The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Thirty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention Against Torture. Three years later, on this very day, the Convention entered into effect, memorializing the international community’s condemnation of this practice.  From the first days of his Administration, President Obama has made his position on torture clear: it is abhorrent, an instrument of repression, and a brutal assault on human dignity.  It weakens those that use it by affording their enemies a tool of recruitment.  Today, we reaffirm our solemn commitment to the Convention and our obligations under it.  We honor those who have faced the horrors of torture, remember those who have lost their lives in the face of it, and renew our pledge to the struggle against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment throughout the world. To the governments, civil society organizations, survivors, and others working worldwide to combat torture’s horrors, we share our gratitude for your efforts and assurance of our lasting partnership.  The United States will continue to strive with you to achieve the Convention’s noble aspirations, so that we may all come to live in a world without torture.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Letter from the President -- FY 2015 Budget Amendments

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 26, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I ask the Congress to consider the enclosed Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Budget amendments for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State and Other International Programs (State/OIP) to fund Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). These amendments would provide $58.6 billion for DOD OCO activities, which is $20.9 billion less than the $79.4 billion placeholder for DOD OCO in the FY 2015 Budget. It would also provide $1.4 billion for State/OIP OCO activities, which is in addition to the $5.9 billion for State/OIP included in the FY 2015 Budget. Overall, these amendments would decrease the total OCO funding requested for FY 2015 by $19.5 billion.

Final decisions about the number and activities of U.S. forces in Afghanistan after December 2014 had not yet been made at the time the FY 2015 Budget was submitted. As a result, the Budget included a placeholder for DOD FY 2015 OCO funding equivalent to the amount requested in the FY 2014 Budget. The Administration noted in the FY 2015 Budget that after determining required force levels in Afghanistan, a Budget amendment updating the OCO request would be submitted to the Congress. The enclosed amendments include the necessary updates to the OCO request in order to fund military operations in Afghanistan, a significant portion of the U.S. military presence around the Middle East, the Administration's proposed Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund and European Reassurance Initiative, and State/OIP peacekeeping costs in the Central African Republic.

The details of these amendments are set forth in the enclosed letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Letter from the President -- War Powers Resolution Letter regarding Iraq

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE

June 26, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

As I reported on June 16, 2014, U.S. Armed Forces personnel have deployed to Iraq to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

I have since ordered further measures in response to the situation in Iraq. Specifically, as I announced publicly on June 19, I have ordered increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance that is focused on the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). I also ordered up to approximately 300 additional U.S. Armed Forces personnel in Iraq to assess how we can best train, advise, and support Iraqi security forces and to establish joint operations centers with Iraqi security forces to share intelligence and coordinate planning to confront the threat posed by ISIL. Some of these personnel were already in Iraq as part of the U.S. Embassy's Office of Security Cooperation, and others began deploying into Iraq on June 24. These forces will remain in Iraq until the security situation becomes such that they are no longer needed.

This action is being undertaken in coordination with the Government of Iraq and has been directed consistent with my responsibility to protect U.S. citizens both at home and abroad, and in furtherance of U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.

I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in these actions.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to Attend the Final Match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to attend the Final Match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Rio de Janeiro on July 13, 2014.

The Honorable Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, United States Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Department of State

The Honorable Jonathan McBride, Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Personnel

Mr. John P. Bilbrey, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Hershey Company

Mr. Cobi Jones, Three-time U.S. Men’s World Cup Player, Former Major League Soccer Player and Sports Broadcaster

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Readout of National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice’s Meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore

National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met yesterday with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore at the White House.  Ambassador Rice and Prime Minister Lee discussed our excellent bilateral military, economic, and political cooperation, as well as a number of our shared regional and global priorities.  In particular, they discussed concerns over a pattern of destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea, and reiterated their shared commitment to international law, freedom of navigation and the peaceful resolution of maritime and territorial disputes.  President Obama joined the meeting to reaffirm our appreciation of our strong partnership with Singapore and to discuss some of our top regional priorities, specifically completing TPP and China and tensions in the South China Sea.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Statement by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice on the Killing of Salwa Bugaighis

The United States strongly condemns yesterday's brutal and senseless murder of human rights and civil society activist Salwa Bugaighis in Benghazi, Libya.  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Salwa in Libya in November 2011, soon after the ouster of Qadhafi.  I was deeply impressed by her courage, leadership and dedication to building a peaceful, democratic Libya where the rights and freedoms of all Libyan women and men are respected and protected.  We join the Libyan people in mourning the loss of Salwa Bugaighis and call on all Libyans to reject violent extremists seeking to silence their opponents and derail the aspirations of the Libyan people. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2014

Statement by the President on the Elections in Libya

I congratulate the Libyan people on the conclusion of the elections for a new Council of Representatives, a milestone in their courageous efforts to transition from four decades of dictatorship toward a full democracy.  While yesterday’s vote demonstrates the power of individual Libyans in determining their future, we recognize that elections are just one step in Libya’s broader democratic transition.  Libya’s new government must now focus on building consensus to address the challenges of establishing security, providing effective public services, and ensuring an inclusive political process.  The United States calls on all parties to renounce violence and resolve differences through political dialogue and participation in the democratic process.  The United States was proud to support the Libyan people in the darkest days of their revolution and through their efforts to end the Qadhafi regime, and we remain committed to supporting the Libyan people as they work to lay the foundations of a democratic society during this challenging yet historic time.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
June 25, 2014

Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore

The Vice President met today with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore at the White House, their third meeting since April 2013. The Vice President and the Prime Minister affirmed the importance of the strategic and economic partnership between the United States and Singapore, and consulted on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. The Vice President thanked the Prime Minister for Singapore’s leadership in shaping a more peaceful and prosperous Southeast Asia. The two leaders discussed mutual concerns over a pattern of destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea and reiterated their mutual interest in international law, freedom of navigation, and the peaceful resolution of maritime and territorial disputes. The Vice President reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the rebalance to Asia and highlighted U.S. efforts to deepen its engagement with the region on the political, security, and economic fronts. Noting the advanced state of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the two leaders agreed on the importance of working together to finalize an ambitious, high-standard agreement as soon as possible. The Vice President underscored the importance of working to establish new rules of the road to meet the world’s economic needs in the 21st century. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 25, 2014

Readout of the President’s Call with Prime Minister Renzi of Italy

The President spoke today with Prime Minister Renzi of Italy about the latest developments in Ukraine.  They agreed on the importance of the Government of Ukraine and the separatists continuing discussions to implement the peace plan put forward by President Poroshenko.  They also stressed the need for Russia to use its influence over separatist groups to persuade them to abide by the cease-fire and for Russia to take immediate concrete steps to stop the flow of weapons and militants across the border.  The leaders agreed we will continue to coordinate measures to impose additional costs on Russia if it fails to take rapid action to deescalate the situation in eastern Ukraine.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 25, 2014

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Panama to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Panama City, Panama to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez, President-elect of the Republic of Panama on July 1, 2014.

The Honorable John F. Kerry, Secretary of State, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Jonathan D. Farrar, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Panama, Department of State

The Honorable Deval L. Patrick, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Honorable Roberta S. Jacobson, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs