The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 13, 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:

  • Erica J. Barks Ruggles – Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda, Department of State
  • Brent Robert Hartley – Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, Department of State
  • Donald L. Heflin  – Ambassador to the Republic of Cabo Verde, Department of State
  • Earl Robert Miller – Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana, Department of State
  • David Pressman – Alternate Representative of the United States for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador 

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

  • John Anderson – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • Roger N. Beachy – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • Vicki Chandler – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • Robert M. Groves – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • James S. Jackson – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • Sethuraman Panchanathan– Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • Rodney Ewing  – Chairman, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
  • Sue Clark – Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
  • Linda Nozick – Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
  • Kenneth Peddicord – Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
  • Paul Turinsky – Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board 

President Obama said, “Our nation will be greatly served by the talent and expertise these individuals bring to their new roles. I am grateful they have agreed to serve in this Administration, and 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:

Erica J. Barks Ruggles, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda, Department of State

Erica J. Barks Ruggles, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Cape Town, South Africa, a position she has held since 2011.  From 2009 to 2011, she served as Deputy to the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.  From 2005 to 2008, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the Department of State (DOS).  From 2004 to 2005, Ms. Barks Ruggles was a Member of the Policy Planning Staff in the Office of the Secretary of State.  From 2001 to 2004, she served as the Economic Section Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway.  From 2000 to 2001, Ms. Barks Ruggles was an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution.  She was the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs at DOS from 1999 to 2000, and Director of African Affairs at the National Security Council from 1996 to 1999.  Ms. Barks Ruggles was a Line Officer in the Executive Secretariat at DOS in 1996 and was the Desk Officer in the Bureau of African Affairs from 1994 to 1996. From 1992 to 1994, she served as the Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras), India.  Ms. Barks Ruggles received a B.A. from Swarthmore College.

Brent Robert Hartley, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, Department of State

Brent Robert Hartley, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, is currently Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, a position he has held since 2012.  He served as Director for European Security and Political Affairs from 2010 to 2012, Country Director for Pakistan from 2008 to 2010, and Political-Military Counselor in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008.  From 2006 to 2007, he served as Deputy Director for European Security and Political Affairs.  He was Senior Advisor for International Relations at the National Counterterrorism Center from 2005 to 2006.  Prior to that, he served as Director for Regional Affairs in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism from 2003 to 2005.  Mr. Hartley was also Deputy Political Advisor to the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from 2000 to 2002, Political-Military Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to NATO from 1999 to 2000, and Senior Desk Officer for Cyprus from 1997 to 1999.  Earlier assignments at the State Department include: Political-Military Officer in the Office of Regional Nuclear Nonproliferation Affairs, Political-Military Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy, Political-Military Officer in the Office of European Security and Political Affairs, and Staff Assistant in the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs.  Mr. Hartley received a B.A. from Hampshire College and an M.S. from the National War College.

Donald L. Heflin, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Cabo Verde, Department of State

Donald L. Heflin, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is the Managing Director of the Visa Office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the Department of State, a position he has held since 2012.  He served as Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico from 2009 to 2012, and as Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Office of West African Affairs from 2006 to 2009.  From 2004 to 2006, Mr. Heflin was Deputy Director of the Office of African Regional and Security Affairs.  From 1999 to 2003, he served as Consul at the U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom.  Prior to that, he served as a Coordination Division Officer in the Visa Office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs from 1997 to 1999.  From 1995 to 1997, he was Rwanda/Burundi Desk Officer in the Office of Central African Affairs.  Mr. Heflin was Consul at the U.S. Embassy in Zambia from 1993 to 1995, and Consul and Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo, Mexico from 1992 to 1993.  Mr. Heflin was Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulates in Chennai (Madras), India and Lima, Peru.  Prior to joining the U.S. Foreign Service in 1987, Mr. Heflin was as an attorney in Mobile and Huntsville, Alabama.  Mr. Heflin received a B.A. from Birmingham-Southern College, a J.D. from the University of Alabama Law School, and an M.S. from the National War College.

Earl Robert Miller, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana, Department of State

Earl Robert Miller, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, is currently Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa, a position he has held since 2011.  Previously, he served with the Department of State (DOS) as Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in India from 2008 to 2011, Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia from 2004 to 2007, and Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia from 2000 to 2003.  Before that, he was Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Boston Field Office of the Diplomatic Security Service from 1998 to 2000 and Regional Security Officer in Botswana from 1995 to 1998.  Since joining DOS in 1987, he also served in the Diplomatic Security Service as Southern Africa Desk Officer, Special Agent in Miami, Assistant Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, and Special Agent in San Francisco.  Mr. Miller was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1985 to 1992, including a six-month tour when recalled to active duty during the Gulf War.  Prior to joining DOS, he served as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer from 1981 to 1984.  Mr. Miller received a B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and graduated from the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College.

David Pressman, Nominee for Alternate Representative of the United States for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador

David Pressman currently serves as the Counselor to the Permanent Representative at United States Mission to the United Nations, a position he has held since 2013.  From 2011 to 2013, he served as the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Pressman was detailed from DHS to serve as the Director for War Crimes and Atrocities on the National Security Council at the White House.  From 2009 to 2010, he served as Counselor to the Deputy Secretary at DHS.  Mr. Pressman co-founded the international human rights advocacy organization Not On Our Watch.  From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Pressman served as Special Assistant to Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.  He received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.

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

Dr. John Anderson, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

Dr. John Anderson is currently the President of the Illinois Institute of Technology, a position he has held since 2007.  From 2004 to 2007, Dr. Anderson served as Provost, University Vice President, and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University.  From 1976 to 2004, Dr. Anderson served in various roles at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), most recently as Dean of the College of Engineering from 1996 to 2004.  He also served as Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at CMU from 1983 to 1994 and Director of the Biomedical Engineering Program from 1980 to 1985.  Dr. Anderson was a University Professor at Carnegie Mellon from 1994 to 2004 and was a Professor of Chemical Engineering from 1979 to 2004.  He served as an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at CMU from 1976 to 1979. He began his career as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Cornell University from 1971 to 1976.  Dr. Anderson received a B.Ch.E. from the University of Delaware-Newark and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Dr. Roger N. Beachy, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

Dr. Roger N. Beachy is currently Founding Executive Director of the World Food Center at the University of California, Davis, a position he has held since January 2014.  In addition to this role, he has served as Professor Emeritus of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) since 2009.  In 2013, Dr. Beachy was Founding Executive Director and CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan.  He was the first Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the Department of Agriculture from 2009 to 2011. He was President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis from 1999 to 2009. From 1991 to 1998, he led the Division of Plant Biology at The Scripps Research Institute, serving as a Professor of Cell Biology and as Co-director of the International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology.  He was a member of the Biology Department at WUSTL from 1978 to 1991, where he was Professor and Director of the Center for Plant Science and Biotechnology. Dr. Beachy received a B.A. from Goshen College and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

Dr. Vicki Chandler, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

Dr. Vicki Chandler is currently the Chief Program Officer for the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Science Program, a position she has held since 2009.  Since 1997, Dr. Chandler has held a variety of positions at the University of Arizona, including Director of the BIO5 Institute, Co-Director of the BIO5 Institute, and Associate Director of the BIO5 Institute.  She served as Regents’ Professor from 2003 to 2011, Full Professor in the Molecular Cellular Biology Department and member of the Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics from 1998 to 2011, and Full Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences from 1997 to 2011.  She worked at the University of Oregon from 1985 to 1997, including as Full Professor from 1995 to 1997, Associate Professor from 1990 to 1995, and Assistant Professor from 1985 to 1990.  She was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Biology at Stanford University from 1983 to 1985 and was a Pre-doctoral Trainee in the laboratory of Dr. Keith R. Yamamoto at the University of California, San Francisco from 1978 to 1983.  Dr. Chandler received a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Robert M. Groves, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

Dr. Robert M. Groves is currently the Provost and Gerard Campbell SJ Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Georgetown University, positions he has held since 2012.  Prior to Georgetown University, Dr. Groves served as Director of the Census at the Department of Commerce from 2009 to 2012. He was a Research Professor at the University of Michigan from 2002 to 2012 and also a Research Professor at the University of Maryland from 1995 to 2012.  Dr. Groves was Director of the University of Michigan Survey Research Center Institute for Social Research from 2001 to 2009. He was the Program Director (Senior Research Scientist) at the University of Michigan Survey Research Center from 1988 to 1995, which included serving as Associate Director of the Census from 1990 to 1992. He received an A.B. from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Sociology, an M.A. in Statistics, and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

Dr. James S. Jackson, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

Dr. James S. Jackson is currently a Research Professor and Director of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, positions he has held since 2005.  He has served in a variety of roles at the University of Michigan since 1971.  He is also the University of Michigan’s Daniel Katz Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, a Faculty Associate in the Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture and Health, and Professor of Afroamerican and African Studies, positions he has held since 1995, 2001, and 2011, respectively.  He served on the Councils of the National Institute on Aging from 2005 to 2008 and the National Institute of Mental Health from 1989 to 1993.  Dr. Jackson was elected the W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow of the American Academy of Political and Social Science in 2012.  He was chosen as a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology in 2009, the Gerontological Society of America in 1991, and the American Psychological Association in 1989.  Dr. Jackson received a B.S. from Michigan State University, an M.A. from the University of Toledo, and a Ph.D. from Wayne State University.

Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan is the Senior Vice President of the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development at Arizona State University (ASU), a position he has held since 2011.  Since 1998, Dr. Panchanathan has held a number of positions at Arizona State University.  He has been a foundation chair professor in Computing and Informatics since 2009 and a founding Director of the Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing since 2001.  Dr. Panchanathan founded the ASU School of Computing and Informatics in 2006 and the Department of Biomedical Informatics in 2005.  Prior to working for ASU, Dr. Panchanathan served at the University of Ottawa as a founding Director of the Visual Computing and Communications Laboratory from 1990 to 1997, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering from 1994 to 1997, and Assistant Professor from 1989 to 1994.  He worked as a Data Communication Engineer for International Software India Limited in Chennai (Madras), India in 1986.  Dr. Panchanathan received a B.Sc. from the University of Madras, a B.E. from the Indian Institute of Science, an M.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. from the University of Ottawa, Canada.

Dr. Rodney Ewing, Appointee for Chairman, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Dr. Rodney Ewing is currently the Chairman and a Member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, positions he has held since 2012 and 2011, respectively.  Dr. Ewing became the Frank Stanton Professor in Nuclear Security in the Center for International Security and Cooperation and a Professor of Geological and Environmental Sciences in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University in 2014.  Prior to his current positions at Stanford, he held faculty appointments at the University of Michigan in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering from 2008 to 2013, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences from 1997 to 2013, and Geological Sciences from 1997 to 2013.  From 2010 to 2011, Dr. Ewing served as a visiting professor in the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University.  Dr. Ewing has been an Emeritus Regents' Professor at the University of New Mexico since 1997.  He held a number of position at the University of New Mexico from 1974 to 1997, including Adjunct Professor of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Regents’ Professor, Associate and Assistant Professor, and Chair of the Department of Geology.  Dr. Ewing received a B.S. from Texas Christian University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University.

Sue Clark, Appointee for Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Sue Clark is a Regents Professor of Chemistry at Washington State University, a position she has held since 2010. She is currently a Member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, where she has served since 2011.  She has held a variety of positions at Washington State University, including Interim Dean of the College of Sciences in 2010, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 2008, Departmental Chairperson of the Chemistry Department from 2004 to 2007, E.R. Meyer Distinguished Professor from 2000 to 2002, and Assistant Professor from 1996 to 2000.  Prior to joining Washington State University, Dr. Clark was an Assistant Research Ecologist at the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory from 1992 to 1996.  From 1991 to 1996, she was an adjunct assistant professor in the Environmental Systems Engineering Department at Clemson University.  From 1989 to 1992, Dr. Clark served as a senior scientist in the Interim Waste Technology Division at the Westinghouse Savannah River Laboratory.  Dr. Clark received a B.S. from Lander College and an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Florida State University.

Linda Nozick, Appointee for Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Linda Nozick is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University and Director of Cornell University’s College Program in Systems Engineering, positions she has held since 2004 and 2009, respectively. She has served as a Member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board since 2011.  Prior to this, she served at Cornell University as Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 1998 to 2004 and Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 1992 to 1998.  Dr. Nozick served on two NRC-National Academy of Engineering panels to assist the Department of Energy on the renewal of its infrastructure from 2002 to 2004 and from 2006 to 2008.  Dr. Nozick received a B.S. from The George Washington University and an M.S.E and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Kenneth Peddicord, Appointee for Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Dr. Kenneth Peddicord is the Director of the Nuclear Power Institute at Texas A&M University, a position he has held since 2007. He is currently a Member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, a position he has held since 2012.  He held a number of positions at Texas A&M University between 1983 and 2007, including Director of the Nuclear Power Institute, Director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Senior Associate Dean for Research, and Vice Chancellor for Research and Federal Relations.  Prior to this, Dr. Peddicord served at Oregon State University as an Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering from 1979 to 1982 and as an Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering from 1975 to 1979.  He was a Research Nuclear Engineer at the Swiss Federal Institute for Reactor Research in Switzerland from 1972 to 1975.  Earlier in his career, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Nuclear Engineering Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Peddicord received a B.S.M.E. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Paul Turinsky, Appointee for Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Dr. Paul Turinsky is Chief Scientist at the Innovation Hub for Modeling and Simulation of Nuclear Reactors at the Department of Energy, a position he has held since 2010.  He has also been a Professor of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University since 1980.  Dr. Turinsky is a Member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, a position he has held since 2012.  Dr. Turinsky served as the Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University from 1999 to 2006 and from 1980 to 1988.  Prior to this, Dr. Turinsky worked for Westinghouse Electric in a variety of positions, including Manager of Product Development from 1978 to 1980, Manager of Nuclear Design from 1975 to 1978, a Fellow Engineer from 1974 to 1975, and Senior Engineer from 1973 to 1974.  He was an Assistant Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from 1970 to 1973.  Dr. Turinsky received a B.S. from the University of Rhode Island, an M.S.E and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 13, 2014

President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Five to Serve on the United States District Courts

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Wendy Beetlestone, Victor Allen Bolden, Mark A. Kearney, Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., and Gerald J. Pappert to serve on the United States District Courts.

“I am honored to put forward these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench,” President Obama said.  “They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Courts.”

Wendy Beetlestone:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Wendy Beetlestone is a shareholder at Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller, where she litigates a variety of commercial matters before both federal and state courts.  Prior to joining the law firm in 2005, Beetlestone served as General Counsel of the School District of Philadelphia from 2002 to 2005.  From 1994 to 2002, she worked at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, becoming a partner at the firm in 2001.  Beetlestone began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge Robert S. Gawthrop, III, of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1993 to 1994.  She received her J.D. in 1993 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her B.A. with honors in 1984 from Liverpool University. 

Victor Allen Bolden:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Victor Allen Bolden has served as the Corporation Counsel for the City of New Haven since 2009.  He previously worked at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., serving as General Counsel from 2005 to 2009 and as Assistant Counsel from 1994 to 2000.  From 2000 to 2005, Bolden worked at the law firm Wiggin & Dana, where he handled a wide range of commercial litigation matters.  He began his legal career at the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, where he worked as a Staff Attorney from 1990 to 1994 and as a Marvin Karpatkin Fellow from 1989 to 1990.  Bolden received his J.D. in 1989 from Harvard Law School and his A.B. in 1986 from Columbia University.

Mark A. Kearney:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Mark A. Kearney is a shareholder at Elliott Greenleaf & Siedzikowski, P.C. in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, where he handles complex commercial litigation before both federal and state courts.  He joined the law firm as an associate in 1990 and was promoted to shareholder in 1995.  Previously, Kearney worked at Elliott Mannino & Flaherty, P.C. from 1988 to 1990 and clerked for Vice Chancellor Maurice A. Hartnett, III, of the Delaware Court of Chancery from 1987 to 1988.  Kearney received his J.D. in 1987 from Villanova University School of Law and his B.A. with honors in 1984 from Villanova University. 

Joseph F. Leeson, Jr.:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., has been a partner at Leeson, Leeson & Leeson in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania since joining the firm in 1980, where his practice has focused on civil litigation.  In addition, Leeson has been an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association since 1981.  Throughout his legal career, Leeson has served as a solicitor for several local municipalities in Pennsylvania.  Leeson received his J.D. in 1980 from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and his B.A. cum laude in 1977 from DeSales University. 

Gerald J. Pappert:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Gerald J. Pappert has been a partner at Cozen O’Connor since 2012.  He also currently serves as the Chair of the Pennsylvania Banking and Securities Commission.  Previously, Pappert was Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Cephalon, Inc. from 2008 to 2012 and a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP from 2005 to 2008.  Pappert served as the Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2005 and as the First Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2003.  He began his legal career working at Duane Morris LLP from 1988 to 1997.  Pappert received his J.D. in 1988 from the University of Notre Dame Law School and his B.A. cum laude in 1985 from Villanova University.  

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 13, 2014

President Obama to Host First-Ever White House Maker Faire

WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, June 18, President Obama will host the first ever White House Maker Faire and meet with students, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing.  The President will also announce new steps the Administration and its partners are taking to support the ability of more Americans, young and old, to have to access to these tools and techniques and brings their ideas to life.

America has always been a nation of tinkerers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. In recent years, a growing number of Americans have gained access to technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutters, easy-to-use design software, and desktop machine tools. These tools are enabling more Americans to design and build almost anything.

The rise of the Maker Movement represents a huge opportunity for the United States. Nationwide, new tools for democratized production are boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in manufacturing, in the same way that the Internet and cloud computing have lowered the barriers to entry for digital startups, creating the foundation for new products and processes that can help to revitalize American manufacturing.

In addition to the Makers at the White House event, June 18 will be a nationwide Day of Making for communities across America to share and celebrate their involvement in the Maker Movement.

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 13, 2014

Statement by the President on Iraq

South Lawn

12:00 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  I wanted to take some time to give you a quick update about the situation in Iraq. 

Yesterday, I convened a meeting with my National Security Council to discuss the situation there, and this morning I received an update from my team.  Over the last several days, we’ve seen significant gains made by ISIL, a terrorist organization that operates in both Iraq and in Syria.  In the face of a terrorist offensive, Iraqi security forces have proven unable to defend a number of cities, which has allowed the terrorists to overrun a part of Iraq’s territory.  And this poses a danger to Iraq and its people.  And given the nature of these terrorists, it could pose a threat eventually to American interests as well.

Now, this threat is not brand new.  Over the last year, we’ve been steadily ramping up our security assistance to the Iraqi government with increased training, equipping and intelligence.  Now, Iraq needs additional support to break the momentum of extremist groups and bolster the capabilities of Iraqi security forces.  We will not be sending U.S. troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces, and I’ll be reviewing those options in the days ahead.

I do want to be clear though, this is not solely or even primarily a military challenge.  Over the past decade, American troops have made extraordinary sacrifices to give Iraqis an opportunity to claim their own future.  Unfortunately, Iraq’s leaders have been unable to overcome too often the mistrust and sectarian differences that have long been simmering there, and that’s created vulnerabilities within the Iraqi government as well as their security forces.

So any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq’s leaders to set aside sectarian differences, to promote stability, and account for the legitimate interests of all of Iraq’s communities, and to continue to build the capacity of an effective security force.  We can’t do it for them.  And in the absence of this type of political effort, short-term military action, including any assistance we might provide, won’t succeed. 

So this should be a wake-up call.  Iraq’s leaders have to demonstrate a willingness to make hard decisions and compromises on behalf of the Iraqi people in order to bring the country together.  In that effort, they will have the support of the United States and our friends and our allies. 

Now, Iraq’s neighbors also have some responsibilities to support this process.  Nobody has an interest in seeing terrorists gain a foothold inside of Iraq, and nobody is going to benefit from seeing Iraq descend into chaos.  So the United States will do our part, but understand that ultimately it’s up to the Iraqis, as a sovereign nation, to solve their problems.

Indeed, across the region we have redoubled our efforts to help build more capable counterterrorism forces so that groups like ISIL can’t establish a safe haven.  And we’ll continue that effort through our support of the moderate opposition in Syria, our support for Iraq and its security forces, and our partnership with other countries across the region. 

We’re also going to pursue intensive diplomacy throughout this period both inside of Iraq and across the region, because there’s never going to be stability in Iraq or the broader region unless there are political outcomes that allow people to resolve their differences peacefully without resorting to war or relying on the United States military. 

We’ll be monitoring the situation in Iraq very carefully over the next several days.  Our top priority will remain being vigilant against any threats to our personnel serving overseas.  We will consult closely with Congress as we make determinations about appropriate action, and we’ll continue to keep the American people fully informed as we make decisions about the way forward. 

I’ll take a question.

Q    Mr. President, given the recent U.S. history there, are you reluctant to get involved again in Iraq?

THE PRESIDENT:  I think that we should look at the situation carefully.  We have an interest in making sure that a group like ISIL, which is a vicious organization and has been able to take advantage of the chaos in Syria, that they don't get a broader foothold.  I think there are dangers of fierce sectarian fighting if, for example, these terrorist organizations try to overrun sacred Shia sites, which could trigger Shia-Sunni conflicts that could be very hard to stamp out.  So we have enormous interests there.

And obviously, our troops and the American people and the American taxpayers made huge investments and sacrifices in order to give Iraqis the opportunity to chart a better course, a better destiny.  But ultimately, they're going to have to seize it.  As I said before, we are not going to be able to do it for them.  And given the very difficult history that we’ve seen in Iraq, I think that any objective observer would recognize that in the absence of accommodation among the various factions inside of Iraq, various military actions by the United States, by any outside nation, are not going to solve those problems over the long term and not going to deliver the kind of stability that we need.

Anybody else?

Q    Mr. President, is the Syrian civil war spilling over the Iraq border?  And what can we do to stop it?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think that's been happening for some time.  ISIL has been able to gain a foothold in Syria.  That's part of the reason why we’ve been so concerned about it.  That's part of the reason why we’ve been supporting the Syrian opposition there.  But it’s a challenging problem.

In Iraq, the Iraqi government, which was initially resistant to some of our offers of help, has come around now to recognize that cooperation with us on some of these issues can be useful.  Obviously, that's not the case in Syria where President Assad has no interest in seeing us involved there, and where some of the governments that are supporting Assad have been able to block, for example, U.N. efforts even at humanitarian aid.  But this is a regional problem and it is going to be a long-term problem.

And what we’re going to have to do is combine selective actions by our military to make sure that we’re going after terrorists who could harm our personnel overseas or eventually hit the homeland.  We’re going to have to combine that with what is a very challenging international effort to try to rebuild countries and communities that have been shattered by sectarian war.  And that's not an easy task.

Q    Mr. President, which foreign countries have you been in touch with?  And what are they willing to do as part of this international effort?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we’re in contact with them now.  So we’ll have a better sense by the end of the weekend, after those consultations.  And we will be getting a better sense from them of how they might support an effort to bring about the kind of political unity inside of Iraq that bolsters security forces.

Look, the United States has poured a lot of money into these Iraqi security forces, and we devoted a lot of training to Iraqi security forces.  The fact that they are not willing to stand and fight, and defend their posts against admittedly hardened terrorists but not terrorists who are overwhelming in numbers indicates that there’s a problem with morale, there’s a problem in terms of commitment.  And ultimately, that’s rooted in the political problems that have plagued the country for a very long time.

Last question.  Last one.

Q    Thank you.  Can you talk a little bit about U.S. concern of disruption of oil supplies?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, so far at least we have not seen major disruptions in oil supplies.  Obviously if, in fact, ISIL was able to obtain control over major output, significant refineries, that could be a source of concern.  As you might expect, world oil markets react to any kind of instability in the Middle East.  One of our goals should be to make sure that in cooperation with other countries in the region not only are we creating some sort of backstop in terms of what’s happening inside of Iraq, but if there do end up being disruptions inside of Iraq, that some of the other producers in the Gulf are able to pick up the slack.  So that will be part of the consultations that will be taking place during the course of this week.

Just to give people a sense of timing here, although events on the ground in Iraq have been happening very quickly, our ability to plan, whether it’s military action or work with the Iraqi government on some of these political issues, is going to take several days.  So people should not anticipate that this is something that is going to happen overnight.  We want to make sure that we have good eyes on the situation there.  We want to make sure that we’ve gathered all the intelligence that’s necessary so that if, in fact, I do direct and order any actions there, that they’re targeted, they’re precise and they’re going to have an effect. 

And as I indicated before -- and I want to make sure that everybody understands this message -- the United States is not simply going to involve itself in a military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they’re prepared to work together.  We’re not going to allow ourselves to be dragged back into a situation in which while we’re there we’re keeping a lid on things, and after enormous sacrifices by us, as soon as we’re not there, suddenly people end up acting in ways that are not conducive to the long-term stability and prosperity of the country. 

All right, thank you very much, everybody. 

END
12:11 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 13, 2014

FACT SHEET: Strengthening Tribal Communities through Education and Economic Development

Today, the President, accompanied by the First Lady, is making his first Presidential trip to Indian Country. The Administration is taking action to strengthen Native American communities through education and economic development. These initiatives build on the significant progress the President has already made in partnering with tribes on a nation-to-nation basis to promote prosperous and resilient tribal nations.

Underlying this progress is President Obama’s firm belief that tribal leaders must have a seat at the table. To make this commitment a reality, the President has hosted the White House Tribal Nations Conferences with tribal leaders every year he has been in office, and last year, he established the White House Council on Native American  Affairs to ensure cross-agency coordination and engagement with Indian Country. Furthermore, the President’s 2015 Budget proposes a more than $3 billion increase in support to tribal communities, American Indians, and Alaska Natives, as compared to 2009.

Greater engagement and collaboration with tribes has led to substantial advances in tribal self-determination. These accomplishments include the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which recognizes tribes’ inherent sovereign right to protect Native women from domestic violence; amendments to the Stafford Act, which authorizes federally recognized tribes to directly request federal disaster assistance; and the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service guidance on the application to certain tribal benefit programs of the general welfare exclusion from federal income tax. Additionally, the President has worked to heal the U.S. relationship with Native Americans by acknowledging the difficult and painful U.S. history of broken promises, and by settling longstanding legal disputes such as the Cobell and Keepseagle litigation and 80 breaches of trust lawsuits brought by Indian tribes against the United States.

Despite this unprecedented progress, the President recognizes that much work remains, and he is eager to partner with tribal nations to create meaningful and lasting change. As part of this year of action to expand opportunity for all Americans, the Administration is taking new steps focused on two of Indian Country’s most pressing challenges: education and economic development.

IMPROVE THE BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION

In today’s global economy, a high-quality education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a prerequisite to success. President Obama has set out a vision for education that includes raising the bar for all of the nation’s learners. In his first term, he signed an Executive Order to establish the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education and to strengthen the relationship between the Departments of Education and the Interior. Native American students continue to lag behind their peers on national assessments, account for the highest dropout rate of any racial or ethnic population, and hold a dramatically lower share of baccalaureate degrees than the rest of the population. In strong partnership with tribal nations, the Administration has continued to identify and promote critical reforms that prepare American Indian students for leadership in their communities and success in the 21st century.

Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)

The Department of the Interior’s (DOI) BIE educates 48,000 American Indian students across 23 states at 183 elementary and secondary schools and dormitories. BIE works with tribes to promote self-determination to ensure students are college- and career- ready, with an emphasis on Native American language, history, and culture. The BIE confronts unique challenges due to school remoteness, difficulty attracting highly effective teachers and principals, lack of IT infrastructure, and compliance with 23 different state assessments. With only 34.6 percent of BIE schools meeting the adequate yearly progress goals established in accordance with federal law, these students deserve more support so they can get the quality education they deserve.

  • Release a blueprint for a 21st Century education for the BIE. Today, the Departments of the Interior and Education Study Group will release a “Blueprint for Reform,” a comprehensive plan to redesign the BIE to achieve one overarching goal: for tribes to deliver a world-class education to all students attending BIE schools. The Administration will take immediate action on several of the Blueprint’s key recommendations.
  • Issue a Secretarial Order to transform the BIE into a School Improvement Organization. Today Secretary Jewell will sign an order to increase tribal control of schools by shifting the BIE from a direct operator of schools into a resource provider to tribally controlled schools, as recommended in the Blueprint. The transformed BIE will assist tribes in operating high-performing schools through customized technical assistance, including developing the schools’ educational leadership skills and delivering resources informed by best practices in student supports, instruction, financial management, organizational management, and teacher training, recruitment, and retention.
  • Connect BIE schools and dorms to high speed Internet and support digital learning. To accelerate the speed at which students in BIE schools experience the benefits of the President’s ConnectED vision, DOI is partnering with the private sector to support digital learning and broadband connectivity. DOI will appoint an E-Rate specialist, funded in coordination with the Broad Foundation, to provide technical assistance to increase the competitiveness of E-Rate applications from BIE-funded schools. DOI will also issue a directive that prioritizes right of way permits for broadband reaching BIE schools for the next two years, and announce new connectivity for the more than 1,000 Native children who live in federally-funded dormitories while attending public schools outside of their reservation. These dorms have historically been burdened with limited and aged technology. Verizon, working with Alcatel-Lucent and Cross Wireless, will wire all 10 dorms with wireless broadband connectivity provided at no cost for up to two years, and provide each student with a wireless device like a laptop or tablet, to ensure that learning does not stop at the classroom door.
  • Issue waivers giving BIE schools greater flexibility and support to carry out critical  school improvements. ED will provide guidance to tribally-controlled grant schools regarding permissible spending activities under various ED programs. To create incentives for schools to invest in school improvements and reforms, ED will support BIE-funded schools in requesting waivers from certain restrictions on federal education funding.
  • Provide National Board Certification (NBC) training to existing BIE instructional staff. Over three years, BIE will pay for NBC training for any teacher interested in pursuing their NBC certification. Going through NBC certification training is a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that provides high-quality professional development to teachers and ensures they have the skills necessary to improve student achievement. NBC teachers could extend their impact in a role as instructional leaders in their schools and communities so they can provide the support and resources necessary to help colleagues in their schools improve.

SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS

ED is committed to supporting the efforts of school districts, states, tribes, and other organizations to better meet the unique educational and culturally-related academic needs of Native American students. ED will support states, tribes, and school districts in implementing rigorous college- and career- ready standards and new systems of support for American Indian and Alaska Native students so that these students remain on track for success.

  • Share Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates with tribes to help Native American students apply for college financial aid. President Obama recently launched a new FAFSA Completion Initiative to give more Americans the opportunity to afford, attend, and graduate from college. To ensure that the FAFSA is not a barrier to college access for Native American students, ED will finalize guidance that permits states to share FAFSA completion information with tribal education officials.
  • Host a Native Languages Summit. This month, ED, in partnership with the Departments of Health and Human Services and the Interior, will host a summit that brings together over 300 participants, from across the country to discuss how federal resources can support Native American language revitalization. Additionally, ED will provide technical assistance to school districts to address the unique cultural and linguistic needs of Native American students, and examine current and future funding programs to identify additional support and resources.
  • Hold listening sessions on school climate to ensure Native American students receive a nurturing, supportive education that respects their identities and  backgrounds. The White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education will conduct a listening tour at which schools and communities will identify ways to improve school climate, discuss recent research, and highlight ways communities are proactively supporting Native American students. The listening tour will focus on bullying, disproportionate discipline, and offensive imagery and symbolism.

SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

Tribal communities have made significant economic progress in recent decades, with increases in income and improvements to living standards. Nevertheless, wide disparities still persist both between tribes and between Native Americans in general and the overall U.S. population. Indians living on reservations have seen their personal incomes nearly double since 1970, a faster rate of growth than for the U.S. population as a whole or for any other racial and ethnic group. However, the average poverty rate for these communities from 2006-2010 was 30 percent versus 14 percent nationally, and the child poverty rate was more than 15 percentage points higher than the national average, at 36 percent.  In that same period, when the U.S. unemployment rate was just under 8 percent, the average unemployment rate in Indian Country was nearly 15 percent.

The Administration has partnered with Native communities to strengthen their economies through funding, technical assistance, and legal and regulatory improvements. In 2013, Native Americans benefited from approximately $18.64 billion in federal spending, including $2 billion in food assistance, $5.5 billion in education- related funds, and $5.3 billion for the Indian Health Service. In 2013 alone, USDA Rural Development invested $628.4 million in economic projects that directly benefitted tribal communities. Today HUD released the application for its annual Indian Community Development Block Grants, with $70 million available to improve housing and support economic opportunity in Indian Country. The Department of the Interior now administers over one billion dollars in funds to buy back and consolidate fractionated lands burdened by multiple owners, due to the Cobell settlement. To increase tribal sovereignty, remove regulatory barriers to development, and support Native entrepreneurs, the Administration will announce new initiatives to support economic development in Native communities.

  • Removing regulatory barriers to infrastructure and energy development on Indian land. BIA will announce a proposed rule to modernize and streamline the approval process for rights-of-way, which are required for all new infrastructure construction on tribal lands, including transmission lines and broadband access. The new regulations propose strict timelines for BIA approval, eliminate the need for pre- development surveys to receive BIA approval, and limit BIA’s scope for issuing disapprovals. Providing greater deference to tribes increases certainty and promotes infrastructure development on Indian lands that can lay a foundation for economic development and improved quality of life.
  • Removing barriers to land development through increased tribal self-governance. BIA will announce a new training series to help tribal leaders implement the Helping Expedite & Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act. When a business needs to build a factory or a family wants to purchase a new home on a reservation, the lease generally needs BIA approval. Since 2012, the HEARTH Act has allowed tribes to expedite the process for long-term leasing of federal Indian trust lands by establishing and enforcing their own land leasing regulations. 21 of the 300 tribes with federal trust lands have submitted regulations to BIA, and 12 tribes to date have already received approvals. Through these new training programs, BIA further supports tribal self-governance. This builds on DOI’s progress in strengthening tribal control over tribal resources, including comprehensive surface leasing reform in 2012 and a commitment to increase land held in trust. DOI already is half way towards its goal of restoring 500,000 acres of tribal homeland held in trust.
  • Making federal data and resources for tribal economic development easier to find and use. Tribal leaders need access to quality data as they make policy decisions and create tribal development plans. The federal government collects large amounts of data, but this data is not always easily accessible or usable. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with the Departments of Commerce and the Interior and other agencies, will partner with tribes in a series of workshops to improve tribal access to data and create new tools to make data more accessible for tribes. Additionally, to help Native communities more easily find resources for economic development, the Department of Health and Human Services will release an Economic Development Resource Guide that compiles a range of the Native-oriented funding and technical assistance opportunities offered by the Administration for Children and Families.
  • Encourage the use of tax-exempt bonds for tribal economic development. The Treasury Department will conduct outreach to tribal leaders and bond practitioners to expand awareness and understanding of Tribal Economic Development (TED) Bonds. Tribes can use TED bonds to finance economic development projects such as laying new broadband fiber, improving access to clean water, or building hotels for tourists. Currently a tribe may apply for up to 20 percent of the approximately $1.3 billion in remaining aggregate TED bond authority.
  • Support the growth of new markets for Native American small businesses.  The Small Business Administration (SBA), USDA, and DOI will announce new initiatives to support Native American-owned businesses. To help Native-owned businesses access export opportunities, USDA will host a “Made in Native America” forum this fall as part of the “Made in Rural America” initiative. To connect Native-owned small businesses to millions of dollars in possible contracting opportunities, SBA is announcing a commitment to host two Native-focused American Supplier Initiative events this year and to create a new American Indian and Alaska Native portal on its BusinessUSA website to connect businesses to government assistance programs. To increase federal procurement opportunities for Native-owned small businesses, DOI will issue a new directive to improve the implementation of the Buy Indian Act and to increase its procurement purchases by Native-owned small businesses by 10 percent.
  • Support Native American veterans through employment and small business opportunities. The Indian Health Services (IHS) and BIA, which combined employ over 20,000 people, will announce a new commitment to increase the number of veterans hired by each agency. IHS will increase the percent of new hires that are veterans from 6 percent to 9 percent and BIA will boost their percent of new hires that are veteran from 9 percent to 12.5 percent. SBA will host a Native veteran focused Reboot to Business, SBA’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship class in Albuquerque, New Mexico, featuring a customized curriculum with Native-specific government programs and lending opportunities to provide Native veterans with entrepreneurship training. The Department of Veterans Affairs, working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will host veterans’ economic summits to train human resource professionals on connecting veterans with employers, and include events supporting the Choctaw Nation and the Blackfeet Nation.

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2014

Statement by the President on the Passing of Ruby Dee

Michelle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of actress, author, and activist Ruby Dee.  In roles from Ruth Younger in A Raisin in the Sun to Mama Lucas in American Gangster, Ruby captivated and challenged us – and Michelle and I will never forget seeing her on our first date as Mother Sister in Do the Right Thing.  Through her remarkable performances, Ruby paved the way for generations of black actors and actresses, and inspired African-American women across our country.  Through her leadership in the civil rights movement she and her husband, Ossie Davis, helped open new doors of opportunity for all.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Ruby and Ossie’s three children, with their friends and family, and with all those who loved them dearly. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2014

Release of the President's Medical Exam

The following is a report from the President’s periodic physical examination performed during the month of May 2014, as the President’s schedule allowed.

The physical examination was performed and supervised by Ronny L. Jackson, MD, FAAEM, Physician to the President and Director of the White House Medical Unit.

View the report (pdf).

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2014

Readout of the Vice President's Call with Iraqi Prime Minister of Nouri al-Maliki

Vice President Biden spoke this morning with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.  The Vice President expressed the United States’ solidarity with Iraq in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).  The Prime Minister discussed Iraq’s current security situation, and the Vice President made clear that the United States is prepared to continue to intensify and accelerate security support and cooperation with Iraq, under the Strategic Framework Agreement, to confront the urgent and growing threat posed by ISIL.  The Vice President underscored that it will be critically important for all of Iraq’s communities to reach a lasting political accommodation and to be united in order to defeat their common enemy, ISIL.  

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2014

ADVISORY: President Obama to Award Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON – On June 19, 2014, President Barack Obama will award Corporal William "Kyle" Carpenter, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Corporal Carpenter will receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions while serving as an Automatic Rifleman with Company F, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Corporal Carpenter will be the eighth living recipient to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He and his family will join the President at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND: 

Corporal William "Kyle" Carpenter, was born in Flowood, Mississippi on October 17, 1989, and graduated from W. Wyman King Academy, Batesburg, South Carolina, in 2008. In February 2009, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at Recruiting Station Columbia, South Carolina, and completed his basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, later that year. 

At the time of the November 21, 2010 combat engagement in Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, then-Lance Corporal Carpenter served as an Automatic Rifleman with Company F, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, Regimental Combat Team-1, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). 

In July 2013, he was medically retired as a Corporal due to his wounds. He is currently a full time student at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

His personal awards include a Purple Heart Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon. Additional awards and decorations include the Navy Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one bronze star, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal ISAF for Afghanistan, and Rifle Sharpshooter Badge.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

THE MEDAL OF HONOR:

The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while:

  • engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
  • engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
  • serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2014

President Obama Updates Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to Attend the Opening of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

President Barack Obama today announced an updated designation of the Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to attend the Opening of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Sao Paulo on June 12, 2014.

The Honorable Daniel H. Pfeiffer, Senior Advisor to the President, 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

Ms. Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, 1996 Olympic gold medalist and 1999 World Cup Winner, United States Women’s National Soccer Team