The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 18, 2013

Statement by the President on the Budget

I’m pleased that with tonight’s vote in the Senate, for the first time in years, both parties in both houses of Congress have come together to pass a budget.  It’s a budget that unwinds some of the damaging sequester cuts that have harmed students and seniors and acted as headwinds our businesses had to fight.  It clears a path for critical investments in things like education and research that have always grown our economy and strengthened the middle class.  And it will continue to reduce our deficits at a time when we’ve seen four of the fastest years of deficit reduction since the end of World War II.

All told, it’s a good first step away from the shortsighted, crisis-driven decision-making that has only served to act as a drag on our economy.  It helps chart our economic course for the next two years, which means that the American people won’t be exposed to another painful and unwise government shutdown.  But there is much more work to do to ensure our economy works for every working American.  For one, Congress should pass an extension of unemployment insurance so more than a million Americans don’t lose a vital lifeline as they fight to find a job.  Today, Senators Reed and Heller introduced a bipartisan solution that would prevent a lapse in benefits that would hurt these families and deal an unnecessary blow to our economy, and I urge Congress to act.  

I thank Democratic and Republican leaders from the House and Senate who have worked hard to get this budget done and look forward to the Congress sending me bills that fund our government and refrain from fighting old ideological battles.  And I hope this spirit of cooperation will continue into the New Year as we work to restore opportunity and broad-based growth for every American.

 

###

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 18, 2013

Readout of the President’s Call to President-elect Bachelet of Chile

President Obama spoke by phone this morning with Chilean President-elect Michelle Bachelet to congratulate her on her victory in Chile’s second-round election on December 15.  The President expressed his desire to continue strengthening the relationship between the United States and Chile, building on the close partnership he enjoyed with President-elect Bachelet during her previous term, as well as with President Piñera during his time in office.  The two countries enjoy robust cooperation on a variety of important priorities, including in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and Chile’s nomination this year to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.  The President looks forward to working closely with President-elect Bachelet to advance our shared interests in the years ahead.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 18, 2013

President Obama’s Meeting with the Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies

Today, President Obama met with his Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies -- Richard Clarke, Michael Morell, Geoffrey Stone, Cass Sunstein and Peter Swire -- to discuss the report they submitted to the President on December 13.

This meeting offered President Obama an opportunity to hear directly from the group’s members and discuss the thinking behind the 46 recommendations in their report. The President noted that the group’s report represented a consensus view, particularly significant given the broad scope of the members’ expertise in counterterrorism, intelligence, oversight, privacy and civil liberties. The President again stated his expectation that, in light of new technologies, the United States use its intelligence collection capabilities in a way that optimally protects our national security while supporting our foreign policy, respecting privacy and civil liberties, maintaining the public trust, and reducing the risk of unauthorized disclosure. The President expressed his personal appreciation to the group members for the extraordinary work that went into producing this comprehensive and high quality report, and outlined for the group how he intends to utilize their work.

Over the next several weeks, as we bring to a close the Administration’s overall review of signals intelligence, the President will work with his national security team to study the Review Group’s report, and to determine which recommendations we should implement. The President will also continue consulting with Congress as reform proposals are considered in each chamber.

You can find the Review Group’s report HERE. While the Administration’s internal review is ongoing, including our review of the report itself, we will not be in a position to comment on the proposals made by the Review Group. In January, the President looks forward to speaking to the American people, as well as to the international community, to outline the outcomes of our work, including our plans to address the Review Group’s recommendations.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2013

Statement from the President on the Retirement of Congressman Jim Matheson

Jim Matheson has proudly represented the people of Utah for more than twelve years in the United States Congress.  He has been a forceful advocate of our nation’s veterans and worked to strengthen our economy through his support of key trade agreements.  Michelle and I thank Congressman Matheson for his service and wish him, his wife Amy, and their two sons the very best in the future.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2013

Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate

NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:

Elisebeth Collins Cook, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board for a term expiring January 29, 2020.  (Reappointment)

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2013

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

  • Elisebeth Collins Cook – Member, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
  • Mark McWatters – Member, National Credit Union Administration Board 

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

Elisebeth Collins Cook, Nominee for Member, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board

Elisebeth Collins Cook is currently Counsel at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, a position she has held since June 2011.  Ms. Cook has been a Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board since August 2012.  From 2010 to 2011, Ms. Cook was Partner at Freeborn & Peters LLP.  In 2009, Ms. Cook served as Republican Chief Counsel for Supreme Court Nominations for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.  From 2008 to 2009, Ms. Cook served as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy (OLP) at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).  She previously served at OLP from 2005 to 2008 in the roles of Acting and Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General, and Senior Counsel.  Prior to joining DOJ, Ms. Cook was an associate with Cooper & Kirk PLLC.  She previously clerked for Judge Lee H. Rosenthal of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and for Senior Judge Laurence H. Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.  She received a B.A. from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Mark McWatters, Nominee for Member, National Credit Union Administration Board

Mark McWatters is currently the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and an adjunct professor at the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Dedman School of Law, a position he has held since 2011.  He has also served as an adjunct professor at the SMU Cox School of Business since 2009.  From May 2009 to December 2009, he served as counsel to U.S. Representative Jeb Hensarling.  Mr. McWatters was tax and mergers & acquisition counsel for HBK Capital Management from 2007 to 2009.  From 2004 to 2007, Mr. McWatters was a partner at Patton Boggs and from 1990 to 2001, he was a partner at Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright).  Earlier in his career, he worked for Hughes & Luce (now K&L Gates); McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore; and as a judicial clerk on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for the Honorable Walter Ely.  Since 2012, he has served as a member of the Governing Board of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.  From 2009 to 2011, Mr. McWatters was a member of the TARP Congressional Oversight Panel.  Mr. McWatters received a B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas Christian University, an M.B.A. from Michigan State University, a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, an LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law, and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2013

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

  • Eric Rosenbach – Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense, Department of Defense
  • Darci L. Vetter – Chief Agricultural Negotiator, with the rank of Ambassador, Office of the United States Trade Representative 

President Obama said, “I am proud that such experienced and committed individuals have agreed to serve the American people in these important roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

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

Eric Rosenbach, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense, Department of Defense

Eric Rosenbach is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy at the Department of Defense, a position he has held since 2011.  Previously, Mr. Rosenbach was Principal and Global Cybersecurity Practice Lead at Good Harbor Consulting.  From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Rosenbach was the Executive Director of the Belfer Center for International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he also taught classes on cybersecurity, counterterrorism and international policy analysis.  Mr. Rosenbach was a Policy Advisor for President Obama’s 2008 campaign.  From 2005 to 2007, he was a national security advisor for Senator Chuck Hagel and a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.  Mr. Rosenbach was an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton from 2002 to 2004 and the Chief Security Officer of World Online International from 2000 to 2002.  Mr. Rosenbach served as Commander of the Communications Intelligence Unit in the United States Army from 1996 to 2000.  Mr. Rosenbach was a Fulbright Scholar.  He received a B.A. from Davidson College, an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Darci L. Vetter, Nominee for Chief Agricultural Negotiator, with the rank of Ambassador, Office of the United States Trade Representative

Darci L. Vetter is Deputy Under Secretary in the Office of the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a position she has held since 2010.  From 2007 to 2010, she was an International Trade Advisor on the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.  Prior to working in the Senate, Ms. Vetter held numerous roles at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, including Director for Agricultural Affairs from 2005 to 2007 and Director for Sustainable Development from 2001 to 2005.  Prior to that, she was Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Management at the U.S. Department of State from 2000 to 2001.  Ms. Vetter received a B.A. from Drake University and an M.P.A. and Certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2013

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegations to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of Presidential Delegations to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russian Federation.

Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

The Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russian Federation will be held on February 7, 2014.

The delegation will attend athletic events, meet with U.S. athletes, and attend the Opening Ceremony.

The Honorable Janet A. Napolitano, President of the University of California, will lead the delegation.

The Honorable Michael A. McFaul, United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation.

The Honorable Robert L. Nabors, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy.

The Honorable Billie Jean King, Member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, Member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Mr. Brian A. Boitano, Olympic gold medalist, figure skating.

Presidential Delegation to the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

The Closing Ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russian Federation will be held on February 23, 2014.

The delegation will attend athletic events, meet with U.S. athletes, and attend the Closing Ceremony.

The Honorable William J. Burns, Deputy Secretary of State, will lead the delegation.

The Honorable Michael A. McFaul, United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation.

Ms. Bonnie Blair, five-time Olympic gold medalist and one-time bronze medalist, speed skating.

Ms. Caitlin Cahow, Olympic silver medalist and bronze medalist, women's ice hockey.

Dr. Eric Heiden, five-time Olympic gold medalist, speed skating.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2013

Readout of the President’s Meeting with CEOs

Today, the President and the Vice President met with executives from leading tech companies in the Roosevelt Room. The group discussed a number of issues of shared importance to the federal government and the tech sector, including the progress being made to improve performance and capacity issues with HeathCare.Gov.  The President also announced that Kurt DelBene, who most recently served as president of the Microsoft Office Division, will succeed Jeff Zients as Senior Advisor to Secretary Sebelius who will lead our ongoing efforts to improve HealthCare.gov and the Health Insurance Marketplace starting this Wednesday. The group discussed the challenges surround federal IT procurement. The President made clear his continued focus on improving the way we deliver technology to maximize innovation, efficiency and customer service, and encouraged the CEOs to continue to share their ideas on how to do so.  Finally, the group discussed the national security and economic impacts of unauthorized intelligence disclosures.  This was an opportunity for the President to hear from CEOs directly as we near completion of our review of signals intelligence programs, building on the feedback we’ve received from the private sector in recent weeks and months.  The President made clear his belief in an open, free, and innovative internet and listened to the group’s concerns and recommendations, and made clear that we will consider their input as well as the input of other outside stakeholders as we finalize our review of signals intelligence programs.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 16, 2013

Statement by the President on the Confirmation of Jeh Johnson as Secretary of Homeland Security

I am pleased the Senate has confirmed Jeh Johnson as our next Secretary of Homeland Security with broad bipartisan support.  In Jeh, our dedicated homeland security professionals will have a strong leader with a deep understanding of the threats we face and a proven ability to work across agencies and complex organizations to keep America secure.  Jeh has been a critical member of my national security team, and he helped to shape some of our most successful national security policies and strategies.  As Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh will play a leading role in our efforts to protect the homeland against terrorist attacks, adapt to changing threats, stay prepared for natural disasters, strengthen our border security, and make our immigration system fairer – while upholding the values, civil liberties, and laws that make America great.  I look forward to Jeh’s counsel and sound judgment for years to come.

###