The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2015

Press Gaggle with Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Camden, NJ

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Camden, New Jersey 

12:30 P.M. EDT

MR. SCHULTZ:  Welcome, everyone, aboard Air Force One en route to Camden, New Jersey, where we will continue to highlight the administration’s efforts to lift up what is working when it comes to building stronger communities.  As part of that effort, we are releasing the Task Force on 21st Century Policing final report, which provides a blueprint for cities to develop innovative policing strategies. 

We're also releasing new tools to help communities implement the task force recommendations, including the White House police data initiative, community policing grants, and a body-worn camera toolkit designed to help law enforcement and professionals and the communities they serve plan and implement body-camera-worn programs.

In addition, the administration, as you all I think have seen now, is releasing the final Equipment Working Group report, which will enhance accountability and increase transparency in federal programs that support the transfer of equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies.  The President will use today as an opportunity to discuss how these efforts, along with others, help build trust among law enforcement and the communities they serve.

And with that, I will take your questions.

Q    On the equipment ban, can you give us a sense of the scope of this?  How many pieces of those banned equipment had been distributed before?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Nedra, I don't have those statistics.  I think the Department of Justice might be able to help you on that.  I know that the President’s focus in standing up this task force in the wake of the unrest in Ferguson was looking at the here and now, what is happening under this administration and what we can do to better address this.  So I know the recommendations that the task force put up apply to what the federal government is doing under the President’s watch, and the policy changes that we announced yesterday and today will be in place moving forward.

In terms of equipment that has gone out in years past, sometimes in decades past, they’re drawn from different federal programs, so it's difficult for me to detail under which program every locality has those equipment, but maybe the Justice Department could be helpful to you on that.

Q    They haven't even put inquiries yet, so that's why I was asking.  But back in December, Josh, in a briefing, had talked about these programs were useful to public safety and cited the response to the Boston Marathon bombing.  Do you all expect there could be an impact on public safety by taking these vehicles out of the local law enforcement hands?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I think part of the good work that was done through this working group was making sure that we did balance the needs of law enforcement with the sorts of equipment that we found contributed to unrest in communities.  So as you saw in the report, there was a set of controlled items that we believe are still appropriate to be deployed by local law enforcement.  Yet in deploying those, we'll look for more stringent protocols, more transparency and more accountability in terms of how that equipment is deployed.  And then there’s also that set of banned items that will no longer be available for local law enforcement.

Q    Can you give us an update on what kind of briefings the President is getting on the situation in Ramadi, and if he’s reconsidering U.S. strategy there because of what’s happened?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thank you, Nedra.  As you know, Ramadi has been contested over the last 18 months.  We’ve always known the fight against ISIL would be long and difficult, particularly in Anbar Province.  There’s no denying that this is, indeed, a setback.  But there’s also no denying that we will help the Iraqis take back Ramadi. 

The President is being kept up to date on the situation there.  I don’t have any new strategy to preview or that’s under contemplation right now, because as we’ve said for a while now, this was going to be a long-term proposition, that there would be ebbs and flows in this fight. 

Today, we are supporting the Iraqi security forces and the government of Iraq with precision airstrikes and advice to the Iraqi forces.  Our aircraft are in the air right now and searching for ISIL targets.  They will continue to do so until Ramadi is retaken.  In fact, we have conducted 32 airstrikes in Ramadi in the past three weeks, including eight over the past 24 hours.  These strikes will be continuing.  ISIL will ultimately be defeated in Ramadi and elsewhere in Iraq because we believe that Iraqi forces have the capacity to ultimately take Ramadi with coalition support. 

Q    -- take Ramadi back quickly?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Again, I think our coalition will continue to launch airstrikes in the region.  We’re continuing to talk with Iraqi security forces how we can best support their operations there.  And we are, indeed, working closely with Prime Minister Abadi and Iraqi government on an appropriate response.

Q    On the equipment ban, you mentioned that this is sort of a here and now and going forward policy.  Will this be in effect once the President leaves office?  Is this now the government policy going forward?  Or because it’s part of an executive order, is this only in place for the life of his tenure?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Well, Julie, the equipment ban is in place effective immediately and it is part of an executive order. 

Q    So it expires when he leaves office -- is that how that works?  Okay.  On Camden itself, you’ve said and administration officials have been talking about how Camden is an example of a success story where community-oriented policing has really made a difference.  The ACLU and New Jersey and some of the other law enforcement organizations or civil rights organizations there have criticized what’s gone on in Camden, saying that while there may have been some progress, there’s been more incidents of routine and very minor stops for things like a broken light and that there’s sort of a broken windows approach there.  And also a bunch of -- I think more than 60 incidents have an excessive use of force, most of which were later found to have been without foundation.  So I wonder if the President is aware of these.  Is he concerned about it?  Does he think that Camden is a success story, or do they still have a lot of work to do?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Julie, we think Camden does have a remarkable story of making significant success.  As you point out, they’re not done.  There’s still a lot of work to be done.

In terms of the specifics you cited, I would refer you to the department, who can walk you through that.  We are fully aware of both the challenges that they face on the ground but also the progress they’ve made.  I think it is important to point out the department has increased the number of their officers, has improved the environment in which the public can register the sort of complaints that you’ve talked about, and also broaden the definition of “excessive force” to capture more complaints.

So part of what we’ll be talking about is increased transparency and increased accountability.  So I think that speaks directly to some of the concerns you’ve raised.  I do think it’s important to note that, overall, violent crime statistics show dramatic improvements in Camden in 2012m with  homicides down 47 percent, and shootings down 54 percent.  In addition, the average respond time to 911 calls is now less than five minutes -- down from more than 60 minutes three years ago. 

Q    And can you say, generally, as part of the rationale for going to Camden that the President wants to actually praise some practices by police rather than just cracking down on some of the abuses we've seen and some of the questionable practices like the use of military-style equipment?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Absolutely, Julie.  In the wake of Ferguson, when the President stood up the Task Force on 21st Century Policing, part of what their mission was [was] to go out and look into the country and identify best practices from local law enforcement agencies around the country.  So, as you point out, there’s been some situations that have seen unrest in communities that are particularly going through some challenging times.  But Camden is one of those places where they have been able to rebuild a relationship between law enforcement and the community they serve, really strengthen that relationship and bridge the gap that once existed of deep divide and deep mistrust.

Q    We're going to land in Philadelphia today.  Was any consideration given to visiting the site of the Amtrak derailment?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Thank you for asking.  Upon landing in Philadelphia, the President will thank Mayor Nutter and the city’s first responder team for their swift work to treat the wounded and save lives after the derailment of the Amtrak train last week.  We’ll get a little bit more for you after this happens.  But when we land, the President is going to meet Senator Casey; Mayor Nutter; the Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Chuck Ramsey, who also chaired the task force; the Philadelphia Fire Commissioner, the Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor of Public Safety for the city of Philadelphia; and the Director of Emergency Management of the city of Philadelphia.

Q    Did he consider visiting the site, as well?

MR. SCHULTZ:  I don't think so.  We plan on thanking the first responders there for their courageous actions.

Q    -- that meeting.  Is it at the airport?

MR. SCHULTZ:  It is at the airport.  I think we’ll do our best to get you a readout.

Q    Up on the Hill, Mitch McConnell is floating a two-month extension of the Patriot Act because he doesn't think the USA Freedom Act, which you guys obviously support, has been worked out enough to get support among senators.  Would you guys be willing to sign that two-month extension?

MR. SCHULTZ:  Justin, our strategy on these important intelligence matters is to not kick the can down the road.  Congress has known of this impending deadline for months and months.  The June 1st expiration should not be taking anyone by surprise.  Republicans and Democrats alike have voiced resistance to a reauthorization of any length.  And as I noted on Friday, the House of Representatives passed the USA FREEDOM Act with a large bipartisan majority.  So this seems to be a piece of legislation that not only enjoys the President’s support, but is supported by Republicans, Democrats, privacy experts, and our intelligence community.

Q    On trade, two questions.  The first, both Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell expressed confidence over the weekend on the Sunday shows that trade would pass.  Do you guys share that confidence?  Do you think that you have the votes now?

And then Elizabeth Warren today released a report saying that so far the Labor Department has been slow and ineffective in implementing existing labor protections, and making the argument that stuff that's baked into TPA would also be poorly implemented by the administration.  What’s your response to that?

Q    So on the trade protections, I would point out that the -- I didn't see the details of that, but I would just separate out TPP, which under the President’s direction, would for the first time have enforceable labor, human rights, and environmental standards.  I know in past agreements they were included on side deals and side notes and side letters.  This time, for the first time, it will be included in an enforceable way in the body of the text. 

In terms of passage in the United States Congress, I don't have an updated whip count for you.  I saw those comments on the Sunday shows, as well.  We are confident in our argument.  We're confident that these are the types of trade deals that will be good for the American worker, good for American jobs.

Q    Last one on the ISIS fighter that was killed over the weekend.  Obviously, he was important enough for you guys to send in a mission into Syria.  But he wasn’t among the ISIS members that had a bounty on his head.  Can you explain sort of how important he was actually in the hierarchy at ISIS and how much you expect --

MR. SCHULTZ:  Sure, Justin.  We did seek to capture Abu Sayyaf because he’s a senior ISIL leader who, among other things, had a senior role in overseeing ISIL’s oil and gas operations, which is a key source of revenue -- oil and gas operations, a key source of revenue that enables the terrorist organization to carry out their brutal tactics and oppress thousands of innocent civilians.  He was also involved with military operations.  He may have also been complicit in the enslavement of a young Yazidi woman that we rescued.

Q    Thank you.

END
12:43 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2015

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

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

The Honorable John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State, will lead the delegation.  Other members of the delegation will be announced at a future date. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2015

Remarks by the President on Community Policing

Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
Camden, New Jersey

2:42 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody!  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Everybody, please have a seat.  Have a seat.  Well, thank you so much.  It is good to be in Camden.  (Applause.) 

I want to thank your Lieutenant Governor, Kim Guadagno; your Congressman, Donald Norcross; and your Mayor, Dana Redd, for being here.  Give them all a big round of applause.  (Applause.) I want to thank the outstanding facility, our hosts.  The Salvation Army is doing great work, and the Ray Kroc Center here seems like just a wonderful, wonderful facility.  (Applause.)  So we're very proud of them.   

I want to thank Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson for his outstanding work.  (Applause.)  Where’s the Chief?  There he is.  

So I’ve come here to Camden to do something that might have been unthinkable just a few years ago -- and that’s to hold you up as a symbol of promise for the nation.  (Applause.)  Now, I don't want to overstate it.  Obviously Camden has gone through tough times and there are still tough times for a lot of folks here in Camden.  But just a few years ago, this city was written off as dangerous beyond redemption -- a city trapped in a downward spiral.  Parents were afraid to let their children play outside.  Drug dealers operated in broad daylight.  There weren’t enough cops to patrol the streets. 

So two years ago, the police department was overhauled to implement a new model of community policing.  They doubled the size of the force -- while keeping it unionized.  They cut desk jobs in favor of getting more officers out into the streets.  Not just to walk the beat, but to actually get to know the residents -- to set up basketball games, to volunteer in schools, to participate in reading programs, to get to know the small businesses in the area. 

Now, to be a police officer takes a special kind of courage. And I talked about this on Friday at a memorial for 131 officers who gave their lives to protect communities like this one.  It takes a special kind of courage to run towards danger, to be a person that residents turn to when they’re most desperate.  And when you match courage with compassion, with care and understanding of the community -- like we’ve seen here in Camden -- some really outstanding things can begin to happen.

Violent crime in Camden is down 24 percent.  (Applause.)    Murder is down 47 percent.  (Applause.)  Open-air drug markets have been cut by 65 percent.  (Applause.)  The response time for 911 calls is down from one hour to just five minutes.  And when I was in the center, it was 1.3 minutes, right when I was there. (Applause.)  And perhaps most significant is that the police and residents are building trust.  (Applause.)  Building trust.  
 
Now, nobody is suggesting that the job is done.  This is still a work in progress.  The Police Chief would be the first one to say it.  So would the Mayor.  Camden and its people still face some very big challenges.  But this city is on to something. You’ve made real progress in just two years.  And that’s why I’m here today -- because I want to focus on the fact that other cities across America can make similar progress.

Everything we’ve done over the past six years, whether it’s rescuing the economy, or reforming our schools, or retooling our job training programs, has been in pursuit of one goal, and that's creating opportunity for all of us, all our kids.  But we know that some communities have the odds stacked against them, and have had the odds stacked against them for a very long time  -- in some cases, for decades.  You’ve got rural communities that have chronic poverty.  You have manufacturing communities that got hit hard when plants closed and people lost jobs.  There are not only cities but also suburbs where jobs can be tough to find, and tougher to get to because of development patterns and lack of transportation options.  And folks who do work, they’re working harder than ever, but sometimes don't feel like they can get ahead. 

And in some communities, that sense of unfairness and powerlessness has contributed to dysfunction in those communities.  Communities are like bodies, and if the immunity system is down, they can get sick.  And when communities aren't vibrant, where people don't feel a sense of hope and opportunity, then a lot of times that can fuel crime and that can fuel unrest. 
We’ve seen it in places like Baltimore and Ferguson and New York.  And it has many causes -- from a basic lack of opportunity to some groups feeling unfairly targeted by their police forces. And that means there’s no single solution.  There have to be a lot of different solutions and different approaches that we try. 
So one of the things that we did to address these issues was to create a task force on the future of community policing.  And this task force was outstanding because it was made up of all the different stakeholders -- we had law enforcement; we had community activists; we had young people.  They held public meetings across the country.  They developed concrete proposals that every community in America can implement to rebuild trust and help law enforcement. 

The recommendations were released in March; they were finalized today.  They include everything from enhanced officer training to improving the use of body cameras and other technologies to make sure that police departments are being smart about crime and that there’s enough data for them to be accountable as well. 

And we’re trying to support the great work that’s happening at the local level where cities are already responding to these recommendations.  And before I go further, I just want the members of our task force to stand, because they’ve done some outstanding work and they deserve to be acknowledged.  Thank you. (Applause.) 

Now, we’ve launched a Police Data Initiative that’s helping Camden and other innovative cities use data to strengthen their work and hold themselves accountable by sharing it with the public.  Departments might track things like incidents of force so that they can identify and handle problems that could otherwise escalate. 

Here in Camden, officers deal with some 41 different data systems, which means they have to enter the same information multiple times.  So today, we’ve brought a volunteer, Elite Tech Team, to help -- a group of data scientists and software engineers, and tech leaders.  They’re going to work with the police department here to troubleshoot some of the technical challenges so it’s even easier for police departments to do the things they already want to do in helping to track what’s going on in communities, and then also helping to make sure that that data is used effectively to identify where there are trouble spots, where there are problems, are there particular officers that may need additional help, additional training.  All that can be obtained in a really effective, efficient way. 

Today, we’re also releasing new policies on the military-style equipment that the federal government has in the past provided to state and local law enforcement agencies.  We’ve seen how militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like there’s an occupying force, as opposed to a force that’s part of the community that’s protecting them and serving them.  It can alienate and intimidate local residents, and send the wrong message.  So we’re going to prohibit some equipment made for the battlefield that is not appropriate for local police departments. (Applause.)

There is other equipment that may be needed in certain cases, but only with proper training.  So we’re going to ensure that departments have what they need, but also that they have the training to use it. 

We’re doing these things because we’re listening to what law enforcement is telling us.  The overwhelming majority of police officers are good and honest and fair.  They care deeply about their communities.  They put their lives on the line every day to keep them safe.  Their loved ones wait and worry until they come through the door at the end of their shift.  So we should do everything in our power to make sure that they are safe, and help them do the job the best they can.

And what’s interesting about what Chief Thomson has done, and what’s happening here in Camden, is these new officers -- who I have to confess made me feel old -- (laughter) -- because they all look like they could still be in school.  (Laughter.)  The approach that the Chief has taken in getting them out of their squad cars, into the communities, getting them familiar with the people that they’re serving -- they’re enjoying their jobs more because they feel as if, over time, they can have more of an impact, and they’re getting more help from the community because the community has seen them and knows them before there’s a crisis, before there’s an incident. 

So it’s not just crisis response.  It’s not after the fact there’s a crime, there’s a dead body, there’s a shooting, and now we’re going to show up.  It’s, we’re here all the time, and hopefully, we can prevent those shootings from happening in the first place.  (Applause.)

But one of the things I also want to focus on is the fact that a lot of the issues that have been raised here, and in places like Baltimore and Ferguson and New York, goes beyond policing.   We can't ask the police to contain and control problems that the rest of us aren’t willing to face or do anything about.  (Applause.)

If we as a society don’t do more to expand opportunity to everybody who’s willing to work for it, then we’ll end up seeing conflicts between law enforcement and residents.  If we as a society aren’t willing to deal honestly with issue of race, then we can't just expect police departments to solve these problems. If communities are being isolated and segregated, without opportunity and without investment and without jobs -- if we politicians are simply ramping up long sentences for nonviolent drug crimes that end up devastating communities, we can't then ask the police to be the ones to solve the problem when there are no able-bodied men in the community, or kids are growing up without intact households.  (Applause.)

We can't just focus on the problems when there’s a disturbance -- and then cable TV runs it for two or three or four days, and then suddenly we forget about it again, until the next time.  Communities like some poor communities in Camden or my hometown in Chicago, they're part of America, too.  The kids who grow up here, they're America’s children.  Just like children everyplace else, they’ve got hopes and they’ve got dreams and they’ve got potential.  And if we're not investing in them, no matter how good Chief Thomson and the police are doing, these kids are still going to be challenged.  So we’ve all got to step up.  We’ve all got to care about what happens.

Chief Thomson will tell you that his officers read to young children in the communities not just to build positive relationships, but because it’s in the interest of the community to make sure these kids can read -- so that they stay in school and graduate ready for college and careers, and become productive members of society.  That’s in his interest not just as a police chief, but also as a citizen of this country, and somebody who grew up in this areas and knows this area.

And that’s why we’ve partnered with cities and states to get tens of thousands more kids access to quality early childhood education.  No matter who they are or where they’re born, they should get a good start in life.  (Applause.)

That's why we’ve partnered with cities, including Camden, to create what we call Promise Zones -- (applause) -- where all-hands-on-deck efforts to change the odds for communities start happening because we're providing job training, and helping to reduce violence, and expanding affordable housing.  

It’s why we’re ready to work with folks from both sides of the aisle to reform our criminal justice system.  We all want safety, and we all know how pernicious the drug culture can be in undermining communities.  But this massive trend toward incarceration even of nonviolent drug offenders, and the costs of that trend are crowding out other critical investments that we can make in public safety.  If we're spending a whole lot of money on prisons, and we don't have computers or books or enough teachers or sports or music programs in our schools, we are being counterproductive.  It’s not a good strategy.  (Applause.)

And so, in addition to the work we're doing directly on the criminal justice front, we're also launching something that we call My Brother’s Keeper -- an initiative to ensure that all young people, but with a particular focus on young men of color, have a chance to go as far as their dreams will take them.  (Applause.)  Now, over the coming weeks, members of my Cabinet will be traveling around the country to highlight communities that are doing great work to improve the lives of their residents. 

We know these problems are solvable.  We’re know that we're not lacking for answers, we’re just lacking political will.  We have to see these problems for what they are -- not something that’s happening in some other city to some other people, but something that’s happening in our community, the community of America.  (Applause.)

And we know that change is possible because we’ve seen it in places like this.  We’ve seen it, thanks to people like Officer Virginia Matias.  Where is Virginia?  There she is right there.  (Applause.)  Earlier this year, Vice President Biden and I got to sit with Officer Matias and rank-and-file law enforcement officers from around the country.  And Virginia was talking about how when she was growing up in East Camden, crime was so bad she wasn’t allowed to go to the store alone.  Her mom was once robbed at gunpoint.  When she was 17, her uncle was shot and killed in his own store.  Instead of turning away from Camden, she decided she wanted to become a cop where she grew up to help the community she loved.  (Applause.)  And today, she is a proud member of the Camden County Police Department.  (Applause.) 

And she’s a constant presence in the community, getting to know everybody she passes on her beat, even volunteering in a kindergarten.  Officer Matias isn’t just helping to keep her community safe, she’s also a role model for young people of Camden.  And anybody who thinks that things aren’t getting better, she says, “I see kids playing outside, riding bikes in the neighborhood, on their porches having a conversation.  That’s how I measure change.”

That’s how we should all measure change.  I had a chance to meet with some of the young people here who participated in a little roundtable with the officers, and they're extraordinary young people.  And they’ve got hopes and dreams just like Malia and Sasha, and they're overcoming some bigger barriers than my children ever had to go through, or I had to go through.  And they're strong, and they're focused.

But in talking to them, some of them -- the reason they’ve been able to make it and do well is because their parents don't let them out outside.  Well, you know what, children shouldn’t have to be locked indoors in order to be safe.  That's not right. Some of them still have concerns about friends of theirs that have taken a wrong path and gotten involved in the streets and drugs.  That's not the environment we need our kids to be growing up in. 

I challenge everybody to get to know some of these young people.  They're outstanding, and they're going to do great things in their lives.  (Applause.)  But the point is, is that they shouldn’t have to go through superhuman efforts just to be able to stay in school and go to college and achieve their promise.  That should be the norm.  That should be standard.  And if it isn’t, we're not doing something right.  We as a society are not doing something right if it isn’t.  (Applause.)

So, ultimately, that's how we're going to measure change:  Rising prospects for our kids.  Rising prospects for the neighborhood.  Do our children feel safe on the streets?  Do they feel cared for by their community?  Do they feel like the police departments care about them?  Do they feel as if when they work hard they can succeed?  Do they feel like the country is making an investment in them?  Do they see role models for success?  Are there pathways to jobs that they can identify?  Do they know that if they put in effort, they can make it?  Are they going to be treated fairly regardless of the color of their skin or what their last name is? 

It’s pretty basic.  I travel around the country -- the one thing that makes me always so optimistic is our children.  And what you realize is everywhere, kids are -- kids are kids.  Sometimes they’ll drive you crazy.  (Laughter.)  They’ll make mistakes.  But there’s an inherent goodness in them.  They want to do the right thing.  They just need to be given a chance.

And some of them aren’t going to be lucky enough to have the structures at home that they need -- in which case then, we all have to pick up the slack.  And if we do, they’ll respond.  They will.  But we got to feel like that they're our kids.  We got to see our children in them, in their eyes.  And we haven’t done enough of that.  But we can. 

This is a moment of great promise; this is a moment of great hope.  And if we're seeing such extraordinary improvement in Camden because of the good efforts of a lot of elected officials, and an outstanding police chief and some wonderful police officers, and a community that's supportive, and nonprofit organizations like the Salvation Army and others that are doing some great work -- if it’s working here, it can work anywhere. (Applause.)  It can work anywhere.

On the City Hall of Camden you got an inscription by Walt Whitman:  “In a dream, I saw a city invincible.”  In a dream I see a country invincible -- if we care enough to make the effort on behalf of every child in this country.  (Applause.)

Camden is showing that it can be done.  I want America to show everybody around the world that it can be done. 

Thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END
3:05 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2015

Presidential Proclamation -- 50th Anniversary of Head Start

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HEAD START

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Supporting our children in their earliest years with high-quality care and education is one of the best investments we can make as a Nation -- and for 50 years, Head Start has helped to lift up millions of America's children and their families in communities across our country.  The oldest and largest Federal program to deliver high-quality early learning opportunities to low-income children, Head Start was founded on the idea that every child -- no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they grow up -- deserves the chance to reach their full potential.  Since 1965, it has given meaning to the simple truth that in America, where you start should not determine how far you can go.

In the last half-century, Head Start has served 32 million children, supporting them in every aspect of their development -- from early learning and health and nutrition to social and emotional well-being.  Designed to cultivate original ideas and innovative approaches to preparing children for success later in school and in life, Head Start has pioneered new solutions to fight the harmful effects of poverty and build ladders of opportunity into the middle class.  In small towns and large cities -- in America's immigrant communities and with migrant and seasonal families, faith-based communities, and tribal leaders -- Head Start programs and providers empower children and their families to foster positive parent-child relationships, to reach for economic and family stability, and to make important connections to their peers and their communities.

During a critical period in a child's life, Head Start sets our Nation's young people on the path to success.  We know that investments in early childhood education boost graduation rates, increase earnings, and reduce violent crime.  And 3- and 4-year-olds who attend high-quality preschool -- including Head Start -- are less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to need special education, and more likely to graduate from high school.  This head start in life leaves a lasting impact on our students and fuels their curiosity, helping them to grow up with a passion for learning, a fair shot at good-paying jobs, and a more secure future.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Early Head Start, created to enhance the impact of Head Start by serving children from birth to age 3, as well as expectant mothers -- ensuring all children receive the best care possible. This expansion has made a real difference for thousands of infants, toddlers, and their families.  As President, I have endeavored to strengthen Head Start and build on its legacy.  My Administration has expanded the program to reach tens of thousands of additional children and families in the depth of the economic recession.  We have instituted reforms to raise the standards and focus on improving outcomes across Head Start programs and classrooms, so that children and families can rely on the highest quality of services.  And we have launched new ways to build connections between Early Head Start and America's child care subsidy system to reach additional infants and toddlers in need of high-quality early care and education.  We will continue to invest in Head Start and strive to expand its reach to additional children and families throughout America. Our children deserve nothing less.

Despite five decades of tremendous success, too many young people still grow up without access to a world-class education.  Instead of receiving a head start in life, they start out a step behind.  As a Nation, we must continue our work to ensure the promise of education is within reach for all our daughters and sons.  That is why I have proposed a series of new investments that will establish a continuum of high-quality early learning for every child, beginning at birth and continuing to age 5.  This year, I unveiled a plan that would make quality child care available to every middle-class and low-income family with young children under the age of 3.  I have also called on the Congress to expand access to high-quality preschool and full-day kindergarten for every child in America.  And I am calling on all Americans -- including leaders of private and philanthropic organizations, communities, and governments at every level -- to make their own commitments to our children, an effort that has already led to an investment of more than $1 billion to support our next generation of thinkers, dreamers, and doers.

The history of Head Start has taught us that if our Nation invests in the future of all our children, we can strengthen our economy, bolster our communities, and give every young person the chance to build a better life.  As we mark the 50th anniversary of Head Start, let us rededicate ourselves to building an education system worthy of our daughters' and sons' enormous potential, and to providing a strong, healthy, and safe head start in life for all of America's children.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 18, 2015, as the 50th Anniversary of Head Start.  I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that recognize the importance of this vital program and support high-quality education for all Americans. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

 

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2015

President Obama Signs West Virginia Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of West Virginia and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of April 8-11, 2015.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in the counties of Braxton, Brooke, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Lewis, Marshall, Ohio, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler, and Wetzel.

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 Kari Suzann Cowie 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.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2015

FACT SHEET: Creating Opportunity for All Through Stronger, Safer Communities

President Obama believes that in America everyone should be empowered by the country they call home, not limited by the zip code into which they are born.  That’s why the President’s agenda is focused on expanding opportunity for all:  restoring economic security to hard-hit American families; building stronger neighborhoods and communities; and ensuring young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Today, in Camden, New Jersey, the President will highlight innovative steps taken by a city that has struggled with one of the nation's highest violent crime rates to create economic opportunity, help police do their jobs more safely, and reduce crime in the process.  Changes include increasing the number of police officer boots on the ground and changing the way their officers interact with the community.  The Camden County Police Department has instituted a community policing initiative, and just last month, the city accepted the My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge and was separately designated as a Promise Zone, representing the culmination of five years of collaborative efforts aimed at improving the quality of life for Camden children, youth, and families. 

The President will also highlight how communities are adopting the recommendations of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing and will highlight new tools all cities can utilize to build and maintain the all-important trust between the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day, and the communities they have sworn to serve and protect. These tools include:

  • A Blueprint for Improved Community Policing: The final Task Force Report provides a blue print for cities and towns to utilize as they develop policing strategies that work best for building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve while enhancing public safety. 
  • The White House Police Data Initiative:  Leading jurisdictions have joined technologists, community organizations and police associations to commit to use data and technology in ways that build community trust and reduce unnecessary uses of force.
  • Community Policing Grants: The Department of Justice (DOJ) will begin taking applications for grants designed to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies through hiring, training and technical assistance, the development of innovative community policing strategies, applied research, guidebooks, and best practices that are national in scope.
  • A Body-Worn Camera Tool Kit:  Earlier this month, the DOJ announced a new pilot grant program that will help local law enforcement agencies develop, implement, and evaluate body-worn camera programs, and today, DOJ is releasing an online clearinghouse of resources designed to help law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve plan and implement body-worn camera (BWC) programs.
  • Partnerships with National Law Enforcement Focused Organizations to Implement Recommendations: With support from the Department of Justice, nine law enforcement-focused organizations will develop national-level, industry-wide projects for several of the pillars outlined in the Task Force Report.
  • Equipment Working Group Final Report: A federal interagency working group—led by the Departments of Justice, Defense, and Homeland Security – has now completed an extensive review of federal programs that support the acquisition of equipment by state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies.  On the basis of that review, the working group developed a series of concrete steps to enhance accountability, increase transparency, and better serve the needs of law enforcement and local communities.

In addition, over the next few weeks, members of the President’s Cabinet will be traveling across the country to lift up best practices and highlight other cities where local leaders are partnering with federal agencies, foundations, private sector partners, and police departments to improve the quality of life in their communities on issues from healthcare to education to transparency in policing.  Secretary Castro will visit Fullerton, CA, Kansas City, and St. Louis; Secretary Duncan will travel to Philadelphia; Secretary Foxx will travel to Charlotte; Secretary Perez will travel to Minneapolis, New Haven, and Pittsburgh; and Secretary Vilsack will travel to Memphis.

Additionally, Attorney General Lynch will travel to Cincinnati as part of a national Community Policing tour that will highlight collaborative programs and innovative policing practices designed to advance public safety, strengthen police-community relations, and foster mutual trust and respect.  The tour will build on President Obama’s commitment to engage with law enforcement, local leaders, young people and other members of the community to implement key recommendations from the 21st Century Policing Task Force report.

The administration is deeply engaged with these communities and others across the country, showing what can be achieved when people from all walks of life come together to expand opportunity for all Americans. 

The Task Force on 21st Century Policing

Last December, President Barack Obama created the Task Force on 21st Century Policing with a mission to identify best practices and make recommendations on how such practices can promote effective crime reduction while building public trust.  The Task Force was chaired by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey and George Mason University Professor Laurie Robinson and included, among others, law enforcement representatives, community leaders, academics, and youth leaders.  Over several months, the Task Force held public hearings across the country; took testimony from over 100 witnesses; reviewed hundreds of written submissions and thoughtfully came to consensus on 59 concrete recommendations. The Task Force presented their interim report, including recommendations regarding policies, training, transparency, accountability, technology and officer safety and wellness, to the President in March, and today the final report is available HERE.

White House Police Data Initiative: Using Data and Technology to Build Community Trust

The Task Force Report emphasized the importance of data and technology in helping local law enforcement agencies excel in their work and build community trust.  Even when local law enforcement agencies are willing to explore new ways to use and release such data, there are often technical and other impediments to doing so.  To break down barriers, the White House, with assistance from foundations like the Laura & John Arnold Foundation, launched the Police Data Initiative (PDI) with police chiefs and municipal Chief Technology Officers from sixteen jurisdictions that we expect to be leaders in this space. Since the launch, five additional jurisdictions joined the effort.  As part of the initiative, these jurisdictions are working alongside technologists, community organizations and police associations to implement multiple commitments to action that leverage open data to increase transparency and build community trust, better utilize early warning systems to identify problems, increase internal accountability, and decrease inappropriate uses of force.  More information about the White House Police Data Initiative is available HERE.

Jurisdictions taking part in the White House Police Data Initiative (PDI) so far include: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Camden, NJ; Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC; Cincinnati, OH; Columbia, SC; Dallas, TX; Hampton, VA; Indianapolis, IN; Knoxville, TN;  Los Angeles, CA; LA County, CA; Louisville, KY; Montgomery County, MD; New Orleans, LA; Newport News, VA; Oakland, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Richmond, CA; Rutland, VT; and Seattle, WA. 

Below are some highlights of the work these police departments are taking with other PDI participants:

Open Data to Build Transparency and Increase Community Trust

  • Twenty-one jurisdictions committed to release a combined total of 101 data sets that have not been released to the public.  The types of data include uses of force, police pedestrian and vehicle stops, citations, officer involved shootings and more, helping the communities gain visibility into key information on police/citizen encounters.
  • Code for America and CI Technologies will work together to build an open source software tool to make it easier for more than 500 U.S. law enforcement agencies using IA Pro police integrity software to extract and open up data.
  • To make police open data easy to find and use, the Police Foundation and ESRI will build a non-exclusive police open data portal to serve as a central clearinghouse option for police open data, making it easily accessible to community groups and researchers to analyze and see trends.
  • To help this newly released data come alive for communities through mapping, visualizations and other tools, city leaders, non-profit organizations, and private sector partners will host open data hackathons in cities around the country.
  • The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is working with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice to use open data to provide a full picture of key policing activities, including stops, searches and use-of-force trends, information and demographics on neighborhoods patrolled, and more.   This partnership will build on a website and tools already developed by the Southern Coalition for Justice which provide visualization and search tools to make this data easily accessible and understandable.
  • Presidential Innovation Fellows, through the U.S. CTO and U.S. Chief Data Scientist will release an Open Data Playbook that police departments can use as a reference for open data best practices and case studies. 
  • The International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Foundation, and Code for America have committed to help grow communities of practice for law enforcement agencies and technologists around open data and transparency around police/community interactions.

Early Warning Systems and Data Research

  • While many police departments have systems in place, often called “early warning systems”, to identify officers who may be having challenges in their interactions with the public and link them with training, there has been little research to determine which indicators are most closely linked  to bad outcomes.  To tackle this issue, twelve police departments have committed to share data on police/citizen encounters with data scientists for in-depth data analysis, strengthening the ability of police to intervene early and effectively: Austin, TX; Camden, NJ; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Knoxville, TN; LA City; LA County; Louisville, KY; New Orleans, LA; Philadelphia, PA and Richmond, CA.
  • The University of Chicago will provide a team of five data science fellows from the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Data Science for Social Good program to work with 3-4 police departments over a 14 week engagement, starting in late May to begin to prototype data analysis tools that will help police departments identify the behaviors most indicative of later problems.
  • Today in Camden, NJ, the city will welcome a Police Data Initiative Tech Team. This volunteer team of technology experts and data scientists will spend two days with Camden PD. They will focus on key technology systems with a goal of helping the Camden police enhance analysis and gain greater insights on officer activity. The goal is for the Camden PD to begin developing the solutions that surface potential problems before they happen while pointing to best practices that other departments can follow.   

Body-Worn Camera Initiative: Identifying Most Effective Practices for Body-Worn Camera Use

The Task Force recommended steps the federal government could take to encourage adoption of body-worn cameras (BWC), while also noting that such cameras pose privacy and implementation challenges.  Earlier this month, DOJ announced a $20 million Body-Worn Camera Pilot Partnership Program designed to respond to the immediate needs of local and tribal law enforcement organizations.  Today, DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance launched the National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit, an online clearinghouse of resources designed to help law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve plan and implement BWC programs.  The toolkit consolidates and translates research, promising practices, templates and tools that have been developed by subject matter experts.  Areas of focus include procurement; training; implementation; retention and policies along with interests of prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim and privacy advocates and community members.

Community Policing Grants: Helping Communities Implement Innovative Policing Strategies

The Task Force recommended that DOJ, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) provide incentives for state and local law enforcement to adopt the recommendations. Today, the COPS office will launch solicitations for grants and technical assistance that are closely aligned with the recommendations.  Funding is available for local law enforcement agencies committed to implementing the recommendations and to adopting policies that build community trust, including through hiring, training, initiating pilot projects, and developing new guidance and best practices.  Grants will be awarded this fall.  For further information about how the COPS office is supporting for implementation of the Task Force recommendations click HERE.

Partnering with National Law Enforcement Organizations to Implement Recommendations

With support from the COPS Office, law enforcement focused organizations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Police Executive Research Forum, the National Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Police Foundation, will develop national-level, industry-wide projects for several of the pillars outlined in the Task Force Report.  Supported activities will range from the creation of positive and meaningful  engagement opportunities between law enforcement and youth, identification of best practices for engaging the community in the mutual responsibility of public safety, exploration of the circumstances and causality behind documented line-of-duty injuries, and promotion of officer safety and well-being.

The Major Cities Chiefs Association will also be partnering with the COPS Office to host three roundtable convenings of member chiefs to discuss the implementation of selected recommendations from the Task Force Report.  The discussions will explore experiences and lessons from agencies that may have implemented some of the recommendations, including associated challenges, and the role of senior leaders making the changes called for in the Task Force Report. Key ideas from the discussion will be captured and shared with the field through a report on the discussions. The first roundtable will take place in Nashville, Tennessee in June.

In addition, the International Association of Chiefs of Police has committed to building a National Center for Community-Police Relations (NCCPR) which will provide support to any local law enforcement agencies that wish to address the issues raised in the Task Force Report.  Support will include: providing educational materials that will break down the Task Force recommendations for all levels of officer;  on-site culture assessments to determine the strengths and weaknesses of local agencies relating to the report’s six pillars; using the train-the-trainer model to create a national cadre of local agency officers who can train others on recommendation implementation; and leader-to-leader mentoring to allow leaders who have successfully implemented recommendations to work with those desiring to do so. 

Helping Police Get People Needed Services

Since 2011, the Ford Foundation, with other foundations, has supported Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) in Seattle, an innovative arrest diversion program co-designed by police, prosecutors, public defenders, civil rights leaders and public health experts.  This evidence-based program lets law enforcement officers directly divert people, whom they could arrest for low-level crimes, such as drug or prostitution offenses, to case managers, who assist with housing, treatment and other supportive services, instead of using jail and prosecution.  An evaluation by the University of Washington, funded by the Arnold Foundation and released in March 2015, found that participants in the program had 58% lower odds of a subsequent arrest as compared to a control group. Equally important, it helps improve the relationship between the police and the people they encounter on the streets. Consistent with the Task Force recommendation that law enforcement agencies “emphasize . . . alternatives to arrest or summons in situations where appropriate,” the Ford Foundation plans to work with other foundations to provide technical assistance to jurisdictions around the country planning to implement LEAD.  Over 30 jurisdictions nationally have expressed interest and will be invited to a convening to be hosted by The White House and the Ford Foundation in July.

Equipment Working Group Final Report

In addition to the work completed by the Task Force on 21st Century Policing, a separate federal interagency working group—led by the Departments of Justice, Defense and Homeland Security – has now completed an extensive review of federal programs that support the transfer of equipment to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies.  On the basis of that review, the working group developed a series of concrete steps to enhance accountability, increase transparency, and better serve the needs of law enforcement and local communities.  The President has directed departments and agencies to put the working group’s recommendations into practice and continue to partner with law enforcement and local communities during the implementation process. The working group report is available HERE.

  • The working group developed a unified list of prohibited equipment that may not be acquired under any of the various programs. This list includes tracked armored vehicles, weaponized aircraft and vehicles, bayonets, grenade launchers, and large-caliber firearms.
  • The working group developed a unified list of equipment that law enforcement may acquire only in accordance with new and more rigorous controls.  This controlled list includes armored vehicles, tactical vehicles, riot gear, and specialized firearms and ammunition.
    • Uniform Acquisition Standards: Across all programs, the transfer of equipment on the controlled list will require the consent of the appropriate local civilian governing body (e.g., City Council, County Council, Mayor) as well as a clear and persuasive explanation of the need for the equipment and the appropriate law enforcement purpose that it will serve.
    • Training and Protocols: To receive such equipment, law enforcement agencies must commit to have in place “general policing” training standards, including training on community policing, constitutional policing, and community impact.  Agencies must also agree to protocols on the appropriate use, supervision, and operation of such equipment.
    • Required Data Collection: Law enforcement agencies must collect and retain certain information whenever such equipment is involved in a “significant incident.”   Upon request or during a compliance review, the law enforcement agency must provide this information to the federal agency that supported the equipment’s acquisition.  This information will also be made publicly available in accordance with the law enforcement agency's applicable policies and protocols.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2015

Statement by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice on LGBT Rights

Tomorrow, the international community will mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.  This day and every day, the United States stands in solidarity with members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and all those around the world who work to advance the unassailable principle that LGBT rights are human rights.

The recent unconscionable comments by Gambian President Yahya Jammeh underscore why we must continue to seek a world in which no one lives in fear of violence or persecution because of who they are or whom they love. We condemn his comments, and note these threats come amid an alarming deterioration of the broader human rights situation in The Gambia. We are deeply concerned about credible reports of torture, suspicious disappearances – including of two American citizens - and arbitrary detention at the government's hands.

The United States in late 2014 acted on The Gambia’s crackdown against its LGBT community and wider human rights violations by ending trade preferences, and we are reviewing what additional actions are appropriate to respond to this worsening situation.

We repeat our call for the Gambian government, and all governments, to lead inclusively, repudiate intolerance, and promote respect for the universal rights and fundamental freedoms of all people.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2015

FACT SHEET: Promoting and Protecting the Human Rights of LGBT Persons: A United States Government Priority

On May 17, the international community marks International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).  This day, and every day, the United States is taking steps to promote respect for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons both at home and around the world.   Among the areas in which the U.S. Government has made significant progress are the following:

Making the Advancement of LGBT Rights A Foreign Policy Priority:

  • On December 6, 2011, President Obama released the Presidential Memorandum on International Initiatives to Advance the Human Rights of LGBT Persons, which directs departments and agencies to combat criminalization of LGBT status or conduct abroad; protect vulnerable LGBT refugees or asylum seekers; enhance assistance to protect human rights and advance nondiscrimination for LGBT persons; and help ensure swift and meaningful responses to human rights abuses of LGBT persons abroad.
  • On the same day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a landmark speech in Geneva, stating that “The Obama Administration defends the rights of LGBT people as part of our comprehensive human rights policy and as a foreign policy priority,”  and underscoring that LGBT rights are human rights, and human rights are LGBT rights. 
  • During the course of this Administration, we have launched two global funding partnerships – the Global Equality Fund and the LGBT Global Development Partnership – which have provided millions of dollars in assistance, including emergency assistance, to LGBT civil society activists and organizations. 
  • Our diplomats have opened U.S. embassies and consulates to LGBT communities around the world, marched in Pride parades, and raised the human rights of LGBT persons in countless bilateral and multilateral meetings.  In forums ranging from the U.N. General Assembly to The Human Rights Campaign to the Tonight Show, President Obama and senior administration officials have spoken publicly, engaged privately, and made clear our conviction that all persons deserve to live lives free from violence and discrimination. 

Changes to Department and Agency Staffing, Policies, and Practices

  • The State Department revised its Foreign Affairs Manual to allow same-sex couples to obtain passports under the names recognized by their state through their marriages or civil unions and in 2010, the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced new procedures for changing the sex listed on a transgender American’s passport, streamlining the process and simplifying requirements to ensure greater dignity and privacy for the applicant.
  • We have steadily expanded coverage of the conditions for LGBT persons in every country in the world in the State Department’s annual Human Rights Reports.  The State Department continues to provide information on discriminatory laws and societal practices for U.S. citizen travelers through the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Country Specific Information (CSI).
  • A number of Departments and Agencies, including State, USAID, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and the Peace Corps are providing new training for staff and implementing partners to better understand the issues of gender identity and sexual orientation and agency roles in advancing the human rights of LGBT persons. 
  • In June 2014 USAID launched its LGBT Vision for Action: Promoting and Supporting the Inclusion of LGBT Individuals that demonstrates the Agency's commitment to LGBT inclusion.  
  • In February 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the appointment of Randy Berry as the first-ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons.  Special Envoy Berry joins USAID Senior Coordinator Todd Larson in leading the U.S. Government’s efforts to advance the human rights of LGBT persons.  Six openly gay U.S. Ambassadors are serving at Embassies around the world.  And, this year, the Peace Corps also created a position devoted to training staff to support LGBT Peace Corps Volunteers. 

Work in the Multilateral Arena

  • In 2010, the United States joined the LGBT Core Group at the UN in New York for the first time.  That year, on Human Rights Day, Ambassador Susan Rice spoke alongside the UN Secretary General at a panel discussion on the Human Rights of LGBT individuals – marking the first time the United States had co-sponsored such an event. 
  • In December 2010, the United States led efforts at the UN General Assembly to reinsert language on sexual orientation into a resolution on extrajudicial, summary, and arbitrary executions, after the language’s removal in committee.  The amendment was approved by a 93-55 margin.  In 2012, that resolution included language on gender identity for the first time.
  • At the UN Human Right’s Council’s June 2011 session, the United States, South Africa, and Latin American and EU countries led efforts to pass the first UN resolution on the human rights of LGBT persons.  The resolution also called on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to produce the first global report, published in November 2011, on discrimination and violence toward persons based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.  In September 2014 the United States co-sponsored the second U.N. Human Rights Council resolution on the human rights of LGBT persons. 
  • With the support of the United States, the World Health Organization has begun discussions on the negative repercussions of stigma, discrimination, and other barriers to care for LGBT persons in the health system as a whole.  In 2013 the Pan-American Health Organization passed a ground-breaking resolution on LGBT health, which emphasized that equal access to care is a health issue and called on countries to collect data on access to health care and health facilities for their LGBT population. 
  • At the 2013 and 2014 high-level meetings of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the United States co-sponsored ministerial level events on the human rights of LGBT people.  In 2014, USAID co-hosted an UNGA event on LGBT Inclusion, Extreme Poverty, and Religion.  In collaboration with the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and the Arcus Foundation, the event featured a conversation with religious leaders on the importance of religion as a positive force to advance the human rights and livelihoods LGBT persons around the world.
  • In March 2015, the United States worked with partners to defeat a proposal in the 5th Committee of the UNGA that would have rescinded a UN Secretary General administrative bulletin allowing the same-sex spouses of all UN staff, regardless of their nationality, to receive spousal benefits.
  • The Doha Declaration, a consensus document adopted by Member States in April 2015 during the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, includes groundbreaking language that the United States introduced on the need to provide “specialized training to criminal justice professionals to enhance capacities for recognizing, understanding, suppressing and investigating hate crimes motivated by discrimination of any kind, to help engage effectively with victim communities and to build public confidence and cooperation with criminal justice agencies.”
  • The Treasury Department encourages the multilateral development banks (MDBs) to strengthen attention to LGBT issues in their human resources policies, and to protect the human rights of LGBT persons and advance social inclusion and non-discrimination through MDBs’ projects, including, for example, studies to measure the economic cost of discrimination against LGBT persons, and steps to ensure that LGBT persons can access projects’ benefits without being exposed to harm.

Supporting LGBT Activists and Individuals around the world

  • Since its inception in 2011, the State Department’s Global Equality Fund, a partnership of 11 governments as well as a number of corporations and private foundations, has allocated more than $19 million to frontline advocates in 50 countries. 
  • In fiscal year 2014, USAID invested approximately $3.3 million in stand-alone programs specifically designed to address the needs of the LGBT community as well as an additional $113 million in programs related to health and human rights that were particularly relevant to members of the LGBT community.  For example, the Agency’s LGBT Global Development Partnership operates in 15 countries and consists of 28 resource partners including multinational corporations, foundations, NGOs and a university.  One of the Partnership’s projects, with the Williams Institute at UCLA, resulted in a report on the economic costs of discrimination: The Relationship Between LGBTI Economic Inclusion and Economic Development: An Analysis of Emerging Economies.
  • PEPFAR and USAID have launched a $7 million public-private partnership with the Elton John Foundation.  The project, called health4men, focuses on strengthening community capacity and expanding access to non-discriminatory HIV services for men who have sex with men and transgender persons in South Africa.
  • In July 2014 at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia, USAID announced Linkages Across the Continuum of HIV Services for Key Populations Affected by HIV (LINKAGES), a $73 million award over 5 years. It is PEPFAR and USAID’s first global project dedicated to 15 key populations, which includes gay men, other men who have sex with men, and transgender persons as specific populations to reach with HIV services.
  • The State Department and the Department of Justice provide training on LGBT issues to law enforcement officials and NGOs.  For example, in 2014, the State Department sponsored counter hate crimes training for law enforcement officials from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, and Mexico.  In addition, State supports a Violent Crimes Task Force in Honduras that investigates and supports the prosecution of LGBT-related homicide cases. 
  • In late February 2015, USAID’s Being LGBT in Asia convened a landmark regional dialogue in Bangkok that was attended by 200+ delegates from 30+ Asia-Pacific countries and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok.

Coming Together, Taking Action, and Speaking Out

  • U.S. diplomats and development professionals work with host countries around the world to address discriminatory laws and practices and to encourage more inclusive policies.  We continue to work in partnership with like-minded governments, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and the private sector.
  • The U.S. Government has pushed back publicly and privately against discriminatory legislation, including in Uganda and The Gambia.  And senior U.S. officials continue to speak in support of LGBT persons around the world, as President Obama has done in trips to Russia, Senegal and, most recently, Jamaica.  
  • In June 2014 the White House hosted the first-ever Global LGBT Human Rights Forum, which brought together the faith community, private sector, philanthropy, HIV and other health advocates, LGBT activists from around the world, and the broader human rights community to discuss how to work together with the U.S. government and others to promote respect for the human rights of LGBT individuals around the world.  National Security Advisory Susan Rice delivered keynote remarks. 
  • In November 2014, the State Department and USAID hosted the third Annual Conference to Advance the Human Rights of and Promote Inclusive Development for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Persons (LGBTI).  The conference was the largest such gathering to date, bringing together senior leaders from government, civil society and the private sector to discuss and strategize on how to most effectively protect the human rights of LGBT persons and promote their inclusion in development programs.
  • U.S. Embassies, Consulates, USAID Missions, and Department of Defense installations around the world host and participate in Pride events.  In 2014, for the first time, the Department of Defense’s Tri-Service Color Guard participated in the Washington, D.C. Capital Pride Parade.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2015

Statement by the President on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Michelle and I join our fellow Americans and others around the world in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia tomorrow, May 17.  We take this opportunity to reaffirm that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are human rights, to celebrate the dignity of every person, and to underscore that all people deserve to live free from fear, violence, and discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love. 

We work toward this goal every day. Here at home, we are working to end bias-motivated violence, combat discrimination in the workplace, and address the specific needs of transgender persons.  Overseas, I am proud of the steps that the United States has taken to prioritize the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in our diplomacy and global outreach.

There is much more to do, and this fight for equality will not be won in a day.  But we will keep working, at home and abroad, and we will keep fighting, for however long it takes until we are all able to live free and equal in dignity and rights.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2015

Statement by the President on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Michelle and I join our fellow Americans and others around the world in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia tomorrow, May 17.  We take this opportunity to reaffirm that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are human rights, to celebrate the dignity of every person, and to underscore that all people deserve to live free from fear, violence, and discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love. 

We work toward this goal every day. Here at home, we are working to end bias-motivated violence, combat discrimination in the workplace, and address the specific needs of transgender persons.  Overseas, I am proud of the steps that the United States has taken to prioritize the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in our diplomacy and global outreach.

There is much more to do, and this fight for equality will not be won in a day.  But we will keep working, at home and abroad, and we will keep fighting, for however long it takes until we are all able to live free and equal in dignity and rights.