The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 12, 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:

  • Thomas Rothman – Member, National Council on the Arts
  • Peter A. Selfridge – Chief of Protocol, with the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service, Department of State
  • Douglas Alan Silliman – Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, Department of State
  • Robert A. Wood – Rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, Department of State
  • Portia Y. Wu – Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor 

President Obama said, “These dedicated and accomplished individuals will be valued additions to my Administration as we tackle the important challenges facing America. 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:

Thomas Rothman, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Arts

Thomas Rothman is Chairman of Tristar Productions, an entity of Sony Pictures Entertainment.  From 2000 to 2012, he was Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, the parent company of 20th Century Fox.  He joined Fox Filmed Entertainment in 1994 as the founder and first President of Fox Searchlight.  Mr. Rothman was President of Worldwide Production for the Samuel Goldwyn Company from 1989 to 1994 and Executive Vice President of Columbia Pictures from 1987 to 1989.  Earlier in his career, he was a partner at the entertainment law firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.  Mr. Rothman is a member of the Board of Directors of Brown University, the California Institute of the Arts, and the Sundance Institute.  He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and is a board member emeritus of the American Film Institute.  Mr. Rothman received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Peter A. Selfridge, Nominee for Chief of Protocol, with the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service, Department of State

Peter A. Selfridge is currently the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Advance & Operations at the White House, a position he has held since 2011.  He previously served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Advance in 2011, and Director of Advance for the Vice President from 2009 to 2011.  Mr. Selfridge served as Deputy Director of Advance for both the Presidential Transition Office and Obama for America from 2008 to early 2009.  Prior to this, he worked as the Los Angeles City Director at the Clinton Climate Initiative and as a Public Affairs Consultant from 2005 to 2007.  From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Selfridge served as Associate Director in the Office of Scheduling and Advance for John Kerry for President.  He was Senior Associate and Associate at Citigate Communications/Citigate Sard Verbinnen from 2001 to 2003.  Mr. Selfridge was a Media Logistics Coordinator for the Gore-Lieberman campaign in 2000 and from 1997 to 2000, he served as a Policy Analyst for The City of New York, Department of Citywide Administrative Services.  Mr. Selfridge was Director of Scheduling Correspondence and Deputy Director in the Office of Scheduling and Advance at the White House from 1995 to 1997.  From 1993 to 1995, he served as Legislative Correspondent and Staff Assistant in the office of Senator Tom Harkin.  Mr. Selfridge received a B.A. from the University of Iowa and an M.I.P.P. from Johns Hopkins University.

Douglas Alan Silliman, Nominee for Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, Department of State

Douglas Alan Silliman, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, was most recently Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, a position he held since 2012.  From 2011 to 2012, he was Counselor for Political Affairs in Baghdad.  Before serving in Iraq, he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Ankara, Turkey from 2008 to 2011.  Mr. Silliman was Deputy Director and then Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the Department of State from 2004 to 2007. From 2000 to 2004, he was Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan.  His previous assignments in the Department of State include Regional Officer for the Middle East in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Desk Officer in the Office of Soviet Union Affairs, Lebanon Desk Officer and Staff Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs.  His overseas assignments with the Department of State include Political Officer in Islamabad, Pakistan, Visa Officer in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Political Officer in Tunis, Tunisia.  He joined the Foreign Service in 1984.  He received a B.A. from Baylor University and an M.A. from the George Washington University.

Robert A. Wood, Nominee for Rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, Department of State

Robert A. Wood, a Career Member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.  From 2010 to 2013, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna, Austria.  From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Wood was the State Department's Deputy Spokesman and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.  From 2004 to 2008, he served as the Press Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany.  Prior to his assignment to Berlin, he was Deputy Spokesman at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2001 to 2004.  Mr. Wood has been a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State and the former U.S. Information Agency since 1988.  In Washington, Mr. Wood has worked as a public affairs advisor for the Bureau of African Affairs, as a Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and in several positions dealing with the Balkans.  Mr. Wood has also served in public affairs positions in Mexico City, Mexico; Lagos, Nigeria; Islamabad, Pakistan; and Pretoria, South Africa.  He received a B.A. from The City University of New York.

Portia Y. Wu, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor

Portia Y. Wu currently serves as Special Assistant to the President for Labor and Workforce Policy at the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC).  From 2011 to 2012, she served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Mobility and Opportunity at DPC.  Prior to joining the Administration, she was the Vice President at the National Partnership for Women and Families from 2010 to 2011.  From 2003 to 2010, Ms. Wu worked at the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee in a number of roles, including Labor and Pensions Counsel, Chief Labor and Pensions Counsel, and Labor Policy Director and General Counsel.  Prior to working in the U.S. Senate, Ms. Wu was an attorney at Bredhoff & Kaiser, PLLC, and clerked for Judge Richard A. Paez in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Ms. Wu received a B.A. from Yale College, an M.A. from Cornell University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
December 12, 2013

Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan

Vice President Biden spoke by phone this morning with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, expressing appreciation for the hospitality he received during his visit to Tokyo earlier this month.  The Vice President reaffirmed that the United States does not recognize China’s recently announced Air Defense Identification Zone and that the announcement will in no way affect U.S. operations in the East China Sea.  The Vice President also reiterated U.S. support for steps to reduce regional tensions, including new bilateral mechanisms for crisis communication.  The two leaders agreed on the importance of continued close U.S.-Japan coordination on this issue.  The Vice President also reinforced the importance of trilateral security cooperation among the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and noted our continued support for improved relations between Tokyo and Seoul.  The Vice President and Prime Minister discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and agreed on the importance of resolving sensitive issues, including on agriculture and autos, and concluding the negotiations as soon as possible.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 12, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of Mariano Rajoy Brey, President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain

On Monday, January 13, President Obama will welcome the President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain Mariano Rajoy Brey to the White House.  The visit will highlight the strength and depth of the United States’ relationship with Spain – from Spain’s decisive support during the Revolutionary War to our cooperation in fostering transatlantic security as committed NATO Allies.  The President and President Rajoy will discuss promoting economic growth and new jobs, support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, cooperation within NATO, Latin America, shared challenges in North Africa and the Middle East, and other topics of mutual interest.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 12, 2013

Statement by the President on the Confirmation of Nina Pillard

I thank the Senate for confirming Nina Pillard to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which for the first time, will have five active female judges on the bench.  Throughout her career, Ms. Pillard has displayed an unwavering commitment to justice and integrity.  Her landmark accomplishments on behalf of women and families include Supreme Court cases defending the constitutionality of the Family and Medical Leave Act and opening the doors of the Virginia Military Institute to female students.  I’m confident she will be a diligent, thoughtful and judicious addition to the D.C. Circuit.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2013

Statement by the President on the Budget

Earlier this year, I called on Congress to work together on a balanced approach to a budget that grows our economy faster and creates more jobs – not through aimless, reckless spending cuts that harm our economy now, but by making sure we can afford to invest in the things that have always grown our economy and strengthened our middle class.  Today’s bipartisan budget agreement is a good first step.

This agreement replaces a portion of the across-the-board spending cuts known as "the sequester” that have harmed students, seniors, and middle-class families and served as a mindless drag on our economy over the last year.  It clears the path for critical investments in things like scientific research, which has the potential to unleash new innovation and new industries.  It’s balanced, and includes targeted fee increases and spending cuts designed in a way that doesn’t hurt our economy or break the ironclad promises we’ve made to our seniors. It does all this while slightly reducing our deficits over time – coming on top of four years of the fastest deficit reduction since the end of World War II.  And because it’s the first budget that leaders of both parties have agreed to in a few years, the American people should not have to endure the pain of another government shutdown for the next two years.

This agreement doesn’t include everything I’d like – and I know many Republicans feel the same way. That’s the nature of compromise. But it’s a good sign that Democrats and Republicans in Congress were able to come together and break the cycle of short-sighted, crisis-driven decision-making to get this done. That’s the way the American people expect Washington to work. I want to thank Senator Murray, Congressman Ryan and all the other leaders who helped forge this bipartisan agreement. And I want to call on Members of Congress from both parties to take the next step and actually pass a budget based on this agreement so I can sign it into law and our economy can continue growing and creating jobs without more Washington headwinds.

But, as I said last week, the defining challenge of our time is not whether Congress can pass a budget – it’s whether we can make sure our economy works for every working American. And while today’s agreement is a good first step, Congress has a lot more to do on that front. In the immediate term, Congress should extend unemployment insurance, so more than a million Americans looking for work don’t lose a vital economic lifeline right after Christmas, and our economy doesn’t take a hit. And beyond that, they should do more to expand broad-based growth and opportunity – by creating more jobs that pay better wages, by growing our economy, and by offering a path into the middle class for every American willing to work for it.

 

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2013

Statement by the President on the Confirmation of Mel Watt

More than five years after a housing bubble burst and nearly brought down our entire economy, our housing market is steadily healing.  Home values and sales are rising.  Construction is up, foreclosures are down, and millions of families have come out from underwater on their mortgages.  Earlier this year, I laid out my strategy to help more middle-class families buy a home, offer more relief to responsible homeowners, and more options for families who aren’t yet ready to buy.  And as we turn the page on the bubble-and-bust mentality that created this mess, we have to build a housing system that’s rock-solid and rewards responsibility for future generations of American homebuyers so that a home is what it’s always been: a source of pride and middle-class security.

That’s where Mel Watt comes in.  Seven months ago, I nominated Mel to lead the agency charged with looking out for hardworking families by enforcing rules of the road for the mortgage industry.  And today, he’s finally been confirmed to do that job.  Mel comes from humble roots.  He’s represented the people of North Carolina in Congress for 20 years.  He’s the right person to protect Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day, and he’ll be the right regulator to make sure the kind of crisis we just went through never happens again.  I thank the Senate for confirming his nomination, and I look forward to Mel’s work on behalf of the American people.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2013

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the Completion of the U.S. – Russia “Megatons to Megawatts” Program

Today the United States and Russia are commemorating the completion of one of the most successful non-proliferation programs in our history.  With this week’s off-loading at the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, of the last delivery of low-enriched uranium derived from 500 metric tons of highly enriched uranium, our countries have seen to fruition the implementation of the 1993 U.S.-Russia Highly Enriched Uranium Purchase Agreement.  That low-enriched uranium, which was blended down from 20,000 Russian nuclear warheads, became fuel for U.S. nuclear power reactors as part of a program more commonly known as “Megatons to Megawatts.” The program supplied nearly ten percent of all U.S. electricity over the last fifteen years. The United States and Russia remain strongly committed to building on this success, and will continue to collaborate across various fields of nonproliferation, nuclear security, and nuclear research and development.
 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2013

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Kenya to Attend the 50th Anniversary of the Republic of Kenya

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Kenya to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Republic of Kenya on December 12, 2013.

The Honorable Robert F. Godec, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya, will lead the delegation.

Member of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2013

Statement by the President on the Volcker Rule

Five years ago, a financial catastrophe on Wall Street was rapidly fueling a punishing recession on Main Street that ultimately cost millions of jobs and hurt families across the country.  So as we prepared steps to rescue our economy and put Americans back to work, we also put in place tough rules of the road to make sure a crisis like that never happened again – rules that reward sound financial practices, allow honest innovation and strengthen the financial system’s ability to support job creation and durable economic growth. 

As part of this Wall Street reform, we fought to include the Volcker Rule – a rule that makes sure big banks can’t make risky bets with their customer’s deposits.  The Volcker Rule will make it illegal for firms to use government-insured money to make speculative bets that threaten the entire financial system, and demand a new era of accountability from CEOs who must sign off on their firm’s practices. 

Our financial system will be safer and the American people are more secure because we fought to include this protection in the law.  I thank Paul Volcker, a former Chairman of the Federal Reserve and advisor I trust, for helping to create this important safeguard.  I also thank Secretary Lew and the regulators who worked diligently to finalize the rule by the end of this year as we called on them to do.  I encourage Congress to give these regulators adequate funding to effectively and efficiently implement the rule, which will help protect hardworking families and business owners from future crisis, and restore everyone’s certainty and confidence in America’s dynamic financial system.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2013

Vice President Biden Announces $100 Million to Increase Access to Mental Health Services

As part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to help individuals experiencing mental health problems, today Vice President Biden announced that $100 million will soon be available to increase access to mental health services and improve mental health facilities.

“The fact that less than half of children and adults with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need is unacceptable.  The President and I have made it a priority to do everything we can to make it easier to access mental health services, and today’s announcements by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture build on that commitment,” said Vice President Biden.

Over the past several years, the Administration has taken steps to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help for mental illness, and to ensure that millions of Americans have access to health insurance that covers mental health and substance abuse disorder services at parity with medical and surgical benefits.  Also, the President has proposed an additional $130 million in his FY 2014 Budget for efforts such as helping to ensure teachers and other adults who work with youth can recognize signs of mental illness and connect children and their families to the treatment they need.

Today’s Announcement: $100 Million to Increase Access to Mental Health Services

  • $50 Million for Mental Health Services at Community Health Centers:  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will soon issue a $50 million funding opportunity to help Community Health Centers establish or expand behavioral health services for people living with mental illness or addiction.  Community Health Centers can use these new funds, made available through the Affordable Care Act, for efforts such as hiring new mental health professionals and adding mental health and substance abuse disorder services. 

  • $50 Million to Improve Mental Health Facilities:  Because proximity to mental health services can be a unique challenge in rural America, the Department of Agriculture has a new goal:  to finance $50 million for the construction, expansion, or improvement of mental health facilities in rural areas over the next three years.  These funds, made available through the Department’s Community Facilities direct loan program, can be used to improve or construct mental health service facilities or put in place innovative tools such as telemedicine to expand access to mental health services at rural schools, community centers, hospitals, and other community-based settings. 

Building on a Record of Improving Access to Mental Health Care

The Affordable Care Act expands mental health and substance abuse disorder benefits and federal parity protections for approximately 60 million Americans.  That’s one of the largest expansions of mental health and substance abuse disorder coverage in a generation.  The law also requires most health plans to cover recommended preventive services like depression screenings for adults and behavioral assessments for children at no cost to consumers.  And starting in 2014, insurers will no longer be able to deny coverage or charge individuals more due to pre-existing health conditions, including mental illnesses.

Additionally, as part of the President and the Vice President’s gun violence reduction plan announced last January, the Administration has completed several key executive actions to increase access to mental health services, including:

  • HHS, the Department of Labor, and the Treasury Department issued a final rule implementing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.  Under this rule, insurers must cover benefits for mental health and substance abuse disorders, when offered, at parity with medical and surgical care benefits.  The regulation also includes important consumer protections, such as clarifying the information that insurance companies must provide to ensure transparency and compliance with the law. 

  • The Administration hosted the National Conference on Mental Health to discuss ways to reduce stigma and help the millions of Americans struggling with mental health problems.  The White House applauded the dozens of commitments to increase understanding and awareness of mental health that were made by organizations representing media, educators, health care providers, faith communities, and foundations. 

Calling on Congress to Act

The President’s FY 2014 Budget proposes a new $130 million initiative to address several barriers that may prevent people from accessing help.  The initiative proposes to train teachers to recognize signs of mental illness and refer students to mental health services when needed.  It supports the training of an additional 5,000 mental health professionals.  And it would give grants to states to implement innovative strategies to help young people ages 16 to 25 with mental health or substance abuse issues.  The Administration continues to call on Congress to appropriate funds for these important purposes.