The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 15, 2013

Vice President Biden to Lead Presidential Delegation to Attend the Mass for the Inauguration of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Francis

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the Inauguration Mass celebrating the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Francis, which will take place on March 19, 2013.

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden Jr., Vice President of the United States, will lead the delegation. 

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable Susana Martinez, Governor of the State of New Mexico

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the United States House of Representatives and United States Representative from California

Dr. John J. DeGioia, President, Georgetown University

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 14, 2013

Statement by the President

I thank the Senate for taking another step forward in our common effort to help reduce gun violence by advancing a bill that would reinstate and strengthen a ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons and set a 10-round limit for magazines.  These weapons of war, when combined with high-capacity magazines, have one purpose: to inflict maximum damage as quickly as possible.  They are designed for the battlefield, and they have no place on our streets, in our schools, or threatening our law enforcement officers. 
 
The Senate has now advanced legislation addressing three of the most important elements of my proposal to help reduce the epidemic of gun violence in this country.  Now the full Senate and the House need to vote on this bill, as well as the measures advanced in the past week that would impose serious penalties on anyone who buys a gun as part of a scheme to arm criminals, improve school safety, and help keep guns out of the hands of criminals, people with a severe mental illness, and others who shouldn’t have them.  Each of these proposals deserves a vote.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 14, 2013

Readout of the President’s Phone Call with Chinese President Xi Jinping

The President called Chinese President Xi Jinping today to congratulate him on his new position and to discuss the future of the U.S.-China relationship. The President underscored his firm commitment to increasing practical cooperation to address Asia’s and the world’s most pressing economic and security challenges. Both leaders agreed on the value of regular high-level engagement to expand cooperation and coordination.  The President noted that Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew will visit China next week and that Secretary of State John Kerry will also visit Beijing in the coming weeks as part of his upcoming trip to Asia. The President highlighted the threat to the United States, its allies, and the region from North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and stressed the need for close coordination with China to ensure North Korea meets its denuclearization commitments. President Obama welcomed China’s G-20 commitment to move towards a more flexible exchange rate, and he underscored the importance of working together to expand trade and investment opportunities and to address issues such as the protection of intellectual property rights. In this context, the President highlighted the importance of addressing cyber-security threats, which represent a shared challenge. The two leaders agreed to maintain frequent and direct communication.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Readout of the President’s Meeting With Business Leaders on Commonsense Immigration Reform

This afternoon, the President met with business leaders to discuss the importance of commonsense immigration reform. In the meeting, the President reiterated his belief that any bill must strengthen border security, create an earned path to citizenship, hold employers accountable, and streamline the legal immigration process. The President and the business leaders discussed their shared belief that achieving this reform holds meaningful economic promise for the United States, creating a fair playing field for employers and workers alike. The business leaders made clear that they support the principles that the President and key Senators leading this effort have made central to the reform effort, most notably a meaningful pathway to citizenship that is based on fairness and which requires those who came here illegally to pay back taxes, pay a fine, and get to the back of the line behind those already engaged in the legal immigration process. The business leaders also discussed their focus on continuing to increase border security, an issue the President made clear continues to be a key priority, while also making sure all employers play by the same rules and have access to the talent they need to compete globally. The President made clear that he continues to support the progress being made by the bipartisan group of Senators, but also stands ready to introduce his own bill if that process fails to produce legislation.

Participants in the meeting included:

• Joe Almeida, Chairman, President and CEO, Covidien
• George Barrett, Chairman and CEO, Cardinal Health
• Jorge Benitez, CEO of United States and Managing Director of North America, Accenture
• Greg Brown, CEO, Motorola Solutions
• John T. Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco Systems
• Scott Donnelly, Chairman, President and CEO, Textron
• Francisco D'Souza, CEO, Cognizant
• Dan Fulton, President and CEO, Weyerhaeuser Company
• Omar Ishrak, Chairman and CEO, Medtronic
• Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and CEO, Alcoa
• Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO, Caterpillar
• Clarence Otis Jr., Chairman and CEO, Darden Restaurants
• Carlos Rodriguez, President and CEO, Automatic Data Processing
• Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO, Eastman Chemical
• Virginia Rometty, Chairman, President and CEO, IBM Corporation
• Ed Rust, Chairman and CEO, State Farm
• Joseph Welch, Founder, Chairman, President, and CEO, ITC Holdings
• Valerie Jarrett,  Senior Advisor to the President
• Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the Domestic Policy Center
• Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Senate Democratic Budget

The Senate Democratic budget is a concrete plan that will grow our economy and shrink our deficits in a balanced way, consistent with the President’s belief that our economy grows best from the middle-out, not the top-down, while reducing the debt as a share of the economy.  It’s a plan that doesn’t dwell on ongoing debates, but rather moves our country forward by making investments critical to our middle-class security – like education, manufacturing, and rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges – while looking for waste, fraud, and savings throughout government.  This budget makes tough spending cuts and leaves no sacred cows, but it also makes sure that seniors and the middle class aren’t forced to bear the full burden of deficit reduction by eliminating wasteful loopholes through tax reform,  so that the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share.

Republicans and Democrats have now put their plans on the table.  And while there are differences, both sides share some common goals.  The President looks forward to seeking compromise and common ground with Congress so we can grow the economy, create jobs, and cut the deficit in a balanced way.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Statement from the Vice President on His Holiness Pope Francis

Jill and I want to offer our congratulations to His Holiness Pope Francis, and extend our prayers as he takes on this holy responsibility. I am happy to have the chance to personally relay my well wishes, and those of the American people, when I travel to Rome for his Inaugural Mass. The Catholic Church plays an essential role in my life and the lives of more than a billion people in America and around the world, not just in matters of our faith, but in pursuit of peace and human dignity for all faiths. I look forward to our work together in the coming years on many important issues.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Deborah Kay Jones, of New Mexico, 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 Libya.

James Knight, of Alabama, 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 Chad.

Stephen Crawford, of Maryland, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for the remainder of the term expiring December 8, 2015, vice Alan C. Kessler, resigned.

James J. Jones, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances of the Environmental Protection Agency, vice Stephen Alan Owens, resigned.

Kenneth J. Kopocis, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, vice Peter Silva Silva, resigned.

Olga Viso, of Minnesota, to be a Member of the National Council on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2018, vice William Francis Price, Jr., term expired.

WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:

Elissa F. Cadish, of Nevada, to be United States District Judge for the District of Nevada, vice Philip M. Pro, retired, which was sent to the Senate on January 4, 2013.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Statement from the President on His Holiness Pope Francis

On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I offer our warm wishes to His Holiness Pope Francis as he ascends to the Chair of Saint Peter and begins his papacy.  As a champion of the poor and the most vulnerable among us, he carries forth the message of love and compassion that has inspired the world for more than two thousand years—that in each other we see the face of God.  As the first pope from the Americas, his selection also speaks to the strength and vitality of a region that is increasingly shaping our world, and alongside millions of Hispanic Americans, those of us in the United States share the joy of this historic day.  Just as I appreciated our work with Pope Benedict XVI, I look forward to working with His Holiness to advance peace, security and dignity for our fellow human beings, regardless of their faith.  We join with people around the world in offering our prayers for the Holy Father as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church in our modern world.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Tom Donilon’s Meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan

President Obama joined National Security Advisor Tom Donilon’s meeting today with Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan during the Prime Minister’s first official visit to Washington.  The President expressed the United States’ support for the Libyan people and their government as they continue their democratic transition.  The President reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks against the U.S. mission in Benghazi are brought to justice, and stressed the importance of Libya’s cooperation with the ongoing investigation.  The two leaders discussed how the United States and Libya could work together, along with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and our partners in the international community, to strengthen Libya's government institutions, and particularly to enhance security and the rule of law.  The President noted that he was pleased to nominate Deborah K. Jones to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Libya and represent the American people during this important stage of Libya's new democracy.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2013

Statement from the Press Secretary on H.R. 307

On March 13, 2013, the President signed into law:

H.R. 307, the "Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013," which reauthorizes appropriations through Fiscal Year 2018 and revises authorities for activities to improve public health and bioterrorism emergency planning, preparedness, and response; streamlines authorities within the Department of Health and Human Services to improve coordination and eliminate inefficiencies; and strengthens the role of the Food and Drug Administration to bring prevention and treatment products, known as "countermeasures," to market for emergency use.