The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Fact Sheet: The Administration’s Fiscal Year 2015 Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Request

Today, the Administration submitted its updated $65.8 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) request to Congress for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State and Other International Programs (State/OIP). 

The $58.6 billion request for DOD OCO funding is $20.9 billion less than the $79.4 billion placeholder included in the FY 2015 Budget.  The OCO request also includes $1.4 billion for State/OIP beyond the $5.9 billion included in the Budget, bringing the State OCO total to $7.3 billion. As in years past, the request primarily funds temporary and extraordinary expenses associated with military operations in Afghanistan, as well as activities that support Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), related follow-on activities, and other critical missions, including counterterrorism, in the region. In addition to funding for the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan and DOD’s supporting presence in the broader region, the OCO submission seeks congressional support for the new $5 billion Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund (CTPF) and $1 billion for the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI).

The Administration continues to support a cumulative $450-billion cap on Government-wide OCO funding from FY 2013 to FY 2021, and we encourage Congress to act with similar fiscal discipline in OCO appropriations.

Today’s request is consistent with the plan the President laid out at West Point , which made the case for  bringing the U.S. war in Afghanistan to a responsible end, while ensuring our Armed Forces have the flexibility and resources required to respond to emerging needs as terrorist threats around the world continue to evolve.

Operation Enduring Freedom and Related Missions

In support of OEF and related follow-on activities, Department of Defense OCO funding would support several key efforts, including:

  • operations and force protection in Afghanistan, including ending our combat mission and transitioning to an advisory mission by the end of December 2014;
  • continued support for the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and coalition partners;
  • continued counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan;
  • return of thousands of pieces of equipment from Afghanistan to home stations;
  • repair or replacement of combat-damaged equipment, as well as replenishment of expended munitions;
  • intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and other support to missions;
  • costs borne in the greater Middle East region that support and enable our forces in Afghanistan as well as other critical missions.

Although the FY 2015 OCO request reflects a transition as the United States concludes combat operations in Afghanistan, most costs will not decline precipitously.  For example, DOD will still incur significant costs to transport personnel, supplies, and equipment back to their home stations.  Funding to sustain the ANSF will continue to be needed to ensure that Afghan forces can provide sufficient security.  OCO funding will help our military reset from over a decade of fighting by providing the funds needed for DOD to repair and replace equipment and munitions.  OCO funding will also continue to support a significant portion of DOD's forward presence in the broader Middle East region, enabling DOD to support OEF and other important missions.  

Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund

In his West Point speech, the President announced that he would ask Congress to fund a new Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund to provide the flexibility and resources required to respond to emerging needs as terrorist threats evolve from South Asia to the Sahel.  The proposed CTPF builds on our existing tools and authorities to respond to a range of terrorist threats and crisis response scenarios.  The OCO submission seeks congressional support for the new $5 billion CTPF, including funding to support a new Syria-Regional Stabilization Initiative (RSI). 

The Administration is requesting $4 billion for the Department of Defense and $1 billion for the Department of State, with three broad purposes:

  • To support counterterrorism capacity-building efforts for partner nations;
  • To provide support to the moderate Syrian opposition and Syria’s neighbors through a Regional Stabilization Initiative; and
  • To help the Department of Defense respond to unexpected crises. 

Enabling and Supporting Partners ($3 billion) 

We seek to build and maintain a network of partners on the front lines of critical terrorist threats through near-term training, equipping, and advising and longer-term capacity-building efforts undertaken by the Departments of Defense and State. 

The Administration is requesting $2.5 billion for engagement to train, equip, and enable international partners to counter terrorist threats that pose the greatest challenge to U.S. and allied interests and to enhance DOD counterterrorism capabilities.  Targeted training and assistance efforts can support partners as they conduct counterterrorism operations within their own borders, prevent the spillover of terrorist activities from neighboring states, and participate in multinational operations to degrade terrorist threats. 

For example, funding through the CTPF would cover increased costs of Special Operations Forces or conventional units deploying in greater numbers to train and engage partner nation forces.  Among other things, equipment provided through CTPF would address mobility and transportation issues to more effectively prosecute offensive CT operations. And, it would invest in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities of U.S. forces to provide essential support to partner force operations.        

The Administration is requesting $500 million for the State Department and partner agencies to support counterterrorism, counter violent extremism, and meet stability needs in partner countries.  This funding would support economic, development, and security assistance programs to improve stability in countries confronting terrorist threats and contending with populations at risk for radicalization. 

Department of State funding through the CTPF would strengthen partners’ police capabilities and penal and justice systems; promote tolerance within local communities, civil society, and across broader faith communities; identify and disrupt terrorist financing and travel; train and equip their counterterrorism forces; and support tailored education, democratic governance, and economic development activities.  This programming would support efforts to deny terrorists the recruiting ground of poor governance and hopelessness in areas most at risk of violent extremism and to counter the messages of violent extremism.  

Regional Stabilization Initiative ($1.5 billion)

The Administration is requesting $1.5 billion to advance U.S. interests in partnership with Syria’s neighbors – Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq – to promote internal stability and to provide support to communities hosting refugees.  One billion dollars would be allocated for Department of State and Department of Defense programs to allow the United States to make investments in Syria’s neighbors to enable them to strengthen internal and border security capabilities and enhance their capacity to manage the pressures created by ongoing conflicts and the stresses on communities hosting refugees. 

For example, the CTPF would provide the training and equipment required to improve border security and the capacity of police and counterterrorism units to ensure internal stability. The CTPF would also address growing costs in communities hosting refugees to strengthen the delivery of essential services such as education, health, food, sanitation, and water. 

We also intend to ramp up U.S. support to the moderate Syrian opposition. We are therefore requesting $500 million for a proposed authority to train and equip vetted elements of the Syrian armed opposition to help defend the Syrian people, stabilize areas under opposition control, facilitate the provision of essential services, counter terrorist threats, and promote conditions for a negotiated settlement.

The Administration will develop the details of this envisioned program in consultation with the Congress and our international partners.

Crisis Response ($500 million)

The CTPF request includes $500 million to address unforeseen contingencies related to counterterrorism or regional instability.  The current situation in Iraq is one example that underscores the importance of reserving funds that can be allocated quickly based on unforeseen needs.  The CTPF would facilitate flexibility and speed in responding to urgent contingencies in the face of an uncertain and rapidly changing security environment.

European Reassurance Initiative

The European Reassurance Initiative that the President announced in Poland on June 3rd would provide temporary support to bolster the security and capacity of our NATO allies and partner states in Europe.  The Administration is requesting $925 million for DOD and $75 million for State for the following purposes: 

  • expand military presence in Europe, especially in Central and Eastern Europe;
  • increase bilateral and multilateral exercises and training with allies and partners;
  • improve infrastructure to allow for greater responsiveness;
  • enhance prepositioning of U.S. equipment in Europe; and
  • intensify efforts to build partner capacity for newer NATO members and other partners

Peacekeeping Response

The updated OCO request also includes an additional $278 million in State/OIP's Peacekeeping Response Mechanism account to fully fund the additional estimated costs resulting from the April 2014 decision by United Nations Security Council to authorize a new UN peacekeeping mission to deploy in the Central African Republic.  This decision was made after the Administration submitted its FY 2015 Budget.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Letter from the President -- FY 2015 Budget Amendments

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 26, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I ask the Congress to consider the enclosed Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Budget amendments for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State and Other International Programs (State/OIP) to fund Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). These amendments would provide $58.6 billion for DOD OCO activities, which is $20.9 billion less than the $79.4 billion placeholder for DOD OCO in the FY 2015 Budget. It would also provide $1.4 billion for State/OIP OCO activities, which is in addition to the $5.9 billion for State/OIP included in the FY 2015 Budget. Overall, these amendments would decrease the total OCO funding requested for FY 2015 by $19.5 billion.

Final decisions about the number and activities of U.S. forces in Afghanistan after December 2014 had not yet been made at the time the FY 2015 Budget was submitted. As a result, the Budget included a placeholder for DOD FY 2015 OCO funding equivalent to the amount requested in the FY 2014 Budget. The Administration noted in the FY 2015 Budget that after determining required force levels in Afghanistan, a Budget amendment updating the OCO request would be submitted to the Congress. The enclosed amendments include the necessary updates to the OCO request in order to fund military operations in Afghanistan, a significant portion of the U.S. military presence around the Middle East, the Administration's proposed Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund and European Reassurance Initiative, and State/OIP peacekeeping costs in the Central African Republic.

The details of these amendments are set forth in the enclosed letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Thirty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention Against Torture. Three years later, on this very day, the Convention entered into effect, memorializing the international community’s condemnation of this practice.  From the first days of his Administration, President Obama has made his position on torture clear: it is abhorrent, an instrument of repression, and a brutal assault on human dignity.  It weakens those that use it by affording their enemies a tool of recruitment.  Today, we reaffirm our solemn commitment to the Convention and our obligations under it.  We honor those who have faced the horrors of torture, remember those who have lost their lives in the face of it, and renew our pledge to the struggle against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment throughout the world. To the governments, civil society organizations, survivors, and others working worldwide to combat torture’s horrors, we share our gratitude for your efforts and assurance of our lasting partnership.  The United States will continue to strive with you to achieve the Convention’s noble aspirations, so that we may all come to live in a world without torture.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Remarks by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice at a Dinner Honoring Israeli President Shimon Peres

Washington, DC
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
As Delivered 

Good evening everyone—erev tov.  And, thank you so much, Ron, Rhoda, for this lovely evening.  It’s a true honor, Ron, to be asked to celebrate one of Israel’s greatest sons and a walking global treasure, my friend President Shimon Peres. 

Over the years, Mr. President, you have been many things—a dreamer, a state-builder, a founding father, a prime minister, a peacemaker.  Your life has been the life of the state of Israel. You all sometimes hear him called an “elder statesman,” but I know every one of us in this room would kill to have the energy that you have (Laughter),  You’ve won the world’s admiration and most of its medals, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and, tomorrow, the Congressional Gold Medal—together, America’s highest civilian honors.  And you didn’t just win the Nobel Peace Prize, you earned it, and you earn it every single day.  So thank you, Mr. President, for your tireless efforts to make this world a better place—for your tireless commitment to the state of Israel and tikkun olam. 

President Peres and I became friends after we met in 2009 in New York, and he invited me to Israel later that year to speak at the incredible conference that he convenes.  And since then, I’ve been extremely privileged to meet with him many times and to benefit not only from his extraordinary wisdom but also from his unbelievable kindness.  On more than one occasion, when from very far away, he sensed that perhaps I was having a bit of a rough patch, he would call or write or find some other special way of letting me know that he was there, and that I was in his thoughts.  What a wonderful man.  Thank you.

Someone once asked Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv, how it is that you become mayor of a city in Israel—and he said, first, you build the city (Laughter).  So, if someone asks President Peres how he came to lead the state of Israel, well—first, you build the state of Israel.  And that is just what you have done, more than any other man alive.  And, that makes him a great gift to all of us—the last of Israel’s founding lions.

From the moment that President Truman made the United States the very first country to recognize the Jewish state, 11 minutes after Shimon’s great mentor David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence in Tel Aviv, the relationship between our two proud democracies has grown like a mighty oak.  As President Obama reaffirmed when he met with President Peres today, the United States’ commitment to the peace and security of Israel is unbreakable and unshakable.  Our peoples share a friendship that’s rooted in our common values:  liberty, democracy, human rights, and human dignity. You can see it in this room tonight, where we’ve all gathered—leaders and citizens from across America’s political spectrum, united in our love and support for Israel.  And so much of that, too, is because of the personal efforts—over a lifetime—of Shimon Peres. 

Now, everyone here knows that he’s eminently quotable.  He’s the inventor of the “Peres-ism” (Laughter).   I’m sure all of you have your favorites. There’s the one that every campaign manager should know, and I quote, he actually said it today, “Polls are like perfume—nice to smell, dangerous to swallow” (Laughter). Especially apt in this room.  But the one that most stays with me is pretty simple.  He said, “There are no hopeless situations, only hopeless people.”

Shimon Peres is someone who believes that despair is a sin and service is a duty.  And, serve is what you have done your entire life—from your early days on the kibbutz, making the desert bloom, and throughout your decades of dedication to Israel.  That’s the spirit in which Shimon Peres has worked with every American president since John F. Kennedy.  That’s how he’s earned admirers the world over.  And that’s why he remains so committed to advancing the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, including through his meeting with President Abbas and Pope Francis at the Vatican this month. 

Mr. President, you set an example for us all.  And so, we too will stay true to the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians.  Because ultimately, the only path out of this tragic conflict is a secure, democratic, Jewish state living side-by-side in peace and security with a viable, independent Palestinian state (Applause).

Tonight as well, all of our hearts are hurting for the three Israeli students who were kidnapped in the West Bank, one of whom, as you all know, is also an American.  President Obama and all of us in the U.S. government are deeply concerned.  We have offered every assistance, and, as parents—in my case of a sixteen year old boy—we all feel this very personally.  So, we pray for their safe return and for the strength for their families through this agonizing vigil.  And, continued cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians is also critical—both to ensure that the search succeeds and to prevent the situation in the West Bank from further destabilizing.

One might argue that these are difficult days.  But there are no hopeless situations, only hopeless people—and President Peres reminds us never to count ourselves among them.  What counts is working to bend history in the direction of hope. 

So, in the book that I know as Psalms, and that many of you know as Tehillim, Moses beseeches the Lord, quote, “establish thou the works of our hands upon us.”  Many of us were raised on that prayer, though some of you learned it in the original.  And I hear in it not only a cry to heaven, but a call to action here on earth.  That’s a call you have answered, Mr. President, every day of your life.  And, we are all inspired by the work to which you have put your able hands.  This room is full of people deeply moved by your service, your courage, and your determination to pursue progress, security, and peace.  

So, tonight, we celebrate the next chapter in the life of Shimon Peres.  We join you in recommitting ourselves to the cause of peace.  And, together, we ask for that ancient blessing:  Establish thou the works of our hands, oh Lord.  On behalf of President Obama and all of your friends here in the United States, we wish you, like Moses, “Ad meyah v’essreem!”  May you live to 120! (Laughter) Thank you. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Letter from the President -- War Powers Resolution Letter regarding Iraq

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE

June 26, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

As I reported on June 16, 2014, U.S. Armed Forces personnel have deployed to Iraq to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

I have since ordered further measures in response to the situation in Iraq. Specifically, as I announced publicly on June 19, I have ordered increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance that is focused on the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). I also ordered up to approximately 300 additional U.S. Armed Forces personnel in Iraq to assess how we can best train, advise, and support Iraqi security forces and to establish joint operations centers with Iraqi security forces to share intelligence and coordinate planning to confront the threat posed by ISIL. Some of these personnel were already in Iraq as part of the U.S. Embassy's Office of Security Cooperation, and others began deploying into Iraq on June 24. These forces will remain in Iraq until the security situation becomes such that they are no longer needed.

This action is being undertaken in coordination with the Government of Iraq and has been directed consistent with my responsibility to protect U.S. citizens both at home and abroad, and in furtherance of U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.

I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in these actions.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Presidential Proclamation -- AGOA

TO TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS UNDER THE AFRICAN GROWTH AND

OPPORTUNITY ACT AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

1. In Proclamation 8468 of December 23, 2009, I determined that the Republic of Madagascar (Madagascar) was not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (the "1974 Act") (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)), as added by section 111(a) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (title I of Public Law 106-200) (AGOA). Thus, pursuant to section 506A(a)(3) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(3)), I terminated the designation of Madagascar as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A of the 1974 Act.

2. Section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act authorizes the President to designate a country listed in section 107 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3706) as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country if the President determines that the country meets the eligibility requirements set forth in section 104 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3703), as well as the eligibility criteria set forth in section 502 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462).

3. Pursuant to section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act, based on actions that the Government of Madagascar has taken, I have determined that Madagascar meets the eligibility requirements set forth in section 104 of the AGOA and section 502 of the 1974 Act, and I have decided to designate Madagascar as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country.

4. Section 506A(a)(3) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(3)) authorizes the President to terminate the designation of a country as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A if he determines that the country is not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act.

5. Pursuant to section 506A(a)(3) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that the Kingdom of Swaziland is not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act. Accordingly, I have decided to terminate the designation of the Kingdom of Swaziland as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A of the 1974 Act, effective on January 1, 2015.

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 of America, including but not limited to title V and section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2461-67, 2483), and section 104 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3703), do proclaim that:

(1) Madagascar is designated as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country.

(2) In order to reflect this designation in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), general note 16(a) to the HTS is modified by inserting in alphabetical sequence in the list of beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries "Republic of Madagascar (Madagascar)." Further, note 2(d) to subchapter XIX of chapter 98 is modified by inserting in alphabetical sequence in the list of lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries "Republic of Madagascar."

(3) The designation of the Kingdom of Swaziland as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A of the 1974 Act is terminated, effective on January 1, 2015.

(4) In order to reflect in the HTS that beginning on January 1, 2015, the Kingdom of Swaziland shall no longer be designated as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, general note 16(a) to the HTS is modified by deleting "Kingdom of Swaziland" from the list of beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries. Note 7(a) to subchapter II and note 1 to subchapter XIX of chapter 98 of the HTS are modified to delete "Swaziland," from the list of beneficiary countries. Further, note 2(d) to subchapter XIX of chapter 98 of the HTS is modified by deleting "Swaziland" from the list of lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries.

(5) Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that are inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation are superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to Attend the Final Match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to attend the Final Match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Rio de Janeiro on July 13, 2014.

The Honorable Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, United States Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Department of State

The Honorable Jonathan McBride, Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Personnel

Mr. John P. Bilbrey, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Hershey Company

Mr. Cobi Jones, Three-time U.S. Men’s World Cup Player, Former Major League Soccer Player and Sports Broadcaster

A Day in the Life: Rebekah from Minneapolis

Lindsay Holst
Lindsay Holst
June 26, 2014
11:15 AM EDT

Meet Rebekah.

This past March, a mom from Minneapolis named Rebekah wrote the President a letter about the increasing costs of taking care of her family. She told him about her day-to-day struggles, and let him know what she thinks needs to change.

Today, the President is traveling to Minnesota to spend some time with her.

That's because Rebekah's experience is representative of the experience of millions of Americans across the country right now: Even though our economy has undoubtedly made a comeback, too many folks are still stretched too thin.

This is the first in a series of "day in the life" trips the President will be taking over the course of the summer -- an opportunity to communicate directly with the people he's working for every day.

We want to make sure you see what the President sees, too.

Meet Rebekah and learn more about her story here -- and follow along all day to see updates and highlights from the President's day.

Related Topics: Jobs, Manufacturing, Small Business, Middle-Class Tax Cuts, Economy, Equal Pay, Middle Class Security, Working Families, Minnesota

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Readout of National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice’s Meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore

National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met yesterday with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore at the White House.  Ambassador Rice and Prime Minister Lee discussed our excellent bilateral military, economic, and political cooperation, as well as a number of our shared regional and global priorities.  In particular, they discussed concerns over a pattern of destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea, and reiterated their shared commitment to international law, freedom of navigation and the peaceful resolution of maritime and territorial disputes.  President Obama joined the meeting to reaffirm our appreciation of our strong partnership with Singapore and to discuss some of our top regional priorities, specifically completing TPP and China and tensions in the South China Sea.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Statement by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice on the Killing of Salwa Bugaighis

The United States strongly condemns yesterday's brutal and senseless murder of human rights and civil society activist Salwa Bugaighis in Benghazi, Libya.  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Salwa in Libya in November 2011, soon after the ouster of Qadhafi.  I was deeply impressed by her courage, leadership and dedication to building a peaceful, democratic Libya where the rights and freedoms of all Libyan women and men are respected and protected.  We join the Libyan people in mourning the loss of Salwa Bugaighis and call on all Libyans to reject violent extremists seeking to silence their opponents and derail the aspirations of the Libyan people.