The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2015

FACT SHEET: Investments to Reduce the National Rape Kit Backlog and Combat Violence Against Women

“It’s the single-most significant and direct way to measure the character of a nation -- when violence against women is no longer societally accepted, no longer kept secret, when everyone understands that even one case is too many.  That’s when it will change.”

-Vice President Joe Biden, September 2014

Today, Vice President Biden will deliver remarks in Maryland to highlight the Administration’s new Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which is investing $41 million this year to help communities accelerate testing of the estimated 400,000 rape kits that have been backlogged in law enforcement storage rooms and crime labs across the country. This is a problem which prevents or delays the prosecution of sexual assault crimes. In addition to this initiative to address the backlog, the Administration invested an unprecedented $430 million in violence against women programs in Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2015.

The President’s FY 2016 Budget proposes an additional $41 million to continue the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative as well as $20 million for research under the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice.  This funding aims to identify more effective and efficient strategies to reduce the backlog of sexual assault kits and to prevent future backlogs from occurring.

Audio of the Vice President’s remarks at 12:30 PM ET will be available at www.whitehouse.gov/live. 

The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative

A sexual assault kit, or “rape kit,” is a medical kit used to collect evidence from the body and clothing of a victim of rape or sexual assault. The rape kit generally contains tools such as swabs, tubes, glass slides, containers, and plastic bags.  These items are used to collect and preserve fibers from clothing, hair, and bodily fluids, which can help identify DNA and other forensic evidence left by a perpetrator. Rape kits, when tested by crime labs, have proven vital to successful investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault crimes, and thus to holding perpetrators accountable. Testing rape kits can lead to new DNA matches in the criminal database, identification of serial rapists, and increased rates of arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, leading to improved public safety.

The number of kits backlogged in crime labs—meaning those that have been submitted for testing over 90 days ago—is thought to be around several hundred thousand. But over the past decade, law enforcement agencies around the nation have discovered scores of kits in storage facilities, and it isn’t known how many other jurisdictions have similar problems. Some of these kits have been booked into evidence in police evidence storage facilities but the detective and/or prosecutor has not requested DNA analysis. Other kits have been submitted for testing in crime lab facilities, but are awaiting DNA analysis and have not been tested in a timely manner.

To better understand the factors causing the backlog and assess strategies for accelerating the submission of rape kits to crime labs, in 2011, the Administration, in conjunction with businesses and foundations, funded pilot projects in Detroit, Michigan and Houston, Texas. The results of these pilots demonstrate that progress can be made to reduce the backlog and identify and convict perpetrators, though challenges still remain. In Detroit in 2009, 11,000 untested rape kits were found in an abandoned police storage unit. As of January 2015, a team of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, researchers and advocates had tested 2,000 kits as part of the pilot project. The testing resulted in approximately 760 DNA matches and led to the identification of 188 serial offenders and 15 convictions.

To implement the successful strategies identified in the pilots in more communities across the country, the President’s FY2015 budget proposed the creation of the new Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. The Administration secured $41 million for this Initiative to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices take action to reduce the rape kit backlog. The Department of Justice is accepting applications for this competitive grant through May 7, 2015.

The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative complements past legislation to address DNA backlogs, including the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting (SAFER) Act, passed by Congress as part of the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). SAFER focuses on ending the rape kit backlog. The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative also builds upon the Debbie Smith Act of 2004, which amended the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to include DNA testing of sexual assault kits.

Additional Investments in the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Proposal to Combat Violence Against Women

The President’s FY 2016 Budget requests an unprecedented $473.5 million for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women to combat and respond to violent crimes against women. This request includes $41 million to continue the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative and $20 million for research under the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice in order to identify more effective and efficient strategies for reducing the backlog of sexual assault kits. It also includes $193 million for STOP Grants to Combat Violence Against Women, $27 million for the Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP), and $26 million to reduce violent crimes against women on campus, and funds two new initiatives in the Office on Violence Against Women:

  • $21 million for the Violence Against Women 20/20 Initiative, which aims to implement substantial, targeted projects that can be utilized in diverse communities across the country and serve as models that can be replicated across the nation, and
  • $5 million for a new Tribal Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction grant program to support tribes in strengthening their criminal justice systems, providing indigent defense counsel, developing appropriate jury pools, and assisting victims.

Highlights of the Administration’s Record Fighting Violence Against Women

From their first day in the White House, the President and Vice President have been committed to addressing violence against women and have taken action. For example:

  • In 2015,
    • VAWA 2013’s “special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction” (SDVCJ) took effect. This Act recognizes tribes’ inherent power to exercise jurisdiction over non-Indian perpetrators who commit acts of domestic or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country.
  • In 2014,
    • The President established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.  After 27 listening sessions with stakeholders across the country, the Task Force released its first report – Not Alone – with new recommendations for schools to prevent and respond to sexual assault and new steps by federal agencies to improve enforcement of federal laws.  The work of the Task Force is ongoing.
    • The Task Force launched the 1is2many PSA aimed at spreading the word that one victim is too many.  The campaign launched on the 20th Anniversary of VAWA.
    • The President and Vice President unveiled a new public awareness and education campaign: “It’s On Us.” The campaign seeks to engage college students and all members of campus communities in a dialogue around effectively responding to and preventing sexual assault in the first place.
    • The Vice President celebrated the 20th anniversary of VAWA at the National Archives and called for a renewed focus on civil rights and equal protection of women. 
    • The Affordable Care Act of 2010 began prohibiting insurance companies, healthcare providers, and health programs that receive federal financial assistance from denying coverage to women based on many factors, including being a survivor of domestic or sexual violence.
  • In 2013,
    • The President signed the third reauthorization of VAWA, creating new protections for LGBT victims, immigrant women, and Native American women. The legislation also expands housing protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and directs resources towards improving the criminal justice response to sexual assault.
    • The Vice President and the Attorney General announced a new initiative to prevent domestic violence homicides.  Using evidence-based lethality assessment tools, the initiative identifies victims at high risk and links them with immediate services.
  • In 2012,
    • The President issued a memorandum directing federal agencies to develop policies to address domestic violence in the federal workforce and to assist survivors.
    • The Affordable Care Act began requiring all new and non-grandfathered health plans to cover screening and brief counseling for domestic violence, and made it unlawful for plans to require cost sharing or deductibles for these services.
  • In 2011,
    • The Vice President kicked off the “1 is 2 Many” campaign, focusing on the high rates of dating violence and sexual assault experienced by teens and young adults.  Through “1 is 2 Many,” the National Dating Abuse Helpline expanded to digital services, and new mobile apps were created to help prevent sexual assault and support survivors.
    • The Department of Education sent new guidance to schools, colleges, and universities about their obligations under federal civil rights law to respond to and prevent sexual assault.
  • In 2010,
    • The President signed the Affordable Care Act, which provides individuals who have experienced domestic, sexual, and dating violence with the economic security of affordable health insurance. Because of the law, most health plans must now cover preventive services, including screening and counseling for domestic or intimate partner violence, at no cost to the consumer. And insurers can no longer deny health coverage or charge a higher premium because a woman is a domestic violence survivor.
  • In 2009,
    • The President appointed the first-ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women.

President Obama’s Trip to Phoenix: Visiting Veterans in Arizona

Jenna Brayton
Jenna Brayton
March 16, 2015
10:54 AM EDT
On Friday, President Obama traveled to Phoenix, AZ to visit the Phoenix VA medical facility and to participate in a roundtable discussion with the Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald, Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, and veterans to hear about the progress we've made to improve the VA’s ability to serve our veterans. 
 
President Obama listens at announcement of MyVA

President Barack Obama, with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald, left, Joe Robles, Chairman of the just-announced MYVA, and Sloan Gibson, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, far right, listen to the comments of a veteran during a roundtable at the Phoenix VA Medical Center, March 13, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Related Topics: Veterans, Arizona, Virginia

How To Tackle Illegal Fishing

Brian Deese and Christy Goldfuss
March 15, 2015
05:40 PM EDT

More than 2.5 billion people worldwide depend on fish for food and nutrition. In the United States, seafood makes up an essential part of our economy – and our plates. In 2013, Americans consumed 4.6 billion pounds of seafood.

To meet that level of demand, we need a thriving seafood industry with healthy competition and responsible stewardship of our fisheries. That’s why the U.S. uses a smart, science-based approach to manage our domestic fisheries. This approach has made us a global leader in sustainable seafood, largely ending domestic overfishing, rebuilding dozens of depleted fish stocks, and supporting near record highs in landings and revenue.

But globally, not all fishers play by the rules. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing undercuts fair competition and leads to global losses between $10 and $23 billion each year. These pirate fishers often violate even the most basic safety requirements, such as using navigation lights at night, putting law-abiding mariners at risk. And their ships serve as conduits for other dangerous criminal activities, including human trafficking. Black-market fishing seafood fraud allows black market fish to enter U.S. commerce, deceiving American consumers about the quality, quantity, origin, and sustainability of the food they eat.

These issues pose a serious threat to public health and to the health of our oceans and our economy -  and the Obama Administration has a plan to address it.

Related Topics: Energy and Environment

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 14, 2015

Weekly Address: A Student Aid Bill of Rights

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his vision for quality, affordable higher education for all Americans.  Today, a college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class and beyond, but it has also never been more expensive.  Everyone, from elected officials to universities to business leaders, has a part to play in making college affordable for all students.  The President has already made historic investments in college education affordability, and earlier this week, he announced a Student Aid Bill of Rights – a set of guiding principles behind his vision for affordable education.  In his address the President urged everyone to visit WhiteHouse.gov/CollegeOpportunity and sign this declaration, because together we can ensure students who work hard for a college degree do not graduate saddled with debt. 

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, March 14, 2015.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
March 7, 2015

Hi, everybody.  Earlier this week, I visited with students at Georgia Tech to talk about the importance of higher education in the new economy, and how we can make it more affordable.  

In an economy increasingly built on innovation, the most important skill you can sell is your knowledge.  That’s why higher education is, more than ever, the surest ticket to the middle class.  

But just when it’s never been more important, it’s also never been more expensive.  The average undergrad who borrows to pay for college ends up graduating with about $28,000 in student loan debt.

That’s why my Administration has worked hard to make college more affordable.  We expanded tax credits and Pell Grants, enacted the largest reform to student loan programs in history, and fought to keep interest rates on student loans low.  We’ve acted to let millions of graduates cap loan payments at 10 percent of their income, so they don’t have to choose between paying the rent and paying back their debt.  I’ve sent Congress my plan to bring the cost of community college down to zero – because two years of higher education should be as free and universal as high school is today.

But all of us – elected officials, universities, business leaders – everybody – needs to do more to bring down college costs. Which is why this week, I unveiled another way that we can help more Americans afford college.  It doesn’t involve any new spending or bureaucracy.  It’s a simple declaration of values – what I call a Student Aid Bill of Rights.  It says that every student deserves access to a quality, affordable education.  Every student should be able to access the resources to pay for college.  Every borrower has the right to an affordable repayment plan.  And every borrower has the right to quality customer service, reliable information, and fair treatment, even if they struggle to repay their loans.  

That’s it.  Just a few simple principles.  But if we all rally around these principles, there’s a lot that colleges, lenders, and the people you sent to Washington and to your state legislatures can do to realize them across the country.  

So if you believe in a Student Aid Bill of Rights that will help more Americans pay for a quality education, I’m asking you to visit WhiteHouse.gov/CollegeOpportunity.  Sign your name to this declaration.  Tell your families, and your friends, and fellow students.  I’m going to ask Members of Congress, and lenders, and as many business leaders as I can find.  Because making sure that students aren’t saddled with debt before they even get started in life is in all our interests.  

In America, a higher education cannot be a privilege reserved for only the few.  It has to be available to everybody who’s willing to work for it.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Weekly Address: A Student Aid Bill of Rights

Tanya Somanader
Tanya Somanader
March 14, 2015
06:00 AM EDT
President Obama Records the Weekly Address March 12

President Barack Obama tapes the Weekly Address in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. March 12, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his vision for quality, affordable higher education for all Americans.

Today, a college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class and beyond, but it has also never been more expensive. Everyone, from elected officials to universities to business leaders, has a part to play in making college affordable for all students. The President has already made historic investments in college education affordability, and earlier this week, he announced a Student Aid Bill of Rights – a set of guiding principles behind his vision for affordable education.

In his address the President urged everyone to visit WhiteHouse.gov/CollegeOpportunity and sign this declaration, because together we can ensure students who work hard for a college degree do not graduate saddled with debt. 

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

Learn more: 

Related Topics: Higher Education, Education, Georgia

Weekly Address: A Student Aid Bill of Rights

March 14, 2015 | 3:16 | Public Domain

In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his vision for quality, affordable higher education for all Americans.

Download mp4 (121MB) | mp3 (7MB)

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Remarks by the President at the Home of Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg

Gilbert, Arizona

2:40 P.M. MST

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I just thought I'd stop by -- I was in the neighborhood and I heard there was a barbecue going on.  (Laughter.)  I figured -- I didn’t bring my swim shorts, though. That's the only problem now that I look at this pool.  (Laughter.)

I think a lot of folks know how I first met Cory and the relationship we've developed.  There aren't that many people that I've met during the course of my presidency or my life that have inspired me more.  Cory already inspired me as a Ranger when he was fighting to keep this country safe.  In some ways, I was even more inspired when he had to fight back against the devastating injuries that he received defending our freedom and our liberty, along with his fellow Rangers.

And to watch, day in, day out, the kind of effort and the kind of positive attitude, the kind of “never give up, never give in” heart that this guy has -- that's the kind of thing that keeps me going every single day.

The greatest honor of my life is serving as Commander-in-Chief to the greatest military the world has ever known.  To know that that spirit continues even after somebody has come back from war theater, and maybe it has gone on even more, that just makes me want to work that much harder.

To Craig and Annie and the whole family, the way they have helped to make sure that all that effort Cory has put in has resulted now in not just walking and talking, but working, and helping his fellow veterans with the care that they need is just remarkable.  But then, to also see how the community has rallied to help him couldn't make me prouder to be an American. 

And I just want to, in addition to Craig and Annie -- and I should mention Leo -- (laughter) -- the folks who helped make this incredible home possible -- the Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund, we are so grateful to you for that outstanding work.  Jared Allen couldn't be here, but I know that the Homes for Wounded Warriors and everything that he’s been doing; to the whole community of Gilbert and the folks who rallied around to make this possible; to the craftsmen -- I mean, I was looking at some of the details inside this home -- and people volunteering their time and their effort to make this just an incredible place where Cory is going to be able to work out, I suspect watch quite a few sports programs -- (laughter) -- have the occasional libation -- (laughter) -- it speaks to who we are as a country and who we are as a people.

So I just want to say thank you to all of you.  I'm obviously most proud of Cory.  But in the same way that he served and protected us, it's good to know that we want to give back and make sure we're there for him, too, when it's needed.  And I think this is a story that I hope everybody, not just in Arizona but all across the country, remembers.

And we know that there are a whole bunch of Corys out there. Not all the wounds are as easily seen.  And we've got to be just as vigilant and just as generous and just as focused in making sure that every single one of our men and women in uniform, that they’re getting what they’ve earned and what they deserve.

So, Cory, God bless you, man.  (Applause.) 

END   
2:45 P.M. MST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Remarks by the President after VA Roundtable

Phoenix VA Medical Center
Phoenix, Arizona

1:16 P.M. MST

THE PRESIDENT:  I want to thank everyone who is here not just about this particular facility or this particular state, but how do we make sure that the VA is working for every single veteran who’s put on a uniform and has made enormous sacrifices on behalf of our country’s security and freedom.

We all know that there have been significant problems at this facility, that the kind of cooking the books and unwillingness to face up to the fact that veterans were not being adequately served went on too long, and as a consequence, we didn’t fix what needed to be fixed. 

What I'm glad about is what Bob McDonald, working with Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, have been able to do is to start making some progress and chipping away at the problems.  And they’ve brought in a new team that has been tackling these issues to make sure that wait times for scheduling access to providers is greatly improved.

But what we know is that there is still more work to do.  And this discussion allowed us to hone in on some problems that continue to crop up, and as a consequence, will allow us to fix them.

I want to thank the members of Congress who are here.  All of them have expressed great interest in how the Choice Act is being implemented.  This legislation that Congress moved forward provided a lot of resources for us to be able to hire more clinicians and to beef up the services they’re providing in many of the existing VA centers.  But what it also did was, for folks who have difficulty getting to a VA facility, it gave them the possibility of getting a private sector provider for their care.

There have been some concerns expressed about whether that information is getting out to veterans as effectively as it should.  There are some specific issues of implementation that Senator McCain, Senator Flake and Congresswoman Sinema and all the members of Congress here described.  What I've committed to is making sure that we implement the Choice Act promptly and effectively, and that some of the concerns that have been raised are addressed.  And I know that Bob is committed to that same thing.

Some of the other issues that were expressed concern -- revolved around mental health issues and suicide prevention.  And this is an area that there’s been great bipartisan work on, but there’s still more to do.  And I think there was some very positive suggestions that we received about how we can make progress there.

And the final issue that I heard a lot about today is the need to restore trust and confidence in the VA system.  Trust is one of those things that you can lose real quick and then it takes some time to build.  The good news is that there are outstanding folks here at this VA and all the VAs across the country who are deserving of trust.  But it's important that veterans know that somebody has got their backs and that if there are problems that we're not being defensive about them, we're not hiding them.  We're working together with the outstanding USOs and other organizations around the table to fix them. 

I think that process has begun, but we've got more work to do to make sure that there is a culture of customer service and there’s enthusiasm and excitement and a sense of purpose and mission about serving our veterans.  Because that's the kind of attitude that they brought to bear when they were out in theaters of war and serving our country, and that's what they deserve every single day up and down the chain.

So I'm very grateful to everybody for the input that they provided.  The last point I would make -- although we spent a lot of time talking about areas that needed improvement, although we are very pleased that we've got a outstanding former CEO from the private sector as well as a veteran in Joe Robles, who’s going to be heading up our advisory committee to address some of these issues and work with Bob and Sloan around what we're calling MyVA, although we know that more problems will crop up because that's inevitable in an organization this large -- every veteran who I talked to here today emphasized that when it came to the actual care that people were receiving once in the system, it was outstanding; that there were great doctors, great nurses, great staff who care deeply about our veterans.  And obviously a lot of those doctors, nurses and staff are veterans themselves and understand the sacrifices that our veterans have made.

So there are systems that have to be fixed; there’s management that has to continue to drive a renewed sense of purpose inside the VA.  But we can't ignore that every single day, the VA is doing some outstanding work to provide care to our veterans.  And that's not, I think, spin; that's something that we heard directly from a lot of veterans around this table. 

And we want to thank everybody at the VA who’s been doing their job and doing it well -- because just the fact that there have been a few bad apples, mistakes that have been made, systems that aren't designed to get the job done, I don't want that to detract from the outstanding work of a lot of people inside this organization.

So thank you very much, everybody, for the terrific conversation and your outstanding input.  And I want to especially thank the members of Congress who are here who, in a bipartisan fashion, have been constructive, stayed on the case and allocated resources to make sure that this problem gets fixed.

Thank you, everybody.

END 
1:23 P.M. MST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Phoenix, AZ, 3/13/2015

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Phoenix, Arizona

10:45 A.M. PDT

MR. SCHULTZ:  Welcome aboard Air Force one en route to Phoenix, where the President later today will host a roundtable discussion with the Veterans Administration Secretary Bob McDonald, Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, and veterans -- VA employees, veterans organizations, members of Congress and other elected officials to hear about the progress made to improve the VA’s ability to serve veterans, areas where more progress is needed, and further steps that we’ve been planning.

Secretary McDonald will announce the creation of a new MyVA Advisory Committee of private sector, nonprofit and government leaders focused on improving the VA’s ability to meet the needs of veterans.  The committee will advise the VA on additional ways the VA can work to improve customer service delivery and veterans’ outcomes, and set the course for longer-term excellence and reform.

With that, I will take your questions.

Q    So can you give us any information the United States has about President Putin’s whereabouts, whether our President has been briefed on questions about the fact that he hasn’t been seen in the last week and whether he may be ill or worse?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Mike, thank you for the question.  I have enough trouble keeping track of the whereabouts of one world leader.  I would refer you to the Russians for questions on theirs.  I’m sure they’ll be very responsive.

I would also tell you that the President has been briefed on world events on a regular basis.  I don’t have any specific briefings to read out to you on this.

Q    You can’t say whether or not the President has been briefed about these questions that have been swirling about the whereabouts of a world leader that’s probably one of the most important in the world?

MR. SCHULTZ:  The President is briefed on world events as situations warrant, but I don’t have any specific conversations --

Q    (Inaudible) that he’s been briefed about this?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I would not assume anything beyond what I’m able to tell you.

Q    So is the U.S. government operating under the assumption that Vladimir Putin is alive? 

MR. SCHULTZ:  I’d say so, yes.

Q    Regarding the whereabouts of somebody else -- (laughter) -- yesterday, the First Lady taped a show of the Ellen DeGeneres Show in Burbank and I wondered, since it was around the same time that the President was here, why didn’t they save the taxpayers some money and fly out together?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thanks, Jim.  I did see the tease of the First Lady’s appearance on Ellen.  It looks great.  I believe that on this occasion, the schedules were not in sync in order to travel together, so that’s why the First Lady is not joining us on this flight.

Q    Did they even see each other at all yesterday?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I don’t believe so.

Q    Did the Ellen show pay for the First Lady’s trip?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I am not sure.  I believe -- I’m not even sure they overlapped while they were --

Q    She may have been wheels up before he was wheels down?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes.

Q    Okay.  Thanks.

Q    On the event today, there was a kind of a cutting editorial in the Arizona newspaper today that said just that the President wasn’t inviting people who may have different points of view on how to reform the VA, namely the concerned Veterans of America.  Why weren’t they invited to participate in this roundtable?  And is the President committed to hearing all points of view on how to fix this problem?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Kevin, he absolutely is.  I would draw your attention to a meeting yesterday that Secretary McDonald had with specific whistleblowers at this facility in Phoenix, and I’d also make sure that you’re aware that that’s not the first meeting that Secretary McDonald has had. 

So the President is absolutely committed to hearing from a wide array of voices on this.  I think that’s why I gave you the rundown on who will be joining us today, including some Republicans in the state.

Q    Why not that specific group?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Again, I don’t have the backstory on how this particular sort of panel was put together, but I can tell you that the President is very much looking forward to a robust and candid discussion today.

Q    Is this the first time, Eric, that the President has visited the Phoenix VA facility since that scandal broke?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes.

Q    In summing up what the President is going to be doing, one of the things you pointed out is trying to figure out what else needs to be done.  Does that suggest the President acknowledged that there are still problems that need to be resolved, and what might those be?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes, Jim.  There is still more work to remain. That is absolutely the case and that’s absolutely the President’s position.  And that’s largely why the President is going today -- to make sure that while this issue might fade from the headlines from day to day, the President’s attention to it does not. 

I will point out that the VA has made some significant progress since the episodes you’re referring to.  That would include the VA medical centers have increased access to care inside and outside the VA, added more clinic hours and workdays, deployed additional mobile medical units, and shared their best practices from VA’s high-performing facilities throughout the organization so that the highest standards can be adopted nationwide.

Q    Can I change topics real quick?  It looks like the Iraqi military is poised for victory over ISIS in Tikrit.  What kind of coordination has there been between the United States and Iraq on this?  And are you in close communication with them?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes, Evan, I’ve seen those reports as well.  As you know, this is an Iraqi operation, and Prime Minster Abadi has rallied support from Sunni leaders within the government and at the tribal level, and called for the protection of civilian lives and property in this operation. 

There is no question that the Tikrit operation is a major front in the fight against ISIL, and we are pleased to see the advancement the Iraqi forces have made.  But this operation remains ongoing, and we understand Iraqi forces have now entered parts of Tikrit and that there are reports that some ISIL fighters are actually withdrawing from the area in the face of this offensive. 

Q    On a separate topic, Eric, can you say whether other government agencies have been checking in with the White House for additional guidance on email and archiving in the wake of the Hillary Clinton episode?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Jeff, as you know, we’ve released guidance -- updated guidance -- to each of the agencies throughout the past few years.  I don’t know of any new developments on that.  I assume that if agencies were unclear on the guidelines, they now know. 

Q    Just a follow-up.  Just a quick one on the First Lady.  When the two are in the same city and their schedules don’t align by a few hours, does the White House take any steps to try and adjust the schedules so that taxpayers aren’t billed for a second government flight?  I mean, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money.  And if the schedules are only different by a few hours, why isn’t there a way to sort of adjust them so that they can come out together? 

MR. SCHULTZ:  Kevin, I'm not sure it's just a difference between a few hours.  The First Lady is not joining us in Phoenix.  So we are headed to Phoenix today, the First Lady is back in Washington. 

Q    On another subject.  I don’t know if you’re aware of some comments that a former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, made, once again being critical of the President, suggesting that he was somehow setting the tone that led to the shootings in Ferguson.

MR. SCHULTZ:  I have nothing for you on that.

Q    Eric, the First Lady is going to be traveling to Asia next week to begin to promote more fully the Women and Girls Initiative that was announced by her and the President earlier this month.  And I'm just wondering if you could talk about to what extent this is coordinated with the President and the NSC, how strongly the President feels about the initiative, and whether this is something that he will talk about at home when leaders like the Afghan leader and places where there really are significant problems with women and girls rights, like when he comes in the coming weeks.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Absolutely, Margaret.  Thank you for raising this.  As you know, this is an issue that's important to the President.  He raises this almost everywhere he travels I believe, especially in -- I think you mentioned Africa --

Q    Afghanistan.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Afghanistan -- I’m sorry.  Hearing problems on Air Force One.

But yes, he does mention this frequently on his foreign travel.  So it’s an important issue to the President, and the President does believe there’s no better voice for this than the First Lady, so he is pleased the First Lady will be doing this trip.  And I think we’ll have more details on it in the coming days.

Q    But would you say that this is a real policy initiative?  Is the NSC involved?  Is this something that there’s a full White House effort to engage in?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I think we are closely coordinated.  I don't know the extent of sort of resource allocation internally.  But we can see what we can get you.

Q    Did Malia and/or Sasha accompany the First Lady yesterday?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I am not sure.  You should check with the First Lady’s office.

All good?  Okay, great, thank you.

Q    Week ahead.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Oh, yes, I do have a week ahead. 

On Monday, the President will host a meeting with the Council of the Great City Schools Leadership to discuss efforts to strengthen educational opportunities for students in city schools.

On Tuesday, the President will welcome Prime Minister Kenny of Ireland to the White House.  In the morning, the President and Vice President will meet with him in the Oval Office to discuss issues of mutual concern.  In the evening, the President will host a reception to celebrate his seventh St. Patrick’s Day at the White House.

On Wednesday, the President will travel to Cleveland, Ohio to deliver remarks on the importance of middle-class economics at the City Club of Cleveland.  We’ll have more information on that in the coming days.

On Thursday, the President will host their Royal Highnesses, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, for a meeting in the Oval Office.  The Vice President will attend that session.  The Prince and Duchess will visit the United States March 17th to the 20th to engage in activities to promote the United Kingdom’s partnership with the United States in such key areas as combatting climate change, creating opportunities for youth, encouraging corporate social responsibility, and preserving historical and cultural links.

And on Friday, the President will host the second annual White House Student Film Festival, highlighting the President’s call for mentorship, in particular mentorship in the arts and film industries.  This year’s competition was an opportunity for K-12 students to produce short films on the idea of service and helping our community.

As part of the event, the President will deliver remarks on the goal of My Brother’s Keeper initiative to ensure all young Americans can reach their full potential.

Q    Do you know any details about this Saturday?  He does the Gridiron tomorrow, right?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes.  

Q    Okay.  And it’s going to be --

MR. SCHULTZ:  It will be very good.

Q    And then is that -- and do you have anything for next weekend? 

MR. SCHULTZ:  The following weekend?

Q    Yes.

MR. SCHULTZ:  No. 

Q    The week ahead usually --

MR. SCHULTZ:  I’ll see if I can get that for you.  Thank you, guys.

END
10:56 A.M. PDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Presidential Memorandum --Providing an Order of Succession Within the Council on Environmental Quality

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

SUBJECT:      Providing an Order of Succession Within the Council on Environmental Quality

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq. (the "Act"), it is hereby ordered that:

Section 1.  Order of Succession.  Subject to the provisions of section 2 of this memorandum and to the limitations set forth in the Act, the following officials of the Council on Environmental Quality, in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the office of the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (Chairman), during any period in which the Chairman has died, resigned, or is otherwise unable to perform the functions and duties of that office:

  1. Managing Director; 
  2. Chief of Staff; 
  3. General Counsel; and 
  4. Associate Directors in the order in which they have been appointed as such. 

Sec. 2.  Exceptions.  (a)  No individual who is serving in an office listed in section 1 of this memorandum in an acting capacity, by virtue of so serving, shall act as Chairman pursuant to this memorandum.

  1. No individual listed in section 1 of this memorandum shall act as Chairman unless that individual is otherwise eligible to so serve under the Act. 
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of this memorandum, the President retains discretion, to the extent permitted by law, to depart from this memorandum in designating an acting Chairman. 

Sec. 3.  Revocation.  The Presidential Memorandum of September 18, 2008 (Designation of Officers of the Council on Environmental Quality to Act as Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality), is hereby revoked.

Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: 2

  1. the authority granted by law to an agency, or the head thereof; or 
  2. the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
 
  1. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. 
  2. You are hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA