The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Deployment of Additional U.S. Military Personnel to Iraq

One of the pillars of the United States’ counter-ISIL strategy is building the capacity of local forces to take the fight to ISIL. We have been providing this support for Iraqi Security Forces through advise and assist programs; through the provision of weapons, equipment, and intelligence; and through airstrikes with our coalition partners to enable our Iraqi partners’ success. As a part of our strategy for strengthening partners on the ground, President Obama today authorized the deployment of up to 1500 additional U.S. military personnel in a non-combat role to train, advise, and assist Iraqi Security Forces, including Kurdish forces. The President also authorized U.S. personnel to conduct these integral missions at Iraqi military facilities located outside Baghdad and Erbil. U.S. troops will not be in combat, but they will be better positioned to support Iraqi Security Forces as they take the fight to ISIL.

The President took these decisions at the request of the Iraqi Government and upon the recommendation of Secretary Hagel and his military commanders based upon the assessed needs of the Iraqi Security Forces. This mission will be undertaken in coordination with multiple coalition partners and will be funded through the request for an Iraq Train and Equip fund that the Administration will submit to Congress.

In recent weeks ISIL has suffered a series of defeats in Iraq against the Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga, with the support of U.S. and coalition air strikes and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, as well as U.S. military advice. The United States and its coalition partners will continue to confront the threat of ISIL with strength and resolve as we seek to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism campaign. The President values the dedication and valor of the American servicemen and women whom he asks to carry out this mission on behalf of the American people.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Statement from Shaun Donovan, Director of the Office of Management and Budget

The Obama Administration will request $5.6 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) activities to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL – including military operations as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. This request updates our June OCO request to Congress for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State and Other International Programs.

The request includes $1.6 billion to establish an Iraq Train and Equip Fund to develop and support Iraqi Security Forces, including Kurdish forces, as they work with the Government of Iraq to confront ISIL. This funding will help reconstitute the Iraqi Army and strengthen the capability and capacity of our Iraqi partners to go on the offensive against ISIL.

In total, this request supports the strategy the President laid out in his address to the Nation on September 10. That comprehensive strategy identified a clear objective for the United States and its allies and partners: to degrade, and ultimately defeat, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism campaign. Even with this additional request, total OCO funding for DOD is still approximately $20 billion less than the Department’s enacted OCO funding last year – continuing the downward trend in OCO spending as America’s combat mission in Afghanistan concludes.

We believe this request is an opportunity for Congress and this Administration to work together to provide the additional resources needed to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL and I look forward to working with Congress to secure this funding.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Readout of the President’s Meeting with Congressional Leaders

This afternoon, the President hosted Congressional leaders for a bicameral, bipartisan meeting to chart a new course forward and discuss areas of common ground where we can work together right away to deliver results for America’s middle class. The President started a conversation with the leaders on their priorities for the next few months and what they think can be accomplished on a bipartisan basis in the new year. The leaders shared their desire to work together in a bipartisan way.

The President also made clear that there is still business to get done this year and he set forth three areas where Congress can work together now. First, Congress can act now to support the request for emergency funding to combat Ebola abroad and increase our preparedness at home. Second, the President urged the leaders to pass a budget for the rest of the fiscal year in the same bipartisan, drama-free way they did earlier this year because there is no reason to create uncertainty for businesses that are putting Americans back to work. Finally, Secretary Hagel, Director Donovan and General Austin briefed the Members on the Administration’s ongoing efforts to confront the threat posed by ISIL and requested that Congress provide $5.6 billion in additional resources in FY15 to support the counter-ISIL strategy. General Austin also briefed the Leadership on an expansion of our effort to train and assist Iraqi Security Forces.

The President reiterated his commitment to taking action on immigration reform in light of the House’s inability to pass a comprehensive bill.

This week, the American people sent a clear message to Washington to deliver for the American people. The President heard them and he looks forward to working with Republicans and Democrats to do just that.

Congressional Participants

  • Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid, D-NV
  • Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY
  • Speaker John Boehner, R-OH
  • Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
  • Representative Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, Majority Leader
  • Senator John Cornyn, R-TX, Minority Whip
  • Representative Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Democratic Whip
  • Senator John Thune, R-SD, Republican Conference Chairman
  • Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA, Republican Conference Chairman
  • Representative Xavier Becerra, D-CA, Democratic Caucus Chairman
  • Senator Charles Schumer, D-NY, Vice Chair of the Conference and Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Center
  • Senator Patty Murray, D-WA, Secretary of the Conference
  • Senator John Barrasso, R-WY, Republican Policy Committee Chairman

Administration Participants

  • The Vice President
  • Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Defense
  • GEN Lloyd Austin, Commander, U.S. Central Command
  • Denis McDonough, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff
  • John Podesta, Counselor to the President
  • Susan Rice, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor
  • Katie Fallon, Assistant to the President and Director of Legislative Affairs
  • Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement
  • Shaun Donovan, Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  • Ron Klain, Ebola Response Coordinator
  • Alejandro Perez, Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs and House Liaison
  • Anne Wall, Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs and Senate Liaison

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Statement by the President on the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

On behalf of the American people, I join our German friends and allies in marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Like many Americans, I will never forget the scenes of East Berliners courageously taking to the streets, pushing past the guards and tearing down the wall that for so long had separated them from family and friends and the free world.  Their triumph that night was a tribute to all those who had lost their lives over the decades trying to escape to freedom.  It was a testament to the brave service of generations of West Germans, Americans and our fellow allies who stood shoulder to shoulder through a long Cold War.  And it was a reminder that walls of concrete and barbed wire are ultimately no match for the will of ordinary men and women who are determined to live free.

Twenty five years later, we celebrate the progress that was made possible by the events of that November night.  A united Germany plays a leading role in Europe and the world, and the United States is proud to count our German friends among our strongest allies.  Nations across Central and Eastern Europe stand tall as proud democracies.  Europe is more integrated, more prosperous and more secure.  But as Russia’s actions against Ukraine remind us, we have more work to do to fully realize our shared vision of a Europe that is whole, free and at peace.  In Europe and beyond—wherever citizens seek to determine their own destiny—we will be guided by the lessons of Berlin.  Walls and oppressive regimes may endure for a time, but in the end they cannot withstand the desire for liberty and human dignity that burns in every human heart.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Notice - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

NOTICE

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CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

On November 14, 1994, by Executive Order (E.O.) 12938, the President declared a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (weapons of mass destruction) and the means of delivering such weapons. On July 28, 1998, the President issued E.O. 13094, amending E.O. 12938, to respond more effectively to the worldwide threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation activities. On June 28, 2005, the President issued E.O. 13382, which, inter alia, further amended E.O. 12938, to improve our ability to combat proliferation. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States; therefore, the national emergency first declared on November 14, 1994, and extended in each subsequent year, must continue. In accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12938.

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

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 7, 2014.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Letter - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

November 7, 2014

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

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice, stating that the national emergency with respect to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction that was declared in Executive Order 12938 is to continue in effect beyond November 14, 2014.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 07, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on King v. Burwell

The ACA is working. These lawsuits won’t stand in the way of the Affordable Care Act and the millions of Americans who can now afford health insurance because of it. We are confident that the financial help afforded millions of Americans was the intent of the law and it is working as Congress designed.

This lawsuit reflects just another partisan attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act and to strip millions of American families of tax credits that Congress intended for them to have. We will continue to ensure that every American has the peace of mind of having access to affordable insurance. We are confident that the Supreme Court will recognize both the clear reading of the entire law, and the certain intent of Congress in crafting it. Indeed, with uninsured rates plummeting across the country, it’s clear that the Affordable Care Act is already working. American families who have already enrolled, or are planning to sign up during the open enrollment period beginning on November 15th should know that nothing has changed: tax credits and affordable coverage remain available.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 06, 2014

Statement by the President on the Selection of Jonathan Greenblatt as the Anti-Defamation League’s Incoming National Director

I offer congratulations to Jonathan Greenblatt, who will succeed Abe Foxman as the next National Director of the Anti-Defamation League. As Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation at the White House, Jonathan has been a valued member of my team and worked tirelessly to support innovative solutions to America’s challenges. I can’t thank him enough for his service.

For more than a century, the Anti-Defamation League has been a strong moral voice against anti-Semitism and hatred in all forms. I am confident that Jonathan will build on Abe’s extraordinary legacy, ensuring that the Anti-Defamation League remains at the forefront of efforts to achieve greater justice, freedom, and equality for people in the United States and across the globe.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 06, 2014

Statement by the President on the Passing of Lane Evans

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Congressman Lane Evans. Lane was a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and dedicated much of his public life to helping his fellow veterans, particularly those who fought in Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange. Lane was one of my earliest supporters when I ran for the Senate, and I was proud to have him by my side when I when I was elected President. Above all, Lane was an American hero, a dear friend and a beloved public servant of the people of Illinois. Michelle and I extend our thoughts and prayers to Lane’s family and friends, and the people he represented in Congress who loved him so dearly.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 06, 2014

Readout of National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice’s Meeting with Human Rights Advocates on China

National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met today with American and Chinese human rights advocates to discuss China ahead of President Obama’s November 10-12 visit to Beijing. They discussed the deterioration of China’s human rights situation, prospects for reform, and recommendations on how the United States can constructively encourage improvements in human rights conditions in China. National Security Advisor Rice expressed the Administration’s deep concern regarding the treatment of human rights defenders. Ambassador Rice emphasized the United States view that the advancement of human rights and the rule of law supports stability and prosperity in all countries, including China.