Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz, 10/10/2014

Los Angeles, California

11:11 A.M. PDT

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thank you for joining us this morning.  Later today, the President will deliver remarks in Los Angeles County at the Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, where he will announce that he will use his executive authority under the Antiquities Act to designate approximately 346,000 acres of national forest land in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County as the nation’s newest national monument.

With that, I will take your questions.

Q    Eric, will the President leave office without taking action to close Guantanamo prison?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Steve, I appreciate your question.  I’m going to restate our policy here, which is that we continue to object to congressional restrictions, as we’ve made clear many times, including in our Statement of Administration Policy on the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act.

Now, Steve, the President has been clear about the administration’s strategy with respect to Guantanamo Bay.  To the greatest extent possible and consistent with our national security interests, detainees will be repatriated or resettled or prosecuted in federal courts or military-commissioned proceedings.  As you know, the administration will also continue to call on members of both parties to work together to ensure that Congress lifts the remaining restrictions and enables the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

Q    I don’t understand.  So what is the administration’s position?  Are you looking now at bypassing Congress after the midterms in a way you haven’t so far in order to close the facility?  I mean, we saw the statement earlier -- I understand that you’re objecting to the notion of drafting options.  But putting that aside, is this a maneuver that politically you can’t do before the midterms but you can do after the midterms?  And is your reluctance to broadcast it -- like you don’t want to say you’re doing that, or is it not right?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes, I don’t have any maneuvers to readout to you right now.  I would say -- but for many years now we’ve always looked at options to close Guantanamo Bay.  For now, our position is clear that we’re seeking support from Congress to lift those restrictions.

Q    What does “seeking” mean, though?  I mean, you’re seeking -- are there new phone calls?  Are there new briefings?  I mean, he said this within his first year of office that he would close it.  So is there something new?  I mean --

MR. SCHULTZ:  I don’t have any new briefings, phone calls to readout to you right now, but I can say that this is something important to the President, important to the administration, and something we are constantly working with Democrats and Republicans in Congress over.

Q    But there’s no unilateral action being considered at this moment?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Like I said, we, for the past few -- for many years now, have always looked at options to do this.  Our position right now, our policy right now is seeking support from Congress to lift the restrictions that we feel are misguided.

Q    We have other questions, we’re just typing frantically.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Take your time, I’m here all day.  (Laughter.)

Q    Eric, I wanted to ask about North Korea.  It’s been five weeks since the leader there has been seen, and this morning he missed some sort of big celebration that he hasn’t missed for the past three years.  So does the White House have any idea what’s going on over there and with him?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thanks, Darlene.  We have seen those reports about Kim Jong-un’s health and his absence at the event you mentioned.  I don’t have anything for you on this specifically.  I will say that given the DPRK’s regime is one of the most opaque on this planet, it’s not surprising that there is very little reliable and publicly available information about this.

Q    There were reports this morning that militants were closing in closer to Baghdad and closer to the airport.  Anything on the President getting updated on that or just ISIS strategy, and if fears -- getting to the airport would obviously be a big deal?

MR. SCHULTZ:  As you know, we remain deeply concerned about the situation there.  Strikes were conducted last night, as announced by U.S. Central Command.  That included seven strikes around the city that destroyed -- around the city of Kobani that destroyed three ISIL vehicles, two ISIL training facilities, and damaged an ISIL tank.  These strikes also struck two ISIL units.

As you know, Kimberly, the strikes were conducted as part of the President’s comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy ISIL.  This destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group’s ability to lead, control and project power.

Q    Eric, sorry, can I go back just real quickly to Gitmo?  I want to understand -- you are not ruling out the possibility of unilateral action, you’re just saying that right now you’re seeking support from Congress?

MR. SCHULTZ:  What I’m saying is we are seeking support from Congress.  That is our position right now.

Q    I’m going to say that you’re not ruling out unilateral action unless you tell me I shouldn’t say that.

MR. SCHULTZ:  There’s a lot of jobs I want in life; being Margaret Talev’s editor is not one of them.  (Laughter.)

Q    Eric, can I ask you about Syria?  The State Department said that Turkey has agreed to be part of the coalition, particularly in participating and the training of moderate rebels.  A couple questions.  Is that the most that you guys think you can get out of them?  Are they going to help at all in terms of taking on ISIL, protecting Kobani?  And Hagel had said today that you guys would like to use their airbase.  Is that something that you think you can also get out of them?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thank you, Carol.  Today, as you pointed out, General Allen and Deputy Envoy McGurk met with Turkish officials.  Yesterday they held constructive and detailed talks with Turkish officials, including the Prime Minister and NATO representatives -- actually, the NATO Secretary General.

General Allen is currently en route back to Washington, and Brett McGurk is staying in the region for further consultations.  Nearly 12 hours of meetings with Turkish counterparts yesterday and followed this morning with Turkish General Staff helped align our strategic thinking against ISIL with this key NATO ally, Turkey.  As the State Department noted, Turkey has agreed to support train-and-equip efforts for the moderate Syrian opposition.  There is going to be a Defense Department planning team that goes out to the region to Ankara next week to continue planning on those channels.

Q    Is that the best you guys can do?  Do you think that’s adequate for a NATO ally who has a 500-mile border with Syria?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Actually, the border is about 550 miles, and you are right that ISIL is obviously a threat to Turkey security.  In fact, there are few countries that have felt the ripple effect of the crises in Syria and Iraq as much as Turkey has.  To your broader question, I think the fact that Deputy Envoy McGurk is staying in the region and the Defense Department planning team is heading out there next week is an indication that conversations will be ongoing.

Q    So this is not the -- basically, this is the floor, not the ceiling.  I mean, this is not the best that you’re hoping to get out of them?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Again, conversations are going to continue.

Q    I’m just going to ask you on the Attorney General.  Can you give us any on-the-record guidance in the wake of reports that -- the latest wave of reports that it will be Perez?  I mean, on the record, is it true that no decisions have been made yet and that those reports are not accurate?

MR. SCHULTZ:  On the record, I’m not going to engage in any personnel announcements at this time.  I will say the Attorney General over the past five and a half years has done tremendous work at the Department of Justice along with his entire team there.  But there is still a lot of work to be done.  That’s why filling this post will be a priority for us, and as soon as we have an announcement to make, you all will be amongst the first to know.

Q    Has the timing changed at all?  There were a couple of reports this morning it was moved up, then moved back.  But just on the record, is the timing the same?  It was going to take a while was sort of what we were understanding.

MR. SCHULTZ:  You’re right, I did see conflicting reports, and I will tell you I don’t have an update on the timing for you.

Q    Does he think Perez would be a good Attorney General?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Again, Steve, good try.  I’m not going to engage in speculation about personnel announcements.

Q    So Congressman Chaffetz up on the Hill is asking for all documents related to the White House Counsel review of the Cartagena situation in his office by October 24.  Do you see this as a reasonable request and one that you would meet?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Steve, my answer to this is going to be strikingly similar to the one yesterday.  We’ve seen Congressman Chaffetz’s request and, as you know, as a general rule, we work hard to comply with requests that we seem -- Oversight requests that are legitimate.  I don’t have a specific response to this one yet.

I will say if you look at Congress’s oversight heretofore into this matter, you’ll see that a bipartisan Senate committee, chaired by Senators Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, found that there’s no substantiation to the allegations you’re referencing.

Q    At the time after the President was briefed on the situation in Colombia, he I think referenced there were some knuckleheads or whatever in the situation.  Was he briefed on this potential incident with the White House advance staffer?  Is he aware of it?  Was he aware of it at the time and/or now

MR. SCHULTZ:  I did get this question yesterday and I don’t have an answer in terms of that awareness.  I will tell you, again, when the White House completed its review several years ago when we were aware of an erroneous hotel log, a similar version of which falsely implicated a Secret Service agent who was subsequently exonerated, that review found that no members of the White House team, including the volunteer in question, had engaged in inappropriate conduct.

Q    If we’re done with serious questions, did the President have a reaction to Gwyneth Paltrow telling him that he was quite handsome and that she couldn’t speak properly around him because of that

MR. SCHULTZ:  I don’t have a reaction to read out to you on that.

Q    Week ahead.

Q    We had a pretty early night last night when we ended.  Was there anything on the President’s schedule that was not announced you can tell us about?

MR. SCHULTZ:  No.  I do have a week ahead.

Q    Will he call Malala Yousafzai at some point?  I mean, she was in the Oval Office with him last year, and I’m just wondering if he would telephone and actually speak to her and telephone his congratulations at some point.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thank you, Darlene.  I don’t have any future calls to read out to you at this time, but I can tell you that, as I think we put out in the statement, the President and the First Lady issued a statement congratulating Malala Yousafzai on winning the Nobel Peace Prize.  As you pointed out, the President and First Lady were proud to welcome this remarkable young woman to the Oval Office last year.

Q    Week ahead?

Q    I have a question.  The people that lived around Ms. Paltrow’s house expressed deep anger today about how the neighborhood was all shut down last night and they couldn’t get back to their houses.  Do you guys have any response to these folks?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I don’t have a response and I don’t have any specific awareness to the situation you’re talking about.  I would say as a general matter I know the United States Secret Service works with local law enforcement to minimize inconvenience wherever the President travels.

On the week ahead, I will tell you that on Monday, which is Columbus Day, the President has no public events.

On Tuesday, the President will attend a DCCC event in the Washington, D.C., area.

On Wednesday, the President will travel to Union, New Jersey, to attend a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee event.  In the evening, the President will travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut, for a campaign rally with Connecticut Democrats, featuring Governor Dan Malloy.

And on Thursday, the President will travel to Rhode Island to deliver remarks on the economy.  I’ll just pause there to remind everyone today is 10/10.  Afterward, the President will travel to Long Island, New York, to attend a DNC event.

And on Friday, the President will attend meetings at the White House.

END                 11:26 A.M. PDT 

Presidential Proclamation -- San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS NATIONAL MONUMENT

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Known as the crown to the Valley of Angels, the peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains frame the Los Angeles skyline. Over 15 million people live within 90 minutes of this island of green, which provides 70 percent of the open space for Angelenos and 30 percent of their drinking water. Millions recreate and rejuvenate in the San Gabriels each year, seeking out their cool streams and canyons during the hot summer months, their snowcapped mountains in the winter, and their trail system and historic sites throughout the year.

The San Gabriels are some of the steepest and most rugged mountains in the United States. Situated adjacent to the mighty San Andreas Fault, the mountains are geologically active, migrating northwest at an average of 2 inches each year. Deep canyons, many with precious perennial streams, score the mountain peaks -- north toward the arid Mojave Desert and south to the temperate San Gabriel Valley.

The rich cultural history of these mountains echoes their striking geologic features and ecological diversity. Cultural resources represent successive layers of history, including that of Native Americans, Spanish missionaries and colonialists, Mexican rancheros, and Euro-American settlers and prospectors. Native American history runs deep, at least 8,000 years, exemplified by the Aliso-Arrastre Special Interest Area known for its heritage resource values, including several rock art and cupules features, the concentration of which is unique to southern California. Due to urban development and natural processes, this area also contains the best preserved example of a Gabrielino pictograph that characterizes the California Tradition of rock painting.

Early European explorers' use of the area consisted mainly of early explorers traveling through the area. Over time, land grants, Spanish missions, and townsites surrounded the mountains, relying heavily on them for water, building supplies, and game.

By the 1840s, gold prospectors poured into the mountains. Large placer and lode mining operations were established in the San Gabriels, with mixed success. The historic mining town of Eldoradoville, located along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, had at its peak in 1861 a population of over 500 miners, with general stores, saloons, and dance halls along with numerous mining camps of tents, wooden shacks, and stone cabins along the river.

In the early 20th century, responding to the burgeoning interest of urban dwellers in backcountry hiking and weekend rambling, a number of trails, lodges, and camps -- many of which were accessible only by horseback or on foot -- were constructed throughout the mountains. Remnants of these historic resorts, which attracted local residents and Hollywood stars alike, can still be seen and are important aspects of the region's social and cultural history.

Enthusiasm for recreating in the mountains continues today. The San Gabriels offer hundreds of miles of hiking, motorized, and equestrian trails, including several National Recreational Trails and 87 miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. In the footprint of the resorts of the Great Hiking Era, many visitors partake of Forest Service campgrounds built on the foundations of early 20th-century lodges and resorts. In a region with limited open space, the mountains are the backyard for many highly urbanized and culturally diverse populations within Los Angeles, underscoring the need for strong partnerships between this urban forest and neighboring communities.

The mountains have hosted world-class scientists, studying the terra firma at their feet as well as the distant galactic stars. Astronomer Edwin Hubble performed critical calculations from his work at the Mt. Wilson Observatory, including his discovery that some nebulae were actually galaxies outside our own Milky Way. Assisted by Milton Humason, he also discovered the presence of the astronomical phenomenon of redshift that proved the universe is expanding. Also on Mt. Wilson, Albert Michelson, America's first Nobel Prize winner in a science field, conducted an experiment that provided the first modern and truly accurate measurement of the speed of light. Closer to earth, the San Dimas Experimental Forest, established in 1933 as a hydrologic laboratory, continues the study of some of our earliest and most comprehensively monitored research watersheds, providing crucial scientific insights.

Although proximate to one of America's most urban areas, the region has untrammeled wilderness lands of the highest quality, including four designated wilderness areas: San Gabriel, Sheep Mountain, Pleasant View Ridge, and Magic Mountain. These lands provide invaluable backcountry opportunities for the rapidly expanding nearby communities and also provide habitat for iconic species including the endangered California condor and least Bells' vireo, and the Forest Service Sensitive Nelson's bighorn sheep, bald eagle, and California spotted owl. Inventoried roadless areas and lands recommended for designation as Wilderness also provide important habitat, including a connectivity corridor important for wide ranging species, such as the mountain lion.

The importance of the San Gabriels' watershed values was recognized early. As early as the late 1800s, local communities petitioned to protect the mountains for their watershed values. As a result, President Benjamin Harrison established the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve in 1892, the precursor to the Angeles National Forest.

Reflecting the needs of the nearby population centers, the San Gabriels host an array of flood control and water storage, delivery, and diversion infrastructure, including six large retention dams as well as numerous telecommunications and utility towers.

The San Gabriels' rivers not only provide drinking water but are also areas of high ecological significance supporting rare populations of native fish, including the threatened Santa Ana sucker. The San Gabriel River supports rare arroyo chub and Santa Ana speckled dace, a species found only in the Los Angeles Basin. Little Rock Creek tumbles down from the northern escarpment to the Mojave Desert below and supports important populations of the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog and arroyo toad, as well as the threatened California red-legged frog. On the slopes of Mt. San Antonio, San Antonio Creek rushes through an alpine canyon studded with stalwart bigcone Douglas fir, and the magnificent 75-foot San Antonio Falls draw thousands of visitors every year.

In addition to rivers, the San Gabriels contain two scenic lakes, both formed by the area's remarkable geologic forces. The alpine Crystal Lake, found high in the mountains, was formed from one of the largest landslides on record in southern California. Jackson Lake is a natural sag pond, a type of pond formed between the strands of an active fault line -- in this case, the San Andreas.

Climatic contrasts in the San Gabriels range from the northern slope desert region, home to Joshua trees and pinyon pines, to high-elevation white fir and a notable stand of 1,000-year-old limber pines. Vegetation communities, including chaparral and oak woodland, represent a portion of the rare Mediterranean ecosystem found in only 3 percent of the world. Mediterranean climate zones have high numbers of species for their area.

The San Gabriels also provide suitable habitat for 52 Forest Service Sensitive Plants and as many as 300 California-endemic species, including Pierson's lupine and San Gabriel bedstraw, that occur only in the San Gabriel range.

The mountains harbor several of California's signature natural vegetation communities, including the drought-tolerant and fire-adapted chaparral shrubland, which is the dominant community and includes scrub oaks, chamise, manzanita, wild lilac, and western mountain-mahogany. Mixed conifer forest is an associated vegetation community comprising Jeffrey pine, sugar pine, white fir, and riparian woodlands including white alder, sycamore, and willow. These communities provide habitat for numerous native wildlife and insect species, including agriculturally important pollinators, the San Gabriel Mountains slender salamander, San Bernardino Mountain kingsnake, song sparrow, Peregrine falcon, mule deer, and Pallid bat.

WHEREAS section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431) (the "Antiquities Act"), authorizes the President, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected; and

WHEREAS it is in the public interest to preserve and protect the objects of scientific and historic interest at the San Gabriel Mountains;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 2 of the Antiquities Act, hereby proclaim the objects identified above that are situated upon lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument (monument) and, for the purpose of preserving those objects, reserve as a part thereof all lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States within the boundaries described on the accompanying map entitled, "San Gabriel Mountains National Monument" and the accompanying legal description, which are attached to and form a part of this proclamation.

These reserved Federal lands and interests in lands encompass approximately 346,177 acres, which is the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.

All Federal lands and interests in lands within the boundaries of the monument are hereby appropriated and withdrawn from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, leasing, or other disposition under the public land or other Federal laws, including location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and from disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing, other than by exchange that furthers the protective purposes of the monument, or disposition of materials under the Materials Act of 1947 in a manner that is consistent with the proper care and management of the objects protected by this proclamation.

The establishment of this monument is subject to valid existing rights. Lands and interests in lands within the monument's boundaries not owned or controlled by the United States shall be reserved as part of the monument upon acquisition of ownership or control by the United States. To the extent allowed by applicable law, the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior shall manage valid Federal mineral rights existing within the monument as of the date of this proclamation in a manner consistent with the proper care and management of the objects protected by this proclamation.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to alter the valid existing water rights of any party, including the United States.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to interfere with the operation or maintenance, nor with the replacement or modification within the existing authorization boundary, of existing water resource, flood control, utility, pipeline, or telecommunications facilities that are located within the monument, subject to the Secretary of Agriculture's special uses authorities and other applicable laws. Existing water resource, flood control, utility, pipeline, or telecommunications facilities located within the monument may be expanded, and new facilities may be constructed within the monument, to the extent consistent with the proper care and management of the objects protected by this proclamation, subject to the Secretary of Agriculture's special uses authorities and other applicable law.

The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) shall manage the monument through the Forest Service, pursuant to applicable legal authorities, consistent with the purposes and provisions of this proclamation. The Secretary shall prepare, within 3 years of the date of this proclamation and in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, a management plan for the monument and shall promulgate such regulations for its management as deemed appropriate. The Secretary shall provide for maximum public involvement in the development of that plan, including, but not limited to, consultation with tribal, State, and local government, as well as community environmental conservation, health, and justice organizations. The plan shall provide for protection and interpretation of the scientific and historic objects identified above and for continued public access to those objects, consistent with their protection. To the maximum extent permitted by other applicable law and consistent with the purposes of the monument, the plan shall protect and preserve Indian sacred sites, as defined in section 1(b) of Executive Order 13007 of May 24, 1996, and access by Indian tribal members for traditional cultural, spiritual, and tree and forest product-, food-, and medicine-gathering purposes.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to enlarge or diminish the rights of any Indian tribe as defined in section 1(b) of Executive Order 13007.

The Secretary shall prepare a transportation plan that specifies and implements such actions necessary to protect the objects identified in this proclamation, including road closures and travel restrictions. For the purpose of protecting the objects identified above, except for emergency or authorized administrative purposes, the Secretary shall limit all motor vehicle use to designated roads, trails, and, in the Secretary's discretion, those authorized off-highway vehicular use areas existing as of the date of this proclamation.

The Secretary shall, in developing any management plans and any management rules and regulations governing the monument, consult with the Secretary of the Interior. The final decision to issue any management plans and any management rules and regulations rests with the Secretary of Agriculture. Management plans or rules and regulations developed by the Secretary of the Interior governing uses within national parks or other national monuments administered by the Secretary of the Interior shall not apply within the monument.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to enlarge or diminish the jurisdiction of the State of California with respect to fish and wildlife management.

Laws, regulations, and policies followed by the United States Forest Service in issuing and administering grazing permits or leases on all lands under its jurisdiction shall continue to apply with regard to the lands in the monument in a manner consistent with the proper care and management of the objects protected by this proclamation.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to alter the authority or responsibility of any party with respect to emergency response activities within the monument, including wildland fire response. The Secretary may carry out vegetative management treatments within the monument, except that timber harvest and prescribed fire may only be used when the Secretary determines it appropriate to address the risk of wildfire, insect infestation, or disease that would endanger the objects identified above or imperil public safety.

Recognizing the proximity of the monument to Class B airspace and that a military training route is over the monument, nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to restrict general aviation, commercial, or military aircraft operations, nor the designation of new units of special use airspace or the establishment of military flight training routes, over the monument.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation; however, the monument shall be the dominant reservation.

Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature of the monument and not to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of October, 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

Presidential Proclamation -- International Day of the Girl, 2014

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL, 2014

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

In every community across the globe, girls and women should have the opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve their full potential. All nations have a responsibility to protect the basic human rights of all people, and when they do -- when girls and women are fully valued as equal participants in a country's politics and economy -- societies are more likely to succeed.

But throughout the world, too many girls and women are subjected to laws and traditions that serve only to oppress and exclude. Gender-based violence -- from domestic violence and human trafficking to genital cutting and early and forced marriage -- condemns girls to cycles of dependence, fear, and abuse. Harmful cultural norms and prejudices that tell young women how they are expected to look and act deny the dignity and equality we want for all our daughters. On International Day of the Girl, we stand with girls, women, and male and female advocates in every country who are calling for freedom and justice, and we renew our commitment to build a world where all girls feel safe, supported, and encouraged to pursue their own measure of happiness.

Promoting gender equality and lifting up the status of girls and women have been central to my Administration's national security strategy and foreign policy. We are supporting quality education for girls around the world, advancing policies that enable women and families to live healthier lives, and investing in programs that help nations prevent and respond to violence against girls and women. We are also working to end human trafficking, a crime that affects far too many communities both here at home and around the globe, and of which many victims are girls and women.

As we work to transform the lives of girls and women abroad, we have also redoubled our efforts to ensure there are no barriers to their success here at home. Vice President Joe Biden's 1is2many initiative is raising awareness about the high rates of teen dating violence, and my Administration is engaging school districts, college students, and community members as part of our effort to end sexual assault and domestic violence. Through the Affordable Care Act, we have expanded access to quality, affordable health care to more girls and prohibited insurers from charging them extra simply because of their gender. We continue to invest in community efforts to reduce teen pregnancy. And we have made it a priority to educate and inspire our youngest girls by increasing opportunities for high-quality preschool. As they grow, we will make certain they receive the education and training needed to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow -- jobs that we are working to ensure will offer equal pay for equal work.

As Americans, we must see the hopes and dreams of our own girls and realize that these are the same dreams of girls around the world. We cannot afford to silence the girl who holds the key to changing her community, or the voice that speaks up to call for peace or further scientific discovery. We cannot allow violence to snuff out the aspirations of young women in America, and we must not accept it anywhere in the world. Today, we resolve to do more than simply shine a light on inequality. With partners across the globe, we support the girls who reach for their future in the face of unimaginable obstacles, and we continue our work to change attitudes and shift beliefs until every girl has the opportunities she deserves to shape her own destiny and fulfill her boundless promise.

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 October 11, 2014, as International Day of the Girl. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with programs, ceremonies, and activities that advance equality and opportunity for girls everywhere.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of October, 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

Readout of Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa O. Monaco’s Meeting with Chief of Turkish National Intelligence Organization Dr. Hakan Fidan

Today, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa O. Monaco met with Dr. Hakan Fidan, Chief of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization, to discuss ways to deepen already close counterterrorism cooperation and to further integrate Turkey’s unique capabilities into the international coalition against ISIL.  With respect to ISIL, Ms. Monaco expressed appreciation for Turkey’s support to ongoing U.S. military operations in Iraq and Syria and underscored the importance of accelerating Turkish assistance as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL.  Ms. Monaco emphasized the need to more quickly build the capacity of Iraqi security forces as well as the moderate Syrian opposition, and to take further steps to strengthen border security and disrupt the movement of foreign terrorist fighters to and from Syria.  The two also reviewed the shared threat posed by al-Qa’ida veterans in Syria and agreed to continue to consult closely on security and intelligence matters going forward.