Readout of the President's Call with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

President Obama spoke by phone today with King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.  The President relayed his warm wishes to the King on the occasion of Ramadan.  The leaders reaffirmed the strong and enduring partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and discussed regional issues of mutual interest.  The President and the King shared their perspectives on the situation in Syria and expressed their strong concerns about the impact of the conflict on the region.  The President emphasized the United States’ continued commitment to provide support to the Syrian Opposition Coalition and the Supreme Military Council to strengthen the opposition.  The President and King also exchanged views on recent developments in Egypt.  They agreed that the United States and Saudi Arabia have a shared interest in supporting Egypt’s stability.  The President expressed his serious concern about the violence in Egypt and underscored the urgent need for an inclusive political process that will enable an early return to a democratically elected civilian government in Egypt.  The leaders pledged to continue close consultations between their two governments. 

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

• Gregory D. Winfree – Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Transportation  
• Rhonda Schnare Schmidtlein – Member, United States International Trade Commission

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

• Angelique M. Crumbly – Assistant Administrator for Management, United States Agency for International Development
• Admiral John B. Nathman, USN (Ret) – Member, Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy
• Rion Joaquin Ramirez – Member, President’s Commission on White House Fellowships

President Obama said, “It gives me great confidence that such dedicated and capable individuals have agreed to join this Administration to serve the American people. 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:

Gregory D. Winfree, Nominee for Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Transportation

Gregory D. Winfree is the Deputy Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), a position he has held since 2011.  He also served as Acting Administrator of RITA from September 2011 to January 2012 and as Chief Counsel for RITA from 2010 until 2011.  From 2004 to 2010, Mr. Winfree was Chief Litigation Counsel for Phelps Dodge Corporation, and from 2000 to 2004 he served as Director of Litigation for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.  Previously, from 1993 to 2000, Mr. Winfree was Litigation Counsel for Union Carbide Corporation, and from 1991 to 1993 he was a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.  He was a litigation associate at Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civiletti from 1989 to 1991.  Mr. Winfree received a Sc.B. from St. John’s University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. 

Rhonda Schnare Schmidtlein, Nominee for Member, United States International Trade Commission 

Rhonda Schnare Schmidtlein is currently a consultant to the World Bank on projects seeking to strengthen accounting regulation and oversight, a position she has held since 2012.  Ms. Schmidtlein worked within the Office of International Affairs at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board as Director from 2005 to 2011 and Special Counsel to the Chairman from 2003 to 2005.  Previously, she served as Associate General Counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) from 1999 to 2003, and Assistant General Counsel from 1998 to 1999.  Prior to USTR, she was an Honors Program Trial Attorney from 1993 to 1998 in the Civil Division of the Commercial Litigation Branch at the U.S. Department of Justice.  From 1995 to 1997, Ms. Schmidtlein was an Adjunct Professor for Legal Research and Writing at the National Law Center at George Washington University and a Law Clerk for Chief Judge Howard F. Sachs of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri from 1991 to 1993.  Ms. Schmidtlein received a B.S. from University of Missouri and a J.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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

Angelique M. Crumbly, Appointee for Assistant Administrator for Management, United States Agency for International Development

Angelique M. Crumbly is Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Management at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  She has served in various capacities at USAID since 1994.  From 2010 to 2012, she served as Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Management.  From 2005 to 2007, she served as Senior Advisor to the Counselor and Supervisor of the Management Bureau.  She also held a number of positions in the Office of Food for Peace at USAID from 1998 to 2005, including Chief in the Policy and Technical Division and Team Leader for the Development Programs Division.  From 1994 to 1998 she served as a Procurement Analyst in the Office of Procurement.  She received a B.A. from George Washington University and an M.P.M. from Georgetown University.

Admiral John B. Nathman, USN (Ret), Appointee for Member, Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy 

Admiral John B. Nathman, USN (Ret), was first appointed to the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy in 2010.  After 37 years of service in the U.S. Navy, he retired as Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces.  He held a number of high ranking positions, including Vice Chief of Naval Operations; Commander, Naval Air Forces; Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements; and Commander, Battle Force Fifty in the Persian Gulf.  His personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star with Combat V.  He serves on the board of directors for the Custiss Wright Corporation and the Strategic Advisory Board for Boeing Defense, Space and Security.  Admiral Nathman received an M.S. from the United States Naval Academy and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.

Rion Joaquin Ramirez, Appointee for Member, President’s Commission on White House Fellowships

Rion Joaquin Ramirez is General Counsel at Port Madison Enterprises, the economic development arm of the Suquamish Tribe.  From 2001 to 2005, he was an Associate at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, and prior to that, he was an Associate at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C. from 1997 to 2001.  He also served as Counsel for the University of Washington’s Child Advocacy Clinic from 1997 to 1998.  In 2012, Mr. Ramirez was a member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee and co-chair of the Obama Native Outreach Group.  He is a past President of the Northwest Indian Bar Association and a former Appellate Court Justice for the Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa Indians, where he is an enrolled member.  He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Washington Bar Association, and the Native American Bar Association.  Mr. Ramirez received a B.A. from the University of Washington and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.

Statement by the President on H.R. 1151

Today I have signed into law H.R. 1151, an Act concerning participation of Taiwan in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The United States fully supports Taiwan's membership in international organizations where statehood is not a requirement for membership and encourages Taiwan's meaningful participation, as appropriate, in organizations where its membership is not possible. My Administration has publicly supported Taiwan's participation at the ICAO and will continue to do so. Consistent with my constitutional authority to conduct foreign affairs, my Administration shall construe the Act to be consistent with the "one China" policy of the United States, which remains unchanged, and shall determine the measures best suited to advance the overall goal of Taiwan's participation in the ICAO. I note that sections 1(b) and 1(c) of the Act contain impermissibly mandatory language purporting to direct the Secretary of State to undertake certain diplomatic initiatives and to report to the Congress on the progress of those initiatives. Consistent with longstanding constitutional practice, my Administration will interpret and implement these sections in a manner that does not interfere with my constitutional authority to conduct diplomacy and to protect the confidentiality of diplomatic communications.

BARACK OBAMA

Statement by the President on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's Announcement

I want to thank Secretary Napolitano for her outstanding work on behalf of the American people over the last four years.  At the Department of Homeland Security, Janet’s portfolio has included some of the toughest challenges facing our country.  She’s worked around the clock to respond to natural disasters, from the Joplin tornado to Hurricane Sandy, helping Americans recover and rebuild. Since day one, Janet has led my administration’s effort to secure our borders, deploying a historic number of resources, while also taking steps to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our values.  And the American people are safer and more secure thanks to Janet’s leadership in protecting our homeland against terrorist attacks. I’ve come to rely on Janet’s judgment and advice, but I’ve also come to value her friendship.  And as she begins a new chapter in a remarkable career of public service, I wish her the best of luck.