The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 01, 2013

FACT SHEET: Executive Order on Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security

Today, the President signed an Executive Order to improve the safety and security of chemical facilities and reduce the risks of hazardous chemicals to workers and communities.   Chemicals and the facilities that manufacture, store, distribute and use them are essential to our economy.  However, incidents such as the devastating explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas in April are tragic reminders that the handling and storage of chemicals present serious risks that must be addressed.  While the cause of the Texas explosion is under investigation, we can take some common sense steps now to improve safety and security and build on Federal agencies’ ongoing work to reduce the risks associated with hazardous chemicals.  

The Executive Order on Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security directs the Federal Government to:

  • improve operational coordination with state and local partners;
  • enhance Federal agency coordination and information sharing;
  • modernize policies, regulations and standards; and
  • work with stakeholders to identify best practices. 

Improving Operational Coordination with State and Local Partners
Federal, state, local, and tribal governments have different responsibilities in addressing risks associated with chemical facilities, including response planning for potential emergencies.  To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of risk management and response measures, the Executive Order charges Federal agencies with improving coordination and information sharing with state and local governments.  For example, the Executive Order requires Federal agencies to develop a plan within 90 days that identifies ways to ensure State homeland security advisors, State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), Tribal Emergency Response Commissions (TERCs), Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs), Tribal Emergency Planning Committees (TEPCs), State regulators, and first responders have ready access to key information in a useful format to prevent, prepare for, and respond to chemical incidents.

Enhancing Federal Coordination and Information Sharing
Programs designed to improve the safety and security of chemical facilities through regulations, information reporting requirements, site inspections, and voluntary partnerships are managed by multiple Federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of Justice (DOJ).  To improve the collective performance of these Federal programs, the Executive Order calls upon Federal agencies to initiate innovative approaches for working together on a broad range of activities, such as identification of high-risk facilities, inspections, enforcement, and incident investigation and follow up.  For example, the Executive Order requires that the Federal agencies deploy a regional pilot program that will validate best practices and test innovative new methods for Federal interagency collaboration on chemical facility safety and security.  Additionally, Federal agencies are specifically directed to modernize the collection and sharing of chemical facility information to maximize the effectiveness of risk reduction efforts and reduce duplicative efforts.

Modernizing Policies, Regulations and Standards
The Executive Order directs Federal agencies to work with stakeholders to improve chemical safety and security through agency programs, private sector initiatives, Federal guidance, standards, and regulations.  For example, to reduce risks associated with ammonium nitrate, agencies will examine new options to address the safe and secure storage, handling, and sale of this explosive chemical.  Agencies will also determine if additional chemicals should be covered by existing Federal regulatory programs, such as EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP), DHS’s Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATs), and DOL’s Process Safety Management Standards (PSM).  In addition, agencies will consider whether to pursue an independent, high-level assessment of the U.S. approach to chemical facility risk management to identify additional recommendations for all levels of government and industry to reduce the risk of catastrophic chemical incidents in the future.

Working with Stakeholders to Identify Best Practices
Many chemical facilities have taken steps to create safer work environments and reduce risks of chemical incidents to nearby communities. The Executive Order directs key Federal agencies to convene a wide range of interested stakeholders, including representatives from industry, state, local, and tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, and the first responder community, to identify and share successes to date and best practices to reduce safety and security risks in the production and storage of potentially harmful chemicals, including through the use of safer alternatives, adoption of best practices, and potential public-private partnerships.

Background on Federal Programs for Chemical Facility Safety and Security
Federal agencies implement a number of programs to help prevent chemical facility accidents, reduce risks of terrorist attacks on chemical facilities, protect chemical facility workers, collect and share relevant information with the public and decision makers, and prepare communities and local, tribal, and state first-responders to respond to potential large-scale accidents.  State,  local, and tribal authorities also have critical responsibilities in managing risks from chemical facility accidents through setting and enforcing requirements for zoning, siting, and emergency response and planning.  The primary Federal agencies and programs aimed at addressing chemical safety and security at chemical facilities[1] are summarized below:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP), established under the Clean Air Act, is aimed at reducing chemical risk at the local level.  EPA’s rules require owners and operators of a facility that manufactures, uses, stores, or otherwise handles certain listed flammable and toxic substances to develop a risk management program that includes hazard assessment (including an evaluation of worst-case and alternative accidental release scenarios), prevention mechanisms, and emergency response measures.  Facilities submit information regarding their risk management program (the information submitted is a "Risk Management Plan" or "RMP") to EPA.  RMP information helps local fire, police, and emergency response personnel prepare for and respond to chemical accidents, while allowing citizens to understand chemical hazards in their communities.  EPA has focused its chemical plant safety inspection and enforcement efforts on the highest risk facilities. 
  • EPA also implements the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), which was designed to promote emergency planning and preparedness at the state, local, and tribal levels.  EPCRA helps ensure local communities and first responders have needed information on potential chemical hazards within their communities in order to develop community emergency response plans.  Under EPCRA, facilities with Extremely Hazardous Chemicals must notify the State Emergency Response Commission or Tribal Emergency Response Committees (TERCs) and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), as well as participate in local emergency planning activities. LEPCs and TERCs are then responsible for developing a community emergency response plan. 

Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

  • OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standard sets requirements for the management of highly hazardous substances to prevent and mitigate the catastrophic releases of flammable, explosive, reactive, and toxic chemicals that may endanger workers.  The PSM standard covers the manufacturing of explosives and processes involving threshold quantities of flammable liquids and flammable gasses, as well as 137 other highly hazardous chemicals.
  • In 2011, OSHA launched its Chemical Plant National Emphasis Program (NEP) to conduct focused inspections at randomly-selected facilities among worksites likely to have highly hazardous chemicals in quantities covered by the PSM standard.  Under this program, OSHA has corrected serious safety issues through approximately 350 inspections and the issuance of 1,325 violations.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)

  • DHS/NPPD is responsible for implementing Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), the Federal government’s primary regulatory authority for security of chemicals at stationary facilities.  CFATS is helping make the nation more secure by requiring high-risk chemical facilities to develop and implement security plans that meet eighteen risk-based performance standards established by the Department.  Additionally, since the program’s inception, more than 3,000 facilities have voluntarily removed or reduced the onsite quantity of chemicals of interest to the point that the facilities are no longer considered high-risk.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/United States Coast Guard (USCG)

  • The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is responsible for maritime security under the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), 46 U.S.C. § 70101, et seq., which includes authority over certain port facilities that use, store, or transport chemicals or engage in other chemical-related activities.
  • MTSA reinforces the national and global importance of security for the marine transportation system, and provides a crucial framework for ensuring the safety of maritime commerce and our domestic ports. MTSA's key requirement is to prevent a maritime transportation security incident (TSI) - defined as any incident that results in a significant loss of life, environmental damage, transportation system disruption, or economic disruptions to a particular area. Within the maritime venue, preventing TSI's has been a core mission of the Coast Guard since its beginning.

Department of Justice/Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (DOJ/ATF)

  • ATF is responsible for enforcing federal explosives laws that govern commerce in explosives in the United States including licensing, storage, record keeping, and conduct of business.  ATF conducts inspections of federal explosives licensees who manufacture, import, sell or store explosives in the United States to ensure explosives are managed in accordance with federal law. In Fiscal Year 2012, ATF conducted 5,390 explosives inspections resulting in approximately 400 reports of violations.

[1] The Federal government also has a number of regulatory programs related to the safe and secure transportation of chemicals across all modes of transportation, including highway, rail, aviation, maritime, and pipeline.  This fact sheet is focused on chemical safety and security at fixed facilities and does not address the programs focused on the transportation of hazardous materials.  

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2013

Statement by the President on the Confirmation of Todd Jones as the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

Todd Jones is a tough and tested law-enforcement professional with decades of experience, and his confirmation to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is both welcome and long overdue.  For nearly seven years, Senate Republicans had refused to confirm an ATF director - not because they thought the nominees weren't qualified, but because they put politics ahead of the agency's law enforcement mission. 

I applaud Senator Reid, Senator Leahy, Senator Klobuchar, and the bipartisan group of senators who broke through that gridlock to give Todd Jones the up or down vote he deserved. But while Todd’s confirmation will help ATF apply the tools it needs to protect our communities from dangerous criminals and reduce gun violence, we can't stop there.  I will continue to stand with the majority of Americans who support common-sense reforms to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals. And I will continue to do everything in my power to keep our children and our communities safe.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 2013

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Robert O. Blake, Jr., of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Indonesia.

Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior, vice David J. Hayes, resigned.

France A. Cordova, of New Mexico, to be Director of the National Science Foundation for a term of six years, vice Subra Suresh, resigned.

Thomas Frederick Daughton, of Arizona, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Namibia.

John L. Estrada, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Sylvia I. Garcia, of Michigan, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Transportation, vice Christopher P. Bertram, resigned.

Philip S. Goldberg, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of the Philippines.

Jo Emily Handelsman, of Connecticut, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, vice Carl Wieman, resigned.

Michael Stephen Hoza, of Washington, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cameroon.

Amy Jane Hyatt, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Palau.

Noah Bryson Mamet, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Argentine Republic.

L. Paige Marvel, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years.  (Reappointment)

Kenneth L. Mossman, of Arizona, to be a Member of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for a term expiring October 18, 2016, vice John Edward Mansfield, term expired.

Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, vice Neal S. Wolin.

Eunice S. Reddick, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Niger.

Karen Clark Stanton, of Michigan, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

Gregory B. Starr, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Diplomatic Security), vice Eric J. Boswell, resigned.

Kenneth R. Weinstein, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors for a term expiring August 13, 2014, vice Dennis Mulhaupt, resigned.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 31, 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:

  • France Anne Cordova – Director, National Science Foundation
  • Sarah Bloom Raskin – Deputy Secretary, Department of the Treasury
  • Sylvia I. Garcia – Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs, Department of Transportation
  • Jo Handelsman – Associate Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy
  • Gregory B. Starr – Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, Department of State
  • Karen Stanton – Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Department of State
  • Amy J. Hyatt – Ambassador to the Republic of Palau, Department of State 

President Obama said, “The extraordinary dedication these individuals 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 individuals to key Administration posts:

Dr. France Anne Cordova, Nominee for Director, National Science Foundation

Dr. France Anne Cordova is President Emerita of Purdue University, where she served as President from 2007 to 2012.  From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Cordova served as Chancellor of the University of California at Riverside, where she was a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy.  Previously, Dr. Cordova was the Vice Chancellor for Research and Professor of Physics at the University of California at Santa Barbara from 1996 to 2002.  She served as NASA’s Chief Scientist from 1993 to 1996.  She was on the faculty of the Pennsylvania State University, where she served as Head of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics from 1989 to 1993.  Dr. Cordova served as Deputy Group Leader in the Earth and Space Sciences Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1988 to 1989 and Staff Scientist from 1979 to 1989.  She is Chair of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the National Science Board.  Dr. Cordova received a  B.A. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology.

Sarah Bloom Raskin, Nominee for Deputy Secretary, Department of the Treasury

Sarah Bloom Raskin is a Governor on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, a position she has held since 2010.  Ms. Raskin was Commissioner of Financial Regulation for the State of Maryland from 2007 to 2010.  Prior to this, from 2003 to 2007, she was the Managing Director of Promontory Financial Group.  She also was General Counsel of Columbia Energy Services from 1998 to 2001, and the Worldwide Retail Exchange from 2001 to 2003.  Ms. Raskin was Banking Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs from 1993 to 1998.  Ms. Raskin began her career as a lawyer for Mayer Brown and Platt in New York, and later for Arnold & Porter, in both New York and Washington D.C., where she engaged in corporate finance work as well as regulatory work.  Earlier in her career, she worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Joint Economic Committee of Congress.  Ms. Raskin received a B.A. from Amherst College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Sylvia I. Garcia, Nominee for Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs, Department of Transportation

Sylvia I. Garcia is the Acting Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and served as Acting Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Transportation (DOT) from December 2012 to July 2013.  She has also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget at DOT since April 2011, and previously served as a Program Analyst in the Office of Budget and Program Performance.  From 2009 to 2011, she served as Professional Staff for the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Ms. Garcia was a Budget Analyst in the Office of Public and Indian Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2006 to 2009 and served as a Presidential Management Fellow from 2006 to 2008.  Ms. Garcia was a Community Outreach Coordinator for the Department of Enrollment Management at DePaul University from 2005 to 2006 and a Youth Outreach Coordinator for Alternatives, Inc. from 2004 to 2005.  Ms. Garcia received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. from DePaul University.

Dr. Jo Handelsman, Nominee for Associate Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy

Dr. Jo Handelsman is the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor and Frederick Phineas Rose Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University, a position she has held since 2010.  Previously, she served on the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty as a Professor in Plant Pathology from 1985 to 2009 and Professor and Chair of the Department of Bacteriology from 2007 to 2009.  She is currently President of the American Society for Microbiology.  In 2011, Dr. Handelsman received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Mentoring.  From 2002 to 2010, Dr. Handelsman was the Director of the Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching.  In 2004, Dr. Handelsman co-founded the National Academies Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology.  She received a B.S. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Gregory B. Starr, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, Department of State

Gregory B. Starr is Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, a position he has held since February 2013.  He also served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security from February 2013 to July 2013.  Previously, Mr. Starr served as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security from 2009 to 2013.  From 2007 to 2009, he was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Diplomatic Security Service.  From 2004 to 2007, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Countermeasures and from 2000 to 2004, he was Director of the Office of Physical Security Programs at the Department of State.  Previous overseas assignments include: Tel Aviv, Israel; Tunis, Tunisia; Dakar, Senegal; and Kinshasa, Zaire.  Mr. Starr began his career in the Foreign Service as a Special Agent in 1980 and joined the ranks of the Senior Foreign Service in 2001.  He retired from the Senior Foreign Service in 2009, with the rank of Minister-Counselor.  He received a B.A. and an M.S. from George Washington University.

Karen Stanton, Nominee for Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Department of State

Karen Stanton, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Executive Director of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, a position she has held since 2009.  Previously, she was the Deputy Executive Director in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2008 to 2009.  From 2004 to 2008, she was a Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore.  Previously, Ms. Stanton was the Supervisory Post Management Officer in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2001 to 2004, and in 2001 she was an Assignments Officer in the Bureau of Human Resources at the Department of State.  Other overseas assignments include: Personnel Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China from 1995 to 1998; Consular Officer in the Visa Office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Washington D.C. from 1993 to 1995; Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan from 1991 to 1993; and Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy Beijing, China from 1987 to 1990.  Ms. Stanton received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.S.S. from the National War College.

Amy J. Hyatt, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Palau, Department of State

Amy J. Hyatt, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minster-Counselor is Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.  Previously, Ms. Hyatt served as a Diplomat in Residence at Arizona State University from 2008 to 2011.  From 2005 to 2008, she was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland.  Prior to this, she served as a Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic from 2001 to 2005.  From 1997 to 1998, she was Post Management Officer for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.  She was a Political Analyst for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research from 1992 to 1994.  Prior to entering the Foreign Service, Ms. Hyatt was a litigation attorney in San Francisco.  Ms. Hyatt received a B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton, a J.D. from Stanford University, and an M.S. from the National Defense University.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2013

Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate

NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:

Nicholas Christopher Geale, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Mediation Board for a term expiring July 1, 2016.  (Reappointment)

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2013

Statement by the President on the Confirmation of the National Labor Relations Board

I welcome today’s confirmation of Nancy Schiffer, Kent Hirozawa, Mark Pearce, Harry Johnson III, and Philip Miscimarra to the National Labor Relations Board.  A critical part of our effort to strengthen the middle class is ensuring that every American who works hard has a chance to succeed. That means providing wages people can live on, safe working conditions and real opportunities to get ahead.  Every day, the NLRB is focused on the concerns of working Americans, from eliminating unfair labor practices to upholding the right of employees to join a union and bargain collectively with their employers.  I applaud the Senate for putting in place a full board and look forward to working together on other steps we can take to grow our economy.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2013

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 7/30/2013

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Chattanooga, Tennessee

11:46 A.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY:  Welcome aboard Air Force One as we make our way to Chattanooga, Tennessee.  As you know, the President will speak at the Amazon fulfillment center in Chattanooga today, where he’ll talk about one of the cornerstones of his economic agenda, all of which is focused on an economy that helps increase the size and security of the middle class.  And today he’ll focus on how jobs are an essential component of that agenda.

I wanted to note that while at the Amazon fulfillment center today, President Obama will sit down for an interview with Amazon Kindle Singles editor, David Blum.  This Kindle Singles interview, which will focus on the issues of jobs and the economy, will be available for free on Wednesday on Kindle and Kindle free reading apps.  Kindle Singles launched in January 2011.  Each Kindle Single represents a compelling idea -- well researched, well argued, and well illustrated -- expressed at its natural length.  So that interview will take place today.

Q    Do you have that app?

MR. CARNEY:  I have a Kindle.  I’m not trying to be -- but since you asked, I’m on my second Kindle, in fact.

Q    That readout sounds like an ad.

MR. CARNEY:  For the interview the President is giving, for sure.

Q    That each Kindle Single is a well-researched, valuable, et cetera, et cetera.

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I think for those who see this transcript or otherwise inform themselves with their gaggle, who may not be aware of Kindle Singles, it’s a useful description.

With that, I will take your questions.

Q    Can you tell us anything about the President’s meeting this morning with the peace negotiators?

MR. CARNEY:  I can.  As I think you’ve been made aware, the President this morning did meet with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators at the White House.  The meeting was relatively brief, but they discussed the formal resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. 

The Israeli negotiating team was represented by Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, and Yitzhak Molcho.  And the Palestinian negotiating team was represented by chief negotiators, Saeb Erekat and Mohammad Shtayyeh.  The President was joined by Vice President Biden, Secretary Kerry, National Security Advisor Rice, Special Envoy Martin Indyk, and White House Coordinator for the Middle East Phil Gordon.

The President used this opportunity to convey his appreciation to both sides for the leadership and courage they have shown in coming to the table, and to directly express his personal support for final status negotiations towards the goal of achieving two states living side by side in peace and security.

He underscored that while the parties have much work to do in the days and months ahead, the United States stands ready to support them in their efforts to achieve peace.

Q    How long was he in there for?

MR. CARNEY:  I think the meeting was a little under a half hour.

Q    Jay, did the President put down on the table some of the ideas he’s raised in the past, like using 1967 borders as a basis for the territorial negotiations?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, this is a brief meeting Mark, and I think that my readout reflects the content of the meeting in terms of the President’s participation.  But I’ll also say, as Secretary Kerry and others have made clear, all sides agree that it would be most conducive to this process not to read out details of readings or negotiations.  So we’re going to abide by that. 

I do believe that Secretary Kerry and Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are having a press availability late morning today, and will be able to add some detail.  But, in general, the process -- the opportunity for success here is enhanced, we believe, as all sides believe, by confidentiality.

Q    Do you have a sense when direct negotiations could begin?

MR. CARNEY:  I will leave that to the statements that I believe Secretary Kerry and the others are making today.

Q    What does the President see as his role in this process?

MR. CARNEY:  As I think others have said, this process has arrived at the point where we have Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington meeting because of an effort begun by the President with his visit to the Middle East earlier this year.  The President tasked Secretary Kerry with following through with the parties on that effort, and there has been a lot of work put in by all sides and a lot of leadership encouraged -- shown by both sides, the Israeli and Palestinian sides, to get us to this point.

But this is a step in a process, and there's a great deal of work to be done.  And we're not going to predict outcomes here, we're simply going to do everything we can to help facilitate a process.

Q    If not outcomes, what does he plan to have in terms of involvement?  Will he be involved in these negotiations at times, or does he want to stay mostly hands off?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I'd say a couple of things about that.  One is I'm not going to predict the future here in terms of meetings and participation in those meetings.  Two, the President is engaged in this process.  It was really sparked by his visit to the Middle East earlier this year, and then followed by the President's decision to task Secretary Kerry to follow up on those meetings that the President had to see if we could move the process forward. 

The President met with negotiators today, this morning.  And, as you know, he's engaged in conversations with leaders of both the Israelis and the Palestinians as well as leaders in the region with some regularity.  But in terms of manifests and conversation -- manifests of meetings and conversations in the future, I just don’t think it makes sense to get into that, even if we could predict it. 

Q    Jay, the Republicans are complaining that the President's proposal today is not revenue-neutral.  What do you say to them?

MR. CARNEY:  The fact of the matter is the President is proposing today a grand bargain for the middle class, a grand bargain for middle-class jobs.  And he is suggesting to everyone in Washington that we can achieve corporate tax reform that closes loopholes, that lowers rates, and then ensures that everybody is playing by the same set of rules, and use the essentially one-time revenue generated by that reform to invest in the future, to invest in manufacturing or community colleges or infrastructure building as a way of helping create good-paying, secure jobs for the middle class.

I think everyone who's examined this issue acknowledges that in the reform process of our business tax code, one-time revenues would be generated.  The overall effect of the reform would be revenue-neutral in the long term -- in other words, the revenues created initially will not be forthcoming in the future.  They're a one-time proposition, but they would be significant enough to allow for investment -- significant investment in middle-class jobs.  And that’s what the -- I mean, this is -- this should be something, as the President sees it, that all sides should embrace. 

Republicans have long called for business tax reform.  The President has said he’s for that.  In the past, he’s said he’s for that only as part of a broader fiscal package that included asking the wealthier to pay more through individual tax reform.  And he’s willing to make this proposal today to couple corporate tax reform with -- or business tax reform with initiatives and significant investment in job creation.  Because he believes, as you heard him say in Galesburg last week, this ought to be our fundamental focus right now in Washington -- how do we create a rising, thriving middle class?  Because that is the foundation for our economic future.

Q    One last thing.  How much would be in this one-time revenue fund?

MR. CARNEY:  I think I’ll leave the details of that to those who will hammer it out.  There are a variety of ways to approach this, and I think that will depend on the progress we make in negotiating this out with Congress.

Q    How should we see today’s proposal in context of the speeches over the next several weeks?  Is this all going to lead up to some grander, economic package?  Or is this sort of the crux of what the President is going to be pushing for and fighting for going forward?

MR. CARNEY:  That's a good question.  As I think we tried to lay out -- and I know that there’s a lot of parts here -- but we tried to lay out last week, the President gave an overall speech -- agenda-setting speech in Galesburg, followed up by two that amplified those themes last week.

Today is the first of the cornerstone speeches that he’ll give where he talks about one of the five essential cornerstones to growing the middle class and creating secure middle-class jobs -- and that's jobs, while an element of all of this is the focus of today’s speech.  The other elements are, of course, education and retirement security, clean energy and the like.

So today will focus on this component of it.  It will feature the grand bargain -- or the new grand bargain that we’ve discussed already, and then he will move on to give other speeches on other cornerstones.

Q    I guess I’m just trying to get a sense of to what degree he’s going to be throwing his weight behind this proposal, how much he’s going to be trying to sell this one component.

MR. CARNEY:  I think he’ll be very much throwing his weight behind it, using the bully pulpit, as you’ll hear today, and making the case that this makes eminent sense.  That even as we remain committed, as the President has demonstrated, to a bigger, balanced package that would reduce our deficit in the long term and deal with our -- address our debt challenges in the long term, while investing in our economy, we can move forward with this.  Because of the stalemate we face in that effort thus far, we can move forward with this business tax reform, coupling it with investments in the middle class and investments in job creation, and demonstrate that we’re focused on the thing that matters most here in his eyes and in the eyes of most Americans across the country.

So I’m sure you’ll hear more from him about it, as he addresses the other cornerstones of his economic vision.

Q    And also, officials have said that this is an issue that comes up during meetings with the business community.  Was the business -- or business leaders consulted?  Were they briefed on this before today?  Or was Jeff Bezos even briefed on it, the CEO of Amazon?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, on the end of that, the President has spoken with Mr. Bezos in advance of this visit, so the answer to that is, yes.  And, in general, we did make --

Q    So he did tell him that this is what he was going to be proposing?

MR. CARNEY:  I believe that's right, in broad terms.  Members of the administration, the senior team of the administration have been in contact with leaders on the Hill and key players on the Hill, as well as with business leaders and other leaders about this idea in the last 18 hours or so -- 12 hours -- 18 hours or so to notify them about the President’s proposal.

Q    Republicans say they’ve always supported business tax code reform in conjunction with the individual tax code reform, and that proposing one without the other is a nonstarter.  So given that the White House has known that that's the Republican position for a long time, why propose changing the business tax code without talking about the individual tax code?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, what’s been a nonstarter is a Republican proposal to give massive tax cuts to the wealthy as part of their individual tax reform.  What the President has always said in the past is that we would have to address tax reform in a way that, in addition to reforming in a revenue-neutral way our business tax code, that we would have to make our income -- our individual tax code more fair, not less fair, which has traditionally been the approach that Republicans have taken.  And that has been a nonstarter with the President and with the American people.

What the President is proposing is taking business tax reform -- something Republicans say they want, businesses say they want -- and coupling it with investments in things that Republicans also have traditionally said they want, which is investments in infrastructure, investments in manufacturing, investments in education, because those investments are key to creating jobs now and in the future for the middle class.

The bargain here should be a bargain for the middle class, not a bargain for a party or a faction on Capitol Hill, but what can we do that most benefits the middle class now and in the near future.  And that's what the President is proposing.

Q    So who did he talk to on the Hill before rolling this out?

MR. CARNEY:  The President's team spoke to a number of members and staff on Capitol Hill, as well as, as I mentioned, some business leaders and other leaders who have an interest and stake in this.

Q    Any names you want to throw out?

MR. CARNEY:  I'm not -- I haven't gotten the question.  But I will note that the White House did reach out to Speaker Boehner's office and as of about a half an hour ago had not yet heard back.  And we reached out yesterday. 

Q    You did reach out to them yesterday?

MR. CARNEY:  To Speaker Boehner's office.

Q    You never heard back?

MR. CARNEY:  Never heard back.

Q    They're saying the first word they got of this was through the media.  But miscommunication, I guess?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, again, an effort was made to reach Mr. Boehner's staff yesterday.  And as of about a half an hour ago we had not heard back from them.

Q    Does he not return calls frequently to the White House?

MR. CARNEY:  I'll just say that that call has not been returned.

Q    Who reached out to Boehner's office?

MR. CARNEY:  A senior member of the White House staff.

Q    Who?

MR. CARNEY:  Miguel Rodriguez, legislative director.

Q    Can we ask about the nature of the facility he is visiting?  There's been obviously some discussion of both the wage level of the new jobs that Amazon is talking about, the nature of the work being particularly exhausting.  And then, lastly and sort of I guess separately, that independent booksellers point out that Amazon has gone a long way toward putting them out of business.  How would you sort of react to those three issues?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, what the President is doing by visiting this facility is highlighting a company that's part of a broader effort here that is bringing about the creation of jobs in the United States.  And there have been a lot of jobs created by Amazon, and that's obviously a good thing.

Q    They're low-wage jobs though.

MR. CARNEY:  Well, again, the President supports raising the minimum wage.  And that is a cornerstone of his economic proposals that you've heard from him in the past and you'll hear in the future.  What the fact is, is that our minimum wage in this country is at its lowest level in real terms since Ronald Reagan was President, and we ought to address that.  And the President will speak about that frequently in the coming weeks and months, because it's an essential part of his economic vision.

Q    And the sellers?

MR. CARNEY:  I just don't know enough about the marketplace there.  What the President is focused on is creating jobs here in America for Americans.  And he very much looks forward to his visit.

Q    Do you know of any plans by the intelligence community to declassify more information this week?

MR. CARNEY:  I have no updates for you on that process that you refer to.

END
12:04 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 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:

  • Michael L. Connor – Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior
  • Robert Blake – Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, Department of State
  • Thomas Frederick Daughton – Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, Department of State
  • John L. Estrada – Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Department of State
  • Phillip S. Goldberg – Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, Department of State
  • Michael Stephen Hoza – Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, Department of State
  • Noah Bryson Mamet – Ambassador to the Argentine Republic, Department of State
  • Eunice S. Reddick – Ambassador to the Republic of Niger, Department of State 

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country.  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:

Michael L. Connor, Nominee for Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior

Michael L. Connor is the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), a position he has held since 2009.  Previously, Mr. Connor served as Counsel on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee from 2001 to 2009.  He served in the Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office at DOI as Director from 1999 to 2001 and Deputy Director from 1998 to 1999.  Mr. Connor has worked as an attorney in a number of offices at DOI from 1993 to 1997, including the Southwestern Regional Solicitor’s Office, the Division of Indian Affairs, and the Solicitor’s Honors Program.  He was a research assistant in the Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado from 1991 to 1993.  From 1984 to 1990, Mr. Connor worked as a professional engineer in a variety of roles.  He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from New Mexico State University and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law.

Ambassador Robert Blake, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, Department of State

Ambassador Robert Blake, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career-Minister, is Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs.  Previously, he served as Ambassador to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives from 2006 to 2009.  Prior to that, Ambassador Blake served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India from 2003 to 2006.  Previous domestic assignments include: Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs from 2001 to 2003, Deputy Executive Secretary from 2000 to 2001, and the Turkey Desk Officer from 1998 to 2000.  Overseas assignments include:  Head of the Political Section at the U.S. Embassy Tunis, Tunisia from 1995 to 1998 and Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers, Algeria from 1993 to 1994.  He received a B.A. from Harvard College and an M.A. from John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. 

Thomas Frederick Daughton, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, Department of State

Thomas Frederick Daughton, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is the Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations and Agreements in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the Department of State.  From 2009 to 2011, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.  Mr. Daughton served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers, Algeria from 2006 to 2009, and Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 2003 to 2006.  He was the Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’ Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Libreville, Gabon from 2000 to 2003, and Political and Administrative Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Thessaloniki, Greece from 1997 to 2000.  From 1994 to 1996, he served as a Country Desk Officer for the Philippines in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and from 1993 to 1994, he served as a Staff Assistant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.  Prior to joining the Foreign Service he was an Associate with the law firm Sidley & Austin.  He received a B.A. from Amherst College and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.

John L. Estrada, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Department of State

John L. Estrada is Senior Manager for Lockheed Martin Training Solutions Incorporated, a position he has held since 2008.  Previously, he was a business development specialist for Coalescent Technology Corporation from 2007 to 2008.  Prior to his career in the private sector, Sergeant Major Estrada served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 34 years, rising to become the 15th Sergeant Major of the United States Marine Corps, the nation’s highest-ranking enlisted Marine.  He served as Sergeant Major of the Corps from 2003 to 2007.  From 2001 to 2003, he served as Sergeant Major of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.  From 2000 to 2001, he was Sergeant Major of the Recruit Training Regiment at Parris Island, and from 1998 to 2000 he was Sergeant Major for the Recruiting Station in Sacramento, California.  In 2010, he was appointed as a Member of the American Battle Monuments Commission.  Sergeant Major Estrada serves as a committee member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, a member of the national Board of Directors for Operation Homefront, and on the executive committee for the United Services Organization.  Sergeant Major Estrada received a B.S. from the University of Phoenix.

Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, Department of State

Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career-Minister, is Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research at the Department of State, a position he has held since 2010.  From 2006 to 2008, he served as Ambassador to Bolivia.  From 2005 to 2006, he served as Chief of Mission in Pristina, Kosovo.  From 2001 to 2004, Ambassador Goldberg served as Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile.  In 2001, he served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs.  From 1996 to 2000, he served as Special Assistant and then Executive Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State.  He served as the Department's Bosnia Desk Officer from 1994 to 1996.  Previous overseas assignments include: Consular and Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia and Political-Economic Officer in Pretoria, South Africa.  He began his career as a Liaison Officer for the City of New York for the United Nations.  He received a B.A. from Boston University.

Michael Stephen Hoza, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, Department of State

Michael Stephen Hoza, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia, a position he has held since 2010.  From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Hoza was Management Counselor and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.  Mr. Hoza served as Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain from 2004 to 2007 and Human Resources Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France from 2002 to 2004.  He was the Management Officer and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal from 2000 to 2002.  From 1997 to 2000, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Mbabane, Swaziland, and Administrative Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea from 1993 to 1997.  From 1991 to 1993, he served as Post Management Officer for Luanda, Angola and Mogadishu, Somalia in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Hoza began his career at the Washington Post Company in Washington, D.C. in 1979.  He received a B.S. from Georgetown University.

Noah Bryson Mamet, Nominee for Ambassador to the Argentine Republic, Department of State

Noah Bryson Mamet is Founder and President of Noah Mamet & Associates, a position he has held since 2004.  Previously, he served as Senior Advisor and National Finance Director for House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt from 1995 to 2003, and continued his service for Leader Gephardt’s Presidential bid in 2004.  Mr. Mamet serves as a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and the American Council of Young Political Leaders.  He also sits on the boards of the Los Angeles based Green Dot Public Schools and NatureBridge.  In 2007, Mr. Mamet served on an international delegation for the National Democratic Institute to monitor elections in Sierra Leone.  Mr. Mamet received a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Ambassador Eunice S. Reddick, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Niger, Department of State

Ambassador Eunice S. Reddick, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Director of the Office of West African Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State.  From 2010 to 2011, she served as Diplomat in Residence at Howard University.  From 2007 to 2010, she served as Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Libreville, Gabon and from 2005 to 2007, she served as Director of the Office of East African Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs.  She served as Deputy Director and then Director of the Office of Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore Affairs in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2000 to 2004.  Previous overseas assignments include: Chief of the Political Section at the American Institute in Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan and Political Officer in the U.S. Embassy Beijing, China.  She received a B.A. from New York University and an M.A. from Columbia University.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 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:

  • Kenneth L. Mossman – Member, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
  • Kenneth R. Weinstein – Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors 

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

Dr. Kenneth L. Mossman, Nominee for Member, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

Dr. Kenneth L. Mossman is currently a Professor of Health Physics at Arizona State University, a position he has held since 1990.  He is also an Administrative Judge for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, where he has served since 2007.  From 1997 to 2004, Dr. Mossman was the Director of the University Office of Radiation Safety at Arizona State University, and from 1990 to 1992 he served as the University’s Assistant Vice President for Research.  Previously, he was a professor at Georgetown University Medical Center from 1973 to 1990.  He also was the Director and Founding Chairman of the Department of Radiation Science in Georgetown University Graduate School from 1982 to 1990.  Dr. Mossman received a B.S. from Wayne State University, an M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Tennessee, and an M.Ed. from University of Maryland.

Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein, Nominee for Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors

Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein is President and CEO of Hudson Institute, a position he has held since 2011.  Since joining Hudson Institute in 1999, he has held several other positions, including Senior Fellow, Director of the Washington Office, and Chief Operating Officer.  From 1996 to 1998, he was the Director of the Government Reform Project at the Heritage Foundation, and from 1994 to 1996, he was Director of Research at the New Citizenship Project.  He served on the National Council of the Humanities from 2006 to 2012 and was appointed to the D.C. State Advisory Board to the U.S. Commission on Human Rights in 2010.  Dr. Weinstein received an A.B. from the University of Chicago, an M.Phil. from Institut d’ Études Politiques de Paris, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2013

President Obama Nominates L. Paige Marvel to the United States Tax Court

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama announced today his intent to nominate L. Paige Marvel as Judge to the United States Tax Court.

“Paige has demonstrated unwavering integrity and a firm commitment to public service throughout her career,” said President Obama.  “I am proud to nominate her to serve for another term on the United States Tax Court.”

Judge L. Paige Marvel, Nominee for Judge, United States Tax Court

Judge L. Paige Marvel currently serves as a Judge of the United States Tax Court, a position she has held since April 1998.  From 1988 to 1998, she worked as a Partner with Venable, Baetjer & Howard.  Previously, from 1986 to 1988, she was a Shareholder with Melnicove, Kaufman, Weiner, Smouse & Garbis.  Judge Marvel was an Associate with Garbis & Schwait from 1974 to 1976, and Shareholder from 1976 to 1986.  She received a B.A. from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.