Executive Order -- Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

EXECUTIVE ORDER

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COMBATING ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order as follows:

Section 1. Policy. The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century fundamentally transformed human and veterinary medicine. Antibiotics save millions of lives each year in the United States and around the world. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, however, represents a serious threat to public health and the economy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that annually at least two million illnesses and 23,000 deaths are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the United States alone.

Detecting, preventing, and controlling antibiotic resistance requires a strategic, coordinated, and sustained effort. It also depends on the engagement of governments, academia, industry, healthcare providers, the general public, and the agricultural community, as well as international partners. Success in this effort will require significant efforts to: minimize the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria; preserve the efficacy of new and existing antibacterial drugs; advance research to develop improved methods for combating antibiotic resistance and conducting antibiotic stewardship; strengthen surveillance efforts in public health and agriculture; develop and promote the use of new, rapid diagnostic technologies; accelerate scientific research and facilitate the development of new antibacterial drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other novel therapeutics; maximize the dissemination of the most up-to-date information on the appropriate and proper use of antibiotics to the general public and healthcare providers; work with the pharmaceutical industry to include information on the proper use of over-the-counter and prescription antibiotic medications for humans and animals; and improve international collaboration and capabilities for prevention, surveillance, stewardship, basic research, and drug and diagnostics development.

The Federal Government will work domestically and internationally to detect, prevent, and control illness and death related to antibiotic-resistant infections by implementing measures that reduce the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and help ensure the continued availability of effective therapeutics for the treatment of bacterial infections.

Sec. 2. Oversight and Coordination. Combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a national security priority. The National Security Council staff, in collaboration with the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Office of Management and Budget, shall coordinate the development and implementation of Federal Government policies to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including the activities, reports, and recommendations of the Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria established in section 3 of this order.

Sec. 3. Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. There is hereby established the Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (Task Force), to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture, and HHS.

(a) Membership. In addition to the Co-Chairs, the Task Force shall consist of representatives from:

(i) the Department of State;

(ii) the Department of Justice;

(iii) the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(iv) the Department of Homeland Security;

(v) the Environmental Protection Agency;

(vi) the United States Agency for International Development;

(vii) the Office of Management and Budget;

(viii) the Domestic Policy Council;

(ix) the National Security Council staff;

(x) the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

(xi) the National Science Foundation; and

(xii) such executive departments, agencies, or offices as the Co-Chairs may designate.

Each executive department, agency, or office represented on the Task Force (Task Force agency) shall designate an employee of the Federal Government to perform the functions of the Task Force. In performing its functions, the Task Force may make use of existing interagency task forces on antibiotic resistance.

(b) Mission. The Task Force shall identify actions that will provide for the facilitation and monitoring of implementation of this order and the National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (Strategy).

(c) Functions.

(i) By February 15, 2015, the Task Force shall submit a 5-year National Action Plan (Action Plan) to the President that outlines specific actions to be taken to implement the Strategy. The Action Plan shall include goals, milestones, and metrics for measuring progress, as well as associated timelines for implementation. The Action Plan shall address recommendations made by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology regarding combating antibiotic resistance.

(ii) Within 180 days of the release of the Action Plan and each year thereafter, the Task Force shall provide the President with an update on Federal Government actions to combat antibiotic resistance consistent with this order, including progress made in implementing the Strategy and Action Plan, plans for addressing any barriers preventing full implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan, and recommendations for new or modified actions. Annual updates shall include specific goals, milestones, and metrics for all proposed actions and recommendations. The Task Force shall take Federal Government resources into consideration when developing these proposed actions and recommendations.

(iii) In performing its functions, the Task Force shall review relevant statutes, regulations, policies, and programs, and shall consult with relevant domestic and international organizations and experts, as necessary.

(iv) The Task Force shall conduct an assessment of progress made towards achieving the milestones and goals outlined in the Strategy in conjunction with the Advisory Council established pursuant to section 4 of this order.

Sec. 4. Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. (a) The Secretary of HHS (Secretary), in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and Agriculture, shall establish the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (Advisory Council). The Advisory Council shall be composed of not more than 30 members to be appointed or designated by the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary shall designate a chairperson from among the members of the Advisory Council.

(c) The Advisory Council shall provide advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary regarding programs and policies intended to: preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics by optimizing their use; advance research to develop improved methods for combating antibiotic resistance and conducting antibiotic stewardship; strengthen surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections; prevent the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections; advance the development of rapid point-of-care and agricultural diagnostics; further research on new treatments for bacterial infections; develop alternatives to antibiotics for agricultural purposes; maximize the dissemination of up-to-date information on the appropriate and proper use of antibiotics to the general public and human and animal healthcare providers; and improve international coordination of efforts to combat antibiotic resistance. The Secretary shall provide the President with all written reports created by the Advisory Council.

(d) Task Force agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Advisory Council with such information as it may require for purposes of carrying out its functions.

(e) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to the availability of appropriations, HHS shall provide the Advisory Council with such funds and support as may be necessary for the performance of its functions.

Sec. 5. Improved Antibiotic Stewardship. (a) By the end of calendar year 2016, HHS shall review existing regulations and propose new regulations or other actions, as appropriate, that require hospitals and other inpatient healthcare delivery facilities to implement robust antibiotic stewardship programs that adhere to best practices, such as those identified by the CDC. HHS shall also take steps to encourage other healthcare facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers and dialysis facilities, to adopt antibiotic stewardship programs.

(b) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, define, promulgate, and implement stewardship programs in other healthcare settings, including office-based practices, outpatient settings, emergency departments, and institutional and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, pharmacies, and correctional facilities.

(c) By the end of calendar year 2016, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall review their existing regulations and, as appropriate, propose new regulations and other actions that require their hospitals and long-term care facilities to implement robust antibiotic stewardship programs that adhere to best practices, such as those defined by the CDC. DoD and the VA shall also take steps to encourage their other healthcare facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers and outpatient clinics, to adopt antibiotic stewardship programs.

(d) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, monitor improvements in antibiotic use through the National Healthcare Safety Network and other systems.

(e) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in HHS, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), shall continue taking steps to eliminate the use of medically important classes of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes in food-producing animals.

(f) USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and FDA shall strengthen coordination in common program areas, such as surveillance of antibiotic use and resistance patterns in food-producing animals, inter-species disease transmissibility, and research findings.

(g) DoD, HHS, and the VA shall review existing regulations and propose new regulations and other actions, as appropriate, to standardize the collection and sharing of antibiotic resistance data across all their healthcare settings.

Sec. 6. Strengthening National Surveillance Efforts for Resistant Bacteria. (a) The Task Force shall ensure that the Action Plan includes procedures for creating and integrating surveillance systems and laboratory networks to provide timely, high-quality data across healthcare and agricultural settings, including detailed genomic and other information, adequate to track resistant bacteria across diverse settings. The network-integrated surveillance systems and laboratory networks shall include common information requirements, repositories for bacteria isolates and other samples, a curated genomic database, rules for access to samples and scientific data, standards for electronic health record-based reporting, data transparency, budget coordination, and international coordination.

(b) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, link data from Federal Government sample isolate repositories for bacteria strains to an integrated surveillance system, and, where feasible, the repositories shall enhance their sample collections and further interoperable data systems with national surveillance efforts.

(c) USDA, EPA, and FDA shall work together with stakeholders to monitor and report on changes in antibiotic use in agriculture and their impact on the environment.

(d) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, monitor antibiotic resistance in healthcare settings through the National Healthcare Safety Network and related systems.

Sec. 7. Preventing and Responding to Infections and Outbreaks with Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms. (a) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, utilize the enhanced surveillance activities described in section 6 of this order to prevent antibiotic-resistant infections by: actively identifying and responding to antibiotic-resistant outbreaks; preventing outbreaks and transmission of antibiotic-resistant infections in healthcare, community, and agricultural settings through early detection and tracking of resistant organisms; and identifying and evaluating additional strategies in the healthcare and community settings for the effective prevention and control of antibiotic-resistant infections.

(b) Task Force agencies shall take steps to implement the measures and achieve the milestones outlined in the Strategy and Action Plan.

(c) DoD, HHS, and the VA shall review and, as appropriate, update their hospital and long-term care infectious disease protocols for identifying, isolating, and treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection cases.

Sec. 8. Promoting New and Next Generation Antibiotics and Diagnostics. (a) As part of the Action Plan, the Task Force shall describe steps that agencies can take to encourage the development of new and next-generation antibacterial drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, and novel therapeutics for both the public and agricultural sectors, including steps to develop infrastructure for clinical trials and options for attracting greater private investment in the development of new antibiotics and rapid point-of-care diagnostics. Task Force agency efforts shall focus on addressing areas of unmet medical need for individuals, including those antibiotic-resistant bacteria CDC has identified as public and agricultural health threats.

(b) Together with the countermeasures it develops for biodefense threats, the Biomedical Advanced Research Development

Authority in HHS shall develop new and next-generation countermeasures that target antibiotic-resistant bacteria that present a serious or urgent threat to public health.

(c) The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise in HHS shall, as appropriate, coordinate with Task Force agencies' efforts to promote new and next-generation countermeasures to target antibiotic-resistant bacteria that present a serious or urgent threat to public health.

Sec. 9. International Cooperation. Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of State, USDA, and HHS shall designate representatives to engage in international action to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including the development of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance with the WHO, Member States, and other relevant organizations. The Secretaries of State, USDA, and HHS shall conduct a review of international collaboration activities and partnerships, and identify and pursue opportunities for enhanced prevention, surveillance, research and development, and policy engagement. All Task Force agencies with research and development activities related to antibiotic resistance shall, as appropriate, expand existing bilateral and multilateral scientific cooperation and research pursuant to the Action Plan.

Sec. 10. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.) (the "Act"), may apply to the Advisory Council, any functions of the President under the Act, except for that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 18, 2014.

FACT SHEET: White House Announces Executive Actions and Commitments from Across the Country to Advance Solar Deployment and Energy Efficiency

Commitments and Executive Actions Illustrate Federal, State, and Local Leadership to
Create Jobs and Cut Carbon Pollution

The Obama Administration is committed to taking action to combat climate change. As part of that effort, today, the White House is announcing a series of public and private sector commitments and executive actions to advance solar deployment and promote energy efficiency.

The executive announcements today altogether will cut carbon pollution by nearly 300 million metric tons through 2030 – equivalent to taking more than 60 million cars off the road for one year – and will save homes and businesses more than $10 billion on their energy bills. Those executive actions are:

• Partnering with up to three military bases to create a veterans solar job training pilot;
• Investing $68 million in 540 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in rural areas across the country, including 240 solar projects;
• Proposing an energy conservation standard for commercial unit air conditioners that has the potential to save more energy than any previously issued standard;
• Supporting funding for clean energy and energy efficiency for affordable housing;
• Strengthening commercial and residential buildings codes; and
• Harmonizing the power of national service and volunteerism to tackle climate change and its effects.

Additionally, 50 companies, states, communities, and multifamily housing leaders from across the country are announcing commitments to deploy onsite solar energy and improve energy efficiency. The commitments represent more than 35 megawatts of solar deployed – enough energy to power thousands of homes – as well as energy efficiency investments that will lower energy bills for more than 400 million square feet of buildings.

Earlier this year, the White House hosted a Solar Summit celebrating cross-sector leadership on solar and calling for commitments to support solar deployment and jobs through the expanded use of solar in our homes, businesses, and schools. Today’s announcements illustrate the progress our towns and businesses have made since the White House made this call for commitments. When combined with the announcements President Obama made in May, they represent more than 350 private and public sector commitments to deploy 885 megawatts of solar and improve the energy efficiency of more than 1.4 billion square feet of buildings.

Since the President took office, America has increased its electricity generation from solar more than ten-fold.  In 2013 alone, the price of commercial and residential solar declined by more than 12 percent. This is driving more and more Americans to install solar panels at their homes and businesses, and is supporting tens of thousands of solar jobs across the country. In fact, in the first half of 2014, more than half a million homeowners and commercial customers installed solar. We are also making progress cutting energy waste. Since 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has already put in place appliance efficiency standards that will save American consumers more than $450 billion on their utility bills through 2030.

Today, the White House is announcing a series of executive actions that will create jobs, reduce carbon pollution, and improve energy efficiency. These actions reinforce American leadership in innovating and deploying clean energy and cutting energy waste.

• Building a Skilled Solar Workforce:  To continue to build a skilled solar workforce, DOE’s Solar Instructor Training Network is launching a veterans’ job training pilot project at up to three military bases this fall. The pilot project will connect a talented Veteran population with DOE’s extensive network of more than 400 community college-based solar training institutions. The network will assist at least 50,000 highly-qualified new solar installers to enter the industry by 2020. 

• USDA Awards Loans and Grants for Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency Improvements: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack is announcing USDA is investing $68 million in 540 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide, including 240 solar projects. The funding is being provided through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) which offers financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.

• Improving Appliance Efficiency: DOE is issuing a proposed energy efficiency conservation standard for commercial unitary air conditioners, which are commonly used for space conditioning in commercial and industrial buildings. If finalized as proposed, this standard will save 11.7 quads of energy over the lifetime of units shipped over 30 years. That is equivalent to more than half of all the residential energy used in one year, making this potentially the largest energy savings estimated for any efficiency standard issued by DOE to date.  If finalized, it would also help cut carbon pollution by more than 60 million metric tons, and could save consumers nearly $10 billion on their energy bills through 2030. This year, DOE has issued seven final energy conservation standards, and when combined with the final rules already issued under this Administration, they will get us more than two-thirds of the way to achieving the President's goal of reducing carbon pollution by at least 3 billion metric tons cumulatively by 2030.

• Strengthening Building Codes: In May 2014, DOE preliminarily affirmed that industry’s latest commercial building code – the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 - 2013 – provides more energy savings than the previous Standard. Today, DOE is issuing the final determination for this action. Additionally, DOE is issuing a preliminary determination that the latest residential building code – the 2015 IECC – provides at least the same energy savings as the 2012 version. The updated ANSI/ASHRAE/IES code will help states and the Federal government save money and energy on building operations and cut emissions by 230 million metric tons of CO2 through 2030. Improved codes for residential and commercial buildings have already saved U.S. homes and businesses $44 billion on their energy bills, and today’s action builds off of this progress.

• Federal Programs Supporting Clean Energy and Efficiency in Affordable Housing: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Planning and Development (CDP) office is affirming that under current guidelines, Section 108 funding can be used for clean energy and energy efficiency projects. To support local communities in utilizing this and other funding, HUD is creating a renewable energy toolkit for use by Community Planning and Development grantees.  The toolkit will provide program compliance information, tools, and capacity to integrate renewable energy components such as solar photovoltaic, solar hot water, and cogeneration in an efficient, cost-effective, and impactful way by using CPD funds, such as the Community Development Block Grant Section 108 program.  The toolkit will be finalized and available for use in early 2015.

• Prioritizing Energy Efficiency in Service Projects to Reduce Poverty: This month, the Corporation for National and Community Service will release their AmeriCorps VISTA Program Guidance, which directs the development of new VISTA projects and outlines the national programming priorities for the VISTA program for the fiscal year. For the first time, energy efficiency and climate resilience will be two of the factors used when selecting anti-poverty service projects in low-income communities.

• Improving Access to Federal Resources: DOE is launching Solar Powering America, available at solar.energy.gov, a one stop shop that will provide access to a wide range of Federal resources to drive solar deployment. The website will also be used to highlight and track private sector commitments to install distributed solar.

• Leveraging Financing Tools to Deploy Solar: The growth of solar has been fueled in part by access to innovative financing tools. Today, DOE is releasing an updated Guide to Federal Financing for Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Deployment. This guide will highlight financing programs located in various Federal agencies, such as the Treasury, HUD, and USDA, which can be used for energy efficiency and clean energy projects. 

• Highlighting Progress on Solar in Schools: A SunShot Initiative partner, The Solar Foundation, is releasing a report exploring how U.S. schools are choosing solar to lower their energy costs and lower their carbon footprint. The report found that thousands of schools already are cutting their energy bills by choosing solar – using savings to pay for teachers and textbooks – and estimates that more than 70,000 additional schools could do the same. In fact, in 2014, the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program honored more than 40 schools and districts across the nation for drastically reducing their energy use through conservation behaviors and the use of on-site renewables, including solar.

• Releasing New Reports Showing the Declining Price of Solar: DOE and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are releasing three new studies showing that the cost of solar energy continues to fall across all sectors, which indicates that initiatives targeting soft costs are starting to work. In 2013 alone, the installed price of commercial and residential solar declined by more than 12 percent.

• Convening Key Players to Drive Investments in Solar: The White House will host a roundtable discussion in October on how to facilitate increased capital flows into the solar market through measures such as the collection of performance data and the standardization of contracts and risk assessment tools. The meeting will bring together senior advisors from the White House and DOE, solar developers, investors, ratings agencies, and other relevant experts.

• Cutting Solar Soft Costs with Innovation:  DOE's SunShot Catalyst business plan competition is now open and accepting applications through November 7, 2014. This prize challenge makes it faster and easier for American innovators to launch cutting-edge solar companies, while tackling time-sensitive market challenges like soft costs. Learn more and submit your video pitch at catalyst.energy.gov.

• Driving Federal Procurement of Solar:  In April, the Administration launched a Capital Solar Challenge, directing Federal agencies, military installations, and Federally-subsidized complexes to identify opportunities to deploy solar energy at Federal locations across the National Capital Region. As part of the Capital Solar Challenge’s private sector outreach, the General Services Administration (GSA) will host an Industry Day on November 13, in Washington D.C. to perform market research and answer developers and investors questions about GSA’s procurement approach. The GSA Contracting Officer and Leadership will be present to discuss the Agency’s strategy for deploying solar in the National Capital Region and for using solar to help meet Federal renewable energy goals with industry.

• Increasing Energy Productivity: Just yesterday, Secretary Moniz announced that DOE, the Council on Competitiveness, and the Alliance to Save Energy are teaming up to launch Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030, an initiative supporting the President’s goal to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030. Private sector, state, and local leaders can join energy productivity dialogues, endorse the goal, and share best practices for capturing the economic benefits of improved energy productivity. Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030 will create a national roadmap to grow our economy while reducing our energy costs. Learn more at http://www.energy2030.org/.

New Commitments to Advance Solar Deployment: Earlier this year, the White House hosted a Solar Summit celebrating cross-sector leadership on solar and calling for commitments to support solar deployment and jobs through the expanded use of solar in our homes, businesses, and schools. Leaders from across the country answered the call and in May, President Obama announced more than 300 private and public sector commitments to create jobs and cut carbon pollution by advancing solar deployment and energy efficiency. The commitments represent more than 850 megawatts of solar deployed – enough to power nearly 130,000 homes.

We are making great progress. In the financial sector alone, Connecticut's Green Bank, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority has already approved financing for 16.8 MW of solar, out of the 75 MW goal they announced in May. And Goldman Sachs has catalyzed nearly $190 million in financing and investments in the U.S. distributed solar sector out of their May target of $10 billion. Citi has closed six major new renewables transactions, including an innovative, $160 million transaction that will fund 40 systems averaging 1.1 megawatts per project.

Today, the following commercial sector leaders, low income housing authorities, and communities are rising to the President’s call to action once again and committing to increase onsite solar generation.

• Cisco Systems commits to increase its onsite solar capacity to 2.7 MW worldwide by 2015. This commitment will help Cisco meet their corporate goal to use electricity generated from renewable sources for at least 25% of their global electricity demand every year through FY2017.
• BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) commits to add a 630 kilowatt (kW) solar installation at its Cayey, Puerto Rico manufacturing facility and is evaluating proposals for an additional 5 MW of ground-based solar installations in Puerto Rico, Connecticut and New Jersey in addition to an existing 1 MW installation in North Carolina.
• 3M, Cisco Systems, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and other industry leaders are committing to provide a significant discount on solar to their employees that will result in the addition of 1,000 systems, or 5 MW, of solar across their aggregate employee base in North America by 2016. Working with the World Wildlife Fund, the companies leveraged their bulk purchasing power to competitively select Geostellar, which has received two DOE SunShot Initiative grants to reduce costs and streamline the process for homeowners who install solar.
• Public Housing Authorities in Massachusetts have signed agreements totaling over 13 megawatts of solar virtual net metering credits, with plans to sign 27 MW more in the very short term. HUD and the housing authorities will work through public private partnerships to scale cost-effective solar resources to public housing in the coming years.
  • Fall River – 5,922 kW
  • New Bedford—2,687 kW
  • Winchendon – 1,039 kW
  • Leominster – 915 kW
  • Barnstable – 850 kW
  • Somerset– 750 kW
  • Plymouth – 750 kW
  • Fairhaven – 650 kW
• The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) commits to identifying solar opportunities at 20 different sites in its portfolio for a cumulative installed capacity of 962 kW. DCHA estimates these new commitments will achieve an annual reduction of 707,000 kilowatt hours.
• The City of Beaverton, Oregon commits to constructing a 433 kW solar panel power system on top of an underground, city-owned, 15 million-gallon water reservoir.  The solar power produced will be used by the city’s water pumping station, the city’s largest facility in terms of electricity use.
• Montgomery County, Maryland commits to installing 6 MW of solar photovoltaic systems on more than 17 public facilities such as libraries, recreation centers, administrative buildings, and parking structures before the end of 2016. The County is also partnering with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative, to develop a renewable energy plan to further accelerate this initiative.
• The City of Charlottesville, Virginia commits to install more than 250 kW of solar by the end of 2015, helping to achieve their goal of using onsite solar generation for 8 percent or 480 kW of the electricity generated by the end of June 2019.
• Jackson Family Wines, California is committing to installing 6.5MW of solar at locations throughout California, including the Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Cambria, Stonestreet, Carmel Road, Murphy-Goode and Hartford wineries by 2016. That’s equivalent to taking nearly 1,250 California homes off the grid and will provide over 60% of the company’s electricity usage from emissions-free renewable power.

New Commitments to Advance Energy Efficiency Investments: In February 2011, President Obama launched the Better Buildings Challenge to help American commercial, industrial and multifamily buildings become at least 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020.  More than 200 diverse organizations, representing over 3 billion square feet, 600 manufacturing plants and more than $2 billion in energy efficiency financing have stepped up to the President’s Challenge. Partners are on track to meet the 2020 goal and on average, are cutting energy use by 2.5 percent each year. Since the Better Buildings Challenge began, its partners have saved 36 trillion BTUs and $300 million. Today, responding to the President’s call to action on energy efficiency, leaders from across the country are making additional commitments that will advance energy efficiency investments.

• 28 new states, cities, multifamily housing, retailers, commercial real estate, and manufacturing organizations are announcing that they are joining as Partners in the President’s Better Buildings Challenge, committing to improving the energy efficiency of more than 400 million square feet of additional floor space, an area the size of more than 7,000 football fields, by at least 20 percent in the next decade.
  • State of New York
  • Chula Vista, CA
  • Orlando, FL
  • Alco Royal Partners, TN
  • Beacon Communities, MA
  • The Boston Land Company, MA
  • Century Housing, CA
  • Cheyenne Housing Authority, WY
  • Cion Housing, NM
  • Darigold, WA
  • District of Columbia Housing Authority
  • East Hartford Housing Authority, CT
  • Haverty’s, GA
  • Housing Authority of McDonough County, GA
  • FirstService Residential, NY
  • Fort Wayne Housing Authority, IN
  • Houston Housing Authority, TX
  • Island Grove Village Apartments, CO
  • JBG Commercial, MD
  • Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly, MA
  • Korman Residential Properties, PA
  • The Model Group, OH
  • Nevada Rural Housing Authority, NV
  • New Life Homes, NM
  • Peabody Properties, MA
  • Presby’s Inspired Life, PA
  • Schochet Companies, MA
  • The Silver Group, CA
• 5 new state, local, and regional organizations are joining the Better Buildings High Performance Outdoor Lighting Accelerator, setting DOE on track to meet their goal to replace more than 500,000 outdoor lighting poles by 2016. The new partners include:
  • Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources
  • Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office
  • Southern California Regional Energy Office
  • Portland, Maine
  • Flint, Michigan

Readout of the President’s Meeting with his National Security Team on Foreign Terrorist Fighters

This afternoon the President met with his national security team to discuss the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters to the U.S. homeland and nations around the world and the Administration’s whole-of-government strategic response. To advance that strategy, the President will chair a United Nations Security Council summit next week, which will bring together world leaders to address the foreign terrorist fighter threat.

Participants in today’s meeting included:

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

• Francine Berman – Member, National Council on the Humanities
• Deborah Willis – Member, National Council on the Humanities
• Mario Cordero – Commissioner, Federal Maritime Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chairman
• Bella Dinh-Zarr – Member, National Transportation Safety Board
• Rear Admiral Earl L. Gay, USN (Ret.) – Deputy Director, Office of Personnel Management
• Paul A. Folmsbee – Ambassador to the Republic of Mali, Department of State
• Mary Catherine Phee – Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, Department of State

President Obama said, “These men and women have demonstrated knowledge and dedication throughout their careers. I am grateful they have chosen to take on these important roles, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

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

Dr. Francine Berman, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities

Dr. Francine Berman is the Edward P. Hamilton Distinguished Professor in Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Chair of the Research Data Alliance (United States).  She joined Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as Vice President for Research in 2009.  Previously, Dr. Berman was Director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center from 2001 to 2009.  She was also Director of the National Science Foundation’s National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure.  Previously, she held teaching positions at the University of California, San Diego.  She began her career as Assistant Professor at Purdue University in 1979.  Dr. Berman was Co-Chair of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access from 2007 to 2010.  In 2009, she was awarded the Association of Computing Machinery/Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Computer Society Ken Kennedy Award and in 2008, she was recognized by the Library of Congress as a “Digital Preservation Pioneer.”  Dr. Berman received a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington.

Dr. Deborah Willis, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities

Dr. Deborah Willis is a contemporary artist, photographic historian, author, and educator.  She has been University Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts since 2001, and has been Chair of the Department of Photography and Imaging since 2006.  From 2000 to 2001, she was the Lehman Brady Visiting Joint Chair Professor in Documentary Studies and American Studies at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Dr. Willis was the curator of photographs and prints at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library from 1980 to 1992 prior to becoming exhibitions curator at the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for African American History and Culture.  She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2000 and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2005.  Dr. Willis received a B.F.A. from the Philadelphia College of Art, an M.F.A. from the Pratt Institute, an M.A. from City College of New York, and a Ph.D. from George Mason University.

Mario Cordero, Nominee for Commissioner, Federal Maritime Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chairman

Mario Cordero is currently a Commissioner on the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), a position he has held since 2011.  He has also served as Chairman of the FMC since 2013.  From 2007 to 2008, he was House Counsel at Safeco Insurance.  Mr. Cordero was an Attorney at Adelson, Testan & Brundo from 2001 to 2006, Altman & Shoemaker from 1998 to 2001, Ochoa & Sillas from 1996 to 1998, and Robin, Carmack & Gonia from 1993 to 1996.  He served eight years on the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, where he served one term as Board President and two terms as Vice-President.  Mr. Cordero also served as a Professor of Political Science at Long Beach City College, was on the Long Beach Community Development Commission, and served as Vice-Chair of the Long Beach Ethics Review Task Force.  Mr. Cordero received a B.A. from California State University, Long Beach and a J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law.

Dr. Bella Dinh-Zarr, Nominee for Member, National Transportation Safety Board

Dr. Bella Dinh-Zarr is currently the Director of the FIA Foundation’s U.S. office.  She served as FIA Foundation’s Road Safety Director from 2007 to 2014.  Previously, Dr. Dinh-Zarr served as Director of North America’s Make Roads Safe Campaign for Global Road Safety from 2006 to 2007.  Prior to this position, she served as the American Automobile Association’s National Director of Traffic Safety Policy from 2002 to 2006.  From 2001 to 2002, Dr. Dinh-Zarr was a Social Scientist with the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  From 2000 to 2001, she served as a Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Guide to Community Preventative Services Branch.  Dr. Dinh-Zarr served as a Research Associate with the Texas Transportation Institute from 2000 to 2001.  From 1997 to 1999 she was a Production Editor for the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care.  Dr. Dinh-Zarr received a B.A. from Rice University, and an M.P.H. and Ph.D. from the University of Texas School of Public Health.

Rear Admiral Earl L. Gay, USN (Ret.), Nominee for Deputy Director, Office of Personnel Management

Rear Admiral Earl L. Gay, USN (Ret.), is currently Senior Advisor to the Director at the Office of Personnel Management.  He served as a Naval Aviator in the United States Navy from 1980 to 2013, retiring with the rank of Rear Admiral.  Rear Admiral Gay was Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command from 2011 to 2013.  He served as Commander of Expeditionary Strike Group Three from 2009 to 2011, Deputy Chairman of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee from 2008 to 2009, Commandant of Naval District Washington from 2007 to 2008, and the Navy's Director of Congressional Liaison for the U.S. House of Representatives from 2005 to 2007.  He was the Commanding Officer of the USS Belleau Wood (LHA3) from 2002 to 2004, and commanded two aviation squadrons, HSL-41 from 2000 to 2001 and HSL-43 from 1996 to 1998.  Rear Admiral Gay received a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy, an M.S. from Troy State University, and a certification from the U.S. Air War College. 

Paul A. Folmsbee, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Mali, Department of State

Paul A. Folmsbee, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is the Executive Director of the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State (DOS), a position he has held since 2012.  Previously, he served at DOS as the Senior Civilian Representative for Regional Command East in Afghanistan (embedded with the 1st Cavalry at Bagram) from 2011 to 2012, as Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, India from 2008 to 2011, and as Provincial Reconstruction Team Leader in Sadr City/Adhamiya in Baghdad, Iraq (embedded with the 2/82 Airborne) from 2007 to 2008.  From 2006 to 2007, Mr. Folmsbee was Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.  From 2003 to 2006, he was a Management Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and from 2000 to 2003, he was a Management Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  He also served at U.S. Embassies in La Paz, Bolivia; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Libreville, Gabon; and Nairobi, Kenya, as well as at the U.S. Mission to the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in Geneva, Switzerland and in the DOS Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.  Mr. Folmsbee received a B.A. from Tabor College and an M.A. from the University of Oklahoma.

Mary Catherine Phee, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, Department of State

Mary Catherine Phee, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is currently Chief of Staff at the Office of the Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, a position she has held since 2014.  Previously, Ms. Phee served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 2011 to 2014.  She served in the Department of State (DOS) as Director for Iraq at the National Security Council from 2009 to 2011, as Regional Affairs Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy from 2008 to 2009, and as Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations from 2005 to 2008.  Ms. Phee was Special Assistant to the Secretary’s Senior Advisor on Iraq at DOS in 2005.  She served as Desk Officer for United Nations Political Affairs in the International Organizations Bureau in 2003 and again from 2004 to 2005 and from 2003 to 2004, she served as Senior Civilian Representative of the Coalition Provisional Authority to Maysan Province in al-Amarah, Iraq. Ms. Phee was a Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy in 2002.  She previously served at U.S. Missions in Kuwait City, Kuwait; Cairo, Egypt; and Amman, Jordan, and was a Desk Officer for Iran Affairs at DOS.  Before joining the Foreign Service, she was Deputy Press Secretary to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.  Ms. Phee received a B.A. from Indiana University and an M.A.L.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.