The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 02, 2013

Readout of Vice President Biden’s Meeting with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of Greece

Vice President Biden met today with Prime Minister Samaras of Greece to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues.  The Vice President stressed Greece’s strategic importance as a NATO ally and valued partner in promoting peace and stability from the Middle East and North Africa to the Western Balkans.   The Vice President commended the Prime Minister for his continued commitment to making the tough but necessary reforms to put Greece back on stable financial footing, as notable progress has already been made. The Vice President also pledged continued American support for Greece’s efforts to make its economy more open and competitive.  Finally, the two leaders also agreed to continue to support efforts toward reconciliation on Cyprus and in that context, the Vice President welcomed the recent decision of the Greek and Turkish governments to meet with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot negotiators, respectively, as a positive step towards helping the parties build trust. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 02, 2013

Readout of the President’s call to Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia

Last night, President Obama called Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia to inform him that, due to the government shutdown, he will not be able to go forward with his planned travel to Malaysia. The President reaffirmed the close partnership that he has forged with Malaysia and respect for Prime Minister Najib's leadership, and committed to travel to Malaysia later in his term. He also welcomed Malaysia’s strong leadership of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, and conveyed to the Prime Minister that Secretary of State Kerry would lead a U.S. delegation to Kuala Lumpur, including Secretary of Commerce Pritzker and U.S. Trade Representative Froman. Prime Minister Najib expressed his understanding and said that he looked forward to welcoming the President to Malaysia in the near future.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 02, 2013

Readout of the President’s call to President Aquino of the Philippines

Last night, President Obama called President Aquino of the Philippines to inform him that, due to the government shutdown, he will not be able to go forward with his planned travel to the Philippines. The President reaffirmed our strong alliance with the Philippines and respect for President Aquino's leadership, and committed to travel to the Philippines later in his term. He also noted our shared commitment to the security of the Philippines, and the broader security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, and told the President that Secretary Kerry would travel to Manila in his place. He also noted the deep ties between our peoples, including so many Filipino-Americans who have enriched our country.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 01, 2013

President Obama Signs Pennsylvania Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of June 26 to July 11, 2013. 

Federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Fayette, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lawrence, Venango, and Wayne. 

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 1412, H.R. 3092 and H.R. 3210

On Monday, September 30, 2013, the President signed into law:

H.R. 1412, the "Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2013," which extends certain expiring authorities affecting veterans and their families, increases the amount authorized for specific homeless veterans programs, and verifies the incomes of pension recipients with information obtained through the National Directory of New Hires;

H.R. 3092, the "E. Clay Shaw, Jr. Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013," which expands the purposes for which Justice Department grants related to missing children, including grants to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, may be used; and establishes requirements for audits and other oversight of grant recipients; and

H.R. 3210, the "Pay Our Military Act," which provides continuing appropriations for pay and allowances during any period for which interim or full-year appropriations for FY 2014 are not in effect as follows:  for members of the Armed Forces, including Reserve Component personnel who perform active service during such period, and for civilian personnel and contractors of the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security (in the case of the Coast Guard) whom the respective Secretaries determine are providing support to members of the Armed Forces.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2013

President Obama Signs New Mexico Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of New Mexico and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of July 23-28, 2013.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in the counties of Bernalillo, Colfax, Luna, Sandoval, and Socorro and the Cochiti, Kewa (Santa Domingo), San Felipe, and Sandia Pueblos. 

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and Tribes within the state.

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

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2013

Readout of the President’s Calls to the Congressional Leadership

This evening, the President placed separate calls to Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senate Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Boehner and Democratic Leader Pelosi.  The President made clear that Congress has two jobs to do: pay the bills on time and pass a budget on time.  Failure to fulfill those responsibilities is harmful to our economy, small businesses and middle class families across the country.

The President made clear to the Republican Leadership that they must act, as the Senate has, to pass the bill that funds the government for six weeks that doesn’t include any extraneous ideological riders.  The President urged the House to bring up this clean Continuing Resolution for a vote tonight to keep the government open and avoid a shutdown. 

The President reinforced with the Republican Leaders that he will continue to oppose any politically-motivated attempts to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act, attempts which would never pass the Senate or become law.  And he reiterated that he will not negotiate on the debt limit: Congress must pay the bills it has already incurred and avoid a devastating blow to our economy.

The President expressed his gratitude to the Democratic Leaders for their efforts to support and pass a clean bill that funds the government at current levels, and made clear that leaders in Washington have a responsibility to do more than just avert disaster.  That’s why the President will continue to work with members in both parties to pass a budget that protects the kinds of investments we need to grow the economy, create good jobs and build a better bargain for the middle class.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2013

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Lanhee J. Chen, of California, to be a Member of the Social Security Advisory Board for a term expiring September 30, 2018, vice Mark J. Warshawsky, term expired.

Alan L. Cohen, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Social Security Advisory Board for a term expiring September 30, 2016, vice Dana K. Bilyeu, term expired.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2013

President Obama Announces Another Key Administration Post

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

  • Lanhee J. Chen – Member, Social Security Advisory Board 

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

Dr. Lanhee J. Chen, Nominee for Member, Social Security Advisory Board

Dr. Lanhee J. Chen is a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Lecturer in Public Policy at Stanford University, and Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School.  Previously, Dr. Chen was the Policy Director for the Romney-Ryan presidential campaign, Governor Romney’s chief policy adviser, and a senior strategist on the campaign.  He also served as Domestic Policy Director of Governor Romney's first presidential campaign in 2008.  In 2010, Dr. Chen was the Deputy Campaign Manager and Policy Director of Steve Poizner’s California gubernatorial campaign.  Previously, he was an Associate Attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.  In 2008, Dr. Chen served as Senior Counselor to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  In 2004, he was a health policy adviser to the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign.  Dr. Chen was the Winnie Neubauer Visiting Fellow in Health Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation and worked as a health policy advocate for the ERISA Industry Committee.  Dr. Chen received an A.B. from Harvard College, an A.M. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2013

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

  • Alan Cohen – Member, Social Security Advisory Board 

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

  • Thomas R. Nides – Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
  • Laura Paulson – Member, Committee for the Preservation of the White House
  • Quyen D. Chu – Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation
  • Anhlan P. Nguyen – Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation 

President Obama said, “The extraordinary dedication these men and women bring to their new roles will greatly serve the American people.  I am grateful they have agreed to serve in this Administration and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

Alan Cohen, Nominee for Member, Social Security Advisory Board

Alan Cohen served as the Senior Budget Advisor and Chief Counselor for Social Security for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance from 2001 to 2012.  From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Cohen served as Senior Advisor for Budget and Economics to the Secretary of the Treasury.  During this period, from 1999 to 2000, he was detailed to be a Budget Advisor in the Domestic Policy Office in the Office of the Vice President.  From 1992 to 1993, he served as the Budget Economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.  From 1983 to 1992, Mr. Cohen was first the Senior Economist, and then the Assistant Staff Director for Budget Priorities on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee.  From 1979 to 1983, Mr. Cohen worked as a Policy Analyst/Economist at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Mr. Cohen received a B.A. from Grinnell College, an M.P.P. from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

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

Thomas R. Nides, Appointee for Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Thomas R. Nides is Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley, a position he has held since 2013.  Previously, he served as Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources at the Department of State from 2010 to 2013.  Prior to joining the Administration, Mr. Nides was the Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley from 2005 to 2010.  Prior to this, he was Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer of Burson-Marsteller, Chief Administrative Officer of Credit Suisse First Boston, Senior Vice President of Fannie Mae, and Chief of Staff to the United States Trade Representative.  He has served on the boards of New York Cares, the Urban Alliance Foundation, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and the Advisory Board of the National Zoo.  Mr. Nides received a B.S. from the University of Minnesota. 

Laura Paulson, Appointee for Member, Committee for the Preservation of the White House

Laura Paulson is Chairman of Americas at Christie’s and a Senior International Director in Post-War and Contemporary Art.  She is an expert in the appraisal and evaluation of Impressionist works, Modern Art, Old Masters, American Paintings, and Decorative Arts.  Before joining Christie’s in 1989, Ms. Paulson was Director of the Luhring Augustine Gallery and worked at the David McKee Gallery in New York City.  She is a member of the Professional Fine Arts Committee for Fine Arts and Preservation in the Embassies, and a National Committee member of the American Friends of the Israeli Museum.  She serves on the Advisory Board for the Hunter College Foundation Board and the Board of Visitors of the University of Oregon.  Ms. Paulson received a B.A. in Art History from the University of Oregon.

Quyen D. Chu, Appointee for Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation

Quyen D. Chu is Chief of Surgical Oncology at LSU Health Science Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.  He is also Director of the Peritoneal Surface Malignancies Program and Charles Knight, Sr. Endowed Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University.  His involvement with the Vietnam Education Foundation includes serving as host and coordinator of the 2012 Annual Conference, held in Shreveport, Louisiana.  In 2013, he received the Vietnamese-American Youth Excellence Recognition Award from the Vietnamese Culture & Science Association.  He was named among “Top Doctors” by U.S. News & World Report and Castle Connolly, and in 2009 and 2010, he was named “Most Influential Doctor” by USA Today.  Dr. Chu received a B.A. from Dartmouth College, an M.B.A. from Centenary College, and an M.D. from Brown University’s School Of Medicine.

Anhlan P. Nguyen, Appointee for Member, Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation

Anhlan P. Nguyen is an IT Portfolio Manager at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, a position she has held since 2002.  She was first appointed to the Board of Directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation in 2012.  From 1995 to 2002, she was an IT principal consultant and project manager at Metro Information Services/Keane, Inc. in Houston, Texas.  Ms. Nguyen has been Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vietnamese Culture and Science Association since 2005, and in 1990, she founded the Vietnamese Youth Center of Toronto.  She received the Women’s Leadership Empowerment Award from the Texas Women Empowerment Foundation in 2011.  Ms. Nguyen received a B.S. and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto.