Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate

NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:

Patty Shwartz, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit, vice Maryanne Trump Barry, retired.

Remarks by President Obama and President Lobo of Honduras Before Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

3:55 P.M. EDT

        PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, it’s a pleasure to welcome President Lobo to the White House, and this gives us an opportunity to reaffirm the friendship between the American and the Honduran people.  Not only has Honduras been a traditionally close partner with the United States, but the people-to-people relationship is profound, particularly given the Honduran-American population that has contributed so much to the growth of our country.

        Today also begins a new chapter in the relationship between our two countries.  Two years ago, we saw a coup in Honduras that threatened to move the country away from democracy, and in part because of pressure from the international community, but also because of the strong commitment to democracy and leadership by President Lobo, what we’ve been seeing is a restoration of democratic practices and a commitment to reconciliation that gives us great hope.

        And President Lobo’s leadership is responsible not only for helping to restore constitutional order and democracy and a commitment to fair and free elections, but it’s also allowed Honduras once again to rejoin the Organization of American States, and for Hondurans -- the Honduran relationship with its neighbors to be restored to a normal place.  

        Of course, much work remains to be done.  And I’m looking forward to a excellent conversation with President Lobo about how we can be helpful in ensuring that human rights are observed in Honduras.  We will discuss ways in which our two countries can work effectively together to deal with the security situation that exists not only in Honduras but through Central America, and how we can cooperate effectively in preventing the countries of Central America from being corrupted and overrun by the transnational drug trade.  And we also will have discussions about how we can continue to strengthen development in Honduras and the region so that people have opportunity, we will see economic growth, see economic development, and expand trade and further interactions between our two countries.

        So Mr. President, I welcome you.  I’m looking forward to a good conversation that will help to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.  And, again, we are very appreciative of the leadership you’ve shown during what’s been a very difficult time.

        PRESIDENT LOBO:  (As translated.)  Thank you so much, Mr. President.  It is indeed a very high honor for me to be here in the White House today.  I want to state very emphatically that this is a great opportunity to celebrate the friendship between our peoples.  It’s also an occasion in which we are reaffirming the permanent gratitude that we have for your friendship, for the permanent assistance we have received from the United States, and very especially because at a time of great crisis you were there to help, and you were there to help us restore the family that is our nation.

        I began my administration bringing together all the forces that make up Honduran society.  And what I have tried to establish is unity and reconciliation in my country.

        We are on the road, as you said, Mr. President, to a number of things.  We have returned to the Organization of American States, and in fact, I was able to visit that organization yesterday.  It was a very warm visit.  It was a wonderful occasion.

        We have reaffirmed our democratic vocation.  We have reaffirmed the road to democracy that we are on and that we will continue on.  We will be opening even more spaces for our people to be able to express themselves.  We have already created spaces within our representative democracy, but we will continue to do that so that there is evermore direct participation from our people in all levels of society.  That is a road we’ve started on, and we will continue down that path.

        The enormous challenge we face is that of crime and drug trafficking.  But we have good friends, like you, who have helped us in the past, who continue to help us.  And your words today, Mr. President, are a reaffirmation of that good friendship and that good support that we receive from you, and we hope we will have that in the future.

        I also want to say to you again today that we will continue to respect human rights and do everything we can to build on what we have already done in that area.  We know that there are some areas in which we have weaknesses we need to work on -- the investigation of such crimes is one of those.  But we hope to be able to get help from the United States on that so that we can overcome the hurdles we have in this respect, and we are able to find those people who are guilty of violations of human rights.

        So we are on the road to reconciliation.  Next year, our political parties will be holding their primaries.  And in 2013 we will be holding our general election, and so we will be complying with our constitution for a man or woman to be elected president every four years.

        PRESIDENT OBAMA:  All right.  Thank you, everybody.

END 4:08 P.M. EDT

Statement by the President on the Passing of Civil Rights Leader Fred Shuttlesworth

Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth today.  As one of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Reverend Shuttlesworth dedicated his life to advancing the cause of justice for all Americans.  He was a testament to the strength of the human spirit.  And today we stand on his shoulders, and the shoulders of all those who marched and sat and lifted their voices to help perfect our union.

I will never forget having the opportunity several years ago to push Reverend Shuttlesworth in his wheelchair across the Edmund Pettus Bridge – a symbol of the sacrifices that he and so many others made in the name of equality.  America owes Reverend Shuttlesworth a debt of gratitude, and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Sephira, and their family, friends and loved ones.

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
• Nancy Navarro – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
• Adrián A. Pedroza – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
• Kent P. Scribner  – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer.  In addition to her career in music, Ms. Mebarak Ripoll has been involved in a number of global educational efforts.  She founded the Barefoot Foundation in 1995, which operates schools and educational projects in Colombia, South Africa, and Haiti, feeding and educating approximately 6,000 children.  In 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.  In 2008, Ms. Mebarak Ripoll served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education’s Global Action Week.  In 2005, she became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies.  Ms. Mebarak Ripoll became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in 2003, where she promotes the expansion and improvement of comprehensive early childhood care and education across the world.

Nancy Navarro, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Nancy Navarro has served as a Councilmember for the County Council of Montgomery County, Maryland since 2009, where she is Chair of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee and sits on the Health and Human Services Committee.  Previously, Ms. Navarro served on the Montgomery County Board of Education from 2004 to 2009, where she was Chair of the Board’s Communications and Public Engagement Committee, a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and President from 2006 to 2009.  Before entering public office, Ms. Navarro co-founded a community-based non-profit that promoted the economic and educational development of Latinos and other immigrant communities.  She is the recipient of the Community Teachers Institute’s 2009 Heart of the Community Award and the Maryland State Department of Education’s 2001 Women Who Dare Leadership Award, among other recognitions.  Ms. Navarro holds a B.A. from the University of Missouri.

Adrián A. Pedroza, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Adrián A. Pedroza is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Community Action, a grassroots, community-based organization that works to build community leadership around issues of immigration, education reform, and public health.  Previously, Mr. Pedroza led the University of New Mexico High School Equivalency and College Assistance Migrant Programs, which provide educational opportunities to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families.  In addition, Mr. Pedroza worked for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman as a Constituent Services Representative in New Mexico.  Under Governor Bill Richardson, Mr. Pedroza was appointed to the inaugural Hispanic Education Advisory Council.  He is currently a founding and executive member of the New Mexico Learning Alliance and served as a founding member of the Latino/Hispano Education Improvement Task Force.  Mr. Pedroza sits on the board of the New Mexico Civic Engagement Partnership.  He holds a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of New Mexico.

Dr. Kent P. Scribner, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Dr. Kent P. Scribner is the Superintendent of Union High School District #210 in Phoenix, Arizona, a position he has held since 2008.  As Superintendent, Dr. Scribner oversees a school district that serves approximately 25,000 students in grades 9 to 12.  From 2003 to 2008, Dr. Scribner served as Superintendent of Isaac School District #5 in Phoenix, Arizona.  Immediately prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Department of Human Resources at School District #3 in Tempe, Arizona.  In 2008, Dr. Scribner received the Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council of Educational Administration.  In 2005, he was appointed by then-Governor Janet Napolitano to the Arizona School District Redistricting Commission.  Dr. Scribner serves on several boards and commissions, including the Valley of the Sun United Way and the Arizona Business and Education Coalition.  Dr. Scribner holds a B.A. from Carleton College, a M.Ed. from Temple University, and a Ph.D. from Arizona State University.