Presidential Memorandum--Libya

Presidential Determination
 No.       2011-9

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
                                     THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

SUBJECT: Drawdown Pursuant to Section 552(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, of up to $25 Million in Commodities and Services from any Agency of the United States Government for Libyan Groups, such as the Transitional National Council, to Support Efforts to Protect Civilians and Civilian-Populated Areas Under Threat of Attack in Libya

Pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by section 552(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2348a (FAA), I hereby determine that:

(1)    as a result of an unforeseen emergency, the provision of assistance under Chapter Six of Part II of the FAA in amounts in excess of funds otherwise available for such assistance is important to the national interests of the United States; and

(2)    such unforeseen emergency requires the immediate provision of assistance under Chapter Six of Part II of the FAA.

I therefore direct the drawdown of up to $25 million in nonlethal commodities and services from the inventory and resources of any agency of the United States Government to support key U.S. Government partners such as the Transitional National Council in efforts to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in Libya.

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to report this determination to the Congress, arrange for its publication in the Federal Register, and coordinate the implementation of this drawdown.

                        BARACK OBAMA

Letter from the President to Congressional Leadership Regarding Oil Subsidies

April 26, 2011

The Honorable John Boehner                    The Honorable Harry Reid
Speaker of the                                            Majority Leader
House of Representatives                          United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515                            Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi                    The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Democratic Leader                                    Republican Leader
House of Representatives                         United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515                           Washington, D.C. 20510    

Dear Speaker Boehner, Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, and Representative Pelosi:

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to eliminate unwarranted tax breaks for the oil and gas industry, and to use those dollars to invest in clean energy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

High oil and gasoline prices are weighing on the minds and pocketbooks of every American family. While our economy has begun to recover, with 1.8 million private sector jobs created over the last 13 months, too many Americans are still struggling to find a job or simply just to pay the bills. The recent steep increase in gas prices, driven by increased global demand and compounded by unrest and supply disruptions in the Middle East, has only added to those struggles. If sustained, these high prices have the potential to slow down the pace of our economy’s growth at precisely the moment when we need to be accelerating it.  

While there is no silver bullet to address rising gas prices in the short term, there are steps we can take to ensure the American people don’t fall victim to skyrocketing gas prices over the long term.   One of those steps is to eliminate unwarranted tax breaks to the oil and gas industry and invest that revenue into clean energy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Our outdated tax laws currently provide the oil and gas industry more than $4 billion per year in these subsidies, even though oil prices are high and the industry is projected to report outsized profits this quarter.   In fact, in the past CEO’s of the major oil companies made it clear that high oil prices provide more than enough profit motive to invest in domestic exploration and production without special tax breaks. As we work together to reduce our deficits, we simply can’t afford these wasteful subsidies, and that is why I proposed to eliminate them in my FY11 and FY12 budgets.  

I was heartened that Speaker Boehner yesterday expressed openness to eliminating these tax subsidies for the oil and gas industry. Our political system has for too long avoided and ignored this important step, and I hope we can come together in a bipartisan manner to get it done.  

In addition, we need to get to work immediately on the longer term goal of reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and our vulnerability to price fluctuations this dependence creates. Without a comprehensive energy strategy for the future we will stay stuck in the same old pattern of heated political rhetoric when prices rise and apathy and neglect when they fall again.

I recently laid out my approach to a comprehensive strategy in my Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future, which includes safe and responsible production of our domestic oil and gas resources and doubling down on fuel efficiency in the transportation sector while investing in everything from wind and solar to biofuels and natural gas. None of you will agree with every aspect of this strategy. But I am confident that, in many areas, we can work together to help show the American people that we can make progress on an energy policy that creates jobs and makes our country more secure.  

And I hope we can all agree that, instead of continuing to subsidize yesterday’s energy sources, we need to invest in tomorrow’s. We need to invest in a 21st century clean energy economy that will keep America competitive. In the long term, that’s the answer. That’s the key to helping families avoid pain at the pump and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama

Readout of the President's call with Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey

President Obama spoke to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to continue the two leaders’ consultations on developments in the Middle East.  The President expressed appreciation for Turkey’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in Libya and its participation in the NATO No-Fly Zone and Arms Embargo operations.  The leaders agreed that attacks against civilians must stop and that Qaddafi must step down and depart Libya permanently in order for there to be a lasting solution that reflects the will of the Libyan people.  President Obama and Prime Minister Erdogan expressed their deep concern about the Syrian government’s unacceptable use of violence against its own people.  The leaders agreed that the Syrian government must end the use of violence now and promptly enact meaningful reforms that respect the democratic aspirations of Syrian citizens.  Finally, the President expressed his hope to Prime Minister Erdogan that Turkey and Israel will find opportunities to improve their relations in the interest of regional stability.

President Obama to Award Medal of Honor

On Monday, May 2 at 12:00 PM Eastern, President Barack Obama will award Private First Class Anthony T. Kaho’ohanohano [KA ho OH hano hano], U.S. Army, and Private First Class Henry Svehla [SUH vay luh], U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.  This event in the East Room will be open press.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on September 1, 1951, while in charge of a machine-gun squad with Company H, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea.

When faced by an enemy with overwhelming numbers, Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano ordered his squad to take up more defensible positions and provide covering fire for the withdrawing friendly force.  He then gathered a supply of grenades and ammunition and returned to his original position to face the enemy alone - delivering deadly accurate fire into the ranks of the onrushing enemy.  When his ammunition was depleted, he engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat until he was killed.  His heroic stand so inspired his comrades that they launched a counterattack that completely repulsed the enemy.

Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano's sister, Elaine Kaho’ohanohano, and brother, Eugene Kaho’ohanohano, will join the President at the White House to commemorate their brother's example of selfless service and sacrifice.

Private First Class Henry Svehla will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on June 12, 1952, while serving as a rifleman with Company F, 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea.

Coming under heavy fire and with his platoon’s attack beginning to falter, Private First Class Svehla leapt to his feet and charged the enemy positions, firing his weapon and throwing grenades as he advanced.  Disregarding his own safety, he destroyed enemy positions and inflicted heavy casualties.  When an enemy grenade landed among a group of his comrades, without hesitation and undoubtedly aware of the extreme danger, he threw himself on the grenade.  During this action, Private First Class Svehla was mortally wounded.

Private First Class Henry Svehla's sisters, Dorothy Mathews and Sylvia Svehla will join the President at the White House to commemorate their brother’s example of selfless service and sacrifice.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

THE MEDAL OF HONOR:

The Medal of Honor is awarded to a member of the Armed Forces who distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while:

• engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
• engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
• serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.