The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2011

Obama Administration Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15 - October 15: Obama Administration Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, Focused on Renewing the American Dream

 WASHINGTON, DC – The Obama Administration will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15ththrough October 15thwith the participation of the President, the First Lady, the Vice President and the Second Lady of the United States, along with members of the Cabinet, Senior Administration officials and community partners at conferences, events, and through online features showcasing the impact Hispanics have had on our national life.

Numbering more than 50 million on the mainland and another 4 million in Puerto Rico, Hispanics are no longer found in a handful of states but all across America, according to the latest census numbers. As the largest and fastest growing minority group in America, the Hispanic community’s ability to thrive is vital to the future of our nation and is critical to our out-educating, out-innovating, and out-building the rest of the world. In this spirit, the theme of Hispanic Heritage Month 2011 will be “Renewing the American Dream,” and will feature a weekly focus on key issue areas including jobs and the economy, healthy communities and healthy families, an education for the 21stcentury, and celebrating the heritage and contributions of Hispanics to the fabric of America.

In addition to officials leading events and participating in conferences, the White House will feature Hispanics from throughout the Administration who are contributing to the President’s vision for winning the future in a daily blog post on “Renewing the American Dream” at http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/hispanic. On select White House tours, there will also be brochures on the work of the Administration and the Hispanic community and photographs showcasing the same theme.

For a recent report on the President’s agenda and the Hispanic community, please click HERE.

Please see below for a list of upcoming events. Updated advisories will be issued throughout the month.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2011:  Renewing the American Dream

Kick Off Week, 9/12-9/16

  • Wednesday, September 14th- The President and the First Lady will attend the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 34thAnnual Awards Gala at the Washington Convention Center, where the President will deliver remarks.
  • Monday, September 12th– Thursday, September 15th– Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Conference
    Cabinet Secretaries and other Administration officials will participate in a series of panels and events as part of the Congressional Hispanic Institute Conference, including:
    • The Honorable Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
    • Ambassador Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative
    • The Honorable Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior
    • The Honorable Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor
    • Robert Velasco, Acting Director, Corporation for National and Community Service
    • Elizabeth J. Fowler, Special Assistant to the President for Healthcare and Economic Policy at the National Economic Council
    • Cecilia Muñoz, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
    • Luis A. Aguilar, Commissioner, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
    • Dr. Rosalinda Barrera, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition, U.S. Department of Education
    • Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
    • Fred P. Hochberg, Chairman and President, Export-Import Bank of the United States
    • Cathy McCully, Chief, Census Redistricting Data Office

      •  

  • Thursday, September 15th– The President signs Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation
  • Thursday, September 15th– FEMA Hispanic Heritage Month Preparedness Summit
    Organizations and leaders from across the country will participate at a summit at the Federal Emergency Management Agency on preparedness and www.listo.gov.
  • Thursday, September 15th– The First Lady delivers a greeting via video to the Hispanic Heritage Awards.
  • Thursday, September 15th– Renewing the American dream series begins on www.whitehouse.gov/Hispanic highlighting Hispanics in the Obama Administration and their work on behalf of all Americans.

Week of 9/19-9-23: Renewing the American Dream for Our Prosperity – A focus on jobs and the economy.

  • This week the Obama Administration will also celebrate Citizenship Day and Constitution Week, held annually September 17th– 23rdhighlighting the contributions of generations of Latino immigrants who renew America’s entrepreneurial spirit and are helping us write the next great chapter in America’s story. As a part of the week’s activities, the White House will host a special screening of Citizen USA: A 50 State Road Trip, directed by Alexandra Pelosi and recently featured on HBO.

Week of 9/26-9/30: Renewing the American Dream for Our Well-Being – A focus on healthy families and healthy communities

Week of 10/3 – 10/7:  Renewing the American Dream for Our Future – A focus on renewing our nation’s education system for the 21stcentury                  

Week of 10/10-10/14: Renewing the American Dream for Our Contributions – A focus oncelebrating Hispanic heritage and contributions

Additional information on specific events for each week will be released throughout the month.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

President Obama Signs Maine Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Maine and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Tropical Storm Irene during the period of August 27-29, 2011.

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 Tropical Storm Irene in Franklin, Oxford, and York Counties.

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

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Albert Lewis as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Lee of the Republic of Korea to the White House

President Obama will host President Myung-bak Lee of the Republic of Korea at the White House on October 13 for an official state visit. This visit will highlight the strong alliance, the global partnership, and the deep economic ties between the United States and the Republic of Korea.  The visit will also celebrate the strong bonds of friendship between the American and Korean people.

During the visit, the two leaders are expected to discuss a broad range of economic and security issues and review the progress made in connection with the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the 2009 U.S.-Korea Joint Vision Statement for the Alliance.

President and Mrs. Obama will also host President Lee and Mrs. Kim for an official state dinner on the night of October 13.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

President Obama Signs New York Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of New York and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee beginning on September 7, 2011, and continuing.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Tioga.

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 Philip E. Parr as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed. 

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 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. 

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

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

Manuel Gomez - Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Sara Lundquist - Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Katrina L. Peebles -Member, President's Advisory Committee on Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

President Obama said, “I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to join this Administration and serve our country.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

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

Dr. Manuel Gomez, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Dr. Manuel Gomez is a Professor of Physics at the University of Puerto Rico and the Director and Founder of the University’s Resource Center for Science and Engineering.  He also heads the Puerto Rico Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Project, the Puerto Rico Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Program, and is a co-director of the Institute for Functional Nanomaterials. Previously, Dr. Gomez served as a member of the National Science Foundation Directorate for Education and Human Resources Advisory Committee, which aims to increase K-16 students learning in STEM fields. He has also served as the Vice President for Research and Academic Affairs of the University of Puerto Rico, where he oversaw the Statewide Systemic Initiative project. In 2008, Dr. Gomez was awarded the Science Award by the Rotary Club of San Juan for his work in Physics. He holds a B.S. in Physics from the University of Puerto Rico and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Cornell University.

Dr. Sara Lundquist, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Dr. Sara Lundquist is the Vice President of Student Services at Santa Ana College, where she has been employed for over 33 years.  Dr. Lundquist serves as the institution’s chief student services officer for budgeting and planning.  In addition, she facilitates the Santa Ana Partnership, a K-12 higher education collaborative.  Dr. Lundquist has served as the Principal Investigator for numerous grant and research projects from The Ford Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the United States Department of Education, the James Irvine Foundation, and the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.  Dr. Lundquist first studied at Vassar College and received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.  She earned her M. S. in Psychology and Counseling from the University of La Verne and she received her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Claremont Graduate University.

Katrina L. Peebles, Appointee for Member, President's Advisory Committee on Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Katrina L. Peebles serves on the board of directors of The Peebles Corporation, a commercial and residential real estate company working in Miami, Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas, among other cities.  She began her career in marketing at Carter, Hawley and Hale in San Francisco.  Ms. Peebles is active in numerous organizations and has served as Vice President, and is a current board member, of The Vizcayans, where she is charged with the preservation and advancement of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, an accredited museum and a National Historic Landmark.  Ms. Peebles received a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

Vice President Biden to Travel to Northeastern Pennsylvania to View Damage and Survey Recovery Efforts

WASHINGTON – On Friday, September 16th, Vice President Biden will travel to Northeastern Pennsylvania to view damage and survey recovery efforts from the flooding resulting from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

Readout of President Obama and Vice President Biden's Meeting with President Basescu of Romania

This morning, President Obama joined a meeting between Vice President Biden and President of Romania Traian Basescu in the Roosevelt Room. The President also invited President Basescu into the Oval Office along with the Vice President.

The President noted the close alliance between the United States and Romania, and thanked President Basescu for his strong partnership. The President congratulated President Basescu on the U.S.-Romania Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement, which exemplifies the President’s commitment to strengthening NATO and ensuring allies have the capabilities to meet 21st century threats. The President also congratulated President Basescu on the U.S.-Romania Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century. Both of these documents were completed during the visit of President Basescu. Click HERE for full text of the Declaration.

The President thanked President Basescu for his leadership in NATO as the Alliance prepares for the Chicago NATO Summit in May 2012, and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices that Romanian soldiers have made in our common effort in Afghanistan and elsewhere. He thanked President Basescu for Romania’s critical contributions to the ISAF mission.

The President and President Basescu discussed the important role that Romania can play in supporting and advancing democracy, both in Europe and in the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Vice President Biden welcomed the strengthening of the U.S.-Romania strategic partnership as follow up to the discussions he held with President Basescu during his visit to Bucharest in October 2009. The Vice President and President Basescu also discussed ongoing political and economic reforms in Romania, and our shared goal of encouraging stability in the Balkans. They also discussed their strong concerns about the situation in Syria and agreed to consult closely going forward.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

MONTANA IMPACT: The American Jobs Act

THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT: IMPACT FOR MONTANA

The American people understand that the economic crisis and the deep recession weren’t created overnight and won’t be solved overnight. The economic security of the middle class has been under attack for decades. That’s why President Obama believes we need to do more than just recover from this economic crisis – we need to rebuild the economy the American way, based on balance, fairness, and the same set of rules for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street. We can work together to create the jobs of the future by helping small business entrepreneurs, by investing in education, and by making things the world buys. The President understands that to restore an American economy that’s built to last we cannot afford to outsource American jobs and encourage reckless financial deals that put middle class security at risk.

To create jobs, the President unveiled the American Jobs Act – nearly all of which is made up of ideas that have been supported by both Democrats and Republicans, and that Congress should pass right away to get the economy moving now. The purpose of the American Jobs Act is simple: put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans. And it would do so without adding a dime to the deficit. The American Jobs Act has five components:

1. Tax Cuts to Help America’s Small Businesses Hire and Grow
• The President’s plan will cut the payroll tax in half to 3.1% for employers on the first $5 million in wages, providing broad tax relief to all businesses but targeting it to the 98 percent of firms with wages below this level. In Montana, 30,000 firms will receive a payroll tax cut under the American Jobs Act.

2. Putting Workers Back on the Job While Rebuilding and Modernizing America
• The President’s plan includes $50 billion in immediate investments for highways, transit, rail and aviation, helping to modernize an infrastructure that now receives a grade of “D” from the American Society of Civil Engineers and putting hundreds of thousands of construction workers back on the job. Of the investments for highway and transit modernization projects, the President’s plan will make immediate investments of at least $216,400,000 in Montana that could support a minimum of approximately 2,800 local jobs.

• The President is proposing 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, and will provide $90,100,000 in funds to Montana to support up to 1,400 educator and first responder jobs.

• The President is proposing a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least 35,000 public schools – investments that will create jobs, while improving classrooms and upgrading our schools to meet 21st century needs. Montana will receive $77,100,000 in funding to support as many as 1,000 jobs.

• 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. Montana could receive about $20,000,000 to revitalize and refurbish local communities, in addition to funds that would be available through a competitive application.

• The President’s plan proposes $5 billion of investments for facilities modernization needs at community colleges. Investment in modernizing community colleges fills a key resource gap, and ensures these local, bedrock education institutions have the facilities and equipment to address current workforce demands in today’s highly technical and growing fields. Montana could receive $5,700,000 in funding in the next fiscal year for its community colleges.

3. Pathways Back to Work for Americans Looking for Jobs.
• Drawing on the best ideas of both parties and the most innovative states, the President is proposing the most sweeping reforms to the unemployment insurance (UI) system in 40 years help those without jobs transition to the workplace. This could help put the 12,000 long-term unemployed workers in Montana back to work.

• Alongside these reforms, the President is reiterating his call to extend unemployment insurance, preventing 2,700 people looking for work in Montana from losing their benefits in just the first 6 weeks. And, across the country, the number saved from losing benefits would triple by the end of the year.

• 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. Pathways Back to Work could place 400 adults and 1,000 youths in jobs in Montana.

4. Tax Relief for Every American Worker and Family
•  The President’s plan will expand the payroll tax cut passed last December by cutting workers payroll taxes in half next year. A typical household in Montana, with a median income of around $40,000, will receive a tax cut of around $1,240.

5. Fully Paid for as Part of the President’s Long-Term Deficit Reduction Plan.
• To ensure that the American Jobs Act is fully paid for, the President will call on the Joint Committee to come up with additional deficit reduction necessary to pay for the Act and still meet its deficit target. The President will, in the coming days, release a detailed plan that will show how we can do that while achieving the additional deficit reduction necessary to meet the President’s broader goal of stabilizing our debt as a share of the economy. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

President Obama Signs Pennsylvania Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and ordered Federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Tropical Storm Lee beginning on September 3, 2011, and continuing.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Adams, Bradford, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wyoming, and York.

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 for all counties within the commonwealth.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Thomas J. McCool as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

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 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

In Video Message, Vice President Biden Calls on New Generation to Take Action in Preventing Dating Violence and Sexual Assault at School and On Campus

On 17th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, Vice President Biden Says “1 is too Many” Youth Victims of Dating Violence and Sexual Assault

Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, in a video message tweeted by @VP, Vice President Biden called on high school and college students to share their ideas for how to prevent dating violence and sexual assault at their schools and on their college campuses.  Over the next two weeks, young men and women are invited to join this important conversation by submitting their ideas via the new whitehouse.gov/1is2many page or by using the hashtag #1is2many on Twitter.

Despite the significant progress made to reduce violence against women since the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) – authored by then-Senator Biden – was signed into law on September 13, 1994, young women aged 16-24 continue to experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault. One in five young women will be a victim of sexual assault during college, while one in ten teens have been physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the last year.

“The only way we’re going to stop it is for all of us to speak up and act and make it clear that violence against women will not be tolerated at your school, on your campus, at any time, for any reason period,” Vice President Biden says in the video message. “No means no. No means no if she’s drunk or you’re sober. No mean no if you’re in a dorm room or on the street. No means no even if she said yes first and changed her mind. No means no, no matter what.”

“I am asking all of you to help get this message out, all across the country, on every single campus in the country,” the Vice President continues. “I want to know from you…what has your school done to make you feel safer? What could they do that they’re not doing, to make you feel safer? What ideas do you have to help prevent dating violence and sexual assault and make campuses safer for everyone?”

For over 20 years, Vice President Biden has led the fight to combat violence against women. With the introduction of VAWA, then-Senator Biden exposed high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking experienced by women every day in this country. Over the past year, in response to the high rates of violence and abuse young women are still experiencing, the Vice President has refocused his longstanding commitment to reducing violence against women specifically on teens and young women aged 16-24.

In April, the Vice President announced comprehensive guidance with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to help schools, colleges and universities better understand their obligations under federal civil rights laws to prevent and respond to the problem of campus sexual assault.

In July, the Vice President, with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, launched the “Apps Against Abuse” challenge – a national competition to develop an innovative software application, or “app,” that provides young adults with tools to help prevent sexual assault and dating violence in real time. The winner of the challenge will be announced next month.