The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 15, 2011

Fact Sheet: Implementing Missile Defense in Europe

"To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America's Allies. It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats; and it ensures and enhances the protection of all our NATO Allies."

– President Obama, September 17, 2009

President Obama is committed to protecting the United States, U.S. deployed forces, our European Allies and partners against the growing threat of ballistic missiles. In September 2009, on the recommendation of the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President announced the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) for missile defense to provide that protection sooner and more comprehensively. Over the past two years, working together with our NATO Allies, the Administration has achieved significant progress in implementing that approach, and we are on a path to achieve the milestones the President outlined.
 
Since the announcement of EPAA, the Administration has made clear its desire to implement EPAA in a NATO context. At the Lisbon Summit in November 2010, NATO made the historic decision to endorse a missile defense capability whose aim is to provide full coverage and protection for all NATO European populations, territory, and forces against the increasing threats posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles. This decision is consistent with our efforts to broaden and strengthen NATO’s deterrence posture against the range of 21st century threats the Alliance faces. NATO also agreed to expand its current missile defense command, control, and communications capabilities to protect NATO European populations, territory, and forces. Allies at Lisbon welcomed the EPAA as the U.S. national contribution to NATO’s missile defense capability, as well as welcoming additional voluntary contributions from other Allies.

There are four phases of the EPAA to be implemented over the rest of this decade. We have made progress on each phase and are on a path to meet the goals the President set forth in 2009.

  • Phase One (2011 timeframe) will address short- and medium-range ballistic missile threats by deploying current and proven missile defense systems. It calls for the deployment of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)-capable ships equipped with proven SM-3 Block IA interceptors. In March of this year the USS Monterey was the first in a sustained rotation of ships to deploy to the Mediterranean Sea in support of EPAA. Phase One also calls for deploying a land-based early warning radar, which Turkey recently agreed to host as part of the NATO missile defense plan.
  • Phase Two (2015 timeframe) will expand our coverage against short- and medium-range threats with the fielding of a land-based SM-3 missile defense interceptor site in Romania and the deployment of a more capable SM-3 interceptor (the Block IB). This week, on September 13, the United States and Romania signed the U.S.-Romanian Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement. Once ratified, it will allow the United States to build, maintain, and operate the land-based BMD site in Romania.
  • Phase Three (2018 timeframe) will improve coverage against medium- and intermediate-range missile threats with an additional land-based SM-3 site in Poland and the deployment of a more advanced SM-3 interceptor (the Block IIA). Poland agreed to host the interceptor site in October 2009, and today, with the Polish ratification process complete, this agreement has entered into force.
  • Phase Four (2020 timeframe) will enhance our ability to counter medium- and intermediate-range missiles and potential future inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) threats to the United States from the Middle East, through the deployment of the SM-3 Block IIB interceptor. Each phase will include upgrades to the missile defense command and control system.

It is important to note that when the President announced EPAA he welcomed Russian cooperation on missile defense. We have made progress on this front as well. At the November 2010 NATO-Russia Council (NRC) Summit, NATO and Russia committed to exploring opportunities for missile defense cooperation. Effective cooperation with Russia will enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of our combined territorial missile defenses, and at the same time provide both NATO and Russia with greater security. As an initial step, NATO and Russia completed a joint ballistic missile threat assessment and agreed that the NRC would resume theater missile defense cooperation. The United States and Russia also continue to discuss missile defense cooperation through a number of high-level working groups at the State and Defense Departments.

Moving forward, the Administration will continue to consult closely with Congress and with our NATO Allies to implement the vision the President set forth in September 2009. We will also continue to rigorously evaluate the threat posed by ballistic missiles and the technology that we are developing to counter it. The United States remains committed to cost-effective and proven missile defenses that provide flexibility to address emerging threats.

For more information on U.S. missile defense policy, please see the Ballistic Missile Defense Review (BMDR).

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate

NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:

David Campos Guaderrama, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas, vice David Briones, retired.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate

NOMINATION SENT TO THE SENATE:

Michael Anthony McFaul, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Russian Federation.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

President Obama Nominates Ronald Buch to the United States Tax Court

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama announced today his intent to nominate Ronald Buch asaJudge to the United States Tax Court.

“Ronald has demonstrated unwavering integrity and a firm commitment to public service throughout his career,” said President Obama.  “I am proud to nominate him to serve on the United States Tax Court.”

Ronald Buch, Nominee for Judge, United States Tax Court

Ronald Buch is a partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP, where he principally represents clients in tax controversy matters. He joined Bingham in 2009 when it combined with McKee Nelson LLP, where he had worked on tax controversy matters since 2001. He also currently serves as an adjunct law professor at Georgetown University Law Center, teaching Tax Practice and Procedure (Administrative Practice) and Tax Research and Writing. Prior to joining McKee Nelson, Mr. Buch worked as an attorney with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, where his work included representing the IRS before the United States Tax Court. Mr. Buch is a former Chair of the Administrative Practice Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation and the District of Columbia Bar Association Taxation Section’s Tax Audits and Litigation Committee. Mr. Buch received a B.BA. from Northwood University, a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law, and an LL.M. in Taxation from Capital University Law School.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

  • Brad Carson – General Counsel of the Army, Department of Defense
  • Alastair Fitzpayne - Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of the Treasury
  • Michael A. McFaul - Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Department of State
  • Kevin A. Ohlson - Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

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

  • H. Fisk Johnson - Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
  • Thomas L. McKiernan - Member, Board of Visitors to the United States Air Force Academy

President Obamasaid, “I am pleased to announce that these experienced and committed individuals have agreed to join this Administration, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

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

Brad Carson, Nominee for General Counsel of the Army, Department of Defense

Brad Carsonis an associate professor of business law at the University of Tulsa, where he is also Director of the National Energy Policy Institute.  From 2009 to 2010, Mr. Carson served in Iraq on active military duty, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.  Prior to his deployment, Mr. Carson was the President, CEO and Business Development Director for Cherokee Nation Businesses, L.L.C. (CNB)  He joined CNB in 2005, following a one year fellowship at the Harvard University Institute of Politics.  Mr. Carson served as the U.S. Representative for the 2nd District of Oklahoma during the 107th and 108th Congresses.  From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Carson was a White House Fellow and worked as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Special Projects at the Department of Defense.  Mr. Carson’s legal career began in 1994 at Crowe & Dunlevy where he worked as an antitrust attorney.  Mr. Carson is a Rhodes Scholar and an Officer in the United States Navy Reserve.  He holds a B.A. from Baylor University, an M.A. from Trinity College at Oxford University, and a J.D. from University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Alastair Fitzpayne, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of the Treasury

Alastair MacLennan Fitzpayne has served as the Department of the Treasury's Deputy Chief of Staff since January 2009.  He has also served as the Department’s Executive Secretary since April 2010.  Prior to joining the Department of the Treasury, Mr. Fitzpayne spent 8 years working on Capitol Hill in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives.  From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Fitzpayne served as legislative assistant for Sen. Evan Bayh advising him on tax and budget, small business, and technology issues.  From 2007 through 2009, Mr. Fitzpayne served as senior policy advisor for Representative Rahm Emanuel and advised him on tax, budget, and financial services issues in his capacity as Democratic Caucus Chair and member of the Ways and Means Committee. Prior to his service on Capitol Hill, Mr. Fitzpayne worked as a Presidential Management Intern at the Office of Management and Budget. Mr. Fitzpayne holds a B.A. from Vassar College and Masters of Public Policy from the University of California-Berkeley.   

Michael A. McFaul, Nominee for Ambassador of the United States to the Russian Federation, Department of State

Michael A. McFaul is a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director, Russia and Eurasia Affairs for the White House National Security Staff.  Previously, McFaul was a professor in the Political Science Department at Stanford University, a position he held from 1995 to 2009. While at Stanford, McFaul served from 2003 to 2009 as the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the co-director of the Iran Democracy Project at the Institution. He was also a Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, serving as the Deputy Director of the Institute from 2006 to 2009. From 2005-2009, he also was the director of Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law.  From 1994 to 2009, McFaul was a Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and served as the Director of the Russian Domestic Politics Program. He holds a B.A. in International Relations and Slavic Languages and an M.A. in Russian and East European Studies, both from Stanford University.  McFaul received a Ph.D. in International Relations from Oxford in 1991, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. 

Kevin A. Ohlson, Nominee for Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

Kevin A. Ohlson is the Chief of the Professional Misconduct Review Unit in the Department of Justice.  From 2009 to January 2011, he was Chief of Staff and Counselor to United States Attorney General Eric Holder.  From 2007 to 2009, he was the Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), where he had previously served as Deputy Director from 2002 to 2007.  From 2001 to 2002, he was a member of the Board of Immigration Appeals.  From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Ohlson was Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General.  Prior to that, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.  In 1990, while serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he was recalled to active duty service in the United States Army and was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions during the Persian Gulf War.  At the conclusion of his military service, Mr. Ohlson resumed his duties as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.  Mr. Ohlson was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army in 1986 and served as a judge advocate and paratrooper.  He holds a B.A. from Washington and Jefferson College and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

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

H. Fisk Johnson, Appointee for Member, Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations

H. Fisk Johnson is Chairman of the Board, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.  He was first appointed to the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation in 2002.   Dr. Johnson is a Director of The Consumer Goods Forum, and Trustee Emeritus of Cornell University.   In addition, he has served as a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and a Director of Conservation International.  Dr. Johnson holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry and Physics, a Masters degree in Engineering,an M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Physics, and a Masters in Business Administration, all from Cornell University.

Thomas L. McKiernan, Appointee forMember, Board of Visitors to the United States Air Force Academy

Dr. Thomas L. McKiernan is a professor of medicine in cardiology at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine and an alumnus of the United States Air Force Academy.  At Loyola, he is also the Director of the Cardiac Care Unit and the Medical Director of the Center for Heart and Vascular Medicine.  Earlier in his career, Dr. McKiernan was the Director of the Cardiac Care Unit at Foster McGaw Hospital.  He served for 14 years in the Air Force, including periods as Chief of Internal Medicine at Scott United States Air Force (USAF) Medical Center and Chief of Cardiology at Keesler USAF Medical Center.  Dr. McKiernan resigned from the Air Force in 1984 as a Lieutenant Colonel.  He was a member of the Board of Directors of Loyola University Physicians Foundation from 1989 until 2003 and served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago American Heart Association from 1996 to 1997.  Dr. McKiernan has a B.S. from the United States Air Force Academy and a M.D. from the Stritch School of Medicine at the Loyola University Chicago.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

President Obama Nominates Judge David Campos Guaderrama to the United States District Court

WASHINGTON- Today, President Obama nominated Judge David Campos Guaderrama to serve on the United States District Court bench for the Western District of Texas. 

“Throughout his career, Judge David Campos Guaderrama has displayed exceptional integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice,” President Obama said.  “He will be an esteemed addition to the federal bench for the people of Texas.  I am grateful for his dedication to public service.” 

Judge David Campos Guaderrama:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas


Judge David Campos Guaderrama has been a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Texas since October 2010.  From 1995 to 2010, Judge Guaderrama served as a District Judge for the 243rd District Court of Texas in El Paso.  Prior to serving as a judge, Judge Guaderrama spent seven years working as El Paso County’s first Chief Public Defender, from 1987 to 1994.  Judge Guaderrama began his legal career in 1979 as a sole practitioner and from 1980 to 1986 was a partner with the firm of Guaderrama and Guaderrama.  Judge Guaderrama received his J.D. in 1979 from the University of Notre Dame Law School and his B.A. in 1975 from New Mexico State University. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

Background on the President's Remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's 34th Annual Awards Gala

WASHINGTON – The President and the First Lady will attend the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (CHCI) 34th Annual Awards Gala tonight, where the President will deliver remarks.  These remarks will be streamed LIVE on http://wh.gov/live.

In addition to the President’s remarks, the Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will present the 2011 CHCI Chair's Award to the Honorable Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor, and the Honorable Ken Salazar, Secretary of Interior.  For more information on the awards gala, visit the CHCI website by clicking HERE.

Administration officials are also participating in a series of panels and events as part of the Congressional Hispanic Institute Conference taking place from September 12th – 15th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. In his remarks, the President will address the impact the American Jobs Act will have on the Hispanic community and all Americans, as soon as Congress acts. The following is a report on how the American Jobs Act builds on progress to increase the pace of job creation in America: 

The American Jobs Act: Building on Progress for Hispanic Americans

Since the beginning of his Administration, President Obama has committed to progress for Hispanic Americans, who are an integral and increasingly important part of our nation’s economic future. Hispanic families, who will account for 65 percent of the Nation’s population growth between 2010 and 2050, will help form the backbone of America’s labor force in the coming decades. In recent years, Hispanic-owned businesses expanded rapidly, at a faster rate than other demographic groups. At the end of last year, President Obama signed crucial tax cuts for working Hispanic families, and he has expanded access to capital for Hispanic small businesses through the Small Business Administration, and expanded Pell grants to an additional 150,000 Hispanic students to help them realize the American dream.

Despite progress for Hispanic families, businesses, and students – and an economic future that increasingly relies upon them – the recession took a significant toll. According to the Pew Research Center, these same families also experienced a 66 percent decline in median wealth from 2005 to 2009.  With unemployment among Hispanics at an unacceptably high rate of 11.3 percent – and nearly 1 million Hispanic Americans out of work for six months or more – the President believes that we must take action to support the hard-working families that drive our nation’s prosperity and growth. That’s why the President is putting forward a plan to increase the pace of job creation in America, and why he is urging   Congress to act on this plan and pass it into law.

The American Jobs Act reflects a commitment to strengthen the recovery and help increase access to jobs for all Americans, and builds on the President’s commitment to a secure economic future for the Hispanic families, workers, and students. 

THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT AND HISPANIC FAMILIES, WORKERS, AND STUDENTS

  • The President is proposing to extend and expand the payroll tax cut passed last December, increasing it to 3.1 percent for 2012.  In total, this will help an estimated 25 million Hispanic workers who pay payroll taxes.
  • In recent years, Hispanic-owned businesses outpaced the growth of other minority-owned firms, expanding employment at a faster rate. The President’s plan will cut payroll taxes for around 250,000 Hispanic-owned businesses, helping them continue to grow.
  • The American Jobs Act will help put construction workers who lost their jobs back to workrevitalizing schools and our nation’s infrastructure. There were 344,000 fewer Hispanics employed in carpentry or construction labor after the recession.
  • Ten of the largest school districts with the highest percentage of Hispanic students will receive billions of dollars to revitalize their public school facilities.

How the American Jobs Act Will invest in Infrastructure and construction

In 2007, before the recession hit, Hispanics made up 14 percent of the labor force. However, they took up nearly 30 percent of the nation’s 10 million construction and extraction jobs, such as operating engineers and carpenters. There were 344,000 fewer Hispanics employed in carpentry or construction labor after the recession. These jobs were among those hit the hardest in a recession that followed an historic decline in housing.

As described in a Pew Research Center Report in 2011, “The geography of the housing downturn had an especially strong impact on Hispanics.” The report explains that in 2005, more than two in five of the nation’s Hispanic and households resided in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Nevada, “the five states with the steepest declines in home prices. By contrast, only about one in five of the nation’s white or black households resided in these states.”

The President’s plan would help put construction workers back on the job revitalizing our infrastructure and housing markets, while making key investments in neighborhoods, schools and infrastructure across the country.

  • Project Rebuild: Putting People Back to Work Rehabilitating Homes, Businesses and Communities. The President is proposing to invest $15 billion in a national effort to put construction workers on the job rehabilitating and refurbishing hundreds of thousands of vacant and foreclosed homes and businesses. Building on proven approaches to stabilizing neighborhoods with high concentrations of foreclosures, Project Rebuild will bring in expertise and capital from the private sector, focus on commercial and residential property improvements, and expand innovative property solutions like land banks. This approach will not only create construction jobs but will help reduce blight and crime and stabilize housing prices in areas hardest hit by the housing crisis.

What Others Have Said About Rehabilitating Communities:

  • The National Council of La Raza:“Put people to work revitalizing their communities… Provide resources for local government and nonprofit organizations to hire workers to carry out neighborhood revitalization in areas devastated by foreclosures” (2011).
  • Putting Construction Workers Back on the Job By Modernizing Infrastructure – With a Focus on Expanding Access to These Jobs:In order to jump start critical infrastructure projects and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, the President’s plan includes $50 billion in immediate investments for highway, highway safety, transit, passenger rail, and aviation activities – with one fifth of the funding advancing a transformation of how we finance transportation infrastructure and what we finance. To ensure that the employment benefits of these projects can be broadly shared, the President’s plan would invest an additional $50 million in 2012 to enhance employment and job training opportunities for minorities, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in transportation related activities, including construction, contract administration, inspection, and security. His plan will also invest an additional $10 million in 2012 to help minority-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises gain better access to transportation contracts.  And it will ensure that infrastructure investments allow for the hiring of local workers, to maximize economic benefits for communities where projects are located.

What Others Have Said About Infrastructure Investment:

  • The Congressional Hispanic Caucus:“investments in mass transit and affordable housing will translate to overall improved neighborhoods for Hispanics, and particularly for the 2.77 million that work in the construction sector” (January 29, 2009).

How the American Jobs Act will put Hispanic Workers Back on the Job

The unemployment rate among Hispanics is at an unacceptably high rate of 11.3 percent, and nearly 1 million Hispanic Americans have been out of work for six months or more. Over the course of the recession, the unemployment rate for Hispanic youths doubled from around 10 percent at the end of 2007 to over 20 percent in 2009, and today remains elevated at 19.3 percent. The President’s plan will provide pathways back to work for Hispanics looking for jobs, and opportunities for youths to find employment over the summer. 

Pathways Back to Work for Hispanics Looking for Jobs

  • Extending Unemployment Insurance So That 1.1 Million Hispanics Looking For Work Do Not Lose Their Benefits:In December, the President successfully fought for unemployment insurance to be extended. The President has called for a further extension into 2012 to prevent 1.1 million Hispanics from losing their benefits next year.
  • Targeted Support to Help The Long-Term Unemployed Get Back to Work: The recession pushed long-term unemployment rates to its highest levels since the Great Depression – with nearly 1 million Hispanics out of work for more than six months. The President’s plan is targeted directly at helping these Americans get back to work by, for example:
  • Tax Credits for Hiring the Long-Term Unemployed:The President is proposing a tax credit to provide up to $4,000 for hiring workers who have been looking for a job for over six months.
  • “Bridge to Work” Programs:States will be able to put in place reforms that build off what works in programs like Georgia Works or Opportunity North Carolina, while instituting important fixes and reforms that ensure minimum wage and fair labor protections are being enforced.  These approaches permits long-term unemployed workers to continue receiving UI while they take temporary, voluntary work or pursue work-based training. The President’s plan requires compliance with applicable minimum wage and other worker rights laws.
  • Wage Insurance:  States will be able to use UI to encourage older, long-term unemployed Americans to return to work in new industries or occupations.
  • Startup Assistance:  States will have flexibility to help long-term unemployed workers create their own jobs by starting their own small businesses. 
  • Other Reemployment Reforms:  States will be able to seek waivers from the Secretary of Labor to implement other innovative reforms to connect the long-term unemployed to work opportunities.
  • Prohibiting Employers from Discriminating Against Unemployed Workers: The President’s plan calls for legislation that would make it unlawful to refuse to hire applicants solely because they are unemployed or to include in a job posting a provision that unemployed persons will not be considered.  
  • Investing in Low-Income Youth and Adults:The President is proposing a new Pathways Back to Work Fund to provide hundreds of thousands of low-income youth and adults with opportunities to work and to achieve needed training in growth industries. The Initiative will do three things:
  • Support for Summer and Year-Round Jobs for Youth: The Recovery Act provided over 367,000 summer job opportunities through the public workforce investment system to young people in the summers of 2009 and 2010.   Such programs not only provided young people with their first paycheck, but taught them life-long employment skills.   Building on this success, the new Pathways Back to Work Fund will provide states with support for summer job programs for low-income youth in 2012, and year-round employment for economically disadvantaged young adults. 
  • Subsidized Employment Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals Who Are Unemployed: This effort builds off the successful TANF Emergency Fund wage subsidy program that supported 260,000 jobs through the recovery. According to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), this flexible program allowed States to reduce the cost and risk associated with new hiring, encouraging private-sector businesses to hire new workers.
  • Support for Local Efforts to Implement Promising Work-Based Strategies and to Provide Training Opportunities: This initiative would support efforts that have good records of placing low-income adults and youths in jobs quickly. Local officials, in partnership with local workforce boards, business, community colleges, and other partners, will be able to apply for funding to support promising strategies designed to lead to employment in the short-term. 

What Others Have Said About Investing in Low-Income Youth and Adults:

  • The National Council of La Raza: “Invest in job creation for hard-hit communities. For many workers struggling in the current recession, there is no substitute for direct investment in an immediate job” (2011).

How the American Jobs Act Will Impact Hispanic-Owned Small Businesses

Small businesses are the engine of new jobs and entrepreneurship in America, and Hispanic-owned businesses have demonstrated particularly rapid growth - employing over 25 percent more workers in the most recent available Census data.  The President recognizes the vital contribution that Hispanic-owned businesses are making to the American economy. His plan will work to benefit an estimated 250,000 Hispanic-owned firms by offering a range of initiatives to get our small businesses growing faster.  From a $70 billion payroll tax cut focused on small business to a commitment to reduce the regulatory burdens on small business capital formation, the President’s message is clear: Let’s get to work!

The President’s jobs plan includes tax cuts to help a quarter million Hispanic-owned businesses and 25 million Hispanic workers. It includes skills training and summer job opportunities to help Hispanic youth enter the workforce.  And it extends unemployment benefits to the 1.1 million Hispanics who need to continue feeding their families while searching for a pathway back into the workforce.

How the American Jobs Act Will Let Hispanic Students Realize the American Dream

Hispanics are by far the largest minority group in today’s American public education system, numbering more than 12.4 million in the country’s elementary, middle and high schools. Currently, nearly 22 percent, or slightly more than 1 in 5, of all pre-K–12 students enrolled in America’s public schools is Hispanic.

In his speech at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce conference in March 2009, the President laid out his education agenda and the importance of education to the Hispanic community, and to all Americans. President Obama called for a focus on early learning, higher standards for student learning, effective teachers and school leaders, and innovation that builds on what works in America’s classrooms.

The American Jobs Act builds on the President’s commitment by investing in public schools in communities with a high proportion of Hispanic students, and preventing teacher layoffs that would dim the educational prospects of all Americans.

  • Targeted Investments to Modernize Schools Serving Low-Income Students – From Science Labs and Internet-Ready Classrooms to Renovated Facilities:The President is proposing a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least 35,000 public schools – an investment that will create jobs, while improving classrooms and upgrading our schools to meet 21st century needs. Funds could be used for a range of emergency repair and renovation projects, greening and energy efficiency upgrades, asbestos abatement and removal, and modernization efforts to build new science and computer labs and to upgrade technology in our schools.  And they would be targeted at the lowest-income districts – with 40 percent, or $10 billion, directed towards the 100 largest high-need public school districts.

What Others Have Said About Modernizing Schools:

  • ASPIRA:“ASPIRA supports school construction and modernization efforts” and “favors extending the program to charter schools and other nonprofit educational facilities” (2007). 
  • Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Education and Job Training Task Force:“funds to our struggling schools and colleges for school construction and modernization” are “desperately needed.” (January 29, 2009).
  • The League of United Latin American Citizens: “Public schools should be improved and rehabilitated, and be provided with adequate funding to do so.” (2011).
  • Preventing Layoffs of Teachers, Cops and Firefighters:The President plans to invest $35 billion to prevent layoffs of up to 280,000 teachers, while supporting the hiring of tens of thousands more and keeping cops and firefighters on the job. These funds would help states and localities avoid and reverse layoffs now, requiring that funds be drawn down quickly. Under the President’s proposal, $30 billion be directed towards educators and $5 billion would go to the cops and firefighters who keep our communities safe.

Ten of the largest school districts with the highest percentage of Hispanic students – in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, New York, and other States – will receive billions of dollars to revitalize their public school facilities:

 

Eligibility of Largest Hispanic LEA's for School Modernization Funds

State

  

Local Education Agency

  

District Students (PreK-12)

  

Percentage of Hispanic Students

  

School Modernization Funding

CA

  

Los Angeles Unified

  

$670,746.00

  

73.41 percent

  

$743,536,701.00

CA

 

San Diego Unified

 

$131,417.00

 

45.86 percent

 

$91,761,585.00

CA

  

Santa Ana Unified

  

$56,937.00

  

93.16 percent

  

$36,170,828.00

FL

 

Dade

 

$345,804.00

 

64.32 percent

 

$266,970,181.00

IL

  

City Of Chicago SD 299

  

$407,157.00

  

41.99 percent

  

$609,010,307.00

NM

 

Albuquerque Public Schools

 

$96,572.00

 

63.71 percent

 

$63,146,224.00

NV

  

Clark County School District

  

$307,059.00

  

41.03 percent

  

$153,931,395.00

TX

 

Houston ISD

 

$202,773.00

 

61.58 percent

 

$233,647,280.00

TX

  

Dallas ISD

  

$157,111.00

  

67.63 percent

  

$191,641,047.00

TX

 

Northside ISD  San Antonio

 

$92,335.00

 

64.42 percent

 

$35,050,927.00

Building on Progress for the Hispanic Community

The President’s jobs plan continues a commitment since day one of his Administration to help Hispanic families, workers, and students realize the American dream.

Creating and Protecting Jobs for Hispanics and all Americans

  • In early 2009, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create jobs, spur economic growth and invest in communities. Hispanics are experiencing higher rates of unemployment than the national average, so the Recovery Act and its implementation have been vital to the community and the country. A recent report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office showed that the Recovery Act was responsible for increasing the number of people employed by as many as 3.3 million.
  • According to a study released last year by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, seven policies included in the Recovery Act have kept 1.9 million Hispanics above the poverty line.

Tax Cuts for Hispanic Working Families

  • In December 2010, the President and the Administration built on this strong record to pass a bipartisan tax cut package agreement that not only secured vital tax relief and investments in our workers—something that will create jobs and accelerate economic growth—but also provides specific support for Hispanic families. Building off the gains made in the Recovery Act, the tax agreement extends key provisions including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) that directly benefit Hispanic parents and children. These provisions of the new law will benefit an estimated 3.7 million Hispanic families—including 8 million Hispanic children. And narly one million Hispanics looking for work weren’t forced to lose their their unemployment benefits at the end of last year.

Tax Cuts for Hispanic Small Businesses

  • The President signed the Small Business Jobs Act into law, which created a $30 billion small business lending fund, added new small business administration capital, contracting and counseling programs, and provided targeted tax incentives for small businesses. In 2010—3,218 7(a) and 504 loans were made to Hispanic/Hispanic small businesses—totaling $808,493,000. (SBA)

Protection for Hispanic Consumers

  • The President signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act to protect Hispanics and all Americans from unfair and deceptive credit card practices and to ensure that Hispanics have access to credit and basic financial services so they have the information they need to make the decisions that work best for them.
  • The President signed the Wall Street Reform bill that will protect consumers and our entire economy from the recklessness and irresponsibility that led to the worst recession since the Great Depression. Hispanic leaders have called this a “Major Victory for Hispanic Families” by protecting against abusive financial products and services, and creating greater access to safe and affordable bank accounts and credit. It will guard consumers from predatory practices by banks, mortgage brokers, payday lenders, remittance providers, and other financial institutions.

Support for Hispanic Families in a Struggling Housing Market

  • Since January 2009, more than 250,000 Hispanic households have purchased a home using a Federal Housing Administration guaranteed mortgage.
  • The Administration launched Making Home Affordable, which includes mortgage modification and refinancing programs, a critical piece of the Administration’s broad efforts to stabilize the housing market and provide relief to struggling homeowners.
  • Since January 2009, almost 90,000 Hispanic households have refinanced their mortgages using FHA, in many cases dramatically reducing their monthly payment or getting out of a risky adjustable rate loan.

Access to Health Care for Hispanic Families

  • The Affordable Care Act will, by 2014, make health care more accessible and affordable for approximately 9 million Hispanics who currently lack coverage. By improving access to quality health care for Hispanics and all Americans, the Affordable Care Act will help reduce health disparities which affect Hispanics, who have higher than average rates of illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. The new law will reduce health care costs, and give individuals and families more control over their own care. Starting in September of 2010, new plans are be required to provide preventive care without charging a deductible, copayment or coinsurance. This will have an enormous impact on Hispanics, many of whom do not have a regular doctor or source of preventive care. In addition, the Affordable Care Act helps families by allowing young adults to stay on their parent’s health insurance policy up to the age of 26 years old.
  • In the first few weeks in office, the Obama Administration expanded health insurance for children through the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which for the first time ever allowed states to cover legal immigrant children. This law has removed language barriers by allowing states to be reimbursed generally up to 75 percent for the cost of translation or interpretation services so that non-English speaking legal immigrant children and pregnant women can get necessary healthcare information and services

Improving Education Outcomes for Hispanic Students

  • By signing the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act , the President ensured increased affordability of and access to student loans for American students. The Department of Education estimates that some 150,000 additional Pell Grant awards will be made to Hispanic students by 2020 under this new law, and that 143,000 Hispanic student borrowers will avail themselves of new protections for student loan repayment which ensure affordability.

The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act also strengthens Hispanic-Serving Institutions —that is, a public or private nonprofit college or university with a student body that is at least 25 percent Hispanic—by investing more than $1 billion in these institutions over the next decade. More than half of America’s Hispanic and Hispanic undergraduates attend a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Hispanic-Serving Institutions serve a higher proportion of low- and middle-income students than their peers.

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

Op-ed by First Lady Michelle Obama in USA Today: Support our military families

The full text of an op-ed by First Lady Michelle Obama is printed below. The piece, published in USA Today, can be read online HERE.

Support our military families
By First Lady Michelle Obama

Last weekend, Americans across the country joined together to remember that September morning from 10 years ago, honoring the memory of those we lost with service and reflection. And my husband and I were humbled to stand with the families and survivors on the same hallowed grounds where tragedy struck.

Yet what shines most brightly from last weekend is not memories of horror, but images of heroes; not the echoes of evil that sought to divide, but the compassion that compelled us to unite. What lasts from this anniversary is the true spirit of America that was laid bare that day and remains alive today: the courage of those who lost loved ones; the strength of those who survived; the bravery of those who ran not away from but into danger.

Those are the same qualities that live on every day among a generation of American troops and their families whose service has been defined by 9/11 and its aftermath. This anniversary also gives us the opportunity to reflect on all that these families have endured and our obligations to them now and in the years ahead.

Selfless service

They're the 9/11 Generation — the more than 5 million servicemembers who have worn the uniform this past decade and their families. They've rightfully earned not only the admiration of a grateful nation, but also a place in history alongside our greatest generations. More than 2 million men and women have served in the war zones, including an unprecedented number of deployments by our National Guardsmen and Reservists. We've never asked so much of our all-volunteer force.

And we've never asked this much of our military families, either. Found in nearly every community in this country, these brave family members serve right alongside their loved ones. They just don't wear uniforms. They're spouses who balance a career and a household all alone while their loved ones are deployed. They're young children who have known only life in a nation at war. They're teenagers who are all too familiar with Dad or Mom being gone for months at a time.

Yet even with all that they shoulder, these military family members are some of the most extraordinary individuals I've ever met: the moms who always seem to pick up the extra carpool shift, the kids who take on extra chores around the house, the survivors of our fallen who step up every day to serve our communities, and the veterans and wounded warriors who have served our country heroically on the battlefield and continue to contribute here at home.

It's our turn

No matter what the situation or how many directions they're being pulled in, our military families always stand ready to serve their loved ones, their communities and our country.

After 10 years of war, it's our turn to return their service and sacrifice with honor and appreciation of our own — and not just in word, but in deed.

That's why last spring, Jill Biden and I launched Joining Forces, a national initiative to address the unique needs and expand the opportunities of these remarkable men, women and children. Businesses can work to employ veterans and help military spouses build careers. Schools can make sure they're properly supporting military kids. Citizens can reach out to organizations who serve military families right in their communities. Every single person, group or community can do something, and we've already seen countless individuals, organizations and businesses step up to answer this call. To see what others are up to, and to join forces yourself, please visit us at www.joiningforces.gov .

I hope you do.

As we reaffirm our commitment to hold dear the heroism, strength and compassion we saw on Sept. 11, let's also pledge to keep our military families in our hearts long after this anniversary has passed. These men, women and children have served valiantly in the decade since that fateful day.

Now it's up to us to serve them as well.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

John Brennan to Deliver Remarks At Harvard Law School on September 16

On Friday, September 16, 2011, John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, will deliver remarks at Harvard Law School.  Brennan’s remarks, “Strengthening our Security by Adhering to our Values and Laws,” will state the Administration’s position on many of the topics at the center of the counterterrorism debate. Brennan will explain why the adherence to our values and the rule of law must be the foundation of all of our efforts and how they help us achieve our goal of preventing terrorist attacks and keeping America safe.

Please find Harvard Law School’s advisory HERE.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

Vice President Biden Announces Over $2 Billion in Anti-Waste Measures at Cabinet Meeting

New Initiatives Led by Campaign to Cut Waste Will Save Medicaid Waste & Strengthen Partnership with States to Reduce Improper Unemployment Insurance Payments

WASHINGTON – At the White House today, Vice President Biden convened a Cabinet meeting to discuss waste reduction at federal agencies as part of the Administration’s Campaign to Cut Waste. The Vice President announced a new initiative to fight waste in Medicaid that is estimated to save taxpayers over $2 billion, unveiled new efforts to track state progress in reducing improper Unemployment Insurance payments, and directed each Cabinet secretary to undertake a waste and efficiency review that will target unnecessary, wasteful, and inefficient federal spending.

“Today’s announcements on cutting waste in Medicare, Medicaid and Unemployment Insurance shows that we can make our government more efficient and responsible to the American people,” said Vice President Biden.  “If we’re going to spur jobs and economic growth and restore long-term fiscal solvency, we need to make sure hard-earned tax dollars don’t go to waste.”

Joined by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the Vice President discussed a new initiative to fight waste and fraud in Medicaid that will save taxpayers an estimated $2.1 billion.  HHS today released its final rule for the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor Program, a waste-cutting program created by the Affordable Care Act. HHS projects the program will save $2.1 billion over the next five years, of which $900 million will be returned to states.  The new program is based on the successful Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor program, which the Vice President announced has already recovered nearly $670 million to date in 2011 – increasing the taxpayer dollars recovered by nearly 800% compared to 2010.

“Today we are building on an already successful program that targets improper payments in our health care programs and recovers those dollars, making Medicare and Medicaid more reliable and responsible,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We simply can't afford to see even one penny of our health care dollars wasted and expanding this program will help us reach that goal."

The Vice President also unveiled new Labor Department efforts to reduce improper Unemployment Insurance payments and hold states accountable for progress as part of the Administration’s comprehensive efforts to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis joined the Vice President to discuss the Department’s next steps in combating these improper payments:

  • A New Transparency Initiative to Make It Clear Where States Stand: The Department of Labor is launching a new effort to clearly show every state’s performance on improper payments.  The agency unveiled an online map that will show citizens their state’s payment errors, which types of problems are driving its error rate, and the steps it has taken to address its rate.
  • Comprehensive Turnaround Plans for High Priority States: DOL has identified six high priority states -- Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Washington, Louisiana, and Arizona -- based on their high rate of improper payments. DOL is working with these states to ensure they develop a comprehensive turnaround plan to reduce their improper payments. In addition, high-performing states will be paired with these states to offer guidance and aid as the plans are developed and implemented.  High Priority states will be subject to additional monitoring and technical assistance until they achieve an improper payment rate under 10 percent and sustain that performance for at least six months.
  • New Awards to States to Automate and Improve Unemployment Insurance Data Collection:  The Department of Labor today awarded nearly $192 million to 42 states toimplement waste-cutting initiatives and improve the Unemployment Insurance program, including upgrading technology systems to more accurately collect data and process claims. 

These steps build on other efforts to address improper payments the Administration launched earlier this year.

“The Unemployment Insurance system is a unique partnership between the federal government and the states. States bear the responsibility of operating an efficient and effective benefits program, but as partners the federal government must be able to hold them accountable for doing so,” said Secretary Solis. “These new measures, demonstrate our commitment to working closely with states to ensure the integrity of the system, turnaround underperforming programs and save taxpayer dollars.”

Finally, as part of efforts to cut waste and inefficient spending, the Vice President asked the Cabinet to report back on wasteful and inefficient agency spending on travel, auto fleets, publications, and office equipment and supplies, from cell phones to software, or in any other areas identified by agencies. 

The Vice President highlighted the Department of Homeland Security’s Efficiency Review as a model effort. Since 2009, the agency has identified more than $1 billion in cost avoidances and implemented 30 efficiency initiatives across the agency – from buying software licenses in bulk to using government offices for meetings instead of renting private space.  As a result of these savings and other ongoing efficiency initiatives, the agency’s 2012 budget request included more than $800 million in reductions.  As he did with the Recovery Act, the Vice President called on Secretaries to be personally involved in these reviews, and will hold cabinet members personally responsible for the performance and results of the process.

“Over the last two years, we have made an unprecedented commitment to efficiency in order to support frontline operations by building a culture of fiscal discipline and accountability throughout the Department,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Through the Department of Homeland Security’s Efficiency Review, we’ve taken a hard look at how we do business, and identified ways to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of limited taxpayer dollars we receive.”

As part of the launch of the Campaign to Cut Waste in June, the President asked the Vice President to take on a new role holding the Cabinet accountable for cutting waste in their agencies – part of the Administration’s ongoing effort to make government more efficient and responsive to the American people. The Vice President will hold regular Cabinet waste cutting meetings and is working closely with OMB Director Jack Lew and the Administration’s Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients to root out waste across the agencies and make government work for America’s families.

“We have made great strides in the last two years – shrinking contract spending for the first time in 13 years, identifying $3 billion in cost reductions from IT projects across government, and getting rid of property we no longer need,” said Director Lew. “Particularly now in these challenging fiscal times, it is critical that each and every Member of the Cabinet take personal ownership of aggressively rooting out waste and being vigilant stewards of taxpayer dollars.”