President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

• Jill Appell – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• C. Fred Bergsten – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Bill Frenzel – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Leo W. Gerard – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Joseph T. Hansen – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• James P. Hoffa – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Sandra Kennedy – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• David H. Long – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Wade Randlett – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Matthew Rubel – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• David H. Segura – Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
• Bryan Lourd – General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Barbara Goodman Manilow – General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Bryan Traubert – General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms, USAF (Ret) – Member, Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
• Liza Gilbert – Member, Commission of Fine Arts

President Obama said, “These men and women have demonstrated knowledge and dedication throughout their careers. I am grateful they have chosen to take on these important roles, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

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

Jill Appell, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Jill Appell is a past President of the National Pork Producers Council and the Illinois Pork Producers Association.  She was first appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Ms. Appell is a member of Illinois Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and has served on task forces for the Illinois Farm Bureau.  Ms. Appell is currently a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (U.S.D.A.) Farm Service Agency Illinois State Technical Committee and the U.S.D.A. Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade of Animals and Animal Products.  She previously served as Illinois State Director for Rural Development for the U.S.D.A.

C. Fred Bergsten, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

C. Fred Bergsten is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.  He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Mr. Bergsten was the Peterson Institute’s  Founding Director from 1981 through 2012.  He served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs from 1977 until 1981, and Assistant for International Economic Affairs to the National Security Council from 1969 to 1971.  Previously, Dr. Bergsten was Chairman of the Competitiveness Policy Council and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum’s Eminent Persons Group.  Dr. Bergsten received a B.A. from Central Methodist University, and an M.A., an M.A.L.D., and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. 

Bill Frenzel, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Bill Frenzel is a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution, a position he has held since 1991.  He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2002 and served as its Chairman from 2002 to 2011.  Previously, Mr. Frenzel served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the state of Minnesota from 1971 to 1991.  While in Congress, he served as the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee and a member of the Ways and Means Committee.  In 1993, Mr. Frenzel was appointed to serve as a Special Advisor to President Clinton, and then appointed to the President’s Social Security Commission in 2001.  He was appointed to the President’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform in 2005.  Mr. Frenzel is Co-Chairman of the Center for Strategic Tax Reform, the Bretton Woods Committee, and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.  He is Chairman Emeritus of the Ripon Society.  Mr. Frenzel received a B.A. and an M.B.A. from Dartmouth College. 

Leo W. Gerard, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Leo W. Gerard is International President of United Steelworkers.  He was first appointed to the Advisory Council on Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  He is a member of the AFL-CIO’s Executive Committee and chairs its Public Policy Committee.  Mr. Gerard is co-chairman of the BlueGreen Alliance and a founder of Apollo Alliance.  He serves on the boards of Campaign for America’s Future and the Economic Policy Institute, and is a member of the executive committees of the IndustriALL.  

Joseph T. Hansen, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Joseph T. Hansen is President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW).  He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy & Negotiations in 2010.  Mr. Hansen was elected to serve as UFCW Secretary-Treasurer in 1997 and as President in 2004 and 2008.  He became President of Union Network International in 2003 and was reelected as President in 2005.  He is an AFL-CIO Vice President and Chair of the AFL-CIO International Affairs Committee.  

James P. Hoffa, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

James P. Hoffa is the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a position he has held since 1999.  He was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Mr. Hoffa served as an attorney for the Teamsters from 1968 to 1993.  In 2002, he was appointed to the President’s Council on the 21st Century Workforce and has also served on the Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Board.  Mr. Hoffa received a B.S. from Michigan State University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

Sandra Kennedy, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Sandra Kennedy is President of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), a position she has held since December 2002.  She was first appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Prior to joining RILA, Ms. Kennedy served as Director of the Leadership Dialogue Series for Accenture.  From 1993 to 2000, she was Senior Vice President of membership services for the National Retail Federation.  Ms. Kennedy received a B.A. from the University of Iowa. 

David H. Long, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

David H. Long is CEO and Chairman of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Inc., a position he has held since 2013.  Previously, he was President and CEO of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Inc. from 2011 to 2013.  Since joining Liberty Mutual in 1985, Mr. Long has held a number of positions within the company’s International Operations, Commercial Markets, Underwriting and Financial, and Mergers and Acquisitions divisions.  He is a member of the Business Roundtable, a Director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s President’s Council, and a Board Member of Tamarack Technologies.  Mr. Long received a B.A. from Hartwick College and an M.S. from Boston College.

Wade Randlett, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Wade Randlett is CEO of the transportation fuels division of General Biofuels, a position he has held since 2013.  He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Mr. Randlett is the President of the governing council of Alice Fong Yu Elementary School in San Francisco, is the Founder of Bay Area Democrats, and a co-founder of Technology Network.  He served as a member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee.  Mr. Randlett received a B.S. from Princeton University and a J.D. from the University of San Francisco. 

Matthew Rubel, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

Matthew Rubel is a Senior Advisor at TPG Capital.  He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Previously, he was Chairman, President, and CEO of Collective Brands, Inc. from 2005 to 2011.  Mr. Rubel was CEO of Cole Haan from 1999 to 2005, and was Executive Vice President of J. Crew Group and CEO of Popular Club Plan from 2004 to 2009.  Mr. Rubel is active in several industry and civic organizations, including the Jay H. Baker Initiative at the Wharton School, the Young Presidents’ Organization, and serves as Chairman of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.  He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Council of Shopping Centers and the University of Miami, and serves on the Board of Directors of Supervalu, Hudson Bay Corporation, and Home Shopping Network.  Mr. Rubel received a B.S. from Ohio University and an M.B.A. from the University of Miami.

David H. Segura, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

David H. Segura is CEO of VisionIT, an information technology firm he founded in 1997.  He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2010.  Mr. Segura is a member of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum and was a founding architect and former Vice Chair of the Hispanic IT Executive Council.  In 2010, he was selected by President Obama as one of 50 CEOs to participate in a White House Forum on Modernizing U.S. Government.  Mr. Segura received a B.S. from the University of Michigan–Dearborn.     

Bryan Lourd, Appointee for General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Bryan Lourd is a partner and managing director of Creative Artists Agency, an entertainment and sports talent agency based in Los Angeles.  Mr. Lourd was appointed to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in 2009.  He is a member of the boards of InterActiveCorp, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and J/P Haitian Relief Organization, and is a Trustee of the American Film Institute.  Mr. Lourd received a B.A. from the University of Southern California. 

Barbara Goodman Manilow, Appointee for General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Barbara Goodman Manilow is Chairman of the Board of Crown Family Philanthropies in Chicago, an organization supporting the arts, civic affairs, education, conservation, health and human services, service projects, and Jewish Causes.  She is a founding member and director of the Covenant Foundation, and is a member of the board of the Chicago Children’s Museum and the Francis W. Parker School.  Ms. Goodman Manilow received a B.A. from Colorado College and an M.A. from the University of Chicago. 

Dr. Bryan Traubert, Appointee for General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Dr. Bryan Traubert is a founder and former partner at Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago, a position he held from 1986 to 2013.  He is President of the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation and the Chicago Park District, and is a member of the boards of Chicago Public Radio, National Park Foundation, and Partnership for a Healthier America.  Dr. Traubert previously served as President of Marwen and on the boards of the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, National Public Radio Foundation, and Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind.  He served on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships from 2009 to 2013.  Dr. Traubert received a B.S. from The Citadel and an M.D. from the University of Illinois.

Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms, USAF (Ret), Appointee for Member, Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms, USAF (Ret), retired from the United States Air Force in 2014 after 34 years of service.  She was also a NASA astronaut from 1990 to 2002.  She was Commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.  Lieutenant General Helms was a crew member on five Space Shuttle missions and was a resident of the International Space Station for over five months in 2001.  Her awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.  In 2011, she was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.  Lieutenant General Helms received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University.

Liza Gilbert, Appointee for Member, Commission of Fine Arts

Liza Gilbert is a freelance landscape designer.  She has been a board member of the Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy in Washington, D.C. since 2012 and is also Chair of its Signature Project Committee.  Previously, she was a Project Designer and Construction Supervisor at the New York firms of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates from 2006 to 2010 and at Judith Heintz Landscape Architecture from 1997 to 2002.  Earlier in her career, she was a Project Assistant at Giannini & Vagnetti Architetti in Rome, Italy from 1989 to 1990.  She served on the board of Dancing in the Streets from 2003 to 2007.  Ms. Gilbert received a B.A. from Barnard College and an M.L.A. from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

Readout of the President's Call with President Erdogan of Turkey

The President spoke briefly today with President Erdogan from Air Force One to discuss our work together to counter the threat posed by ISIL in Iraq and Syria, including steps we can take to advance our already strong cooperation.  The President praised the work Turkish authorities and local groups, together with the UN, are doing to care for the massive influx of refugees flowing into Turkey, including tens of thousands this week alone. Following President Erdogan's meeting today with Vice President Biden, the two Presidents agreed to continue to consult closely.

Remarks by President Obama at U.N. Meeting on Ebola

United Nations Building
New York City, New York

11:15 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Mr. Secretary-General, thank you for bringing us together today to address an urgent threat to the people of West Africa, but also a potential threat to the world.  Dr. Chan, heads of state and government, especially our African partners, ladies and gentlemen:  As we gather here today, the people of Liberia and Sierra Leone and Guinea are in crisis.  As Secretary-General Ban and Dr. Chan have already indicated, the Ebola virus is spreading at alarming speed.  Thousands of men, women and children have died.  Thousands more are infected.  If unchecked, this epidemic could kill hundreds of thousands of people in the coming months.  Hundreds of thousands.  

Ebola is a horrific disease.  It’s wiping out entire families.  It has turned simple acts of love and comfort and kindness -- like holding a sick friend’s hand, or embracing a dying child -- into potentially fatal acts.  If ever there were a public health emergency deserving an urgent, strong and coordinated international response, this is it. 

But this is also more than a health crisis.  This is a growing threat to regional and global security.  In Liberia, in Guinea, in Sierra Leone, public health systems have collapsed.  Economic growth is slowing dramatically.  If this epidemic is not stopped, this disease could cause a humanitarian catastrophe across the region.  And in an era where regional crises can quickly become global threats, stopping Ebola is in the interest of all of us.

The courageous men and women fighting on the front lines of this disease have told us what they need.  They need more beds, they need more supplies, they need more health workers, and they need all of this as fast as possible.  Right now, patients are being left to die in the streets because there’s nowhere to put them and there’s nobody to help them.  One health worker in Sierra Leone compared fighting this outbreak to “fighting a forest fire with spray bottles.”  But with our help, they can put out the blaze.

Last week, I visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is mounting the largest international response in its history.  I said that the world could count on America to lead, and that we will provide the capabilities that only we have, and mobilize the world the way we have done in the past in crises of similar magnitude.  And I announced that, in addition to the civilian response, the United States would establish a military command in Liberia to support civilian efforts across the region. 

Today, that command is up and it is running.  Our commander is on the ground in Monrovia, and our teams are working as fast as they can to move in personnel, equipment and supplies.  We’re working with Senegal to stand up an air bridge to get health workers and medical supplies into West Africa faster.  We’re setting up a field hospital, which will be staffed by personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service, and a training facility, where we’re getting ready to train thousands of health workers from around the world.  We’re distributing supplies and information kits to hundreds of thousands of families so they can better protect themselves.  And together with our partners, we’ll quickly build new treatment units across Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where thousands will be able to receive care.

Meanwhile, in just the past week, more countries and organizations have stepped up their efforts -- and so has the United Nations.  Mr. Secretary-General, the new UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response that you announced last week will bring all of the U.N.’s resources to bear in fighting the epidemic.  We thank you for your leadership.

So this is all progress, and it is encouraging.  But I want us to be clear:  We are not moving fast enough.  We are not doing enough.  Right now, everybody has the best of intentions, but people are not putting in the kinds of resources that are necessary to put a stop to this epidemic.  There is still a significant gap between where we are and where we need to be.  We know from experience that the response to an outbreak of this magnitude has to be fast and it has to be sustained.  It’s a marathon, but you have to run it like a sprint.  And that’s only possible if everybody chips in, if every nation and every organization takes this seriously.  Everybody here has to do more. 

International organizations have to move faster, and cut through red tape and mobilize partners on the ground as only they can.  More nations need to contribute critical assets and capabilities -- whether it is air transport, or medical evacuation, or health care workers, or equipment, or treatment.  More foundations can tap into the networks of support that they have, to raise funds and awareness.  More businesses, especially those who already have a presence in the region, can quickly provide their own expertise and resources, from access to critical supply chains to telecommunications.  And more citizens -- of all nations -- can educate themselves on this crisis, contribute to relief efforts, and call on their leaders to act.  So everybody can do something.  That’s why we’re here today.

And even as we meet the urgent threat of Ebola, it’s clear that our nations have to do more to prevent, detect and respond to future biological threats -- before they erupt into full-blown crises.  Tomorrow, in Washington, I’ll host 44 nations to advance our Global Health Security Agenda, and we are interested in working with any country that shares this commitment.

Just to emphasize this issue of speed again.  When I was down at the CDC -- and perhaps this has already been discussed, but I want to emphasize this -- the outbreak is such where at this point more people will die.  But the slope of the curve, how fast we can arrest the spread of this disease, how quickly we can contain it is within our control.  And if we move fast, even if imperfectly, then that could mean the difference between 10,000, 20,000, 30,000 deaths versus hundreds of thousands or even a million deaths.  So this is not one where there should be a lot of wrangling and people waiting to see who else is doing what.  Everybody has got to move fast in order for us to make a difference.  And if we do, we'll save hundreds of thousands of lives.

Stopping Ebola is a priority for the United States.  I've said that this is as important a national security priority for my team as anything else that's out there.  We'll do our part.  We will continue to lead, but this has to be a priority for everybody else.  We cannot do this alone.  We don't have the capacity to do all of this by ourselves.  We don't have enough health workers by ourselves.  We can build the infrastructure and the architecture to get help in, but we're going to need others to contribute.

To my fellow leaders from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, to the people of West Africa, to the heroic health workers who are on the ground as we speak, in some cases, putting themselves at risk -- I want you to know that you are not alone.  We’re working urgently to get you the help you need.  And we will not stop, we will not relent until we halt this epidemic once and for all.  

So I want to thank all of you for the efforts that are made. But I hope that I'm properly communicating a sense of urgency here.  Do not stand by, thinking that somehow, because of what we've done, that it's taken care of.  It's not.  And if we don't take care of this now we are going to see fallout effects and secondary effects from this that will have ramifications for a long time, above and beyond the lives that will have been lost.

I urge all of you, particularly those who have direct access to your heads of state, to make sure that they are making this a top priority in the next several weeks and months.

Thank you very much.  (Applause.) 

END
11:25 A.M. EDT

FACT SHEET: Announcing New U.S. Open Government Commitments on the Third Anniversary of the Open Government Partnership

Three years ago, President Obama joined with the leaders of seven other nations to launch the Open Government Partnership (OGP), an international partnership between governments and civil society to promote transparency, fight corruption, energize civic engagement, and leverage new technologies to open up governments worldwide.  The United States and other founding countries pledged to transform the way that governments serve their citizens in the 21^st century.  Today, as heads of state of OGP participating countries gather at the UN General Assembly, this partnership has grown from 8 to 65 nations and hundreds of civil society organizations around the world. These countries are embracing the challenge by taking steps in partnership with civil society to increase the ability of citizens to engage their governments, access government data to fuel entrepreneurship and innovation, and promote accountability.

In just three years, the OGP has generated over 2,000 new national commitments to improve government for more than 2 billion people around the world.  OGP national commitments range from passing or modernizing freedom of information laws, implementing measures to prevent corruption in the public and private sectors, and developing mechanisms to facilitate dialogue with civil society.  It is a testament to how truly global the open government movement has become that OGP’s leadership and membership now represent most of the world’s regions.  As part of their OGP national action plans, governments are committing to institute anticorruption measures, publish better and timelier information on how governments spend taxpayer dollars, and broaden citizen participation in the public policy-making process. 

• From South Africa to the Philippines, citizens are organizing through their local governments to make their voices heard and get the public services they need.  From Indonesia to Albania to Macedonia, governments are partnering with civil society to develop new tools to report on corruption and promote transparency, and more governments are taking steps to bring transparency into the energy sector.  From Mexico to Bulgaria, governments at all levels are putting more and better quality information online, allowing citizens to hold them accountable for how they spend taxpayer dollars.  From Brazil to Paraguay, Ireland, and Sierra Leone, civil society organizations are working with government reformers to draft and reform freedom of information laws.  And from Georgia to Ghana, governments are establishing systems to ensure civil society participation in the public policy-making process.

The United States will continue to engage with and support OGP countries as they commit to policy and regulatory reforms designed to promote open government.  One reason that this international partnership is so important is it allows us to learn from each other.  For example, the United States has been inspired by the British government’s approach to digital services.  We have engaged with Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, the Philippines and Sierra Leone to share lessons learned in implementing open government initiatives, to promote extractives industry transparency, improve federal government records management, and modernize our Freedom of Information Act, among other things.  U.S. assistance has helped Sierra Leone to develop its first OGP National Action Plan with robust citizen engagement; Tunisia to become eligible to join OGP on the third anniversary of its revolution in January; and other countries to implement their OGP commitments to transparency, accountability and citizen engagement. The United States is also working with several private sector partners and associations to help build capacity to implement open data policies, develop legal and regulatory reforms, and improve accountability and public service delivery in OGP member countries.

The United States is committed to continuing to lead by example in OGP.  Since assuming office, President Obama has prioritized making government more open and accountable and has taken substantial steps to increase citizen participation, collaboration with civil society, and transparency in government.  The United States will remain a global leader of international efforts to promote transparency, stem corruption and hold to account those who exploit the public’s trust for private gain.  Yesterday, President Obama announced several steps the United States is taking to deepen our support for civil society globally.  

Today, to mark the third anniversary of OGP, President Obama is announcing four new and expanded open government initiatives that will advance our efforts through the end of 2015.

1.      Promote Open Education to Increase Awareness and Engagement

Open education is the open sharing of digital learning materials, tools, and practices that ensures free access to and legal adoption of learning resources.  The United States is committed to open education and will:  

• Raise open education awareness and identify new partnerships. The U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy will jointly host a workshop on challenges and opportunities in open education internationally with stakeholders from academia, industry, and government.
• Pilot new models for using open educational resources to support learning.  The State Department will conduct three pilots overseas by December 2015 that use open educational resources to support learning in formal and informal learning contexts. The pilots’ results, including best practices, will be made publicly available for interested educators. 
• Launch an online skills academy. The Department of Labor (DOL), with cooperation from the Department of Education, will award $25 million through competitive grants to launch an online skills academy in 2015 that will offer open online courses of study, using technology to create high-quality, free, or low-cost pathways to degrees, certificates, and other employer-recognized credentials.

2.      Deliver Government Services More Effectively Through Information Technology

The Administration is committed to serving the American people more effectively and efficiently through smarter IT delivery. The newly launched U.S. Digital Service will work to remove barriers to digital service delivery and remake the experience that people and businesses have with their government. To improve delivery of Federal services, information, and benefits, the Administration will:

• Expand digital service delivery expertise in government. Throughout 2015, the Administration will continue recruiting top digital talent from the private and public sectors to expand services across the government. These individuals —who have expertise in technology, procurement, human resources, and financing —will serve as digital professionals in a number of capacities in the Federal government, including the new U.S. Digital Service and 18F digital delivery team within the U.S. General Services Administration, as well as within Federal agencies. These teams will take best practices from the public and private sectors and scale them across agencies with a focus on the customer experience.
• Build digital services in the open. The Administration will expand its efforts to build digital services in the open. This includes using open and transparent processes intended to better understand user needs, testing pilot digital projects, and designing and developing digital services at scale. In addition, building on the recently published Digital Services Playbook, the Administration will continue to openly publish best practices on collaborative websites that enable the public to suggest improvements.
• Adopt an open source software policy. Using and contributing back to open source software can fuel innovation, lower costs, and benefit the public. No later than December 31, 2015, the Administration will work through the Federal agencies to develop an open source software policy that, together with the Digital Services Playbook, will support improved access to custom software code developed for the Federal government.

3.      Increase Transparency in Spending

The Administration has made an increasing amount of Federal spending data publicly available and searchable, allowing nationwide stakeholders to perform analysis of Federal spending. The Administration will build on these efforts by committing to:

• Improve USAspending.gov. In 2015, the Administration will launch a refreshed USAspending.gov website that will improve the site’s design and user experience, including better enabling users to explore the data using interactive maps and improving the search functionality and application programming interface.
• Improve accessibility and reusability of Federal financial data.  In 2015, as part of implementation of the DATA Act,[2] the Administration will work to improve the accessibility and reusability of Federal financial data by issuing data element definition standards and standards for exchanging financial data. The Administration, through the Office of Management and Budget, will leverage industry data exchange standards to the extent practicable to maximize the sharing and utilization of Federal financial data.
• Explore options for visualization and publication of additional Federal financial data.  The Administration, through the Treasury Department, will use small-scale pilots to help explore options for visualizing and publishing Federal financial data from across the government as required by the DATA Act.
• Continue to engage stakeholders. The Administration will continue to engage with a broad group of stakeholders to seek input on Federal financial transparency initiatives including DATA Act implementation, by hosting town hall meetings, conducting interactive workshops, and seeking input via open innovation collaboration tools. 

4.      Use Big Data to Support Greater Openness and Accountability

President Obama has recognized the growing importance of “big data” technologies for our economy and the advancement of public good in areas such as education, energy conservation, and healthcare. The Administration is taking action to ensure responsible uses of big data to promote greater openness and accountability across a range of areas and sectors. As part of the work it is doing in this area, the Administration has committed to:

• Enhance sharing of best practices on data privacy for state and local law enforcement.  Federal agencies with expertise in law enforcement, privacy, and data practices will seek to enhance collaboration and information sharing about privacy best practices among state and local law enforcement agencies receiving Federal grants.
• Ensure privacy protection for big data analyses in health. Big data introduces new opportunities to advance medicine and science, improve health care, and support better public health. To ensure that individual privacy is protected while capitalizing on new technologies and data, the Administration, led by the Department of Health and Human Services, will: (1) consult with stakeholders to assess how Federal laws and regulations can best accommodate big data analyses that promise to advance medical science and reduce health care costs; and (2) develop recommendations for ways to promote and facilitate research through access to data while safeguarding patient privacy and autonomy.
• Expand technical expertise in government to stop discrimination. U.S. Government departments and agencies will work to expand their technical expertise to identify outcomes facilitated by big data analytics that may have a discriminatory impact on protected classes.