Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Madeline Cox Arleo, of New Jersey, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey, vice Dennis M. Cavanaugh, retired.

Amos L. Mazzant, III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, vice T. John Ward, retired.

Robert Lee Pitman, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas, vice W. Royal Furgeson, Jr., retired.

Robert William Schroeder III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, vice David Folsom, retired.

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

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Obama nominated Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III, Robert Lee Pitman, and Robert William Schroeder III to serve on the United States District Courts.

“Throughout their careers, these nominees have displayed unwavering commitment to justice and integrity,” said President Obama.  “Their records of public service are distinguished and impressive and I am confident that they will serve the American people well from the United States District Court bench.  I am honored to nominate them today.”

Judge Madeline Cox Arleo:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

Judge Madeline Cox Arleo has served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey since 2000.  Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Arleo was a partner at Tompkins, McGuire, Wachenfeld & Barry, LLP from 1998 to 2000, where her practice focused on civil litigation in state and federal courts.  She worked at the law firms of Barry & McMoran from 1994 to 1998 and Clapp & Eisenberg from 1990 to 1994.  Judge Arleo began her legal career as a law clerk to Justice Marie L. Garibaldi of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1989 to 1990.  She received her J.D. summa cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1989, her M.A. from Rutgers University in 1986, and her B.A. from Rutgers College in 1985.

Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III has served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Texas since 2009.  Previously, he was a Justice on the Court of Appeals for the Fifth District of Texas at Dallas from 2004 to 2009.  From 2003 to 2004, he was Of Counsel at Wolfe, Tidwell & McCoy, LLP.  Judge Mazzant served as a law clerk for Magistrate Judge Don D. Bush of the Eastern District of Texas in 2003 and for Magistrate Judge Robert Faulkner of the Eastern District of Texas from 1993 to 2003.  From 1992 to 1993, he worked at the law firm Henderson Bryant & Wolfe.  Judge Mazzant began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Paul Brown in the Eastern District of Texas from 1990 to 1992.  He received his J.D. from Baylor University School of Law in 1990 and his B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 1987. 

Robert Lee Pitman:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas

Robert Lee Pitman has served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas since 2011.  He previously served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Texas from 2003 to 2011.  Prior to his appointment to the bench, Pitman served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Texas from 1990 to 2003, serving as interim United States Attorney in 2001 and as Deputy United States Attorney from 2001 to 2003.  He worked as an associate at the law firm Fulbright & Jaworski from 1989 to 1990 and served as a law clerk to Judge David O. Belew Jr. of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas from 1988 to 1989.  He received his J.D. in 1988 from the University of Texas at Austin and his B.S. from Abilene Christian University in 1985.  Pitman also received a Master of Studies in Legal Research degree from the University of Oxford in 2011. 

Robert William Schroeder III:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

Robert William Schroeder III has been a partner at the law firm Patton, Tidwell, Schroeder & Culbertson, LLP and its predecessor firm since 2003, where he handles complex civil litigation in both federal and state court.  Prior to joining the firm in 1999, Schroeder served as a law clerk for Judge Richard S. Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from 1997 to 1999.  He worked in the Office of the White House Counsel as Associate Counsel to the President in 1997 and as Assistant Counsel to the President from 1995 to 1996.  Schroeder received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law in 1994 and his B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1989. 

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:

• Christopher Hart – Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board
• John W. Leslie, Jr. – Member, Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation, and upon appointment to be designated Chairperson 

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

• Donald L. Pereira – Commissioner, United States Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
• Douglas L. Stang – Commissioner, United States Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission 

President Obama said, “These fine public servants bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles.  Our nation will be well-served by these individuals, 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:

Christopher Hart, Nominee for Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board

Christopher Hart is currently a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), where he has served since 2009.  He is also Vice Chairman of the NTSB, a position he held since October 2013 and previously from 2009 to 2013.  Prior to joining the NTSB, Mr. Hart was the Deputy Director for Air Traffic Safety Oversight at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 2005 to 2009 and was the Assistant Administrator for System Safety at the FAA from 1995 to 2005.  From 1994 to 1995, Mr. Hart was Deputy Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  He was a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1990 to 1993.  He was Managing Partner at Hart & Chavers from 1981 to 1990 and Associate Attorney at Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin from 1979 to 1981.  Mr. Hart served as the Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Environmental, Civil Rights, and General Law at the Department of Transportation from 1977 to 1979.  Mr. Hart was an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the Air Transport Association of America from 1976 to 1977 and an Associate Attorney at Peabody, Rivlin, Lambert & Meyers from 1973 to 1976.  He is a licensed pilot with commercial, multi-engine, and instrument ratings.  Mr. Hart received a B.S.E. and M.S. from Princeton University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. 

John W. Leslie, Jr., Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation, and upon appointment to be designated Chairperson

John W. Leslie, Jr. is currently Chairman of Weber Shandwick, a position he has held since 2001.  He has also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation since 2003 and as its Chairperson since 2009.  From 1985 to 2001, Mr. Leslie was President of Bozell Sawyer Miller.  Previously, Mr. Leslie was Chairman of the Board of the United States Association for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and a participant in UNHCR Missions to Afghanistan in 1998, Kosovo in 1999, and Tanzania in 2001.  He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Chairman of the U.S. Agency for International Development Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid.  Mr. Leslie received a B.S. from Georgetown University.

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

Dr. Donald L. Pereira, Appointee for Commissioner, United States Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Dr. Donald L. Pereira is Chief of the Section of Fisheries at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, a position he has held since 2013.  He has held various positions at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources since 1983, including Fisheries Research and Policy Manager, Fisheries Research Program Supervisor, and Senior Fisheries Research Biologist.  He was a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant at the University of Minnesota from 1987 to 1991.  Dr. Pereira joined the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission’s Council of Lake Committees in 2007, and served as its Vice Chairman from 2011 to 2013 before becoming Chairman.  He also served on the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s Board of Technical Experts from 2009 to 2013.  Dr. Pereira received a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Vermont and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Douglas L. Stang, Appointee for Commissioner, United States Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Douglas L. Stang is Assistant Director for Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, a position he has held since 2007.  He has held multiple positions at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation since 1985, including Chief of the Bureau of Fisheries, Supervising Aquatic Biologist, and Senior Aquatic Biologist.  Previously, he was a Research Associate at Iowa State University from 1982 to 1985 and a Graduate Research Assistant from 1980 to 1982.  Mr. Stang began his career as Fisheries Technician at the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries in 1978.  He is a Life Member of the American Fisheries Society and served as President of its Fisheries Administration Section from 2003 to 2005.  Mr. Stang received a B.S. in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and an M.S. in Fishery Biology from Iowa State University.

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

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

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

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

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

Operation Enduring Freedom and Related Missions

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

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

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

Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund

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

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

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

Enabling and Supporting Partners ($3 billion) 

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

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

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

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

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

Regional Stabilization Initiative ($1.5 billion)

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

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

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

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

Crisis Response ($500 million)

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

European Reassurance Initiative

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

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

Peacekeeping Response

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