The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

White House Report: Race to the Top Setting the Pace for Gains across the Education System

More support for educators and increases in student achievement are among signs of progress as anniversary of President Obama’s signature education reform approaches

WASHINGTON, DC – In the four years since the Obama Administration announced its first Race to the Top grants, the President’s signature education initiative has helped spark a wave of reform across the country, according to the attached report released today by the White House and Department of Education.

As the four-year anniversary of those grants approaches this week, “Setting the Pace” finds that the President’s education reform agenda has helped raise standards for students, better support teachers and school leaders, and turn around low-performing schools. Ultimately, these efforts have led to signs of encouraging progress among the nation’s students.

Among the report’s key findings are:

  • States that received Race to the Top funds to reform their K-12 education systems serve 22 million students and 1.5 million teachers in more than 40,000 schools.  

  • These states represent 45 percent of all students and a similar percentage of all low-income students. Some of the most encouraging signs of progress have come in states that have done the most to embrace the types of reforms called for in Race to the Top, including Tennessee, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. 

  • All Race to the Top grantees have taken key steps toward focusing on college- and career-readiness for all students and supporting hard-working teachers and principals, including developing a number of new tools and resources, providing coaching for educators, and expanding options for students. 

“Race to the Top set out to advance a simple idea: that the most powerful ideas for improving education come not from Washington, but from educators and leaders in states throughout the country. Now, nearly four years in, change is touching nearly half the nation’s students – for an investment that represents less than 1 percent of education spending,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. “We know this work is never easy, but what is most encouraging is that despite some debate in state legislatures and here in Congress, state and district leaders have had the courage to put their plan into action.

“The Obama Administration is focused on expanding opportunity for America’s students to ensure not only that they have a shot at achieving the American dream, but that the next generation of American workers can continue to compete in the global economy,” said Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. "The Race to the Top program has helped spur the change and improvement needed in our education system, demonstrating that by working together across the federal government, with governors and school boards, principals and teachers, businesses and non-profits, parents and students – we can provide the education that our young people need and deserve, to prepare for college and a successful career.”

At 80 percent, the nation’s high school graduation rate is the highest in American history, thanks to comprehensive, state-led efforts inspired in part by Race to the Top. In addition, student test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress are the highest since the test was first given 20 years ago.

With an initial budget of just more than $4 billion – less than 1 percent of total education spending in America – Race to the Top unleashed a flurry of pent-up education reform activity at the state and local level. Importantly, these efforts have created partnerships among parents, educators, and state and community leaders to continue this progress in the months and years ahead.

Today’s report highlights examples of the most innovative and effective reforms that are taking place in states across the country to prepare students for college and careers, support educators, and spur innovative educational strategies. From Massachusetts’ work to increase access to Advanced Placement (AP) classes by training more than 1,100 middle and high school teachers, to Tennessee’s efforts to support its educators by coaching 30,000 on new state standards and equipping 700 teacher-leader coaches, to Florida’s investment in programs to get the best and brightest educators to the highest-needs areas, to Maryland’s development of STEM curriculum models for use in language programs statewide, states are leading the way with plans tailored to meet the unique needs of their educators and students. This federal support, paired with state and local investment and leadership, is getting results for students and educators.

Looking at these examples and the progress made across our education system, the report finds that while much work remains, Race to the Top has empowered and reinforced the best ideas at the state and local level. By staying on course, America can continue to make progress toward ensuring that every child has an opportunity to get a world-class education and the skills he or she will need to succeed in today’s economy — and tomorrow’s.

“Encouraged and supported by Race to the Top, states are taking major steps forward for our nation’s students,” the report concludes. “There will never be a moment to declare victory in this race – the work will continue for many years to come. But America’s educators remain committed to support all our children on their path to a prosperous future. State and local leaders share that commitment. Staying on course is critical while this hard work is underway.”

Setting The Pace - 2014

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

Enhancing the Security of the Maritime Supply Chain Gift Basket

This gift basket records the intent of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States, to seek enhanced measures to permanently remove nuclear and radiological materials that are out of regulatory control from the global supply chain, while effectively deterring, detecting, and appropriately responding to trafficking of nuclear and radiological material and weapons through the maritime shipping system. 

The Nuclear Security Summit recognizes the importance of a national level approach or framework for the prevention, detection and response of nuclear and radiological materials that are out of regulatory control.  An important element of such an approach is ensuring that illicit trafficking of nuclear and radiological material and weapons does not occur through the global supply chain, including its maritime shipping component.  In support of this objective, we the parties to this statement declare our commitment to undertake the following actions:

  • States with radiation detection capabilities at their large container seaports will continue to maintain robust capabilities and be prepared to assist States that wish to initiate similar radiation detection programs.  This assistance could take the form of sharing best practices and lessons learned, including alarm resolution and disposition, and in some cases, the provision of financing, training, and technical guidance. 

  • By the next Nuclear Security Summit in 2016, interested States will participate in a workshop, co-hosted by the United States, aimed at enhancing measures to detect and permanently remove nuclear and radiological materials that are out of regulatory control from the global supply chain.  Topics for the workshop could include current and potential future developments in:

    1. states’ national laws, regulations, and procedures;
    2. national response plans;
    3. disposition approaches;
    4. targeting and screening;
    5. best practices in areas such as detection, forensics, law enforcement; and new technologies.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

FACT SHEET: Enhancing the Security of the Maritime Supply Chain Gift Basket

This Gift Basket builds on the discussions that occurred at the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, focuses on the maritime smuggling pathway, and encourages partner countries to increase their involvement in securing this vital pathway.  Increased transport opportunities by land, sea, and air necessitate the importance of every country’s participation in strengthening its own role in the prevention, detection, and deterrence of nuclear trafficking by bolstering radiation detection capacity. 

  • States joining this Gift Basket seek to maintain effective radiation detection systems and response procedures at their large container seaports, and to help other States in developing their own radiation detection capabilities at their own seaports.  

  • This Gift Basket also calls for an international workshop, by 2016, on sharing experiences and exploring best practices in detecting and removing from the global maritime supply chain all nuclear and radiological materials out of regulatory control. 

  • To date, the United States has worked with partner countries to build their capacities to detect, deter, and interdict the illicit trafficking of dangerous nuclear and radiological materials (i.e. highly enriched uranium, plutonium, cesium, etc.) that could be used in a nuclear device or a radiological dispersal device (RDD) at over 500 sites and ports. 

  • Additionally, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the European Union, and multiple countries around the world are working to equip their own seaports and other border sites with radiation detection systems.

  • Installed radiation detection systems have been responsible for the detection of various nuclear and radiological materials out of regulatory control, such as Georgia and Moldova.  In several instances, these systems have been involved in the detection of the smuggling of nuclear materials that could be used for a weapon or RDD.  These cases help to underscore the importance of radiation detection systems at key international checkpoints.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

Joint Statement on Multinational Cooperation on High-Density Low-Enriched Uranium Fuel Development

Belgium, France, Germany, the Republic of Korea and the United States, the parties to this joint statement recognize that the ultimate goal of nuclear security is advanced by minimizing highly-enriched uranium (HEU) in civilian use, which is affirmed in the Washington and Seoul Summit Communiqués and is also a key issue on the agenda of the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit.

In continuation of the Joint Statement on Quadrilateral Cooperation on High-density Low-enriched Uranium Fuel Production made in Seoul, the original four parties plus Germany are working together to develop and qualify new high-density low-enriched uranium LEU fuels as part of an effort to convert research reactors from HEU fuel to LEU fuel.

High performance research reactors use significant quantities of HEU each year and require unique and complex fuels to operate. The five parties are pooling their expertise and resources to develop, qualify and fabricate new high-density LEU fuels with the ultimate goal of converting the remaining high performance research reactors in the world to operate on these fuels when technically and economically feasible.

The parties are focusing their efforts on uranium molybdenum (UMo), both as a monolithic fuel foil and as UMo powder dispersed in an aluminium matrix. In the last years the parties have had particular yet not exclusive technical foci. Europe (Belgium, France and Germany) manufactured and tested in-pile full-scale fuel plates based on coated UMo powder technology; the United States manufactured and tested in-pile full-scale fuel plates based on coated monolithic UMo technology. As laid out in the 2012 Joint Statement, the Republic of Korea manufactured and made available to the community UMo powders based on advanced atomization technology, and intends to continue producing and providing such UMo powders for further qualification tests of new high-density dispersion fuel.

We express our shared confidence that this international cooperation among Belgium, France, Germany, the Republic of Korea and the United States to develop high density LEU fuels will be strengthened by intensified and coordinated collaboration that will contribute directly to the ultimate goal of minimizing HEU in civilian use.  Cooperation and support from the international community are crucial for making available LEU fuel that is suitable for high performance research reactors, and we agree to share the benefits of all technology developed together in this joint effort, with conditions to be set out in due time.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

Joint U.S.-EU Statement on Combating Illicit Trafficking

The European Union and the United States of America, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), each understand the importance of nuclear security and embrace the shared international responsibility to develop and promote systems and measures for the prevention of, detection of, and response to nuclear or other radioactive materials out of regulatory control.  In recognition of this international responsibility, and in support of the Nuclear Security Summit Key Topic of Combating Illicit Trafficking, and in line with the conclusions of the successful “International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts” organised by the IAEA in Vienna on 1–5 July 2013, we are taking the following initial steps:

  • The IAEA Nuclear Security Series, specifically the Implementing Guide on Nuclear Security Systems and Measures for the Detection of Nuclear and Other Radioactive Material out of Regulatory Control, emphasizes the importance of detection instruments in the context of a national level Nuclear Security Detection Architecture.  In support of this principle, the European Commission Directorate General for Home Affairs (EC-HOME), the Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have collaborated through the Border Monitoring Working Group in the conduct of the Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program (ITRAP+10) test campaign. 

The ITRAP+10 effort demonstrates a crucial facet of nuclear detection as outlined in the IAEA Nuclear Security Series, namely the evaluation of nuclear and radiological detection technologies against a set of common performance goals.  Over the past three years, this international partnership tested about 70 different models of detection and identification equipment against international guidance and standards.  Now that testing has been completed, we pledge to share the findings of this test campaign to inform, as appropriate, future revisions to the IAEA Nuclear Security Series and other relevant international standards.  Furthermore, we intend to make available scientific and technical data on commercially available detection systems with the international community with the aim of documenting detection instrument capabilities, exemplifying proper usage and deployment, and promoting new research and development efforts.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

FACT SHEET: U.S. - Kazakhstan Cooperative Activities in Nuclear Security

For many years, the United States and Kazakhstan have engaged in a broad set of cooperative activities to enhance and improve Kazakhstan’s nuclear security capabilities.  Recent and ongoing examples of such successful cooperation include:

Nuclear Security Training Center

The United States is working with Kazakhstan to develop a Nuclear Security Training Center (NSTC) in order to improve indigenous security and safeguards training capabilities for all nuclear facilities in Kazakhstan.  U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) support includes constructing and equipping the NSTC as well as curriculum development for physical protection and material control and accounting specialists.  The current projected completion date is before the end of 2015.  The United States, led by the Department of State and in coordination with the Departments of Energy and Defense, is collaborating with Kazakhstan to develop a counter nuclear smuggling curriculum at the Center and other related nuclear security training.

Second Line of Defense

Since 2006, the DOE/NNSA Second Line of Defense (SLD) Program has been working cooperatively with the Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee (KCCC) to install radiation detection equipment at ports, land border crossings, airports, and other international points of exit and entry.  To date, SLD has completed the installation of radiation detection systems at twenty-nine sites.  During 2014, SLD continues to work on the deployment of radiation detection systems at an additional three sites, as well as a National Communications Systems pilot project that will relay radiation detection system state of health and alarm data in near-real time from the crossing points to the Kazakhstani Customs headquarters in Astana.  Also, SLD is working with the State Border Guard Service and internal law enforcement on mobile detection.

Reactor Conversion

The United States is working with the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) in Alatau and the Institute of Atomic Energy (IAE) in Kurchatov to convert the final three reactors in Kazakhstan from the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel.  At the INP, DOE/NNSA is working to ensure that the reactor can be converted as quickly as possible.  Activities also are underway with the Russian fuel fabricator (Luch) and the IAE to fabricate fuel samples to verify that the two remaining IAE reactors can be converted.

HEU Removals

The United States has been working with Kazakhstan to eliminate its excess HEU since the completion of Project Sapphire in 1994, when the two countries cooperated to remove and ship to the United States approximately 600 kilograms of HEU from Kazakhstan.  In recent years, the DOE/NNSA Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) has returned almost 75 kilograms of HEU spent fuel to Russia and has downblended all remaining fresh HEU (33 kilograms) in-country.  Once the final three research reactors are converted to LEU, DOE/NNSA will work with Kazakhstan to return the remaining 85 kg of HEU at these facilities to the Russian Federation for disposition.  The next shipment will take place in late 2014 from the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Alatau. 

HEU and Plutonium Security and Disposition

The United States has worked with Kazakhstan to complete the transportation of 10 metric tons of HEU and 3 metric tons of plutonium – enough material to make 775 nuclear weapons – from the Kazakhstan BN-350 facility in Aktau to a secure facility in the northeastern part of the country.  Currently, Kazakhstan is in the processing of performing a feasibility study to evaluate options for final disposition of this material.

Emergency Management

The United States, through DOE/NNSA, is working with emergency management authorities in Kazakhstan to enhance Kazakhstan authorities’ capabilities to effectively respond to potential nuclear/radiological emergencies that may endanger workers, the public, and the environment.  In 2013, DOE/NNSA conducted an equipment demonstration and a training course for first responders from multiple government agencies in Kazakhstan.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

Joint Statement by President Obama and President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan on Cooperation in the Sphere of Nonproliferation and Strengthening Nuclear Security

The Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States of America have confirmed a shared commitment to nonproliferation and strengthening nuclear security.

The Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States of America note with satisfaction the successful efforts of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program and will continue to strengthen the physical security on the former Semipalatinsk Test Site.

The United States of America will continue to partner with the Republic of Kazakhstan to strengthen its joint efforts to prevent illicit trafficking in nuclear and radiological materials.

The United States of America welcomes the Republic of Kazakhstan’s activities to strengthen nuclear security and implement decisions of the Washington and Seoul Nuclear Security Summits, including by converting the VVR-K research reactor at the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, downblending the INP’s highly enriched uranium (HEU) material and removing the HEU spent fuel from the reactor. The United States and Kazakhstan will continue to work together to convert Kazakhstan’s remaining HEU reactors to LEU fuel and eliminate all remaining HEU research reactor fuel as soon as technically feasible.

The United States of America supports the efforts of the Republic of Kazakhstan to host the IAEA LEU Bank, establish a Regional Nuclear Security Training Center, and strengthen its emergency preparedness, response and mitigation capabilities.

The Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States of America attach importance to Nuclear Security Summit process.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2014

Joint Statement by the United States and Ukraine

On the occasion of the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, the United States and Ukraine today reaffirm their strategic partnership and emphasize the important role of nuclear nonproliferation in that relationship.  The United States values its 20-year partnership with Ukraine on these issues.  Our nonproliferation partnership dates from Ukraine’s 1994 decision to remove all nuclear weapons from its territory and to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon state.  In the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, the United States, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland welcomed these Ukrainian actions, and they reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine to respect the independence, sovereignty, and existing borders of Ukraine.  The United States government reaffirms that commitment today to the new Ukrainian government and the people of Ukraine, including in Crimea.  The United States government condemns Russia’s failure to abide by its commitments under the Budapest Memorandum with its unilateral military actions in Ukraine.  Russia’s  actions  undermine  the foundation  of  the global  security  architecture and endanger  European  peace  and  security.  Ukraine and the United States emphasize  that  they  will  not  recognize Russia's illegal attempt to annex Crimea.  Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine.  The United States will continue to help Ukraine affirm its sovereignty and territorial integrity.  As the people of Ukraine work to restore unity, peace, and security to their country, the United States will stand by their side.

The United States and Ukraine reiterate their commitment to upholding their nuclear nonproliferation commitments.  The United States recognizes the importance of the 2012 removal of all highly enriched uranium from Ukraine.  This removal again highlighted Ukraine’s leadership in nuclear security and nonproliferation, as we collectively work together to secure the world’s vulnerable nuclear material.  As part of its support for this effort, the United States committed in 2010 to work with Ukraine to construct a Neutron Source Facility at the Kharkiv Institute for Physics and Technology.  This month construction of the Neutron Source Facility was completed.  The facility, equipped with the most up-to-date technology to operate at the highest safety standards, provides Ukraine with new research capabilities and the ability to produce industrial and medical isotopes for the benefit of the Ukrainian people. 

This state of the art facility is representative of the modern, European state the Government of Ukraine is committed to building.  To build on this important cooperation, the United States will continue to provide technical support for the Neutron Source Facility as Ukraine completes the necessary final equipment installation, testing, and start-up to make the facility fully operational as soon as practical.

This successful effort reflects broad U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation on nuclear security and nonproliferation.  Our countries recently extended the U.S.-Ukraine Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Umbrella Agreement and the U.S.-Ukraine Agreement Concerning Operational Safety Enhancements, Risk Reduction Measures, and Nuclear Safety Regulation for Civilian Nuclear Facilities in Ukraine. 

The United States and Ukraine intend to continue to partner to prevent nuclear proliferation by improving Ukraine’s ability to detect nuclear materials on its borders, to provide physical protection at sites with nuclear or radioactive materials, and to maintain an adequate export control system in order to help realize the goals of the Nuclear Security Summits. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 24, 2014

President Obama Signs Washington Emergency Declaration

Today, the President declared an emergency in the State of Washington and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from flooding and mudslides beginning on March 22, 2014, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Snohomish County.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. 

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
March 24, 2014

Readout of the Vice President’s Call with Romanian President Traian Basescu

In a telephone call today, the Vice President spoke with Romanian President Traian Basescu about tensions in Ukraine and the broader region as a result of Russia’s military actions.  The two leaders consulted on next steps to support Ukraine, including to the OSCE monitoring mission, as well as the need to intensify sanctions against Russia should it continue on the current course.  The Vice President also reaffirmed our steadfast commitment to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and agreed on the need to take additional steps to collectively strengthen our Alliance defenses.