President Obama Signs South Dakota Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of South Dakota and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding beginning on March 11, 2011, and continuing.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding in the counties of Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Buffalo, Clark, Codington, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Marshall, Miner, Moody, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, and Sully.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Mark A. Neveau as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

Presidential Proclamation--Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week

     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.

     Public safety officers put their lives on the line to protect ours, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice.  One death is too many, and every death is an unfathomable loss to the officer's family, colleagues, and community.  In the past year, we have seen a tragic wave of police officer fatalities, and have mourned the loss of too many public safety officers.  This year also marks 10 years since the tragedy of September 11.  We will always remember the selfless courage shown by police officers, fire fighters, and first responders in New York City, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon who rushed into unknown dangers to save the lives of others.  Their service -- and the service of all who have worn the badge -- will never be forgotten.

     While we can never adequately thank our law enforcement officers for their service, we can use every tool at our disposal to protect them on the job.  My Administration is committed to stopping senseless tragedies and keeping our police safe.  We will continue to provide funding for resources to keep cops on the street and to collaborate with law enforcement agencies and organizations to develop strategies that reduce injuries and deaths in the line of duty.  We have also launched the new Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) initiative, designed to reduce and prevent law enforcement officer injuries and line-of-duty deaths.

     Weknow that bullet-resistant vests and body armor can save lives.  After consulting with members of the law enforcement community, we instituted a new mandatory wear policy as part of our Bulletproof Vest Partnership program beginning this year.  We will also continue to seek more efficient ways to share information and invest in evidence-based, smart-on-crime approaches to fighting crime.  Moreover, if tragedy does strike, we will provide support to the families of law enforcement officers.

     As we commemorate Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, we honor the discipline and distinction our peace officers have shown in conditions we can only imagine.  They are continually called upon to remain vigilant and take courageous action.  As a country, we promise to stand beside our public safety community and do our part to help keep America safe and secure.

     By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137), the President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the week in which it falls as"Police Week."

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2011, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 15 through May 21, 2011, as Police Week.  I call upon all Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities.  I also call on Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day.  I further encourage all Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and businesses on that day.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

• Terry D. Garcia, Deputy Secretary, Department of Commerce
• Dan W. Mozena, Ambassador to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Department of State
• Frankie A. Reed, Ambassador to the Republic of the Fiji Islands, the Republic of Nauru, the Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Kiribati, Department of State

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

• Brad Barber, Member, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission
• Richard Binder, Member, Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health
• Sandy Hoa Dang, Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation
• Alan H. Fleischmann, Member, Commission on Presidential Scholars
• James F. Karpowitz, Member, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission
• Judith Palfrey, Member, Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health
• Isaac F. Silvera, Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation
• Richard H. Weisberg, Member, Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad

President Obama said, “These dedicated and accomplished individuals will be valued additions to my Administration as we tackle the important challenges facing America. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

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

Terry D. Garcia, Nominee for Deputy Secretary, Department of Commerce
Terry D. Garcia is currently Executive Vice President for Mission Programs at the National Geographic Society.  In that role, he is responsible for the annual management of more than 400 scientific, conservation and exploration projects. In June 2010, Mr. Garcia was appointed by President Obama to serve on the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Deepwater Drilling. Prior to joining the National Geographic Society in 1999, Mr. Garcia was Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He also served as General Counsel of NOAA.  Before entering government service, Mr. Garcia was a partner in the law firms of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and Hughes Hubbard & Reed.  Mr. Garcia has served on various boards and commissions, including the Institute for Exploration/Mystic Aquarium, the Amazonian Center for Environmental Education and Research, the U.S. National Committee for the Census of Marine Life and the Harte Research Institute of Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University.  He is also a trustee emeritus of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and has served on panels convened by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Public Administration. He holds a B.A. from American University and a J.D. from The George Washington University.

Dan W. Mozena, Nominee for Ambassador to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Department of State
Ambassador Dan W. Mozena is currently a Professor at the National War College on detail from the U.S. Department of State.  From 2007-2010, Ambassador Mozena served as the U.S. Ambassador to Angola.  A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Mozena served as Director for the Office of Southern African Affairs from 2004 to 2007.  Immediately prior to returning to Washington as Director, Ambassador Mozena was Deputy Chief of Mission in Lusaka, Zambia, where he began his Foreign Service career in 1982.   From 1998-2001, Ambassador Mozena was Political/Economic Counselor in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  At Embassy Islamabad, Ambassador Mozena held the position of Deputy Political Counselor from 1995-1998.  Ambassador Mozena was Officer-in-Charge for South Africa and Deputy Director for Southern African Affairs during South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy.  Other overseas assignments have included New Delhi, India and then-Zaire, where he and his wife had earlier served as Peace Corps Volunteers.  Ambassador Mozena received a B.S. from Iowa State University, and a M.A. and M.P.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
 
Frankie A. Reed, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of the Fiji Islands, the Republic of Nauru, the Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Kiribati, Department of State
Frankie A. Reed currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, responsible for relations with Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island posts.   Previously, Ms. Reed served as a Diplomat-in-Residence at the University of California, Berkeley.  Prior to her assignment at the University of California, Ms. Reed was the Consul General and Deputy U.S. Observer to the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France from 2005-2008.  She served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Conakry, Guinea from 2003-2005 and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Apia, Samoa from 1999-2002.  A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ms. Reed’s earlier assignments included: Deputy Director in the Office of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Affairs, Political Section Chief in Dakar, Senegal, and Political Officer in Nairobi, Kenya and Yaoundé, Cameroon.  She also worked as a Desk Officer in the Bureaus of African Affairs and Western Hemispheric Affairs.  Ms. Reed holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. from Howard University.

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

Brad Barber, Appointee for Member, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission
Brad Barber is a planning and land conservation consultant, with clients including the Nature Conservancy of Utah, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation, and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.  Prior to becoming a private consultant, Mr. Barber served as a Senior Fellow for Environmental Management at the Oquirrh Institute and the Deputy Director and State Planning Coordinator at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.  He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Utah Open Lands Conservation Association and a Member of the Board of Directors of Envision Utah.
 
Richard Binder, Appointee for Member, Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health
Dr. Richard Binder currently serves as Medical Director at McKesson/US Oncology, where he advises and mentors oncology practices throughout the country.  Dr. Binder is also a Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and Georgetown University School of Medicine.  Previously, he served as an advisor in the Office of the President of Inova Health System.  From 1975 to 2005, Dr. Binder practiced medicine in the fields of Hematology and Oncology at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he served in a variety of roles, including President of the Medical Staff, Vice-Chairman of the Department of Medicine and Director of the Cancer Center.  Earlier in his career, he was a full-time faculty member at Georgetown University School of Medicine.  Dr. Binder is a member of the Inova Health System Foundation and the Montgomery County Hospice Board.  He is the past recipient of the Vicennial Medal, awarded by Georgetown University School of Medicine, and the Inova Fairfax Hospital Vernon Vance Memorial Award.  Dr. Binder holds a B.S. Ch.E. from Northeastern University College of Engineering and an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine.
 
Sandy Hoa Dang, Appointee for Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation
Sandy Hoa Dang is the founder and former executive director of Asian American Leadership, Empowerment, and Development (AALEAD), an organization that supports immigrant families through a broad array of educational and social services, including academic enrichment, one-on-one mentoring, leadership training, and family support services. Ms. Dang arrived in the United States at the age of 13 after fleeing Vietnam and spending three years in Hong Kong refugee camps. Under her leadership AALEAD transformed from a $15,000 seed grant project into a $1.5 million institution with a permanent community center, a broad base of partners and funders, and a history of innovation and impact. On transitioning from AALEAD, she entered the Midcareer Masters of Public Administration program at the Harvard Kennedy School Government from which she graduated in May 2010.  At present, she is a Special Initiatives Advisor at JBS International, a consulting firm based in North Bethesda, MD.  Ms. Dang also works as a change management consultant for Casey Family Programs.  Ms. Dang currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, on the Community Advisory Board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Community Advisory Council for WETA Television.  She received her B.A. from Duke University and her Masters in Social Work from Catholic University.
 
Alan H. Fleischmann, Appointee for Member, Commission on Presidential Scholars
Alan H. Fleischmann is a Principal and board member of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm.  He is also a co-founder, board member, and managing director of ImagineNations Group, a partnership-based global network that provides young entrepreneurs with financial, leadership, coaching and mentorship resources.  Previously, Mr. Fleischmann was Maryland State Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Fleischmann served as a Staff Director on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.  Mr. Fleischmann has also been senior vice president of PSB Associates, the international strategic communications firm.  Mr. Fleischmann is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of several prominent institutions and organizations, including Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the World Security Institute (WSI), the American University School of International Service (SIS), the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, and the University of Maryland Medical System.  He is a member of the Robert F. Kennedy Center Leadership Council.  Mr. Fleischmann holds an M.A. with honors from the Johns Hopkins SAIS and B.A. and B.S. with honors from American University.
 
James F. Karpowitz, Appointee for Member, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission
James F. Karpowitz has served as the Director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources since 2005, and he has worked at the Division for more than thirty years.   Prior to becoming Director, Mr. Karpowitz served as Big Game Program Coordinator, Regional Wildlife Manager, and Wildlife Biologist at the Division. Since becoming Director, he has also served as a Presidential appointee on the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission.  Mr. Karpowitz earned a B.S. in Zoology in 1978 and an M.S. in Wildlife and Range Resources in 1981, both from Brigham Young University.
 
Judith S. Palfrey, Appointee for Member, Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health
Judith S. Palfrey, M.D., is the T. Berry Brazelton Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Palfrey also serves as Director of the Center for Global Pediatrics in the Department of Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital.  She has served at Boston Children’s Hospital for over 30 years and has held key positions, including Chief of the Division of General Pediatrics. Dr. Palfrey is the former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and served as chair of the AAP Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.  She was also the Director of Building Bright Futures and the National Program Director of the Dyson Community Pediatrics Initiative. Dr. Palfrey is the recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Milton Senn Award and the New York Academy of Medicine's Millie and Richard Brock Award. She holds an A.B. from Harvard University and an M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
 
Isaac F. Silvera, Appointee for Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation
Isaac F. Silvera is the Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences at Harvard University where he has taught and conducted research since 1982. While teaching at the University of Amsterdam, Professor Silvera stabilized the first Bose gas, atomic hydrogen, which led to Bose-Einstein Condensation. For this development, Professor Silvera was awarded the Hewlett Packard Europhysics Prize.  Recently, at the request of the Vietnamese government, he served on a team of the National Academies of the United States to advise on enhancing higher education in science and engineering.  He has visited Vietnam several times to aid in selection of scholars supported by the Vietnam Education Foundation for studies in the US, and has lectured throughout Vietnam on advanced subjects in physics.  Professor Silvera earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
 
Richard H. Weisberg, Appointee for Member, Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad
Richard H. Weisberg is the Floersheimer Professor of Constitutional Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University.  He began his teaching and scholarly career as Assistant Professor of French and Comparative Literature at the University of Chicago, and then went on to practice and teach law. In 2009, he was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government for his work, together with US State Department and French governmental officials, in providing restitution from France to victims of the wartime Vichy regime. A recipient of Guggenheim, ACLS, and Rockefeller Foundation fellowships, he is the author of four books including Vichy Law and the Holocaust in France; Poethics; and The Failure of the Word.  He is the founding and current president of the Law & Humanities Institute and founding and general editor of the periodical, Law and Literature.  He received his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review, and his Ph.D from Cornell University.

Presidential Proclamation--Emergency Medical Services Week

      Each day, Americans rely on emergency medical service (EMS) systems to help them in their hour of greatest need.  In communities across our Nation, we take comfort in knowing that well trained, caring men and women are only a phone call away from treating injuries sustained in a car crash, responding to a cardiac emergency, or helping a child with asthma breathe easier.  When accidents and illnesses strike unexpectedly, EMS personnel are the first on the scene, and their timely actions often make the difference between life and death.

      Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and first responders serve on the front lines of our health care and public health system.  Working with them are many others whose dedication makes the EMS system function, including emergency dispatchers, physicians, nurses, and researchers, as well as colleagues in the fire service and law enforcement.  Our Nation's EMS system represents the American spirit at its best, with many ambulances in the United States partially or fully staffed by volunteers.  They devote countless hours to keeping their communities, including often underserved rural areas, safe.

      My Administration is committed to supporting the brave men and women who help keep America secure and resilient.  This year, I signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act into law, ensuring that rescue and recovery workers, and others suffering from health consequences related to the World Trade Center disaster, have access to the medical monitoring and treatment they need and deserve.  As a Nation, we must never forget the selfless courage demonstrated by the EMTs, paramedics, and first responders who risked their lives to save others.

      During EMS Week, we recognize the importance of ensuring our Nation's children have full access to high quality EMS care.  Reauthorized in the Affordable Care Act, the Federal EMS for Children program works with public and private sector partners across the United States to make certain that all children    regardless of where they live, attend school, or travel    receive appropriate EMS care.

      EMS agencies are an integral part of our Nation's health security strategy, and they help to build community resilience by strengthening all aspects of the emergency response system.  Whether responding by car, ambulance, helicopter, boat, or plane, this diverse group of dedicated Americans provides crucial pre hospital medical care to fellow citizens when they need it most.  This week, we take time to recognize the inspiring contributions of our Nation's EMS practitioners and honor their dedication to serving their country and fellow citizens.

      NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 15 through May 21, 2011, as Emergency Medical Services Week.  I encourage all Americans to observe this occasion by sharing their support with their local EMS providers and taking steps to improve their personal safety and preparedness.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

            BARACK OBAMA