Security & Defense | Pro President Obama Blog

The Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare) Hospital Cost Comparison & Peace Officers Memorial Day

05/14/2013

Administration offers consumers an unprecedented look at hospital charges

May 8, 2013 hhs.gov

Today, as part of the Obama administration’s work to make our health care system more affordable and accountable, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a three-part initiative that for the first time gives consumers information on what hospitals charge. New data released today show significant variation across the country and within communities in what hospitals charge for common inpatient services. Also today, HHS made approximately $87 million available to states to enhance their rate review programs and further health care pricing transparency. In an example of how these data might be used, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is planning a data visualization challenge which will further the dissemination of these data to larger audiences.

“Currently, consumers don’t know what a hospital is charging them or their insurance company for a given procedure, like a knee replacement, or how much of a price difference there is at different hospitals, even within the same city,” Secretary Sebelius said. “This data and new data centers will help fill that gap.”

The data posted today on CMS’s website include information comparing the charges for services that may be provided during the 100 most common Medicare inpatient stays. Hospitals determine what they will charge for items and services provided to patients and these “charges” are the amount the hospital generally bills for an item or service.

“Transformation of the health care delivery system cannot occur without greater price transparency,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., RWJF president and CEO. “While more work lies ahead, the release of these hospital price data will allow us to shine a light on the often vast variations in hospital charges.” These amounts can vary widely. For example, average inpatient charges for services a hospital may provide in connection with a joint replacement range from a low of $5,300 at a hospital in Ada, Okla., to a high of $223,000 at a hospital in Monterey Park, Calif.

Even within the same geographic area, hospital charges for similar services can vary significantly. For example, average inpatient hospital charges for services that may be provided to treat heart failure range from a low of $21,000 to a high of $46,000 in Denver, Colo., and from a low of $9,000 to a high of $51,000 in Jackson, Miss.

To make these data useful to consumers, HHS is also providing funding to data centers to collect, analyze, and publish health pricing and medical claims reimbursement data. The data centers’ work helps consumers better understand the comparative price of procedures in a given region or for a specific health insurer or service setting. Businesses and consumers alike can use these data to drive decision-making and reward cost-effective provision of care.

The Affordable Care Act also makes available many tools to help ensure consumers, Medicare, and other payers get the best value for their health care dollar. Medicare is beginning to pay providers based on the quality they provide rather than just the quantity of services they furnish by implementing new programs such as value-based purchasing and readmissions reductions. HHS awarded $170 million to states to enhance their rate review programs, and since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the proportion of insurance company requests for double-digit rate increases fell from 75 percent in 2010 to 14 percent so far in 2013.

The Health Care Law and You

Hospital Dataset http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/index.html

Funding Opportunity announcement http://www.grants.gov, and search for CFDA # 93.511 .

“ Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurers now have to justify double-digit rate increases publicly, for everybody to see. And most states have new authority thanks to incentives under this law to reject unjustifiable rate increases. Insurers are now required to spend at least 80 percent of the money you pay in premiums on actual health care -– not on profits, not on overhead, but on you. And if they fail to meet that target, they actually have to reimburse you — either with a rebate or lower premiums. Millions of Americans discovered this last year — they opened an envelope from their insurance company that wasn’t a bill, it was a check. That’s already happened. A lot of people don’t know it, but that’s what the Affordable Care Act is all about.

Beginning this week, as part of the law’s price transparency tools, we made public the prices that different hospitals charge you for most common services, so you can see if you’re getting what you pay for. And soon, bad actors in the insurance industry will never again be able to discriminate against you just because you’ve gotten sick in the past. They can’t discriminate against you because you’ve got a preexisting condition. And, by the way, they can’t charge you more just for being a woman. Pregnancy will no longer be considered a preexisting condition.

And finally, beginning this fall, if you’re one of the millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance, you’ll finally have the chance to buy quality, affordable care just like everybody else.

So here’s how this is going to work. We’re setting up a new online marketplace where, beginning October 1st, you can go online, or talk to organizations in every state that are going to have this set up, and you can then comparison shop an array of private health insurance plans. You can look at them side-by-side, just like you’d go online and compare cars. And because you’ll now be part of a new pool of millions of other Americans, part of this exchange, insurance companies will actually want to compete for your business the same way they compete for the business of a big company with a lot of employees.

So once these marketplaces are up and running, no one can be turned away from private insurance plans. Period. If you’re sick, you’ll finally have the same chance to buy quality, affordable health care as everybody else. If you can’t afford to buy private insurance, if it’s still too expensive — even though you’re getting much better prices through these exchanges than you would in the individual market, going out there by yourself, or if you work for just a small company that doesn’t have a lot of leverage with insurance companies you’re going to have a better deal through these exchanges — but if you still can’t afford it, then you’re going to get help reducing your out-of-pocket premiums with the largest health care tax cut for working families and small businesses in our history.

So what does all this mean? It means that if you lose your job, or you change your job, or you start that new business, you’ll still be able to purchase quality, affordable care that’s yours — and you’ll have the security and peace of mind that comes with it. If you’re a young person expecting to try many different jobs and careers until you find one that suits you, you’ll be able to buy insurance that goes with you, travels with you, that gives you the freedom to pursue whatever you want without the fear that illness or accident somehow derails your dreams.

So there’s a lot that this law is already doing for Americans with insurance, and there is a lot more that is going to happen for folks who don’t have insurance. But we’ve still got a lot of work to do in the coming months to make sure more Americans can buy affordable coverage. “

President Obama 5/10/13

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Peace Officers Memorial Day

Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is an observance in the United States that pays tribute to the local, state, and Federal peace officers. The Memorial takes place on May 15, and Police Week is the calendar week in which the Memorial falls.

John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962. Amended in 1994, Bill Clinton, through Public Law 103-322, directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15.

“Day after day, police officers in every corner of America suit up, put on the badge, and carry out their sworn duty to protect and serve. They step out the door every morning without considering bravery or heroics. They stay focused on meeting their responsibilities. They concentrate on keeping their neighborhoods safe and doing right by their fellow officers. And with quiet courage, they help fulfill the demanding yet vital task of shielding our people from harm. It is work that deserves our deepest respect — because when darkness and danger would threaten the peace, our police officers are there to step in, ready to lay down their lives to protect our own.

This week, we pay solemn tribute to men and women who did. Setting aside fear and doubt, these officers made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the rule of law and the communities they loved. They heard the call to serve and answered it; braved the line of fire; charged toward the danger. Our hearts are heavy with their loss, and on Peace Officers Memorial Day, our Nation comes together to reflect on the legacy they left us.

As we mark this occasion, let us remember that we can do no greater service to those who perished than by upholding what they fought to protect. That means doing everything we can to make our communities safer. It means putting cops back on the beat and supporting them with the tools and training they need. It means getting weapons of war off our streets and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals — common-sense measures that would reduce gun violence and help officers do their job safely and effectively.”

5/10/13 President Barack Obama

Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) – Donate

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U.S.-ROK Alliance 60th Anniv & S. Carolina House 1st CD Spec Election 2013

05/05/2013

U.S. Embassy Marks 60 Years of Partnership and Shared Prosperity

January 15, 2013 seoul.usembassy.gov

The U.S. Embassy in Gwanghwamun has launched a year-long celebration of close U.S.-Korea relations with an 18-meter banner emblazoned with the words “60 Years of Partnership and Shared Prosperity.” The year 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, the U.S. – ROK Mutual Defense Treaty and the launch of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea among other key events. Starting the New Year, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Sung Kim said, “We have come a long way together during the past 60 years to create a relationship that is both deep and broad. It encompasses not only our mutual security but vibrant trade and economic cooperation, active coordination to deal with regional and global issues, and close people-to-people ties. Working together our partnership and our shared future is limitless.”

The banner was hung on January 15th and ready for public viewing from Gwanghwamun Square beginning January 16th.

President Obama will welcome President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea to the White House on May 7. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance this year, President Park’s visit will highlight the growth, breadth, depth and strength of our alliance, our increased global cooperation, the deep economic ties between the United States and the Republic of Korea, and the strong bonds of friendship between the American and Korean people.

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S. Carolina House 1st CD Special Election 2013

South Carolina House 1st Congressional District Special Election

May 7th, 2013

A special election in South Carolina 1st Congressional District for a replacement for James W. “Jim” DeMint

VOTE SMART & VOTE DEMOCRAT 2013

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Fiscal Year 2014 WH Budget & Ch. (Capt) E.J. Kapaun, Medal of Honor Recipient

04/10/2013

April 10, 2013

Remarks by the President Announcing the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget

Rose Garden

11:00 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. Please, please have a seat. Well, as President, my top priority is to do everything I can to reignite what I consider to be the true engine of the American economy: a rising, thriving middle class. That’s what I think about every day. That’s the driving force behind every decision that I make.

And over the past three years, our businesses have created nearly 6.5 million new jobs. But we know we can help them create more. Corporate profits are at an all-time high. But we have to get wages and incomes rising, as well. Our deficits are falling at the fastest pace in years. But we can do more to bring them down in a balanced and responsible way.

The point is, our economy is poised for progress — as long as Washington doesn’t get in the way. Frankly, the American people deserve better than what we’ve been seeing: a shortsighted, crisis-driven decision-making, like the reckless, across-the-board spending cuts that are already hurting a lot of communities out there — cuts that economists predict will cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs during the course of this year.

If we want to keep rebuilding our economy on a stronger, more stable foundation, then we’ve got to get smarter about our priorities as a nation. And that’s what the budget I’m sending to Congress today represents — a fiscally responsible blueprint for middle-class jobs and growth.

For years, the debate in this town has raged between reducing our deficits at all costs, and making the investments necessary to grow our economy. And this budget answers that argument, because we can do both. We can grow our economy and shrink our deficits. In fact, as we saw in the 1990s, nothing shrinks deficits faster than a growing economy. That’s been my goal since I took office. And that should be our goal going forward.

At a time when too many Americans are still looking for work, my budget begins by making targeted investments in areas that will create jobs right now, and prime our economy to keep generating good jobs down the road. As I said in my State of the Union address, we should ask ourselves three questions every day: How do we make America a magnet for new jobs? How do we give our workers the skills they need to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?

To make America a magnet for good jobs, this budget invests in new manufacturing hubs to help turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs. We’ll spark new American innovation and industry with cutting-edge research like the initiative I announced to map the human brain and cure disease. We’ll continue our march towards energy independence and address the threat of climate change. And our Rebuild America Partnership will attract private investment to put construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads, our bridges and our schools, in turn attracting even more new business to communities across the country.

To help workers earn the skills they need to fill those jobs, we’ll work with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. And we’re going to pay for it by raising taxes on tobacco products that harm our young people. It’s the right thing to do. (Applause.)

For the entire speech: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/10/remarks-president-announcing-fiscal-year-2014-budget

Mid-Session Review

The Budget

Analytical Perspectives

Historical Tables

Supplemental Materials

Appendix

Past Budgets

Deficit reduction picks up speed

May 14, 2013 4:05 PM EDT By Steve Benen – maddowblog

This is just astounding.

If the current laws that govern federal taxes and spending do not change, the budget deficit will shrink this year to $642 billion, CBO estimates, the smallest shortfall since 2008. Relative to the size of the economy, the deficit this year — at 4.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) — will be less than half as large as the shortfall in 2009, which was 10.1 percent of GDP.

Thanks in large part to higher taxes on the wealthy, which Republicans said would not reduce the deficit, deficit reduction is picking up speed at a pace few could have predicted. We’re now looking at over $400 billion in deficit reduction in just one year, and about $800 billion in deficit reduction since President Obama took office.

Let’s say this plainly: for those who saw the federal budget deficit as a “problem,” it’s fair to say this problem has been largely fixed.

And while we’re at it, let’s also not forget that Republican talking points on fiscal policy have effectively been left in tatters, and every conservative political figure who’s declared “Socialist Obama is turning America into Greece!” looks incredibly foolish right now.

The president took some heat for failing to cut the deficit in half in his first term, and the criticisms had merit, at least insofar as he didn’t reach his original goal. That said, Obama’s on track to cut it by well over half — both in real terms and as a percentage of GDP — in five years.

It’s time to stop worrying a shrinking deficit and start worrying about creating a more robust economic recovery.

White House Press Secretary Annoucement on the CBO’s Deficit Report:

“the CBO report yesterday, the so-called baseline reestimate. And the improvements in the CBO’s report show that the President’s policies of cutting the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion in a balanced way are contributing to the most rapid deficit reduction since World War II. The most rapid deficit reduction since World War II.

While there is still more work to be done to cut the deficit, this is important progress because we strengthen America by growing the economy from the middle out. Working with leaders from both parties, President Obama has cut the deficit by more than half when measured as a share of GDP. This is a balanced deficit reduction that cuts waste, asks millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share in taxes, and preserves investments we need in energy, education, and manufacturing to grow the economy and create jobs.

The administration is committed to continuing to work with Congress to create jobs, reduce the deficit, and replace the sequester in a balanced way.

Later this week, we understand that CBO will be putting out a reestimate of the President’s budget, which includes, as you know, his plan to replace the economically damaging sequester with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that would help drive stronger economic growth in the short.”

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney at the 5/15/13 White House Press Conference

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The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President in the name of Congress on members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.

Members of all branches of the armed forces are eligible to receive the medal, and there are three versions; one for the Army, one for the Air Force, and one for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The Medal of Honor is bestowed upon an individual by the passing of a Joint Resolution in the Congress; and is then personally presented to the recipient or, in the case of posthumous awards, to next of kin, by the President of the United States, on behalf of the Congress, representing and recognizing the gratitude of the American people as a whole.

On April 11, President Barack Obama will award Chaplain (Captain) Emil J. Kapaun, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.

Chaplain Kapaun will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism while serving with the 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division during combat operations against an armed enemy at Unsan, Korea and as a prisoner of war from November 1-2, 1950.

54 Comments | Economy, Education, Energy, Environment, Health Care, Military, PBO, Security & Defense, Technology | Tagged: Economy, Education, Environment, Health Care, Military, PBO, Security & Defense, Technology | Permalink
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Do SOMETHING About Gun Reform

04/05/2013

Recent US Mass Shootings: 2012 Aurora shooting, Columbine High School massacre, Fort Hood shooting, Oikos University shooting, Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, 2011 Seal Beach shooting, 2011 Tucson shooting, Virginia Tech massacre, Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting

List of US School Shootings

Our nation has suffered too much at the hands of dangerous people who use guns to commit horrific acts of violence. As President Obama said following the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, “We won’t be able to stop every violent act, but if there is even one thing that we can do to prevent any of these events, we have a deep obligation, all of us, to try.”

Most gun owners are responsible and law-abiding, and they use their guns safely. The President strongly believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. But to better protect our children and our communities from tragic mass shootings like those in Newtown, Aurora, Oak Creek, and Tucson, there are common-sense steps we can take right now.

While no law or set of laws will end gun violence, it is clear that the American people want action. If even one child’s life can be saved, then we need to act. Now is the time to do the right thing for our children, our communities, and the country we love.

To learn more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/preventing-gun-violence

“Why wouldn’t we want to make it more difficult for a dangerous person to get his or her hand on a gun? Why wouldn’t we want to close the loophole that allows as many as 40 percent of all gun purchases to take place without a background check? Why wouldn’t we do that?

And if you ask most Americans outside of Washington — including many gun owners — some of these ideas, they don’t consider them controversial. Right now, 90 percent of Americans — 90 percent — support background checks that will keep criminals and people who have been found to be a danger to themselves or others from buying a gun. More than 80 percent of Republicans agree. More than 80 percent of gun owners agree.

Many other reforms are supported by clear majorities of Americans. And I ask every American to find out where your member of Congress stands on these ideas. If they’re not part of that 90 percent who agree that we should make it harder for a criminal or somebody with a severe mental illness to buy a gun, then you should ask them, why not? Why are you part of the 10 percent?

There’s absolutely no reason why we can’t get this done. But the reason we’re talking about here today is because it’s not done until it’s done. And there are some powerful voices on the other side that are interested in running out the clock or changing the subject or drowning out the majority of the American people to prevent any of these reforms from happening at all. They’re doing everything they can to make all our progress collapse under the weight of fear and frustration, or their assumption is that people will just forget about it.

“Shame on us if we’ve forgotten. I haven’t forgotten those kids. Shame on us if we’ve forgotten.“

President Obama March 28, 2013

4/8 President Obama remarks on Reducing Gun Violence - University of Hartford, Hartford, CT

4/9 Vice President Biden holds an event on gun legislation at the White House

4/10 First lady Michelle Obama talks with 700 local business, civic and community leaders about youth violence – Chicago, IL

…First lady Michelle Obama attends the “Joint Luncheon Meeting: Working …Together to Address Youth Violence in Chicago” hosted by Chicago Mayor …Rahm Emanuel – Chicago, IL

…..Livestream: http://digital.cityofchicago.org/index.php/video-2/

…Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discusses gun control
…- Loch Raven High School, Towson, MD

4/11 Vice President Biden appears on MSNBC “Morning Joe” to talk about gun legislation
.

4/9 - Gun vote set for Thursday as Democrats beat back GOP-led filibuster

4/11 – Senate votes 68-31 to move forward with gun control measure

4/17 - More Senators Vote To Loosen Gun Laws Than Tighten Them

Contact your legislator Call your US Congressional Representative and tell them to vote YES on sensible gun reforms.

U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
Tweet a Message to Your Representatives

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Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

02/20/2013

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder today awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to 18 public safety officers who exhibited exceptional courage in saving and protecting others and whose heroic actions were above and beyond the call of duty.

“This year’s Medal of Valor recipients have fearlessly responded to desperate cries for help – courageously risking their own lives to secure innocent victims, protect fellow officers, and end deadly assaults,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “These extraordinary public servants have distinguished themselves by going above and beyond the call of duty. And today, I am honored to join Vice President Biden in bestowing one of our nation’s most prestigious decorations on each of these heroes.”

The Medal of Valor, authorized by the Public Safety Medal of Valor Act of 2001, is awarded by the President of the United States to public safety officers cited by the Attorney General. Public safety officers are nominated by the chiefs or directors of their employing agencies and recommended by the Medal of Valor Review Board. The Attorney General has designated the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to serve as the federal point of contact for the Medal of Valor initiative. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), led by Director Denise E. O’Donnell, administers the Medal of Valor initiative.

“We recognize 18 extraordinary individuals for their quick thinking, selflessness and exceptional courage,” said Office of Justice Program Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary. “They are law enforcement, corrections officers, and firefighters who went beyond the call of duty to risk – and in some cases, to give – their lives for their fellow citizens and colleagues.”

“The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor is the highest national award for valor awarded to a public safety officer,” said Bureau of Justice Assistance Director, Denise E. O’Donnell. “BJA is proud to administer a program which serves to recognize the exceptionally brave actions of individuals who have given selflessly in order to protect citizens and communities throughout our nation.”

Including today’s awardees, a total of 78 medals have been presented since the first recipients were honored in 2003. More information about the award and today’s recipients, the Medal of Valor Review Board members, and the nomination process is on the OJP website at: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/medalofvalor .

Background on Medal of Valor Ceremony

Recipients of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor:

Officer Julie Olson, Maplewood Police Department, Minn.

Officer Reeshemah Taylor, Osceola County Corrections Department, Fla.

Wildlife Officer Michael Neal, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Officer Sean Haller and Officer Rafael Rivera, California Highway Patrol

Trooper Robert Lombardo and fallen Trooper Joshua Miller, Pennsylvania State Police

Firefighter Peter Demontreux, New York City Fire Department

Firefighter Hope Scott and Captain William Reynolds, Virginia Beach Fire Department, Va.

Deputy Sheriff Krista McDonald, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, Wash.

Officers Timothy McClintick, Max McDonald, Douglas Weaver, Sergeant Karl Lounge Jr. and fallen Sergeant Thomas Baitinger, St. Petersburg Police Department, Fla.

Fallen Deputies William Stiltner and Cameron Justus, Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Va.

Vice President Biden Honors Public Safety Officers with Medal of Valor

Colleen Curtis February 20, 2013 06:11 PM EST

Vice President Joe Biden today recognized 18 public safety officers for exhibiting exceptional courage in a Medal of Valor ceremony at the White House. The Medal of Valor is the highest national award for valor by a public safety officer, and it is bestowed on those whose heroic actions were above and beyond the call of duty.

The Vice President, who was joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, highlighted the bravery of the men and women who were being honored, and paid tribute to the spouses of the recipients who had lost their lives in the line of duty. He also talked about the special qualities that are unique to those who put themselves in danger to save others:

“My association with firefighters and police has been… the essence of my public life. And as many of these things that I do, I still grapple with what makes you do what you do? I’m just thankful that you do.

You can’t explain it, but you know it when you see it. I see it in the shield over someone’s heart. I see it in the men and women who are sitting here before us today…Thank God for you. You’re from different backgrounds, but you’re the glue that literally binds communities together at times of stress. You’re that face that shows up for a woman on the second floor of a burning building just when she thinks it’s all over for her… The amazing thing about all of you is that the very things you do when you’re on duty to save people’s lives, you do when you’re off duty. There’s no separation.”

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary Speaks at the Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony

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Our Law Enforcement Officials

02/03/2013

”Our Nation’s public safety officers are heroes who risk their lives to keep our families and communities safe. Each of these brave men and women goes to work not knowing what dangers might lie ahead, making tremendous sacrifices to uphold justice and protect the innocent. This week, we extend our gratitude for their service to our country. We also remember those killed in the line of duty, and we mourn their loss and honor the loved ones they left behind.

Our law enforcement personnel are dedicated to the communities they serve,working tirelessly to transform neighborhoods across our country. Despite facing budget constraints and daily threats, public safety officers embrace innovative approaches to improving our Nation and upholding the rule of law.”

President Obama May 13, 2011

To Protect With Courage. To Serve With Compassion.

Obama to Visit Minneapolis Police Dept. Special Operations Center

01/31/2013 4:26 PM By: Cassie Hart - KSTP.com

President Obama will be visiting Minneapolis on Monday to discuss gun violence.

This is the president’s first trip outside Washington centering on his proposals to reduce gun violence. He will travel to the Minneapolis Police Department Special Operations Center to deliver remarks and discuss with local leaders and law enforcement officials his comprehensive set of common sense ideas to reduce gun violence.

The president has been working closely with some of our local crime fighters.

This week Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek and Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau met with the president in Washington D.C.

The group of law enforcement leaders urged the president to improve mental health systems and strengthen background checks.

Sheriff Stanek hopes to continue that conversation with the president during his visit.

Sheriff Stanek said, “The real key here though is finding something that works across the board. Again he doesn’t make public policy, I do enforce it, and I do help influence public policy. And that’s how I’m going to spend our time whether it’s the president of the United States, the Governor of Minnesota, the Minnesota State Legislature or local elected officials.”

Minneapolis is one city that had a deadly mass shooting in 2012, including the school shooting in Connecticut and movie theatre massacre in Colorado.

Back in September a disgruntled worker shot and killed six people at Accent Signage.

For more: http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2916282.shtml

” I just had a chance to sit down with some local police officers but also community leaders, as well as folks who themselves had been victims or whose families had been victims of gun violence, to hear their ideas about how we can protect our kids and address the broader epidemic of gun violence in this country. Because if we’re serious about preventing the kinds of tragedies that happened in Newtown, or the tragedies that happen every day in places like Chicago or Philadelphia or Minneapolis, then law enforcement and other community leaders must have a seat at the table.

All the folks standing here behind me today, they’re the ones on the front line of this fight. They see the awful consequences — the lives lost, the families shattered. They know what works, they know what doesn’t work, and they know how to get things done without regard for politics.

So we’ve had a very productive discussion. And one of the things that struck me was that even though those who were sitting around that table represented very different communities, from big cities to small towns, they all believe it’s time to take some basic, common-sense steps to reduce gun violence. We may not be able to prevent every massacre or random shooting. No law or set of laws can keep our children completely safe. But if there’s even one thing we can do, if there’s just one life we can save, we’ve got an obligation to try.

That’s been the philosophy here in Minneapolis. A few years back, you suffered a spike in violent crime involving young people. So this city came together. You launched a series of youth initiatives that have reduced the number of young people injured by guns by 40 percent — 40 percent. So when it comes to protecting our children from gun violence, you’ve shown that progress is possible. We’ve still got to deal with the 60 percent that remains, but that 40 percent means lives saved — parents whose hearts aren’t broken, communities that aren’t terrorized and afraid.

We don’t have to agree on everything to agree it’s time to do something. (Applause.) That’s my main message here today.

And each of us has a role to play. A few weeks ago, I took action on my own to strengthen background checks, to help schools get more resource officers if they want them, and to direct the Centers for Disease Control to study the causes of violence. Because for a long time, even looking at the evidence was considered somehow tough politics. And so Congress had taken the approach that, we don’t want to know. Well, that’s never the answer to a problem — is not wanting to know what is going on.

So we’ve been able to take some steps through administrative action. But while these steps are important, real and lasting change also requires Congress to do its part and to do it soon, not to wait. The good news is that we’re starting to see a consensus emerge about the action Congress needs to take.

The vast majority of Americans — including a majority of gun owners — support requiring criminal background checks for anyone trying to buy a gun. (Applause.) So right now, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are working on a bill that would ban anyone from selling a gun to somebody legally prohibited from owning one. That’s common sense. There’s no reason we can’t get that done. That is not a liberal idea or a conservative idea; it’s not a Democratic or Republican idea — that is a smart idea. We want to keep those guns out of hands of folks who shouldn’t have them.

Senators from both parties have also come together and proposed a bill that would crack down on people who buy guns only to turn them around and sell them to criminals. It’s a bill that would keep more guns off the street and out of the hands of people with the intent of doing harm. (Applause.)

And, by the way, in addition to reducing violence on the streets, it would also make life a lot easier and a lot safer for the people standing behind me here today. (Applause.)

We shouldn’t stop there. We should restore the ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines. (Applause.) And that deserves a vote in Congress — because weapons of war have no place on our streets, or in our schools, or threatening our law enforcement officers. Our law enforcement officers should never be out-gunned on the streets. (Applause.)

But we also know that if we’re going to solve the problem of gun violence, then we’ve got to look at root causes as well. That means we should make it easier for young people to get access to mental health treatment. (Applause.) We should help communities like this one keep more cops on the beat. (Applause.) And since Congress hasn’t confirmed a director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in six years, they should confirm your U.S. Attorney from Minnesota, Todd Jones, who is here today and who I’ve nominated for this post. (Applause.)

These are common-sense measures supported by Democrats, Republicans and independents, and many of them are responsible gun owners. And we’re seeing members of Congress from both parties put aside their differences and work together to make many of them a reality.

But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the last four years, it’s that you can’t count on anything in Washington until it’s done. And nothing is done yet. There’s been a lot of talk, a lot of conversation, a lot of publicity, but we haven’t actually taken concrete steps yet.

Last week, the Senate held its first hearing since Newtown on the need to address gun violence and the best way to move forward, and the first people to offer testimony were Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly. They talked about how a complex problem like this has no single solution, but if we still had a 10-round limit on magazines, for example, the gunman who shot Gabby may never have been able to inflict 33 gunshot wounds in 15 seconds. Fifteen seconds, 33 rounds fired. Some of the six people who lost their lives that day in Tucson might still be with us.

Now, changing the status quo is never easy. This will be no exception. The only way we can reduce gun violence in this country is if the American people decide it’s important. If you decide it’s important. If parents and teachers, police officers and pastors, hunters and sportsmen, Americans of every background stand up and say this time it’s got to be different — we’ve suffered too much pain to stand by and do nothing.

And by the way, it’s really important for us to engage with folks who don’t agree with us on everything, because we hope that we can find some areas where we do agree. And we have to recognize that there are going to be regional differences and geographic differences. The experience that people have of guns in an urban neighborhood may not be the same as in a rural community.

But we know, for example, from polling that universal background checks are universally supported just about, by gun owners. The majority of gun owners, overwhelming majority of gun owners think that’s a good idea. So if we’ve got lobbyists in Washington claiming to speak for gun owners saying something different, we need to go to the source and reach out to people directly. We can’t allow those filters to get in the way of common sense.

That’s why I need everybody who’s listening to keep the pressure on your member of Congress to do the right thing. Ask them if they support common-sense reforms like requiring universal background checks, or restoring the ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Tell them there’s no legislation to eliminate all guns; there’s no legislation being proposed to subvert the Second Amendment. Tell them specifically what we’re talking about — things that the majority of Americans, when they’re asked, support. “

President Obama 2/4/13

.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/preventing-gun-violence

Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) – Donate

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Posted by CR

Vice President Biden’s European Trip

01/31/2013

Vice President Joe Biden will be in the UK, France and Germany to meet with European leaders the first weekend in February. Vice President Joe Biden will meet with key leaders to discuss a full range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

Vice President Joe Biden’s Schedule

Friday, February 1

Vice President Joe Biden meets with Chancellor Angela Merkel
Chancellery, Berlin, Germany

Dr Jill Biden meets with current American participants and German alumni of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program
Berlin, Germany

Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden will meet with our Ambassador, Philip D. Murphy , and the embassy staff and their families
US Embassy, Berlin, Germany

Saturday, February 2

Vice President Biden attends the 49th Munich Security Conference, attends series of meetings with leaders there and delivers remarks
Conference Hall, Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, Germany.Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden attend a dinner hosted by Bavarian Minister President Seehofer’s

49th Munich Security Conference
Venue: Conference Hall, Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, Germany

Saturday, 2 February 2013

3:00 – 3:15 AM ET
A TRIBUTE TO SENATORS RICHARD LUGAR AND SAMUEL NUNN

Jane Margaret Harman Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C.

3:15 – 5:15 AM ET
Statements & Discussion WHAT FUTURE FOR THE EURO-ATLANTIC SECURITY COMMUNITY

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Vice President, United States of America, Washington, D.C.

For the entire schedule: http://www.securityconference.de/fileadmin/user_upload/data/pdf/Sprecherprogramm_2013-02-01_1440.pdf

Munich Security Conference – LIVE STREAM

Dr Jill Biden visits with soldiers and their families
Joint Multinational Training Command, Grafenwoehr, Germany

Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden attend a dinner hosted by Bavarian Minister President Seehofer

Sunday, Feburary 3

Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden visit the wounded soldiers
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center

Monday, February 4

Vice President Biden meets with President Hollande for a working lunch
Élysée Palace, Paris, France

Vice President Biden President Hollande deliver a joint statement
Élysée Palace, Paris, France

Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden will meet with our Ambassador, Charlie Rivkin, and the embassy staff and their families
US Embassy Paris, France

Tuesday, February 5

Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden will meet with our Ambassador, Louis B. Susman, and the embassy staff and their families
US Embassy, London, United Kingdom

Vice President Biden meets with Deputy Prime Minister Clegg and Prime Minister Cameron for a working lunch
10 Downing Street, London, United Kingdom

Vice President Biden joins a meeting of the United Kingdom’s National Security Council
London, United Kingdom

..
Vice President Biden on Foreign Relations

Vice President Biden has extensive foreign policy experience. He was a long-time member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. In 1997, he became the ranking minority member and chaired the committee in January 2001 and from June 2001 through 2003. Biden again assumed the top spot on the committee in 2007. He collaborated effectively with important Republican Senate figures such as Richard Lugar and Jesse Helms and sometimes went against elements of his own party. Biden was also co-chair of the NATO Observer Group in the Senate. During this time Biden met with some 150 leaders from nearly 60 countries and international organizations. Biden held frequent hearings as chair of the committee, as well as holding many subcommittee hearings during the three times he chaired the Subcommittee on European Affairs. He was a long-time member and former chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. His strong advocacy helped bring about U.S. military assistance and intervention during the Bosnian War. Regarding foreign policy, during his first decade in the Senate, Biden focused on arms control issues. In response to the refusal of the U.S. Congress to ratify the SALT II Treaty signed in 1979 by Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and President Jimmy Carter, Biden took the initiative to meet the Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, educated him about American concerns and interests, and secured several changes to address objections of the Foreign Relations Committee. When the Reagan administration wanted to interpret the 1972 SALT I Treaty loosely in order to allow the Strategic Defense Initiative to proceed, Biden argued for strict adherence to the treaty’s terms.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biden#Foreign_Relations_Committee

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Posted by CR

Mandatory Background Check, Ban Assault Weapons & ATF Director

01/15/2013

The second amendment of the US Constitution is:

“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”

NO CHECK. NO GUN.

bradycenter.org

For forty years we have prohibited felons and other dangerous people from buying or possessing guns. In 1994, we passed the Brady Law, putting an end to the days when criminals could “lie and buy” guns from dealers without a background check. The Brady Law requires that every person who wishes to buy a gun from a licensed gun seller undergo a background check to make sure that the buyer is not a criminal or other prohibited person. Brady background checks have been a resounding success. Background checks prevent dangerous people from arming themselves with guns from licensed dealers, without preventing law-abiding citizens from buying firearms, and they generally take only minutes.

However, the Brady background check system has a major gap. Because it requires background checks only for gun sales by licensed dealers, criminals can obtain guns with no questions asked from unlicensed sellers, as they are allowed to sell guns without conducting a check in most states. About 40% of gun sales are made without a background check to see if the purchaser is a criminal or otherwise prohibited from buying guns. In effect, we have two gun markets: A regulated one, where buyers are checked to see if they can legally buy guns, and an unregulated one, where they are not.

Why do we allow this unregulated system of no-check gun sales to flourish in this country? By requiring background checks on only about 60% of gun sales, with the rest almost completely unregulated, we make it too easy for dangerous people to obtain dangerous weapons. This leads to senseless gun violence harming tens of thousands of people, year after year. Imagine if we applied this same irrational policy to the sale of controlled drugs, where prescriptions were required for purchasing drugs from pharmacies, but drugs also could be legally sold by “unlicensed sellers” without a prescription, no questions asked. Or if airports only screened 60% of airline passengers and allowed anyone who wanted to pass through unscreened. Such loopholes would not be tolerated. Indeed, when gaps in those systems have been identified, the government has taken swift steps to close them.

The no-check loophole only helps criminals and other prohibited purchasers, and those who supply them with guns. We are long overdue for instituting the rational policy of requiring a background check before any gun is sold.

Not surprisingly, the no-check loophole has been exploited as a major supply source for criminals who want guns. Criminals purchase guns directly from private no-check sellers at gun shows and elsewhere with no questions asked. Also, gun traffickers buy

No Check. No Gun.

For more: http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/pdf/reports/no-check-no-gun-report.pdf

List of US School Shootings
</span

Senate approval controversy

The job of ATF director has required Senate confirmation only since 2006, but that has never happened, leaving the agency in the hands of acting directors.

The National Rifle Association of America strongly opposes President Obama’s nomination of Andrew Traver as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). Traver has been deeply aligned with gun control advocates and anti-gun activities. This makes him the wrong choice to lead an enforcement agency that has almost exclusive oversight and control over the firearms industry, its retailers and consumers. Further, an important nomination such as BATFE director should not be made as a ‘recess appointment,’ in order to circumvent consent by the American people through their duly-elected U.S. Senators. Traver served as an advisor to the International Association for Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) ‘Gun Violence Reduction Project,’ a ‘partnership’ with the Joyce Foundation. Both IACP and the Joyce Foundation are names synonymous with promoting a variety of gun control schemes at the federal and state levels. Most of the individuals involved in this project were prominent gun control activists and lobbyists.

“The bottom line is the gun lobby will oppose any nominee who promises to be a strong and effective director of the ATF,” said Dennis Henigan, vice president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Indeed, it was persistent lobbying by the NRA. that helped to get the confirmation requirement instated. In 2007, Bush nominated Mike Sullivan for the position, a U.S. Attorney from Boston with a good reputation, but Republican Sens. Larry Craig and Michael D. Crapo, both from Idaho, blocked his confirmation after complaints from an Idaho gun dealer. In 2010, Obama nominated Andrew Traver, head of the ATF’s Denver division, to fill the top spot, but the Senate is yet to hold his confirmation hearings as of December 26, 2012.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Alcohol,_Tobacco,_Firearms_and_Explosives#Senate_approval_controvers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FLASHBACK: Obama: I Have Expanded Rights of Gun Owners

Dec 17, 2012 1:38pm Devin Dwyer – abcnews

Two months after the January 2011 Tucson shooting, President Obama put into writing the same pledge he made last night in Newtown, Conn. “We have a responsibility to do everything we can to put a stop to” tragedies from gun violence, he said in an op-ed in the Arizona Star.

But in the next sentence, Obama adds this caveat, shedding light on his approach to guns:

“Like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms,” he wrote. “And, in fact, my administration has not curtailed the rights of gun owners — it has expanded them.”

In his first month in office, Obama overturned a 20-year ban on loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.

Licensed gun owners from any state can now carry concealed, loaded weapons on federal land.

Ten months later, as part of an omnibus spending bill, Obama reversed a decade-long ban on transporting firearms by train. Amtrak travelers can now carry unloaded, locked weapons in their checked baggage.

These actions, and others, are what earned Obama an “F” from the Brady Center for Gun Violence in 2010 for “extraordinary silence and passivity” on gun control. But Obama saw the moves differently.

“The fact is, almost all gun owners in America are highly responsible,” Obama wrote in the Star. “They’re our friends and neighbors. They buy their guns legally and use them safely, whether for hunting or target shooting, collection or protection. And that’s something that gun-safety advocates need to accept.”

This outlook offers insight into how the administration will approach what Obama described as the need for “meaningful action” in the aftermath of the Newtown massacre last week.

As president, Obama has always emphasized the need to keep guns out of the wrong hands, rather than restrict the availability of guns or gun parts themselves. In his few public comments on the issue as president, Obama has called for enforcement of existing laws and improvements to the national background check system.

The background check system “hasn’t been properly implemented. It relies on data supplied by states – but that data is often incomplete and inadequate,” Obama wrote in his March 2011 op-ed. “We should in fact reward the states that provide the best data – and therefore do the most to protect our citizens… we should make the system faster and nimbler.

“We should provide an instant, accurate, comprehensive and consistent system for background checks to sellers who want to do the right thing, and make sure that criminals can’t escape it,” he wrote.

Experts say that beefing up the system — and improving its ability to catch mental illness among potential gun buyers — is something that Obama could do right away via executive order. One proposal includes directing more state or federal agencies with knowledge of a person’s mental competency or drug use to funnel that information into one, central background check system.

Other gun control proposals that Obama has endorsed, such as requiring background checks for gun sales at trade shows or banning the sale of assault weapons, would require Congressional approval. In spite of six major shootings on his watch, Obama has not publicly pushed for a renewal of an assault weapons ban or new restrictions on high-capacity magazines.

Gun Violence Reduction Task Force

* Last week President Obama asked Vice President Biden to lead this effort in part because he wrote and passed the 1994 Crime Bill that helped law enforcement bring down the rate of violent crime in America. That bill included the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

* On January 9th and 10th Vice President Biden’s meets with 229 groups that include victims groups, gun safety organizations, advocates for sportsmen and women, gun ownership groups and representatives of the entertainment and video game industries on how to prevent shooting massacres, and limit gun violence.

..Other White House representatives also held meetings:

..Secretary Duncan meets with representatives from parent, teacher, and education groups.
..Secretary Sebelius meets with mental health and disability advocates.
..Senior White House staff meets with a variety of stakeholders, including medical groups, community organizations, child and family advocates, business owners, faith leaders, and others.

* On January 16th President Obama will hold a news conference on gun violence reduction proposals.

Kids Write Letters to Obama on Gun Control

1/16/13 By Jonathan Karl | ABC OTUS News –

This morning the White House released handwritten letters to the President from some of the children who will be at the White House when President Obama unveils his plan to prevent gun violence. The kids offer their own ideas on gun control – ideas that go significantly further than the President’s plan.

Eight-year-old Grant from Maryland, writes the President, “there should be some changes in the law with guns. It’s a free country, but I recommend there needs be [sic] a limit with guns.”

Grant’s ideas: “Please don’t let people own machine guns or other powerful guns like that. I think there should be a good reason to get a gun. There should be a limit about [sic] how many guns a person can own.”

“Even though I am not scared for my own safety, I am scared for others,” writes Eleven-year-old Julia from Washington, DC. “My opinion is it should be very hard for people to buy guns.”

Julia continues: “I beg you to work very hard to make guns not allowed, not just for me, but for the whole United States.”

Ten year-old Taejah is less specific. “I am very sad about the children who lost their lives in Conn.,” he writes. “So I thought I would write to you to STOP gun violence. Thank you, Mr. President.”

ABC OTUS News – Kids Write Letters to Obama on Gun Control (ABC News)

The President’s Plan to Reduce Gun Violence

On January 15, 2013, Vice President Biden delivered his policy proposals to President Obama. The package of recommendations, released publicly January 16, 2013, details ways we can help keep guns out of the wrong hands, make our schools safer, and increase access to mental health services.

On January 16, 2013 President Obama spoke on his policies to reduce gun violence. Here are some key points of his speech:

.
• Require background checks for all gun sales
• Strengthen the background check system for gun sales
• Pass a new, stronger ban on assault weapons
• Limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds
• Finish the job of getting armor-piercing bullets off the streets
• Give law enforcement additional tools to prevent and prosecute gun crime
• End the freeze on gun violence research
• Make our schools safer with new resource officers and counselors, better emergency response plans, and more nurturing school climates
• Ensure quality coverage of mental health treatment, particularly for young people

.
No single law – or even set of laws – can prevent every act of violence in our country. But the fact that this problem is complex can not be an excuse for inaction.

January 16, 2013

Presidential Memorandum — Tracing of Firearms in Connection with Criminal Investigations

January 16, 2013

Presidential Memorandum — Engaging in Public Health Research on the Causes and Prevention of Gun Violence

January 16, 2013

Presidential Memorandum — Improving Availability of Relevant Executive Branch Records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System

January 16, 2013

Presidential Memorandum — Engaging in Public Health Research on the Causes and Prevention of Gun Violence

.

4/9 - Gun vote set for Thursday as Democrats beat back GOP-led filibuster

4/11 - Senate votes 68-31 to move forward with gun control measure

4/17 - More Senators Vote To Loosen Gun Laws Than Tighten Them

Contact your legislator Call your US Congressional Representative and tell them to vote YES on sensible gun reforms.

U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
Tweet a Message to Your Representatives

63 Comments | Civil Rights, PBO, Security & Defense | Tagged: Civil Rights, PBO, Security & Defense | Permalink
Posted by CR

Reducing Gun Violence

01/09/2013

List of US School Shootings

A Message from President Obama about Your Petition on Reducing Gun Violence

Bruce Reed December 21, 2012 06:00 AM EST

Ed. Note: Today, the White House responded to a number of petitions on We the People asking the Administration to take action to reduce gun violence in our country. The response is below and can be viewed on We the People here.

In the days since the tragedy in Newtown, Americans from all over the country have called for action to deter mass shootings and reduce gun violence. Hundreds of thousands of you have signed petitions on We the People.

I’m writing you today to thank you for speaking up, to update you on an important development, and to encourage you to continue engaging with the White House on this critical issue.

First, you should know that President Obama is paying close to attention to the public response to this tragedy. In fact, he sat down to record a message specifically for those of you who have joined the conversation using We the People. Watch it now:

On Wednesday, the President outlined a series of first steps we can take to begin the work of ending this cycle of violence. This is what he said:

We know this is a complex issue that stirs deeply held passions and political divides. And as I said on Sunday night, there’s no law or set of laws that can prevent every senseless act of violence in our society. We’re going to need to work on making access to mental health care at least as easy as access to a gun. We’re going to need to look more closely at a culture that all too often glorifies guns and violence. And any actions we must take must begin inside the home and inside our hearts.

But the fact that this problem is complex can no longer be an excuse for doing nothing. The fact that we can’t prevent every act of violence doesn’t mean we can’t steadily reduce the violence, and prevent the very worst violence.

Vice President Biden has been asked to work with members of the Administration, Congress, and the general public to come up with a set of concrete policy proposals by next month — proposals the President intends to push swiftly. The President asked the Vice President to lead this effort in part because he wrote and passed the 1994 Crime Bill that helped law enforcement bring down the rate of violent crime in America. That bill included the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

As the Vice President’s Chief of Staff, I’m going to do everything I can to ensure we run a process that includes perspectives from all sides of the issue, which is why I wanted to respond to your petition myself. Two decades ago, as domestic policy adviser in the Clinton White House, I first worked with Joe Biden as he fought to enact the Crime Bill, the assault weapons ban, and the Brady Bill. I will never forget what a key role the voices of concerned citizens like you played in that vital process.

The President called on Congress to pass important legislation “banning the sale of military-style assault weapons,” “banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition clips,” and “requiring background checks before all gun purchases, so that criminals can’t take advantage of legal loopholes to buy a gun from somebody who won’t take the responsibility of doing a background check at all.”

An issue this serious and complex isn’t going to be resolved with a single legislative proposal or policy prescription. And let’s be clear, any action we take will respect the Second Amendment. As the President said:

Look, like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. This country has a strong tradition of gun ownership that’s been handed down from generation to generation. Obviously across the country there are regional differences. There are differences between how people feel in urban areas and rural areas. And the fact is the vast majority of gun owners in America are responsible — they buy their guns legally and they use them safely, whether for hunting or sport shooting, collection or protection.

But you know what, I am also betting that the majority — the vast majority — of responsible, law-abiding gun owners would be some of the first to say that we should be able to keep an irresponsible, law-breaking few from buying a weapon of war. I’m willing to bet that they don’t think that using a gun and using common sense are incompatible ideas — that an unbalanced man shouldn’t be able to get his hands on a military-style assault rifle so easily; that in this age of technology, we should be able to check someone’s criminal records before he or she can check out at a gun show; that if we work harder to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, there would be fewer atrocities like the one in Newtown — or any of the lesser-known tragedies that visit small towns and big cities all across America every day.

The President said it best: “Ultimately if this effort is to succeed it’s going to require the help of the American people — it’s going to require all of you. If we’re going to change things, it’s going to take a wave of Americans — mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, pastors, law enforcement, mental health professionals — and, yes, gun owners — standing up and saying ‘enough’ on behalf of our kids.”

So let’s continue this conversation and get something meaningful done. If you have additional ideas and are interested in further engagement with the White House on this issue, please let us know and share your thoughts here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share-your-thoughts-reducing-gun-violence

Thank you for speaking out and staying involved.

Gun Violence Reduction Task Forcee

President Obama asked Vice President Biden to lead this effort in part because he wrote and passed the 1994 Crime Bill that helped law enforcement bring down the rate of violent crime in America. That bill included the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

On January 9th and 10th Vice President Biden’s meets with victims groups, gun safety organizations, advocates for sportsmen and women, gun ownership groups and representatives of the entertainment and video game industries on how to prevent shooting massacres, and limit gun violence.

Other White House representatives also held meetings:

* Secretary Duncan meets with representatives from parent, teacher, and education groups.
* Secretary Sebelius meets with mental health and disability advocates.
* Senior White House staff meets with a variety of stakeholders, including medical groups, community organizations, child and family advocates, business owners, faith leaders, and others.

4/9 - Gun vote set for Thursday as Democrats beat back GOP-led filibuster

4/11 - Senate votes 68-31 to move forward with gun control measure

4/17 - More Senators Vote To Loosen Gun Laws Than Tighten Them

Contact your legislator Call your US Congressional Representative and tell them to vote YES on sensible gun reforms.

U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
Tweet a Message to Your Representatives

83 Comments | Civil Rights, Legislation, PBO, Security & Defense | Tagged: Civil Rights, Legislation, PBO, Security & Defense | Permalink
Posted by CR

President Obama’s 2013 – 2017 Cabinet

01/06/2013

President Obama’s Cabinet

The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the beginnings of the Presidency itself. Established in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, the Cabinet’s role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member’s respective office.

The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.

The 15 Secretaries from the executive departments are appointed by the President, and they must be confirmed by a majority vote (51 votes) of the Senate. They cannot be a member of Congress or hold any other elected office. Cabinet appointments are for the duration of the administration, but the President may dismiss any member at any time, without approval of the Senate. In addition, they are expected to resign when a new President takes office.

Over the next few days President Obama will be nominating his choices to fill the vacancies for his 2013-2016 Cabinet.

In order of succession to the Presidency:

Vice President of the United States
Joseph R. Biden

Department of State
Secretary John Kerry
www.state.gov

Department of the Treasury
Secretary Jack Lew
www.treasury.gov

Department of Defense
Secretary Chuck Hagel
www.defense.gov

Department of Justice
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.
www.usdoj.gov

Department of the Interior
Secretary Sally Jewell
www.doi.gov

Department of Agriculture
Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack
www.usda.gov

Department of Commerce
* Acting Secretary – Rebecca Blank
www.commerce.gov

Department of Labor
* Acting Secretary – Seth D. Harris
www.dol.gov

Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
www.hhs.gov

Department of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Shaun L.S. Donovan
www.hud.gov

Department of Transportation
__________
www.dot.gov

Department of Energy
Secretary Ernest Moniz
www.energy.gov

Department of Education
Secretary Arne Duncan
www.ed.gov

Department of Veterans Affairs
Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
www.va.gov

Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Janet A. Napolitano
www.dhs.gov

The following positions have the status of Cabinet-rank:

White House Chief of Staff
Denis McDonough

Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives
* Acting Director (due to Senate approval controversy) - B. Todd Jones

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
John O. Brennan

Environmental Protection Agency
* Acting Administrator - Bob Perciasepe
www.epa.gov

Office of Management & Budget
Sylvia Mathews Burwell
www.whitehouse.gov/omb

United States Trade Representative
Ambassador Ronald Kirk
www.ustr.gov

United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Ambassador Susan Rice
www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/

Council of Economic Advisers
Chairman Alan B. Krueger
www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/cea/

Small Business Administration
Administrator Karen G. Mills
www.sba.gov/

* Acting Directors

For All Nominations & Appointments: http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/nominations-and-appointments

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Posted by CR

Pro President Obama Blog

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Do SOMETHING About Gun Reform

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Reducing Gun Violence

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