The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Manson K. Brown, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, vice Kathryn D. Sullivan, resigned.

Carmen Amalia Corrales, of New Jersey, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation for a term expiring December 17, 2015, vice Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, term expired.

Rafael J. López, of Maryland, to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, vice Bryan Hayes Samuels, resigned.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

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:

 

  • Andrew LaMont Eanes – Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, Social Security Administration
  • Mari Carmen Aponte – Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador, Department of State
  • Lourdes M. Castro Ramírez – Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development  
  • Brodi L. Fontenot – Chief Financial Officer, Department of the Treasury
  • Mary Lucille Jordan – Member, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chairman
  • P. David Lopez – General Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • Robert T. Yamate – Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of Comoros, Department of State 

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

  • Tanya J. Bradsher – Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of Homeland Security

  • Brian de Vallance – Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of Homeland Security  

  • John Norris – Member, President’s Global Development Council   

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country.

 

I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

 

Andrew LaMont Eanes, Nominee for Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, Social Security Administration

Andrew LaMont Eanes has been the Vice President of Agile Government Services Incorporated since 2012.  From 2011 to 2012, Mr. Eanes was the Chief Operating Officer of Dynis.  Previously, Mr. Eanes was Chief Operations Officer of BT Conferencing from 2006 to 2010.  He was the Executive Vice President of IT/Services Operations with Premiere Global Services from 2004 to 2006.  From 1995 to 2003, Mr. Eanes held various positions at Sprint, Inc., including Vice President and General Manager.  Mr. Eanes was the Vice President and General Manager for Sprint/United Telephone Florida from 1992 to 1994 and the Director of Network and Facilities Operations for Sprint United Management Company from 1989 to 1992.  Mr. Eanes received a B.A. from Ohio Northern University and an M.B.A. from Baldwin Wallace College.

 

Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte, Nominee for Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador, Department of State

Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte is the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador, a position she has held since 2010.  From 2005 to 2009, she was a consultant in Washington, D.C. and also practiced law in New York. From 2001 to 2004, she served as Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration.  She was a consultant and practiced law in Washington, D.C. from 1994 to 2000.  From 1983 to 1984, Ambassador Aponte was a Partner and Owner at Alexander, Gebhardt, Aponte & Marks, and an associate at Powell, Goldstein, Frazer, & Murphy from 1981 to 1982.  She was a White House Fellow from 1979 to 1980 and served as Associate Counsel for Blue Cross of Greater Philadelphia from 1977 to 1979.  She has also served as a member of several boards, including the Oriental Financial Group, the National Council of La Raza, and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.  Ambassador Aponte received a B.A. from Rosemont College, an M.A. from Villanova University, and a J.D. from Temple University School of Law.

 

Lourdes M. Castro Ramírez, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development   

Lourdes M. Castro Ramírez is President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority, a position she has held since 2009.  From 2006 to 2009, she served as Director of the Section 8 Department for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA).  Ms. Castro Ramírez was Assistant and then Interim Director of the Resident Relations Department of HACLA from 2004 to 2006, and Project Director for the Jobs-Plus National Demonstration Program at HACLA from 1999 to 2004.  Previously, she was a Community Development Planner for Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation from 1996 to 1999.  She serves as a Board Member for the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, Centro San Antonio, and is a Co-Founder of Women in Housing Leadership.  Ms. Castro Ramírez received a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

 

Brodi L. Fontenot, Nominee for Chief Financial Officer, Department of the Treasury 

Brodi L. Fontenot is the Assistant Secretary of Administration at the Department of Transportation (DOT), a position he has held since 2012.  He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration at DOT from 2010 to 2012.  From 2009 to 2010, Mr. Fontenot served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget at DOT.  Prior to joining DOT, Mr. Fontenot served as Budget Analyst on the United States Senate Committee on Budget from 2006 to 2009.  From 2001 to 2006, he was an Analyst/Senior Analyst for the Government Accountability Office.  Mr. Fontenot received a B.A. from the University of Houston and an M.P.A. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Mary Lucille Jordan, Nominee for Member, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chairman 

Mary Lucille Jordan is currently Chairman and a Member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), positions she has held since 2009 and 2003, respectively.  Additionally, Ms. Jordan served as a Member from 1994 to 2002 and as Chairman of FMSHRC from 1994 to 2001.  Ms. Jordan served as a Senior Staff Attorney for the United Mine Workers of America from 1977 to 1994.  She was an attorney at the Federal Register from 1976 to 1977.  Ms. Jordan received a B.A. from St. Bonaventure University and a J.D. from Antioch School of Law.

 

P. David Lopez, Nominee for General Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

P. David Lopez is General Counsel of the U.S. Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a position he has held since 2010.  Mr. Lopez has served at the EEOC in various capacities for the past 20 years.  From 1998 to 2010, he was a Senior Trial Attorney and Supervisory Trial Attorney, and from 1994 to 1998 he was Special Assistant to EEOC Chairman Gilbert Casellas.  From 1991 to 1994, Mr. Lopez was a Senior Trial Attorney in the Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.  From 1988 to 1991, he was an associate with Spiegel and McDiarmid LLP.  Mr. Lopez received a B.S. from Arizona State University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

 

Robert T. Yamate, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros, Department of State

Robert T. Yamate, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is an Assessor at the Board of Examiners in the Bureau of Human Resources at the Department of State (DOS), a position he has held since 2013.  Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal from 2010 to 2013.  He was a Multifunctional Officer in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at DOS from 2008 to 2010, and a Management Counselor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland from 2006 to 2008.  He also served as a Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from 2004 to 2006.  Mr. Yamate was a Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe from 2002 to 2004, and a Management Officer at the American Institute in Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan from 1999 to 2002.  He was Deputy Executive Director in the Executive Office of the Bureau of Personnel at DOS from 1997 to 1999 and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Apia, Western Samoa from 1994 to 1996.  Mr. Yamate received a B.S. at California Polytechnic University at Pomona, an M.A. from the University of LaVerne, and an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh.

 

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

 

Tanya J. Bradsher, Appointee for Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of Homeland Security 

Tanya J. Bradsher is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a position she has held since April 2014.  She has also been serving as Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS since June 2014.  Previously, from 2013 to 2014, Ms. Bradsher was the Assistant Director in the Office of Public Engagement at the White House, where she was the lead for Veteran, Wounded Warrior, and Military Family Outreach.  From 2011 to 2013, she served as the Assistant Press Secretary for National Security and Defense on the National Security Staff at the White House, and from 2009 to 2011 she was a Press Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs at the Department of Defense.  From 1993 to 2013, she served in the U.S. Army in several locations throughout the United States as well as Iraq, Haiti, and the Republic of Korea.  She is a recipient of the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star for significant achievement and distinguished service and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  Ms. Bradsher received a B.A. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Brian de Vallance, Appointee for Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of Homeland Security

Brian de Vallance is Counselor to the Deputy Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a position he has held since 2010.  He served as Counselor to the Secretary at DHS from 2009 to 2010.  From 2004 to 2009, Mr. de Vallance served as Director of Federal Relations for Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.  From 2001 to 2003, he was CEO and Co-Founder of Synaptek LLC in Arlington, VA as well as Vice President and General Counsel at METEC Asset Management.  From 1999 to 2001, Mr. de Vallance was the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Justice (DOJ), during which time he also served as the Federalism Official for DOJ.  From 1994 to 1999, he was an Associate Attorney at Sacks Tierney P.A. in Phoenix, AZ.  Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Phoenix, AZ Mayor Paul Johnson, Judicial Law Clerk and Special Assistant to Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Stanley Feldman, and Special Assistant to Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt.  Mr. de Vallance received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from Arizona State University.

 

John Norris, Appointee for Member, President’s Global Development Council

John Norris is Executive Director of the Sustainable Security and Peacebuilding Initiative at the Center for American Progress, a position he has held since 2010.  Previously, he served as Executive Director of the Enough Project from 2008 to 2010, Chief of Political Affairs for the United Nations Mission in Nepal from 2006 to 2008, and Special Adviser to the President as well as Africa Program Executive at the International Crisis Group from 2001 to 2006.  He served as a Director of Communications in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of State from 1999 to 2001 and as Senior Communications Advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development from 1994 to 1998.  Mr. Norris received a B.S. from St. Lawrence University and an M.P.A. from The University of Vermont.

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Allison Dale Burroughs, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts, vice Rya W. Zobel, retired.

Amit Priyavadan Mehta, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, vice Ellen Segal Huvelle, retired.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts

WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, President Obama nominated Allison Dale Burroughs and Amit Priyavadan Mehta to serve on the United States District Courts.

“I am pleased to nominate these distinguished individuals to serve on the United States District Court bench,” said President Obama.  “I am confident they will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.”

Allison Dale Burroughs:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Allison Dale Burroughs is a partner at Nutter McClennen & Fish, LLP, where she represents individuals and corporations in criminal and civil proceedings primarily before federal courts.  Previously, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney—first in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1989 to 1995 and subsequently in the District of Massachusetts from 1995 to 2005.  She began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge Norma L. Shapiro of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1989.  Burroughs received her J.D. cum laude in 1988 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her B.A. cum laude from Middlebury College.

Amit Priyavadan Mehta: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Amit Priyavadan Mehta has been a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP since 2010, where he represents clients in civil and criminal matters before state and federal courts.  He rejoined the firm as counsel in 2007, after serving as a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia from 2002 to 2007.  Mehta worked as an associate at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP from 1999 to 2002, as a law clerk for Judge Susan P. Graber of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1998 to 1999, and as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP from 1997 to 1998.  He received his J.D. in 1997 from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. in 1993 from Georgetown University.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

Readout of Consultative Meeting with Congressional Leaders on National Security Issues

This morning, President Obama invited bicameral congressional leaders and the Chairs and Ranking Members of national security committees to the White House to consult with them about ongoing U.S. efforts to respond to the conflicts in Ukraine, Iraq, Gaza, Syria, and other pressing issues.  The President requested this meeting to update and hear from some of Congress’ leading foreign policy voices before their departure for the August recess.

Today’s meeting was constructive and the President committed that he and his team would continue to work closely with the Congress on these matters in the weeks and months ahead.  The Vice President also attended this meeting in the Cabinet Room.

Members of Congress in this morning’s meeting included:

  • Senator Harry Reid, D-NV, Majority Leader
  • Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Minority Leader
  • Senator Dick Durbin, D-IL, Assistant Majority Leader
  • Senator John Cornyn, R-TX, Minority Whip
  • Senator Carl Levin, D-MI, Chairman, Armed Service Committee
  • Senator Robert Menendez, D-NJ, Chairman, Foreign Relations Committee
  • Senator Bob Corker, R-TN, Ranking Member, Foreign Relations Committee
  • Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, Chair, Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-GA, Vice Chairman, Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Representative Buck McKeon, R-CA, Chairman, Armed Services Committee
  • Representative Edward Royce, R-CA, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Representative Eliot Engel, D-NY, Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Representative Mike J. Rogers, R-MI, Chairman, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Representative Dutch Ruppersberger, D-MD, Ranking Member, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Senior Administration officials in this morning’s meeting included:

  • Shaun Donovan, Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  • Susan Rice, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
  • Neil Eggleston, Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President
  • Katie Fallon, Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs
  • Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism
  • Antony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor
  • Benjamin Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications
  • Jacob Sullivan, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary

It is extraordinary that the House of Representatives, after failing for more than a year to reform our broken immigration reform system, would vote to restrict a law enforcement tool that the Department of Homeland Security uses to focus resources on key enforcement priorities like public safety and border security, and provide temporary relief from deportation for people who are low priorities for removal.  In the face of Congressional inaction, the Administration’s use of Deferred Action for DREAMers in 2012, which has benefitted more than 500,000 young people who are Americans in every way except on paper, is the most significant progress we have made toward immigration reform in years.  By failing to act on an immigration reform bill that requires that people who are here illegally pay taxes, undergo background checks and get on the right side of the law, the House is instead driving an approach that is about rounding up and deporting 11 million people, separating families, and undermining DHS’ ability to secure the border.

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

Op-ed by First Lady Michelle Obama on McClatchy: Let’s end veteran homelessness once and for all

The following op-ed by First Lady Michelle Obama appeared last night across McClatchy platforms.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/07/30/234885/lets-end-veteran-homelessness.html

Let’s end veteran homelessness once and for all

At the beginning of June, 85 mayors, governors and county officials from across the country – and across the political spectrum – signed on to the Mayors Challenge to End Veterans Homelessness. Today, we’re announcing that in the two months since then, 97 more state and local leaders have signed on – meaning that a total of 182 local leaders have pledged to end homelessness among the veterans in their communities by the end of 2015.

I know that might sound like a pipe dream. After all, veteran homelessness is a problem we’ve faced for decades – in fact, almost 90 percent of all homeless veterans served prior to 9/11. And as a country, we’ve never been able to rally the resources and the public will to get all of our veterans off the streets and into stable housing.

So why do all these state and local leaders believe that things are any different today? The answer to that question is simple: because today – thanks to federal, state and local leadership and the determined, daily work of advocates on the ground – we’re finally seeing that ending veteran homelessness is not just something we should strive to achieve – it’s something we actually can.

For example, in recent months, Phoenix and Salt Lake City effectively ended chronic homelessness among their veterans. New Orleans is on track to end all veteran homelessness within the next six months. Last year, New York City helped more than 2,000 veterans get into safe and stable housing. St. Paul and Minneapolis have cut veteran homelessness in half over the last five years, and between the two cities there are just 18 veterans left on the streets.

Any number of veterans left out in the cold is too many, but those numbers show us that even in some of our largest metropolitan areas, ending veteran homelessness is eminently achievable.

My husband has believed this from the moment he took office. That’s why he not only vowed to end veteran homelessness, he coupled that pledge with record funding and innovative strategies to get it done. We know that through solutions like “housing first” – an evidence-based strategy to get our veterans into permanent housing before tackling issues like mental health, substance abuse or employment – we can not only do right by our veterans but also save taxpayer money. Quite simply, it’s cheaper to pay someone’s rent than to pay for hospital bills, law enforcement and so many other services if they’re living on the street.

By employing that strategy, even in the midst of a historic recession, we’ve seen tremendous progress. Since 2008, we’ve housed more than 73,000 veterans through the HUD-VASH program, which provides housing vouchers to help homeless veterans pay for permanent, stable housing. And last year alone, under a program called Supportive Services for Veteran Families, we kept more than 60,000 veterans and their family members from falling into homelessness. Next year, we expect that number to grow to over 100,000.

But we know that this problem can’t be solved by Washington alone. It takes local leaders to implement community-wide plans. It takes advocates and service providers who know our veterans by name and can connect them with the services and support that they need. And it takes folks from all across the country making their voices heard and dedicating their time and energy to help these veterans find a place to call home.

So if your mayor hasn’t signed on to the mayors challenge, light up their phone lines and ask them why not. If you’ve got a free minute, contact a local organization in your neighborhood and ask when you can volunteer or where you can donate.

Our veterans have given so much to this country – time and again, with their service and sacrifice, they’ve shown us who they are. Now it’s up to the rest of us to show who we are. It’s up to us to show these veterans we’ve got their backs and end veteran homelessness once and for all.

Michelle Obama is First Lady of the U.S.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014

FACT SHEET: Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order

While the vast majority of federal contractors play by the rules, every year tens of thousands of American workers are denied overtime wages, not hired or paid fairly because of their gender or age, or have their health and safety put at risk by corporations contracting with the federal government that cut corners.  Taxpayer dollars should not reward corporations that break the law, so today President Obama is cracking down on federal contractors who put workers’ safety and hard-earned pay at risk. 

As part of this Year of Action, the President will sign an Executive Order that will require prospective federal contractors to disclose labor law violations and will give agencies more guidance on how to consider labor violations when awarding federal contracts.  Although many contractors already play by the rules, and federal contracting offers already must assess a contractor’s record of integrity, these officers still may not necessarily know about companies’ workplace violations. The new process is also structured to encourage companies to settle existing disputes, like paying back wages.  And finally, the Executive Order also ensures that workers are given the necessary information each pay period to verify the accuracy of their paycheck and workers who may have been sexually assaulted or had their civil rights violated get their day in court by putting an end to mandatory arbitration agreements at corporations with large federal contracts.

By cracking down on federal contractors who break the law, the President is helping ensure that all hardworking Americans get the fair pay and safe workplaces they deserve.

  Key Provisions of the Executive Order   

The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order will govern new federal procurement contracts valued at more than $500,000, providing information on companies’ compliance with federal labor laws for agencies.  We expect the Executive Order to be implemented on new contracts in stages, on a prioritized basis, during 2016.  The Department of Labor estimates that there are roughly 24,000 businesses with federal contracts, employing about 28 million workers. 

1. Hold Corporations Accountable: Under the terms of the Executive Order, agencies will require prospective contractors to disclose labor law violations from the past three years before they can get a contract.  The 14 covered Federal statutes and equivalent state laws include those addressing wage and hour, safety and health, collective bargaining, family and medical leave, and civil rights protections.  Agencies will also require contractors to collect similar information from many of their subcontractors.

2. Crack Down on Repeat Violators: Contracting officers will take into account only the most egregious violations, and each agency will designate a senior official as a Labor Compliance Advisor to provide consistent guidance on whether contractors’ actions rise to the level of a lack of integrity or business ethics.  This advisor will support individual contracting officers in reviewing disclosures and consult with the Department of Labor.  The Executive Order will ensure that the worst actors, who repeatedly violate the rights of their workers and put them in danger, don’t get contracts and thus can’t delay important projects and waste taxpayer money.

3. Promote Efficient Federal Contracting: Federal agencies risk poor performance by awarding contracts to companies with a history of labor law violations.  In 2010, the Government Accountability Office issued a report finding that almost two-thirds of the 50 largest wage-and-hour violations and almost 40 percent of the 50 largest workplace health-and-safety penalties issued between FY 2005 and FY 2009 were at companies that went on to receive new government contracts.  Last year, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin issued a report revealing that dozens of contractors with significant health, safety, and wage and hour violations were continuing to be awarded federal contacts.  Another study detailed that 28 of the companies with the top workplace violations from FY 2005 to FY 2009 subsequently received federal contracts, and a quarter of those companies eventually had significant performance problems as well—suggesting a strong relationship between contractors with a history of labor law violations and those that cannot deliver adequate performance for the taxpayer dollars they receive.  Because the companies with workplace violations are more likely to encounter performance problems, today’s action will also improve the efficiency of federal contracting and result in greater returns on federal tax dollars. 

4. Protect Responsible Contractors: The vast majority of federal contractors have clean records.  The Department of Labor estimates that the overwhelming majority of companies with federal contracts have no federal workplace violations in the past three years.  Contractors who invest in their workers’ safety and maintain a fair and equitable workplace shouldn’t have to compete with contractors who offer low-ball bids—based on savings from skirting the law—and then ultimately deliver poorer performance to taxpayers.  The Executive Order builds on the existing procurement system, so it will be familiar to contractors and will fit into established contracting practices. Responsible businesses will check a single box on a bid form indicating that they don’t have a history of labor law violations.  The Federal contracting community and other interested parties will be invited to participate in listening sessions with OMB, DOL, and senior White House officials to share views on how to ensure implementing policies and practices are both fair and effective.  DOL and other enforcement agencies along with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council will consider this input as they draft regulations and guidance, which will be published for public comment before being finalized.

5. Focus on Helping Companies Improve: The goal of the process created by the Executive Order is to help more contractors come into compliance with workplace protections, not to deny contracts to contractors.  Companies with labor law violations will be offered the opportunity to receive early guidance on whether those violations are potentially problematic and remedy any problems.  Contracting officers will take these steps into account before awarding a contract and ensure the contractor is living up to the terms of its agreement.

6. Give Employees a Day in Court: The Executive Order directs companies with federal contracts of $1  million or more not to require their employees to enter into predispute arbitration agreements for disputes arising out of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or from torts related to sexual assault or harassment (except when valid contracts already exist).  This builds on a policy already passed by Congress and successfully implemented at the Department of Defense, the largest federal contracting agency, and will help improve contractors’ compliance with labor laws.

7. Give Employees Information About their Paychecks: As a normal part of doing business, most employers give their workers a pay stub with basic information about their hours and wages.  To be sure that all workers get this basic information, the Executive Order requires contractors to give their employees information concerning their hours worked, overtime hours, pay, and any additions to or deductions made from their pay, so workers can be sure they’re getting paid what they’re owed.

8. Streamline Implementation and Overall Contractor Reporting: The Executive Order directs the General Services Administration to develop a single website for contractors to meet their reporting requirements—for this order and for other contractor reporting.  Contractors will only have to provide information to one location, even if they hold multiple contracts across different agencies.  The desire to “report once in one place” is a key theme in the feedback received from current and potential contractors.  This step is one in a series of actions to make the federal marketplace more attractive to the best contractors, more accessible to small businesses and other new entrants, and more affordable to taxpayers.

Part of the basic American bargain is that if you take responsibility, work hard and play by the rules, workers can count on fair wages, freedom from discrimination on the job, and safe and equitable workplaces. Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used by unscrupulous employers to drive down living standards for our families, neighbors, and communities.  By creating incentives for better compliance and a process for helping contractors come into compliance with basic workplace protection laws, the Executive Order is basic good government that will increase efficiency in federal contracting and will help strengthen our workforce and our economy.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2014

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:

  • Manson K. Brown – Assistant Secretary for Environmental Observation and Prediction, Department of Commerce
  • Carmen Amalia Corrales – Member, Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
  • Rafael J. López  – Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services

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

  • Evan Jonathan Wallach – Member, Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy
  • Christopher P. Lu – Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China
  • Tom Malinowski – Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China
  • Danny Russel – Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China
  • Stefan M. Selig – Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China
  • Sarah Sewall – Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China
  • Peggy L. Brookins – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • Kent McGuire – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • Evelynn M. Hammonds – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • Michael T. Nettles – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • Spencer Overton – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • Becky Pringle – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • John Rice – Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans
  • Regina Stanback Stroud – Member, President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans

Members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China will continue serving in their current roles in addition to these appointments.

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 nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Environmental Observation and Prediction, Department of Commerce

Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown served as Deputy Commandant for Mission Support for the U.S. Coast Guard from 2012 to 2014.  He served as Commander of Coast Guard Pacific Area in California from 2010 to 2012 and as Commander of Coast Guard District 14 in Hawaii from 2008 to 2010.  Vice Admiral Brown’s previous tours of duty include Assistant Engineering Officer aboard the icebreaker “Glacier” and command of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu and Group Charleston.  In 2006, he assumed command of the Maintenance & Logistics Command Pacific of the Coast Guard, where he had previously served as Assistant Chief of the Civil Engineering Division.  In 2004, he served as Senior Advisor for Transportation to Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad, Iraq.  In 2003, Vice Admiral Brown served as the Chief of Officer Personnel Management at the Coast Guard Personnel Command.  From 1999 to 2002, he was the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Transportation.  He received a B.S. from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, an M.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an M.S. from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Carmen Amalia Corrales, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Carmen Amalia Corrales is a Partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, a position she has held since 1998.  Prior to joining Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in 1990, Ms. Corrales served as a judicial clerk for Justice Marie Garibaldi of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1989 to 1990.  She is a member of the Committee for the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, a Trustee of Bloomfield College, a member of the Board of Directors of the Academy of Political Science, and a member of the Board of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.  Ms. Corrales received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Rafael J. López, Nominee for Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services

Rafael J. López is a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President, a position he has held since 2013.  From 2010 to 2013, he was an Associate Director at the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  From 2009 to 2010, Mr. López served as the President and CEO of The Family League of Baltimore City, Inc.  From 2006 to 2009, he served as the Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families.  Mr. López was Deputy Director of the City and County of San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families in 2006 and was Senior Deputy for Health and Human Services for Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina from 2005 to 2006.  From 1999 to 2004, he served as the founding Executive Director of First 5 Santa Cruz County.  Mr. López received a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

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

Judge Evan Jonathan Wallach, Appointee for Member, Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy

Judge Evan Jonathan Wallach serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a position he has held since 2011.  He previously served on the U.S. Court of International Trade from 1995 to 2011.  He was a litigation partner at the law firm of Lionel Sawyer & Collins in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1982 to 1995.  He served as General Counsel and Public Policy Advisor to Senator Harry Reid from 1987 to 1988, and served in the Nevada National Guard as a Judge Advocate from 1989 to 1995.  Judge Wallach was an attorney in the International Affairs Division of the Judge Advocate of the Army at the Department of Defense.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971, where his awards included the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, and the RVN Cross of Gallantry with Palm.  Judge Wallach received a B.A. from the University of Arizona, a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and an L.L.B. from the University of Cambridge.

Christopher P. Lu, Appointee for Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China

Christopher P. Lu is the Deputy Secretary of Labor, a position he has held since April 2014.  Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.  In 2013, he was a Fellow at The University of Chicago Institute of Politics and the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy.  From 2009 to 2013, Mr. Lu was Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary at the White House.  In 2008, he served as Executive Director of the Obama-Biden Transition Project.  From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Lu served as Legislative Director and then as Acting Chief of Staff for then-Senator Barack Obama.  From 1997 to 2005, Mr. Lu was Deputy Chief Counsel of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (Minority Staff).  He began his career as a law clerk to Judge Robert E. Cowen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and as an attorney at Sidley Austin, LLP.  He was Co-Chair of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 2011 to 2013.  Mr. Lu received an A.B. from Princeton University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Tom Malinowski, Appointee for Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China

Tom Malinowski is the Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the Department of State (DOS), a position he has held since April 2014.  Previously, from 2001 to 2014, he was the Washington Director for Human Rights Watch.  From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Malinowski served as a Senior Director for Foreign Policy Speechwriting on the National Security Staff at the White House, and from 1994 to 1998 he was a speechwriter and member of the Policy Planning Staff at DOS.  Earlier in his career, he was a Research Assistant for the Ford Foundation from 1992 to 1993 and served as a Special Assistant to U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan in 1988.  Mr. Malinowski received a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.Phil. from Oxford University.

Danny Russel, Appointee for Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China

Danny Russel is the Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State, a position he has held since July 2013.  Previously, from 2011 to 2013, he served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs.  From 2009 and 2011, Mr. Russel served as the Director for Japan, South Korea, and North Korea on the National Security Council and was the U.S. Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, Japan from 2005 to 2008.  From 2002 to 2005, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, and from 1999 to 2002 he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus.  Mr. Russel was Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 1997 to 1999, and served as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary from 1995 to 1996.  He served as Political Section Unit Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea from 1992 to 1995, Political Advisor to the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1989 to 1992, and Branch Office Manager and Vice Counsel in Nagoya and Osaka, Japan from 1985 to 1989. 

Stefan M. Selig, Appointee for Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China

Stefan M. Selig is the Under Secretary for International Trade at the Department of Commerce, a position he has held since June 2014.  From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Selig was the Executive Vice Chairman of Global Corporate and Investment Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.  From 1999 to 2009, he held various leadership roles at Banc of America Securities, including Vice Chairman of Global Investment Banking and Global Head of Mergers and Acquisitions.  From 1992 to 1999, Mr. Selig held various senior investment banking positions, including Co-Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at UBS Securities.  In 1988, he was a founding partner of Wasserstein Perella & Co.  Earlier in his career, he worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at The First Boston Corporation and also served on the Board of Directors of Service for the UnderServed. Mr. Selig received a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Dr. Sarah Sewall, Appointee for Member, Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China

Dr. Sarah Sewall is the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the Department of State, a position she has held since February 2014.  Previously, she was a Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a visiting professor at the Naval War College.  In 2012, she was Minerva Chair at the Naval War College, and from 2006 to 2009 she served as the Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University.  Dr. Sewall joined the Kennedy School in 2000 as Director of the National Security and Human Rights Program and founded the Mass Atrocity Response Operations Project and the Project on the Means of Intervention.  From 1998 to 1999, Dr. Sewall was Associate Director at the Committee on International Security Studies at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and she was a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow at Harvard’s Program on Negotiations in 1997.  From 1993 to 1996, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance at the Department of Defense.  She was Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell from 1987 to 1996.  In 2008, she directed the National Security Agency Review for the Obama-Biden Transition.  Dr. Sewall received a B.A. from Harvard University and a D.Phil. from Oxford University.

Peggy L. Brookins, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Peggy L. Brookins is the Co-Founder, Director, and Mathematics Instructor for the Engineering and Manufacturing Institute of Technology at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, where she has worked since 1978.  Ms. Brookins has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, inBloom, The Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences Ad Hoc Committee on Teachers as Professionals, the Content Technical Working Group for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, and as a commissioner on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.  Ms. Brookins has been inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame and is a Florida Education Association “Everyday Hero.” She is an Aspen Ideas Scholar, a National Board Certified Teacher, and received the Florida Education Association Excellence in Teaching Award.  Ms. Brookins received a B.S. from the University of Florida.

Dr. Kent McGuire, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Dr. Kent McGuire is the President of the Southern Education Foundation (SEF), a position he has held since 2010.  Prior to joining SEF, Dr. McGuire served as Dean of the College of Education at Temple University from 2003 to 2010, where he was a tenured professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.  Dr. McGuire was a Senior Vice President at MDRC, Inc. from 2001 to 2003, and served as Assistant Secretary of Educational Research and Improvement at the Department of Education from 1997 to 2001.  From 1994 to 1997, Dr. McGuire was a Program Officer at Pew Charitable Trusts, and from 1990 to 1994 he was a Program Director at Lilly Endowment, Inc.  He currently serves on a number of boards, including Cornerstone Literacy, the Harwood Institute, the Institute for Education Leadership, and The New Teacher Project.  Dr. McGuire received a B.A. from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from Columbia University Teacher’s College, and a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Denver.

Dr. Evelynn M. Hammonds, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Dr. Evelynn M. Hammonds is the Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University.  She has served as a Member of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities since 2010.  From 2008 to 2013, Dr. Hammonds served as Dean of Harvard College and from 2005 to 2008 she was Senior Vice President for Faculty Development and Diversity at Harvard University.  Dr. Hammonds joined the Harvard faculty after teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1993 to 2002, where she founded the Center for the Study of Diversity in Science, Technology, and Medicine.  She is a member of the Committee on Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering, and serves on a number of boards, including the Board of Overseers of the Museum of Science in Boston and the Board of Trustees of Spelman College.  Dr. Hammonds received a B.S. from Spelman College, a B.E.E. from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an S.M. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Dr. Michael T. Nettles, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Dr. Michael T. Nettles is Senior Vice President and the Edmund W. Gordon Chair of the Policy Evaluation and Research Center at Educational Testing Service (ETS), positions he has held since 2006 and 2003, respectively.  He was previously Vice President of Policy Evaluation and Research from 2004 to 2006 and Executive Director of Policy Research from 2003 to 2004.  Dr. Nettles was a Professor of Education at the University of Michigan from 1992 to 2003, and served as the first Executive Director of the Fredrick D. Patterson Research Institute of the United Negro College Fund from 1996 to 1999.  Dr. Nettles previously served as Vice President for Assessment at the University of Tennessee System from 1989 to 1992, and was a Research Scientist at ETS from 1984 to 1989.  He was Assistant Director for Academic Affairs for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission from 1981 to 1984.  He serves on the boards of a number of organizations, including the Southern Education Foundation, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, Bank Street College of Education, and the Corporate and Philanthropic Council of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.  Dr. Nettles received a B.A. from the University of Tennessee, and an M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. from Iowa State University.

Spencer Overton, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Spencer Overton is a Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law School (GWU), a position he has held since 2002.  Mr. Overton is currently on leave from GWU, while he serves as the interim President of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.  He also took a leave of absence from 2009 to 2010 to serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice.  From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Overton was an Acting Professor of Law at the University of California, King Hall School of Law, and from 1999 to 2000 he was a Charles Hamilton Houston Fellow at Harvard Law School.  Mr. Overton practiced law at Debevoise & Plimpton from 1997 to 2000 and at Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen, and Freeman from 1994 to 1996.  He began his career as a clerk for the Honorable Damon J. Keith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 1993 to 1994.  Mr. Overton received a B.A. from Hampton University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Becky Pringle, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Becky Pringle is the Secretary-Treasurer of the National Education Association (NEA), a position she has held since 2008.  Ms. Pringle previously served as a member of NEA’s Executive Committee and spent 31 years as a middle school science teacher in the Susquehanna School District in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Ms. Pringle has served on the Board of Directors for the NEA and for the Pennsylvania State Education Association.  She has chaired the NEA Reading Task Force, NEA Elementary and Secondary Education Act Advisory Committee, and the workgroup that developed the NEA’s Policy Statement on Teacher Evaluation and Accountability.  During her tenure on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Ms. Pringle was elected Finance Chair.  She also served on the Blue Ribbon Panel on Teacher Preparation commissioned by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and currently serves on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.  She has received numerous awards, including the Pennsylvania Academy’s Teaching Excellence Award.  Ms. Pringle received a B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. from Pennsylvania State University.

John Rice, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans

John Rice is the Founder and CEO of Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT).  Mr. Rice founded MLT in 1994 and became its full-time CEO in 2000.  He has served as a Member of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities since 2010.  Mr. Rice previously worked for the National Basketball Association (NBA) as managing director of NBA Japan from 1998 to 2000 and as director of marketing for NBA Latin America from 1996 to 1998.  Mr. Rice worked for the Walt Disney Company in new business development and marketing from 1992 to 1996, and worked for AT&T as an account executive from 1988 to 1990.  Mr. Rice serves on the Board of Trustees of Yale University, is a Director of Walker & Dunlop Inc., and serves on the boards of several non-profits, including the American Management Association, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and LIFT.  Mr. Rice received a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. 

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud is currently the President of Skyline College in San Bruno, California, a position she has held since 2011.  She previously served as the Vice President of Instruction at Skyline College from 2001 to 2010.  From 1997 to 2001, she was the Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Mission College in Santa Clara, California.  Prior to that, Dr. Stanback Stroud was a Nursing Professor at Rancho Santiago College from 1985 to 1997 and at Craven Community College from 1983 to 1985.  From 1993 to 1995, she served in various leadership roles on the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.  Dr. Stanback Stroud received a B.S.N. from Howard University, an M.S. from Golden Gate University, and an M.A. and an Ed.D. from Mills College.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2014

G-7 Leaders Statement on Ukraine

We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council, and the President of the European Commission, join in expressing our grave concern about Russia’s continued actions to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.  We once again condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, and actions to de-stabilize eastern Ukraine.  Those actions are unacceptable and violate international law.

We condemn the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and the deaths of 298 innocent civilians.  We demand a prompt, full, unimpeded, and transparent international investigation.  We call upon all sides to establish, maintain, and fully respect a cease-fire at and around the crash site, as demanded by UN Security Council resolution 2166, so that the investigators can take up their work and to recover the remains of all victims and their personal possessions.

This terrible event should have marked a watershed in this conflict, causing Russia to suspend its support for illegal armed groups in Ukraine, secure its border with Ukraine, and stop the increasing flow of weapons, equipment, and militants across the border in order to achieve rapid and tangible results in de-escalation.

Regrettably, however, Russia has not changed course.  This week, we have all announced additional coordinated sanctions on Russia, including sanctions on specific companies operating in key sectors of the Russian economy.  We believe it is essential to demonstrate to the Russian leadership that it must stop its support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine and tangibly participate in creating the necessary conditions for the political process.

We remain convinced that there must be a political solution to the current conflict, which is causing rising numbers of civilian casualties.  We call for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine and underline the need to implement President Poroshenko’s peace plan without any further delay.  To this end, we urge all parties to establish a swift, genuine, and sustainable general cease-fire on the basis of the Berlin Declaration of 2 July with the aim of maintaining Ukraine’s territorial integrity.  We call upon Russia to use its influence with the separatist groups and ensure effective border control, including through OSCE observers.   We support the OSCE and the Trilateral Contact Group as central players in creating the conditions for a ceasefire.

Russia still has the opportunity to choose the path of de-escalation, which would lead to the removal of these sanctions.  If it does not do so, however, we remain ready to further intensify the costs of its adverse actions.