The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event--Atlanta, GA

Tyler Perry Studios
Atlanta, Georgia

8:05 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Hello, Georgia!  (Applause.)  It is good to be in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  I do.  (Applause.) 

So, let me, first of all, acknowledge a few people who are here -- the outstanding young mayor of Atlanta, Georgia -- (applause) -- Kasim Reed is in the house.  (Applause.)  One of the finest men I know, somebody upon whose shoulders I stand -- the great Congressman John Lewis is in the house.  (Applause.)  Other outstanding members of the congressional delegation here in Georgia -- Sanford Bishop, David Scott, Hank Johnson.  (Applause.) 

Somebody who -- I was just reminiscing -- when I first started to run for office a lot of people weren’t sure whether a guy named Barack Obama could win.  And so we went down to the Selma commemoration, Edmund Pettus Bridge -- and we're in church. And a lot of folks at that point are still wondering whether this is a good idea, this young guy who is running for President.  And this man gets up onstage and he explains how people call him a little crazy, but "there is good crazy -- (applause) -- and there's bad crazy."  (Applause.)  He tells me now that he came up with the idea when his doctor explained to him there was good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.  (Laughter.)  But he decided that supporting Barack Obama was a "good kind of crazy," he said.

We have been dear friends ever since -- the Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery is in the house.  (Applause.) 

And finally, let me just say something about the man who introduced us -- Tyler Perry -- hosting us all at his incredible facility.  He and I were talking, and there's something about America where somebody from my background can do what I'm doing, and somebody from Tyler's background can do what he's doing.  And as tough as things get sometimes, and as frustrated and cynical people can get about politics, when you look at a Tyler Perry and all that he's achieved, and the humility and graciousness with which he's achieved it -- (applause) -- you can't help but be proud of him and to be proud of our country.  (Applause.)  So give it up for Mr. Tyler Perry.  (Applause.) 

Now, I’m here today not only because I need your help.  I’m here because the country needs your help.  There was a lot of reasons why so many of you decided to get involved and then just work your hearts out in the campaign in 2008.  It was not because you thought it would be easy.  The odds of me becoming President were long.  You didn’t need a poll to know it was going to be tough.  You didn’t join the campaign because of me.  You joined it because of your commitment to each other and the vision that we share about America. 

It wasn’t a vision where just a few people do well and everybody else is on their own, and the most powerful are able to make their own rules.  It wasn’t a cramped vision, or a selfish vision of America.  It wasn’t a limited vision about our future. It was a vision of America where everybody who works hard has a chance to get ahead -- not just those who were born into it, but a Tyler Perry, or a Barack Obama, or a child in Georgia, or a child in a barrio in Texas, or a poor child in some rural community in the Midwest -- it didn’t matter, they would have a chance if they were willing to work hard. 

That’s the vision we shared.  That’s the change we believed in.  We knew it wouldn’t come easy.  We knew it wouldn’t come quickly.  But we believed.  And in just three years, because of what you did in 2008, we've begun to see what change looks like. 
Change is the first bill I signed into law -- a law that says women deserve an equal day’s pay for an equal day’s work -- (applause) -- because I don't want my daughters treated any differently than your sons.  I want them to have the same opportunities.  That's what change is.  (Applause.)   

Change is the decision we made to rescue the American auto industry at a time when it was on the verge of collapse, and some folks were saying let Detroit go bankrupt.  We had one million jobs on the line, and I wasn’t going to let them go.  Today, GM is back on top, the number-one automaker in the world.  (Applause.)  Just reported the highest profits in a hundred-year history, with more than 200,000 new jobs added.  The United States auto industry is back.  That's what change is.  That's what you did.  (Applause.)   

Change is the decision we made to stop waiting for Congress to do something about energy.  We've been listening to politicians for three decades, four decades, saying they were going to do something about energy.  We went ahead and did it -- raised fuel-efficiency standards on cars.  By the next decade, we’ll be driving American-made cars getting 55 miles a gallon.  (Applause.)  That will save the average family $8,000 at the pump.  That’s what change is.  And it happened because of you.  (Applause.)

Change is us deciding, you know what, why are we giving
$60 billion to manage the student loan program -- let's give it directly to the students -- (applause) -- so that millions of more young people are either getting higher Pell grants or finally eligible, being able to invest in things like early education and community colleges and HBCUs.  (Applause.) 

Change is attacking the cycle of poverty not by just pouring money into a broken system, but by building on what works --Promise Neighborhoods -- the idea of pulling all our resources together to make sure that everybody has a chance; rebuilding our public services, public housing; making sure that our education system is working; making sure that we've got partnerships with local leaders like Kasim Reed.  (Applause.  All across the country, rebuilding cities, one block, one neighborhood at a time.  That's what change is.

Change is, yes, health care reform.  (Applause.)  You want to call it Obamacare -- that's okay, because I do care.  (Applause.)  That's why we passed it.  That is why we passed it
-- because I care about folks who were going bankrupt because they were getting sick.  And I care about children who have preexisting conditions and their families couldn't get them any kind of insurance.  (Applause.)  And so now we've got reforms that will ensure that in this great country of ours you won't have to mortgage your house just because you get sick.  (Applause.) 

Right now, 2.5 million young people already have health insurance who didn’t have it before because of this law.  It let them stay on their parent's policies.  (Applause.)  Insurance companies can't just deny you coverage or drop your coverage at a time when you need it most.  Seniors are seeing more help when it comes to their prescription drugs and preventive care.  That’s what change is. 

Change is the fact that for the first time in history, you don’t have to hide who you love in order to serve the country you love.  We ended "don't ask, don't tell."  (Applause.)

Change is keeping the promise I made in 2008 -- for the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  (Applause.)  We decided to refocus on the folks who actually attacked us on 9/11.  And thanks to the brave men and women in uniform, al Qaeda is weaker than it’s ever been, and Osama bin Laden is not walking the face of this Earth.  (Applause.)  

None of this has been easy.  And we still have a lot of work to do, because there are a lot of folks who are still hurting out there -- a lot of folks still pounding the pavement looking for work; a lot of people whose homes -- values have dropped; a lot of people who are still struggling to make the rent.  There are still too many families who can barely pay their bills, too many young people still living in poverty. 

I was reading a statistic the other day -- fewer than half of African Americans believe we’ll reach the dream Dr. King left for us.  So we've still got so much work to do. 

And I know when we look at what is, it can be heartbreaking and frustrating.  But I ran for President -- and you joined this cause -- because we don’t settle just for what is, we strive for what might be.  We want to help more Americans reach that dream. I ran for President to give every child a chance, whether he’s born in Atlanta or comes from a rural town in the Delta.  I ran for President not just to get us back to where we were, but to take us forward to where we need to be.  (Applause.) 

And I’m telling you, Atlanta, we are going to get there.  Step by step, we are going to get there.  (Applause.)  Already over the past two years, our businesses have added almost
4 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  Manufacturers are creating jobs for the first time since the 1990s.  The recovery is accelerating.  Our economy is getting stronger.  We’re moving on the right track.  What we can’t do is go back to the same policies that got us into this mess in the first place.  (Applause.)   

Of course, that’s exactly what the other folks want to do.  The folks who are running for President.  (Applause.)  And they make no secret about it.  They want to roll back the laws that we put in place so that now Wall Street can play by its own rules again.  They want to go back to the day when insurance companies could deny you coverage or jack up your premiums any time they wanted without reason.  They want to spend trillions more on tax breaks for the very wealthiest of individuals, even if it means adding to the deficit, even if it means gutting things like education or our investment in clean energy or making sure Medicare is stable. 

Their philosophy is simple:  Everybody is just left to fend for themselves, if those in power could make their own rules, and somehow it’s all going to trickle down to you.  And they’re wrong.  They’re wrong.  They were wrong when they tried it and they’re wrong now.

In the United States of America, we are always greater together than we are on our own.  We’re always better off when we keep that basic American promise that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family and own a home and send your kids to college and put a little away for retirement.  And that’s the choice in this election. 

We’ve got different visions being presented.  This is not just another political debate.  This is the defining issue of our time.  What are we going to do to make sure that middle-class families are secure and that we continue to build ladders for people who are trying to get into the middle class?  We don’t need an economy that’s built on outsourcing and bad debt and phony financial profits.  We need an economy that’s built to last.  An economy that’s built on American manufacturing, American energy and giving skills to American workers, and holding up those values that we cherish -- hard work, fair play, shared responsibility.

When we think about the next generation of manufacturing, I don’t want it taking root in Asia.  I want it taking root in Atlanta.  (Applause.)  I don’t want this nation just to be known for buying and consuming things from other countries.  I want to build and sell to other countries products made in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  I want to stop rewarding businesses that are shipping jobs overseas.  I want to reward companies, like this one, that are creating jobs right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

I want to make sure that our schools are the envy of the world.  And that means investing in the men and women who stand in front of the classroom.  (Applause.)  A good teacher increases the income of a classroom by over $2,500.  A great teacher can help a child move beyond their immediate circumstances and reach out for their dreams.  I don’t want Washington to defend the status quo, but I don’t want them to be just bashing teachers.  I want to give schools the resources they need to keep good teachers on the job and reward the best teachers, and grant schools flexibility to teach with creativity and passion, stop teaching to the test, replace teachers that aren’t helping kids learn.  (Applause.)  I want us to create in this country the kind of passion and reverence for education that’s not just, by the way, a job of government, but a job of each of us -- as parents, as community leaders. 

And when kids do graduate, I want them to be able to afford to go to college.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more tuition debt than credit card debt today.  And by the way, right now, interest rates are scheduled to go up on student loans in July if Congress does not act, so you need to get on Congress about that.

And I’ve said to colleges and universities, you’ve got to stop tuition from just going up and up and up and up.  Higher education cannot be a luxury; it is an economic imperative that every family should be able to afford.  (Applause.) 

I want an economy that’s supporting the scientists and researchers that will make sure we discover the next breakthrough in biotechnology, in clean energy.  We have subsidized oil companies for 100 years, giving them $4 billion worth of tax breaks when they are making near-record profits.  It is time to stop giving tax giveaways to an industry that’s never been more profitable and start investing in clean energy that can create jobs here in the United States in solar power and wind power, biofuels.  (Applause.) 

We need to give our businesses the best infrastructure in the world -- newer roads and airports and faster railroads and Internet access.  You take half the money that we’ve been spending on the wars in Iraq, as we phase down the war in Afghanistan -- let’s pay down -- use half of it to pay down our debt.  Let’s use the other half to do some nation-building here at home.  (Applause.)  Let’s put people to work rebuilding schools, rebuilding our bridges, rebuilding our ports. 

And to pay for this, we’ve got to have a tax system that is fair.  (Applause.)  I was with Warren Buffet a couple days ago.  He says, "Thanks for naming a rule after me."  (Laughter.)  It’s a very simple principle, the Buffett Rule.  It says if you make more than a million dollars a year, you should not pay a lower tax rate than your secretary.  (Applause.)  We’ve said if you make less than $250,000 a year, which is 98 percent of Americans, your taxes shouldn’t go up.  But folks like me -- we can afford to do a little more.  Tyler can afford to do a little more.  Tyler?  (Laughter.)  He knows he -- (laughter) -- he knows that.

When we say that, this is not class warfare, this is not envy.  This is just basic math.  Because if Tyler or I or others get tax breaks we don’t need, weren’t asking for, that the country can’t afford, then one of two things are going to happen. Either the deficit goes up -- all these other folks they say they want to do something about the deficit -- every single one of their plans actually increases the deficit.  Or, alternatively, they’ve got to make up for it by taking it away from somebody who really needs it.  The student, who suddenly sees their interest on their loans going up; the senior who suddenly has to pay more for Medicare; the veteran who’s not getting help after having protected us; the family that’s trying to get by.  It’s not right.  It’s not who we are.

I hear a lot of politicians talk about values during election year.  You know what, I’m happy to have a values debate. (Applause.)  I’m happy to have a debate about values.  I think about the values my mother and my grandparents taught me.  Hard work, that’s a value.  Looking out for one another -- that’s a value.  I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper -- that is a value.  (Applause.)  Each of us is only here because somebody somewhere was looking out for us.  (Applause.)  It started in the family, but it wasn’t just the immediate family.  There was somebody in church.  There was somebody in the neighborhood.  There was the coach of the Little League.  There was somebody who made an investment in our country’s future. 

Our story has never been about what we can do alone.  It’s what we do together.  We don’t win the race for new jobs and middle-class security and new businesses with the same old you-are-on-your-own economics.  I am telling you, it does not work.  It did not work in the decade before the Great Depression.  It did not work in the decade before I took office.  It won’t work now.  (Applause.) 

This is about who we are as a country.  The opportunities we’ve always, always passed on to future generations.  When I think about Michelle and me and where we come from -- (applause) -- I know you all love Michelle, I know.  (Applause.)  I know.  I love her, too.  (Laughter.)  But I think about -- sometimes we’ll be in the White House and we think about my mother-in-law who lives upstairs and was a secretary.  Michelle’s dad had multiple sclerosis and still went to work every day, blue-collar job.  My mom raising me, a single mom.  I think about what they did for us and the sacrifices they made. 

And so then I think, well, the sacrifices that I have to make, given all the blessings that I’ve received -- they can’t just extend to Malia and Sasha.  I’ve got to be thinking about somebody else’s kids.  I’ve got to be making sure that somebody else gets a student loan who’s maybe a single mom going back to school just like my mom, who was able to get a student loan to get an education.  (Applause.) 

I’m thinking, we’ve got to make sure that jobs are out there for folks who are willing to work and overcoming barriers.  And I’m willing to make some sacrifices for that.  And that makes my life better.  Right?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  And most of you understand that.  You understand if you invest in a teacher, and then she teaches somebody who is the next Steve Jobs or invents some cure for a major disease, that makes us all better.  (Applause.)  If we invest in Internet services for rural Georgians, there is a little store out there that suddenly business starts booming because they now have a worldwide market through the Internet, and that creates economic opportunity for everybody.

This idea is not a Democratic idea, it is not a Republican idea.  That is an American idea.  (Applause.)  Abraham Lincoln understood it.  The first Republican President during a war invested in the transcontinental railroad, the National Academy of Sciences, land grant colleges.  

Dwight Eisenhower, Republican, built the Interstate Highway System.  Teddy Roosevelt, Republican, called for a progressive income tax.  This is not just a Democratic idea.  This is an American idea that we invest in our future, and that we are stronger together than we are on our own. 

And you know, sometimes that spirit may seem to have vanished in Washington.  Sometimes it may seem like our politics is just a bad reality show.  (Laughter.)  People arguing and fussing and trying to score points.  (Laughter.)  But you know, out in the country, when I go to town halls, when I go to a VFW hall, that spirit it still there. 

People still understand, this country that gave us so much, we want to pass that on to the next generation.  They understand that it’s not just about us; it’s about what we can do for each other.  It’s not just about the next election; it’s about the next generation.  You talk to our men and women in uniform -- they understand it.  You talk to folks in our places of worship -- they recognize it.  And all of you recognize it.  And that’s what we tapped into in 2008 -- that spirit.  That spirit. 

So let me just say this:  I’m a little grayer now.  (Laughter and applause.)  I’m a little -- got some bumps and bruises.  I know that over the last three years there have been times where we’ve suffered setbacks and change hasn’t come as fast as we would have liked.  And people still got their old ‘Hope’ posters.  It’s like fading a little bit.  (Laughter.)  And I know that there are times where you might start feeling cynical about what’s possible.

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  But I just want to remind you of what I said back in 2008 -- I said change is hard.  I said this may not happen in one year, it may not happen in one term, it may not happen with one President.  But if we stick with it, if we’re determined, if we understand the rightness of our cause, if we continue to think not in terms of just what’s good for me but what’s good for us, we will get there.  (Applause.)

And I also told you -- I told you I’m not a perfect man, and I won’t be a perfect President.  But I said I’d always tell you what I thought, I would always tell you where I stood, and I would wake up every single day thinking about you, and working as hard as I know how to make your lives a little bit better.

AUDIENCE:  Thank you!

THE PRESIDENT:  And I have kept that promise.  (Applause.)  I have kept that promise these last three years.  And so if you’re willing to get back to organizing, if you’re willing to get on the phone and email and tweet and knock on doors, and do what needs to be done, if you feel the same passion and same energy and same determination as I do -- and I feel it more now than I have ever felt it in my life -- (applause) -- then I promise you we will finish what we started.  (Applause.)  2008 was the beginning.  We’re still on that journey.  We’ve got five more years of work before us.  (Applause.) 

I promise you change will come.  The change you believe in will come.  And we will remind the world once again just why it is the United States of America is the greatest country on Earth. (Applause.)  

God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
8:34 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

President Obama Signs Tennessee Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of February 29 to March 2, 2012.
 
The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Bradley, Claiborne, Cumberland, DeKalb, Hamilton, Jackson, McMinn, Monroe, Overton, and Polk.
 
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
 
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
 
FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
 
FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

President Obama Signs West Virginia Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of West Virginia and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by several storms, tornados, flooding, mudslides, and landslides during the period of February 29 to March 5, 2012.
 
The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Lincoln, Marion, and Wayne.
 
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
 
Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair of replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, mudslides, and landslides in the counties of Doddridge, Harrison, Lincoln, Marion, Mingo, Monongalia, Preston, Ritchie, Roane, Taylor, and Wayne.
 
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
 
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Deanne Criswell as the Federal Coordinating Officer for the federal recovery operations in the affected area.
 
FEMA said additional designations may be made as a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
 
FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

President Obama Announces Another Key Administration Post

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

  • Ward Brehm – Member, Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

Ward Brehm, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation
Ward Brehm is Founder and Chairman of The Brehm Group, an insurance consulting firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Brehm is a member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation, having been appointed by President Obama in October 2010.  Previously, he served as Chairman of the Board from 2004 to 2008, and was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the country's second-highest civilian honor, for his work in Africa.  Mr. Brehm has been involved with the Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation since 1995, a program that offers support and counseling to victims and perpetrators of genocide in Rwanda and Burundi. Mr. Brehm also initiated the Windpump Project in 1993 which brought clean water to remote areas in Kenya.  He has authored two books on his experiences, Life Through a Different Lens and White Man Walking.  Mr. Brehm earned his B.A. from the University of Minnesota.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

  • Mark L. Asquino – Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Department of State
  • Derek H. Chollet – Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Department of Defense
  • Kathleen H. Hicks – Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Department of Defense
  • Susanna Loeb - Member, Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences

President Obama said, “I am proud to nominate such impressive men and women to these important roles, and I am grateful they have agreed to lend their considerable talents to this Administration.  I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

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

Mark L. Asquino, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Department of State
Mark L. Asquino, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, currently serves as the Executive Assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State.  From 2010 to 2011, he served as a Senior Public Diplomacy Fellow at George Washington University.  Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Sudan and at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan.   Mr. Asquino has also served overseas in Caracas, Panama City, Madrid, Bucharest, Santiago, and Tashkent.  In Washington, he has served as the Principal Deputy Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization at the U.S. Department of State.  Mr. Asquino received his A.B. and Ph.D. in American Civilization from Brown University.

Derek H. Chollet, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Department of Defense
Derek H. Chollet is the Senior Director for Strategic Planning for the National Security Staff at the White House.  From 2009 to 2011, he was Principal Deputy Director in the Office of Policy Planning at the Department of State.  Prior to joining the State Department, Mr. Chollet was a Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (2007-2009), a Nonresident Fellow at the Global Economy and Development Program at Brookings Institution (2006-2009), Adjunct Associate Professor for the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University (2006-2009), and a Fellow for the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (2005-2007).  From 1999 to 2001, he served as Chief Speechwriter for the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke and Special Adviser to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Chollet worked as a research assistant for Warren Christopher (1997-1999), Richard Holbrooke (1997-1998), and James A. Baker III (1993-1995).  Mr. Chollet holds a B.A. from Cornell University.

Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks, Nominee for Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Department of Defense
Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks currently serves as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Forces.  Previously, from 2006 to 2009, she was a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).  Before joining CSIS, from 1993 to 2006, Dr. Hicks served in a variety of career civil service positions within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense.  These roles included Director for Policy Planning and Director for Homeland Defense Strategic Planning and Program Integration.  Dr. Hicks holds an A.B. from Mount Holyoke College, an M.P.A. from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Susanna Loeb, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences
Dr. Susanna Loeb is a professor of education and Director of the Center for Education Policy Analysis at Stanford University.  She also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Director of the Institute for Research on Education Policy and Practice, and Co-Director of Policy Analysis for California Education.  In addition to her work at Stanford, Dr. Loeb is currently a policy council member with the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, co-editor of Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, and a Faculty Research Fellow with the National Bureau of Economic Research.  From 2010 to 2011, Dr. Loeb served as President of the Association for Education Finance and Policy.  She previously served as a member of the National Research Council Committee on Test-Based Accountability and the Council Committee on Evaluation of the Impact of Teacher Certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  Dr. Loeb received a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Stanford University, and an M.P.P. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

Letter from the President Regarding High Performance Computer Export Controls

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
THE CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE
COMMITTEES ON ARMED SERVICES,
AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE
ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS

March 16, 2012

Dear Mr. Chairman:   (Dear Madam Chairman:)

In accordance with the provisions of section 1211(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85), I hereby notify you of my decision to establish a new level for the notification procedure for digital computers set forth in section 1211(a) of Public Law 105-85. The new level will be 3.0 Weighted TeraFLOPS. The attached report provides the rationale supporting this decision and fulfills the requirements of Public Law 105-85, sections 1211(d) and (e).

I have made this change based on the recommendation of the Departments of State, Defense, Commerce, and Energy.
 

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

President Obama to Travel to Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Ohio to Highlight American Made Energy

WASHINGTON, DC – On March 21-22, President Obama will travel to Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Ohio to highlight his Administration’s all of the above energy strategy, including his focus on continuing to expand responsible oil and gas development, increasing the fuel economy of the vehicles we drive which will save families money at the pump, supporting renewable energy sources, and investing in infrastructure and research and development, all of which play a central role in increasing our nation’s energy security. 

On Wednesday, the President will begin the tour in Boulder City, Nevada where he will visit the Copper Mountain Solar 1 Facility, the largest photovoltaic plant operating in the country with nearly one million solar panels powering 17,000 homes. In Boulder City, he will highlight his Administration’s focus on diversifying our energy portfolio, including expanding renewable energy from sources like wind and solar, which thanks in part to investments made by this Administration is set to double in the President’s first term. The President will then travel to oil and gas production fields located on federal lands outside of Carlsbad, New Mexico, an area home to more than seventy active drilling rigs. While in Carlsbad, the President will highlight the Administration’s commitment to expanding domestic oil and gas production, which has increased each year he has been in office, with domestic oil production currently at an eight year high and domestic natural gas production at an all-time high.

On Thursday, the President will travel to the Cushing, Oklahoma area to discuss his Administration’s commitment to improving and supporting the infrastructure that helps us leverage our domestic resources, while also ensuring these projects are developed in a safe and responsible way. This includes a pipeline that will transport oil from Cushing to the Gulf of Mexico, which will help address the bottleneck of oil that has resulted in large part from increased domestic oil production in the Midwest. In Oklahoma, the President will deliver remarks at a storage yard holding pipes that will be used for the construction of the pipeline. The final stop on the trip will take place at Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio, home to some of the country’s most advanced energy-related research and development.

Additional details about President Obama’s trip will be released as they become available.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

Executive Order -- National Defense Resources Preparedness

EXECUTIVE ORDER

NATIONAL DEFENSE RESOURCES PREPAREDNESS

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2061 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

PART I  -  PURPOSE, POLICY, AND IMPLEMENTATION

Section 101.  Purpose.  This order delegates authorities and addresses national defense resource policies and programs under the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (the "Act").

Sec. 102.  Policy.  The United States must have an industrial and technological base capable of meeting national defense requirements and capable of contributing to the technological superiority of its national defense equipment in peacetime and in times of national emergency.  The domestic industrial and technological base is the foundation for national defense preparedness.  The authorities provided in the Act shall be used to strengthen this base and to ensure it is capable of responding to the national defense needs of the United States.

Sec. 103.  General Functions.  Executive departments and agencies (agencies) responsible for plans and programs relating to national defense (as defined in section 801(j) of this order), or for resources and services needed to support such plans and programs, shall:

(a)  identify requirements for the full spectrum of emergencies, including essential military and civilian demand;

(b)  assess on an ongoing basis the capability of the domestic industrial and technological base to satisfy requirements in peacetime and times of national emergency, specifically evaluating the availability of the most critical resource and production sources, including subcontractors and suppliers, materials, skilled labor, and professional and technical personnel;

(c)  be prepared, in the event of a potential threat to the security of the United States, to take actions necessary to ensure the availability of adequate resources and production capability, including services and critical technology, for national defense requirements;

(d)  improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the domestic industrial base to support national defense requirements; and

(e)  foster cooperation between the defense and commercial sectors for research and development and for acquisition of materials, services, components, and equipment to enhance industrial base efficiency and responsiveness.

Sec. 104.  Implementation.  (a)  The National Security Council and Homeland Security Council, in conjunction with the National Economic Council, shall serve as the integrated policymaking forum for consideration and formulation of national defense resource preparedness policy and shall make recommendations to the President on the use of authorities under the Act.

(b)  The Secretary of Homeland Security shall:

(1)  advise the President on issues of national defense resource preparedness and on the use of the authorities and functions delegated by this order;

(2)  provide for the central coordination of the plans and programs incident to authorities and functions delegated under this order, and provide guidance to agencies assigned functions under this order, developed in consultation with such agencies; and

(3)  report to the President periodically concerning all program activities conducted pursuant to this order.

(c)  The Defense Production Act Committee, described in section 701 of this order, shall:

(1)  in a manner consistent with section 2(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2062(b), advise the President through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy on the effective use of the authorities under the Act; and

(2)  prepare and coordinate an annual report to the Congress pursuant to section 722(d) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2171(d).

(d)  The Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and other agencies, shall:

(1)  analyze potential effects of national emergencies on actual production capability, taking into account the entire production system, including shortages of resources, and develop recommended preparedness measures to strengthen capabilities for production increases in national emergencies; and

(2)  perform industry analyses to assess capabilities of the industrial base to support the national defense, and develop policy recommendations to improve the international competitiveness of specific domestic industries and their abilities to meet national defense program needs.

PART II  -  PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS

Sec. 201.  Priorities and Allocations Authorities.  (a)  The authority of the President conferred by section 101 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071, to require acceptance and priority performance of contracts or orders (other than contracts of employment) to promote the national defense over performance of any other contracts or orders, and to allocate materials, services, and facilities as deemed necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense, is delegated to the following agency heads:

(1)  the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to food resources, food resource facilities, livestock resources, veterinary resources, plant health resources, and the domestic distribution of farm equipment and commercial fertilizer;

(2)  the Secretary of Energy with respect to all forms of energy;

(3)  the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to health resources;

(4)  the Secretary of Transportation with respect to all forms of civil transportation;

(5)  the Secretary of Defense with respect to water resources; and

(6)  the Secretary of Commerce with respect to all other materials, services, and facilities, including construction materials.

(b)  The Secretary of each agency delegated authority under subsection (a) of this section (resource departments) shall plan for and issue regulations to prioritize and allocate resources and establish standards and procedures by which the authority shall be used to promote the national defense, under both emergency and non-emergency conditions.  Each Secretary shall authorize the heads of other agencies, as appropriate, to place priority ratings on contracts and orders for materials, services, and facilities needed in support of programs approved under section 202 of this order.

(c)  Each resource department shall act, as necessary and appropriate, upon requests for special priorities assistance, as defined by section 801(l) of this order, in a time frame consistent with the urgency of the need at hand.  In situations where there are competing program requirements for limited resources, the resource department shall consult with the Secretary who made the required determination under section 202 of this order.  Such Secretary shall coordinate with and identify for the resource department which program requirements to prioritize on the basis of operational urgency.  In situations involving more than one Secretary making such a required determination under section 202 of this order, the Secretaries shall coordinate with and identify for the resource department which program requirements should receive priority on the basis of operational urgency.

(d)  If agreement cannot be reached between two such Secretaries, then the issue shall be referred to the President through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

(e)  The Secretary of each resource department, when necessary, shall make the finding required under section 101(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(b).  This finding shall be submitted for the President's approval through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.  Upon such approval, the Secretary of the resource department that made the finding may use the authority of section 101(a) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(a), to control the general distribution of any material (including applicable services) in the civilian market.

Sec. 202.  Determinations.  Except as provided in section 201(e) of this order, the authority delegated by section 201 of this order may be used only to support programs that have been determined in writing as necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense:

(a)  by the Secretary of Defense with respect to military production and construction, military assistance to foreign nations, military use of civil transportation, stockpiles managed by the Department of Defense, space, and directly related activities;

(b)  by the Secretary of Energy with respect to energy production and construction, distribution and use, and directly related activities; and

(c)  by the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to all other national defense programs, including civil defense and continuity of Government.

Sec. 203.  Maximizing Domestic Energy Supplies.  The authorities of the President under section 101(c)(1) (2) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(c)(1) (2), are delegated to the Secretary of Commerce, with the exception that the authority to make findings that materials (including equipment), services, and facilities are critical and essential, as described in section 101(c)(2)(A) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(c)(2)(A), is delegated to the Secretary of Energy.

Sec. 204.  Chemical and Biological Warfare.  The authority of the President conferred by section 104(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2074(b), is delegated to the Secretary of Defense.  This authority may not be further delegated by the Secretary.

PART III  -  EXPANSION OF PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY AND SUPPLY

Sec. 301.  Loan Guarantees.  (a)  To reduce current or projected shortfalls of resources, critical technology items, or materials essential for the national defense, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense, as defined in section 801(h) of this order, is authorized pursuant to section 301 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, to guarantee loans by private institutions.

(b)  Each guaranteeing agency is designated and authorized to:  (1) act as fiscal agent in the making of its own guarantee contracts and in otherwise carrying out the purposes of section 301 of the Act; and (2) contract with any Federal Reserve Bank to assist the agency in serving as fiscal agent.

(c)  Terms and conditions of guarantees under this authority shall be determined in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  The guaranteeing agency is authorized, following such consultation, to prescribe:  (1) either specifically or by maximum limits or otherwise, rates of interest, guarantee and commitment fees, and other charges which may be made in connection with such guarantee contracts; and (2) regulations governing the forms and procedures (which shall be uniform to the extent practicable) to be utilized in connection therewith.

Sec. 302.  Loans.  To reduce current or projected shortfalls of resources, critical technology items, or materials essential for the national defense, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 302 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2092, to make loans thereunder.  Terms and conditions of loans under this authority shall be determined in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of OMB.

Sec. 303.  Additional Authorities.  (a)  To create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities essential for the national defense, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093, to make provision for purchases of, or commitments to purchase, an industrial resource or a critical technology item for Government use or resale, and to make provision for the development of production capabilities, and for the increased use of emerging technologies in security program applications, and to enable rapid transition of emerging technologies.

(b)  Materials acquired under section 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093, that exceed the needs of the programs under the Act may be transferred to the National Defense Stockpile, if, in the judgment of the Secretary of Defense as the National Defense Stockpile Manager, such transfers are in the public interest.

Sec. 304.  Subsidy Payments.  To ensure the supply of raw or nonprocessed materials from high cost sources, or to ensure maximum production or supply in any area at stable prices of any materials in light of a temporary increase in transportation cost, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(c) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(c), to make subsidy payments, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of OMB.

Sec. 305.  Determinations and Findings.  (a)  Pursuant to budget authority provided by an appropriations act in advance for credit assistance under section 301 or 302 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, 2092, and consistent with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, as amended (FCRA), 2 U.S.C. 661 et seq., the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority to make the determinations set forth in sections 301(a)(2) and 302(b)(2) of the Act, in consultation with the Secretary making the required determination under section 202 of this order; provided, that such determinations shall be made after due consideration of the provisions of OMB Circular A 129 and the credit subsidy score for the relevant loan or loan guarantee as approved by OMB pursuant to FCRA.

(b)  Other than any determination by the President under section 303(a)(7)(b) of the Act, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority to make the required determinations, judgments, certifications, findings, and notifications defined under section 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093, in consultation with the Secretary making the required determination under section 202 of this order.

Sec. 306.  Strategic and Critical Materials.  The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the Secretary of Defense as the National Defense Stockpile Manager, are each delegated the authority of the President under section 303(a)(1)(B) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(a)(1)(B), to encourage the exploration, development, and mining of strategic and critical materials and other materials.

Sec. 307.  Substitutes.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(g) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(g), to make provision for the development of substitutes for strategic and critical materials, critical components, critical technology items, and other resources to aid the national defense.

Sec. 308.  Government-Owned Equipment.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(e), to:

(a)  procure and install additional equipment, facilities, processes, or improvements to plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by the Federal Government and to procure and install Government owned equipment in plants, factories, or other industrial facilities owned by private persons;

(b)  provide for the modification or expansion of privately owned facilities, including the modification or improvement of production processes, when taking actions under sections 301, 302, or 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, 2092, 2093; and

(c)  sell or otherwise transfer equipment owned by the Federal Government and installed under section 303(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(e), to the owners of such plants, factories, or other industrial facilities.

Sec. 309.  Defense Production Act Fund.  The Secretary of Defense is designated the Defense Production Act Fund Manager, in accordance with section 304(f) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2094(f), and shall carry out the duties specified in section 304 of the Act, in consultation with the agency heads having approved, and appropriated funds for, projects under title III of the Act.

Sec. 310.  Critical Items.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 107(b)(1) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2077(b)(1), to take appropriate action to ensure that critical components, critical technology items, essential materials, and industrial resources are available from reliable sources when needed to meet defense requirements during peacetime, graduated mobilization, and national emergency.  Appropriate action may include restricting contract solicitations to reliable sources, restricting contract solicitations to domestic sources (pursuant to statutory authority), stockpiling critical components, and developing substitutes for critical components or critical technology items.

Sec. 311.  Strengthening Domestic Capability.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 107(a) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2077(a), to utilize the authority of title III of the Act or any other provision of law to provide appropriate incentives to develop, maintain, modernize, restore, and expand the productive capacities of domestic sources for critical components, critical technology items, materials, and industrial resources essential for the execution of the national security strategy of the United States.

Sec. 312.  Modernization of Equipment.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense, in accordance with section 108(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2078(b), may utilize the authority of title III of the Act to guarantee the purchase or lease of advance manufacturing equipment, and any related services with respect to any such equipment for purposes of the Act.  In considering title III projects, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense shall provide a strong preference for proposals submitted by a small business supplier or subcontractor in accordance with section 108(b)(2) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2078(b)(2).

PART IV  -  VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Sec. 401.  Delegations.  The authority of the President under sections 708(c) and (d) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(c), (d), is delegated to the heads of agencies otherwise delegated authority under this order.  The status of the use of such delegations shall be furnished to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Sec. 402.  Advisory Committees.  The authority of the President under section 708(d) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(d), and delegated in section 401 of this order (relating to establishment of advisory committees) shall be exercised only after consultation with, and in accordance with, guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.

Sec. 403.  Regulations.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, after approval of the Attorney General, and after consultation by the Attorney General with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, shall promulgate rules pursuant to section 708(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(e), incorporating standards and procedures by which voluntary agreements and plans of action may be developed and carried out.  Such rules may be adopted by other agencies to fulfill the rulemaking requirement of section 708(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(e).

PART V  -  EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL

Sec. 501.  National Defense Executive Reserve.  (a) In accordance with section 710(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(e), there is established in the executive branch a National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER) composed of persons of recognized expertise from various segments of the private sector and from Government (except full time Federal employees) for training for employment in executive positions in the Federal Government in the event of a national defense emergency.

(b)  The Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue necessary guidance for the NDER program, including appropriate guidance for establishment, recruitment, training, monitoring, and activation of NDER units and shall be responsible for the overall coordination of the NDER program.  The authority of the President under section 710(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(e), to determine periods of national defense emergency is delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(c)  The head of any agency may implement section 501(a) of this order with respect to NDER operations in such agency.

(d)  The head of each agency with an NDER unit may exercise the authority under section 703 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2153, to employ civilian personnel when activating all or a part of its NDER unit.  The exercise of this authority shall be subject to the provisions of sections 501(e) and (f) of this order and shall not be redelegated.

(e)  The head of an agency may activate an NDER unit, in whole or in part, upon the written determination of the Secretary of Homeland Security that an emergency affecting the national defense exists and that the activation of the unit is necessary to carry out the emergency program functions of the agency.

(f)  Prior to activating the NDER unit, the head of the agency shall notify, in writing, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism of the impending activation.

Sec. 502.  Consultants.  The head of each agency otherwise delegated functions under this order is delegated the authority of the President under sections 710(b) and (c) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(b), (c), to employ persons of outstanding experience and ability without compensation and to employ experts, consultants, or organizations.  The authority delegated by this section may not be redelegated.

PART VI  -  LABOR REQUIREMENTS

Sec. 601.  Secretary of Labor.  (a)  The Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of other agencies, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, shall:

(1)  collect and maintain data necessary to make a continuing appraisal of the Nation's workforce needs for purposes of national defense;

(2)  upon request by the Director of Selective Service, and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, assist the Director of Selective Service in development of policies regulating the induction and deferment of persons for duty in the armed services;

(3)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order, consult with that agency with respect to:  (i) the effect of contemplated actions on labor demand and utilization; (ii) the relation of labor demand to materials and facilities requirements; and (iii) such other matters as will assist in making the exercise of priority and allocations functions consistent with effective utilization and distribution of labor;

(4)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order:  (i) formulate plans, programs, and policies for meeting the labor requirements of actions to be taken for national defense purposes; and (ii) estimate training needs to help address national defense requirements and promote necessary and appropriate training programs; and

(5)  develop and implement an effective labor management relations policy to support the activities and programs under this order, with the cooperation of other agencies as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, including the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the National Mediation Board, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

(b)  All agencies shall cooperate with the Secretary of Labor, upon request, for the purposes of this section, to the extent permitted by law.

PART VII  -  DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT COMMITTEE

Sec. 701.  The Defense Production Act Committee.  (a)  The Defense Production Act Committee (Committee) shall be composed of the following members, in accordance with section 722(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2171(b):

(1)   The Secretary of State;

(2)   The Secretary of the Treasury;

(3)   The Secretary of Defense;

(4)   The Attorney General;

(5)   The Secretary of the Interior;

(6)   The Secretary of Agriculture;

(7)   The Secretary of Commerce;

(8)   The Secretary of Labor;

(9)   The Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(10)  The Secretary of Transportation;

(11)  The Secretary of Energy;

(12)  The Secretary of Homeland Security; 

(13)  The Director of National Intelligence;

(14)  The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency;

(15)  The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers;

(16)  The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and

(17)  The Administrator of General Services.

(b)  The Director of OMB and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall be invited to participate in all Committee meetings and activities in an advisory role.  The Chairperson, as designated by the President pursuant to section 722 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2171, may invite the heads of other agencies or offices to participate in Committee meetings and activities in an advisory role, as appropriate.

Sec. 702.  Offsets.  The Secretary of Commerce shall prepare and submit to the Congress the annual report required by section 723 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2172, in consultation with the Secretaries of State, the Treasury, Defense, and Labor, the United States Trade Representative, the Director of National Intelligence, and the heads of other agencies as appropriate.  The heads of agencies shall provide the Secretary of Commerce with such information as may be necessary for the effective performance of this function.

PART VIII  -  GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 801.  Definitions.  In addition to the definitions in section 702 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2152, the following definitions apply throughout this order:

(a)  "Civil transportation" includes movement of persons and property by all modes of transportation in interstate, intrastate, or foreign commerce within the United States, its territories and possessions, and the District of Columbia, and related public storage and warehousing, ports, services, equipment and facilities, such as transportation carrier shop and repair facilities.  "Civil transportation" also shall include direction, control, and coordination of civil transportation capacity regardless of ownership.  "Civil transportation" shall not include transportation owned or controlled by the Department of Defense, use of petroleum and gas pipelines, and coal slurry pipelines used only to supply energy production facilities directly.

(b)  "Energy" means all forms of energy including petroleum, gas (both natural and manufactured), electricity, solid fuels (including all forms of coal, coke, coal chemicals, coal liquification, and coal gasification), solar, wind, other types of renewable energy, atomic energy, and the production, conservation, use, control, and distribution (including pipelines) of all of these forms of energy.

(c)  "Farm equipment" means equipment, machinery, and repair parts manufactured for use on farms in connection with the production or preparation for market use of food resources.

(d)  "Fertilizer" means any product or combination of products that contain one or more of the elements nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for use as a plant nutrient.

(e)  "Food resources" means all commodities and products, (simple, mixed, or compound), or complements to such commodities or products, that are capable of being ingested by either human beings or animals, irrespective of other uses to which such commodities or products may be put, at all stages of processing from the raw commodity to the products thereof in vendible form for human or animal consumption.  "Food resources" also means potable water packaged in commercially marketable containers, all starches, sugars, vegetable and animal or marine fats and oils, seed, cotton, hemp, and flax fiber, but does not mean any such material after it loses its identity as an agricultural commodity or agricultural product.

(f)  "Food resource facilities" means plants, machinery, vehicles (including on farm), and other facilities required for the production, processing, distribution, and storage (including cold storage) of food resources, and for the domestic distribution of farm equipment and fertilizer (excluding transportation thereof).

(g)  "Functions" include powers, duties, authority, responsibilities, and discretion.

(h)  "Head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense" means the heads of the Departments of State, Justice, the Interior, and Homeland Security, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the General Services Administration, and all other agencies with authority delegated under section 201 of this order.

(i)  "Health resources" means drugs, biological products, medical devices, materials, facilities, health supplies, services and equipment required to diagnose, mitigate or prevent the impairment of, improve, treat, cure, or restore the physical or mental health conditions of the population.

(j)  "National defense" means programs for military and energy production or construction, military or critical infrastructure assistance to any foreign nation, homeland security, stockpiling, space, and any directly related activity.  Such term includes emergency preparedness activities conducted pursuant to title VI of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5195 et seq., and critical infrastructure protection and restoration.

(k)  "Offsets" means compensation practices required as a condition of purchase in either government to government or commercial sales of defense articles and/or defense services as defined by the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq., and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, 22 C.F.R. 120.1 130.17.

(l)  "Special priorities assistance" means action by resource departments to assist with expediting deliveries, placing rated orders, locating suppliers, resolving production or delivery conflicts between various rated orders, addressing problems that arise in the fulfillment of a rated order or other action authorized by a delegated agency, and determining the validity of rated orders.

(m)  "Strategic and critical materials" means materials (including energy) that (1) would be needed to supply the military, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States during a national emergency, and (2) are not found or produced in the United States in sufficient quantities to meet such need and are vulnerable to the termination or reduction of the availability of the material.

(n)  "Water resources" means all usable water, from all sources, within the jurisdiction of the United States, that can be managed, controlled, and allocated to meet emergency requirements, except "water resources" does not include usable water that qualifies as "food resources."

Sec. 802.  General.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided in section 802(c) of this order, the authorities vested in the President by title VII of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2151 et seq., are delegated to the head of each agency in carrying out the delegated authorities under the Act and this order, by the Secretary of Labor in carrying out part VI of this order, and by the Secretary of the Treasury in exercising the functions assigned in Executive Order 11858, as amended.

(b)  The authorities that may be exercised and performed pursuant to section 802(a) of this order shall include:

(1)  the power to redelegate authorities, and to authorize the successive redelegation of authorities to agencies, officers, and employees of the Government; and

(2)  the power of subpoena under section 705 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2155, with respect to (i) authorities delegated in parts II, III, and section 702 of this order, and (ii) the functions assigned to the Secretary of the Treasury in Executive Order 11858, as amended, provided that the subpoena power referenced in subsections (i) and (ii) shall be utilized only after the scope and purpose of the investigation, inspection, or inquiry to which the subpoena relates have been defined either by the appropriate officer identified in section 802(a) of this order or by such other person or persons as the officer shall designate.

(c)  Excluded from the authorities delegated by section 802(a) of this order are authorities delegated by parts IV and V of this order, authorities in section 721 and 722 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2170 2171, and the authority with respect to fixing compensation under section 703 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2153.

Sec. 803.  Authority.  (a)  Executive Order 12919 of June 3, 1994, and sections 401(3) (4) of Executive Order 12656 of November 18, 1988, are revoked.  All other previously issued orders, regulations, rulings, certificates, directives, and other actions relating to any function affected by this order shall remain in effect except as they are inconsistent with this order or are subsequently amended or revoked under proper authority.  Nothing in this order shall affect the validity or force of anything done under previous delegations or other assignment of authority under the Act.

(b)  Nothing in this order shall affect the authorities assigned under Executive Order 11858 of May 7, 1975, as amended, except as provided in section 802 of this order.

(c)  Nothing in this order shall affect the authorities assigned under Executive Order 12472 of April 3, 1984, as amended.

Sec. 804.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order 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.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
         March 16, 2012.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Palmer House Hilton
Chicago, Illinois

12:13 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Chicago!  (Applause.)  Thank you!  Thank you so much.  It is good to be home!  (Applause.)  Good to be home.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  Everybody, please have a seat.  Thank you so much.

I have never seen the city look prettier -- (laughter) -- I have to say.  And every time I come back, I am just overwhelmed with not only the beauty of this city, but -- I was explaining to folks as we were flying over -- Dick Durbin flew in with me -- what makes this place so special is not just that this is where my daughters were born, not just where I really started my political career, but I’ve got so many good friends, so many relationships.  And as I look out across the room, seeing so many folks who put up with me -- (laughter) -- before I was President and helped me get there, it is just extraordinary. 

So I miss you guys and I wish I could stay the weekend -- (laughter) -- especially this weekend, because we all know there is no better place to be on St. Patrick’s Day than in Chicago.  (Applause.) 

Let me say just thank you to, first of all, one of the finest attorney generals in the country.  She proved it again in helping us to get this settlement on the housing issue -- Lisa Madigan is doing outstanding work.  (Applause.)

The senior Senator of the great state of Illinois and one of my dearest friends, Dick Durbin is in the house.  (Applause.)  The Governor of the great state of Illinois, Pat Quinn.  (Applause.)

You’ve got a new mayor here.  (Laughter.)  I don’t know how he’s doing, but he seems to have a little bit of energy -- Mr. Rahm Emanuel.  (Applause.)

We got Representatives Bobby Rush and Jan Schakowsky in the house.  (Applause.)

County Board President and my former Alderwoman, Toni Preckwinkle.  (Applause.)  The trees were always trimmed.  (Laughter.)  Snow was shoveled when Toni was in charge.

And I want to thank Axelrod and Penny and Daley for the pre-program. 

Now, you might have noticed that we have some guests in Illinois this week.  Apparently, things haven’t quite wrapped up on the other side.  (Laughter.)  So there is actually some interest in the primary that we have here on Tuesday.

And my message to all the candidates is, “Welcome to the Land of Lincoln,” -- (laughter) -- because I’m thinking maybe some Lincoln will rub off on them while they are here.  (Laughter and applause.)

Now, we remember Lincoln as the leader who saved our Union, but this is a President, who in the midst of the Civil War launched the transcontinental railroad, understanding that in order for America to grow, we had to stitch ourselves together, to be connected, coast to coast. 

He set up the first land grant colleges in the midst of war, because this largely self-taught man understood that education could give people the chance to realize their potential, and if we were able to give that kid on a farm the opportunity to learn, that that would be good for all of us, not just for that kid.  Created the National Academy of Sciences to promote the discovery and innovation that would lead to new jobs and entire new industries.

Lincoln, the first Republican President, knew that if we as a nation through our federal government didn't act to facilitate these things, then they likely wouldn’t happen, and as a result, we’d all be worse off.

He understood that we are a people that take great pride in our self-reliance and our independence but that we are also one nation and one people, and that we rise or fall together.

So I hope that while my counterparts on the other side enjoy the outstanding hospitality of the people of Illinois and spend some money here to promote our economy -- (laughter) -- I hope they also take a little bit of time to reflect on this great man, the first Republican President.

Of course, you may not feel confident that will happen.  You may be watching some of this avalanche of attack ads and think this is not appealing to the better angels of our nature, but hope springs eternal.  (Laughter.)

And that vision of Lincoln’s -- a vision of a big, bold, generous, dynamic, active, inclusive America -- that’s a vision that has driven this country for more than two hundred years.  That’s the vision that helped create Chicago.  That’s why we don’t make little plans here.  And that’s not a Democratic vision or a Republican vision.  That is a quintessentially American vision.  (Applause.) 

And that’s the vision that drove our campaign in 2008 and that so many of you worked your hearts out to see realized.  It wasn’t because you were willing to settle for an America where people are left to fend for themselves and everybody is playing by their own rules.  What you believed in was an America where everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead -– everybody.  It doesn’t matter what you look like, where you come from, what your name is.  Everybody has a chance. 

That’s the vision we shared.  That’s the change we believed in.  That’s why you got involved.  You didn’t get involved because the odds were that a guy named Barack Hussein Obama was going to be President.  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes, we did!  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  And we knew it wasn’t going to be easy, or that it would come quickly.  We knew it was going to be hard.  But as you just saw in that video, just think about what happened over the last three years, because of what you did in 2008.  Because of your efforts, your commitment not to me, but to the country and to each other, we started to see what change looks like. 

So change is the first bill I signed into law –- a law that says women deserve an equal day’s pay for an equal day’s work, because our daughters should have the same opportunities as our sons.  (Applause.)  

Change is the decision we made to rescue the American auto industry from collapse, even when some were saying, let’s let Detroit go bankrupt.  We had a million jobs on the line; the entire economy of the Midwest and the country at stake.  So I wasn’t about to let that happen.  And because of your efforts, it didn’t happen.

Today, GM is back on top as the world’s number-one automaker.  Just reported the highest profits in one hundred years.  (Applause.)  The factory here in Chicago is going gangbusters.  With more than 200,000 new jobs created in the last two and a half years, the auto industry in America is back.  That’s change.  That happened because of you. 

Change is the decision we decided -- we made to stop waiting for Congress to do something about our oil addiction and finally raise fuel-efficiency standards on our cars and on our trucks, so that by the next decade we will be driving American-made cars to get 55 miles to the gallon, which will save the typical family $8,000 at the pump over time and do some good for the environment in the bargain.  (Applause.)  That’s what change is.   

Change is us no longer handing out $60 billion in taxpayer subsidies to banks, who are managing student loans, and instead, giving that money directly to students who need it and families who want to see a better life for the next generation, so that millions of kids all across the country will benefit. 

And change is the fact that in the first -- for the first time in our history, you don’t have to hide who you love in order to serve the country you love, because “don’t ask, don’t tell” is over.  (Applause.)

Change is health care reform that we passed after a century of trying, which means nobody will go bankrupt in this country just because they get sick.  (Applause.)  We got 2.5 million young people who already have health insurance today because they can stay on their parent’s plan; millions of seniors who are already seeing benefits in terms of more preventive care, lower drug prices. 

And not only is preventive care now covered, it also means that families with children with preexisting conditions aren’t going to have to worry that somehow their child is going to be left on their own or that they’re going to have to mortgage their business or lose their home because of that illness.  That’s what change is. 

Change is fulfilling the first promise I made in this campaign -- that we would end the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  We do not have troops in Iraq anymore because of the extraordinary work of our men and women in uniform.   

We’ve made sure that Wall Street is playing by the rules, stabilizing our economy.  All this happened because of your efforts.

Now, the question is, what happens next?  None of this has been easy.  We’ve got a lot more work to do.  There are still too many Americans out there who are struggling, whose homes are underwater, who are still looking for work.  There are too many families right here in Chicago who can barely pay the bills, who are trying to figure out how they can scrap enough money together to let their kids go to college.

But over the past two years, we created close to 4 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  We’ve got the biggest growth in manufacturing since the 1990s.  The economy is stronger.  Our exports are on track to double.  Businesses feel more confident.  And so we’ve got an opportunity to build on all the work that we’ve done over the last three years, and the question is, are we going to be able to stay on track and move in the right direction?

Because the other side, they’ve got an entirely different idea.  Their basic theory is that we go back to doing things the same way we were doing them before the crisis hit; promoting the same policies that got us into this mess in the first place.  And it’s my belief that the last thing we can afford to do is go back to the same policies that got us into this mess.  That’s the last thing we can afford to do.  But that’s what they’re talking about.

Look, they’re not making any secret of it -- you can watch these ads on TV.  They want to go back to the days when Wall Street played by its own rules.  They want to go back to the days when insurance companies could deny coverage or jack up premiums without reason.  They want to spend trillions of dollars more on tax breaks for the very wealthiest individuals, even if it means adding to the deficit or gutting things like energy or education or Medicare.  We got a simple philosophy:  We are better off when everybody’s left on their own.  Everybody writes their own rules.

They are wrong.  In the United States of America, we have always been greater together than we are on our own.  We are better off when we keep to that basic American promise that you can -- that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family and own a home, send a kid to college, put a little away for retirement.  We’re better off when the laws are applied fairly to everybody, not just some.  And that’s the choice in this election.

This is not just another political debate.  This is the defining issue of our time, because we are in a make-or-break moment, not only for the middle class in this country but everybody who is fighting to get into the middle class.  We can go back to an economy built on outsourcing and bad debt and phony financial profits, or we can fight for an economy that’s built to last -- an economy built on American manufacturing and American energy, and skills and education for American workers, and the values that made this country great and made this city great and made this state great:  hard work and fair play and shared responsibility.

That's what’s at stake.  And so over the coming months we’re going to have a great debate about whose vision will deliver for the American people.  I think we need to make sure that the next generation of manufacturing takes root not in Asia, not in Europe, but in the factories of Detroit and Pittsburgh and Cleveland and Chicago.  That's what I believe.  (Applause.)

I don't want this nation to be known just for buying and consuming things.  I want us to be known for building and selling products all around the world.  (Applause.)  Which is why I’ve said let’s stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas.  Let’s start rewarding companies that are creating jobs right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)

I think most Americans agree with us.  We should be making our schools the envy of the world.  And by the way, there is a Chicago export named Arne Duncan, who is doing unbelievable work at a national level.  (Applause.)  And he understands, as I understand, that we -- it starts with the man or woman at the front of the classroom.

A good teacher can increase the lifetime earnings of a classroom by over $250,000.  So I don't want to hear Washington either defend the status quo or spend all their time bashing teachers.  What Arne and I have been talking about is giving schools the resources they need to hire good teachers and keep good teachers and train good teachers, and reward the best ones, and provide schools the flexibility to teach with creativity and passion and stop teaching to the test, and replacing teachers who aren’t helping our kids.  (Applause.)  That's what we expect --reform, resources, accountability.  That's what I believe.  (Applause.)

When kids do graduate, the biggest challenge they're facing right now is how to afford a college education.  We’ve got more tuition debt now than credit card debt, which means this Congress has to pay attention because in July, student interest -- interest rates on student loans are scheduled to double, if we don't do anything about it.  We’ve got to focus on how are we making sure our kids can get good value, that they're making informed choices, and that they're getting some help.

And colleges and universities have to do their part.  I’ve said to university presidents and college presidents, we want to work with you and help you.  But we’re not going to just keep on funding tuition rates that are skyrocketing.  Higher education cannot be a luxury.  It’s an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

An economy that’s built to last is one where we support scientists and researchers trying to make sure the next breakthrough in clean energy and biotechnology happens right here in the United States of America.  We have restored science to its rightful place.  On things like stem cell research, we said, let’s follow the science, but we also have to make investments in science.  (Applause.)  We have to make investments in basic research.  Lincoln understood that, you understand it. 

Nowhere is that truer, by the way, than in the area of energy.  We’ve been subsidizing oil companies for a hundred years.  Now is the time to stop subsidizing an oil industry that’s rarely been more profitable.  Double down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising -- solar and wind and biofuels -- homegrown, American energy.  (Applause.)  That’s what we believe the other side has a different view.
 
We believe we need to give our businesses the best access to newer roads and airports, faster railroads and internet access.  I’m biased, maybe it’s because I’m a Chicagoan.  I believe in having the best stuff.  (Applause.)  I’m a chauvinist in this way.  I don’t want to go to China and see a better airport in China than over here.  (Applause.)  I don’t want to ride on a road in Germany and see a better road than Lake Shore Drive.  (Applause.) 

It is time for us to take the money we are no longer spending at war and use half of that to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building here at home.  Let’s put people back to work.  (Applause.)

And we need to make sure that we’ve got a tax system that reflects everybody doing their fair share.  (Applause.)  I was with Warren Buffett a couple of days ago, and he’s quite pleased that I named a rule after him -- (laughter) -- the Buffett Rule, which is common sense.  It says, if you make more than a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t pay a lower tax rate than your secretary.  (Applause.)  This is not -- look, if you make $250,000 a year or less, which is 98 percent of Americans, your taxes shouldn’t go up.  A lot of folks in that category are struggling. 

But for folks like me, we can do a little bit more.  I know.  You know it.  This isn’t class warfare.  This isn’t envy.  It’s basic math.  Because if somebody like me and some of you are getting tax breaks we don’t need, weren’t even asking for, and the country can’t afford, then either it’s going to add to the deficits -- which the other side claims is their top priority -- or we’ve got to take something from somebody else. 

That student who is trying to go to college, suddenly their interest rate goes higher.  That senior who is trying to afford their prescription drugs, their costs go up.  That veteran who desperately needs help right now, they get shortchanged.  That family that’s trying to get by, they’re forgotten.  That’s not right.  That’s not who we are.
 
You hear a lot of politicians talk about values in election years.  And I’m sure some of the ads have been talking about that here in Illinois.  Let me tell you about values.  Hard work is a value.  Looking out for one another, that’s a value.  (Applause.)  The idea we’re all in this together, that I’m my brother’s keeper and sister’s keeper, that’s a value.  (Applause.)  Caring for our own, that’s a value.  Making sure that seniors can retire with dignity and respect, that’s a value.  Making sure our veterans are cared for -- and that costs money -- that’s a value.  (Applause.)

You understand that.  One of the great things about this town is we come from everywhere.  You look -- I guess, you can’t look in a phone book anymore; they don’t have phone books these days.  (Laughter.)  But when you think about Chicago, part of what you think about is all the last names, right?  The Emanuels, the Obamas, the Sanchezes, the Polaskis.  We all come from someplace else.  And the only reason that we can be in this magnificent ballroom is because somebody, somewhere, took responsibility.  They took responsibility for their families, first and foremost; generations of immigrants making sure that they were leaving something behind for the next generation; our grandparents, our great grandparents striking out, sometimes falling down, picking themselves back up.

But also, they took responsibility for our country’s future.  They understood the American story is never about just what we can do by ourselves.  It’s about what we can do together.  And we will not win the race for new jobs and new businesses and middle-class security with the same old, “you-are-on-your-own” economics, because it hasn’t worked in the past.  It won’t work now.  (Applause.)

It didn’t work in the decade before the Great Depression.  It did not work when we tried it in the last decade.  It’s not like we haven’t tried it.  It does not work.  And we’ve got a stake in each other’s success.  And we all understand that.  (Applause.)  If we attract an outstanding teacher to the profession, giving her the pay she deserves, the support she deserves, and she educates the next Steve Jobs, we all benefit. 

We get faster Internet to rural Illinois, rural America, so that some store owner or entrepreneur there can suddenly have access to a worldwide marketplace -- that’s good for the entire economy.  We build a new bridge that saves a shipping company time and money -- workers, consumers -- we all do better.
 
This is not a Democratic or Republican idea.  Lincoln understood it.  It was a Republican President, Teddy Roosevelt, who called for a progressive income tax; Republican Dwight Eisenhower that built the Interstate Highway System.  It was with the help of Republicans in Congress that FDR was able to give millions of returning heroes, including my grandfather, the chance to go college on the G.I. Bill.  (Applause.) 

And here’s the thing:  That same spirit of common purpose, that desperate desire to pull the country together and focus on what needs to get done in a serious way, that spirit still exists today -- maybe not in Washington, but exists here in Chicago.  It exists out there in America.  You go to Main Streets, you go to town halls, you go to VFW halls, you go to a church or a synagogue -- it’s there when you talk to members of our Armed Forces, when you talk to folks at a Little League game or at their places of worship.  
 
Our politics may be divided.  But most Americans still understand we are greater together and that no matter who we are or where we come from, we rise or fall as one nation and one people.  And that’s what’s at stake.  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  That’s what we’re fighting for.  As much as 2008 was exciting, and as much as all of us I think saw that night at Grant Park as the culmination of something, it was actually just the beginning of what we’re fighting for.  That's what 2012 is about.

And I know it’s been a tough few years, and I know there are times where people have said, change just isn’t coming fast enough.  And I know that when you see what’s going on in Washington sometimes it’s tempting to believe that what we believed in, in 2008, was an illusion; maybe it’s just not possible.  It’s easy to slip back into cynicism. 

But remember what we said in the last campaign, that real change, big change would be hard.  It takes time.  It may take more than a single term.  It may take more than a single President.  What it really takes is ordinary citizens who are committed to continuing to fight and to push and to keep inching this country closer to its ideals, its highest ideals.

And I said in 2008, I am not a perfect man, and I will never be a perfect President.  But I made a commitment then that I would always tell you what I believed, I would always tell you where I stood, and I would wake up every single day fighting as hard as I know how for you.  And I’ve kept that promise to the American people.  (Applause.)

So I’m a little grayer now.  (Laughter.)  It’s not as trendy to be involved in the Obama campaign as it was back then.  (Laughter.)  Some of you have rolled up those ‘Hope’ posters, and they're in the closet somewhere.  (Laughter.)  But I am more determined and more confident that what drove us in 2008 is the right thing for America than I’ve ever been before.  (Applause.)

And if you’re willing to keep pushing through the obstacles and reach for that vision of America that we all believe in, I promise you change will continue to come.  And if you work as hard as you did then, now, I promise you we will finish what we started in 2008, and we will remind the world just why it is that America is the greatest nation on Earth. 

Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
12:45 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2012

Presidential Memorandum -- Delegation of Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1045 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY

SUBJECT: Delegation of Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1045 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, and Condition 9 of the Resolution of Advice and Consent to Ratification of the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on the Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the "New START Treaty")

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretaries of Defense and Energy the reporting functions conferred upon the President by section 1045 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112-81), and by section (a)(9)(B) of the Resolution of Advice and Consent to Ratification of the New START Treaty. Subsection (a)(9)(B)(iv) of the Resolution shall be fulfilled in coordination with the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA