The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2015

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:   

Edward L. Ayers, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020, vice David Hertz, term expired.

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.

Stephen Crawford, of Maryland, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2022.  (Reappointment)

David Hale, of New Jersey, 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 Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Kathryn K. Matthew, of South Carolina, to be Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services for a term of four years, vice Susan H. Hildreth.

James C. Miller, III, of Virginia, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2017.   (Reappointment)

Carol Fortine Ochoa, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, General Services Administration, vice Brian David Miller, resigned.

Eric Martin Satz, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2018, vice Neil G. McBride, term expired.

Vanessa Lorraine Allen Sutherland, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of five years, vice Rafael Moure-Eraso, term expiring.

Vanessa Lorraine Allen Sutherland, of Virginia, to be Chairperson of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of five years, vice Rafael Moure-Eraso, term expiring.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2015

Notice -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Iran

NOTICE

- - - - - - -

 CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO IRAN

 On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 17011706), to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Iran.  On May 6, 1995, the President issued Executive Order 12959, imposing comprehensive sanctions on Iran to further respond to this threat.  On August 19, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13059, consolidating and clarifying the previous orders.  I took additional steps pursuant to this national emergency in Executive Order 13553 of September 28, 2010, Executive Order 13574 of May 23, 2011, Executive Order 13590 of November 20, 2011, Executive Order 13599 of February 5, 2012, Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012, Executive Order 13608 of May 1, 2012, Executive Order 13622 of July 30, 2012, Executive Order 13628 of October 9, 2012, and Executive Order 13645 of June 3, 2013.  

While the Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) between the P5+1 and Iran that went into effect on January 20, 2014, and was renewed by mutual consent of the P5+1 and Iran on July 19, 2014, and November 24, 2014, marks the first time in a decade that Iran has agreed to and taken specific actions that stop the advance and roll back key elements of its nuclear program, certain actions and policies of the Government of Iran continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 15, 1995, must continue in effect beyond March 15, 2015.  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 with respect to Iran declared in Executive Order 12957.  The emergency declared in Executive Order 12957 constitutes an emergency separate from that declared on November 14, 1979, by Executive Order 12170.  This renewal, therefore, is distinct from the emergency renewal of November 2014.

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

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2015

Letter -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Iran

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to Iran that was declared on March 15, 1995, is to continue in effect beyond March 15, 2015.

The crisis between the United States and Iran resulting from certain actions and policies of the Government of Iran has not been resolved.  The Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) between the P5+1 (the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia and China) and Iran went into effect on January 20, 2014, and was renewed by mutual consent of the P5+1 and Iran on July 19, 2014, and November 24, 2014, extending the temporary sanctions relief provided under the JPOA through June 30, 2015.  This marks the first time in a decade that Iran has agreed to take, and has taken specific actions that stop the advance and roll back key elements of its nuclear program.  In return for Iran's actions on its nuclear program, the P5+1, in coordination with the European Union, are taking actions to implement the limited, temporary, and reversible sanctions relief outlined in the JPOA.

Nevertheless, certain actions and policies of the Government of Iran are contrary to the interests of the United States in the region and continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared with respect to Iran and to maintain in force comprehensive sanctions against Iran to deal with this threat.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2015

ADVISORY: President Obama to Host Second White House Film Festival

WASHINGTON – On March 20, 2015 President Obama will host the second-annual White House Student Film Festival. This year’s competition was an opportunity for K-12 students to produce short films on the idea of service and helping your community.

Building off the success of the first-ever White House Student Film Festival last year, the second annual White House Student Film Festival was announced in December of 2014. Last year’s event was a celebration of technology in education, and this year the film festival event will showcase 15 students’ visions on the theme, “The Impact of Giving Back.”  The film festival will highlight the promise of mentorship in the arts and be a call for the entertainment industry to build upon their mentoring programs and engagement nationwide.

In keeping with the President’s vision of giving every child the chance to reach their full potential, in the East Room of the White House, President Obama will discuss the ongoing progress towards the goals of his My Brother’s Keeper initiative which aims to close opportunity gaps still faced by too many young people, often boys and young men of color in particular.

This year, fifteen student videos from around the country were chosen as “Official Selections” and will be screened at the White House. Selections were made in collaboration with the American Film Institute. The student filmmakers selected, and their guests, will attend the screening and a reception in their honor afterwards, made possible by the American Film Institute and Participant Media. The audience will be comprised of students, parents, teachers, Hollywood leaders, and education advocates.

This year’s Student Film Festival, in collaboration with the American Film Institute and Participant Media, will feature a second day of programming at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. At the Newseum student filmmakers will be treated to a day of educational workshops around best practices in the film industry and tips from professional filmmakers and actors.

The event in the East Room will be open press and streamed live on www.whitehouse.gov/live . For more information about the film festival visit www.whitehouse.gov/filmfest .

WHAT: The White House will host its second annual Student Film Festival, highlighting the President’s call to mentorship, in particular mentorship in the arts and film industries. As part of the event the President will deliver remarks on his My Brother’s Keeper goal of ensuring all young Americans can reach their full potential.

WHEN: Friday, March 20th, 2015

WHERE: East Room of the White House, which will be transformed into a movie theater. Media should enter the White House complex via the northwest appointment gate, located on Pennsylvania Avenue. Media should bring a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, as well as a media credential from their outlet for success.

MEDIA REGISTRATION: The President’s remarks and the Film Fest are open press.  Media wishing to cover this event must RSVP. Press holding White House hard passes must send their name, media outlet, phone, and email, to media_affairs@who.eop.gov, by Wednesday, March 18, at 5:00PM ET, with the subject line “Film Fest”.  Press not holding White House hard passes must include their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, gender, country of citizenship, and current city and state of residence. All press will enter the White House at the northwest gate.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2015

Readout of the Vice President’s Call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko

Vice President Joe Biden spoke today with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko regarding the situation in the east, additional non-lethal U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, and new sanctions on Russian-backed separatists and their supporters. The Vice President noted with concern the ongoing violations of the ceasefire by Russia-backed separatists near Donetsk and Mariupol and their refusal to allow OSCE monitors unfettered access to the territory they occupy.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 10, 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:

  • Edward L. Ayers – Member, National Council on the Humanities
  • David Hale – Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Department of State
  • Kathryn Matthew – Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services
  • Carol Fortine Ochoa – Inspector General, General Services Administration
  • Eric Satz – Member, Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority 

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

  • Edward Douglas Dunson, Jr. – Member, Commission of Fine Arts
  • Lisa Ling – Member, President’s Commission on White House Fellowships
  • Jose Rodriguez – Member, Board of Directors of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank
  • Eric D. Schwerin – Member, Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad
  • Delia Haak – United States Commissioner, Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission
  • Joel West Williams –United States Alternate Commissioner, Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission

President Obama said, “These individuals have demonstrated knowledge and dedication throughout their careers.  I am grateful they have chosen to take on these important roles, and I look forward to working with them.”

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

Dr. Edward L. Ayers, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities

Dr. Edward L. Ayers is the President of the University of Richmond, a position he has held since 2007.  He is also a co-Host of BackStory with the American History Guys, a public radio show he has been a part of since 2008.  Dr. Ayers previously held various positions at the University of Virginia, including the Buckner W. Clay Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences from 2001 to 2007, Hugh P. Kelly Professor from 1993 to 2007, and Professor from 1992 to 1993.  Dr. Ayers has written four books on nineteenth-century America and edited seven more, which earned him the Bancroft Prize.  He was also a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.  In 2013, Dr. Ayers was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama, and he was named Outstanding Doctoral and Research Universities Professor of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2003.  He previously served as a Member of the National Council on the Humanities and currently chairs the Steering Committee of The Future of Richmond’s Past.  Dr. Ayers received a B.A. from University of Tennessee, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale University.

Ambassador David Hale, Nominee for Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Department of State

Ambassador David Hale, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Career-Minister, is the Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, a position he has held since 2013.  He previously served as the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace from 2011 to 2013, and as Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace from 2009 to 2011.  From 2008 to 2009, he was a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State.  Prior to that, Ambassador Hale served as U.S. Ambassador to Jordan from 2005 to 2008.  Previously, he served at the U.S. Embassy in Jordan as Charge d’Affaires from 2004 to 2005 and as Deputy Chief of Mission from 2003 to 2004.  Ambassador Hale has also served as Director of the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs, Executive Assistant to the Secretary of State, and in other positions overseas in Bahrain, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.  Ambassador Hale joined the Foreign Service in 1984.  He received a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Dr. Kathryn Matthew, Nominee for Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services

Dr. Kathryn Matthew is Chief Science Educator at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, a position she has held since 2014.  She was a Principal Consultant and a Product Manager at Blackbaud, Inc. from 2008 to 2013, a Director at Historic Charleston Foundation from 2006 to 2008, and an Exhibits Consultant at Chemical Heritage Foundation from 2005 to 2006.  Dr. Matthew was a Vice President at Please Touch Museum from 2003 to 2005 and a Director at The Nature Conservancy from 2001 to 2002.  She was a Director at Reebok International from 1998 to 2001.  Dr. Matthew also held senior positions at various museums, including a Director at Science City at Union Station from 1996 to 1998, Executive Director at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science from 1991 to 1994, Deputy Director at the Virginia Museum of Natural History from 1988 to 1990, and an Assistant Director at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History from 1986 to 1988.  Dr. Matthew received a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Carol Fortine Ochoa, Nominee for Inspector General, General Services Administration

Carol Fortine Ochoa serves as Assistant Inspector General in the Oversight and Review Division of the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice (DOJ), a position she has held since 2005.  From 2002 to 2005, she was the Director of the Office of Oversight and Review at DOJ.  She served as Assistant United States Attorney for the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1989 to 2002.  From 1987 to 1989, Ms. Ochoa was an Associate Independent Counsel in the Office of Independent Counsel James C. McKay.  She was a Litigation Associate at Covington & Burling from 1984 to 1989, and from 1983 to 1984 she was a Law Clerk for Chief Judge Charles C. Clark on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  Ms. Ochoa received a B.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a J.D. from The George Washington University National Law Center.

Eric Satz, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority

Eric Satz serves as a Managing Member of the Tennessee Community Ventures Fund, LLC (TNCV), a company he co-founded in 2009, and is Executive Chairman to three TNCV portfolio companies.  From 2010 to 2014, he served as Investor, Advisor, and Vice President of Business Development for Panopto, Inc.  Mr. Satz co-founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Plumgood Food, LLC from 2004 to 2008.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Satz served in various investment banking roles, including as Vice President in the Technology Investment Banking Groups at Credit Suisse First Boston and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.  In 1999, Mr. Satz co-founded Currenex, an online global foreign currency exchange company.  Mr. Satz received a B.A. from Amherst College.

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

Edward Douglas Dunson, Jr., Appointee for Member, Commission of Fine Arts

Edward Douglas Dunson, Jr. is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the Howard University School of Architecture and Design, a position he has held since 1989.  He has been Chairman of the Howard University Department of Architecture since 2007.  Mr. Dunson is a licensed architect and design consultant with over 30 years of experience in architecture and architecture education.  He is a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects and the American Institute of Architects.  Mr. Dunson previously served on the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Review Board from 1992 to 2001.  He received a B.Arch. from Howard University and an M.S. in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University.

Lisa Ling, Appointee for Member, President’s Commission on White House Fellowships

Lisa Ling is the Executive Producer and Host of This is Life with Lisa Ling on CNN, a program that began airing in 2014.  She was the Executive Producer and Host of the documentary television series Our America with Lisa Ling on the Oprah Winfrey Network from 2011 to 2014, and was a Special Correspondent for the Oprah Winfrey Show from 2006 to 2010.  Ms. Ling was the Host of National Geographic Explorer from 2003 to 2010 and co-Hosted ABC’s The View from 1999 to 2002.  She was a Reporter for Channel One News from 1992 to 1999, and is the co-author of the book Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home.

Jose Rodriguez, Appointee for Member, Board of Directors of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank

Jose Rodriguez serves as the Texas State Senator for District 29 and as a partner at Rodriguez & Associates, both positions he has held since 2011.  From 1993 to 2009, he served as a County Attorney for El Paso, Texas.  Mr. Rodriguez served as a Legal Advisor to the County Judge of El Paso in 1991.  From 1990 to 1992, he was a Shareholder at Rodriguez, Lewis and Collins.  Previously, Mr. Rodriguez was the Director, Managing Attorney, and Staff Attorney for Texas Rural Legal Aid, Inc from 1977 to 1988.  He also served as a Staff Attorney for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1974 to 1977.  In 1973, Mr. Rodriguez served as a Summer Clerk for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.  Mr. Rodriguez received a B.A. from Pan American University and a J.D. from The George Washington University National Law Center.

Eric D. Schwerin, Appointee for Member, Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad

Eric D. Schwerin is Founding Partner and Managing Director at Rosemont Seneca Partners, LLC, positions he has held since 2008.  He has also been President of RSP Investments, LLC since 2013.  Previously, Mr. Schwerin was Partner at Oldaker, Biden & Belair, LLP from 2002 to 2008.  He worked in various roles at the Department of Commerce, including Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary for International Trade in the Office of Policy and Strategic Planning from 1999 to 2002, and International Trade Specialist in the Office of Business Liaison from 1997 to 1999 and in the International Trade Administration from 1994 to 1997.  Mr. Schwerin previously worked as Associate Director for Business Outreach in the Office of Public Liaison at the White House from 2000 to 2001, and as Policy and Outreach Coordinator for the China Trade Relations Working Group in 2000.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Schwerin spent a year as an English teacher with Students For Czechoslovakia from 1991 to 1992.  He was appointed to the Industry Trade Advisory Committee For Information and Communications Technologies, Services, and Electronic Commerce in 2003.  Mr. Schwerin received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

Delia Haak, Appointee for United States Commissioner, Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission

Delia Haak is the Executive Director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, a position she has held since 2007.  From 1985 to 2005, she worked in various capacities at John Brown University, including Director of Graduate Business Programs from 1999 to 2005, Director of the Soderquist Center for Business Leadership and Ethics from 1997 to 2000, Associate Professor of Business from 1991 to 2006, Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow from 1991 to 1998, Coordinator of Marketing Support Services from 1988 to 1991, and Administrative Assistant to the President from 1985 to 1988.  From 2001 to 2005, she also served as an Adjunct Graduate Faculty member at Trinity Western University.  Ms. Haak participated in the Arkansas Governor’s Business Plan Competition from 2003 to 2006 and again in 2011.  Ms. Haak received a B.S. from John Brown University and an M.B.A. and Ed.D. from the University of Arkansas.

Joel West Williams, Appointee for Alternate United States Commissioner, Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission

Joel West Williams serves as Staff Attorney for the Native American Rights Fund, a position he has held since 2013.  From 2011 to 2012, Mr. Williams was Senior Legislative Officer for the Cherokee Nation.  He served as Assistant Counsel in the Governor’s Office of General Counsel for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011.  Mr. Williams is a citizen of the Cherokee Citizen and is also the president-elect of the Native American Bar Association of D.C.  Mr. Williams received a B.A. from Naropa University and a J.D. from Widener University School of Law.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2015

Letter from the President -- Russian Fisheries

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), I transmit herewith an Agreement between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Russian Federation Extending the Agreement Between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Mutual Fisheries Relations of May 31, 1988, with annex, as extended (the "Mutual Fisheries Agreement").  The present Agreement, which was effected by an exchange of notes in Moscow on July 31, 2013, and December 10, 2013, extends the Mutual Fisheries Agreement until December 31, 2018.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2015

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Dr. Jill Biden at SXSWedu 2015

Good morning! It is so wonderful to be back in Austin.

Thank you Christopher for that kind introduction, and I couldn’t agree more with what you said: Not only should our young people dream big, but, like you, all Americans should have the opportunity to realize their full potential. Christopher is a great example of a student who has seized the opportunity offered by a community college education. Let’s give another round of applause for Christopher—what an amazing student.

I’d like to also thank the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for hosting this summit. In 2010, Melinda Gates joined me for the first-ever White House Summit on Community Colleges, when she announced the Gates Foundation investment of $35 million dollars to help boost Community College completion rates. They understand that education is the great equalizer.

I was backstage listening to the panel discussion and I think we all agree that education is the foundation for building a better life.

People sometimes ask why I choose to teach at a community college.  The answer is simple:  It is the students. I love being in the classroom and seeing the difference I hope to make in the lives of my students. My goal is to always give them confidence in their own abilities—because I know that confidence will carry them well beyond my classroom, in whatever they do.

In my classes, I find single parents who come to school in the evening, weary from a long day, yet eager to create a brighter future for their children. I have taught veterans who return to the classroom to complete their higher education as they look to transition to civilian careers. I have seen workers who have gone as far as they can in their jobs—get the skills they need to reach the next level in their fields. I can honestly say that my students are my heroes.  I am profoundly moved by their determination to learn, and their quest to make a better life for themselves and their families.

In reality, this is the new student: they are often older and juggling work, school, and families. But, we all know that the responsibility for educating students is not the student’s alone.  It is a responsibility that belongs to all of us.  And, we must adapt to meet students’ needs in order to graduate more students.

Helping more students go to college, stay in school and earn their diploma is vital to the future of our economy because by the end of this decade two out of three job openings will require some form of higher education. Currently, nearly half of the 18 million undergraduate students attend one of America’s Community Colleges.  Yet, less than half will either graduate or transfer to a four-year school within six years. Our Administration is committed to ensuring that the students who need help the most, receive the support they deserve.

As Second Lady, I have traveled across the country visiting over 60 colleges to see firsthand the extraordinary work being done to make transformative change on their campuses to help improve outcomes for their students. Yesterday, with Under Secretary of Education, Dr. Ted Mitchell, I visited two community colleges— Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida, and Austin Community College right here in the heart of Texas—both of which are using innovative strategies and technology to increase retention, completion and overall student success.

As a result, the completion rate for students at Santa Fe College is twenty percent higher than the national average. And, students at Austin Community College are twice as likely to complete their developmental math course compared to a student enrolled in a traditional one. These two schools are meeting students where they are, and guiding them to where they want to go, through the use of new technological advances. Rather than tell you about it, I would like to show it to you.

[VIDEO]

That’s what’s so special about community colleges.

As a lifelong educator, I am proud to be part of an administration that is committed to investing in our students, and restoring the promise of the American education system.

In the depths of the recession, we increased the dollar amount of Pell Grants as well as the number of students who qualify. We increased tuition tax credits; let students cap their federal student loan payments at 10 percent of their income; and streamlined the financial aid process. Building upon that, today in Georgia Tech, President Obama will announce a student bill of rights to help make sure people who have a loan are treated fairly and are able to pay it back.

We also invested two billion dollars into community colleges, to strengthen partnerships between schools and employers, to give students the opportunity to learn the skills they need to move into jobs that already exist in their communities.

And, as you heard during the State of the Union, President Obama announced his plan to lower the cost of community college to zero—to make two years of community college free for responsible students. We believe all students—new and returning—should be able to graduate, ready for the new economy, without the burden of debt.

During the last six years, we have made real progress, but our work is nowhere near finished.

Over the next few days you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about strategies to improve student success rates. You will discuss the implementation and promising outcomes of guided pathways and hear from institutions that are fundamentally redesigning their practices in order to increase student success. You will also hear students, advisors, and faculty discuss new approaches to college advising and learn how they are personalizing students’ higher education.

When the President and Vice President were first elected to the White House in 2008, I told my husband Joe that I wanted to continue teaching.  So, one week after the inauguration, I was back in the classroom.  Because, teaching is not what I do; it is who I am.

When I started teaching at Northern Virginia Community College, one of the things I wanted to do was help women who were returning to school. So, I started the Women’s Mentoring Project, which pairs women who are over 30 with a faculty member.

As part of the program, I helped one woman who was writing her scholarship essay for admittance into a four-year university.  Her path had not been easy. She left an abusive relationship and was homeless, living in her car with her two children. Once she got into a homeless shelter, she was encouraged to attend a community college, where I met her as part of the women’s mentoring project. She went on to a four-year university where she earned her accounting degree and is creating a better life for herself and her family.

That is what community college is all about.  Community colleges do not pick and choose their students; we work with all students to help them become who they aspire to be. We all reap the benefits when our citizens are well-educated and well-trained. It means that our economies are more vibrant and our future is brighter.

That's why the work that you are doing is so important. The President is behind you. The Vice President is behind you. This is your moment. And together, we can ensure education in our country is accessible, affordable, and attainable for all Americans.

Thank you.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2015

Op-Ed by the Vice President on the Administration’s Efforts to Assist Countries in Central America

In an op-ed published in The Hill, the Vice President outlines the Administration’s commitment to Central America. The op-ed can be found HERE.

Investing in a secure, stable Central America

By Vice President Joe Biden

Earlier this month, I spent two days in Guatemala meeting with Central American leaders about our mutual efforts to tackle one of the most significant and urgent challenges facing the Western Hemisphere: bringing stability to this impoverished and violent region.

The President and I are determined to address conditions in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and help these countries on their path to economic prosperity. To that end, we requested $1 billion in next year’s budget to help Central America’s leaders make the difficult reforms and investments required to put the region on a more stable and sustainable path.

But we are just as determined to see these countries make their own commitments to depart from business as usual and embark on a serious new effort to deliver opportunity and security to their long-suffering people.

As I told these leaders back in June — and I reiterated earlier this month — as long as you are on the path to meaningful and lasting change, the United States will be there with you.

What we have seen since then has not been business as usual in Central America. With our support, the leaders of the region have committed themselves to a joint plan with the Inter-American Development Bank called the Alliance for Prosperity. It includes reforms of the police systems, the expansion of community centers to create the conditions we know prevent migration, measures to reduce poverty, steps to attract foreign investment and the continuation of our successful efforts to target smuggling networks.

These are challenges the region has long faced but lacked the political will necessary to address. Even before my recent visit, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras had quickly taken steps to start implementing the Alliance for Prosperity. Honduras signed an agreement with an international nongovernmental organization to increase governmental transparency. Guatemala has added new law enforcement officers and reassigned others to areas most in need, helping to reduce Guatemala’s murder rate by one-third. El Salvador passed a law providing new protections for investors.

And during my visit, the region’s leaders signed on to time frames, benchmarks and a first set of measurable commitments. For example, they committed to:

Create independent governmental auditing mechanisms by the end of 2015 to ensure their citizens’ tax dollars — and U.S. assistance — are used as effectively as possible;

Update regulations to promote a regional electricity market and complete the construction of a gas pipeline from Mexico to Central America, making energy more affordable for consumers;

Train additional police officers and expand centers in high-crime neighborhoods for at-risk youth; and

Develop programs to address domestic violence and promote women’s domestic empowerment by 2016, and to send experts to help.

A great deal of work lies ahead.  We have requested $1 billion for Central America in 2016 because Central America cannot do it alone. If the United States is not present, these reforms will falter. But the combination of Central American political will and international support can be transformative, especially since the three governments have committed to match or exceed international assistance to their countries. We intend to focus our assistance in three areas.

• First, improvements in security are essential. El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have three of the five highest per capita murder rates in the world. But some communities in Guatemala and El Salvador are already seeing reductions in violence from well-proven U.S.-sponsored programs in community policing, specialized training, and youth centers similar to the Boys and Girls Clubs.  We want to help their governments extend these programs to help stabilize neighborhoods and eradicate transnational criminal networks that threaten Central America’s communities and our own.

• Second, in the 21st century, good governance is essential to attracting jobs and investment. Court systems, government contracting and tax collection are not widely perceived as fair or transparent. The countries of Central America have some of the lowest effective tax rates in the Americas. Central American countries need to do a better job collecting and managing revenues to invest in their own futures. We will assist in these efforts.

• Third, we are ready to offer technical expertise to help Central American countries attract significantly greater private investment. It’s no secret what is required: clear and streamlined rules and regulations, protections for investors, curbs on corruption, courts that adjudicate disputes fairly, and protections for intellectual property.

As we request $1 billion from the United States Congress to empower Central American leaders to address each of these challenges, our own government needs to move quickly to show results and hold ourselves accountable as well. That means rigorously evaluating our programs to build on what works and eliminate what doesn’t deliver the impact we need. The process is already underway, and we look forward to working closely with Congress to craft the most effective assistance package.

This level of support is nearly three times what we have provided to Central America in the recent past. But the cost of investing now in a Central America where young people can thrive in their own communities pales in comparison to the costs of another generation of violence, poverty, desperation and emigration.

The challenges ahead are formidable. Solving them will take years. But Central America’s leaders have now laid out a shared plan to move their region forward and taken the first steps to make it a reality. If they can deliver, Central America can become the next great success story of the Western Hemisphere.

We seek Congress’s help to make it so.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2015

FACT SHEET: A Student Aid Bill of Rights: Taking Action to Ensure Strong Consumer Protections for Student Loan Borrowers

Higher education continues to be the single most important investment students can make in their own futures.  Five years ago this month, President Obama signed student loan reform into law, redirecting tens of billions of dollars in bank subsidies into student aid. His historic investments in college affordability include increasing the maximum Pell Grant by $1,000, creating the American Opportunity Tax Credit worth up to $10,000 over four years of college, and letting borrowers cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of income. He has also promoted innovation and competition to help colleges reduce costs and improve quality and completion, including a First in the World fund. While these investments have helped millions of students afford college, student loans continue to grow. 

That is why, today, President Obama will underscore his vision for an affordable, quality education for all Americans in a Student Aid Bill of Rights.  As part of this vision, the President will sign a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department of Education and other federal agencies to work across the federal government to do more to help borrowers afford their monthly loan payments including: (1) a state-of-the-art complaint system to ensure quality service and accountability for the Department of Education, its contractors, and colleges, (2) a series of steps to help students responsibly repay their loans including help setting affordable monthly payments, and (3) new steps to analyze student debt trends and recommend legislative and regulatory changes. In addition, the Administration is releasing state by state data that shows the outstanding federal student loan balance and total number of federal student loan borrowers who stand to benefit from these actions.

A Student Aid Bill of Rights

  1. Every student deserves access to a quality, affordable education at a college that’s cutting costs and increasing learning.   
  2. Every student should be able to access the resources needed to pay for college. 
  3. Every borrower has the right to an affordable repayment plan. 
  4. And every borrower has the right to quality customer service, reliable information, and fair treatment, even if they struggle to repay their loans. 

Today’s Actions to Promote Affordable Loan Payments

Americans are increasingly reliant on student loans to help pay for college. Today, more than 70 percent of those earning a bachelor’s degree graduate with debt, which averages $28,400 at public and non-profit colleges. Today’s actions will help borrowers responsibly manage their debt, improve federal student loan servicing, and protect taxpayers’ investments in the student aid program:

  • Create a Responsive Student Feedback System: The Secretary of Education will create a new web site by July 1, 2016, to give students and borrowers a simple and straightforward way to file complaints and provide feedback about federal student loan lenders, servicers, collections agencies, and institutions of higher education.  Students and borrowers will be able to ensure that their complaints will be directed to the right party for timely resolution, and the Department of Education will be able to more quickly respond to issues and strengthen its efforts to protect the integrity of the student financial aid programs. In addition, the President will direct the Department of Education to study how other complaints about colleges and universities, such as poor educational quality or misleading claims, should be collected and resolved and to strengthen the process for referring possible violations of laws and regulations to other enforcement agencies.  These actions will help ensure more borrowers get fair treatment throughout the federal student loan process.
  • Help Borrowers Afford Their Monthly Payments: The President will announce a series of steps to improve customer services and help borrowers repay their direct student loans, which are made with federal capital and administered by the Department of Education through performance-based contracts. High-quality, borrower-focused servicing helps more borrowers successfully repay their federal student loans.  Building on the stronger performance incentives put in place last year, the Department will now raise the bar by:
    • Requiring enhanced disclosures and stronger consumer protections throughout the repayment process, including when federal student loans are transferred from one servicer to another, when borrowers fall behind in their payments, and when borrowers begin but do not complete applications to change repayment plans. These steps will better protect borrowers from falling behind in their payments and ensure consistency across loan servicers. 
    • Ensuring that its contractors apply prepayments first to loans with the highest interest rates unless the borrower requests a different allocation.
    • Establishing a centralized point of access for all federal student loan borrowers in repayment to access account and payment processing information for all Federal student loan servicing contractors.
    • Ensuring fair treatment for struggling and distressed borrowers by raising standards for student loan debt collectors to ensure that they charge borrowers reasonable fees and help them return to good standing;  clarifying the rights of Federal student loan borrowers in bankruptcy; working with the Department of Treasury to simplify the process to verify income and keep borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans; and working with the Social Security Administration to ensure that disability insurance recipients who can discharge their student loans are not instead seeing their disability payments garnished to  repay defaulted loans.
  • Prioritize Further Steps to Meet the Needs of Student Borrowers: The federal government has a responsibility to ensure that students who borrow federal loans have every opportunity to repay those loans through fair, affordable monthly payments. To continue to improve the information and customer service offered those borrowers, the President will direct the Department of Education to:
    • Work with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to find the most innovative and effective ways to communicate with borrowers, leverage the latest research identifying key factors that influence borrower repayment and keep actual borrower behavior in mind, so they stay in repayment and avoid default. 
    • Work with the Office of Management and Budget to regularly monitor key trends in the student loan portfolio, improving loan servicing and budgeting and considering possible policy changes.
    • Invite expertise from across the government to review best practices for performance-based contracting that could further improve outcomes for borrowers. 

In addition, new requirements may be appropriate for private and federally guaranteed student loans so that all of the more than 40 million Americans with student loans have additional basic rights and protections. The President is directing his Cabinet and White House advisers, working with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to study whether consumer protections recently applied to mortgages and credit cards, such as notice and grace periods after loans are transferred among lenders and a requirement that lenders confirm balances to allow borrowers to pay off the loan, should also be afforded to student loan borrowers and improve the quality of servicing for all types of student loans.  The agencies will develop recommendations for regulatory and legislative changes for all student loan borrowers, including possible changes to the treatment of loans in bankruptcy proceedings and when they were borrowed under fraudulent circumstances.

Making Progress on A Student Aid Bill of Rights

Together, we can continue our work toward ensuring that all Americans have meaningful opportunities for a high-quality, affordable postsecondary education without the threat of unmanageable debt. The President’s vision laid out in the Student Aid Bill of Rights incorporates the progress we’ve made, his existing proposals, and the new actions announced today.

  1. Every student should have access to a quality, affordable education at a college seeking new ways to lower costs and increase learning. 
    • America’s College Promise: In January of 2015, the President released a bold new proposal to make two years of community college free for responsible students, letting students earn the first half of a bachelor’s degree and earn skills needed in the workforce at no cost, benefiting nearly 9 million students, and ensuring states and community colleges do their part to help students succeed. 
    • First in the World Grants: In September, the Department of Education awarded $75 million to colleges and universities across the country under the new First in the World (FITW) grant program to encourage colleges to adopt cutting-edge innovations and proven strategies that expand college opportunity, improve student learning, and reduce costs.  This year, the President has proposed increasing FITW to $200 million.
    • Call to Action on College Opportunity: Last December, the President, Vice President, and First Lady joined college presidents, K-12 superintendents, non-profit, foundations, and businesses to announce over 600 new commitments to help more students prepare for and graduate from college.
    • College Ratings: The Department of Education continues its work to develop a college ratings system by the 2015-2016 school year that will help students and families compare the value offered by colleges and encourage colleges to improve by highlighting institutions that successfully educate students from all backgrounds; maintain affordability; and help students gain a degree or certificate of value.
  2. Every student should be able to access the resources needed to pay for college. 
    • Dramatically Increasing Investment in Pell Grants: The President raised the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,730 for the 2014-15 award year — a nearly $1,000 increase since 2008, helping more than 8 million Americans a year afford college. This year, the President has proposed new investments to ensure the maximum Pell grant keeps up with the cost of inflation.
    • Simplifying the Process to Apply for Federal Student Aid: The Department of Education has helped students and their families fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in a fraction of the time it used to take—20 minutes from over an hour—through a redesigned tool that asks less questions and helps filers get their income data directly from the Internal Revenue Service.  This year, the President has proposed eliminating more questions from the FAFSA.
    • Simplifying and Improving Education Tax Benefits: The President created the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) to provide families with up to $10,000 over four years of college. This year, the President has proposed simplifying and improving education tax benefits for more than 25 million families, including making AOTC available for up to five years and eliminating taxes on student loan debt forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans.
  3. Every borrower has the right to an affordable repayment plan. 
    • Pay-As-You-Earn Loans: Under the President’s Pay As You Earn plan, recent student borrowers can cap federal loan payments at 10 percent of their income. Last June, the President directed the Department of Education to amend its regulations to make the plan available to all direct loan borrowers, helping nearly 5 million additional borrowers by December 2015.  This year, the President has proposed reforms to the program that will streamline and better target all income-driven repayment plans to safeguard the program for the future.
  4. And every borrower has the right to quality customer service, reliable information, and fair treatment, even if they struggle to repay their loans. 
    • Transitioning to a Student-Centered Direct Loan Program: In 2010, the Administration took action to make federal student loans more reliable and efficient by eliminating subsidies to banks and successfully transitioning all new originations to the Direct Loan program. New performance-based contracts that were created by the Department incented servicers to find new and innovative ways to best serve students and taxpayers and this June, the contracts were strengthened to improve the way servicers are compensated to help borrowers repay their loans on time and ensure high-quality servicing.
    • Simplifying Income-Driven Repayment Plans and Improving Borrower Outreach: In 2012, in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the Department of Education made it easier for borrowers to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan by creating an online application that lets borrowers get their required income information directly from IRS. Along with outreach efforts spanning targeted email campaigns, social media, and partnerships with outside organizations, more than 2.4 million borrowers are able to manage their debt through and income-driven repayment plan.  
    • Building Tools and Resources to Support Federal Student Loan Borrowers: Since 2012, the Department of Education has developed a suite of tools and resources to help federal student loan borrowers, including a financial aid counseling tool that helps borrowers make good education financing decisions, understand their options for paying back their loans, and accurately compare and select repayment options customized to their individual circumstances.