting with the First Lady was Gabriela Farfan, a 19-year-old Stanford University freshman and geology major from Madison, Wisconsin, who won one of the top awards in the Intel Science Talent Search for her independent research describing why certain gemstones appear to change color when viewed from different angles—work that has potential applications in nanotechnology and materials science. Gabriela is also a Hispanic Scholar awardee.
After getting an invitation from the White House last week, the two young women flew to Washington on Wednesday and were immediately swept up in a whirlwind of activities leading up to the State of the Union address last night.
That included a behind-the-scenes tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History, where Gabriela and Li learned about weird life forms known as foraminifera and how to calculate climate temperatures from the ancient fossil record. They also learned about the process of bone fossilization and what fossils can tell us about human-animal interaction in ancient Africa.
After the museum visit, they met with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Then it was onward to the White House, where they were greeted by OSTP Director and Presidential science advisor John Holdren and First Lady Michelle Obama. Finally the two joined other special guests to travel by motorcade to the Capitol, where they listened to the President's speech from their prime perch in the Presidential box seats.
Even though Wednesday’s schedule left Gabriela and Li exhausted (not to mention their 5 a.m. television news gig on Thursday), they took the time Wednesday night to write a little bit about their brief and exhilarating experience here in the Nation’s capital. By Friday they will be back at their respective schools, continuing to hit the books hard to remain outstanding young leaders in the scientific community.
By Gabriela Farfan:
I am still trying to calm down from the adrenaline rush of tonight’s events. I feel deeply honored to have been invited to sit with the First Lady in her box at the State of the Union Address. I think that President Obama’s speech was inspirational and moving. It was a forceful reminder of how far we have come this year and how much more we have to go. I was particularly happy at how he stressed the importance of science and math education as the key to our future and a competitive society. I believe that government encouragement and funding of science education is essential. But it is ultimately up to the students and their parents to make the real difference. As a student, it is important to take your interests seriously and ask questions. There are so many resources out there waiting for you to grab them. As for the parents, I can say that it was my parents’ (and many other friends’) support of my interest in geology that fueled my enthusiasm and success.
As for the experience of the State of the Union itself, the room was freezing! However, everyone is packed into a room that is much smaller than what it appears to be on TV, so it warmed up quickly. Before the President took the podium, it was incredible to see the faces of people I had learned about in high school – Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Biden, Supreme Court Justices and many more. They were all in front of me at once, milling around like normal people! During the speech it was very interesting to observe the different reactions. Sometimes everyone cheered, sometimes only the Democrats and sometimes it was random. Every few sentences, we would all stand up and clap, especially when the First Lady rose. I found the entire process fascinating and truly gratifying. Sitting in the First Lady’s box made it feel like we were participating in history and democracy. After the Address, I got a picture with both Barack and Michelle Obama. The President shook my hand and the First Lady gave me a hug. I thanked Michelle Obama for being such a great role model and told the President that he did an amazing job on his speech. I could not have asked for a better evening.
By Li Boynton:
Being in the Capitol for the State of the Union Address was completely surreal. When Michelle Obama walked in the room, I was stunned. I was so used to seeing her on TV, I expected a glass screen to be right in front of me! But Michelle was so warm, down-to-earth, and inviting that I began to feel at home in the White House theater. Later on, when we met in the Presidential Box at the Capitol, she shook my hand and told me she was proud of me. I was so star-struck I whispered, “I just touched Michelle Obama!” to the guest next to me.
Even more so, I loved Obama’s speech. I think he executed his first State of the Union Address very powerfully. I probably clapped the hardest when he talked about education reform that supports students excelling in math and science, since I knew I was a role model for that. He also spent a lot of time emphasizing the need to revamp our energy infrastructure towards one of clean energy, which I believe is vital to the state of our nation and economy. His relentless belief and optimism in our nation, despite status quo hardships, was really inspiring.
But what really inspired me was all the support from people in my community, my state, and even the world. A couple days ago, a family friend from Chicago emailed me and told me he and his kids were going to have a “little watch party and pop popcorn” for me. He said his kids were also aspiring scientists and looked to me as a role model. I realized then that what inspires me most is inspiring other people. Before all the opportunities and awards Intel provided me with, I was following in the footsteps of scientists I could only dream to be. Now I realize that not only am I capable, but also I set an example for others. This is what really inspires me to keep achieving and solving problems in the world around me with science and real-life applications.
I must admit that I rarely watched the State of the Union Address before. But after tonight, I’m sure I’ll watch it every year. However, it certainly can’t compare to watching it live next to Michelle Obama!
Phillip Larson is a student volunteer in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
75,000 White House Visitor Records Posted Online
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75,000 White House Visitor Records Posted Online
Posted by Norm Eisen on January 29, 2010 at 03:15 PM EST
In September, the President announced that – for the first time in history – the White House would release visitor records. Last month, the White House released more than 25,000 visitor records from September 16 to September 30 as provided in the President’s voluntary disclosure policy. Today, we continue to fulfill President’s commitment to transparency by making available more than 75,000 White House visitor records from the month of October.
Like last month, today’s release includes visitor information for the Vice President and his staff at the White House Complex, the names and dates of visitors to the Vice President’s Residence for the official events between October 1 and October 31, and the visitors to the Residence who appear on the daily schedules of the Vice President and Dr. Biden.
In addition, included in today’s release are over 200 pre-Sept 16 visitor records that are responsive to more than 100 specific requests that the White House received from the public during the month of December.
Today’s release builds upon the previous series of visitor record disclosures. In October, the White House released close to 500 records in response to 110 requests that were received throughout September. In November, the White House released 1,600 records in response to nearly 300 individual requests received throughout October. You can view them all in our Disclosures section.
Today’s release is only one example of the many steps the President has taken to increase government transparency over the past year. This Administration’s concrete commitments to openness include issuing the Open Government Directive, putting up more government information than ever before on data.gov and recovery.gov, reforming the government’s FOIA processes, providing on-line access to White House staff financial reports and salaries, issuing an executive order to fight unnecessary secrecy and speed declassification, reversing an executive order that previously limited access to presidential records, and webcasting White House meetings and conferences. The release also compliments our new lobbying rules, which in addition to closing the revolving door for lobbyists who work in government have also emphasized expanding disclosure of lobbyist contacts with the government.
These efforts were recognized by a consortium of independent outside government reform groups that gave the Administration an A for its first-year actions making government open and transparent. And in this week’s State of the Union, the President laid out a bold agenda for pressing forward on government transparency and reform.
Also, as we have previously noted, sometimes rather than providing clear information, transparency can have confusing or amusing results. Given the significant number of visitors to the White House, many visitors share the same name. Today's release includes the names of some notable figures (for example, Louis Farrakhan and James Taylor appear in this disclosure). The well-known individuals with those names have not visited the White House, but we have included the records of the individuals that did.
Finally, last month we noted that a small set of the September records were being withheld in order to conclude a national security review. That process has concluded and those records are included in this month’s release.
Norm Eisen is Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform
75,000 White House Visitor Records Posted Online
Posted by Norm Eisen on January 29, 2010 at 03:15 PM EST
In September, the President announced that – for the first time in history – the White House would release visitor records. Last month, the White House released more than 25,000 visitor records from September 16 to September 30 as provided in the President’s voluntary disclosure policy. Today, we continue to fulfill President’s commitment to transparency by making available more than 75,000 White House visitor records from the month of October.
Like last month, today’s release includes visitor information for the Vice President and his staff at the White House Complex, the names and dates of visitors to the Vice President’s Residence for the official events between October 1 and October 31, and the visitors to the Residence who appear on the daily schedules of the Vice President and Dr. Biden.
In addition, included in today’s release are over 200 pre-Sept 16 visitor records that are responsive to more than 100 specific requests that the White House received from the public during the month of December.
Today’s release builds upon the previous series of visitor record disclosures. In October, the White House released close to 500 records in response to 110 requests that were received throughout September. In November, the White House released 1,600 records in response to nearly 300 individual requests received throughout October. You can view them all in our Disclosures section.
Today’s release is only one example of the many steps the President has taken to increase government transparency over the past year. This Administration’s concrete commitments to openness include issuing the Open Government Directive, putting up more government information than ever before on data.gov and recovery.gov, reforming the government’s FOIA processes, providing on-line access to White House staff financial reports and salaries, issuing an executive order to fight unnecessary secrecy and speed declassification, reversing an executive order that previously limited access to presidential records, and webcasting White House meetings and conferences. The release also compliments our new lobbying rules, which in addition to closing the revolving door for lobbyists who work in government have also emphasized expanding disclosure of lobbyist contacts with the government.
These efforts were recognized by a consortium of independent outside government reform groups that gave the Administration an A for its first-year actions making government open and transparent. And in this week’s State of the Union, the President laid out a bold agenda for pressing forward on government transparency and reform.
Also, as we have previously noted, sometimes rather than providing clear information, transparency can have confusing or amusing results. Given the significant number of visitors to the White House, many visitors share the same name. Today's release includes the names of some notable figures (for example, Louis Farrakhan and James Taylor appear in this disclosure). The well-known individuals with those names have not visited the White House, but we have included the records of the individuals that did.
Finally, last month we noted that a small set of the September records were being withheld in order to conclude a national security review. That process has concluded and those records are included in this month’s release.
Norm Eisen is Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Your Response to the State of the Union
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Your Response to the State of the Union
Posted by Dave Cole on January 28, 2010 at 04:12 PM EST
The State of the Union Address was available live to more people and in more ways than any event we’ve hosted since the President’s Inauguration. Now that the dust has settled from last night’s speech, we wanted to share some of the results with you.
Last night nearly 1,300,000 people tuned into to our live video feed of the President’s State of the Union Address. That’s a ten-fold increase over our second most popular live-streamed event.
The live video was available here on WhiteHouse.gov as well as to anyone who runs a website or blog via the share link WhiteHouse.gov/live. Some notable sites that embedded the feed include YouTube.com, the Huffington Post, and Blogher.com.
Moreover, thousands of people tuned in live from their mobile devices using the new White House iPhone App. While we aren’t able to confirm the total number of unique streams yet, we are able to see that nearly a terabyte of data was served to iPhones with the application during the event.
After the speech, over 50,000 people stayed on to watch and engage with administration officials during a live chat on Facebook. It was just the latest in our Open for Questions series where you can ask questions directly to the officials who work here at the White House.
While we’ve already heard from many of you, we are far from done.
Right now, you can go to YouTube.com/CitizenTube to submit and vote on questions for President Obama to answer during a live online event next week. Thus far, over 40,000 people have submitted 472,000 votes and 9,926 questions. Just to go to YouTube.com/CitizenTube to ask your question of vote on others’ now.
Your Response to the State of the Union
Posted by Dave Cole on January 28, 2010 at 04:12 PM EST
The State of the Union Address was available live to more people and in more ways than any event we’ve hosted since the President’s Inauguration. Now that the dust has settled from last night’s speech, we wanted to share some of the results with you.
Last night nearly 1,300,000 people tuned into to our live video feed of the President’s State of the Union Address. That’s a ten-fold increase over our second most popular live-streamed event.
The live video was available here on WhiteHouse.gov as well as to anyone who runs a website or blog via the share link WhiteHouse.gov/live. Some notable sites that embedded the feed include YouTube.com, the Huffington Post, and Blogher.com.
Moreover, thousands of people tuned in live from their mobile devices using the new White House iPhone App. While we aren’t able to confirm the total number of unique streams yet, we are able to see that nearly a terabyte of data was served to iPhones with the application during the event.
After the speech, over 50,000 people stayed on to watch and engage with administration officials during a live chat on Facebook. It was just the latest in our Open for Questions series where you can ask questions directly to the officials who work here at the White House.
While we’ve already heard from many of you, we are far from done.
Right now, you can go to YouTube.com/CitizenTube to submit and vote on questions for President Obama to answer during a live online event next week. Thus far, over 40,000 people have submitted 472,000 votes and 9,926 questions. Just to go to YouTube.com/CitizenTube to ask your question of vote on others’ now.
GSA: Year One
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GSA: Year One
Posted by Stephen Leeds on January 28, 2010 at 03:00 PM EST
Ed. Note: You can watch video of each Cabinet member describing what his or her department or agency has accomplished this year and what to expect in the year ahead at our The President's Cabinet Reporting to You page.
In his first year in office, President Obama crafted an ambitious agenda that called on all Federal agencies to change the way government works and provide an unprecedented amount of support to the American people. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) took this call to action as an opportunity to provide leadership in areas such as sustainable building design, online citizen engagement, and green IT alternatives.
As the business arm of the government, GSA is responsible for laying the foundation on which other Federal agencies can build. For example, just this week GSA’s Office of Citizen Services made available an online public dialog tool for government agencies to use in order to engage community members and meet President Obama’s Open Government Directive.
Moving forward, GSA will continue to support the Federal agenda with innovative business solutions, quality acquisition services, superior workplaces and effective government-wide policies.
Stephen Leeds is the Acting Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA)
GSA: Year One
Posted by Stephen Leeds on January 28, 2010 at 03:00 PM EST
Ed. Note: You can watch video of each Cabinet member describing what his or her department or agency has accomplished this year and what to expect in the year ahead at our The President's Cabinet Reporting to You page.
In his first year in office, President Obama crafted an ambitious agenda that called on all Federal agencies to change the way government works and provide an unprecedented amount of support to the American people. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) took this call to action as an opportunity to provide leadership in areas such as sustainable building design, online citizen engagement, and green IT alternatives.
As the business arm of the government, GSA is responsible for laying the foundation on which other Federal agencies can build. For example, just this week GSA’s Office of Citizen Services made available an online public dialog tool for government agencies to use in order to engage community members and meet President Obama’s Open Government Directive.
Moving forward, GSA will continue to support the Federal agenda with innovative business solutions, quality acquisition services, superior workplaces and effective government-wide policies.
Stephen Leeds is the Acting Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA)
Last Chance! Submit Nominees for the Citizens Medal
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Last Chance! Submit Nominees for the Citizens Medal
Posted by Lisa Brown on January 28, 2010 at 12:03 PM EST
Today is the last day for you to submit nominees for the 2010 Presidential Citizens Medal! President Obama wants to recognize Americans from all across the country who represent the best of the core American value of service. And he wants to hear from you about who has inspired you and made your community or the world community a better place. Who is your unsung hero? Who has worked selflessly and determinedly, without seeking the limelight, to help others? Who has sacrificed to put someone else’s interests before their own? Help us recognize your exemplary citizen and local hero and bring them the public attention they deserve.
The deadline is 11:59 pm EST TODAY, Thursday, January 28 – don’t miss your chance to get your nomination in!
This year, the President wants to single out ordinary citizens who have gone above and beyond, performing extraordinary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including:
•those who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home,
•those who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts, and
•those whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem.
Many Americans spend hours every week teaching basketball or tennis to neighborhood kids, feeding the homeless, or teaching people to read. Others take on a particular project, building or cleaning a local playground or park, or organizing a fundraising drive for victims near and far through their places of worship. Others engage in long battles to change local laws that deprive part of the populace of their rights, to bring attention to the abuses of powerful interests or to develop programs that ultimately become community staples. And others do just one thing, but one thing that changes the lives of others forever. All make the world a better place and represent the best in each of us.
As we face today’s economic challenges, these contributions are more important than ever. So help us recognize the work of these heroes and thereby inspire others to serve. By highlighting their stories, we will lift up all of our spirits and remind ourselves of the best of the American spirit.
So send your nomination now, before today’s midnight deadline!
Lisa Brown is an Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary
Last Chance! Submit Nominees for the Citizens Medal
Posted by Lisa Brown on January 28, 2010 at 12:03 PM EST
Today is the last day for you to submit nominees for the 2010 Presidential Citizens Medal! President Obama wants to recognize Americans from all across the country who represent the best of the core American value of service. And he wants to hear from you about who has inspired you and made your community or the world community a better place. Who is your unsung hero? Who has worked selflessly and determinedly, without seeking the limelight, to help others? Who has sacrificed to put someone else’s interests before their own? Help us recognize your exemplary citizen and local hero and bring them the public attention they deserve.
The deadline is 11:59 pm EST TODAY, Thursday, January 28 – don’t miss your chance to get your nomination in!
This year, the President wants to single out ordinary citizens who have gone above and beyond, performing extraordinary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including:
•those who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home,
•those who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts, and
•those whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem.
Many Americans spend hours every week teaching basketball or tennis to neighborhood kids, feeding the homeless, or teaching people to read. Others take on a particular project, building or cleaning a local playground or park, or organizing a fundraising drive for victims near and far through their places of worship. Others engage in long battles to change local laws that deprive part of the populace of their rights, to bring attention to the abuses of powerful interests or to develop programs that ultimately become community staples. And others do just one thing, but one thing that changes the lives of others forever. All make the world a better place and represent the best in each of us.
As we face today’s economic challenges, these contributions are more important than ever. So help us recognize the work of these heroes and thereby inspire others to serve. By highlighting their stories, we will lift up all of our spirits and remind ourselves of the best of the American spirit.
So send your nomination now, before today’s midnight deadline!
Lisa Brown is an Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary
A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Health Care Fraud
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A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Health Care Fraud
Posted by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on January 28, 2010 at 10:00 AM EST
If a friend or family member gets robbed, you would want to see the perpetrator brought to justice. The same is true for catching criminals who steal money from American taxpayers and businesses. This exact scenario is playing out in the form of health care fraud. Criminals are stealing billions of dollars from American taxpayers, the federal government, and corporations – and it is unacceptable. At a time when many families are scraping together every last dollar to pay their medical bills, fraud, waste, and abuse in our health care system are unacceptable.
This administration is taking a zero-tolerance approach to health care fraud. Yet this is not a job for just one agency or one law enforcement team. It requires a coordinated effort from the public and private sectors. Today, Attorney General Eric Holder and I convened a first-ever National Summit on Health Care Fraud, bringing together the public and private sectors to identify and discuss innovative ways to eliminate fraud in our health care system.
Participants at today’s summit include government officials; prosecutors and investigators; state law enforcement; private sector health plans and insurers; and representatives of consumers and providers to discuss and find innovative ways to detect, prevent and deter fraud.
Today’s Summit builds upon the work accomplished by HEAT, the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team. This initiative was launched last May and is led by Attorney General Holder and myself. Through this initiative, we’ve been able to employ better enforcement tools. We’ve significantly expanded our Medicare Fraud Strike Forces to operate in 7 major cities across the country.
Since 2007, the Strike Forces have charged more than 500 defendants for health care fraud crimes resulting in more than $1 billion in fraudulent billing. Over 200 defendants have been sentenced to prison, with sentences ranging from two months to 30 years. Added up, we’ve done more to fight health care fraud in 2009 than in any other year. But we’re not done fighting. Building on the investments the President made in fraud fighting in last year’s budget, he will request $1.7 billion in his budget to support programs to fight fraud..
Through our collective efforts, we will defeat health care fraud; we will protect American consumers and businesses by tracking down the criminals and holding them accountable, and we’ll put the brakes on future fraudulent activity.
For more information, visit our website at www.StopMedicareFraud.gov.
Kathleen Sebelius is Secretary of Health and Human Services
A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Health Care Fraud
Posted by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on January 28, 2010 at 10:00 AM EST
If a friend or family member gets robbed, you would want to see the perpetrator brought to justice. The same is true for catching criminals who steal money from American taxpayers and businesses. This exact scenario is playing out in the form of health care fraud. Criminals are stealing billions of dollars from American taxpayers, the federal government, and corporations – and it is unacceptable. At a time when many families are scraping together every last dollar to pay their medical bills, fraud, waste, and abuse in our health care system are unacceptable.
This administration is taking a zero-tolerance approach to health care fraud. Yet this is not a job for just one agency or one law enforcement team. It requires a coordinated effort from the public and private sectors. Today, Attorney General Eric Holder and I convened a first-ever National Summit on Health Care Fraud, bringing together the public and private sectors to identify and discuss innovative ways to eliminate fraud in our health care system.
Participants at today’s summit include government officials; prosecutors and investigators; state law enforcement; private sector health plans and insurers; and representatives of consumers and providers to discuss and find innovative ways to detect, prevent and deter fraud.
Today’s Summit builds upon the work accomplished by HEAT, the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team. This initiative was launched last May and is led by Attorney General Holder and myself. Through this initiative, we’ve been able to employ better enforcement tools. We’ve significantly expanded our Medicare Fraud Strike Forces to operate in 7 major cities across the country.
Since 2007, the Strike Forces have charged more than 500 defendants for health care fraud crimes resulting in more than $1 billion in fraudulent billing. Over 200 defendants have been sentenced to prison, with sentences ranging from two months to 30 years. Added up, we’ve done more to fight health care fraud in 2009 than in any other year. But we’re not done fighting. Building on the investments the President made in fraud fighting in last year’s budget, he will request $1.7 billion in his budget to support programs to fight fraud..
Through our collective efforts, we will defeat health care fraud; we will protect American consumers and businesses by tracking down the criminals and holding them accountable, and we’ll put the brakes on future fraudulent activity.
For more information, visit our website at www.StopMedicareFraud.gov.
Kathleen Sebelius is Secretary of Health and Human Services
The State of the Union & the State of Health Reform
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The State of the Union & the State of Health Reform
Posted by Linda Douglass on January 27, 2010 at 11:43 PM EST
Tonight the President made it clear once again that he will not back away from his commitment to enacting health reform that protects Americans from abusive insurance company practices, lowers rising health care costs, provides security and stability to all Americans seeking health insurance, strengthens Medicare and reduces the deficit. He called upon Congress to act:
And it is precisely to relieve the burden on middle-class families that we still need health insurance reform. (Applause.) Yes, we do. (Applause.)
Now, let's clear a few things up. (Laughter.) I didn't choose to tackle this issue to get some legislative victory under my belt. And by now it should be fairly obvious that I didn't take on health care because it was good politics. (Laughter.) I took on health care because of the stories I've heard from Americans with preexisting conditions whose lives depend on getting coverage; patients who've been denied coverage; families –- even those with insurance -– who are just one illness away from financial ruin.
After nearly a century of trying -- Democratic administrations, Republican administrations -- we are closer than ever to bringing more security to the lives of so many Americans. The approach we've taken would protect every American from the worst practices of the insurance industry. It would give small businesses and uninsured Americans a chance to choose an affordable health care plan in a competitive market. It would require every insurance plan to cover preventive care.
And by the way, I want to acknowledge our First Lady, Michelle Obama, who this year is creating a national movement to tackle the epidemic of childhood obesity and make kids healthier. (Applause.) Thank you. She gets embarrassed. (Laughter.)
Our approach would preserve the right of Americans who have insurance to keep their doctor and their plan. It would reduce costs and premiums for millions of families and businesses. And according to the Congressional Budget Office -– the independent organization that both parties have cited as the official scorekeeper for Congress –- our approach would bring down the deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. (Applause.)
Still, this is a complex issue, and the longer it was debated, the more skeptical people became. I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people. And I know that with all the lobbying and horse-trading, the process left most Americans wondering, "What's in it for me?"
But I also know this problem is not going away. By the time I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year. Our deficit will grow. Premiums will go up. Patients will be denied the care they need. Small business owners will continue to drop coverage altogether. I will not walk away from these Americans, and neither should the people in this chamber. (Applause.)
So, as temperatures cool, I want everyone to take another look at the plan we've proposed. There's a reason why many doctors, nurses, and health care experts who know our system best consider this approach a vast improvement over the status quo. But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know. (Applause.) Let me know. Let me know. (Applause.) I'm eager to see it.
Here's what I ask Congress, though: Don't walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people. (Applause.) Let's get it done. Let's get it done. (Applause.)
Linda Douglass is with the White House Office of Health Reform
The State of the Union & the State of Health Reform
Posted by Linda Douglass on January 27, 2010 at 11:43 PM EST
Tonight the President made it clear once again that he will not back away from his commitment to enacting health reform that protects Americans from abusive insurance company practices, lowers rising health care costs, provides security and stability to all Americans seeking health insurance, strengthens Medicare and reduces the deficit. He called upon Congress to act:
And it is precisely to relieve the burden on middle-class families that we still need health insurance reform. (Applause.) Yes, we do. (Applause.)
Now, let's clear a few things up. (Laughter.) I didn't choose to tackle this issue to get some legislative victory under my belt. And by now it should be fairly obvious that I didn't take on health care because it was good politics. (Laughter.) I took on health care because of the stories I've heard from Americans with preexisting conditions whose lives depend on getting coverage; patients who've been denied coverage; families –- even those with insurance -– who are just one illness away from financial ruin.
After nearly a century of trying -- Democratic administrations, Republican administrations -- we are closer than ever to bringing more security to the lives of so many Americans. The approach we've taken would protect every American from the worst practices of the insurance industry. It would give small businesses and uninsured Americans a chance to choose an affordable health care plan in a competitive market. It would require every insurance plan to cover preventive care.
And by the way, I want to acknowledge our First Lady, Michelle Obama, who this year is creating a national movement to tackle the epidemic of childhood obesity and make kids healthier. (Applause.) Thank you. She gets embarrassed. (Laughter.)
Our approach would preserve the right of Americans who have insurance to keep their doctor and their plan. It would reduce costs and premiums for millions of families and businesses. And according to the Congressional Budget Office -– the independent organization that both parties have cited as the official scorekeeper for Congress –- our approach would bring down the deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. (Applause.)
Still, this is a complex issue, and the longer it was debated, the more skeptical people became. I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people. And I know that with all the lobbying and horse-trading, the process left most Americans wondering, "What's in it for me?"
But I also know this problem is not going away. By the time I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year. Our deficit will grow. Premiums will go up. Patients will be denied the care they need. Small business owners will continue to drop coverage altogether. I will not walk away from these Americans, and neither should the people in this chamber. (Applause.)
So, as temperatures cool, I want everyone to take another look at the plan we've proposed. There's a reason why many doctors, nurses, and health care experts who know our system best consider this approach a vast improvement over the status quo. But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know. (Applause.) Let me know. Let me know. (Applause.) I'm eager to see it.
Here's what I ask Congress, though: Don't walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people. (Applause.) Let's get it done. Let's get it done. (Applause.)
Linda Douglass is with the White House Office of Health Reform
Putting Washington at the Service of the Middle Class
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Putting Washington at the Service of the Middle Class
Posted by Mona Sutphen on January 27, 2010 at 10:23 PM EST
In his State of the Union Address tonight, the President laid out an agenda attempting to attack one problem from every conceivable angle: the terrible squeeze felt by America’s middle class. Fundamentally, that means prying government away from special interests and dedicating it to measures that put Americans to work and lay the foundation for a stronger economy for our country – lowering health care and tuition costs, spurring creation of the next generation of clean energy jobs. It also means putting a cop on the beat on Wall Street, so major banks can no longer take advantage of families and taxpayers.
To do all that, though, we need to change the way Washington works. Already the President has taken unprecedented steps in this direction, from releasing the names of all visitors to the White House for the first time ever to clamping down on the revolving door between government and lobbying. But as much progress was made on this front in this first year, it was still only the first year, and the President will keep pushing forward, whether that’s shining sunlight on any contact between lobbyists and the White House, or pushing Congress to disclose all earmark requests in one place for Americans to see.
This was the vision that shaped the President's address, but this is not just a matter of rhetoric. The President made clear that there is tremendously busy agenda ahead for his second year – the policies and proposals below are just examples of the plans the President laid out in his address to put government to work for the middle class.
Here are a few initiatives you might have missed in the course of the speech:
•The President called on the Senate to pass a financial reform package. “A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.” Essential reforms include measures to protect consumers and investors from financial abuse; close loopholes, raise standards, and create accountability for supervision of major financial firms; restrict the size and scope of financial institutions to reign in excesses and protect taxpayers and address the ‘too big to fail’ problem; and establish comprehensive supervision of financial markets.
•A vision for a clean energy economy. “…to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives.” We will build on the historic $80 billion investment made through the Recovery Act. The President’s vision includes investments in important technologies to diversity our energy sources and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, including: the renewal of our nation’s nuclear energy industry after a 30-year hiatus, cutting edge biofuel and clean coal technologies, and additional offshore oil and gas drilling. To fully transition to a clean energy economy and create millions of new American jobs, we must pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation to promote energy independence and address climate change.
•The President will continue his push to invest in the skills and education of our people. “This year, we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. And the idea here is simple: instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success... In this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.” The Obama Administration supports a new vision for increasing student achievement, delivering opportunity, and supporting excellence in America’s public schools. The President’s 2011 budget supports a new framework for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that will foster innovation, reward excellence, and promote reform in our schools, as well as invests an additional $1.35 billion to continue the historic Race to the Top program to open it up to districts in order to spur innovation and additional progress. At the same time, the Administration is moving to consolidate ineffective policies and practices. The President’s Budget eliminates six programs and consolidates 38 others into 11 new programs that emphasize using competition to allocate funds, giving communities more choices around activities, and using rigorous evidence to fund what works.
•The President is committed to making college affordable for all Americans. “(I)n this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job.” To increase college access and completion, the Administration will make student loans more affordable by limiting a borrower’s payments to 10 percent of his/her income and forgives remaining debt after 20 years – 10 years for public service works. We will also make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit. The President urges the Senate to pass the American Graduation Initiative, which invests more than $10 billion over the next decade in reforming our nation’s community colleges, promoting college completion, and moving toward the President’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. The President is also asking colleges and universities to do their share to make college affordable for all Americans cutting their own costs.
•The President is making investments to ensure that the middle class benefits from this economic recovery. “(T)he price of college tuition is just one of the burdens facing the middle class. That's why last year I asked Vice President Biden to chair a task force on middle-class families.” The President has outlined immediate steps to reduce the strain on family budgets and help middle class families manage their child and elder care responsibilities, save for retirement and pay for college. He will double the child tax credit this year, make it easier to save for retirement with automatic IRAs for workers without access to existing retirement plans, provide larger tax credits to match retirement savings for millions of additional workers, and provide new safeguards to protect retirement savings.
•Changing the way we do business. “To close that credibility gap we have to take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; to give our people the government they deserve.” The President has called for additional new lobbyist reforms, including enhanced disclosure of lobbyist contacts, strict campaign contribution limits by lobbyists, and a single earmark database, so American taxpayers find out what earmarks are being requested, and where their money is going.
•Countering Citizens United. “I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities.” Last week’s Supreme Court Citizen’s United decision opens the floodgates to special interests and foreign countries and companies bankrolling national campaigns. The President called for bipartisan support for legislation that will remedy the Supreme Court’s unprecedented and troubling decision.
•The President stands by military families. “Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform...have to know that they have our respect, our gratitude, our full support.” The President’s 2011 budget announces significant new investments, totaling more than $8 billion, and protections for our nation’s military families, including increased military pay and housing allowances, increased funding for family support programs, expanded availability of affordable, high-quality child care, the renovation or replacement of schools, and expanded and improved care for wounded, ill and injured service members.
•The President is establishing a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force. “We're going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws -– so that women get equal pay for an equal day's work.” To make sure we uphold our nation’s core commitment to equality of opportunity, the Obama Administration is implementing an Equal Pay initiative to improve compliance, public education, and enforcement of equal pay laws. The Task Force will ensure that the agencies with responsibility for equal pay enforcement are coordinating efforts and limiting potential gaps in enforcement. The Administration also continues to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, and is increasing funding for the agencies enforcing equal pay laws and other key civil rights statutes.
•Immigration reform. “And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system - to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.” The President is pleased Congress is taking steps forward on immigration reform that includes effective border security measures with a path for legalization for those who are willing to pay taxes and abide by the law. He is committed to confronting this problem in practical, effective ways, using the current tools at our disposal while we work with Congress to enact comprehensive reform.
previous photoState of the UnionShow Gallery Info.
President Barack Obama delivers his first State of the Union address.
1 of 11....previous page
page # 1
page # 2
page # 3
next page .play
next photo .And here are still more initiatives the President spoke to just tonight:
•The President will fight to recover the money American taxpayers spent to bailout the banks. “To recover the rest, I've proposed a fee on the biggest banks. Now, I know Wall Street isn't keen on this idea. But if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need.” The President has proposed the Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee, which will require the largest and most highly leveraged Wall Street firms to pay back taxpayers and provide a deterrent against excessive leverage for the largest firms. The conservative estimate for the cost of TARP in the budget is $117 billion, but the Treasury Department expects it to be much less and the fee will be in place for a minimum of ten years or however long it takes to recoup every last penny to the American taxpayer.
•The President recognizes that Small Businesses will be key to our nation’s economic recovery. “I'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. I'm also proposing a new small business tax credit – one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages.” To get small businesses growing again, and growing our economy, the President has proposed a range of provisions that include tax incentives to spur investment; expanded access to capital and growth opportunities to create jobs; and increased support for entrepreneurship to foster innovation. He is proposing an employment tax credit for small businesses to encourage hiring, eliminating capital gains taxes on small business investments, extending enhanced small business expensing, and transferring $30 billion in resources from TARP to a new program to help community and smaller banks give small businesses the credit they need. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming weeks.
•The President reiterates his support for continued investment in our nation’s infrastructure. “Tomorrow, I'll visit Tampa, Florida, where workers will soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the Recovery Act. There are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help move our nation's goods, services, and information.” Through the Recovery Act, we made the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure since President Eisenhower called for the creation of our national highway system over half a century ago. In his speech, the President announced funding to make a down-payment on a new nationwide high-speed rail system being built in-part with ARRA dollars.
•Tax breaks to keep jobs at home. “(I)t’s time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.” The President has called for an end for tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas to help fund tax cuts – like making the R & E credit permanent – that reward companies for investing and creating jobs in the United States.
•The President also called on the Senate to pass a jobs bill that he can sign. “The House has passed a jobs bill…. As the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same, and I know they will. People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.” The bold and difficult steps the President took to stabilize the financial system have reduced the cost of TARP by more than $200 billion, providing additional resources for job creation and for deficit reduction. In December, the President outlined a package of targeted measures to help further stimulate private sector hiring, including measures to facilitate small business growth, green jobs and infrastructure. The House has passed strong legislation - it is time for the Senate to do the same.
•We must invest in American ingenuity and innovation. “We need to encourage American innovation.” The Obama Innovation Agenda will get us closer to the President’s long-term goal of increasing combined private and public R&D investment to three percent of GDP. The Obama 2011 budget will move us closer to restoring America to first in the world in college completion; and invest in the next generation of scientists so we will not lag behind countries like China in science and engineering graduates. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
•We need to export more of our goods around the world. “We will double our exports over the next five years, an increase that will support two million jobs in America.” To meet this goal, we’re launching a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports and expand their markets. Details will be announced in the coming weeks, but the NEI includes the creation of the President’s Export Promotion Cabinet and an enhancement of funding for key export promotion programs. We will work to shape a Doha trade agreement that opens markets and will continue to work with key allies like South Korea, Panama, and Colombia on trade agreements that provide real benefits to our workers. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming week.
•The President remains committed to helping Americans stay in their homes and help their homes retain their value. “… we’re working to lift the value of a family’s single largest investment – their home.” Last year, we took steps allowing millions of Americans to take out new loans and save an average of $1,500 per family on mortgage payments. This year, we will step up programs that encourage re-financing so that homeowners can move into more affordable and sustainable mortgages. In addition to the changes proposed last week to ensure sound risk management, the FHA is continuing to evaluate its mortgage insurance underwriting standards and its measures to help distressed and underwater borrowers through other FHA initiatives going forward. In order to ensure American families receive the same consideration American corporations do, the Obama Administration remains supportive of efforts to allow bankruptcy proceedings to renegotiate all debts, including home mortgages.
•As Americans are getting their budgets in order, the President is getting the nation’s financial house in order. “Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don’t.” The President has announced the three year, non-security discretionary spending freeze, and also called for a bipartisan Fiscal Commissionto identify policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming weeks.
•The President’s focus on national security includes rooting out terrorists where they hide. “Since the day I took office, we have renewed our focus on the terrorists who threaten our nation.” In the last year, hundreds of Al Qaeda’s fighters and affiliates have been captured or killed – far more than in 2008.
•The President’s commitment to Non-Proliferation results. “Even as we prosecute two wars, we're also confronting perhaps the greatest danger to the American people - the threat of nuclear weapons.” The United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly twenty years. He will also host a Nuclear Security Summit in April, which will bring forty-four nations together behind a clear goal: to secure all loose nuclear materials around the world in four years, so that they never fall into the hands of terrorists.
•The President is launching a bioterror and pandemic threat initiative. “We are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster and more effectively to bioterrorism or an infectious disease - a plan that will counter threats at home and strengthen public health abroad.” The President called to action key U.S. Government leaders to re-design our medical countermeasure enterprise to protect Americans from bioterror or infectious health threats. We will pursue a business model that leverages market forces and reduces risk to attract pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry collaboration with the U.S. Government.
•The President announced that he will work this year to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” “I will work with Congress and the military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.”
Mona Sutphen is Deputy Chief of Staff
Putting Washington at the Service of the Middle Class
Posted by Mona Sutphen on January 27, 2010 at 10:23 PM EST
In his State of the Union Address tonight, the President laid out an agenda attempting to attack one problem from every conceivable angle: the terrible squeeze felt by America’s middle class. Fundamentally, that means prying government away from special interests and dedicating it to measures that put Americans to work and lay the foundation for a stronger economy for our country – lowering health care and tuition costs, spurring creation of the next generation of clean energy jobs. It also means putting a cop on the beat on Wall Street, so major banks can no longer take advantage of families and taxpayers.
To do all that, though, we need to change the way Washington works. Already the President has taken unprecedented steps in this direction, from releasing the names of all visitors to the White House for the first time ever to clamping down on the revolving door between government and lobbying. But as much progress was made on this front in this first year, it was still only the first year, and the President will keep pushing forward, whether that’s shining sunlight on any contact between lobbyists and the White House, or pushing Congress to disclose all earmark requests in one place for Americans to see.
This was the vision that shaped the President's address, but this is not just a matter of rhetoric. The President made clear that there is tremendously busy agenda ahead for his second year – the policies and proposals below are just examples of the plans the President laid out in his address to put government to work for the middle class.
Here are a few initiatives you might have missed in the course of the speech:
•The President called on the Senate to pass a financial reform package. “A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.” Essential reforms include measures to protect consumers and investors from financial abuse; close loopholes, raise standards, and create accountability for supervision of major financial firms; restrict the size and scope of financial institutions to reign in excesses and protect taxpayers and address the ‘too big to fail’ problem; and establish comprehensive supervision of financial markets.
•A vision for a clean energy economy. “…to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives.” We will build on the historic $80 billion investment made through the Recovery Act. The President’s vision includes investments in important technologies to diversity our energy sources and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, including: the renewal of our nation’s nuclear energy industry after a 30-year hiatus, cutting edge biofuel and clean coal technologies, and additional offshore oil and gas drilling. To fully transition to a clean energy economy and create millions of new American jobs, we must pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation to promote energy independence and address climate change.
•The President will continue his push to invest in the skills and education of our people. “This year, we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. And the idea here is simple: instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success... In this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.” The Obama Administration supports a new vision for increasing student achievement, delivering opportunity, and supporting excellence in America’s public schools. The President’s 2011 budget supports a new framework for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that will foster innovation, reward excellence, and promote reform in our schools, as well as invests an additional $1.35 billion to continue the historic Race to the Top program to open it up to districts in order to spur innovation and additional progress. At the same time, the Administration is moving to consolidate ineffective policies and practices. The President’s Budget eliminates six programs and consolidates 38 others into 11 new programs that emphasize using competition to allocate funds, giving communities more choices around activities, and using rigorous evidence to fund what works.
•The President is committed to making college affordable for all Americans. “(I)n this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job.” To increase college access and completion, the Administration will make student loans more affordable by limiting a borrower’s payments to 10 percent of his/her income and forgives remaining debt after 20 years – 10 years for public service works. We will also make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit. The President urges the Senate to pass the American Graduation Initiative, which invests more than $10 billion over the next decade in reforming our nation’s community colleges, promoting college completion, and moving toward the President’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. The President is also asking colleges and universities to do their share to make college affordable for all Americans cutting their own costs.
•The President is making investments to ensure that the middle class benefits from this economic recovery. “(T)he price of college tuition is just one of the burdens facing the middle class. That's why last year I asked Vice President Biden to chair a task force on middle-class families.” The President has outlined immediate steps to reduce the strain on family budgets and help middle class families manage their child and elder care responsibilities, save for retirement and pay for college. He will double the child tax credit this year, make it easier to save for retirement with automatic IRAs for workers without access to existing retirement plans, provide larger tax credits to match retirement savings for millions of additional workers, and provide new safeguards to protect retirement savings.
•Changing the way we do business. “To close that credibility gap we have to take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; to give our people the government they deserve.” The President has called for additional new lobbyist reforms, including enhanced disclosure of lobbyist contacts, strict campaign contribution limits by lobbyists, and a single earmark database, so American taxpayers find out what earmarks are being requested, and where their money is going.
•Countering Citizens United. “I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities.” Last week’s Supreme Court Citizen’s United decision opens the floodgates to special interests and foreign countries and companies bankrolling national campaigns. The President called for bipartisan support for legislation that will remedy the Supreme Court’s unprecedented and troubling decision.
•The President stands by military families. “Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform...have to know that they have our respect, our gratitude, our full support.” The President’s 2011 budget announces significant new investments, totaling more than $8 billion, and protections for our nation’s military families, including increased military pay and housing allowances, increased funding for family support programs, expanded availability of affordable, high-quality child care, the renovation or replacement of schools, and expanded and improved care for wounded, ill and injured service members.
•The President is establishing a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force. “We're going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws -– so that women get equal pay for an equal day's work.” To make sure we uphold our nation’s core commitment to equality of opportunity, the Obama Administration is implementing an Equal Pay initiative to improve compliance, public education, and enforcement of equal pay laws. The Task Force will ensure that the agencies with responsibility for equal pay enforcement are coordinating efforts and limiting potential gaps in enforcement. The Administration also continues to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, and is increasing funding for the agencies enforcing equal pay laws and other key civil rights statutes.
•Immigration reform. “And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system - to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.” The President is pleased Congress is taking steps forward on immigration reform that includes effective border security measures with a path for legalization for those who are willing to pay taxes and abide by the law. He is committed to confronting this problem in practical, effective ways, using the current tools at our disposal while we work with Congress to enact comprehensive reform.
previous photoState of the UnionShow Gallery Info.
President Barack Obama delivers his first State of the Union address.
1 of 11....previous page
page # 1
page # 2
page # 3
next page .play
next photo .And here are still more initiatives the President spoke to just tonight:
•The President will fight to recover the money American taxpayers spent to bailout the banks. “To recover the rest, I've proposed a fee on the biggest banks. Now, I know Wall Street isn't keen on this idea. But if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need.” The President has proposed the Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee, which will require the largest and most highly leveraged Wall Street firms to pay back taxpayers and provide a deterrent against excessive leverage for the largest firms. The conservative estimate for the cost of TARP in the budget is $117 billion, but the Treasury Department expects it to be much less and the fee will be in place for a minimum of ten years or however long it takes to recoup every last penny to the American taxpayer.
•The President recognizes that Small Businesses will be key to our nation’s economic recovery. “I'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. I'm also proposing a new small business tax credit – one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages.” To get small businesses growing again, and growing our economy, the President has proposed a range of provisions that include tax incentives to spur investment; expanded access to capital and growth opportunities to create jobs; and increased support for entrepreneurship to foster innovation. He is proposing an employment tax credit for small businesses to encourage hiring, eliminating capital gains taxes on small business investments, extending enhanced small business expensing, and transferring $30 billion in resources from TARP to a new program to help community and smaller banks give small businesses the credit they need. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming weeks.
•The President reiterates his support for continued investment in our nation’s infrastructure. “Tomorrow, I'll visit Tampa, Florida, where workers will soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the Recovery Act. There are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help move our nation's goods, services, and information.” Through the Recovery Act, we made the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure since President Eisenhower called for the creation of our national highway system over half a century ago. In his speech, the President announced funding to make a down-payment on a new nationwide high-speed rail system being built in-part with ARRA dollars.
•Tax breaks to keep jobs at home. “(I)t’s time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.” The President has called for an end for tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas to help fund tax cuts – like making the R & E credit permanent – that reward companies for investing and creating jobs in the United States.
•The President also called on the Senate to pass a jobs bill that he can sign. “The House has passed a jobs bill…. As the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same, and I know they will. People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.” The bold and difficult steps the President took to stabilize the financial system have reduced the cost of TARP by more than $200 billion, providing additional resources for job creation and for deficit reduction. In December, the President outlined a package of targeted measures to help further stimulate private sector hiring, including measures to facilitate small business growth, green jobs and infrastructure. The House has passed strong legislation - it is time for the Senate to do the same.
•We must invest in American ingenuity and innovation. “We need to encourage American innovation.” The Obama Innovation Agenda will get us closer to the President’s long-term goal of increasing combined private and public R&D investment to three percent of GDP. The Obama 2011 budget will move us closer to restoring America to first in the world in college completion; and invest in the next generation of scientists so we will not lag behind countries like China in science and engineering graduates. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
•We need to export more of our goods around the world. “We will double our exports over the next five years, an increase that will support two million jobs in America.” To meet this goal, we’re launching a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports and expand their markets. Details will be announced in the coming weeks, but the NEI includes the creation of the President’s Export Promotion Cabinet and an enhancement of funding for key export promotion programs. We will work to shape a Doha trade agreement that opens markets and will continue to work with key allies like South Korea, Panama, and Colombia on trade agreements that provide real benefits to our workers. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming week.
•The President remains committed to helping Americans stay in their homes and help their homes retain their value. “… we’re working to lift the value of a family’s single largest investment – their home.” Last year, we took steps allowing millions of Americans to take out new loans and save an average of $1,500 per family on mortgage payments. This year, we will step up programs that encourage re-financing so that homeowners can move into more affordable and sustainable mortgages. In addition to the changes proposed last week to ensure sound risk management, the FHA is continuing to evaluate its mortgage insurance underwriting standards and its measures to help distressed and underwater borrowers through other FHA initiatives going forward. In order to ensure American families receive the same consideration American corporations do, the Obama Administration remains supportive of efforts to allow bankruptcy proceedings to renegotiate all debts, including home mortgages.
•As Americans are getting their budgets in order, the President is getting the nation’s financial house in order. “Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don’t.” The President has announced the three year, non-security discretionary spending freeze, and also called for a bipartisan Fiscal Commissionto identify policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming weeks.
•The President’s focus on national security includes rooting out terrorists where they hide. “Since the day I took office, we have renewed our focus on the terrorists who threaten our nation.” In the last year, hundreds of Al Qaeda’s fighters and affiliates have been captured or killed – far more than in 2008.
•The President’s commitment to Non-Proliferation results. “Even as we prosecute two wars, we're also confronting perhaps the greatest danger to the American people - the threat of nuclear weapons.” The United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly twenty years. He will also host a Nuclear Security Summit in April, which will bring forty-four nations together behind a clear goal: to secure all loose nuclear materials around the world in four years, so that they never fall into the hands of terrorists.
•The President is launching a bioterror and pandemic threat initiative. “We are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster and more effectively to bioterrorism or an infectious disease - a plan that will counter threats at home and strengthen public health abroad.” The President called to action key U.S. Government leaders to re-design our medical countermeasure enterprise to protect Americans from bioterror or infectious health threats. We will pursue a business model that leverages market forces and reduces risk to attract pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry collaboration with the U.S. Government.
•The President announced that he will work this year to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” “I will work with Congress and the military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.”
Mona Sutphen is Deputy Chief of Staff
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Invite from Dr. Biden
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The Invite from Dr. Biden
Posted by Julia Frost on January 27, 2010 at 04:53 PM EST
Ed. Note: We asked Julia Frost, a guest of Dr. Biden's for the State of the Union tonight, to talk about her experience leading up to the event - many thanks to her for obliging.
I was shocked last fall when Dr. Jill Biden, the Vice President's wife visited my campus in North Carolina. I was very surprised and excited to have a representative like Dr. Biden for community colleges as an instructor herself, and wondered why I didn't know that already. It was great to get to talk to her last year to tell her about my background - being a former active duty Marine, wife of a current active duty marine, while taking courses at the community college with my GI Bill benefits and enrolled in the Elementary Education program to become a teacher.
Imagine my shock last week when I learned I was going to be invited to attend the State of the Union! I am very much looking forward to actually being in the presence of the First Lady and the Vice President with Dr. Biden, and maybe even the President! I am happy to get to be a representative of the Marine Corps and of military spouses working for their educational opportunities.
Today I have been inundated with calls from the White House along with the Secretary of Education, and the Chief of Education from the Marine Corps. As just another community college student working hard with aspirations of becoming a teacher (of all unappreciated careers), who would have thought I'd be a super star? I am absolutely with out a doubt, thrilled and 110% honored, and truthfully I am also very nervous about it all as well. After relaying the news to my grandmother, she passed down some revered advice as one experienced elder to a young child unknowing of what the world might bring them: "there ain't no higher presence than these people so you best get it right the first time." I cannot wait to see what this experience brings me and how I will come out of all of this.
The Invite from Dr. Biden
Posted by Julia Frost on January 27, 2010 at 04:53 PM EST
Ed. Note: We asked Julia Frost, a guest of Dr. Biden's for the State of the Union tonight, to talk about her experience leading up to the event - many thanks to her for obliging.
I was shocked last fall when Dr. Jill Biden, the Vice President's wife visited my campus in North Carolina. I was very surprised and excited to have a representative like Dr. Biden for community colleges as an instructor herself, and wondered why I didn't know that already. It was great to get to talk to her last year to tell her about my background - being a former active duty Marine, wife of a current active duty marine, while taking courses at the community college with my GI Bill benefits and enrolled in the Elementary Education program to become a teacher.
Imagine my shock last week when I learned I was going to be invited to attend the State of the Union! I am very much looking forward to actually being in the presence of the First Lady and the Vice President with Dr. Biden, and maybe even the President! I am happy to get to be a representative of the Marine Corps and of military spouses working for their educational opportunities.
Today I have been inundated with calls from the White House along with the Secretary of Education, and the Chief of Education from the Marine Corps. As just another community college student working hard with aspirations of becoming a teacher (of all unappreciated careers), who would have thought I'd be a super star? I am absolutely with out a doubt, thrilled and 110% honored, and truthfully I am also very nervous about it all as well. After relaying the news to my grandmother, she passed down some revered advice as one experienced elder to a young child unknowing of what the world might bring them: "there ain't no higher presence than these people so you best get it right the first time." I cannot wait to see what this experience brings me and how I will come out of all of this.
State of the Union: Watch, Discuss, Engage
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State of the Union: Watch, Discuss, Engage
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 27, 2010 at 02:35 PM EST
Tonight at 9:00PM EDT, the President will give his first State of the Union Address. He will talk directly to the American people about restoring security for middle class families after a lost decade of declining wages, eroding retirement security and escalating health care and tuition costs.
Immediately afterwards, we will hold a live video discussion with top policy officials working on the domestic policy, jobs and the economy in particular, and foreign policy.
•Watch it all live at WhiteHouse.gov/live
•Join the discussion during the address, and the chat afterwards through Facebook
Also, as we announced earlier this week, we are partnering with YouTube, who will be soliciting questions for the President in the days following the speech - submit your own or vote on others'. The President will then answer some of those questions in a unique live event next week.
State of the Union: Watch, Discuss, Engage
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 27, 2010 at 02:35 PM EST
Tonight at 9:00PM EDT, the President will give his first State of the Union Address. He will talk directly to the American people about restoring security for middle class families after a lost decade of declining wages, eroding retirement security and escalating health care and tuition costs.
Immediately afterwards, we will hold a live video discussion with top policy officials working on the domestic policy, jobs and the economy in particular, and foreign policy.
•Watch it all live at WhiteHouse.gov/live
•Join the discussion during the address, and the chat afterwards through Facebook
Also, as we announced earlier this week, we are partnering with YouTube, who will be soliciting questions for the President in the days following the speech - submit your own or vote on others'. The President will then answer some of those questions in a unique live event next week.
Nominate a Local Hero for the Presidential Citizens Medal
Greenhouse Neutral Foundation Comment: - If you do not wish to exercise your right to post a comment on a listing by the White House, click the SHARE THIS and post it to your Twitter / FaceBook / MySpace or other media sites – you never know someone in your sphere of influence may just NEED to know about this featured release – Click the SHARE THIS – it’s easy, try it!
Nominate a Local Hero for the Presidential Citizens Medal
Posted by Tina Tchen on January 27, 2010 at 02:02 PM EST
Last week, we were excited to help President Obama launch the Citizens Medal public nominations process. By asking the public to submit nominees, President Obama hopes to recognize exemplary citizens and local heroes who have significantly impacted their communities but who may not have garnered national attention.
We are thrilled to have received over 5,000 nominations so far, with more rolling in every hour. The deadline is 11:59 pm EST on Thursday, January 28, so please don’t delay in getting your nomination in!
The President is focused this year on seeking out ordinary citizens who have gone above and beyond, performing extraordinary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including in particular: those who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home, those who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts, and those whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem.
In past Administrations, some truly amazing individuals have been honored with this award.
For example, in 2008, President George W. Bush presented the Citizens Medal to Dr. Mitch Besser, whose made great advances on behalf of women living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. He developed innovative strategies to reduce mother-to-child transmission of the disease.
In 2001, Sister Carol Coston and Marion Wiesel were among the honorees chosen by President Bill Clinton. Both women were tireless advocates against oppression and intolerance, working towards peace and basic human rights for all. Sister Carol worked to lift up low-income communities here in the United States through economic development, while Marion Wiesel’s work touched people across the globe – from writing a documentary about the children of the Holocaust to helping Ethiopian youth transition to living and thriving in Israel.
We’re heartened by the wonderful stories you’ve all sent in, and look forward to reading more as they come in over the next day! Thank you so much for your participation.
Tina Tchen is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Nominate a Local Hero for the Presidential Citizens Medal
Posted by Tina Tchen on January 27, 2010 at 02:02 PM EST
Last week, we were excited to help President Obama launch the Citizens Medal public nominations process. By asking the public to submit nominees, President Obama hopes to recognize exemplary citizens and local heroes who have significantly impacted their communities but who may not have garnered national attention.
We are thrilled to have received over 5,000 nominations so far, with more rolling in every hour. The deadline is 11:59 pm EST on Thursday, January 28, so please don’t delay in getting your nomination in!
The President is focused this year on seeking out ordinary citizens who have gone above and beyond, performing extraordinary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including in particular: those who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home, those who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts, and those whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem.
In past Administrations, some truly amazing individuals have been honored with this award.
For example, in 2008, President George W. Bush presented the Citizens Medal to Dr. Mitch Besser, whose made great advances on behalf of women living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. He developed innovative strategies to reduce mother-to-child transmission of the disease.
In 2001, Sister Carol Coston and Marion Wiesel were among the honorees chosen by President Bill Clinton. Both women were tireless advocates against oppression and intolerance, working towards peace and basic human rights for all. Sister Carol worked to lift up low-income communities here in the United States through economic development, while Marion Wiesel’s work touched people across the globe – from writing a documentary about the children of the Holocaust to helping Ethiopian youth transition to living and thriving in Israel.
We’re heartened by the wonderful stories you’ve all sent in, and look forward to reading more as they come in over the next day! Thank you so much for your participation.
Tina Tchen is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Transparency: The Tale of the Tape
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Transparency: The Tale of the Tape
Posted by Norm Eisen on January 27, 2010 at 12:05 PM EST
Now that the Administration has served for more than a year, we are starting to see real progress on the openness and transparency front. For the most part, we have gotten high marks in this area, but we take exception to the views expressed in a Washington Post story today.
The Post acknowledges that, in his first full day in office, the President directed federal agencies to become more open, including by applying a presumption of openness to requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act. The Post questions whether these policies are having a real impact.
The numbers demonstrate that they are. Contrary to the Post's assertions, the amount of litigation is already declining. The Department of Justice found that 22 fewer FOIA cases were filed in 2009 than 2008. And agencies are making more voluntary releases of information. The Department of Justice granted 13 percent more FOIA requests in part in 2009 than it did in the last year of the previous Administration, and granted 5 percent more in full than it did in the previous year. Those are meaningful increases that illustrate the impact of the Administration’s FOIA policy.
The government isn’t just being more open when people ask for information. At the White House and across the agencies, we are using innovative platforms to engage citizens in shaping government policy. And in some instances we are taking actions to make government more open and transparent that prevent Americans from needing to file FOIA requests at all. The President issued an executive order to make it easier for the public to access historic records that are currently classified but no longer need to be kept secret to protect national security. Data.gov now hosts over 1,000 sets of government information available for download, and agencies' websites are being constantly updated to include more content. And for the first time in history, the White House is voluntarily publishing visitor records online – enabling the American people to see who is visiting the people's house. Click here for a list of our open government accomplishments so far.
We did this in the first year of the Administration, even though some said it would be impossible to change entrenched governmental practices on an issue like FOIA. We recognize that this is just a start, and that there is much more work to be done. Change takes time and persistence, and we expect government to become even more open in the years to come. But we know we have established a firm foundation and we are moving in the right direction.
Norm Eisen is special counsel to the President for ethics and government reform
Transparency: The Tale of the Tape
Posted by Norm Eisen on January 27, 2010 at 12:05 PM EST
Now that the Administration has served for more than a year, we are starting to see real progress on the openness and transparency front. For the most part, we have gotten high marks in this area, but we take exception to the views expressed in a Washington Post story today.
The Post acknowledges that, in his first full day in office, the President directed federal agencies to become more open, including by applying a presumption of openness to requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act. The Post questions whether these policies are having a real impact.
The numbers demonstrate that they are. Contrary to the Post's assertions, the amount of litigation is already declining. The Department of Justice found that 22 fewer FOIA cases were filed in 2009 than 2008. And agencies are making more voluntary releases of information. The Department of Justice granted 13 percent more FOIA requests in part in 2009 than it did in the last year of the previous Administration, and granted 5 percent more in full than it did in the previous year. Those are meaningful increases that illustrate the impact of the Administration’s FOIA policy.
The government isn’t just being more open when people ask for information. At the White House and across the agencies, we are using innovative platforms to engage citizens in shaping government policy. And in some instances we are taking actions to make government more open and transparent that prevent Americans from needing to file FOIA requests at all. The President issued an executive order to make it easier for the public to access historic records that are currently classified but no longer need to be kept secret to protect national security. Data.gov now hosts over 1,000 sets of government information available for download, and agencies' websites are being constantly updated to include more content. And for the first time in history, the White House is voluntarily publishing visitor records online – enabling the American people to see who is visiting the people's house. Click here for a list of our open government accomplishments so far.
We did this in the first year of the Administration, even though some said it would be impossible to change entrenched governmental practices on an issue like FOIA. We recognize that this is just a start, and that there is much more work to be done. Change takes time and persistence, and we expect government to become even more open in the years to come. But we know we have established a firm foundation and we are moving in the right direction.
Norm Eisen is special counsel to the President for ethics and government reform
More Faces of Recovery
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More Faces of Recovery
Posted by Liz Oxhorn on January 27, 2010 at 09:21 AM EST
Yesterday, we introduced you to some of the many people CNN has met through their Stimulus Project who are finding work, growing their businesses, buying their first homes and receiving needed financial assistance thanks to the Recovery Act. Here are even more Americans who have told CNN the Recovery Act is making a difference for their families and their communities.
Kitty Schaller, the head of MANNA Food Bank in Asheville, North Carolina says the Recovery Act has helped "provide for the most basic needs for people who are truly in need." "The economic stimulus package has helped us to provide for the most basic needs for people who are truly in need.” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Peter Wilf, a researcher at Penn State University, says his Recovery Act research grant is "stimulating the economy." “I want to mention this [funding] was not just for me, this is for 17 investigators and their students. It's not just for Penn State but many institutions. We are stimulating the economy. We have numerous people working under this grant. The money is circulating, a percentage of it, back into the US economy and we also feel that exciting science is good for the US economy. So, yes, I’m proud now that we are in this program. I’m proud of it and I'm happy to wear the badge.” [CNN, 1/26/10
Mayor John Fetterman, of Braddock, PA says the Recovery Act has "helped a great deal" and is "very beneficial." “It has helped a great deal. We have got about $250,000 to upgrade our sewer system to be in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency. And not sexy kind of things, or head-line grabbing but still necessary in a community like Braddock where we are having to raise taxes because of revenue loss. We also got a smaller grant that allowed us to hire 30 young people, very beneficial.” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Steven Kyle, an economics professor at Cornell University, says the Recovery Act is "stimulating the economy." “Sure it's stimulating the economy. That food is produced here in the United States. That stimulates the U.S. economy. Those farmers then end up with more money and they turn around and buy more equipment, hire more laborers, maybe they buy themselves a new caterpillar tractor. Who knows?” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Mayor Kasim Reed of Atlanta says "the stimulus definitely saved jobs"and helped "avert furloughs of teachers, firefighters and state patrolmen." “The stimulus definitely saved jobs. Were it not for the stimulus, thousands of state employees ran the risk of being furloughed or laid off... I was in the state senate at the time and we had a large hole in our budget. Those stimulus dollars did help to avert furloughs of teachers, firefighters and state patrolmen.” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Mayor Phil Gordon, of Phoenix, says that because of the Recovery Act, "thousands of people are going back to work." "The picture in Phoenix, Arizona, is clear: Because of ARRA, key projects are under way, our environment is improving -- and thousands of people are going back to work." [CNN.com, 1/25/10]
James Ceaton, a construction worker from Phoenix, said he "would still be out of a job" if it weren't for the Recovery Act. "Without the stimulus I would still be out of a job." [CNN.com, 1/25/10]
Jeanne Simons, a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher in Phoenix, AZ says without the Recovery Act, she would have lost her teaching position. "Last year, she was told that if ARRA funds were not approved, she would lose her teaching position. If her position had been eliminated, the remaining teachers would have faced class sizes of between 40 and 50 students -- a daunting task for any educator to face.” [CNN.com, 1/25/10]
Liz Oxhorn is Recovery Act Communications Director
More Faces of Recovery
Posted by Liz Oxhorn on January 27, 2010 at 09:21 AM EST
Yesterday, we introduced you to some of the many people CNN has met through their Stimulus Project who are finding work, growing their businesses, buying their first homes and receiving needed financial assistance thanks to the Recovery Act. Here are even more Americans who have told CNN the Recovery Act is making a difference for their families and their communities.
Kitty Schaller, the head of MANNA Food Bank in Asheville, North Carolina says the Recovery Act has helped "provide for the most basic needs for people who are truly in need." "The economic stimulus package has helped us to provide for the most basic needs for people who are truly in need.” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Peter Wilf, a researcher at Penn State University, says his Recovery Act research grant is "stimulating the economy." “I want to mention this [funding] was not just for me, this is for 17 investigators and their students. It's not just for Penn State but many institutions. We are stimulating the economy. We have numerous people working under this grant. The money is circulating, a percentage of it, back into the US economy and we also feel that exciting science is good for the US economy. So, yes, I’m proud now that we are in this program. I’m proud of it and I'm happy to wear the badge.” [CNN, 1/26/10
Mayor John Fetterman, of Braddock, PA says the Recovery Act has "helped a great deal" and is "very beneficial." “It has helped a great deal. We have got about $250,000 to upgrade our sewer system to be in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency. And not sexy kind of things, or head-line grabbing but still necessary in a community like Braddock where we are having to raise taxes because of revenue loss. We also got a smaller grant that allowed us to hire 30 young people, very beneficial.” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Steven Kyle, an economics professor at Cornell University, says the Recovery Act is "stimulating the economy." “Sure it's stimulating the economy. That food is produced here in the United States. That stimulates the U.S. economy. Those farmers then end up with more money and they turn around and buy more equipment, hire more laborers, maybe they buy themselves a new caterpillar tractor. Who knows?” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Mayor Kasim Reed of Atlanta says "the stimulus definitely saved jobs"and helped "avert furloughs of teachers, firefighters and state patrolmen." “The stimulus definitely saved jobs. Were it not for the stimulus, thousands of state employees ran the risk of being furloughed or laid off... I was in the state senate at the time and we had a large hole in our budget. Those stimulus dollars did help to avert furloughs of teachers, firefighters and state patrolmen.” [CNN, 1/26/10]
Mayor Phil Gordon, of Phoenix, says that because of the Recovery Act, "thousands of people are going back to work." "The picture in Phoenix, Arizona, is clear: Because of ARRA, key projects are under way, our environment is improving -- and thousands of people are going back to work." [CNN.com, 1/25/10]
James Ceaton, a construction worker from Phoenix, said he "would still be out of a job" if it weren't for the Recovery Act. "Without the stimulus I would still be out of a job." [CNN.com, 1/25/10]
Jeanne Simons, a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher in Phoenix, AZ says without the Recovery Act, she would have lost her teaching position. "Last year, she was told that if ARRA funds were not approved, she would lose her teaching position. If her position had been eliminated, the remaining teachers would have faced class sizes of between 40 and 50 students -- a daunting task for any educator to face.” [CNN.com, 1/25/10]
Liz Oxhorn is Recovery Act Communications Director
Beyond the Rings and Trophies
Greenhouse Neutral Foundation Comment: - If you do not wish to exercise your right to post a comment on a listing by the White House, click the SHARE THIS and post it to your Twitter / FaceBook / MySpace or other media sites – you never know someone in your sphere of influence may just NEED to know about this featured release – Click the SHARE THIS – it’s easy, try it!
Beyond the Rings and Trophies
Posted by Jordan Farmar on January 26, 2010 at 10:05 PM EST
Monday was not an average day on the road for us. We’re in the middle of a long eight game road trip and flew into Washington, D.C. late Sunday night after tough game in Toronto. Fortunately, Monday had a couple opportunities for us that kept the team’s energy high despite the minimal sleep.
In the morning, we had the chance to team up with President Obama’s United We Serve initiative and City Year Washington, DC to invite about 30 kids from Stanton Elementary School over to our practice. They piled into the gym and got to watch us do one of our team shooting competitions before we brought them onto the court for a mini clinic.
Every summer I host a basketball camp for kids in LA. Working with youth and teaching them what I can is a big part of my life. So it was a lot fun to take these kids through some drills working on ball handling skills, shooting, and other fundamentals of the game. Afterward, we made it a point to talk with them about the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. As professional athletes, it’s our job to take care of our bodies. But it’s just as important for these 10 and 11 year olds to eat right and get some regular exercise if they want to do well in school—and in life. Kids don’t always connect the two, so it was a good chance for us to reinforce this message.
After the clinic, we had to quickly clean up and rush over to the White House where the day got even better. President Obama was going to formally congratulate us on our 2009 NBA championship. It was my first time at the White House and I was amazed to be surrounded by such history. You can see how every president puts their personal touch on the place, like the Obamas’ swing set just outside the Oval Office. And as an animal lover, I just had to go play with the First Family’s dog Bo when I saw him near the Rose Garden.
In all, it was a huge honor to visit the White House and interact with the President. He comes across as a real down-to-earth, regular guy who knows basketball and loves the game like we do.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar signs an autograph for a DC student at a youth clinic the team put on before visiting the White House. January 25, 2010. (by Jason Djang, White House New Media)
.Jordan Farmar is a guard with the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Beyond the Rings and Trophies
Posted by Jordan Farmar on January 26, 2010 at 10:05 PM EST
Monday was not an average day on the road for us. We’re in the middle of a long eight game road trip and flew into Washington, D.C. late Sunday night after tough game in Toronto. Fortunately, Monday had a couple opportunities for us that kept the team’s energy high despite the minimal sleep.
In the morning, we had the chance to team up with President Obama’s United We Serve initiative and City Year Washington, DC to invite about 30 kids from Stanton Elementary School over to our practice. They piled into the gym and got to watch us do one of our team shooting competitions before we brought them onto the court for a mini clinic.
Every summer I host a basketball camp for kids in LA. Working with youth and teaching them what I can is a big part of my life. So it was a lot fun to take these kids through some drills working on ball handling skills, shooting, and other fundamentals of the game. Afterward, we made it a point to talk with them about the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. As professional athletes, it’s our job to take care of our bodies. But it’s just as important for these 10 and 11 year olds to eat right and get some regular exercise if they want to do well in school—and in life. Kids don’t always connect the two, so it was a good chance for us to reinforce this message.
After the clinic, we had to quickly clean up and rush over to the White House where the day got even better. President Obama was going to formally congratulate us on our 2009 NBA championship. It was my first time at the White House and I was amazed to be surrounded by such history. You can see how every president puts their personal touch on the place, like the Obamas’ swing set just outside the Oval Office. And as an animal lover, I just had to go play with the First Family’s dog Bo when I saw him near the Rose Garden.
In all, it was a huge honor to visit the White House and interact with the President. He comes across as a real down-to-earth, regular guy who knows basketball and loves the game like we do.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar signs an autograph for a DC student at a youth clinic the team put on before visiting the White House. January 25, 2010. (by Jason Djang, White House New Media)
.Jordan Farmar is a guard with the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.
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