President Obama is calling on Congress to act before student loan interest rates double for more than 7.4 million students, adding an average of $1000 to their debt.
Having a college education has never been more important, but it’s also never been more expensive. While the Obama administration has taken historic steps to provide Americans with a fair shot at an affordable college education, Republicans in Congress have instead prioritized huge new tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Congress has a chance to take action on what should be an area of bipartisan agreement to prevent this unnecessary and damaging increase in interest rates and give our young people a chance to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow.
At a time when the average student loan debt is $25,000 and tuition prices continue to rise, students are borrowing more than ever to complete their degrees.
On July 1, 2012, the interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans are slated to double from 3.4% to 6.8%. To out-educate our global competitors and make college more affordable, Congress needs to stop the interest rate on these student loans from doubling.
For each year that Congress doesn’t act, students rack up an additional $1,000 in debt over the life of their loans.
Contact your Congress person to PREVENT Student Interest Rates from doubling on July 1, 2012!!
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
Tweet a Message to Your Representatives #DontDoubleMyRate
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
All Times Eastern
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
Dr Jill Biden join Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Adm. James Winnefeld Jr. for a Joining Forces event to highlight the importance of understanding the needs of military-connected children in schools.
Lee Hall Elementary School in Newport News, VA
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
President Obama departs Aurora, Colorado en route Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Local Event Time: 9:00 AM MDT
Open Press
Vice President Biden attends and delivers remarks at a memorial service in honor of Representative Donald Payne
United States Capitol.
12:00 PM
12:35 PM
President Obama arrives Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Local Event Time: 11:35 AM CDT
Open Press
1:00 PM
1:20 PM
President Obama participates in a roundtable with students.
Local Event Time: 12:20PM CDT
Travel Pool Coverage
2:20 PM
President Obama delivers remarks at the University of Iowa about his effort to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Local Event Time: 1:20PM CDT
Open Press
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
President Obama departs Cedar Rapids, Iowa en route Washington, D.C.
Local Event Time: 2:30PM CDT
Open Press
4:00 PM
4:30 PM
In-Town Pool Call Time
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
President Obama arrives at Joint Base Andrews.
Local Event Time: 2:30PM CDT
Open Press
5:45 PM
President Obama arrives at the White House.
Open Press
6:00 PM
President Obama attends a campaign event
Jefferson Hotel, Washinton D.C.
Closed Press
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
April 25, 2012
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
12:45 PM EDT
White House Champions of Change: Greening Our Cities and Towns
The White House
1:20 PM EDT
President Obama Participates in a roundtable with students
University of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2:20 PM EDT
President Obama delivers remarks at the University of Iowa about his effort to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
—-
CNN http://live.cnn.com
8:30 AM EDT
Arizona immigration law opponents briefing
Opponents of Arizona’s controversial immigration law will speak outside the Supreme Court, where the justices are considering the law.
9:30 AM EDT
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee holds a hearing on evaluating access to mental health care for military veterans.
9:30 AM EDT
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about oversight of her department
11:00 AM EDT
Memorial service in honor of Representative Donald Payne
Vice President Biden attends and delivers remarks
United States Capitol
12:30 PM EDT
State Department briefing
The State Department holds its daily briefing with reporters. Topics expected to be discussed include the situations in Pakistan, North Korea and Syria.
2:15 PM EDT
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks to reporters following a two-day meeting on U.S. interest rate policy.
2:20 PM EDT
President Obama delivers remarks at the University of Iowa about his effort to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
8:30 AM EDT
Arizona immigration law opponents briefing
Opponents of Arizona’s controversial immigration law will speak outside the Supreme Court, where the justices are considering the law. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Supreme-Court-Oral-Argument-on-Arizonas-Immigration-Law/10737430174/
9:30 AM EDT
Senate Cmte. Assesses Veterans’ Access to Mental Health Care http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Cmte-Assesses-Veterans39-Access-to-Mental-Health-Care/10737430158/
9:30 AM EDT
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about oversight of her department http://www.c-span.org/Events/Homeland-Security-Secretary-Discusses-Cybersecurity-in-Oversight-Hearing/10737430136/
12:30 PM EDT
State Department briefing
The State Department holds its daily briefing with reporters. Topics expected to be discussed include the situations in Pakistan, North Korea and Syria.
2:15 PM EDT
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks to reporters following a two-day meeting on U.S. interest rate policy. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Fed-Chair-to-Address-Media-Following-Two-Day-Meeting/10737430126/
2:20 PM EDT
President Obama delivers remarks at the University of Iowa about his effort to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA http://www.c-span.org/Events/Pres-Obama-Makes-Last-Speech-in-Series-on-Student-Loans/10737430159/
Call on Congress to STOP Student Interest Rates from Doubling on July 1, 2012
.
By the Numbers: $1,000
Megan Slack April 23, 2012 04:08 PM EDT
If Congress doesn’t act, interest rates will double on July 1 for more than 7.4 million students with subsidized federal Stafford Loans. The average student affected by these changes will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt over the life of their loan.
At a time when young people are taking on more and more debt to finance the college education they need, Congress would rather give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires than prevent loan rates from doubling for students.
Higher education is not a luxury: it is an economic imperative that every hard working and responsible student should be able to afford. As he did in his State of the Union address, President Obama is calling on Congress to put forward legislation to stop interest rates from doubling so that more Americans get a fair shot at an affordable college education, the skills they need to find a good job, and a clear path to the middle class.
Read more about President Obama’s proposals to keep college affordable for students and their families
April 20, 2012
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, 4/20/12
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
12:44 P.M. EDT
MR. CARNEY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It is great to have you here today. As you can tell, I have with me the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. This week, as I know you know, President Obama is launching a concerted effort to get Congress to stop the interest rate on student loans from doubling in July. Secretary Duncan is here to talk about that issue with you, to take questions on that issue from you. He can also take questions on other issues related to education.
You know, it’s worth noting that Secretary Duncan oversees the implementation of the President’s education agenda, his vision for investment in education and education reform. And that latter piece, the education reform, is something that, in a way that is often unnoticed or unmentioned by folks in Washington, has enjoyed broad bipartisan support. This is another issue that should enjoy broad bipartisan support, because you really have to have a brick in your head not to understand that education is the cornerstone of our economic future. Without it we cannot compete and win in the 21st century.
And with that, I give you Secretary Duncan.
SECRETARY DUNCAN: Thank you, Jay. And good afternoon.
Next week, President Obama is traveling to three states to talk about the fact that interest rates for new subsidized student loans are set to increase on July 1 unless Congress acts to change that law. The rates were set by Congress in 2007, and the current interest rate is 3.4 percent, and it will double without Congress’s action to 6.8 percent. Based on the average loan amount, this will add more than $1,000 in costs over the life of that loan.
For students who borrow heavily to go to college, it would obviously cost them even more. And we estimate that this interest rate increase will affect more than 7 million families expected to take out new loans this fall.
At a time when going to college has never been more important, it has also, unfortunately, never been more expensive. Families and students are struggling to meet these costs, and there’s no reason why we should add to their burden. And I have to tell you, as I’ve traveled throughout the country — and I was just in Iowa and Wisconsin over the past two days with Secretary Vilsack — not just in disadvantaged communities, but more and more middle-class families are starting to think college might not be for them, it’s for rich folks. There’s a real problem with that when we know going to college is the path to the middle class.
Next week, President Obama will outline the administration’s proposal to work with Congress to keep interest rates down and spare working Americans this added cost, this added burden. And all of us share responsibility for the cost of college — from federal and state governments to educational institutions, students and their families.
And because this issue is so important to our economy and to our future, our administration is doing more than ever before to address it and we have a number of proposals in our 2013 budget. With the support of Congress, we have doubled — doubled — Pell Grant funding for low-income students, and nearly tripled tax credits for middle-class families. We’ve lowered the cap on student loan payments to 15 percent of income, and we’re going to lower it even further to 10 percent starting in 2014.
The President, Vice President Biden, and myself and so many others have held town halls all across the country to talk about the cost of college. We’ve met with university presidents, governors, state legislators and members of Congress. And next week, the President will meet with students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Iowa in Iowa City. These three universities are among the nation’s educational jewels, and we should do everything possible to ensure that they remain affordable.
And we also know that 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, which was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln and created the first public universities. I think we have an amazing opportunity to honor Lincoln’s vision and secure our economic future by working together to ensure that college remains affordable for all Americans.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/20/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-and-secretary-education-arne-d
April 21, 2012
WEEKLY ADDRESS: Calling on Congress to Prevent Student Interest Rates from Doubling
WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama called on Congress to act before student loan interest rates double for more than 7.4 million students, adding an average of $1000 to their debt. Having a college education has never been more important, but it’s also never been more expensive. While the Obama administration has taken historic steps to provide Americans with a fair shot at an affordable college education, Republicans in Congress have instead prioritized huge new tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Congress has a chance to take action on what should be an area of bipartisan agreement to prevent this unnecessary and damaging increase in interest rates and give our young people a chance to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Hi. This week, I got the chance to sit down with some impressive students at Lorain County Community College in Ohio. One of them was a woman named Andrea Ashley. Two years ago, Andrea lost her job as an HR analyst. Today, she’s getting certified in the fast-growing field of electronic medical records. Before enrolling at Lorain, Andrea told me she was looking everywhere trying to find a new job. But without a degree, she said that nobody would hire her.
Andrea’s story isn’t unique. I’ve met so many Americans who are out there pounding the pavement looking for work only to discover that they need new skills. And I’ve met a lot of employers who are looking for workers, but can’t find ones with the skills they’re looking for.
So we should be doing everything we can to put higher education within reach for every American – because at a time when the unemployment rate for Americans with at least a college degree is about half the national average, it’s never been more important. But here’s the thing: it’s also never been more expensive. Students who take out loans to pay for college graduate owing an average of $25,000. For the first time, Americans owe more debt on their student loans than they do on their credit cards. And for many working families, the idea of owing that much money means that higher education is simply out of reach for their children.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/21/weekly-address-calling-congress-prevent-student-interest-rates-doubling
April 23, 2012
Educating Our Way to an Economy Built to Last: Stopping the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike
Stopping the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a blueprint for an economy built to last—an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.
The President has worked tirelessly to get our economy growing again, but he knows there’s much more we can and must do, and that includes making smart investments in education that lead to better jobs and a stronger middle class. The strength of the American economy is inextricably linked to the strength of America’s education system: particularly at this make-or-break moment for the middle class we must continue to invest in creating an American workforce that has the skills for success in the global economy. At a time when the average earnings of college graduates is twice that of workers with only a high school diploma, higher education is the clearest pathway into the middle class.
However, the cost of college is putting an affordable education out of reach for too many Americans. Access to higher education today has become increasingly expensive for families:
America is home to the best colleges and universities in the world, yet tuition and fees measured in constant dollars have more than doubled over the past two decades.
In 2010, graduates who took out loans left college owing an average of more than $25,000.
Student loan debt has now surpassed credit card debt for the first time ever.
Reductions in state funding and support for institutions are making the college cost problem even more challenging, forcing students to absorb cuts through higher tuition prices and significantly increasing the extent to which students must rely on loans to finance postsecondary education.
In order to ensure more hard working and responsible students have a fair shot at an affordable higher education, President Obama is calling on states, colleges and universities, and Congress to act to curb rising prices and make higher education more affordable for all Americans.
President Obama is Calling on Congress to Stop Interest Rates
From Doubling on Student Loans:
Americans now owe more tuition debt than credit card debt, and student loan borrowing is more common now than it was a decade ago. At a time when the average student loan debt is $25,000 and tuition prices continue to rise, students are borrowing more than ever to complete their degrees.
On July 1, 2012, the interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans are slated to double from 3.4% to 6.8%. To out-educate our global competitors and make college more affordable, Congress needs to stop the interest rate on these student loans from doubling.
If Congress doesn’t act before July 1, 2012, interest rates on loans for over 7.4 million students will double. And for each year that Congress doesn’t act, students rack up an additional $1,000 in debt over the life of their loans.
As he did in his State of the Union address, President Obama is calling on Congress to put forward legislation to stop interest rates from doubling. The President is calling on Congress to reward hard work and responsibility by keeping interest rates on student loans low so more Americans get a fair shot at an affordable college education, the skills they need to find a good job, and a clear path to the middle class.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/23/educating-our-way-economy-built-last-stopping-student-loan-interest-rate
President Obama Asks Students to Tell Congress: #DontDoubleMyRate
Megan Slack April 24, 2012 03:07 PM EDT
President Obama was at the University of North Carolina this afternoon asking students to tell their members of Congress one thing: Don’t double my rates.
Five years ago, Congress cut the rates on federal student loans in half. That was a good thing to do. But on July 1st — that’s a little over two months from now — that rate cut expires. And if Congress does nothing, the interest rates on those loans will double overnight…. And just to give you some sense of perspective — for each year that Congress doesn’t act, the average student with these loans will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt — an extra thousand dollars. That’s basically a tax hike for more than 7 million students across America — more than 160,000 students here in North Carolina alone.
President Obama said that stopping this from happening — and helping more young people afford college — should be a no-brainer because in today’s economy, a college degree is an economic imperative:
In today’s economy, there is no greater predictor of individual success than a good education. Right now, the unemployment rate for Americans with a college degree or more is about half the national average. Their incomes are twice as high as those who don’t have a high school diploma.
And a college education –whether from a two-year or four-year school – shouldn’t be something that only some families can afford. A good education should be within reach for all students willing to work for it. But tuition and fees at America’s colleges have more than doubled since today’s college students were born, and students are taking on more debt to pay for it.
President Obama has worked to help more young people and their families afford a higher education. His Administration is offering incentives for states, colleges, and universities to keep costs down. And now he’s calling on Congress to do their part, and he’s asking students to help make sure they do.
But I’m asking everyone else who’s watching or following online — call your member of Congress. Email them. Write on their Facebook page. Tweet them — we’ve got a hashtag. Here’s the hashtag for you to tweet them: #dontdoublemyrate. All right? I’m going to repeat that — the hashtag is #dontdoublemyrate.
… Your voice matters. Stand up. Be heard. Be counted. Tell them now is not the time to double the interest rate on your student loans. Now is the time to double down on smart investments that build a strong and secure middle class. Now is the time to double down on an America that’s built to last.
By the Numbers: 7.4 Million
Megan Slack April 25, 2012 03:00 PM EDT
Approximately 7.4 million students will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt if Congress doesn’t stop the interest rate on federal student loans from doubling on July 1.
President Obama is on road this week in North Carolina, Colorado, and Iowa talking to college students about the steps his Administration is taking to keep college affordable, because he knows that college isn’t just the best investment young people can make in their future—it’s the best investment they can make in their country’s future.
More than that, a college degree is essentially a prerequisite in today’s economy. Right now, the unemployment rate for Americans with a college degree or more is about half the national average. Their incomes are twice as high as those who don’t have a high school diploma.
But the cost of college is on the rise, and students are taking on more and more debt to pay for the education they need. President Obama has worked to help make sure that every student who is willing to work hard can earn a college degree. Now he’s calling on Congress to do their part by passing legislation that will prevent interest rates on federal Stafford loans from doubling in July.
Raise your voice and reach out to your networks if you agree that student loan rates should not double on July 1.
Twitter: Use the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate
Facebook: Update your status and profile image
Google+: Use the hashtag >#DontDoubleMyRate
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/25/numbers-74-million
White House threatens to veto House GOP student loan bill, (that is) citing cut to health care program
4/27/12 By Alan Fram, Associated Press | Associated Press – 40 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House threatened a veto Friday of a Republican bill keeping the interest rates on federal student loans from doubling this summer, objecting that the measure would finance its $5.9 billion cost by abolishing a health care program.
The veto warning came as GOP leaders hunted for votes for the measure, which they were trying to push through the House. They were running into opposition from outside conservative groups like the Club for Growth, which was pressuring Republicans to oppose the legislation because, they said, the government should not subsidize student loans.
The election-year clash between the White House and Republicans over the bill has escalated from a dispute over helping millions of students into a broader proxy battle over how to best help families cope with the weak job market and ailing economy, and how each side treats women’s issues.
The GOP bill would repeal a preventive care program created under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law of 2010. Picking up on a theme that House Democrats have been sounding this week, the White House said that “women in particular” benefit from the program — a message that reflects the Democratic effort to woo women voters by accusing Republicans of waging a war on them.
“This is a politically motivated proposal and not the serious response that the problem facing America’s college students deserves,” said the White House message. It said Obama’s advisers would urge him to veto the bill.
For the entire article: http://goo.gl/ZJ5wy
Higher Education
Published on May 18, 2012 by BarackObamadotcom
Get the facts: http://www.barackobama.com/forward
His mother got him up before dawn to do school work she knew what it meant for his future. With hard work and student aid his life was transformed. Today higher education means even more for the middle class. Giving young people the chance to compete, like he did. So he doubled funding for college grants, capped federal student loan payments, passed the largest college tax credit ever. For their future and ours.
Get the facts: http://www.barackobama.com/forward
Congress passes highway funds, extends lower student loan rate
6/29/12 02:12 PM ET By Pete Kasperowicz and Daniel Strauss – TheHill
Congress on Friday approved legislation that will extend federal highway programs through 2014, a low interest rate on student loans for one year, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five years.
Leaders in the House and Senate negotiated the giant package, leaving no doubt that it would have enough support to pass. The bill will likely be the last major piece of legislation approved by Congress until after the November elections.
The House voted 373-52 in favor of the bill, which was supported by every voting Democrat, while 52 Republicans opposed it. In the Senate, the tally was 74-19, with 23 Republicans joining every Democrat in voting for the measure. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) voted present, while Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) missed the vote.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Obama looks forward to signing the bill.
Congress faced a weekend deadline for extending the highway and student loan provisions. The rates for federally backed student loans were set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, and transportation funding was due to expire.
The transportation bill was the most contested part of the package. Prominent conservative groups urged Republicans to vote against it, while the U.S. Chamber of Congress pushed for passage.
For more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/235621-house-passes-highway-student-loan-flood-insurance-bill
Obama will push student loan change in University of Iowa visit Wednesday
Visit will be second to Corridor this year
April 20, 2012 James Lynch -thegazette
President Obama will visit the University of Iowa in Iowa City Wednesday as part of his effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.
According to the White House, more than 7.4 million students with federal student loans will see their interest rates double July 1 unless Congress steps in to keep them low. For each year Congress allows the rate to double, the average student with these loans racks up an additional $1,000 in debt.
“At a time when Americans owe more on student loans than credit cards, President Obama believes we must reward hard work and responsibility by keeping interest rates on student loans low so more Americans get a fair shot at an affordable college education, the skills they need to find a good job, and a clear path to middle class,: according to a statement from his press secretary.
The White House will also kick off a social media effort using Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, centered around the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate.
For the entire article: http://thegazette.com/2012/04/20/obama-will-push-student-loan-change-in-university-of-iowa-visit-wednesday/
April 25, 2012
President Obama to Participate in Roundtable with Iowa Students
This afternoon, the President will visit the University of Iowa in Iowa City to deliver remarks as part of a concerted effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July. Prior to delivering remarks in the Field House, the President will participate in a roundtable with five students currently receiving Stafford federal student loans. The roundtable is pooled press and the following students will be participating in the discussion:
Myranda Burnett, Junior
Myranda Burnett is a junior at the University of Iowa majoring in Therapeutic Recreation. Burnett is from Burlington, Iowa and is the oldest of four children. She will be the first in her family to receive a degree from a college or university. Burnett is using Stafford federal student loans to help pay for her schooling and will be negatively impacted if her interest rates double next year. Besides being a student, Burnett is the executive secretary for the National Residence Hall Honorary organization and works as a desk clerk at Rienow Residence Hall. She is also recently engaged and is planning to get married in 2014 after she and her fiancé finish school.
Blake Anderson, Junior
Blake Anderson is a junior at the University of Iowa majoring in Finance. Anderson is from Eldridge, Iowa, a town about an hour away from Iowa City. Anderson is the youngest of three children and all of his family members have attended a four year university. Anderson is using Stafford federal student loans to help pay for his schooling in addition to holding a part time job on campus. He is planning to graduate a semester early in order to keep his student loans as low as possible.
Jordan Garrison-Nickerson, Sophomore
Jordan Garrison-Nickerson is a sophomore at the University of Iowa with a double major in accounting and communications and a minor in environmental science. Nickerson is from West Des Moines and was raised by a single mother, who is currently unemployed. Nickerson would have been unable to attend college without Stafford federal student loans.
Marissa Boles, Senior
Marissa Boles is a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in Psychology. Boles is from Melcher-Dallas, a rural community in southern Iowa. While going to college was a challenge financially, she knew she needed an education. Boles took out Stafford federal loans to help pay for her education and has worked part time for three of her four years at school. After graduation, Boles hope to continue her work as a para-educator in the child psychology unit of the local hospital and eventually go to graduate school.
Martin Lopez, Sophomore
Martin Lopez is a sophomore at the University of Iowa, majoring in Social Work. Lopez was born in Chicago and raised in Nichols, Iowa, a town near West Liberty. Lopez is very active on campus, serving as president of his fraternity, a Peer Leader for the Iowa Edge program and a Resident Mentor for Upward Bound. Lopez took out Stafford federal student loans to help pay for his education. He is the oldest of four siblings and his attendance at the University of Iowa would not be possible without financial aid.
Jill Biden to visit Newport News on Wednesday
April 21, 2012 By Bill Bartel – The Virginian-Pilot
Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will visit a Newport News elementary school on Wednesday to “highlight the needs of military-connected students,” the White House announced today.
Biden is expected to visit Lee Hall Elementary School with Adm. James Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and showcase a collaborative program with Old Dominion University that provides special assistance to children from military families in the city’s schools,
The university’s TEAMS inititiative – Teaching, Education and Awareness for Military-connected Students – is underwritten with a $2.4 million federal grant awarded to Newport News’ school system last year.
“The three-year grant is designed to increase student achievement and ease the challenges that children of service members face due to transitions and deployments,” according to a White House news release.
Clinton Denounces Harassment of Syrian Civilians for Meeting UN Monitors
April 24, 2012 VOAnews
A spokesman for the United Nations special envoy to Syria says Syrian soldiers are harassing civilians who speak with U.N. monitors. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday denounced the intimidation, saying that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will face additional international action, if he does not comply with a two-week-old cease-fire.
The spokesman for U.N. and Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan says Syrian security forces are targeting civilians who meet with U.N. monitors.
Spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told U.N. television that monitors in Syria need a “stronger presence.”
“They are entering areas where there has been conflict, like Homs and Hama,” said Fawzi. “And when they go, the guns are silent. We have credible reports that when they leave, the exchanges start again, that these people who approach the observers may be approached by security forces or [the] Syrian army and harassed or arrested or even worse – perhaps killed. And this is totally unacceptable.”
Secretary Clinton denounced the Syrian government’s alleged reprisals.
“It is absolutely deplorable, if there is this kind of intimidation, harassment and possible violence against those Syrians who have every right to meet with and discuss the situation with the monitors,” said Secretary Clinton. “That’s what the monitors are there for.”
An initial deployment of six monitors has been strengthened to 11, with the United Nations saying that a larger team of 300 is expected in the near future. But the cease-fire continues to unravel.
For the entire article: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Clinton-Denounces-Harassment-of-Syrian-Civilians-for-Meeting-UN-Monitors-148771045.html
Connecting Grads to Resources to Help You Start a Business
Karen Mills April 20, 2012 11:52 AM EDT
Graduation season is right around the corner and to help grads who are looking to start a small business, SBA and the U.S. Department of Education will host a Twitter Q & A Session on April 25 at 2 pm EDT to connect soon-to-be grads or recent grads with resources that will help them startup, succeed and create an economy built to last.
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and I will answer your questions about starting a business and highlight the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan, which supports young college grads who are looking to start a business, join a startup, or work in a public service job by making Federal student loan repayment manageable. IBR helps to keep loan payments affordable by using a sliding scale to determine how much you can afford to pay on your Federal loans—empowering you to take risks with new opportunities like starting a small business.
Submit your questions now and follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #GradStartup.
What: Twitter Q &A Session: Connecting Grads to Resources to help them Startup with SBA Administrator Karen Mills and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan
When: Wednesday, April 25 from 2:00pm–3:00pm EDT
Where: Follow the Q & A on Twitter and submit your questions now, hashtag #GradStartup
Natlional Science Bowl
April 26 – 30, 2012
Washington D.C.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students’ knowledge in all areas of science. High school and middle school students are quizzed in a fast paced question-and-answer format similar to Jeopardy. Competing teams from diverse backgrounds are comprised of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach.
A featured event at the National Finals for middle school students, the Model Car Challenge invites students to design, build, and race model cars. This competition tests the creative engineering skills of many of the brightest math and science students in the nation as they gain hands-on experience in the automotive design process and with electric battery technology.
For the entire article: http://science.energy.gov/nsb/#
US Clothing Designers Seek to Satisfy Demand for American Made
April 24, 2012 Elizabeth Lee -VOAnews
Fashion experts in the United States say a growing number of American consumers want domestically made clothing. Some designers are trying to meet the demand by bringing much of their manufacturing back to the United States. In Los Angeles, clothing manufacturing is one of the largest industries in the region.
For decades, U.S. companies, including many in the textile industry, moved production of their products overseas, where labor and other manufacturing costs were lower. It became commonplace to see labels indicating a finished product was made outside the United States. But that trend appears to be changing.
In southern California, more than 150,000 people work in one of the largest clothing manufacturing hubs in the United States. Ilse Metchek is president of the California Fashion Association. She says Americans are demanding more U.S.-made apparel, in part because of the perception that some foreign nations engage in poor labor or trade practices.
“All that stuff going on about China not adhering to the labor laws, China manipulating its currency. People are very, very conscious; they may not know the details, they hear the noise,” she said.
Another factor driving demand is the U.S. recession and the high rate of unemployment. Kathleen Hudak, a local shopper, says she hopes buying domestically made products will help put Americans back to work. “Especially with the state of our economy and the state of unemployment. I would like to see my money going towards helping workers in our country,” she said.
A report by the California Fashion Association says Chinese wages are rising due to a shrinking workforce caused by China’s “One Child” policy. Apparel workers are also going into other Chinese industries that offer better wages, hours and working conditions.
Lonnie Kane, president of the Karen Kane brand, agrees that economic factors in China are having an effect. “China as its living standards are moving up, its wages are moving up,” he said.
That, plus increased shipping costs and problems with quality, prompted Kane to make more of his garments in the United States.
Many designers and retailers agree that making products domestically makes doing business easier. Frank Doroff is vice chairman of Bloomingdale’s, an upscale retail chain. “I look for products that are made in the U.S.A. because of the relationship I can develop with the manufacturer and again the speed I can get it into the stores and then the reassurance that he’s right here, the quality will be there,” he said.
For the entire article: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/US-Clothing-Designers-Seek-to-Satisfy-Demand-for-American-Made-148728605.html
Very timely post, CR, nice work!
You’ve been doing nice posts from Twitter Kat
Salazar: GOP living in energy ‘fairy tale’
4/24/12 By Andrew Restuccia – TheHill
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar blasted House Republicans on Tuesday for pursuing “fairy tale” energy policies he said are aimed at scoring political points going into the election.
Salazar, in one of his most fiery speeches in months, accused Republicans of creating a false divide over energy policy that doesn’t reflect public sentiment and stretches the facts to suit their political agenda.
Good Wednesday morning everyone! I HOPE that you have a good day!
Now Streaming…
9:30 AM EDT
“Joining Forces” Commemoration
Dr. Biden participates in a Joining Forces anniversary event at Lee Hall Elementary School in Newport News, Va. to highlight the importance of understanding the needs of military-connected children in schools
Lee Hall Elementary School, Newport News, VA
WhiteHouse http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/24/watch-dr-biden-joining-forces-commemoration-event-live
Video to follow
Hurt by Arizona immigration law, Hispanics organize
4/25/12 By Tim Gaynor | Reuters – 6 hrs ago
PHOENIX (Reuters) – Arizona landscaper Jose Acosta says he has been pulled over by police in the Mexico border state three or four times for tailgating or driving with a chipped windshield. But really, he believes, it is because of the color of his skin.
“They see me brown. They’ll pull me over and ask me for documents. They’ll make up a lie about why,” said Acosta, 40, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Mexican origin.
He is now among a classroom full of Hispanic U.S. citizens, legal residents and illegal immigrants taking part in a six-week “defense” workshop in central Phoenix to study up on his legal rights.
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares on Wednesday to hear Arizona defend its crackdown on illegal immigrants, Hispanics in the state are responding to the 2-year-old measure with a surge of activism ranging from civil rights classes to a revved up effort to get out the vote this election year.
The law, signed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer in 2010, requires police to check the immigration status of people they stop and suspect of being in the country illegally. The measure is among several blocked by a federal judge.
Brewer and backers of the law, known as SB 1070, said it was needed as Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration had failed to secure the porous Mexico border. But Obama and other critics filed suit, arguing it pre-empted Washington’s authority on immigration and made Hispanics the target of racial profiling.
For the entire article: http://news.yahoo.com/hurt-arizona-immigration-law-hispanics-organize-070343097.html
Strong US earnings boost markets
4/25/12 By PAN PYLAS | Associated Press – 3 hrs ago
LONDON (AP) — Global stocks rose Wednesday after earnings from Apple Inc. and other U.S. companies easily beat expectations, providing a distraction from the economic and political turbulence in Europe over its debt crisis.
Apple again proved skeptics wrong by reporting blowout iPhone sales. The world’s most valuable company sold 35 million iPhones in January through March, nearly twice as many as in the same period a year earlier. By beating expectations on iPhone sales, Apple comfortably beat analysts’ earnings and revenue forecasts.
“Whilst Apple might not be a bellwether for economic activity generally it is probably fair to say that it is an important confidence indicator for the market as a whole, so these figures will help sentiment today,” said Gary Jenkins, managing director at Swordfish Research.
In Europe, Germany’s DAX was up 1.3 percent at 6,676 while the CAC-40 in France rose 1.7 percent to 3,222. The euro was also buoyed, trading 0.1 percent higher at $1.3215.
European earnings statements were less upbeat — though Electrolux and LM Ericsson posted strong gains, Peugeot Citroen reported a sharp drop in sales in Europe and Credit Suisse profits fell.
The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares underperformed after figures showed the U.K. economy unexpectedly shrank 0.2 percent in the first quarter of the year, putting it back in recession — it was up only 0.3 percent at 5,725.
Wall Street was poised for gains on the open, with Dow futures up 0.5 percent at 13,027 and the broader S&P 500 futures up 0.7 percent at 1,380.
For the entire article: http://news.yahoo.com/strong-us-earnings-boost-markets-095809048–finance.html
Good morning CR and PPO Family. HOPE you all have a great Wednesday.
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, First Fami;y and the Nation. May the President be kept safe from harm as he travels to Iowa today.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Good Wednesday morning and thank you Jackie!
Ready for the Fight: Rolling Stone Interview with Barack Obama
The president discusses his job, the opposition and the coming campaign
4/25/12 JANN S. WENNER – rollingstone
We arrived at the White House on Easter Monday, the South Lawn overrun by children and their parents enjoying the annual Easter Egg Roll. This was the fourth time in the past four years that we had sat down for an extensive interview with Barack Obama, but the tenor and timing were markedly different than the previous conversations. This time he was focused on the campaign, his thinking dominated by the upcoming battle for a second term.
The president was more somber than in our past interviews – and less inclined to depart from the handful of themes he had been concentrating on in recent weeks. He avoided discussing Mitt Romney, even when asked a direct question, and focused primarily on the very real constraints he operates under as president, from the intransigence of Congress to the dilemma of America’s anti-drug laws. He also seemed intent on summing up the arguments he’ll soon be taking out on the campaign trail, making clear that he plans to run on his remarkable record of accomplishments: extending health insurance to 32 million Americans, staving off a major economic collapse, rescuing the auto industry, reforming student loans, ending discrimination against gay soldiers, pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, killing Osama bin Laden, and passing one of the largest middle-class tax cuts in history.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ready-for-the-fight-rolling-stone-interview-with-barack-obama-20120425
April 25, 2012
Presidential Memorandum — Waiver of Restriction on Providing Funds to the Palestinian Authority
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SUBJECT: Waiver of Restriction on Providing Funds to the Palestinian Authority
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7040(b) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division I, Public Law 112-74) (the “Act”), I hereby certify that it is important to the national security interests of the United States to waive the provisions of section 7040(a) of the Act, in order to provide funds appropriated to carry out Chapter 4 of Part II of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended, to the Palestinian Authority.
You are directed to transmit this determination to the Congress, with a report pursuant to section 7040(d) of the Act, and to publish this determination in the Federal Register.
BARACK OBAMA
Gov’t says transgender people protected under law
Gov’t says transgender people protected under federal job discrimination laws
4/24/12 By Sam Hananel, Associated Press | Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a first-of-its-kind ruling, the agency that enforces the nation’s job discrimination laws has ruled that transgender people are protected from bias in the workplace.
The decision late last week from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said that a refusal to hire or otherwise discriminate on the basis of gender identity is by definition sex discrimination under federal law.
While some federal courts have reached the same conclusion in recent years, employment law experts say the EEOC decision is groundbreaking because it sets a national standard of enforcement that offers employers clear guidance on the issue.
“This decision is important because the EEOC is the agency with lead authority to interpret and enforce the nation’s employment rights laws,” said Jennifer Pizer, legal director of the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy.
The case involved a California woman who claimed she was denied a contractor job with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after the contractor learned she had undergone a procedure to change her gender from a man to a woman.
Mia Macy, an Army veteran and former police detective, initially applied for the position as a man and was told that she was qualified for the job as a ballistics technician. Then she informed the contractor that she was changing her gender. After that, she was told funding for the job was cut. She later learned someone else was hired for the position.
Macy filed a complaint with the ATF, which told her that federal job discrimination laws did not apply to transgender people. The Transgender Law Center, a legal rights advocacy group in San Francisco, took up her case.
The ruling does not yet determine that she was discriminated against, but that she can bring a charge of discrimination under the law.
EEOC spokeswoman Justine Lisser said the unanimous ruling from the five-member agency does not create a new cause of action. It clarifies that charges of gender stereotyping are considered claims of sex discrimination under existing law.
For the entire article: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/govt-says-transgender-people-protected-232046050.html;_ylt=A2KJjbxIE5hPREMAnknQtDMD
By the Numbers: 1 in 3
Megan Slack April 18, 2012 04:39 PM EDT
While 1 in 3 women in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some time in their lives, domestic violence doesn’t stay within the four walls of someone’s home. It often spills over in to the workplace and can affect the safety and productivity of employees. Victims are often harassed at work or distracted from their jobs because of the abuse.
Today, President Obama directed federal agencies to develop policies for addressing domestic violence in the federal workforce. These new policies will build on ongoing efforts of federal agencies to improve workplace safety, and outline steps employers can take to provide support and assistance to employees whose lives are affected by domestic violence.
And Vice President Joe Biden held an event today highlighting the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, a law he championed as a Senator that expired last year. The law combines tough new provisions to hold offenders accountable with programs to provide services for the victims of such violence.
President Obama and Vice President Biden have been focused on these issues since day one. They appointed the first-ever White House advisor on violence against women, pushed for colleges and universities to act to prevent sexual assault on campus, and modernized the definition of rape so that this appalling crime is more accurately reflected in our national crime statistics. And Vice President Biden’s 1is2many initiative has reached out to young adults to prevent dating violence and sexual assault.
Strengthening the Violence Against Women Act
Lynn Rosenthal and Kimberly Teehee April 25, 2012 08:53 AM EDT
This week, the Senate will consider bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). First authored by then-Senator Biden in 1994, VAWA provides funding to states and local communities to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. VAWA supports specialized law enforcement units to investigate these crimes and helps prosecutors get dangerous offenders off the streets. Since the passage of the act, annual incidents of domestic violence have dropped by more than 60 percent.
While tremendous progress has been made, violence is still a significant problem facing women, men, families, and communities. On average, 3 women a day die as a result of domestic violence. The hidden crime of stalking affects 1 in 6 women and sexual assault remains the most underreported violent crime in the country. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been sexually assaulted at some time in their lives. The Leahy-Crapo bill to reauthorize VAWA addresses today’s most pressing issues and builds on what we have learned over the past 17 years. We must continue moving forward to reduce violence against all women.
Native American women suffer from violent crime at some of the highest rates in the United States. One regional survey conducted by University of Oklahoma researchers showed that nearly three out of five Native American women had been assaulted by their spouses or intimate partners. In addition, a recent Center for Disease Control (CDC) study found that 46 percent of Native American women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Tribal leaders say there are countless more victims of domestic violence and sexual assault whose stories may never be told.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/25/strengthening-violence-against-women-act
Violence Against Women Act
4/26/12 Dan Avery – queerty
The U.S. Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act today, including provisions for LGBT survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Says Sharon Stapel of the New York City Anti-Violence Project:
For the first time ever, VAWA now explicitly recognizes LGBTQ survivors as “under-served populations,” prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in service provision and recognizes that all states can use VAWA funding to support LGBTQ-specific programs and services.
The bill now will head to the Republican-led House of Representatives.
Studies indicate that while LGBT people are victims of intimate-partner violence at the same rate as the general population, they’re less likely to seek out or receive support services. Since its passage in 1995, VAWA has provided billions of dollars to agencies helping victims of stalking, domestic violence and sexual assault.
Source: http://www.queerty.com/senate-passes-violence-against-women-act-with-lgbt-provisions-included-20120426/
Next Up..
12:45 PM EDT
White House Champions of Change: Greening Our Cities and Towns
The White House
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
Champions of Change: Greening Our Cities and Towns Part 1
Published on Apr 25, 2012 by whitehouse
The White House honors nine individuals as Champions of Change who are using innovative approaches to promote energy efficiency, revitalize outdoor spaces and waterways, and adopt transportation solutions that conserve natural resources, improve walkability and improve other quality of life aspect of our towns and cities.
Champions of Change: Greening Our Cities and Towns Part 2
Published on Apr 25, 2012 by whitehouse
The White House honors nine individuals as Champions of Change who are using innovative approaches to promote energy efficiency, revitalize outdoor spaces and waterways, and adopt transportation solutions that conserve natural resources, improve walkability and improve other quality of life aspect of our towns and cities.
Next Up..
1:20 PM EDT
President Obama Participates in a roundtable with students
University of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
April 25, 2012
Remarks by the President to Students
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
1:19 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! (Applause.) It is great to be back in Iowa City. (Applause.) I’m not going to give a long speech here. I just want to say thank you to all the people who are taking an interest in this important issue. I know we’ve got a lot of students here. Everybody cares about making sure you guys can pay for college in an affordable way, so that’s what I’m going to be talking about.
But I just want to tell all of you I couldn’t appreciate you more, taking the time to come out, and I hope that — how many seniors do we have here? (Applause.) All right. Seniors, you’ve got just a few more weeks to go, so make sure to finish strong; don’t goof off too much. (Laughter.)
And I just want you to know that Iowa always feels like home to me, because I spend so much time here. (Applause.) So, all right, thank you, everybody. I’m going to shake some hands. Thanks, everybody. (Applause.)
END
1:20 P.M. CDT
Next Up…
2:20 PM EDT
President Obama delivers remarks at the University of Iowa about his effort to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/Pres-Obama-Makes-Last-Speech-in-Series-on-Student-Loans/10737430159/
April 25, 2012
Remarks by the President on College Affordability
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
1:28 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Hawkeyes! (Applause.) It is good to be back in Iowa! (Applause.) Can folks please give it up for Blake for that outstanding introduction? (Applause.) And I want to thank the University of Iowa Pep Band for firing everybody up. (Applause.)
There is some good hospitality here, and I should know. I spent a little time here in Iowa, spent a little time here in Iowa City. I’m glad that my hometown of Chicago will get to return the hospitality when your football team kicks off its season at Soldier Field. (Applause.)
I want to thank a couple guests — first of all, your Congressman, Dave Loebsack, is here. (Applause.) Attorney General Tom Miller. (Applause.) State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald. (Applause.) Your Mayor, Matt Hayek. (Applause.) The President of the University of Iowa, Sally Mason. (Applause.)
So I have come to the University of Iowa to talk a little bit about you and some of the issues you guys are dealing with every single day. Now, I believe that college isn’t just the best investment that you can make in your future — it’s the best investment you can make in your country’s future. And I’m proud of all of you for making that investment — because it’s never been more important. (Applause.)
In today’s economy, there’s no greater predictor of individual success than a good education. That’s at the top. Right now, the unemployment rate for Americans with a college degree or more is about half the national average. Their incomes are twice as high as those who don’t have a high school diploma. A higher education is the single clearest path to the middle class.
I know that those of you who are about to graduate are wondering what’s in store for your future — because not even four years ago, just as the global economy was about to enter into freefall, you were still trying to find your way around campus, and now, four years later, you’re looking at what it means when you leave this campus.
The good news is, today our economy is recovering. That’s the good news. (Applause.) But I’ll be honest with you. It has not yet fully healed from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Our businesses have added more than 4 million jobs over the past two years. (Applause.) But there’s still a lot of Americans who are out there looking for a job or at least finding a job that pays the bills and helps cover the mortgage. There’s still too many families who don’t have that security, that basic middle-class security that started slipping away even before this crisis hit.
But what I want all of you to know is that the degree you earn from Iowa will be the best tool you have to achieve that basic American promise — the idea that if you work hard, if you give it your all, if you’re responsible, then you can do well enough to raise a family and own a home, send your own kids to college, put a little away for retirement. It’s the idea that each generation is going to have a little more opportunity than the last. (Applause.) That’s at the heart of the American Dream.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/25/remarks-president-college-affordability
Good and HOPEful Wednesday, CR and all friends!
>^..^<
Was up late last night watching PBO rock the Jimmy Fallon show!
Slow jamming the news about student loans!
Slow Jam The News with Barack Obama: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Published on Apr 24, 2012 by latenight
When Jimmy talks to the UNC audience about student loans, he decides a slow jam with President Obama and The Roots is appropriate.
Good and HOPEful Wednesday Kat!
Fed: Economy growing moderately; no policy changes
4/25/12 By MARTIN CRUTSINGER | Associated Press – 23 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve says the economy is growing moderately while cautioning that risks from Europe remain. It’s holding off on taking any further steps to boost the recovery.
In a statement after a two-day meeting, the Fed said Wednesday that economic growth should “pick up gradually” — a somewhat brighter view than it offered last time. It said the job market has strengthened slightly but that unemployment remains elevated. And it pointed to a pickup in inflation but said it should be only temporary.
The Fed stuck with its plan to keep a key short-term interest rate near zero through at least late 2014. It announced no new plans for further bond buying after a current program ends in June.
For the entire article: http://news.yahoo.com/fed-economy-growing-moderately-no-policy-changes-163435863–finance.html
Religious right lobbies against (VAWA) Violence Against Women Act
Apr 25, 2012 2:45 PM EDT By Steve Benen – maddowblog
As the Violence Against Women Act gets ready to move in the Senate, no one seems to be lobbying against it as aggressively as the religious right.
While the Southern Baptist Convention’s political arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, is mired in scandal resulting from ERLC head Richard Land’s repeated plagiarism and inflammatory remarks on race, it has found time to criticize the Violence Against Women Act. Doug Carlson, manager for administration and policy communications for the ERLC, voiced the group’s opposition to the highly successful law because of new provisions that ensure that LGBT victims of domestic violence do not encounter discrimination while seeking help.
Carlson quoted a letter Richard Land signed along with Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, Jim Garlow of Renewing American Leadership Action, Tom McClusky of Family Research Council Action, C. Preston Noell of Tradition, Family, Property Inc., Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum and Penny Nance and Janice Shaw Crouse of Concerned Women for America.
Notably, the letter was also signed by conservative activist Timothy Johnson, who was convicted of a felony domestic violence charge and was arrested a second time for putting his wife in a wrist lock and choking his son, as reported by Sarah Posner.
The lobbying efforts don’t appear to be having much of an impact. The Hill reports today that Senate Republicans “will let legislation on domestic violence pass the upper chamber despite having concerns about its constitutionality.”
The focus will shift quickly to the House. A Senate Democratic leadership aide added, “We will be happy to point out as long as it takes the inability of the House to act on the Violence Against Women Act. We won’t let a day go by where we don’t put pressure on the House to move forward. Republicans would be wise to let this go through the Senate and not count on House GOP counterparts to hold it up and strip out provisions.”
Source: http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/25/11393803-religious-right-lobbies-against-vawa?lite
Republican Budget Threatens Health Coverage and Insurance Protections
Jeanne Lambrew April 25, 2012 12:05 PM EDT
This week, Republicans in Congress are considering budget bills that give more power to health insurance companies, raise taxes for middle-class Americans, and threaten health care coverage for children – all by rolling back rolling back important provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
Under the new health care law, states have new tools and resources to hold insurance companies accountable. Today, states are using these resources to ensure insurers are spending your premium dollars wisely, reviewing proposed rate increases to see if they are reasonable. In 2014, states will use these resources to continue to ensure that insurance companies play by the rules in new Affordable Insurance Exchanges, where insurers will compete to offer you quality coverage at a fair price. Already, 33 states and the District of Columbia have received Exchange establishment grants, including 15 states with Republican or independent Governors. In contrast, Republican Representatives in Congress want to cut this funding for states, stopping them in their tracks and taking us back to the days where insurance companies, not American families, were in charge of health care.
Under the new health care law, middle-class families will receive the largest health care tax cut in history through new tax credits to help you afford health insurance offered through Exchanges. In contrast, House Republicans support a proposal that would raise taxes for certain middle-class families whose income changes during the year, for example, by putting in overtime or earning a promotion. By making it harder for families to juggle health care costs, this proposal could cause 350,000 people to lose their health coverage altogether according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/25/republican-budget-threatens-health-coverage-and-insurance-protections
6:00 PM EDT
President Obama attends a campaign event
Jefferson Hotel, Washinton D.C.
Remarks to follow….
Thursday, April 26, 2012
All Times Eastern
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
10:30 AM
President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing.
Oval Office
Closed Press
Vice President Biden delivers remarks
New York University, New York, NY
11:00 AM
First Lady Michelle Obama will meet with children of Executive Office employees at the White House’s annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
Vice President Biden meets with Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Dr. Hussain Al-Shahristani of Iraq at the White House.
4:00 PM
4:30 PM
President Obama meets with Vice President Biden.
Oval Office
Closed Press
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
6:30 PM
Vice President Biden attends an event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in McLean, Virginia.
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
April 26, 2012
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
10:30 AM EDT
Vice President Biden delivers remarks at New York University
New York, NY
11:00 AM EDT
First Lady Michelle Obama will meet with children of Executive Office employees at the White House’s annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
12:30 PM EDT
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
—-
CNN http://live.cnn.com
10:00 AM EDT
House Ways & Means Subcmte. on Select Revenue Measures: Expiring Tax Provisions
10:30 AM EDT
Vice President Biden delivers remarks at New York University
New York, NY
10:45 AM EDT
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi holds her weekly briefing with reporters. Topics expected to be discussed include the Secret Service scandal and spending.
11:00 AM EDT
First Lady Michelle Obama will meet with children of Executive Office employees at the White House’s annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
12:30 PM EDT
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
2:00 PM EDT
House Foreign Affairs Committee: North-South Sudan Conflict
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
10:00 AM EDT
House Ways & Means Subcmte. on Select Revenue Measures: Expiring Tax Provisions
10:00 AM EDT
The Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on dual-use research and how it can be used for bioterrorism http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Cmte-Examines-Biological-Security-and-Dual-Use-Research/10737430202/
10:30 AM EDT
Senate Agriculture Cmte. to Markup the 2012 Farm Bill
The Senate Agriculture Cmte. holds a markup of the complete farm bill, an event that occurs once every five years http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Agriculture-Cmte-to-Markup-the-2012-Farm-Bill/10737430157/
10:30 AM EDT
Vice President Biden delivers remarks at New York University
New York, NY
http://www.c-span.org/Events/VP-Biden-Remarks-on-Foreign-Policy-at-NYU/10737430180/
10:45 AM EDT
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi holds her weekly briefing with reporters. Topics expected to be discussed include the Secret Service scandal and spending. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Rep-Pelosi-Discusses-Democratic-Agenda/10737430184/
12:30 PM EDT
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
2:00 PM EDT
House Foreign Affairs Committee: North-South Sudan Conflict
Biden to slam Romney on foreign policy Thursday
4/25/12 By Olivier Knox | The Ticket – 2 hrs 17 mins ago
With the one-year anniversary of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden less than one week away, Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday will offer a ringing defense of President Barack Obama’s national security record and hammer presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s approach to foreign policy, the Obama campaign announced Wednesday.
“The Vice President will contrast the Administration’s record with the empty rhetoric of Governor Mitt Romney, who continues to distort and mischaracterize the President’s accomplishments on foreign policy and national security without offering policy alternatives of his own,” the campaign said in an unsigned press release. It did not offer details of the alleged distortions.
Biden, a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, will detail how “we have successfully confronted our enemies and strengthened our alliances to effectively meet the challenges we face overseas” in a speech to be delivered at 10:30 a.m. at New York University. News of the vice president’s speech came as Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, a rising star in the party and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is set to criticize Obama’s foreign policy in a speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Wednesday. Rubio, often discussed as a possible running mate for Romney, will also rebuke those in his party who urge a retrenchment from the world.
Recent public opinion polls have found that Americans give Obama generally better grades on foreign policy than on the economy. And the president’s political campaign has not been shy about using his decision to order the May 2011 raid in which elite American forces killed bin Laden as shorthand for “strong on national security.” Biden, notably, dubbed it with typical audacity the boldest military plan in 500 years. And the vice president has repeatedly spoken what may be the pithiest “bumper sticker” re-election argument for Obama: “Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive. Think about it.”
For the entire article: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/biden-slam-romney-foreign-policy-thursday-160538449.html
First Lady Michelle Obama will meet with children of Executive Office employees at the White House’s annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day .
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
Always the fourth Thursday in April, this program encourages parents to bring their kids to work with them and show them the wide range of jobs available to them. For more information, see the Daughters and Sons to Work website.
SAVE THE DATE! The 2012 program will be on Thursday, April 26. Join us as we celebrate our 20 year anniversary! Recommended Age Range: 8-18
The theme for 2012 is “Build Opportunity: 20 Years of Education, Empowerment, Experience.”
Learn more: http://www.daughtersandsonstowork.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=936
Senate Farm Bill Markup Is Thursday
APRIL 25, 2012 obamafoodorama.blogspot
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) announced this evening that the postponed markup on the Farm Bill will take place tomorrow, Thursday, April 26, at 10:30 AM EST. There will be a livestream on the Agriculture Committee’s website at ag.senate.gov.
“The Committee Print will be modified and amended throughout this week’s meeting, beginning with a manager’s package of consensus amendments offered by Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts at the mark-up’s outset,” the Committee noted in a news release.
For the entire article: http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/04/senat-farm-bill-markup-is-thursday.html
Senate panel approves five-year farm bill
4/26/12 By Erik Wasson – TheHill
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday approved a new five-year farm bill over the objections of southern senators in a 16 to 5 final vote.
Southern Sens. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted against it. The rice and peanut lobbies strongly oppose the farm subsidy changes in the bill arguing that it leaves their producers without a safety net.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also voted against the bill after expressing concerns about cuts to food stamp funding in the legislation.
Overall the bill cuts $24.7 billion in funding over ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It eliminates traditional direct payment farm subsidies and creates new crop insurance plans to reduce risk to farmers.
Southern senators oppose new farm bill
A Wednesday farm bill markup had been postponed at the last minute but the bill was back on track after changes to its energy section pushed by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.).
Democratic aides say Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has committed to bringing the farm bill to the floor even if House leaders stall on it. The current farm bill runs out in September but opposition by fiscal conservatives in the House could stall action there.
Good Thursday morning everyone! I HOPE that you have a good day!
Mitt Romney vs Reality: Student Loans Edition
Published on Apr 25, 2012 by BarackObamadotcom
Are you in? https://my.barackobama.com/studentloantt5vid
Romney’s budget plan cuts Pell Grants and locks in higher student loan rates. His advice for students?
Political Battle Over Student Loans Heating Up
4//26/12 by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and Republicans alike say they want to prevent the cost of federal loans from ballooning for millions of students. But the effort has evolved into an election-year battle each side is using to embarrass the other and spotlight its own priorities to voters.
In the latest political chess move, Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, scheduled a House vote for Friday on legislation preventing the 3.4 percent interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans from doubling as scheduled on July 1. In a bitter pill for Democrats, the measure’s $5.9 billion cost would be paid for with cuts from President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul bill.
Boehner announced the vote in an abruptly called news conference Wednesday that followed days of pounding by Obama and congressional Democrats. It also came two days after the GOP’s presumptive presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, tried defusing the issue by embracing the call for freezing interest rates, putting more pressure on congressional Republicans to back the effort or look isolated.
“What Washington shouldn’t be doing is exploiting the challenges that young Americans face for political gain,” Boehner said. He also accused the president of “campaigning and trying to invent a fight where there isn’t and never has been one.”
Congressional GOP aides said Republicans were working on the legislation for some time and unveiled their bill to try to prevent Obama from escalating the dispute. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss party strategy.
Hours before Boehner spoke, Obama wrapped up a two-day trip to three college campuses in which he cast himself as the students’ champion and Republicans as the ones standing in the way of resolving the problem.
“How can we want to maintain tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans who don’t need them and weren’t even asking for them?” Obama said at the University of Iowa, mocking the GOP. “I don’t need one. I needed help back when I was your age.”
The backdrop to the student loan fight is a push by both parties to appeal to younger voters, an Obama strength in his 2008 election win, and to signal their sensitivity to families’ struggles during the economy’s prolonged slump. Letting the loan rate double this summer would cost 7.4 million Stafford loan recipients an average $1,000, according to the administration.
For the entire article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=151413052
March Pending Home Sales Rise, Market Recovering
4/26/12 National Association of Realtors – 8 minutes ago
WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire -04/26/12)- Pending home sales increased in March and are well above a year ago, another signal the housing market is recovering, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 4.1 percent to 101.4 in March from an upwardly revised 97.4 in February and is 12.8 percent above March 2011 when it was 89.9. The data reflects contracts but not closings.
The index is now at the highest level since April 2010 when it reached 111.3.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said 2012 is expected to be a year of recovery for housing. “First quarter sales closings were the highest first quarter sales in five years. The latest contract signing activity suggests the second quarter will be equally good,” he said.
“The housing market has clearly turned the corner. Rising sales are bringing down inventory and creating much more balanced conditions around the county, which means home prices will be rising in more areas as the year progresses,” Yun said.
The PHSI in the Northeast slipped 0.8 percent to 78.2 in March but is 21.1 percent above March 2011. In the Midwest the index declined 0.9 percent to 93.3 but is 16.9 percent higher than a year ago. Pending home sales in the South rose 5.9 percent to an index of 114.1 in March and are 10.6 percent above March 2011. In the West the index increased 8.7 percent in March to 108.0 and is 9.0 percent above a year ago.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
*The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.
For the entire article: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/march-pending-home-sales-rise-140000412.html;_ylt=A2KJjb3qVplPdUIA6ajQtDMD
Chrysler posts best quarterly profit in 13 years
Chrysler reports best quarterly net earnings in 13 years as bankruptcy memory fades
4/26/12 Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | Associated Press – 22 mins ago
DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler had its best quarterly profit in 13 years. Not bad for a company that almost died three years ago.
The company earned $473 million in the first quarter, mainly on the back of strong U.S. sales, which rose 39 percent from January through March. Customers snapped up Ram pickups, Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and Chrysler 200 sedans.
The profit was more than four times what Chrysler made a year earlier. And it was the best performance since the third quarter of 1998 when Chrysler earned $682 million during the pickup truck and SUV boom.
Another reason Chrysler made so much money is because it’s generating more cash every time it sells a car or truck. It’s getting an average of $29,234 per vehicle in the U.S., up almost 5 percent over last year, according to the TrueCar.com auto pricing website.
When sales and prices both rise, that generates more revenue and profit. Revenue for the quarter rose 25 percent to $16.4 billion.
It’s a big change from 2009. The recession, which devastated auto sales, brought the company to the brink of financial ruin. Chrysler and its financing arm needed $12.5 billion from U.S. taxpayers to survive. When a government auto task force deadlocked on whether to save the collapsing company, the tie was broken by President Barack Obama.
Then things turned around. The company cut costs and the economy improved. And Chrysler worked overtime to revamp 16 of its models in an effort to make them more appealing to consumers. The results have paid off with steady sales increases through 2011 and into 2012.
The company is optimistic about this year, repeating a forecast that it would make $1.5 billion in 2012.
It has reason to be cheerful. Total car and truck sales in the U.S. are running at an annual rate of 14 million so far this year. That would be a healthy increase over last year’s 12.8 million. The average age of vehicles on U.S. roads is nearing 11 years, and pent-up demand is helping sales. Chrysler should share in the growth. Last year it raised its U.S. market share to 11.5 percent, from 9.4 percent a year earlier.
For the entire article: http://goo.gl/Yo5Xz
Good morning CR and PPO Family. HOPE you all have a great Thursday. One more brief to file today and I should be able to keep up with you all.
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, Girst Family and the Nation.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Good Thursday morning and thank you Jackie!
Next Up…
10:30 AM EDT
Vice President Biden delivers remarks at New York University
New York, NY
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/VP-Biden-Remarks-on-Foreign-Policy-at-NYU/10737430180/
April 26, 2012
Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden on Foreign Policy at a Camapaign Event
New York University, Tishman Auditorium
New York, New York
10:59 A.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hello, folks. How are you? It’s great to be with you all. (Applause.) What a great introduction. I just said I hope she remembers me when she’s President of the United States of America. (Laughter.)
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s great to be before such a distinguished audience at a great university. I want to start off by doing what the Ambassador will tell you you should never do, apologizing. It’s all Jack Lew’s fault I’m late. (Laughter.) No, some of you students don’t know that the President’s Chief of Staff was the CFO here at NYU, and also taught a public policy course, and so that’s the only reason he got the job as Chief of Staff. (Applause.) He figured if he could deal with this great university, he can deal with the country.
And it’s great to see one of the great, great patriots, one of the finest generals I’ve ever in my 39 years of working in foreign policy and national security ever met, General Wesley Clark. Great to see you, General. (Applause.)
I want to just state parenthetically that you know I ran — not you know, but I ran for the United States Senate when I was 28 years old, and no one in my family on my dad’s side had ever been involved in public life. And as one of my colleagues said, I’m the first United States Senator I ever knew.
And I ran at the time because I thought the policy we had in Vietnam, I didn’t argue it as immoral, but I thought it just didn’t make sense, the notion of dominoes and so on and so forth.
And I came to Washington as a 29-year-old kid. I got elected. Before I was eligible to serve, I had to literally wait to be sworn in because I wasn’t eligible under the Constitution. You must be 30 years old. And my image of the military commanders at the time was, if you ever saw that old movie, if you ever rented it, where Slim Pickens is on the back of an atom bomb, dropping out of an aircraft, yelling, Yippe, Kiyay. (Laughter.) And “Dr. Strangelove” was the movie.
But I have to tell you after all the time I’ve served in public office, if you asked me who the most impressive women and men that I have met in government in the last 40 years, six of them would be men or women wearing a uniform. It’s a different military. This guy was not only a great warrior — I mean literally a warrior, but this guy is a diplomat. This guy is an incredibly bright man, extremely well educated. He understands the role of the military within our system, and he understands the Constitution.
And there are — Thank God, there’s others like him that are still around today. Wes, thanks for being one of those many folks who changed my impression from my younger years. It’s a pleasure to be with you. (Applause.)
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/26/remarks-vice-president-joe-biden-foreign-policy-camapaign-event
——————————–
Joe Biden Campaign Event at New York University in New York – April 26 2012
Published on Apr 26, 2012 by Electad
Biden: Romney not prepared to be commander-in-chief
4/26/12 By Josh Lederman – TheHill
Vice President Joe Biden rebuked Mitt Romney on foreign policy Thursday, attacking the presumptive GOP nominee as woefully unprepared to serve as commander in chief.
It was the most direct and specific refutation of Romney to date by the Obama administration, reflecting the intensity of the general election campaign that is now fully underway.
“If you are looking for a bumper sticker to sum up how President Obama has handled what we inherited, it’s pretty simple: Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive,” said Biden.
Rather than speak generally about Romney or the Republican agenda, Biden spent most of his address at New York University – the fifth in a series of campaign speeches he is giving – quoting statements by Romney from years past and then refuting each one line by line.
“Without question, our number one geopolitical foe is Russia,” Biden said, quoting a comment Romney made in March while criticizing Obama.
The vice president paused to let the audience laugh before continuing.
“As my brother would say, ‘Go figure,’” Biden said, accusing Romney of a Cold War mentality that viewed foreign policy through a rear view mirror.
Bin Laden and Obama’s successes in combating terrorism were front and center and Biden emphasized the administration’s largest foreign policy accomplishments.
“This guy’s got a backbone like a ramrod. No, no, for real,” Biden said, describing the decision to send Navy SEALs after bin Laden in Pakistan. “We can’t say for certain what Gov. Romney would have done.”
“I promise you the president has a big stick. I promise you,” Biden said later, in a reference to former President Roosevelt that left his audience giggling awkwardly.
Biden said it was unclear what Romney would do with the nation’s foreign policy if elected president, but that he clearly would start with “a profound misunderstanding of the responsibilities of the president and a commander in chief.” He pointed to Romney’s comments about the need for crippling sanctions against Iran, noting that such sanctions have already been put in place and have been effectively curtailing Iran’s flexibility.
“Folks, loose talk about a war has incredibly negative consequences in our efforts to end Iran’s nuclear quest. It unsettles world oil markets. It drives up oil prices. When oil prices go up, Iran’s coffers fill up, undermining the sanctions that are in existence,” Biden said.
“This type of Romney talk is just not smart,” he added.
For the entire article: http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-and-strategy/223967-biden-romney-shows-profound-misunderstanding-of-foreign-policy
Al-Qaida Primer: ‘Hunting In The Shadows’
4/26/12 NPR
Summary: It’s been nearly a year since a U.S. Navy SEAL team killed Osama bin Laden. Since his death, there have been many questions regarding the future of al-Qaida. Renee Montagne talks to Seth Jones, a political scientist at the RAND Corp. and the author of Hunting in the Shadows: The Pursuit of al-Qaida Since 9/11.’
For the audio interview: http://www.npr.org/2012/04/26/151414110/al-qaida-primer-hunting-in-the-shadows
Handwritten bin Laden raid memo documents Obama’s order: ‘Proceed with the assault’
4/26/12 By Olivier Knox | The Ticket – 1 hr 49 mins ago
Osama bin Laden didn’t know it, but when then-CIA Director Leon Panetta jotted down this “memo for the record” on his official stationery, the world’s most wanted fugitive had just days left to live.
The document is part of Time magazine’s package of stories on the one-year anniversary of the Navy SEAL raid that killed the al-Qaida chief in his hideout in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad.
The magazine helpfully transcribed Panetta’s scrawled message to historians:
Received phone call from (National Security Adviser) Tom Donilon who stated that the President made a decision with regard to AC1 [Abbottabad Compound 1]. The decision is to proceed with the assault. The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McRaven’s hands. The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the President. Any additional risks are to be brought back to the President for his consideration. The direction is to go in and get bin Laden and if he is not there, to get out. Those instructions were conveyed to Admiral McRaven at approximately 10:45 a.m.
No contest on foreign policy
April 26, 2012 Posted by Elizabeth Chan – democrats.org
If you ask Mitt Romney who poses the biggest threat to the United States’ security, he’ll tell you that Russia, “without question,” is “our No. 1 geopolitical foe.”
His top foreign policy advisers take it a step further (back in time). Today, former Navy Secretary John Lehman warned reporters of the threat from the USSR: “We’re seeing the Soviets pushing into the Arctic with no response from us.” And on the same press call, former Bush administration Ambassador Pierre Prosper added, “The United States abandoned its missile defense sites in Poland and Czechoslovakia.”
The Romney campaign appears to have missed the news that the Cold War ended decades ago. Combine that with Romney’s failure to release a detailed plan for keeping our country safe and strengthening our alliances, and it’s clear that this is not the team we want navigating the ever-changing foreign policy challenges of the 21st century.
It’s in stark contrast to the leadership President Obama has shown as commander-in-chief and diplomat-in-chief, Vice President Biden noted while speaking at New York University today. President Obama’s record, the Vice President said, is “the strongest foreign policy in decades.”
“Three and a half years ago, when President Obama and I took office … President Obama began to act immediately. He set in motion a policy to end the war in Iraq responsibly. He set a clear strategy and an end date for the war in Afghanistan, which has been going on for close to a decade. He cut in half the number of Americans who are literally serving in harm’s way. He decimated al Qaeda’s senior leadership. He repaired our alliances and restored America’s standing in the world and he saved our economy. He saved our economy from a collapse with some very unpopular but bold decisions that have turned out to be right, including the rescue of the automobile industry, all of which has made us much stronger not only at home but abroad.
“If you’re looking for a bumper sticker to sum up how President Obama has handled what we inherited, it’s pretty simple: Osama bin Laden is dead, and General Motors is alive.”
Vigilance urged on date of bin Laden death
APR 26, 2012 Issues: Counterterrorism
Newsday – by JOHN VALENTI AND ANTHONY M. DESTEFANO – homelandhouse.gov
With the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. Special Forces on Tuesday, federal agencies are advising attacks here and abroad would be viewed as “a symbolic victory” by terrorists.
Those concerns were outlined in an internal intelligence bulletin issued late Wednesday night by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Northern Command, which concluded that although there is no current credible threat against the metropolitan area or other targets, heightened awareness remains key.
“There’s no known specific threat to the city because of the anniversary,” NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Thursday, “but the NYPD continues to maintain a robust counterterrorism posture regardless of anniversaries because of past and repeated interest demonstrated by terrorists in returning here to kill New Yorkers.”
Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) told Newsday on Thursday that while “there are no specific threats” against New York we shouldn’t be “cavalier” about the potential for terrorist attacks.
The call for heightened awareness comes on the heels of a Europol report — the TE-SAT 2012 EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report — that warns of the possibility of “lone wolf acts” and potential attacks by al-Qaida, Somalia-based al-Shabaab and the Islamic Maghreb one year after a U.S. Special Forces team killed bin Laden on May 1 in Pakistan.
Officials cite an al-Qaida emphasis on launching attacks on “symbolic dates,” which is the reason for official concern.
“It could be any of these groups,” as well as “lone wolf acts,” King said, adding: “There might be more [potential threats] over the next few weeks . . . What it amounts to is that we should stay alert.”
Could Iran Wage A Cyberwar On The U.S.?
4/26/12 by TOM GJELTEN – NPR
Security professionals in both the U.S. government and in private industry have long feared the prospect of a cyberwar with China or Russia, two states capable of launching destructive attacks on the computer networks that control critical assets such as the power grid or the financial system.
Now they face a new cyberthreat: Iran.
“[The Iranians] have all the resources and the capabilities necessary to be a major player in terms of cyberwarfare,” says Jeffrey Carr, an expert on cyberconflict who has consulted for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Iran still lags behind China and Russia in its cyber expertise, but unlike those countries, it is locked in conflict with the U.S. over its nuclear program, and the prospect of hostilities is far more conceivable. Sanctions imposed on Iran by the U.S. and its allies are so severe as to constitute a form of economic warfare, and Israeli leaders have suggested that military action may yet be necessary to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Under the circumstances, could the Iranians be tempted to consider a cyberattack on the U.S.?
“There is a great deal of worry in terms of what they may be able to do if they’re pushed to the brink,” says cybersecurity researcher Dmitri Alperovitch. “If they believe the regime is threatened, if they believe they’re about to be attacked, [they may consider] how can they employ cyberweapons, either to deter that attack or to retaliate in a way they can’t do militarily.”
For the entire article and audio interview: http://www.npr.org/2012/04/26/151400805/could-iran-wage-a-cyberwar-on-the-u-s
Collaborative and Cross-Cutting Approaches to Cybersecurity
Michael Daniel August 01, 2012 05:18 PM EDT
As I reach the end of my first two months as Cybersecurity Coordinator, I wanted to highlight a few of the Administration’s recent accomplishments working in partnership with the private sector, and also preview some of our future activities. Some of the Government’s cybersecurity activities are already high-profile, like the recent National Level Exercise or our push for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, but there is also substantial activity occurring outside of the spotlight. Both are needed if we are going to address the serious threats we face in cyberspace and capitalize on the exceptional opportunities cyberspace presents for governments, individuals, and U.S. businesses.
Like many tough issues, cybersecurity is a cross-cutting problem, affecting not only all Federal agencies, but also state and local governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, and other countries. It is a national security, homeland security, economic security, network defense, and law enforcement issue all rolled into one. As a result, it takes a truly cross-cutting response to address the problem, with the public and private sector working collaboratively. Within the government and the private sector, many organizations will need to work together in new and sometimes initially uncomfortable ways. We will also need a combination of technical, policy, and legislative tools to respond.
Let me highlight a few recent initiatives where voluntary, cooperative actions are helping to improve the nation’s overall cybersecurity:
* The Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cybersecurity/Information Assurance (CS/IA)
* The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC)
* The Electric Sector Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model
* In End-User Cybersecurity Protection
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/01/collaborative-and-cross-cutting-approaches-cybersecurity
July 19, 2012
Op-ed by President Obama: Taking the Cyberattack Threat Seriously
The full text of the op-ed by President Barack Obama is printed below. The piece will be published tomorrow in The Wall Street Journal and can be found HERE.
Taking the Cyberattack Threat Seriously
By President Obama
Last month I convened an emergency meeting of my cabinet and top homeland security, intelligence and defense officials. Across the country trains had derailed, including one carrying industrial chemicals that exploded into a toxic cloud. Water treatment plants in several states had shut down, contaminating drinking water and causing Americans to fall ill.
Our nation, it appeared, was under cyber attack. Unknown hackers, perhaps a world away, had inserted malicious software into the computer networks of private-sector companies that operate most of our transportation, water and other critical infrastructure systems.
Fortunately, last month’s scenario was just a simulation—an exercise to test how well federal, state and local governments and the private sector can work together in a crisis. But it was a sobering reminder that the cyber threat to our nation is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face.
So far, no one has managed to seriously damage or disrupt our critical infrastructure networks. But foreign governments, criminal syndicates and lone individuals are probing our financial, energy and public safety systems every day. Last year, a water plant in Texas disconnected its control system from the Internet after a hacker posted pictures of the facility’s internal controls. More recently, hackers penetrated the networks of companies that operate our natural-gas pipelines. Computer systems in critical sectors of our economy—including the nuclear and chemical industries—are being increasingly targeted.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/19/op-ed-president-obama-taking-cyberattack-threat-seriously
Next Up…
11:00 AM EDT
First Lady Michelle Obama will meet with children of Executive Office employees at the White House’s annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day .
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
April 26, 2012
Remarks by the First Lady at Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Event
East Room
11:05 A.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: How are you guys doing?
CHILDREN: Good!
MRS. OBAMA: Wow, sounds like you’ve had a busy morning already, right?
CHILDREN: Yes!
MRS. OBAMA: Tell me about some of the stuff you’ve done. Just shout out. All right, one at a time. Stand up. Whoever stands up –
CHILD: Pastry chef!
MRS. OBAMA: Pastry chef.
CHILD: (Inaudible) when we got to check how much breath we had.
MRS. OBAMA: You tested your breath? (Laughter.) Wow, we’ve never done that. What did you do?
CHILD: — park rangers.
MRS. OBAMA: Park rangers. That’s very cool. I like that. What else? Yes.
CHILD: We got to see a police car –
MRS. OBAMA: Oh, nice. What’s in there? I’ve never seen the inside.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/26/remarks-first-lady-take-our-daughters-and-sons-work-day-event
Senate passes postal reform bill
4/25/12 By Daniel Strauss – TheHill
The Senate passed a United States Postal Service reform bill on Wednesday.
The chamber voted 62 to 37 on the bill, which aims to restructure the mail service and protect it from bankruptcy. It needed 60 votes or more to pass. Opposition was mostly, but not completely, Republican. The legislation, S. 1789, now goes to the Republican-controlled House, though the chamber is unlikely to consider the legislation in its current form.
The postal reform bill, called “21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012,” was sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) with Sens. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Thomas Carper (D-Del.).
For the entire article: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/223763-senate-passes-postal-reform-bill
National Bioeconomy Blueprint Released
Posted by Mary Maxon and Elizabeth Robinson on
April 26, 2012 at 08:22 AM EDT
Today, the Obama Administration announced its commitment to strengthening bioscience research as a major driver of American innovation and economic growth. The National Bioeconomy Blueprint outlines steps that agencies will take to drive the bioeconomy—economic activity powered by research and innovation in the biosciences—and details ongoing efforts across the Federal government to realize this goal.
The bioeconomy emerged as an Administration priority because of its tremendous potential for growth and job creation as well as the many other societal benefits it offers. A more robust bioeconomy can enable Americans to live longer and healthier lives, develop new sources of bioenergy, address key environmental challenges, transform manufacturing processes, and increase the productivity and scope of the agricultural sector while generating new industries and occupational opportunities.
A growing U.S. population requires increased health services and more material resources including food, animal feed, fiber for clothing and housing, and sources of energy and chemicals for manufacturing. Recent advances in the biological sciences are allowing more and more of these needs to be met not with petroleum-based products and other non-renewable resources but with materials that are quite literally home-grown. Indeed, the convergence of biology with engineering and other sciences—including physics, chemistry, and computer sciences—is proving to have tremendous power to generate new scientific discoveries, new products, new markets, and new high-skilled jobs. The benefits can be seen in every sector of the economy, from agriculture to healthcare and from energy production to environmental monitoring and stewardship. Biobased materials are also proving to be excellent and sustainable substitutes for hydrocarbon-based raw materials in a number of industrial and manufacturing processes.
Research is a key component, but it’s not enough to ensure a successful American bioeconomy. In the biomedical domain, public-private partnerships can help the Nation achieve the twin goals of improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Updated bioeconomy-related education and training efforts can better equip a 21st century workforce with the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive global arena.
And unnecessary or overly burdensome regulatory barriers must be removed to accelerate the advancement of bioinventions from laboratories to marketplaces while ensuring adequate attention to environmental and health concerns that may be raised by scientists’ new facility with biological systems. The Bioeconomy Blueprint outlines five strategic imperatives for a bioeconomy with the potential to generate new markets and economic growth:
Support R&D investments that will provide the foundation for the future bioeconomy.
Facilitate the transition of bioinventions from research lab to market, including an increased focus on translational and regulatory sciences.
Develop and reform regulations to reduce barriers, increase the speed and predictability of regulatory processes, and reduce costs while protecting human and environmental health.
Update training programs and align academic institution incentives with student training for national workforce needs.
Identify and support opportunities for the development of public-private partnerships and precompetitive collaborations—where competitors pool resources, knowledge, and expertise to learn from successes and failures.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/26/national-bioeconomy-blueprint-released
Announcing The Bioeconomy Blueprint
Published on Apr 26, 2012 by whitehouse
Announcing a new research strategy and new commitments to harness biology for agriculture, health, energy, and the economy/jobs.
The Bioeconomy Blueprint Panel
Published on Apr 26, 2012 by whitehouse
Discussion of the Administration’s new Bioeconomy Blueprint by a panel of four academic and industry representatives (tbd), moderated by Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University.
White House Promotes a Bioeconomy
April 26, 2012 By ANDREW POLLACK – nytimes
The Obama administration is expected to announce a broad plan on Thursday to foster development of the nation’s “bioeconomy,” including the use of renewable resources and biological manufacturing methods.
A blog about energy and the environment.
The National Bioeconomy Blueprint, as the plan is called, discusses a variety of measures and strategies to spur research and development of medical treatments, crops, biofuels and biological manufacturing processes that would replace harsher industrial methods.
Use of biology “can allow Americans to live longer, healthier lives, reduce our dependence on oil, address key environmental challenges, transform manufacturing processes, and increase the productivity and scope of the agricultural sector while growing new jobs and industries,” the report says.
Much of what is in the 43-page-report, which the administration released before its planned announcement on Thursday, is a list of government programs that are already under way. So it is not clear what concrete changes, if any, will result.
Still, some biotechnology industry executives and scientists welcomed the plan as a sign of the government’s commitment, saying it would now be easier to push for specific new programs to foster biotechnology development.
“This may be the first time the country has recognized the total impact that biological sciences has for the current and future economy,” Dr. Phillip A. Sharp, a Nobel laureate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was not involved in the project, said in an e-mail.
The government is expected to announce some fairly new efforts on Thursday that fit with the blueprint. One would strengthen a program that encourages federal agencies to procure bio-based products, like lubricants made from soybeans. Another would allow a repository of clinical trial data at the Food and Drug Administration to be used for disease research.
For the entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/business/energy-environment/white-house-promotes-a-bioeconomy.html?_r=1
Health insurers to pay $1.3 billion in rebates: study
4/26/12 By David Morgan | Reuters – 1 hr 38 mins ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Health insurers will pay $1.3 billion in rebates to consumers and employers this year under a provision of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law that penalizes plans that devote too little of their premium revenues to health services, an independent study showed on Thursday.
The study, published by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, said the data illustrated some of the tangible benefits that consumers and employers could expect from the embattled 2010 law if it survives two major legal and political election-year challenges.
The rebates, which are due by August 1, stem from premiums paid in 2011 on plans representing nearly 16 million beneficiaries. But Kaiser, a nonprofit healthcare research group, said most of the money is expected to go to employers rather than consumers.
The healthcare law, Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement, has proved unpopular with many voters and could be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court by the end of June or repealed next year if Republicans gain control of the Congress and White House in the November elections.
If the law were overturned or repealed, insurers would no longer be required to comply with the rebate provision.
“While the health reform law as a whole continues to divide the American public, there are tangible changes taking place that benefit consumers,” said Kaiser President Drew Altman.
“Greater regulatory scrutiny of private insurance is improving value and helping to get excess costs out of the system,” he added.
Under the law, called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health insurers must spend at least 80 percent of premium revenues on health expenses and quality improvements. The rule is intended to limit what insurers devote to marketing, administration and profits.
Kaiser found that some of the biggest rebate payouts are expected in states, including Texas and Florida, where the law faces some of its stiffest opposition from Republican politicians and other conservatives.
For the entire article: http://news.yahoo.com/health-insurers-pay-1-3-billion-rebates-study-140158580.html
April 26, 2012
Statement by the President on Israeli Independence Day
Sixty-four years ago, the United States became the first country in the world to recognize the State of Israel–the realization of a modern day state in the historic homeland of the Jewish People. Since that momentous day, the special bond of friendship between the United States and Israel has grown stronger. Ours is a unique relationship founded on an unbreakable commitment to Israel’s security, and anchored by our common interests and deeply held values. These values continue to enlighten and guide our efforts as we work with Israel, as well as with others in the region, to confront shared challenges and to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution that will usher in a future of peace, security, and dignity for the people of Israel and its neighbors.
Today, as Israelis celebrate their 64th Independence Day and their remarkable achievements over the past six decades, it gives me great pleasure to extend my best wishes, and the best wishes of the American people, to President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the people of Israel.
3:00 PM EDT
Vice President Biden meets with Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Dr. Hussain Al-Shahristani of Iraq at the White House.
April 27, 2012
Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussein Shahristani
Vice President Biden met this afternoon with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussein Shahristani. The Vice President thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for his participation in this week’s U.S.-Iraqi Joint Coordinating Committee on Energy meeting. The Vice President reaffirmed our commitment to work with Iraqi leaders from across the spectrum to support the continued development of Iraq’s energy sector. The two leaders discussed a range of regional issues and developments in Iraq.
Two briefs filed today. I’m free, I’m free! Looking forward to watching Joe Biden’s speech of foreign policy that I missed earlier.
YIPEEE!!!!
6:30 PM EDT
Vice President Biden attends an event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in McLean, Virginia.
Romney campaign aide claims auto bailout was Romney’s idea
4/28/12 By Brendan Sasso – TheHill
One of Mitt Romney’s top advisers said Saturday that President Obama’s decision to bailout Chrysler and General Motors was actually Romney’s idea.
“[Romney's] position on the bailout was exactly what President Obama followed. I know it infuriates them to hear that,” Eric Fehrnstrom, senior adviser to the Romney campaign, said.
“The only economic success that President Obama has had is because he followed Mitt Romney’s advice.”
The claim appears to be a shift from Mitt Romney’s November 2008 op-ed in The New York Times, headlined, “Let Detroit go bankrupt.”
But on Saturday, Fehrnstrom pointed out that in the op-ed, Romney called for a “managed bankruptcy” to get the auto companies back on stable financial footing.
“The fact that the auto companies today are profitable is because they’ve shed costs,” Fehrnstrom said. “The reason they shed those costs and have got their employee labor contracts less expensive is because they went through that managed bankruptcy process. It is exactly what Mitt Romney told them to do.”
But during the primary campaign, Romney repeatedly attacked Obama for lending billions of dollars in government money to the auto companies.
In a February op-ed in The Detroit News, Romney called Obama’s auto bailout “crony capitalism on a grand scale.”
“The president tells us that without his intervention things in Detroit would be worse,” Romney wrote. “I believe that without his intervention things there would be better.”
Lis Smith, an Obama campaign spokeswoman, accused Fehrnstrom of distorting Romney’s record.
“GM and Chrysler are in existence, creating jobs, and posting some of their most profitable quarters in history today because President Obama bet on American workers,” Smith said in a statement to The Hill. “If Mitt Romney had had his way, the American auto industry and the millions of jobs it supports would cease to exist. Dishonesty and distortions are nothing new for the Romney campaign, but they can’t change this simple fact.”
Fehrnstrom made the comments during a panel discussion Saturday morning hosted by The Washington Post.
*********************
THIS POST IS NOW CLOSED
NBLB Come on over to my newest post
titled: “ WH Correspondence Dinner & CA Democratic Caucus 2012 ”
**********************
To get to newest post click on “HOME” at the top of the page and click on the title of the newest post