Notice to Congress -- Continuation of the National Emergency on Russian Fissile Material

NOTICE
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CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT
TO THE DISPOSITION OF RUSSIAN HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM

 On June 25, 2012, by Executive Order 13617, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Full implementation of the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Disposition of Highly Enriched Uranium Extracted from Nuclear Weapons, dated February 18, 1993, and related contracts and agreements (collectively, the "HEU Agreements") is essential to the attainment of U.S. national security and foreign policy goals. Assets of the Government of the Russian Federation directly related to the implementation of the HEU Agreements may be subject to attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process, thereby jeopardizing the full implementation of the HEU Agreements to the detriment of U.S. national security and foreign policy. In order to ensure the preservation and proper and complete transfer to the Government of the Russian Federation of all payments due to it under the HEU Agreements, in Executive Order 13617 I ordered the blocking of all property and interests in property of the Government of the Russian Federation directly related to the implementation of the HEU Agreements and declared any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process with respect to such blocked property to be null and void, unless licensed or authorized pursuant to Executive Order 13617 or Executive Order 13159 of June 21, 2000.

The risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13617 of June 25, 2012, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 25, 2013. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to the disposition of Russian highly enriched uranium declared in Executive Order 13617.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

BARACK OBAMA

First Lady Michelle Obama and Epicurious Announce Winning Recipes in Nationwide “healthy Lunchtime Challenge”

54 Kids to Attend "State Dinner" at White House on July 9
To Celebrate Nutritious, Delicious Lunchtime Dishes

   
Washington, DC – First Lady Michelle Obama, Epicurious, the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture today announced the winners of a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy lunches as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative.  The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” will recognize 54 winners, representing all U.S. states, three territories and the District of Columbia, who will attend a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by Mrs. Obama on July 9. The group will join The First Lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes, followed by a visit to the White House kitchen garden.

“Our Kids’ State Dinner is one of my favorite events of the year, and the kid chefs who come from around the country never cease to impress and inspire me with their creativity and ingenuity.  I’m counting down the days until the winners join me at the White House to celebrate these healthy and delicious meals that kids everywhere will love,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

For the second consecutive year, The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” invited a parent or guardian to work with their child ages 8-12 to create a lunchtime recipe that is healthy, affordable, original and delicious.  In support of Let’s Move!, launched by the First Lady to help solve the problem of childhood obesity, each recipe adhered to the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate (at ChooseMyPlate.gov) to ensure that the criteria of a healthy meal were met. Entries had to represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe.

The second Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, originated by Epicurious to promote healthy eating among America’s youth, received more than 1,300 entries featuring wholesome, tasty ingredients, including salmon, black beans and ground turkey.  The winners and featured recipes include:

• Rowan Bean, 9, (Seward, AK) – “Alaskan Ceviche with Mango”
• Kindall Sewell-Murphy, 10, (Selma, AL) – “Kale Broccoli Chicken and Apple Salad”
• Emma-Kate Schaefer, 8, (Fayetteville, AR) – “Confetti Spring Rolls - Orange-Cilantro Sauce”
• Alexandra Nickle, 10, (Phoenix, AZ) – “Banana's Black Bean Burritos”
• Rose Scott, 12, Menlo (Park, CA) – “Pork and Tofu Lettuce Cups”
• Nicholas Hornbostel, 8, (Edwards, CO) – “Sushi Salad”
• John Breitfelder, 9, (New Canaan, CT) – “Quinoa "Risotto" with Shrimp and Kale”
• Braeden Mannering, 9, (Bear, DE) – “Tortilla Bowl Deluxe”
• Nicole Medina, 10, (Miami, FL) – “Summer Salmon”
• Regan Matthews, 12, (Atlanta, GA) – “Sweet Potato Turkey Sliders”
• Eleanor Cowell, 8, (Honolulu, HI) – “Curried Chicken Salad & Taste of the Tropics”
• Corrine VanderGaast, 9, (Tipton, IA) – “Stone Curry with Brown Rice”
• Adam Wirth, 8, (Boise, ID) – “Veggie Barley Salad with Orange Honey Vinaigrette”
• Taddy Pettit, 10, (Oakwood, IL) – “Black Bean Wrap with Jicama - Grilled Corn Salsa”
• Lydia Graham, 9, (Carmel, IN) – “Sneaky Chili Surprise”
• Olivia Neely, 10, (Lenexa, KS) – “Fun Mini Pizzas with Veggies & Cauliflower Crust”
• Regan Strehl, 11, (Lexington, KY) – “Raisin Bran Muffins”
• Brynna Robert, 12, (Metairie, LA) – “Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry”
• Shefali Singh, 12, (Falmouth, MA) – “Shefali's Scrumptious Spring Rolls”
• Emma Scielzo. 10, (Chevy Chase, MD) – “Chicken Masala Wrap”
• Noah Koch, 9, (Waterville, ME) – “Vegan Powerhouse Pesto Pasta”
• Jacob Hirsch, 8, (West Bloomfield, MI) – “Picky Eater Pita Pizza Pockets”
• Kaitlyn Kirchner, 9, (Madelia, MN) – “Garden Stir-Fry”
• Henry Oates, 8, (Adrian, MO) – “Confetti Peanut Ginger Party Pasta”
• Reed Lindsey, 10, (Booneville, MS) – “Pan Seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice”
• Joshua Garrigues, 8, (Bozeman, MT) – “Healthy Vegetable Fried Quinoa”
• Vijay Dey, 12, (Chapel Hill, NC) – “Spring Rolls”
• Charli McQuillan, 8, (Oxbow, ND) – “Asian Fajitas”
• Bence Brown, 9, (Omaha, NE) – “Terrific Tuna Casserole”
• Olivia Beauchesne, 12, (Nottingham, NH) – “Liv's Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich”
• Goldie Siegel, 8, (Clifton, NJ) – “Hawaiian Turkey Sliders with Mango-Pineapple Salsa”
• Louis Teich, 10, (Las Cruces, NM) – “Spinach Frittata”
• Isabella Gross, 11, (Henderson, NV) – “Chex Chicken and Bellaberry Smoothie”
• Peter Murphy, 8, (Manhasset, NY) – “Super Rescue Soup”
• Anisha Patel, 11, (Blacklick, OH) – “Kickin, Colorful, Bell Peppers stuffed with Quinoa”
• Ogden Johnson, 10, (Tulsa, OK) – “Taco De Camaron”
• Audrey Russell, 10, (Portland, OR) – “Salmon Fried Rice”
• Ganesh Selvakumar, 9, (Broomall, PA) – “Lentil Spinach Soup and Mint Chutney”
• Samantha Mastrati, 12, (Cranston, RI) – “Italian Garden Salsa with Crunchy Chicken Tenders”
• Corbin Jackson, 9, (Mount Pleasant, SC) – “Bring it On, Brussels Sprout Wrap!”
• Owen Kerkvliet, 9, (Huron, SD) – “Hidden Veggie Lasagna”
• Makenna Hurd, 9, (Mascot, TN) – “Makenna's Bodacious Banana Muffins”
• Devanshi Udeshi, 12, (Sugar Land, TX) – “Slam Dunk Veggie Burger”
• Cecily Asplund, 10, (Provo, UT) – “Lucky Lettuce Cups”
• Campbell Kielb, 8, (Sterling, VA) – “Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps”
• Colin Hurliman, 9, (Burlington, VT) – “Champ's Maple BBQ Turkey Burgers”
• Amber Kelley, 10, (Woodinville, WA) – “Nummy No-Noodle Lasagna”
• Liam Kivirist, 11, (Browntown, WI) – “Wisconsin Solar Oven-Simmered Chili”
• Jessica Wolfe, 9, (Shepherdstown, WV) – “Spicy Tofu Lettuce Cups”
• Breeze Petty, 11, (Thermopolis, WY) – “Scrumptious Chili with Zucchini Cornbread”
• Ingrid Lamberg, 9, (Washington, DC) – “Inga Binga's Salmon Salad”
• Genzo Gonzales, 11, (Saipan, MP) – “Kangkong Pomegranate Salad”
• Aliana Piñero, 9, (San Juan, PR) – “Yummy Eggplant Lasagna Rolls”
• Sakari Clendinen, 8, (St. Thomas, VI) – “Zucchini Pancakes & Passion Fruit Banana Smoothie”

 
The winners were chosen by a panel of judges that included:  Tanya Steel, Epicurious editor-in-chief; Sam Kass, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition; Dr. Robert C. Post, Associate Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA; Susan Winchell, Assistant General Counsel for Ethics, USED; Sam Myers, Jr., White House Liaison, USED; Mike Curtain, CEO of DC Central Kitchen and The Campus Kitchens Project; and two Washington, D.C.-based children who are graduates of Share our Strength’s Cooking Matters program. For a behind the scenes look at this year’s judging, click HERE.

The full list of winners and recipes can be found online at recipechallenge.epicurious.com. Additionally, a free downloadable and printable e-cookbook of the winning recipes, including nutritional analyses and photos, will be available in July at the contest site, epicurious.com, letsmove.gov, USDA.gov, and Ed.gov.

“This year, we received very sophisticated recipe entries from all over the country that featured healthy ingredients like salmon, Greek yogurt, and ground turkey, which made it a delicious challenge to select the finalists,” said Tanya Steel.  “Each recipe also included anecdotes explaining the importance of healthy eating.  The insight from the kids who entered the challenge demonstrates that today’s youth understands the need to strengthen their bodies and minds with the most wholesome ingredients available.  We are, once again, incredibly thankful to Mrs. Obama for joining Epicurious to continue to raise awareness for the importance of healthy eating for future generations.”

 “Healthy eating can help spur academic success,” said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education.  “And it’s exciting that our young people have harnessed their creativity to come up with fresh, new recipes that are nutritious and healthy. This competition is just another example of how kids can rise to any occasion—whether inside or outside the classroom—when challenged.”

“The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge makes healthy eating fun and educational, and I am inspired every year by the creative efforts of these kids to create healthy recipes,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  “By taking steps today to help our young people adopt healthy eating habits, we’re not just improving their health in the short term – we’re giving them important tools that will last a lifetime.”

The children’s arrivals on July 9 through the East Wing/Booksellers will be pooled press and the First Lady’s remarks at the lunch will be open press.  Members of the media interested in covering this event must RSVP to FirstLadyPress@who.eop.gov with their full name, date of birth, social security number, gender, city and state of residence and citizenship by Wednesday, July 3, at noon ET.

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on al-Shabaab’s Attack on the United Nations in Somalia

The United States condemns in the strongest terms al-Shabaab’s despicable attack on the United Nations in Somalia today.  The attack targeted people and organizations working in partnership with the Somali Government to provide health services, clean water, sanitation, education, and economic opportunity – people striving to build a better future for the Somali people.  We commend the brave and swift response by the Somali security forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia, and send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of this heinous act.

Today’s attack highlights the repugnant terrorist tactics al-Shabaab continues to use to stand in the way of efforts to ease the suffering of the Somali people.  Whether by denying food and medical aid during one of the region’s worst droughts, or by repeated attacks against fellow Somalis and soldiers helping to build a lasting peace, al-Shabaab has shown again and again that it stands on the side of death and destruction.

The United States remains a steadfast partner of the Somali people and their government as they work to build a safer, more prosperous future.  We reiterate our strong support for the important work of the United Nations toward reaching that goal.  Those seeking to derail Somalia’s progress will not succeed.

President Obama Signs Michigan Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Michigan and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by flooding during the period of April 16 to May 14, 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 flooding in the counties of Allegan, Baraga, Barry, Gogebic, Houghton, Ionia, Kent, Keweenaw, Marquette, Midland, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ontonagon, Osceola, Ottawa, and Saginaw.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Mark A. Neveau 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.