The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 29, 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:

  • Marie Therese Dominguez – Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
  • Sarah Feinberg – Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation

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

  • Rebecca Richards-Kortum – Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science
  • Andrew Viterbi – Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science  

President Obama said, “It gives me great confidence that such dedicated and capable individuals will serve the American people as part of this Administration.  I look forward to working with them.”

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

Marie Therese Dominguez, Nominee for Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
Marie Therese Dominguez serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works at the Department of Defense, a position she has held since 2013.  Prior to this position, she served as Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy for the United States Postal Service from 2007 to 2013.  From 2004 to 2007, Ms. Dominguez was a Partner at Fieldworks, LLC and from 2006 to 2007, she was Senior Advisor to Governor Mark Warner at Forward Together PAC.  Prior to that role, she was the Director of Human Capital and Performance at Resource Consultants, Inc. from 2001 to 2004.  From 2000 to 2001, Ms. Dominguez served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works at DOD.  Previously, she served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel for the Federal Aviation Administration at the Department of Transportation from 1998 to 2000.  From 1997 to 1998, Ms. Dominguez served as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of Presidential Personnel at the White House.  Previously, she was Special Assistant to a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1996 to 1997.  Ms. Dominguez received a B.A. from Smith College and a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.
 
Sarah Feinberg, Nominee for Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation
Sarah Feinberg serves as the Deputy Administrator and Acting Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration at the Department of Transportation (DOT), positions she has held since January 2015.  Prior to this role, she was Chief of Staff at DOT from 2013 to 2014.  From 2011 to 2013, Ms. Feinberg was the Policy and Crisis Communications Director at Facebook.  She was the Director of Global Communications and Business Strategy at Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Government from 2010 to 2011.  From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Feinberg served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff at the White House.  Before that, she was the Communications Director for the House Democratic Caucus and Chairman Rahm Emanuel from 2007 to 2008.  From 2005 to 2006, Ms. Feinberg served as the National Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and as the National/Leadership Press Secretary in the Office of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle from 2003 to 2004.  She also previously served as the Deputy Director of the Senate Democratic Communications Committee.  Ms. Feinberg received a B.A. from Washington and Lee University.

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

Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science
Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum is the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Bioengineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University, positions she has held since 2005.  Dr. Richards-Kortum has been Director of Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies since 2007, Director of the Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering since 2014, and Founder of Beyond Traditional Borders since 2006.  She was named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor in 2002 and 2006.  Dr. Richards-Kortum is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  She is a past member of the National Academies Committee on Conceptual Framework for New Science Education Standards and was an inaugural member of the National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering for the National Institutes of Health.  Dr. Richards-Kortum is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the Optical Society of America, and the National Academy of Inventors.  She is the recipient of the Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education, the Presidential Young Investigator and Presidential Faculty Fellow awards from the National Science Foundation, and the Chester F. Carlson Award from the American Society for Engineering Education.  Dr. Richards-Kortum received a B.S. from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 
Dr. Andrew Viterbi, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science
Dr. Andrew Viterbi is Presidential Chair in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering, a position he has held since 2004.  He is also President of the advisory and investment firm The Viterbi Group, LLC, a position he has held since 2000.  Dr. Viterbi held various positions at Qualcomm Incorporated, which he co-founded in 1985, including Vice Chairman from 1985 to 2000 and Chief Technical Officer from 1985 to 1996.  He co-founded LINKABIT Corporation in 1968 and served as President from 1980 to 1983 and Executive Vice President from 1969 to 1980.  Dr. Viterbi was a Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Engineering and Applied Science from 1963 to 1973.  He published the Viterbi algorithm in 1967.  Dr. Viterbi is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and served on the President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee from 1997 to 2001.  He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Southern California.  He has received numerous awards which include: the John Fritz Medal in 2011, the IEEE Medal of Honor in 2010, the National Medal of Science in 2007, and the Franklin Medal for Electrical Engineering in 2005.  Dr. Viterbi received an S.B. and S.M. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 28, 2015

Announcing the White House Conference on Aging

WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, July 13, President Obama will host the White House Conference on Aging.  The White House has held a Conference on Aging each decade since the 1960s to identify and advance actions to improve the quality of life of older Americans.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act, as well as the 80th anniversary of Social Security.  The conference is an opportunity to recognize the importance of these key programs while bringing together older Americans, caregivers, government officials, members of the public, business leaders, and community leaders to discuss the issues that will help shape the landscape for older Americans in the next decade.  This year’s regional forums in Tampa, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Seattle, WA; Cleveland, OH and today’s event in Boston, MA provided opportunities for Americans across the country to engage in policy discussions, submit input on their priorities and share their stories ahead of the White House event.  Additional details about the conference will be released at a later date.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 27, 2015

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to Nigeria to Attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Nigeria to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on May 29, 2015.

The Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State, will lead the delegation. 

Members of the Presidential Delegation:

The Honorable James F. Entwistle, U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Department of State

The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Department of State

General David M. Rodriguez, Commander, U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM)

The Honorable Grant T. Harris, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council

Mr. Hakeem Olajuwon, NBA Legend and Olympic Gold Medalist

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2015

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea

President Obama will welcome President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea to the White House on June 16.  President Park’s visit, her second to Washington since taking office, will underscore the strength and breadth of the U.S.-Republic of Korea partnership and demonstrate the close personal ties between the U.S. and Korean people. 

President Obama and President Park will exchange views on a broad range of security, economic, and global issues, including the U.S.-ROK alliance and the critical role it plays in assuring regional stability and security.  They will discuss the current security situation on the Korean Peninsula in the face of the continued threat from North Korea. 

The two leaders will review ongoing efforts to strengthen economic cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Korea.  They will also chart the expansion of our cooperation into new areas that will increasingly shape the relationship in the 21st century such as environment, health and cybersecurity.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2015

President Obama Signs Oklahoma Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Oklahoma and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of May 5-10, 2015.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Cleveland, Grady, and Oklahoma.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

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 John Long 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.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2015

Letter -- HEU Executive Order and IDLs

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

Consistent with subsection 204(b) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(b), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order that terminates the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13617 of June 25, 2012, and revokes that Executive Order.  I have determined that the situation that gave rise to this national emergency has been significantly altered by the successful implementation of the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Disposition of Highly Enriched Uranium Extracted from Nuclear Weapons, dated February 18, 1993, and related contracts and agreements (collectively, the "HEU Agreements").

I issued Executive Order 13617 to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation.  Executive Order 13617 and its predecessor, Executive Order 13159 of June 22, 2000, helped to ensure the preservation and proper and complete transfer to the Government of the Russian Federation of all payments due to it under the HEU Agreements, thereby protecting those assets from attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process, which would have had the effect of jeopardizing the full implementation of the HEU Agreements to the detriment of U.S. national security and foreign policy.

With the successful conversion of 500 metric tons of highly enriched uranium extracted from Russian nuclear weapons into low enriched uranium, the transfer to the United States of that low enriched uranium for use as fuel in commercial nuclear reactors, and the completion of all payments to the Russian Federation, there is no further need for the protective blocking imposed by Executive Order 13617.  For this reason I have determined that it is necessary to terminate the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13617 and revoke that order.

I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

 

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2015

Statement by the President on the Clean Water Rule

For more than 40 years, American families and businesses across the country have counted on the Clean Water Act to protect the streams and wetlands we rely on for our way of life – from recreation to public health to a growing economy. In recent years, however, court decisions have led to uncertainty and a need for clarification.  One in three Americans now gets drinking water from streams lacking clear protection, and businesses and industries that depend on clean water face uncertainty and delay, which costs our economy every day.  Too many of our waters have been left vulnerable to pollution. That’s why I called on the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear up the confusion and uphold our basic duty to protect these vital resources.

Today, after extensive input from the American public, they’re doing just that – finalizing the Clean Water Rule to restore protection for the streams and wetlands that form the foundation of our nation’s water resources, without getting in the way of farming, ranching, or forestry. This rule will provide the clarity and certainty businesses and industry need about which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act, and it will ensure polluters who knowingly threaten our waters can be held accountable.  My Administration has made historic commitments to clean water, from restoring iconic watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes to preserving more than a thousand miles of rivers and other waters for future generations.  With today’s rule, we take another step towards protecting the waters that belong to all of us.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2015

ADVISORY: President Obama to Award the Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON, DC – On the morning of Tuesday, June 2, 2015, President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Army Sergeant William Shemin and to Army Private Henry Johnson for conspicuous gallantry during World War I. 

Sergeant William Shemin will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions while serving as a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces.  Sergeant Shemin distinguished himself during combat operations in the vicinity of the Vesle River, Bazoches, France, on August 7-9, 1918. 

Private Henry Johnson will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions while serving as a member of Company C, 369th Infantry Regiment, 93rd Division, American Expeditionary Forces. Then-Private Johnson distinguished himself during combat operations in the vicinity of the Tourbe and Aisne Rivers, northwest of Saint Menehoul, France, on May 15, 1918.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 25, 2015

Statement by the Press Secretary on Elections in Poland

We congratulate President-elect Andrzej Duda on his election in Poland’s May 24 presidential election, and we applaud the people of Poland for remaining a model of freedom and democracy in the region through their election process.  We also thank President Bronislaw Komorowski for his support for Polish-U.S. ties and for his strong leadership in the region.  Poland is one of our closest transatlantic partners and a stalwart NATO Ally, and we look forward to working with President-elect Duda to advance our shared values and to build a more democratic, prosperous, and secure region, and to deepen the already strong partnership between our two countries and peoples in the years to come.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 25, 2015

Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Al-Abadi of Iraq

Vice President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi today to reaffirm U.S. support for the Iraqi government’s fight against ISIL. The Vice President recognized the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces over the past eighteen months in Ramadi and elsewhere. The Vice President welcomed the Council of Minister’s unanimous decision on May 19th to mobilize additional troops, honor those who have fallen, and prepare for counter-attack operations. The Vice President pledged full U.S. support in these and other Iraqi efforts to liberate territory from ISIL, including the expedited provision of U.S. training and equipment to address the threat posed by ISIL’s use of truck bombs.