The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Notice - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

NOTICE

-------

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

On November 14, 1994, by Executive Order (E.O.) 12938, the President declared a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (weapons of mass destruction) and the means of delivering such weapons. On July 28, 1998, the President issued E.O. 13094, amending E.O. 12938, to respond more effectively to the worldwide threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation activities. On June 28, 2005, the President issued E.O. 13382, which, inter alia, further amended E.O. 12938, to improve our ability to combat proliferation. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States; therefore, the national emergency first declared on November 14, 1994, and extended in each subsequent year, must continue. In accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12938.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 7, 2014.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Letter - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

November 7, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice, stating that the national emergency with respect to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction that was declared in Executive Order 12938 is to continue in effect beyond November 14, 2014.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Remarks by the President Before Meeting with Congressional Leadership

Old Family Dining Room

12:52 P.M. EST
    
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I want to thank the leadership of both the House and the Senate for being here for this lunch, post-election.  As I said the other night, obviously Republicans had a good night, and I’ve congratulated both Mitch McConnell as well as Speaker Boehner for running very strong campaigns.
    
As I also said the day after the election, what we’ve seen now for a number of cycles is that the American people just want to see work done here in Washington.  I think they’re frustrated by the gridlock.  They’d like to see more cooperation.  And I think all of us have the responsibility, me in particular, to try to make that happen.  And so this gives us a good opportunity to explore where we can make progress on behalf of the people who sent us here.
    
The good news is, today we saw another good set of jobs numbers.  We’ve now had 56 consecutive months of job growth; more than 10.6 million jobs have been created.  And the unemployment rate now is down to 5.8 percent. 
    
So business is out there investing, hiring.  The economic indicators are going in the right direction.  As I travel to Asia for the G20 Summit, I’m going to be able to say that we’ve actually created more jobs here in the United States than every other advanced country combined.  And they notice that we’re doing something right here.  But what we also know is that the American people are still anxious about their futures, and that means that what we can do together to ensure that young people can afford college; what we can do together to rebuild our infrastructure so we’re competitive going forward; what we can do together to make sure that we’ve got a tax system that is fair and simple, and unleashes the dynamism of the economy; what we can do together to make sure that we keep the progress that we’ve been making in reducing the deficit while still making the investments we need to grow.
    
Those are all going to be areas where I’m very interested in hearing and sharing ideas.  And then the one thing that I’ve committed to both Speaker Boehner and Leader McConnell is that I am not going to judge ideas based on whether they’re Democratic or Republican; I’m going to be judging them based whether or not they work.  And I’m confident that they want to produce results, as well, on behalf of the American people.
    
So I appreciate their graciousness in coming here.  And I’m very much looking forward to giving them some updates on progress we’ve been making on issues like Ebola and ISIL.  There’s going to be some specific work that has to get done during the next several weeks before the new Congress commences.  And my hope is, is that even as we enter into a new Congress, the previous Congress has the opportunity still to make progress on a whole bunch of fronts, and I’m confident we can get that done.
    
So thank you again.
    
Q    Have you made a decision on an Attorney General, Mr. President?
    
THE PRESIDENT:  You’re going to be the first to find out, Major, along with everybody else.
    
Thank you, everybody. 
                            
END               
12:56 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Presidential Proclamation -- Veterans Day, 2014

VETERANS DAY, 2014
 
- - - - - - -
 
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
 
A PROCLAMATION

Since the birth of our Nation, American patriots have stepped forward to serve our country and defend our way of life.  With honor and distinction, generations of servicemen and women have taken up arms to win our independence, preserve our Union, and secure our freedom.  From the Minutemen to our Post-9/11 Generation, these heroes have put their lives on the line so that we might live in a world that is safer, freer, and more just, and we owe them a profound debt of gratitude.  On Veterans Day, we salute the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who have rendered the highest service any American can offer, and we rededicate ourselves to fulfilling our commitment to all those who serve in our name. 

Today, we are reminded of our solemn obligation:  to serve our veterans as well as they have served us.  As we continue our responsible drawdown from the war in Afghanistan and more members of our military return to civilian life, we must support their transition and make sure they have access to the resources and benefits they have earned.  My Administration is working to end the tragedy of homelessness among our veterans, and we are committed to providing them with quality health care, access to education, and the tools they need to find a rewarding career.  As a Nation, we must ensure that every veteran has the chance to share in the opportunity he or she has helped to defend.  Those who have served in our Armed Forces have the experience, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve success as members of our civilian workforce, and it is critical that we harness their talent.
 
Across our country, veterans who fought to protect our democracy around the globe are strengthening it here at home. Once leaders in the Armed Forces, they are now pioneers of industry and pillars of their communities.  Their character reflects our enduring American spirit, and in their example, we find inspiration and strength.
 
This day, and every day, we pay tribute to America's sons and daughters who have answered our country's call.  We recognize the sacrifice of those who have been part of the finest fighting force the world has ever known and the loved ones who stand beside them.  We will never forget the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice and all those who have not yet returned home.  As a grateful Nation, let us show our appreciation by honoring all our veterans and working to ensure the promise of America is within the reach of all who have protected it.
 
With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation's veterans.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2014, as Veterans Day.  I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers.  I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs. 

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

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Remarks by the President Before Cabinet Meeting

Cabinet Room

10:50 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, this morning we learned that in October our businesses added 209,000 new jobs.  The unemployment rate fell again.  Our private sector has now added 10.6 million new jobs over the last 56 months, and this is the strongest job growth that we have seen since the 1990s. 

And all this is a testament to the hard work and resilience of the American people.  They have been steady and strong digging themselves out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  And what we need now to do is to make sure that we build on this momentum, because we recognize that despite the solid growth, despite the drop in unemployment, there are still a lot of folks out there who are anxious about their futures, who are having trouble making ends meet at the end of the month or saving for their kids’ college education, or being able to make sure that they're able to retire with dignity and respect.  And so everything that we do for the next two years is designed and geared towards ensuring that folks who work hard in this country are able to get ahead.

Now, obviously, we’ve had a significant midterm election.  As I said at the press conference, my attitude has been and will continue to be that good ideas don't necessarily come from just one party.  And I’m looking forward to seeing the leaders of both Democratic and Republican caucuses this afternoon to have a chance to share with them both what I think we need to be doing to build on the economic momentum that we already have and make it even stronger.  But I’m also going to be interested in listening to them in terms of areas where we think it’s possible to work together -- whether that is putting people back to work through stronger manufacturing here in the United States, and selling more to countries around the world -- one of the major topics that we're going to be discussing during my Asia trip next week; whether it’s figuring out how we can build on some modest new investments that we can make in early childhood education.  We know that works.  And there’s strong bipartisan support around the country for some of those investments.  Let’s see if we can do more.

All these issues are ones in which there’s a strong possibility of bipartisan cooperation, as long as we set politics aside for a moment and focus on the people who actually sent us here.

In the meantime, in these regular meetings that I’m having with my Cabinet, I’ve been emphasizing to them from day one and will reiterate in this meeting the fact that separate and apart from legislative activity, we have the capacity to continually improve how we deliver services to the American people.  Part of what’s happened over a course of several decades is that people sometimes feel as if the federal government is distant, that it’s not customer-friendly, that there’s too much bureaucracy. 

And because of the fine work of many of the members of this Cabinet, what we’ve been able to do is start chipping away at some of the old ways of doing business and start instituting new ways of doing business that improve customer service, that make sure that people are getting the help they need.

This week, I had a chance to welcome and have a conversation with our new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Bob McDonald, who is coming from the private sector, but also is coming from West Point and an extraordinary legacy of service in our Armed Forces.  And what we’re already seeing is that Bob is able to start skinnying down the wait times for people in terms of getting appointments that they need, but also building on successes that have been taking place over the last several years -- reducing homelessness, for example.  With our HUD Secretaries Donovan and now Castro, we’ve reduced veterans homelessness by 30 percent.  And a lot of that’s not by virtue of new legislation, it’s just by us focusing more on these problems and managing them better, and continually listening to the American people to see how we can be more helpful.

So there are a lot of opportunities for us to do that here today.  We’re going to I think take an inventory of the progress that’s being made in various departments.  We’re also going to focus on the fact that between now and the end of the year there’s still some immediate work that needs to be done.

We have made progress in building the kind of public health infrastructure we need to deal with any eventualities with respect to Ebola, but it is still a concern both here domestically but, most importantly, still a concern internationally.  So we’ll get reports from Sylvia Burwell as well as Susan Rice and others who have been actively involved in that fight.  And Ron Klain, who’s here, will tell us how the work we need to be doing with Congress can help advance and ultimately stamp out this epidemic overseas to make sure that the American people are safe. 

We also have some significant national security issues.  We’ve got to make sure that our efforts against ISIL are properly funded, and so it will be an opportunity for Secretary of Defense Hagel to brief us on the progress in our campaign against ISIL in Iraq and some of the work they’re doing in Syria.

So bottom line is that, as I’ve told my White House staff and I’ve shared in the past with many of my Cabinet, we are extraordinarily privileged to be in a position where every single day we can have a positive impact in some way on the lives of the American people.  And when I started out on this journey with Joe Biden, and we traveled around the country, we were constantly reminded of the hard work, of the sense of community, the sense of family that exists in every pocket and every corner of this country -- the same kinds of values that Joe grew up on and I grew up on. 

And what we want to do is to make sure that between now and the time that the next administration takes over, that every single day, in every single agency, we are constantly finding ways to build on those values and to make sure that we are making this country safer and more prosperous.  And I know that based on the conversations I’ve had with this Cabinet, there is no lack of enthusiasm or energy in achieving that goal.

Thank you very much, everybody.
   
END
10:59 A.M. EST

The Employment Situation in October

Jason Furman
Jason Furman
November 07, 2014
09:30 AM EDT

With today’s report, the unemployment rate is falling as fast as at any point in the last thirty years, and the economy is on pace for its best year of job growth since the late 1990s. The economy has come a long way since the crisis six years ago, but more must be done to create jobs for those still searching for work and ensure that those who are working see the strengthening economy translate into rising wages. The President will continue to work with Congress and do everything he can to support job creation and boost wages.

FIVE KEY POINTS IN TODAY’S REPORT FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

1. The private sector has added 10.6 million jobs over 56 straight months of job growth, extending the longest streak on record. Today we learned that total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 214,000 in October, mainly reflecting a 209,000 increase in private employment. Private-sector job growth was revised up for August and September by a combined 33,000, so that over the past twelve months, private employment has increased by 2.6 million. Private employment has risen by at least 200,000 for nine consecutive months, the first time that has happened since the 1990s.

Related Topics: Jobs, Manufacturing, Small Business, Economy, Working Families

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 06, 2014

Statement by the President on the Selection of Jonathan Greenblatt as the Anti-Defamation League’s Incoming National Director

I offer congratulations to Jonathan Greenblatt, who will succeed Abe Foxman as the next National Director of the Anti-Defamation League. As Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation at the White House, Jonathan has been a valued member of my team and worked tirelessly to support innovative solutions to America’s challenges. I can’t thank him enough for his service.

For more than a century, the Anti-Defamation League has been a strong moral voice against anti-Semitism and hatred in all forms. I am confident that Jonathan will build on Abe’s extraordinary legacy, ensuring that the Anti-Defamation League remains at the forefront of efforts to achieve greater justice, freedom, and equality for people in the United States and across the globe.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 06, 2014

Statement by the President on the Passing of Lane Evans

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Congressman Lane Evans. Lane was a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and dedicated much of his public life to helping his fellow veterans, particularly those who fought in Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange. Lane was one of my earliest supporters when I ran for the Senate, and I was proud to have him by my side when I when I was elected President. Above all, Lane was an American hero, a dear friend and a beloved public servant of the people of Illinois. Michelle and I extend our thoughts and prayers to Lane’s family and friends, and the people he represented in Congress who loved him so dearly.

The President and First Lady Host "A Salute to the Troops: In Performance at the White House"

November 06, 2014 | 7:43 | Public Domain

As part of the “In Performance at the White House” series and the Joining Forces initiative, the President and First Lady invite music legends, members of the U.S. military, military veterans, and their families to the White House for a celebration of the men and women who serve the United States.

Download mp4 (284MB) | mp3 (8MB)

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 06, 2014

Remarks by the President at "A Salute to the Troops: In Concert at the White House"

South Lawn

7:36 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. (Applause.) Please, have a seat, have a seat. Well, good evening everybody. On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House. (Applause.)

Tonight, as we near Veterans Day, we are continuing our White House music series with a salute to American patriots -- our extraordinary troops, our veterans, and their families. And to help us pay tribute to these remarkable individuals, our men and women in uniform, we’ve got some musical legends -- like Willie Nelson, John Fogerty. (Applause.) We’ve got Mary J. Blige in the house. (Applause.) We’ve got Romeo Santos. (Applause.) We have Common here. (Applause.) Hill Harper and Logan Lerman are here, as well, and we’re going to be joined by Daughtry, who’s playing at a big USO Show at Yokota Air Base in Japan. (Applause.)

And we’ve got some of the finest musicians in our military. (Applause.) We’ve got Sergeant Christiana Ball, U.S. Army -- (applause) -- and Captain John Auer and Captain Matt Smith, United States Marine Corps. (Applause.)

So between all of these folks, we’ve got a little bit of rock and roll, we’ve got a little bit of country, little bit of everything in between. And that’s fitting because here in America, no matter where you’re from, no matter what music you listen to, we’re all united in our respect and admiration for our brave men and women who wear our country’s uniform. (Applause.) So let’s give it up to -- let’s give it up for the servicemembers, the veterans, the families. We are so grateful to have you here tonight.

One of my greatest privileges as Commander-in-Chief is the opportunity to spend time with all of you and your families. I’ve met young men who willingly chose to move toward grenades to save their friends. I’ve met heroes who ran into enemy fire and carry their comrades to safety. And I’ve seen their families, and the stress and strains that they go through, but nevertheless, they couldn’t be prouder to support those family members who serve.

We’ve seen, obviously, families of the fallen who keep the spirit of their loved ones alive, and their strength then inspires the rest of us. And of course, we are inspired by our wounded warriors whose injuries are no match for the sheer force of will that they display every single day. And some of them are joining us here from Walter Reed tonight. We are especially proud of them. (Applause.)

Just one story I want to tell, because I’ve gotten to know these folks pretty well. One of the wounded warriors here is Captain Luis Avila. I met Luis and his beautiful wife Claudia a few times, and their wonderful kids, and I want to just take a moment to share their story with you because I think it’s representative of what it means to serve the United States of America, to be a true patriot.

Almost three years ago, just after Christmas, Luis was in his fifth deployment –- this time in Afghanistan -– when he was severely injured in an explosion. He lost his leg, fractured his spine, suffered two heart attacks and a traumatic brain injury. Two weeks after the explosion, he arrived in the United States in a coma and on life support. It was so dire that Claudia was forced to confront that agonizing question –- was it time for her to let him go, take him off life support?

But if you have a chance to meet Claudia, she’s pretty strong and pretty stubborn. And she also had faith that Luis would recover. And as she prayed during those desperate days, she began praying -- some of Luis’s -- famous songs in the background: “Ode to Joy,” military marches, and some Beatles. At then he started twitching his facial muscles. And then he opened his mouth. And then he moved his tongue on command. And the whole time, Claudia was playing music day and night.

And then finally, Luis woke up. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t talk. But he’d heard those songs. And in the months and years that followed, he kept fighting back with the help of hundreds of hours of music therapy. And today, Luis can see again, he can eat again, he can speak again. He’s even playing, as I understand, a little bit of golf. (Laughter.) And every night, he still goes to sleep with music playing.

So tonight we’re honored to be joined by heroes like Luis and loving families like Claudia and their three boys, Luis Jr., Miguel and José. And we honor them with the beauty of music –- music that has the power to inspire us and fill us with pride, and, yes, sometimes to help us heal. And once this concert is over, let’s pledge to carry that spirit back to our own communities and to do our part, as Americans, to always serve these men and women as well as they have served us.

But for now, let’s have a little bit of fun. Please welcome the one and only Mr. Willie Nelson. (Applause.)

END
7:43 P.M. EST