Statements and Releases

Addressing the Nuclear Threat: Fulfilling the Promise of Prague at the L'Aquila Summit

On April 5, 2009, in Prague, President Obama presented an ambitious three-part strategy to address the international nuclear threat: 1) proposing measures to reduce and eventually eliminate existing nuclear arsenals; 2) strengthening the Non-proliferation Treaty and halting proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional states; and 3) preventing terrorists from acquiring nuclear weapons or materials.

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate, 7-8-09

Irene Cornelia Berger, of West Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia, vice David A. Faber, retired.

President Obama Nominates Irene Berger, Roberto Lange to Serve on the District Court Bench

Today, President Obama nominated Irene Berger and Roberto Lange for District Court judgeships. Judge Berger is being nominated for the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia while Mr. Lange is a nominee for the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.

Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki

The Vice President spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today. The Vice President expressed his thanks for his productive visit to Iraq last weekend. He noted his positive telephone calls yesterday with Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and reaffirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to Iraq’s success.

President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Francis Collins as NIH Director

Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Francis S. Collins as Director of the National Institutes of Health at the Department of Health and Human Services.

FACT SHEET: On G-8 Global Issues

Leaders from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom met on July 8, 2009 to demonstrate their determination to ensure sustainable growth, and to tackle the interlinked challenges of the economic crisis, trade, climate change, and development.

The Joint Understanding for The Start Follow On Treaty

The President of the United States of America and the President of the Russian Federation have decided on further reductions and limitations of their nations’ strategic offensive arms and on concluding at an early date a new legally binding agreement to replace the current START Treaty, and directed that the new treaty contain, inter alia, the following elements:

Statement by the Press Secretary on the President's Visit to the L'Aquila Earthquake Zone with Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy

The President and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi visited the L’Aquila earthquake zone in the Italian Abruzzo region today. The President expressed to the Prime Minister U.S. sympathy and solidarity with the earthquake victims and the people of Italy.

Background On Todays Health Care Announcement

As families, businesses and governments struggle with the increasing burden of health care costs, hospital leaders are joining with the Administration to say the status quo is no longer sustainable. Like others in the health care industry, hospitals have seen firsthand that Americans with health insurance are struggling to pay their health care bills because they are under-insured and their out of pocket expenses are rising. Often those without insurance – because they have lost a job or someone in their family suffers from a pre-existing condition – are forced to throw themselves on the mercy of America’s hospitals. Hospitals absorb some of the cost of caring for Americans without insurance – while the remainder is passed on to taxpayers or Americans with insurance. The hospital industry agrees with the President that the time to enact health reform that lowers costs and assures quality and affordable coverage for all Americans is now.

Interview of the President by AllAfrica.com, 7-2-09

We asked visitors to our site, AllAfrica.com, what they might be interested in with respect to your policy. And as you might imagine, the responses are everywhere: conflict resolution, development issues, trade issues, et cetera. But they and we have one immediate question: How is it that you happened to pick Ghana as the first place to visit in sub-Saharan Africa?

Briefing Room