President Obama to Sign Proclamation Designating Fort Ord National Monument

National Monument will honor veterans, serve as hub for conservation and recreation

President Obama today will sign a Proclamation to designate federal lands within the former Fort Ord as a National Monument under the Antiquities Act.  Fort Ord, a former military base located on California’s Central Coast, is a world-class destination for hikers, mountain bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy the area’s history and scenic landscapes. 

“Fort Ord’s dramatic landscape lives in the memories of thousands of veterans as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career.  This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century,” said President Obama.

“Already, over 100,000 people come every year to enjoy all that Fort Ord has to offer. President Obama’s action, with the strong support of the people of California, will ensure that this special place continues to thrive for generations to come. At the same time, the creation of this new national monument is good for tourism, recreation, and local businesses that cater to the tens of thousands of people who come to experience this remarkable place,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

President Obama first used the Antiquities Act in November 2011 to designate the Fort Monroe National Monument, a former Army post integral to the history of slavery, the Civil War, and the U.S. military. First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, Colorado’s Canyons of the Ancients, and the Papahānaumokuākea marine protected area of the Northwestern Hawai‘ian Islands.

Today, Fort Ord provides exceptional recreational opportunities to over 100,000 visitors annually, offering 86 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails.  The area is an economic engine for the community and serves as a key venue for the annual Sea Otter Classic, one of the largest bicycling events in the world with approximately 10,000 athletes and 50,000 spectators every year.
 
Nearly two and a half centuries ago, the area was traversed by a group of settlers led by Spanish Lieutenant-Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza, whose diaries were used to identify the route of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.  The area’s open, contiguous landscape owes its undeveloped state largely to its role as a U.S. Army facility.  From World War I through the early 1990s, the area’s rugged terrain served as a military training ground for as many as a million and a half American soldiers. 
 
The Fort Ord National Monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  The BLM currently manages approximately 7,200 acres of the area, and the Army will transfer approximately 7,450 acres after clean-up under an existing base closure agreement between the Army and the BLM.  The BLM will continue to work closely with its many community, state, and Federal partners to effectively manage the new national monument, which will become part of the Bureau’s 27-million-acre National Landscape Conservation System.
 
The Department of the Interior lands support $363 billion in economic activity and 2.2 million jobs annually, with BLM public lands in California alone hosting more than 10 million recreation visitors a year.  This translates to an estimated contribution of $980 million to local California economies and 7,600 recreation-related jobs.

President Obama to Travel to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa, Calling on Congress to Prevent Student Interest Rates from Doubling

WASHINGTON, DC – On April 24-25, President Obama will travel to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa to launch an effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July. More than 7.4 million students with federal student loans will see their interest rates double on July 1 unless Congress steps in to keep them low. For each year Congress allows the rate to double, the average student with these loans racks up an additional $1,000 in debt. At a time when Americans owe more on student loans than credit cards, President Obama believes we must reward hard work and responsibility by keeping interest rates on student loans low so more Americans get a fair shot at an affordable college education, the skills they need to find a good job, and a clear path to middle class.

On Tuesday, President Obama will visit the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Colorado at Boulder. On Wednesday he will visit the University of Iowa.  At each stop he will speak with students about the critical need for Congress to act.

The White House will also kick off a social media effort using Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, centered around the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate.

The President’s student loan interest rate efforts will continue throughout the spring and early summer until Congress passes legislation to keep interest rates low and continue to give students the chance to get the college education they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Additional details about President Obama’s trip, including press credentialing information, will be released as they become available.

President Obama Announces Patricia “Pat” Summitt as a Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced Patricia “Pat” Summitt, former head coach and current head coach emeritus of the University of Tennessee’s women’s basketball team, as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  The Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. 

President Obama said, “Coach Summitt is an inspiration – both as the all-time winningest NCAA coach, and as someone who is willing to speak so openly and courageously about her battle with Alzheimer’s.   Pat’s gift has always been her ability to push those around her to new heights, and over the last 38 years, her unique approach has resulted in both unparalleled success on the court and unrivaled loyalty from those who know her and those whose lives she has touched.  Pat’s coaching career may be over, but I’m confident that her work is far from finished.  I look forward to awarding her this honor.”

In addition to accomplishing an outstanding career as the all-time winningest leader among all NCAA basketball coaches, Coach Summitt has taken Tennessee to more Final Four appearances than any other coach and has the second best record of NCAA Championships in basketball.  She has received numerous awards, including being named Naismith Women’s Collegiate Coach of the Century.  As we approach the 40th anniversary of the signing of Title IX,  Summitt’s remarkable career reflects her rightful place in history as an unparalleled figure in women’s team sports.  Off the court, Pat’s work as a spokesperson in the fight against Alzheimer's through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund is truly inspirational.  The Pat Summitt Foundation will make grants to nonprofits to provide education and awareness, support to patients and families, and research to prevent, cure and ultimately eradicate early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. 

Coach Summitt was notified last week of the President’s decision to award her with the Nation’s highest civilian honor for her contributions both on and off the court.  The remainder of the honorees selected by the President will be announced over the coming weeks and the awards will be presented at a White House ceremony later this year.

President Obama Signs Hawaii Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, and landslides during the period of March 3-11, 2012. 

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms,  flooding, and landslides in Kauai County.  

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

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