Statement by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice on Meriam Yahya Ibrahim Ishag

The United States is delighted that Meriam Yahya Ibrahim Ishag is now safe and free and will soon be traveling to the United States. For months, Americans of all faiths kept Ms. Ishag in their thoughts and prayers as Sudanese authorities sentenced her to death for the alleged crime of apostasy. Today, she and her family have left Sudan on their journey to freedom. Her departure with her immediate family—including her infant daughter, born in custody—is a testament to her unyielding faith and the support she received from friends and allies, including our Embassy in Khartoum and the broader US government.

On behalf of the American people, I am proud to celebrate the arrival of Ms. Ishag and her family in Rome.  We look forward to the day when they arrive in America. In addition to heralding the tireless efforts of my U.S. government colleagues to ensure her safety, I also want to extend my profound thanks to the Italian Government for its dedicated efforts on their behalf. Ms. Ishag’s freedom, while meaningful in its own right, also serves as a reminder that all countries, including Sudan, must uphold the universal right to freedom of religion. The United States has and will continue to support those denied this freedom, drawing strength from Ms. Ishag’s example.  

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:

• Tom Frieden – Representative of the United States on the Executive Board of the World Health Organization

• Perry L. Holloway – Ambassador to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Department of State
• Willie E. May – Under Secretary for Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce
• Therese  W. McMillan – Federal Transit Administrator, Department of Transportation
• Pamela Leora Spratlen – Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Department of State

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

• Betsaida Alcantara  – Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Karen K. Narasaki  – Commissioner, United States Commission on Civil Rights
• Patricia Timmons-Goodson  – Commissioner, United States Commission on Civil Rights
• Michael P. Ross – Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

President Obama said, “I am proud that such experienced and committed individuals have agreed to serve the American people in these important roles.  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:

Dr. Tom Frieden, Nominee for Representative of the United States on the Executive Board of the World Health Organization

Dr. Tom Frieden is currently the Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a position he has held since 2009.  He served as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene from 2002 to 2009.  Previously, Dr. Frieden served at the CDC, where he was a Supervisory Medical Officer from 1995 to 2002 and a Medical Officer from 1992 to 1995.  While at the CDC, he received a secondment as a Medical Officer in the Southeast Asia Regional Office of the World Health Organization from 1996 to 2002, and from 1992 to 1996, he was on secondment as the Assistant Commissioner of Health and Director of the Bureau of Tuberculosis Control at the New York City Department of Health.  During his tenure at the CDC, Dr. Frieden also taught as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Public Health (Epidemiology) at the Columbia University School of Public Health from 1993 to 2002, and served as a Technical Advisor to the Health and Population Offices of the World Bank on missions between 1995 and 2001.  Dr. Frieden received a B.A. from Oberlin College and an M.P.H. and M.D. from Columbia University.

Perry L. Holloway, Nominee for Ambassador to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Department of State

Perry L. Holloway, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, served most recently as the Political-Military Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan from 2013 to 2014.  From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Holloway was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, and from 2009 to 2010 he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay.  Previously, he served as the Director of the Narcotics Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota from 2007 to 2009, and as Deputy Director from 2005 to 2007.  From 2004 to 2005, Mr. Holloway was the Andean Counterdrug Initiative Coordinator at the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the Department of State.  He also served as the Director of the Narcotics Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, Guatemala from 2000 to 2003, as a General Services Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador from 1997 to 2000, and as an Administrative Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana, Mexico from 1994 to 1997.  From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Holloway was a General Services Officer at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador, and from 1990 to 1991 he served as Staff Assistant to the Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.  He began his career as a Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota from 1989 to 1990.  Mr. Holloway received a B.A. from Wofford College, an M.A. from the University of South Carolina, and an M.A. from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. 

Dr. Willie E. May, Nominee for Under Secretary for Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce

Dr. Willie E. May currently serves as the Associate Director for Laboratory Programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the Department of Commerce, a position he has held since 2011.  Since 1982, Dr. May has led research and measurement service programs in chemistry and biology related areas and served in various leadership positions at NIST, including Director of the Material Measurement Laboratory, Director of the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, and Chief of the Analytical Chemistry Division.  Dr. May is the Vice President of the International Committee on Weights and Measures (CIPM) and President of CIPM’s Consultative Committee on Metrology in Chemistry and Biology.  He is a Member of the Executive Board for the Joint Committee on Traceability in Laboratory Medicine and a Member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland, College Park’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.  Dr. May received a B.S. from Knoxville College and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Therese W. McMillan, Nominee for Federal Transit Administrator, Department of Transportation

Therese W. McMillan is currently Deputy Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), a position she has held since 2009.  Prior to joining the FTA, Ms. McMillan worked at the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in Oakland, California from 1984 to 2009.  At MTC, Ms. McMillan served in a variety of roles, including Deputy Executive Director from 2001 to 2009.  She also served as Manager for Finance and External Affairs from 1999 to 2000, Manager for Finance from 1993 to 1998,  Senior Planner from 1988 to 1993, and Associate Planner from 1984 to 1988.  From 1981 to 1983, she was a Research Analyst with Angus McDonald and Associates.  Ms. McMillan received a B.S. from the University of California, Davis and an M.C.P. and M.S. from the University of California, Berkeley. 

Ambassador Pamela Leora Spratlen, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Department of State

Ambassador Pamela Leora Spratlen, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, a position she has held since 2011.  Previously, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan from 2009 to 2011, and as Office Director for Western European Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the Department of State (DOS) from 2008 to 2009.  Ambassador Spratlen also served as Office Director for Central Asian Affairs in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at DOS from 2006 to 2008, as Special Assistant to the Counselor at DOS from 2005 to 2006, and as Diplomat-in-Residence at the East West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii from 2004 to 2005.  She served as Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Vladivostok, Russia from 2002 to 2004, as Assistance Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia from 2000 to 2002, as Staff Officer in the Executive Secretariat from 1998 to 1999, and as Special Assistant to the Ambassador of the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris, France from 1995 to 1998.  From 1992 to 1994, she was a Special Assistant to the Ambassador/Trade Officer at the U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States from 1992 to 1994, and served as an Entry-Level Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, Guatemala from 1990 to 1992.  Earlier in her career, she was a Principal Consultant for the California Assembly Committee on Ways and Means in Sacramento, California from 1984 to 1989 and a Program Budget Analyst on the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in Sacramento, California from 1981 to 1984.  Ambassador Spratlen received an A.B. from Wellesley College, an M.P.P. from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.S.S. from the U.S. Army War College.

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

Betsaida Alcantara, Appointee for Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development

Betsaida Alcantara is the Associate Administrator for Communications and Marketing at the General Services Administration (GSA), a position she has held since June 2013.  She previously served as Communications Director at GSA from 2012 to 2013.  From 2009 to 2012, Ms. Alcantara served at the Environmental Protection Agency as Press Secretary from 2011 to 2012 and as Deputy Press Secretary and Director of Specialty Media from 2009 to 2011.  Prior to joining the Administration, she was a Deputy Press Secretary for Obama for America in Florida from August to November 2008. Ms. Alcantara moved to Washington, D.C. in 2006 to work in the Office of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer as a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Fellow.  Ms. Alcantara received a B.A. from Bard College.

Karen K. Narasaki, Appointee for Commissioner, United States Commission on Civil Rights

Karen K. Narasaki is an independent civil and human rights consultant.  Ms. Narasaki was previously the President and Executive Director of the Asian American Justice Center from 1995 to 2012.  She was the Washington Representative for the Japanese American Citizens League from 1992 to 1994 and was a corporate attorney at Perkins Coie from 1986 to 1991.  Ms. Narasaki began her career as a law clerk for Judge Harry Pregerson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1985 to 1986.  Ms. Narasaki is currently Chair of the Asian American Diversity Advisory Council for Comcast/NBCU and Co-Chair of the Asian American Advisory Council for Nielsen.  She also manages the Shelby Response Fund for Public Interest Projects.  She has served on many boards and commissions throughout her career, including Vice Chair of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Chair of the Rights Working Group.  She is a board member for Common Cause, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Independent Sector, and the National Immigration Law Center.  Ms. Narasaki received a B.A. from Yale College and a J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. 

Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson, Appointee for Commissioner, United States Commission on Civil Rights

Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson was most recently an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina from 2006 to 2012. She served as an Associate Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals from 1997 to 2005 and a District Court Judge for the Twelfth District of North Carolina from 1984 to 1997.  Prior to her appointment to the District Court, Justice Timmons-Goodson was a Staff Attorney at Lumbee River Legal Services from 1983 to 1984 and was an Assistant District Attorney for the Twelfth Prosecutorial District of North Carolina from 1981 to 1983.  She began her career as a District Manager for the United States Census Bureau in the Department of Commerce from 1979 to 1980.  Justice Timmons-Goodson has served in several leadership positions with the American Bar Association, and is a member of the Guilford College Board of Trustees and the Advisory Committee of the North Carolina Judicial College.  Justice Timmons-Goodson received a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an L.L.M. from Duke University School of Law.

Michael P. Ross, Appointee for Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Michael P. Ross is Of Counsel at the law firm of Prince Lobel Tye LLP.  He is also an opinion columnist for the Boston Globe.  Previously, he served as a Member of the Boston City Council from 2000 to 2014, serving as its President from 2009 to 2010.  Mr. Ross is the son of Holocaust survivor Stephan Ross, whom he assisted in founding the New England Holocaust Memorial in 1995.  In 2012, Mr. Ross was named one of “Ten Outstanding Young Leaders” by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Ross received a B.A. from Clark University, an M.B.A. from Boston University, and a J.D. from Suffolk University.

President Obama Signs Iowa Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Iowa and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of June 14 -23, 2014.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in the counties of Allamakee, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, and Wright.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Michael L. Parker as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FACT SHEET: Increasing Investment in Rural America

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, the White House Rural Council will host the inaugural Rural Opportunity Investment Conference (ROI) to promote potential investment opportunities that exist throughout rural America. Top leaders from the business community and financial institutions, senior government officials, rural economic development experts and others from across the country, will come together to discuss ways to develop partnerships that create jobs, grow small businesses, and invest in critical rural infrastructure.

In conjunction with this event, the White House Rural Council is announcing a $10 billion dollar investment fund to promote rural economic development. This fund will continue to grow the rural economy by increasing access to capital for rural infrastructure projects and speeding up the process of rural infrastructure improvements. The fund is immediately open for business and more investors can now add to the initial $10 billion in available capital.

The ROI conference and the new investment fund are part of the Obama Administration's ongoing efforts to promote investment in rural America, strengthen the nation’s infrastructure, and grow the U.S. economy. Since the creation of the White House Rural Council in 2011, the President has made historic investments in rural America designed to drive job growth, invest in rural education, provide emergency services, and address health disparities.

Public-Partnerships at Work

• Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund. The U.S. Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund represents a new approach to catalyzing private investment in infrastructure projects in rural America. CoBank, a national cooperative bank serving rural America and a member of the Farm Credit System, is the fund's anchor investor, committing $10 billion to get the fund off the ground. Capitol Peak Asset Management will manage the new fund and work to recruit more investors to add to CoBank’s initial commitment. The Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund will allow America's rural economy to continue its forward momentum by enhancing access to capital for rural infrastructure projects and speeding up the process of rural infrastructure improvements. The fund is immediately open for business and more investors can now add to the initial $10 billion in available capital. The new fund will allow a wide variety of new participants, including pension funds, endowments, foundations, and other institutional investors that have not traditionally had access to these markets to invest in rural development. In some cases, projects may be funded entirely through private sector dollars. In others, private dollars may be leveraged with and extend critical government loan and grant programs.  USDA and other agencies will help to identify rural projects in need of financing through the new fund and through other such private sources and public-private partnerships. Target investments will include rural community facilities (especially health care and educational facilities), rural water and wastewater systems, rural energy projects, rural broadband expansion efforts, local and regional food systems, and other rural infrastructure.
• Over $150 Million Investment Funds to Grow Small Businesses, Create Jobs in Rural America. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of an investment fund earlier this year that will help propel the growth of small businesses across rural America. The new rural equity fund will facilitate private equity investments in agriculture-related businesses. Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners, which will manage the new fund, and nine Farm Credit institution partners, have pledged to invest over $150 million into the new effort.   USDA programs have historically provided loans or loan guarantees to help rural businesses grow, but before the creation of the Rural Business Investment Program, many small cutting-edge businesses did not have the opportunity to obtain equity support.  With the creation and implementation of this new program, USDA is pleased to announce this first of multiple rural equity funds. USDA is currently accepting applications for additional new rural equity funds.
• $9.9 Million to Improve Health Care Quality and Address Rural Health Disparities.  The Department of Health and Human Services continues its efforts as part of the President's Improving Rural Health Care Initiative with $5.5 million to the Delta State Rural Development Network Grant program and $4.3 million for the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement grant program.  The Delta Network program invests in each of the eight States of the Delta region to address long-standing health care disparities.  The Small Health Care Provider Quality program supports 29 grants that help rural health clinics, community health centers and small rural hospitals improve health care outcomes for rural residents with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
• Supporting Small, Rural Businesses. Small businesses create about two out of every three jobs in the U.S. each year, and roughly half of working Americans either own or work for a small business.   Small businesses are particularly crucial to the rural economy.
  • Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative. The American Farm Bureau Federation and Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Global Social Enterprise Initiative are collaborating on a multi-year partnership providing tools and solutions to help strengthen rural America. In the partnership's inaugural year, the focus will be on building greater economic security by launching a Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative together with Startup Hoyas, Georgetown's Entrepreneurship Initiative. Several opportunities will be announced for people interested in rural issues across the U.S. to actively engage with Farm Bureau and the Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative, including an online educational series, the first of its kind rural entrepreneurship challenge and a national summit scheduled for October 14th at Georgetown University. The White House Rural Council will partner with Farm Bureau and Global Social Enterprise Initiative to plan the national summit at Georgetown University.
  • Made in Rural America. Earlier this year, the President directed the White House Rural Council to bring together federal resources to help rural businesses and leaders take advantage of new investment opportunities and access new customers and markets abroad. Department of Commerce Secretary Pritzker, Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, Small Business Administration Administrator Contreras-Sweet, US Trade Representative Froman, and Export-Import Bank Chairman Hochberg are leading forums in rural America this summer to highlight opportunities for rural manufactures, value added producers, and service providers to grow their businesses by expanding to international markets. The partnership will also host a “Made in Native America” forum this fall to help Native-owned businesses access export opportunities.
• Expanding Partnerships. The Administration recognizes that effective partnerships have a catalytic impact on achieving the Administration priorities, such as increasing opportunity and economic growth in rural America. Good ideas generated by the ROI Conference will be carried forward by the following partnership networks.
  • Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The newly stood up Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) takes an innovative approach to furthering conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of soil, water, and wildlife on a regional scale.  The program enables partners, using a competitive process, to propose conservation projects that will leverage federal dollars with non-profit, producer, and non-traditional investors in areas of the country with critical conservation needs. The RCPP will invest more than $1.2 billion in natural resource conservation with a goal of doubling that effort through partnership contributions over the next five years. 
  • Georgetown University Law Center's Public Private Partnership Symposium. In conjunction with the White House Rural Council's Rural Opportunity Investment Conference, the Georgetown University Law Center will introduce its inaugural Public Private Partnership Symposium. Over the coming year, the Georgetown Law will host three full-day sessions to advance the ideas and lessons discussed at the Rural Opportunity Investment Conference.  By bringing together private sector leaders, government officials, and academic scholars, the symposium will broaden opportunities for partnering, provide a venue for sharing knowledge and best practices, and promote economic growth.
  • The Build America Investment Initiative.  The Administration is committed to increasing public private partnerships and collaboration on U.S. infrastructure. Just last week, the President announced the new Build America Investment Initiative, which will use executive authorities to increase the flow of private capital into transportation, water, energy and other infrastructure sectors. The ROI conference will directly inform the ongoing work of the Build America Initiative, helping federal agencies to encourage more investment into rural communities and to key rural infrastructure sectors.
  • The Rural Health Philanthropy Partnership. This partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Rural Health Policy, Grantmakers in Health and the National Rural Health Association includes more than 30 State and regional Foundations and Trusts that seek to improve health care in rural communities.  In 2015, the Partnership is undertaking a Rural Funding Challenge with HHS dedicating $5 million and seeking a matched effort from the philanthropic community.

White House Rural Council's Sustained Support for the Rural Economy

Today's announcements build on three years of sustained work by the White House Rural Council to expand opportunity in all corners of rural America. The Rural Council has over twenty policy accomplishments supporting rural America in four priority areas: quality of life, innovation, economic opportunity, and conservation. These advancements will help ensure the development of a rural economy built to last. These actions include:

Increasing Capital Access for Rural Small Businesses

USDA and SBA committed to providing $175 million in microloans to small businesses in rural areas for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014, in addition to new business training and counseling opportunities. To date the two agencies have supported over $85 million to rural small businesses.

Accelerating Broadband Infrastructure Deployment

On June 14, 2012 President Obama signed an Executive Order to make broadband construction along Federal roadways and properties up to 90 percent cheaper and more efficient. U.S agencies that manage Federal properties and roads are partnering to offer carriers a single approach to leasing Federal assets for broadband deployment. Providing a uniform approach for broadband carriers to build networks is speeding the delivery of connectivity to communities, business, and schools in rural America. In order to further expand the nation’s broadband service, more than 25 cities and 60 national research universities are partnering to form "US Ignite." US Ignite is creating a new wave of services that will extend programmable broadband networks to 100 times the speed of today's internet.  To further leverage private-sector involvement, a three-day Application Summit was conducted this June at the headquarters of Juniper Networks in Silicon Valley.  This session made numerous connections that will strengthen rural and urban communities through innovative broadband applications.   In total, this partnership will improve services to Americans and drive job creation, promote innovation, and create new markets for American business.

U.S Department of Education Investing in Rural Schools

Through the national broadband plan, the Obama Administration is leveraging the power of technology to overcome distance and increase collaboration to accelerate student achievement in rural schools. The White House Rural Council partnered with the U.S Department of Education to deliver a new online community of practice groups for rural schools. This online tool is creating virtual communities of practice for educators to connect to resources, tools, colleagues, experts, and learned activities both within and beyond schools.  As part of the push for broadband in public schools, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investing $2 billion over the next two years to dramatically expand high-speed Internet connectivity for America's schools and libraries — connecting 20 million more students to next-generation broadband and wireless.  Private-sector companies have also committed more than $2 billion to deliver cutting-edge technologies to classrooms.  The Administration is using technology to break down geographic barriers and address rural isolation in education.

Local Food, Local Places

Recognizing the role local food systems can play in regional economic development, the Administration launched Local Food, Local Places in June, 2014.  This effort, a partnership between the US Department of Agriculture, the US Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Delta Regional Commission, provides direct technical assistance to twenty communities integrating local food production into their civic planning process.

Small Business Administration Investing in Rural Small Businesses

The Administration extended more than $400 million in FY 2011 of investments in rural America through the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Impact Investment Program, at no cost to taxpayers. Nearly $2 billion in additional funding will be invested by the end of fiscal year 2016. These investments will continue to help finance, grow, expand, and modernize rural small business operations around the country.

Promoting a Bioeconomy through BioPreferred

To support the Administration's "Blueprint for a Bioeconomy," the President is utilizing the purchasing power of the Federal government by directing Federal agencies to take additional steps to significantly increase the purchase of biobased products over the next two years, which will create thousands of new rural jobs and drive innovation where biobased products are grown and manufactured. Utilizing the existing BioPreferred program, the Federal government will use its procurement power to increase the purchasing and use of biobased products, promoting rural economic development, creating new jobs, and providing new markets for farm commodities. Biobased products include items like paints, soaps and detergents and are developed from plants, rather than chemicals or petroleum bases. The biobased products sector marries the two most important economic engines for rural America: agriculture and manufacturing.

Rural Jobs Accelerator

The "Rural Jobs Accelerator" links Federal programs to facilitate job creation and economic development in rural communities by utilizing regional development strategies. The "Rural Jobs Accelerator" allows multiple agencies to coordinate technical assistance and grant/loan programs so that a consortium of public and private rural entities can have a single access point within the Federal government, creating improved access, streamlining of programs, and better leveraging of resources. USDA, EDA, Delta Regional Authority, and Appalachian Regional Commission have leveraged approximately $9 million in funding, with additional technical support from various Federal agencies including Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Education.

Commercial Aviation Biofuels Partnership

The Navy, the Department of Energy, and USDA have joined forces to spur the creation of an advanced biofuels industry that will support commercial aviation, with a pledge of $510 million, over three years, under the Defense Production Act of 1950.

Unprecedented Investments in Rural America

U.S. Department of Agriculture

The White House Rural Council is chaired by Secretary Vilsack, who in his role as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture has made unprecedented state-by-state investments in rural America.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture works with thousands of farmers, ranchers and others living in rural communities every day and knows that there is no limit to the economic potential of rural America. Over the past five years, USDA has made significant investments to support those in rural America who drive the rural economy forward, carry out record conservation efforts, facilitate groundbreaking research, promote new markets for rural products, and provide a safe, affordable and nutritious food supply for American families. Secretary Vilsack invites the private sector to continue building innovative partnerships that drive investments, economic growth, and prosperity.