The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 11, 2013

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the release of Rafael Caro Quintero

We are deeply concerned by the release of Rafael Caro Quintero from prison in Mexico. He had been serving a 40-year prison term for the 1985 kidnapping, torture and murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. We have seen reports that another individual connected to Camarena's killing could also be released. We remain as committed today in seeing Quintero and others involved in this crime face justice in the United States as we were in the immediate aftermath of Kiki Camarena's murder and will work closely with the Mexican authorities on this.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 10, 2013

Fact Sheet: The Obama Administration’s Work to Honor Our Military Families and Veterans

On Saturday, August 10, President Obama addressed the Disabled American Veterans and discussed his Administration’s work to secure our nation, wind down the war in Afghanistan, better serve our troops and military families, and honor our veterans. In his remarks, President Obama outlined the five priorities his Administration is focused on to ensure we are fulfilling our promises to all those who have served – ensuring the resources our veterans deserve; delivering the health care veterans have been promised; ending the claims backlog; protecting the dignity and rights of wounded warriors; and making sure all veterans have every opportunity to pursue the American Dream.

The President announced a new national action plan to guide mental health research and commitments from 250 community colleges and universities to aid veterans in their efforts to complete their higher education so they can compete for the high-skilled jobs of the future. Additionally the President noted that we are turning the tide on eliminating the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) disability claims backlog, with a nearly 20% reduction over the last five months. The President also renewed his call on Congress to pass his Veterans Job Corps proposal to put our veterans to work protecting and rebuilding America, and to extend permanently the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior tax credits for businesses that hire veterans.

On Friday, August 9, the President signed into law the Helping Heroes Fly Act, to ensure wounded warriors and disabled veterans can travel with dignity. Additional background information on the Administration’s work to honor and support America’s service members, military families and veterans is included below.

Ensuring All Veterans Have Every Opportunity to Pursue the American Dream

As the President has said, no veteran who fought for this nation should have to fight for a job when they return home. The President’s tax credits, combined with additional steps the Administration has taken to improve transition from military service to civilian employment, have begun to make an impact in reducing veterans’ unemployment. The President’s record on hiring and education veterans includes:

Hiring Our Veterans

  • Creating Two New Veterans’ Tax Credits – Which the President Has Called to Extend Permanently: President Obama repeated his call for making the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors tax credits permanent, continuing a key incentive for employers to hire veterans. The Returning Heroes tax credit provides an incentive of up to $5,600 for firms to hire unemployed veterans, while the Wounded Warrior tax credit doubled the existing tax credit for long-term unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities to $9,600. These two tax credits were first proposed by President Obama in the American Jobs Act in 2011, and were signed into law in November of that year; in January, President Obama signed legislation extended them through the end of 2013.
  • Creating a “Career-Ready” Military by Transforming the Military’s Transition Program: A little more than a year ago, the President announced a major revamp of how the military assists the more than 200,000 service members transitioning to the private sector every year. Now fully implemented across the services, the core curriculum for Transition GPS extended the transition program period from 3 days to 5-7 days, made participation mandatory for all transitioning service members, and will incorporate transition and preparation for the civilian workforce throughout the military life cycle.
  • Streamlining Civilian Credentialing for Service Members and Veterans: Under the President’s direction, the Department of Defense established a Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force, to identify opportunities where service members can earn civilian occupational credentials and licenses without the need for additional training. In February 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama challenged all 50 governors to put in place legislation for credentialing and licensing for veterans by 2015. To date, 38 states have passed laws removing barriers to Service members and veterans earning state licenses, especially in the areas of emergency medical technician, paramedics, commercial driver’s license, and licensed practical nursing.
  • Joining Forces Initiative: Efforts to encourage private sector hiring have been led by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Since the President’s challenge in 2011, businesses have hire and trained more than 290,000 veterans and military spouses. Additionally, companies have committed to hire or train an additional 435,000 veterans and their spouses by the end of 2018.
  • Helping More Veterans Start Businesses: In Fiscal Year 2012 (FY2012), SBA supported nearly $2.1 billion in lending to over 2,800 veteran-owned small businesses, including Patriot Express loans and microloans.
  • Hiring More Veterans in the Federal Government: The federal government has also helped lead efforts to employ veterans – more than 290,000. In FY2012, 28.79 percent of all new federal employees hires were veterans, and for the first two quarters of FY2013, 35.1 percent of all new federal hires were veterans.
  • Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP):  VRAP is a joint program between VA and the Department of Labor created under the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 that provides 12 months of training for high-demand occupations to eligible veterans who are 35 to 60 years old and unemployed. Thus far, VRAP has issued $323 million in benefits to more than 53,000 eligible veterans.
  • Increasing Access to Intensive Reemployment Services: Through the President’s Gold Card Initiative post-9/11 veterans are eligible for free services aimed at jumpstarting their job search process at Department of Labor’s 3,000 American Job Centers across the country. Veterans can download the Veteran Gold Card online, which entitles them to six months of personalized case management, assessments and career counseling.
  • Hiring Our Heroes: The Department of Labor is working with the private sector to increase the employment of our veterans by partnering with the US Chamber of Commerce to improve public-private sector coordination in local communities. Since its launch in March 2011, Hiring Our Heroes has been able to help more than 100,000 veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.

Providing Education Opportunities

  • Launching “8 Keys to Success”: The President announced today that in order to improve outcomes for returning service members, more than 250 community colleges and universities across the country – working with the Department of Education and the VA – have committed to aid veterans in their effort to afford and complete their college degrees, certificates, industry-recognized credentials and licenses in preparation for jobs in high-growth sectors of the economy.
  • The Post-9/11 GI Bill: This bill provides funding for formal education and training as well as on-the-job training and apprenticeships to eligible veterans. Thursday, August 1 marked the 4th anniversary of the Post-9/11 GI Bill; in that time, the program has issued approximately $30 billion in payments and helped nearly one million service members, veterans, and their families pursue their education since 2009. Educational benefits worth over $10 billion annually are being paid to nearly one million beneficiaries in VA’s education programs.
  • Ensuring Standards of Excellence in GI Bill Education: To ensure our service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members have the information they need to make informed decisions concerning their well-earned Federal military and veterans’ educational benefits, the President directed, through an Executive Order, this Administration to develop Principles of Excellence to strengthen oversight, enforcement, and accountability within these benefits programs.

Delivering The Health Care Veterans Have Been Promised

Meeting the health care needs of veterans and their families is among the highest priorities for the Administration. 

  • Accelerating Research on Mental Health and Brain Injury: Last August, the President signed an Executive Order directing the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Health and Human Services, in coordination with other federal agencies, to take a number of steps to ensure that Veterans, Service Members, and their families receive the mental health services and support they need. Today, the Administration released a National Research Action Plan, a comprehensive approach to improving our ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat brain injuries and mental health issues earlier and better. This includes an aggressive strategy to reduce suicide, and dramatically improve our ability to diagnose and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). As part of the Plan, the DOD, VA, National Institutes of Health, and Department of Education have made an unprecedented commitment to coordinate and share data and other resources to accelerate research progress. In addition, the Administration announced that the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio and Virginia Commonwealth University will each lead new research consortia with more than $100 million of support from DoD and VA to help better recognize and treat PTSD and the links between TBI and other mental health issues.
  • Improving Mental Health Care: In the FY2014 budget, the President committed nearly $7 billion – a 7.2 per­cent increase above the 2013 enacted level -- to continue VA’s focus on expanding and transform­ing mental health services for veterans to ensure accessible and patient-centered care. Additionally, in June, President Obama announced that VA met their hiring goal to increase their capacity to provide timely mental health services to veterans. VA hired 1,669 mental health professionals and is on track to hire an additional 800 peer-to-peer specialists by December 31, 2013.
  • Working to Prevent Suicide: VA has increased the capacity of its Veterans Crisis Line by 50 percent and trained all new staff members to ensure that veterans in crisis can readily reach help. To date, the crisis line has made over 29,000 rescues of actively suicidal veterans. The Veteran Crisis Line coordinates with DoD to provide assistance to Active Duty Service Members.
    • Reducing Stigma: The Administration is utilizing partnerships to reduce the stigma associated with seeking treatment for behavioral health issues. “Make the Connection” is a campaign run by the Department of Veterans Affairs to create ways for Veterans and their families to connect with other Veterans. In addition Stand by Them is a VA and DoD-wide theme to encourage veterans, Service members, their families, friends, and other key intermediaries to connect with VA for confidential support.
    • Identifying and Treating Traumatic Brain Injury: VA has launched a comprehensive program to identify, screen and treat all Veterans with TBI, and to ensure that they receive patient-centered, integrated care and benefits. President Obama signed an amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act which allows individuals with PTSD and TBI to more easily seek legal protections as they look for and participate in employment opportunities.
  • Conducting Community Mental Health Summits: The VA has directed its medical centers nationwide to organize more than 150 Mental Health Summits with community partners, including local government officials, community-based organizations, and Veteran Service Organizations. The Summits will enhance the mental health and well-being of Veterans and their family members through collaboration between VA and community–based group.
  • Educating Private Sector Health Care Providers on the Needs of Veterans and Military Families:  With the help of the First Lady and Dr. Biden, 135 medical schools have committed to exchanging leading research on PTSD and TBI and will also train future physicians to better understand veteran health issues and needs. Over 150 state and national nursing organizations and over 650 nursing schools have committed to ensure the nation’s 3 million nurses are prepared to meet the health needs of veterans and their families by educating the current and future nurses of America to have a better understanding of PTSD and TBI.
  • Establishing Mental Health Pilot Programs:  As of May 31, VA established pilot projects with 24 community-based mental health and substance abuse providers across nine states. Pilot projects are varied and may include provisions for inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health and substance abuse services. Sites may include capabilities for tele-mental health, staff sharing, and space utilization arrangements to allow VA providers to provide services directly in communities that are distant from a VA facility.
  • Helping the Uninsured through the Affordable Care Act: Veterans and their family members will have new options for healthcare with the Affordable Care Act, which builds on the health care options already in place – including the high-quality, comprehensive VA health care system – to give veterans and their families even more choices and more security. The health care law will help more than 1.3 million veterans and 950,000 spouses and children of veterans who are uninsured. If a veteran relies on the VA today, the health care law is not going to change that. The Affordable Care Act only provides new options to veterans and their families. There are no new requirements for veterans and there’s nothing in the health care law that would change access to VA benefits. It also won’t change anything for the many veterans and their families who rely on Medicare or an employer health plan. 

Fighting for the Resources our Veterans Deserve

President Obama has made a historic level of investment in the Department of Veterans Affairs increasing the VA budget by more than 40 percent since 2009. Despite current fiscal challenges, the President’s FY14 budget provides $66.5 billion for VA, a 4.3 percent increase over the 2013 enacted amount, in order to meet the increased needs of the nation’s veterans. This funding level maintains the Administration's commitment to veterans, providing the resources to help transform the Department and better serve veterans and their families.

Ending the VA Claims Backlog

  • Turning the Tide: The VA has made important progress on the disability claims backlog, but will not be satisfied until it has been eliminated – when no veteran has to wait for the benefits they have earned and deserve. Since its peak at the end of March, -- 611,000 claims -- we have reduced the backlog by nearly 20%. The VA has taken a number of steps in recent months to reduce the backlog:
    • In April, the VA launched an initiative to expedite disability compensation claims decisions for Veterans who have a waited a year or longer.
    • In May, the agency announced that it was mandating overtime for claims processors in its 56 regional benefits offices to increase production of compensations claims through FY2013.
    • VA has completed a record-breaking 1 million claims per year the last three fiscal years, and are on track to meet the goal of eliminating the backlog in 2015.
  • Modernizing the System: The VA has taken important steps to move away from paper-based, manual system to one fit for the 21st century. All of VA’s 56 regional offices now have new electronic system to process claims. And as we are throughout the government, the VA’s will continue to make processes more efficient and effective and look for ways to deliver for our veterans in smarter, faster and better ways.
  • Expanding Access: The Administration has dramatically expanded access to care and benefits for veterans who had previously been shut out of the system – including expanding to those suffering from Agent Orange related-diseases and making it easier to obtain benefits for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
    • Extending Benefits to Victims of Agent Orange: In 2009, Secretary Shinseki made the decision to add three presumptive conditions for Vietnam veterans who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange, based on the latest scientific evidence, so veterans and their families could access disability benefits. Since then, the VA has provided $4.5 billion in retroactive benefits to 166,000 Vietnam veterans and their survivors.
    • Expanding Benefits to Gulf War Veterans: Secretary Shinseki extended presumption of service connection for nine infectious diseases associated with Gulf War service, including malaria, West Nile virus, and non-typhoid salmonella.
    • Eased PTSD Approval Standards : In July 2010, the VA published a historic change to its rules, streamlining the process and paperwork needed by combat veterans, regardless of the war they served in, to pursue a claim for disability pay for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Protecting the Dignity and Rights of Wounded Warriors

  • Helping Heroes Fly Act: On Friday, August 9, the President signed into law the Helping Heroes Fly Act, to ensure wounded warriors and disabled veterans can travel with dignity. The law directs the Department of Homeland Security to develop and implement a process to ease travel and to the extent possible provide expedited passenger screening services for severely injured or disabled Armed Forces members and veterans, and their accompanying family members or nonmedical attendants
  • Combating Veteran Homelessness: In 2009, President Obama and Secretary Shinseki set an ambitious plan to end veteran homelessness by the end of 2015. The Budget invests $1.4 billion to provide VA services for homeless and at-risk veterans. These funds will combat veteran homelessness through collaborative partnerships with local governments, non-profit organizations, and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Justice, and Labor. As of the most recent count from a single night in January 2012, there were 62,619 homeless veterans in the U.S. — a 17.2 percent decline since January 2009.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 10, 2013

Weekly Address: A Better Bargain for Responsible, Middle Class Homeowners

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama said that the housing market is starting to heal, and now it’s time to build on that progress by creating a better bargain for responsible, middle class homeowners. The President announced steps he will take to strengthen the housing market, and now Congress must act to help make homeownership a source of pride and middle class security for generations to come.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, August 10, 2013.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 10, 2013

 

Hi, everybody.  For the past few weeks, I’ve been visiting folks across America to talk about what we need to do as a country to secure a better bargain for the middle class. 

I’ve been laying out my ideas for how we can build on the cornerstones of what it means to be middle class in America.  A good job.  A good education.  Affordable health care when you get sick.  A secure retirement even if you’re not rich.  And the chance to own your own home. 

This week, I went to Arizona and California, two of the states hit hardest when the housing bubble burst, triggering the recession.  All across the country, millions of responsible Americans were hurt badly by the reckless actions of others.  Home values plummeted. Construction workers were laid off.  And many families lost their homes. 

Over the past four years, we’ve worked to help millions of responsible homeowners get back on their feet.  And while we’re not where we need to be yet, our housing market is beginning to heal.  Home prices and sales are rising. Construction is up.  Foreclosures are down.  Millions of families have come up for air because they’re no longer underwater on their mortgages. 

Now we have to build on this progress.  Congress should give every American the chance to refinance at today’s low rates.  We should help more qualified families get a mortgage and buy their first home.  We should get construction workers back on the job rebuilding communities hit hardest by the crisis.  And we should make sure that folks who don’t want to buy a home have  decent, affordable places to rent. 

As home prices rise, we have to turn the page on the bubble-and-bust mentality that created this mess, and build a housing system that’s rock-solid and rewards responsibility for generations to come.  We need to wind down the companies known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, make sure private capital plays a bigger role in the mortgage market, and end the era of expecting a bailout after your pursuit of profit puts the whole country at risk. We need to preserve access to safe and simple mortgages like the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage.  We need to keep laying down rules of the road that protect homeowners when they’re making the biggest purchase of their lives.  And finally, Congress needs to confirm Mel Watt to be our nation’s top housing regulator, so that he can protect consumers and help responsible lenders provide credit. 

No program or policy will solve all the problems in a multi-trillion dollar housing market, and it will take time to fully recover.  But if we work together, we can make a home a source of pride and middle-class security again.  And if Washington is willing to set aside politics and focus on what really matters, we can rebuild an economy where if you work hard, you can get ahead.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

###

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 09, 2013

Background on the President’s Statement on Reforms to NSA Programs

President Obama believes that there should be increased transparency and reforms in our intelligence programs in order to give the public confidence that these programs have strong oversight and clear protections against abuse.  That is what he has pursued as President, and today he is announcing several initiatives that will move that effort forward.

Since the disclosures were first made, the President has held a series of meetings with Intelligence Community leaders, during which he has emphasized the importance of transparency and openness and directed IC leadership to press forward with declassification of relevant materials, to the maximum extent possible, without undermining national security. Already, the Administration has declassified unprecedented information about the activities of the National Security Agency (NSA). On July 31, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) made public three documents dealing with the Section 215 program.

The Administration has also engaged Congress on these issues on 35 occasions, including several committee hearings and all-Senate and all-House Members’ meetings.  On August 1, the President met with a group of bipartisan members of Congress to discuss key programs under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The President and senior White House and Administration officials have also engaged in a national dialogue on privacy in the 21st century, soliciting feedback from relevant stakeholder groups in the private sector, academia, and civil society.  To date, the Administration has taken various steps to advance this national privacy dialogue, including: meeting with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, and leading several conversations on privacy issues with a broad array of organizations representing industry, civil society, civil rights and transparency groups.  Most recently, the President met with a group of leaders from the private sector, civil society and academia yesterday at the White House to discuss a range of privacy issues.

Today, the President directed his Administration to work with Congress to pursue appropriate reforms to our nation’s surveillance programs and the court that oversees them. Specifically, he laid out four steps his Administration will take:

(1)   The Administration will work with Congress to pursue appropriate reforms to Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act. After having a dialogue with members of Congress and civil libertarians, the President believes that there are steps that can be taken to give the American people confidence that there are additional safeguards against abuse.  For example, steps could be taken to put in place greater oversight, transparency, and constraints on the use of this authority.

(2)   The Administration will work with Congress to improve the public’s confidence in the oversight conducted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC).  Specifically, steps can be taken to make sure civil liberties concerns have a greater voice in appropriate cases by ensuring that the government’s position is challenged by an adversary.

(3)   The President directed the Intelligence Community to make public as much information about these programs as possible. Already, the Administration has declassified unprecedented information about the activities of the NSA. On July 31, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) made public three documents dealing with the section 215 program. The NSA is taking steps to put in place a full time Civil Liberties and Privacy Officer, and has released information that details its mission, authorities and oversight. The Intelligence Community is creating a website that will serve as a hub for further transparency. This will give Americans – and the world – the ability to learn more about what our intelligence community does; how it does it; and why.

(4)   The President called for a high-level group of outside experts to review our intelligence and communications technologies.  The President is tasking this group to step back and review our capabilities – particularly our surveillance technologies. They will consider how we can maintain the public’s trust, and how this surveillance impacts our foreign policy – particularly in an age when more and more information is becoming public. They will provide an interim report in 60 days, and a final report by the end of this year, so that we can move forward with a better understanding of how these programs impact our security, our privacy, and our foreign policy.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 09, 2013

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Paraguay to Attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Paraguay to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara on August 15, 2013.

The Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable James H. Thessin, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay, Department of State

The Honorable Miriam Sapiro, Deputy United States Trade Representative, Office of the United States Trade Representative

The Honorable Francisco Sánchez, Under Secretary for International Trade, Department of Commerce

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 09, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 267, H.R. 678, H.R. 1092, H.R. 1171, H.R. 1344, H.R. 1911, H.R. 2167, H.R. 2576, and H.R. 2611

On Friday, August 9, 2013, the President signed into law: 
 
H.R. 267, the "Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013," which modifies the Federal Power Act and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act to promote and facilitate the development of hydroelectric power capacity; 
 
H.R. 678, the "Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act," which amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract for small conduit hydropower development at Reclamation facilities; 
 
H.R. 1092, which designates the air route traffic control center located in Nassau, New Hampshire, as the "Patricia Clark Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center" in honor of Patricia Clark, an FAA employee who has worked at the Center since it opened 50 years ago; 
 
H.R. 1171, the "Formerly Owned Resources for Veterans to Express Thanks for Service Act of 2013," which expands the ability of States to donate Federal surplus property to organizations that serve veterans; 
 
H.R. 1344, the "Helping Heroes Fly Act," which requires the Transportation Security Administration to develop and implement a process for expedited air passenger screening for severely injured or disabled members of the Armed Forces and veterans; 
 
H.R. 1911, the "Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013," which amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish interest rates for new direct student loans made on or after July 1, 2013; 
 
H.R. 2167, the "Reverse Mortgage Stabilization Act of 2013," which provides the Department of Housing and Urban Development expanded authority to improve the fiscal stability of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Program; 
 
H.R. 2576, which modifies requirements relating to the availability of pipeline safety regulatory documents incorporated by reference into Federal pipeline safety regulations; and 
 
H.R. 2611, which designates the headquarters building of the Coast Guard located at St. Elizabeths West Campus in the District of Columbia as the "Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building" in honor of the only member of the U.S. Coast Guard to have received the Medal of Honor.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 08, 2013

President Obama Signs Wisconsin Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Wisconsin and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, and mudslides during the period of June 20-28, 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, flooding, and mudslides in Ashland, Bayfield, Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Richland, St. Croix, and Vernon Counties and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Bayfield County.

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 Warren J. Riley 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
August 08, 2013

President Obama Announces Another Key Administration Post

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

  • Bruce Cole – Member, Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission 

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

Bruce Cole, Appointee for Member, Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission

Bruce Cole is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.  Previously, from 2011 to 2012, he was a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and from 2009 to 2011, he was President and CEO of the American Revolution Center in Philadelphia.  Mr. Cole served as Chairman of the National Endowment of the Humanities from 2001 to 2009.  Previously, he was a Professor of Art History and Comparative Literature at Indiana University.  He is on the boards of American Heritage, the Jack Miller Center, the Villa Firenze Foundation, and is a former member of the Indiana University Board of Trustees.  In 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal.  Mr. Cole received a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University, an M.A. from Oberlin College, and a Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 08, 2013

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

  • Major General Alfred Valenzuela, USA (Ret) – Member, World War I Centennial Commission
  • Ike Skelton – Member, World War I Centennial Commission
  • Libby H. O'Connell – Member, World War I Centennial Commission
  • Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, USA (Ret) – Member, President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition
  • Anthony Marc Robles – Member, President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition
  • Matrice Ellis-Kirk – Member, President's Commission on White House Fellowships 

President Obama said, “I am proud to appoint such impressive men and women to these important roles, and I am grateful they have agreed to lend their considerable talents to this Administration. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

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

Major General Alfred Valenzuela, USA (Ret), Appointee for Member, World War I Centennial Commission

Major General Alfred Valenzuela retired after 33 years of service in the U.S. Army.  He has served in three Combat Corps and six Infantry Divisions all over the world.  Previously, he was the President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority.  Major General Valenzuela has served on the Boards of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America, the Family Service Association, the Boys and Girls Club, Communities in Schools, and Haven for Hope.  He is also a Member of the Board of Trustees for St. Mary’s University, the National Recreation Foundation Board, and USAA Federal Savings Bank.  He received the Army and Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism.  Major General Valenzuela graduated from the U.S. Army Command and the General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, the Air War College, and the Inter-American Defense College.  He received a B.A. and an M.A. from St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

Ike Skelton, Appointee for Member, World War I Centennial Commission

Ike Skelton is a partner at the law firm of Husch Blackwell LLP.  He represented Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 2011.  In Congress, Mr. Skelton chaired the House Armed Services Committee from 2007 to 2011.  Previously, Mr. Skelton was a Missouri State Senator from 1971 to 1976, and served as a Special Assistant Attorney General in Missouri from 1961 to 1963.  From 1961 to 1976, he was a partner at the law firm of Bradley, Skelton & Schelp, in his hometown of Lexington, Missouri.  In 2011, he was appointed to the American Battle Monuments Commission.  Mr. Skelton’s father, Ike Skelton, Sr., served in the United States Navy during World War I, where he was a fireman aboard the USS Missouri.  He received an A.A. from the Wentworth Military Academy and Junior College, and a B.A. and LL.B. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Dr. Libby H. O’Connell, Appointee for Member, World War I Centennial Commission

Dr. Libby H. O’Connell is Chief Historian and Senior Vice President of Corporate Outreach at A+E Television Networks.  In this role, she developed the History Channel’s multi-year veterans initiative and oversees educational outreach for A+E Networks.  Before joining A+E in 1993, Dr. O’Connell taught History at Long Island University and served as President of Raynham Hall Museum in New York.  Dr. O’Connell currently serves on the boards of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution's Traveling Exhibitions, and National History Day.  She is the former chair of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.  For her work, she has received two Governors Awards from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences as well as an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special.  Dr. O’Connell received a B.A. from Tufts University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in American History from the University of Virginia.

Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, USA (Ret), Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, USA (Ret) recently retired from the U.S. Army after more than 37 years of service.  His last assignment was Commanding General for U.S. Army Europe.  Previously, Lieutenant General Hertling was Deputy Commanding General for Initial Military Training from 2009 to 2011, where he was responsible for the initial training of over 160,000 officers and enlisted soldiers annually.  During that period, he revamped the Army’s basic training program and implemented a modernized physical fitness and nutrition program to address the needs of today’s recruits.  He commanded the 1st Armored Division in Germany, Task Force Iron in Northern Iraq from 2007 to 2009, and served in combat from 2003 to 2004 as the Deputy Commander for U.S. forces in Iraq.  He has received the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.  Lieutenant General Hertling graduated from the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies and the National War College.  He received a B.S. in International Relations from the United States Military Academy and an M.S. in Exercise Physiology from Indiana University.

Anthony Marc Robles, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

Anthony Marc Robles is an NCAA Wrestling Analyst and Expert at ESPN.  Born with only one leg, Mr. Robles won the 2010-2011 NCAA individual wrestling championship in the 125-pound weight class, and is a three-time all-American.  His awards include NCAA Best Wrestler of the National Tournament in 2011, the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPN ESPYs, and the NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award.  He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012.  Mr. Robles received a B.A from Arizona State University.

Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Appointee for Member, President’s Commission on White House Fellowships

Matrice Ellis-Kirk is a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, a position she has held since 1999.  Earlier in her career, she was Vice President of Apex Securities from 1993 to 1995 and Director of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Office of Management and Budget from 1987 to 1993.  She serves on the boards of the North Texas Tollway Authority, the University of Texas Southwest Medical Foundation, and the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation.  She was a member of the University of Pennsylvania Board of Visitors and the World Economic Forum’s Global Council on Women’s Empowerment.  Ms. Ellis-Kirk received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 08, 2013

President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients

2013 Marks 50th Anniversary of President Kennedy’s Establishment of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama named sixteen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. The awards will be presented at the White House later this year.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy establishing the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as the first ceremony bestowing the honor on an inaugural class of 31 recipients.  Since that time, more than 500 exceptional individuals from all corners of society have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

President Obama said, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours. This year's honorees have been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is their gift for sharing that talent with the world. It will be my honor to present them with a token of our nation's gratitude."

The following individuals will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom:

Ernie Banks

Known to many as “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks is one of the greatest baseball players of all time.  During his 19 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, he played in 11 All-Star Games, hit over 500 home runs, and became the first National League player to win Most Valuable Player honors in back-to-back years.  He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, his first year of eligibility. 

Ben Bradlee

Ben Bradlee is one of the most respected newsmen of his generation.  During his tenure as executive editor of The Washington Post, Mr. Bradlee oversaw coverage of the Watergate scandal, successfully challenged the Federal Government over the right to publish the Pentagon Papers, and guided the newspaper through some of its most challenging moments.  He also served in the Navy during World War II.

Bill Clinton

President Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States.  Before taking office, he served as Governor and Attorney General of the State of Arkansas.  Following his second term, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation to improve global health, strengthen economies, promote health and wellness, and protect the environment.  He also formed the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund with President George W. Bush in 2010.

Daniel Inouye (posthumous)

Daniel Inouye was a lifelong public servant.  As a young man, he fought in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, for which he received the Medal of Honor.  He was later elected to the Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives, the United States House of Representatives, and the United States Senate.  Senator Inouye was the first Japanese American to serve in Congress, representing the people of Hawaii from the moment they joined the Union. 

Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman is a pioneering scholar of psychology.  After escaping Nazi occupation in World War II, Dr. Kahneman immigrated to Israel, where he served in the Israel Defense Forces and trained as a psychologist.  Alongside Amos Tversky, he applied cognitive psychology to economic analysis, laying the foundation for a new field of research and earning the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002. He is currently a professor at Princeton University.

Richard Lugar

Richard Lugar represented Indiana in the United States Senate for more than 30 years.  An internationally respected statesman, he is best known for his bipartisan leadership and decades-long commitment to reducing the threat of nuclear weapons.  Prior to serving in Congress, Senator Lugar was a Rhodes Scholar and Mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1975.  He currently serves as President of the Lugar Center.

Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn is a country music legend. Raised in rural Kentucky, she emerged as one of the first successful female country music vocalists in the early 1960s, courageously breaking barriers in an industry long dominated by men.  Ms. Lynn’s numerous accolades include the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

Mario Molina

Mario Molina is a visionary chemist and environmental scientist.  Born in Mexico, Dr. Molina came to America to pursue his graduate degree.  He later earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering how chlorofluorocarbons deplete the ozone layer.  Dr. Molina is a professor at the University of California, San Diego; Director of the Mario Molina Center for Energy and Environment; and a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Sally Ride (posthumous)

Sally Ride was the first American female astronaut to travel to space.  As a role model to generations of young women, she advocated passionately for science education, stood up for racial and gender equality in the classroom, and taught students from every background that there are no limits to what they can accomplish.  Dr. Ride also served in several administrations as an advisor on space exploration.

Bayard Rustin (posthumous)

Bayard Rustin was an unyielding activist for civil rights, dignity, and equality for all.  An advisor to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he promoted nonviolent resistance, participated in one of the first Freedom Rides, organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and fought tirelessly for marginalized communities at home and abroad.  As an openly gay African American, Mr. Rustin stood at the intersection of several of the fights for equal rights.

Arturo Sandoval

Arturo Sandoval is a celebrated jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer.  Born outside Havana, he became a protégé of jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and gained international acclaim as a dynamic performer.  He defected to the United States in 1990 and later became an American citizen.  He has been awarded nine Grammy Awards and is widely considered one of the greatest living jazz artists.

Dean Smith

Dean Smith was head coach of the University of North Carolina basketball team from 1961 to 1997.  In those 36 years, he earned 2 national championships, was named National Coach of the Year multiple times, and retired as the winningest men’s college basketball coach in history.  Ninety-six percent of his players graduated from college.  Mr. Smith has also remained a dedicated civil rights advocate throughout his career.

Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem is a renowned writer and activist for women’s equality.  She was a leader in the women’s liberation movement, co-founded Ms. magazine, and helped launch a wide variety of groups and publications dedicated to advancing civil rights.  Ms. Steinem has received dozens of awards over the course of her career, and remains an active voice for women’s rights.

Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian

C.T. Vivian is a distinguished minister, author, and organizer.  A leader in the Civil Rights Movement and friend to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he participated in Freedom Rides and sit-ins across our country.  Dr. Vivian also helped found numerous civil rights organizations, including Vision, the National Anti-Klan Network, and the Center for Democratic Renewal.  In 2012, he returned to serve as interim President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Patricia Wald

Patricia Wald is one of the most respected appellate judges of her generation.  After graduating as 1 of only 11 women in her Yale University Law School class, she became the first woman appointed to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and served as Chief Judge from 1986-1991.  She later served on the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.  Ms. Wald currently serves on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. 

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is one of the world’s most successful broadcast journalists.  She is best known for creating The Oprah Winfrey Show, which became the highest rated talk show in America for 25 years. Ms. Winfrey has long been active in philanthropic causes and expanding opportunities for young women.  She has received numerous awards throughout her career, including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in 2002 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2010.