The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Remarks by the President after VA Roundtable

Phoenix VA Medical Center
Phoenix, Arizona

1:16 P.M. MST

THE PRESIDENT:  I want to thank everyone who is here not just about this particular facility or this particular state, but how do we make sure that the VA is working for every single veteran who’s put on a uniform and has made enormous sacrifices on behalf of our country’s security and freedom.

We all know that there have been significant problems at this facility, that the kind of cooking the books and unwillingness to face up to the fact that veterans were not being adequately served went on too long, and as a consequence, we didn’t fix what needed to be fixed. 

What I'm glad about is what Bob McDonald, working with Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, have been able to do is to start making some progress and chipping away at the problems.  And they’ve brought in a new team that has been tackling these issues to make sure that wait times for scheduling access to providers is greatly improved.

But what we know is that there is still more work to do.  And this discussion allowed us to hone in on some problems that continue to crop up, and as a consequence, will allow us to fix them.

I want to thank the members of Congress who are here.  All of them have expressed great interest in how the Choice Act is being implemented.  This legislation that Congress moved forward provided a lot of resources for us to be able to hire more clinicians and to beef up the services they’re providing in many of the existing VA centers.  But what it also did was, for folks who have difficulty getting to a VA facility, it gave them the possibility of getting a private sector provider for their care.

There have been some concerns expressed about whether that information is getting out to veterans as effectively as it should.  There are some specific issues of implementation that Senator McCain, Senator Flake and Congresswoman Sinema and all the members of Congress here described.  What I've committed to is making sure that we implement the Choice Act promptly and effectively, and that some of the concerns that have been raised are addressed.  And I know that Bob is committed to that same thing.

Some of the other issues that were expressed concern -- revolved around mental health issues and suicide prevention.  And this is an area that there’s been great bipartisan work on, but there’s still more to do.  And I think there was some very positive suggestions that we received about how we can make progress there.

And the final issue that I heard a lot about today is the need to restore trust and confidence in the VA system.  Trust is one of those things that you can lose real quick and then it takes some time to build.  The good news is that there are outstanding folks here at this VA and all the VAs across the country who are deserving of trust.  But it's important that veterans know that somebody has got their backs and that if there are problems that we're not being defensive about them, we're not hiding them.  We're working together with the outstanding USOs and other organizations around the table to fix them. 

I think that process has begun, but we've got more work to do to make sure that there is a culture of customer service and there’s enthusiasm and excitement and a sense of purpose and mission about serving our veterans.  Because that's the kind of attitude that they brought to bear when they were out in theaters of war and serving our country, and that's what they deserve every single day up and down the chain.

So I'm very grateful to everybody for the input that they provided.  The last point I would make -- although we spent a lot of time talking about areas that needed improvement, although we are very pleased that we've got a outstanding former CEO from the private sector as well as a veteran in Joe Robles, who’s going to be heading up our advisory committee to address some of these issues and work with Bob and Sloan around what we're calling MyVA, although we know that more problems will crop up because that's inevitable in an organization this large -- every veteran who I talked to here today emphasized that when it came to the actual care that people were receiving once in the system, it was outstanding; that there were great doctors, great nurses, great staff who care deeply about our veterans.  And obviously a lot of those doctors, nurses and staff are veterans themselves and understand the sacrifices that our veterans have made.

So there are systems that have to be fixed; there’s management that has to continue to drive a renewed sense of purpose inside the VA.  But we can't ignore that every single day, the VA is doing some outstanding work to provide care to our veterans.  And that's not, I think, spin; that's something that we heard directly from a lot of veterans around this table. 

And we want to thank everybody at the VA who’s been doing their job and doing it well -- because just the fact that there have been a few bad apples, mistakes that have been made, systems that aren't designed to get the job done, I don't want that to detract from the outstanding work of a lot of people inside this organization.

So thank you very much, everybody, for the terrific conversation and your outstanding input.  And I want to especially thank the members of Congress who are here who, in a bipartisan fashion, have been constructive, stayed on the case and allocated resources to make sure that this problem gets fixed.

Thank you, everybody.

END 
1:23 P.M. MST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Phoenix, AZ, 3/13/2015

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Phoenix, Arizona

10:45 A.M. PDT

MR. SCHULTZ:  Welcome aboard Air Force one en route to Phoenix, where the President later today will host a roundtable discussion with the Veterans Administration Secretary Bob McDonald, Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, and veterans -- VA employees, veterans organizations, members of Congress and other elected officials to hear about the progress made to improve the VA’s ability to serve veterans, areas where more progress is needed, and further steps that we’ve been planning.

Secretary McDonald will announce the creation of a new MyVA Advisory Committee of private sector, nonprofit and government leaders focused on improving the VA’s ability to meet the needs of veterans.  The committee will advise the VA on additional ways the VA can work to improve customer service delivery and veterans’ outcomes, and set the course for longer-term excellence and reform.

With that, I will take your questions.

Q    So can you give us any information the United States has about President Putin’s whereabouts, whether our President has been briefed on questions about the fact that he hasn’t been seen in the last week and whether he may be ill or worse?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Mike, thank you for the question.  I have enough trouble keeping track of the whereabouts of one world leader.  I would refer you to the Russians for questions on theirs.  I’m sure they’ll be very responsive.

I would also tell you that the President has been briefed on world events on a regular basis.  I don’t have any specific briefings to read out to you on this.

Q    You can’t say whether or not the President has been briefed about these questions that have been swirling about the whereabouts of a world leader that’s probably one of the most important in the world?

MR. SCHULTZ:  The President is briefed on world events as situations warrant, but I don’t have any specific conversations --

Q    (Inaudible) that he’s been briefed about this?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I would not assume anything beyond what I’m able to tell you.

Q    So is the U.S. government operating under the assumption that Vladimir Putin is alive? 

MR. SCHULTZ:  I’d say so, yes.

Q    Regarding the whereabouts of somebody else -- (laughter) -- yesterday, the First Lady taped a show of the Ellen DeGeneres Show in Burbank and I wondered, since it was around the same time that the President was here, why didn’t they save the taxpayers some money and fly out together?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thanks, Jim.  I did see the tease of the First Lady’s appearance on Ellen.  It looks great.  I believe that on this occasion, the schedules were not in sync in order to travel together, so that’s why the First Lady is not joining us on this flight.

Q    Did they even see each other at all yesterday?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I don’t believe so.

Q    Did the Ellen show pay for the First Lady’s trip?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I am not sure.  I believe -- I’m not even sure they overlapped while they were --

Q    She may have been wheels up before he was wheels down?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes.

Q    Okay.  Thanks.

Q    On the event today, there was a kind of a cutting editorial in the Arizona newspaper today that said just that the President wasn’t inviting people who may have different points of view on how to reform the VA, namely the concerned Veterans of America.  Why weren’t they invited to participate in this roundtable?  And is the President committed to hearing all points of view on how to fix this problem?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Kevin, he absolutely is.  I would draw your attention to a meeting yesterday that Secretary McDonald had with specific whistleblowers at this facility in Phoenix, and I’d also make sure that you’re aware that that’s not the first meeting that Secretary McDonald has had. 

So the President is absolutely committed to hearing from a wide array of voices on this.  I think that’s why I gave you the rundown on who will be joining us today, including some Republicans in the state.

Q    Why not that specific group?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Again, I don’t have the backstory on how this particular sort of panel was put together, but I can tell you that the President is very much looking forward to a robust and candid discussion today.

Q    Is this the first time, Eric, that the President has visited the Phoenix VA facility since that scandal broke?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes.

Q    In summing up what the President is going to be doing, one of the things you pointed out is trying to figure out what else needs to be done.  Does that suggest the President acknowledged that there are still problems that need to be resolved, and what might those be?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes, Jim.  There is still more work to remain. That is absolutely the case and that’s absolutely the President’s position.  And that’s largely why the President is going today -- to make sure that while this issue might fade from the headlines from day to day, the President’s attention to it does not. 

I will point out that the VA has made some significant progress since the episodes you’re referring to.  That would include the VA medical centers have increased access to care inside and outside the VA, added more clinic hours and workdays, deployed additional mobile medical units, and shared their best practices from VA’s high-performing facilities throughout the organization so that the highest standards can be adopted nationwide.

Q    Can I change topics real quick?  It looks like the Iraqi military is poised for victory over ISIS in Tikrit.  What kind of coordination has there been between the United States and Iraq on this?  And are you in close communication with them?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes, Evan, I’ve seen those reports as well.  As you know, this is an Iraqi operation, and Prime Minster Abadi has rallied support from Sunni leaders within the government and at the tribal level, and called for the protection of civilian lives and property in this operation. 

There is no question that the Tikrit operation is a major front in the fight against ISIL, and we are pleased to see the advancement the Iraqi forces have made.  But this operation remains ongoing, and we understand Iraqi forces have now entered parts of Tikrit and that there are reports that some ISIL fighters are actually withdrawing from the area in the face of this offensive. 

Q    On a separate topic, Eric, can you say whether other government agencies have been checking in with the White House for additional guidance on email and archiving in the wake of the Hillary Clinton episode?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Jeff, as you know, we’ve released guidance -- updated guidance -- to each of the agencies throughout the past few years.  I don’t know of any new developments on that.  I assume that if agencies were unclear on the guidelines, they now know. 

Q    Just a follow-up.  Just a quick one on the First Lady.  When the two are in the same city and their schedules don’t align by a few hours, does the White House take any steps to try and adjust the schedules so that taxpayers aren’t billed for a second government flight?  I mean, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money.  And if the schedules are only different by a few hours, why isn’t there a way to sort of adjust them so that they can come out together? 

MR. SCHULTZ:  Kevin, I'm not sure it's just a difference between a few hours.  The First Lady is not joining us in Phoenix.  So we are headed to Phoenix today, the First Lady is back in Washington. 

Q    On another subject.  I don’t know if you’re aware of some comments that a former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, made, once again being critical of the President, suggesting that he was somehow setting the tone that led to the shootings in Ferguson.

MR. SCHULTZ:  I have nothing for you on that.

Q    Eric, the First Lady is going to be traveling to Asia next week to begin to promote more fully the Women and Girls Initiative that was announced by her and the President earlier this month.  And I'm just wondering if you could talk about to what extent this is coordinated with the President and the NSC, how strongly the President feels about the initiative, and whether this is something that he will talk about at home when leaders like the Afghan leader and places where there really are significant problems with women and girls rights, like when he comes in the coming weeks.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Absolutely, Margaret.  Thank you for raising this.  As you know, this is an issue that's important to the President.  He raises this almost everywhere he travels I believe, especially in -- I think you mentioned Africa --

Q    Afghanistan.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Afghanistan -- I’m sorry.  Hearing problems on Air Force One.

But yes, he does mention this frequently on his foreign travel.  So it’s an important issue to the President, and the President does believe there’s no better voice for this than the First Lady, so he is pleased the First Lady will be doing this trip.  And I think we’ll have more details on it in the coming days.

Q    But would you say that this is a real policy initiative?  Is the NSC involved?  Is this something that there’s a full White House effort to engage in?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I think we are closely coordinated.  I don't know the extent of sort of resource allocation internally.  But we can see what we can get you.

Q    Did Malia and/or Sasha accompany the First Lady yesterday?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I am not sure.  You should check with the First Lady’s office.

All good?  Okay, great, thank you.

Q    Week ahead.

MR. SCHULTZ:  Oh, yes, I do have a week ahead. 

On Monday, the President will host a meeting with the Council of the Great City Schools Leadership to discuss efforts to strengthen educational opportunities for students in city schools.

On Tuesday, the President will welcome Prime Minister Kenny of Ireland to the White House.  In the morning, the President and Vice President will meet with him in the Oval Office to discuss issues of mutual concern.  In the evening, the President will host a reception to celebrate his seventh St. Patrick’s Day at the White House.

On Wednesday, the President will travel to Cleveland, Ohio to deliver remarks on the importance of middle-class economics at the City Club of Cleveland.  We’ll have more information on that in the coming days.

On Thursday, the President will host their Royal Highnesses, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, for a meeting in the Oval Office.  The Vice President will attend that session.  The Prince and Duchess will visit the United States March 17th to the 20th to engage in activities to promote the United Kingdom’s partnership with the United States in such key areas as combatting climate change, creating opportunities for youth, encouraging corporate social responsibility, and preserving historical and cultural links.

And on Friday, the President will host the second annual White House Student Film Festival, highlighting the President’s call for mentorship, in particular mentorship in the arts and film industries.  This year’s competition was an opportunity for K-12 students to produce short films on the idea of service and helping our community.

As part of the event, the President will deliver remarks on the goal of My Brother’s Keeper initiative to ensure all young Americans can reach their full potential.

Q    Do you know any details about this Saturday?  He does the Gridiron tomorrow, right?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Yes.  

Q    Okay.  And it’s going to be --

MR. SCHULTZ:  It will be very good.

Q    And then is that -- and do you have anything for next weekend? 

MR. SCHULTZ:  The following weekend?

Q    Yes.

MR. SCHULTZ:  No. 

Q    The week ahead usually --

MR. SCHULTZ:  I’ll see if I can get that for you.  Thank you, guys.

END
10:56 A.M. PDT

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2015

Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil

The Vice President and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff spoke on the phone this morning to review joint efforts to advance dialogue and cooperation between the United States and Brazil on a number of issues, including security, energy, trade, and global cooperation. The Vice President reaffirmed the strategic importance of the bilateral relationship, and emphasized President Obama’s and his commitment to working with President Rousseff to advance our increasingly common interests as two hemispheric and global partners.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2015

President Obama Signs Maine Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Maine and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm, snowstorm, and flooding during the period of January 26-28, 2015. 

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm, snowstorm, and flooding in the counties of Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York.

In addition, federal funding is available to the state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48 hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York Counties.

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 James N. Russo 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2015

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice’s Meeting with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany

National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met today with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany.  Germany is playing an increasing and valuable role in global affairs, and this is a development that the United States, as a long-time friend an ally, warmly welcomes.  Ambassador Rice expressed appreciation for Foreign Minister Steinmeier’s efforts to address the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.  Ambassador Rice and Foreign Minister Steinmeier agreed on the need for all parties to fully implement the Minsk agreements, including ceasing all military action, cooperating with the OSCE so that its monitors can verify a full pull back of heavy weapons, and releasing all prisoners.  They stressed that there will be significant increased costs for Russia if additional violations of the Minsk agreements occur or if Russian-backed separatists seek to gain new territory.  They also agreed on the need to support Ukraine as it takes steps needed to stabilize its economy and lay the groundwork for future growth.  As fellow members of the P5+1, Ambassador Rice and Foreign Minister Steinmeier also discussed Iran and our shared efforts to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.  

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2015

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

  • Ian C. Kelly – Ambassador to Georgia, Department of State
  • Patricia M. Loui-Schmicker – Member, Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States

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

  • Brandon McBride – Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture
  • Loren Kieve – Member, Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
  • Princess Daazhraii Lucaj – Member, Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development

President Obama said, “These fine public servants bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their important roles.  I look forward to working with them.” 

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

Ian C. Kelly, Nominee for Ambassador to Georgia, Department of State
Ian C. Kelly, a career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, currently serves as the Department of State’s Diplomat in Residence at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a position he has held since 2013.  Prior to that, Mr. Kelly served as U.S. Representative, with the rank of Ambassador, to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna, Austria from 2010 to 2013.  Mr. Kelly was Spokesperson in the State Department’s Bureau of Public Affairs from 2009 to 2010, Director of the Office of Russian Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs from 2007 to 2009, and Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from 2004 to 2007.  He was an Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy from 2000 to 2004, an Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey from 1997 to 2000, and a Program Officer in the Office of the Coordinator of Newly Independent States Assistance from 1994 to 1996.  Prior to that, Mr. Kelly held positions at U.S. Missions in Austria, Serbia, the former USSR, and Italy.  Before joining the Foreign Service in 1985, he taught Russian language in the former USSR and at Barnard and Columbia Colleges in New York City.  Mr. Kelly received a B.A. from Saint Olaf College, an M.A. from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University.

Patricia M. Loui-Schmicker, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States
Patricia M. Loui-Schmicker is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, a position she has held since 2011.  Ms. Loui-Schmicker founded OmniTrak Group Inc. in 1984, where she consulted on market expansion strategies in Asia.  She served as President and CEO of OmniTrak from 1984 to 2010 and Chair from 2010 to 2011.  Prior to this, Ms. Loui-Schmicker was Vice President and Director of Market Planning and Development at the Bank of Hawaii. Ms. Loui-Schmicker served as a development planner and training officer for the United Nations Development Programme.  She has also served on the Board of Directors of The East-West Center Association, University of Hawaii Foundation, and the Kapiolani Hospital Foundation. Ms. Loui-Schmicker received a B.S. from Northwestern University and an M.S. from the University of Hawaii.

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

Brandon McBride, Appointee for Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture
Brandon McBride serves as a Senior Professional Staff on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, a position he has held since 2009.  Prior to this, he served as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Blanche Lincoln from 2003 to 2009.  From 2001 to 2003, Mr. McBride was the Grants Specialist for Senator Lincoln. Mr. McBride received a B.A., B.S., and M.P.A. from Arkansas State University. 

Loren Kieve, Appointee for Member, Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Loren Kieve founded Kieve Law Offices in 2008.  Previously, he was a Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP from 2002 to 2008.  Mr. Kieve was Principal Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Manager of Legal Department, and Head of Legal Department’s Litigation and Claims Group at Bechtel Group, Inc. from 2000 to 2002.  He was a Partner at Debevoise & Plimpton from 1987 to 2000, and was an Associate and Partner at Steptoe & Johnson from 1974 to 1987.  Mr. Kieve has served on the Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development since 1994.  He is the current Chair and previously served as Chair from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2007 to 2011.  Mr. Kieve is a Sustaining Life Fellow of the American Bar Association and is a Founding Member of the Northern California Chapter of the American Constitution Society.  Mr. Kieve He received a B.A. and an M.A. from Oxford University and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Princess Daazhraii Lucaj, Appointee for Member, Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Princess Daazhraii Lucaj is a director and actor.  She is the former Executive Director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee, a position she held from 2011 to 2014.  Previously, Ms. Lucaj served as Alaska Director at the Indigenous Leadership Institute from 2009 to 2011.  She was a Production Manager with Native Voices at the Autry National Center from 2005 to 2006, and was a producer with Lucaj Films, Inc. from 2004 to 2005.  Ms. Lucaj is a member of the Board of Dancing with the Spirit.  She has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2006, and has been a member of the SAG-AFTRA Native American Committee since 2007.  Ms. Lucaj was a Sundance Fellow for the 1999 Filmmakers, Producers and Screenwriters Lab, and she was a 2002 Emerging Voices Rosenthal Fellow with the PEN Center.  Ms. Lucaj received a B.A. from The George Washington University.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2015

Readout of the President’s Video Conference with President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan

Today, the President spoke with President Ashraf Ghani of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by video conference, along with Chief Executive Officer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah.  The President encouraged accelerated Afghan progress towards forming an inclusive national unity government and expressed his expectation that their visit to Washington later this month will demonstrate our mutual commitment to a strengthened U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership.  The leaders discussed the ongoing efforts of the Afghan National Security Forces to improve security in Afghanistan and the importance of countering extremist threats from groups like al-Qa`ida.  The President commended President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah on their leadership in promoting an Afghan peace process to end the conflict in Afghanistan and their initiative to improve Afghanistan-Pakistan relations.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2015

Statement by the President on the Passing of Reverend Willie T. Barrow

Reverend Willie T. Barrow was a Civil Rights icon and a Chicago institution, a “Little Warrior” in pursuit of justice for all God’s children.  In 1936, when she was just 12 years old, Reverend Barrow demanded to be let on to her all-white school bus in Texas, and the fight for equality she joined that day would become the cause of her life.  She marched with Dr. King on Washington and in Selma.   She stood up for labor rights and women’s rights.  She made one of the first pieces of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and proudly welcomed LGBT brothers and sisters to the movement she helped lead. 

Nowhere was Reverend Barrow’s impact felt more than in our hometown of Chicago.  Through Operation Breadbasket, the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, and her beloved Vernon Park Church, she never stopped doing all she could to make her community a better place.  To Michelle and me, she was a constant inspiration, a lifelong mentor, and a very dear friend.  I was proud to count myself among the more than 100 men and women she called her “Godchildren,” and worked hard to live up to her example.  I still do.    

Michelle and I are deeply saddened by Reverend Barrow’s passing, but we take comfort in the knowledge that our world is a far better place because she was a part of it.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Reverend Barrow’s family, and with all those who loved her as we did.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2015

FACT SHEET: Wind Vision Report Highlights Long Term Benefits of Investing in America's Wind Energy Industry

As a key part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the wind power industry supports more than 50,000 American jobs and supplies enough energy to power 16 million homes. Building on this momentum, today the Department of Energy released Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States, a highly anticipated analysis of America’s wind energy industry – charting the future of wind power through 2050 and underscoring the economic and environmental benefits that steady growth will make possible.

Today, the United States stands as a global leader in wind energy, ranking first in the world in wind power generation, providing affordable and renewable electricity to American families and businesses nationwide. With utility-scale wind plants installed in 39 states, growth in America’s wind energy industry has boosted the economy, spurring more than $400 million in exports in 2013 and supporting jobs related to development, siting, manufacturing, transportation and other industries. The report shows that with continuing technological advancements, cost reductions, and siting and transmission development, the nation can deploy wind power to economically provide 35% of our nation’s electricity and supply renewable power in all 50 states by 2050.

Since President Obama took office, the electricity we get from wind has increased by three fold. In fact, between 2009 and 2013, wind represented approximately 30% of new electricity generation in the United States. With economically competitive prices in many areas, the U.S. wind energy market currently remains strong as more utilities select wind as a cost-saving option, paving the way to a low-carbon future that protects our air and water and addresses climate change.

Growing the Clean Energy Economy

According to the report, the wind energy industry could support more than 600,000 jobs by 2050, including engineers, construction workers, truck drivers, factory workers, utility operators, maintenance technicians, electricians and other supporting services. 

Key Points:

  • The United States could install up to 11 GW per year in new capacity through 2050, an ambitious but feasible deployment scenario comparable to the wind capacity installed in 2012.
    • This growth could lead to America operating and maintaining a fleet of more than 400 GW nationwide through 2050, enough to power more than 100 million homes. 
    • The report also indicates that the United States could install a total of 86 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050, creating clean energy jobs in coastal communities.
  • U.S. manufacturing supplies the majority of the blades and towers installed at U.S. wind farms.
    • With more than 500 U.S. manufacturing companies across 43 states, continued investment in America’s wind energy manufacturing sector could boost America’s competitiveness, help launch new businesses across the country, and secure the future of thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs.
    • Total investment would reach $70 billion per year by 2050 under this growth path.
  • Today, average wind energy costs nationally are approaching cost-competitive levels. Backed by stable policies including the production tax credit and the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, costs will continue to drop as the industry scales up and innovates.
    • Wind is anticipated to provide nearly $280 billion consumer savings by 2050.
    • Wind generation agreements typically provide 20-year fixed pricing, helping reduce rate shocks caused by volatility in natural gas and coal fuel prices.

Unleashing Climate and Public Health Benefits

Researchers estimate that in 2013, wind energy in the United States reduced direct power-sector carbon dioxide emissions by 115 million metric tons, equivalent to eliminating the emissions of 20 million cars during the year.  They also estimate that wind power generation in 2013 reduced power-sector water consumption by 36.5 billion gallons, or about 116 gallons per person in the United States. 

Key Findings:

  • Wind power could help America combat climate change by avoiding more than 12.3 billion metric tons of carbon pollution cumulatively by 2050, equivalent to avoiding one-third of global annual carbon emissions. 
  • Wind energy could save approximately 260 billion gallons of water by 2050, by side-stepping the water-intensive processes of conventional energy production. At deployment levels examined in the report, the nation’s electric power sector could consume 23% less water.
  • This growth in wind power could lead to approximately $108 billion in savings in healthcare costs and economic damages.  This estimated saving is made possible through cumulative reductions in air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and fine particulates that could otherwise cause nearly 22,000 premature deaths from respiratory ailments and other diseases by 2050.

Widely deploying wind turbines, both on land and offshore, for U.S. electricity generation provides a domestic, sustainable and essentially zero-carbon, zero-pollution and zero-water use electricity resource.

Wind energy continues to be one of America’s best choices for low-cost, zero-pollution renewable energy, and in an increasing number of markets, may be the cheapest source of new energy available. Wind power is a key component of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy – a strategy that helps reduce climate-changing carbon emissions, enhances our energy security and supports good-paying American jobs. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2015

Statement by the Press Secretary on Approval of a New IMF Program for Ukraine

We welcome today’s approval by the IMF board of a new four-year $17.5 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ukraine.  The EFF, which is underpinned by an ambitious series of economic reforms, underscores both the commitment of the Ukrainian government and central bank to take the steps needed to lay a foundation for robust growth, and the commitment of the international community to provide financing to help stabilize Ukraine’s economy as it implements these reforms.  The United States is working alongside international partners to provide Ukraine with the financial support it needs as it continues to take steps that will transform the Ukrainian economy and strengthen its democracy.