The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 08, 2014

Readout of U.S.-Israel Consultative Group Meetings

 

Following productive bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Peres and National Security Advisor Yossi Cohen on May 7, National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice and the U.S. delegation participated in the U.S.-Israel Consultative Group meetings in Jerusalem on May 8. The intensive and highly constructive meetings covered a range of bilateral and regional security issues.

On Iran, the U.S. delegation reaffirmed our commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The U.S delegation briefed on the ongoing diplomatic efforts of the P5+1 and EU to reach a comprehensive solution that peacefully resolves the international community's concerns with its program. The delegations held thorough consultations on all aspects of the challenge posed by Iran, and pledged to continue the unprecedented coordination between the United States and Israel as the negotiations continue.

On other critical regional and bilateral issues, the delegations shared views candidly and intensively, in the spirit of the extraordinary and unprecedented security cooperation between our two countries.

The U.S. Delegation included Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, Under Secretary of the Treasury David Cohen, Assistant Secretary of Defense Derek Chollet, Deputy Director of the CIA Avril Haines, Director of the Joint Staff Lieutenant General David Goldfein, Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East Phil Gordon, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.

National Security Advisors Rice and Cohen agreed that the U.S.-Israel Consultative Group is an effective forum for strategic interagency security consultations between the U.S. and Israeli Governments, and will continue to meet regularly in Washington and Jerusalem. 

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Remarks by the President at USC Shoah Foundation Dinner

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel
Los Angeles, California

9:36 P.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you. Thank you so much.  Please, please, everybody have a seat. 

Well, thank you, Steven, for your incredibly generous words, for this great honor, for your friendship, and most importantly, for the extraordinary work which brings us here all tonight.  To Robert Katz and all the members of the board and staff of the Shoah Foundation; to President Max Nikias and everybody at USC; to all the distinguished guests and to all the friends that I see in this audience -- it is an incredible honor to be with you as we pay tribute to a remarkable institution and one that makes claim on our moral imagination. 

Being here with you tonight, I’m taken back to the visit to Buchenwald that I took in the very first months of my presidency. And I was there with my dear friend, Elie Wiesel.  As most of you know, he who had endured that camp as a teenager.  And we walked among the guard towers and the barbed wire.  We saw the ovens and the crematorium.  We saw the memorial to the prisoners, a steel plate heated to the temperature of the human body, as a reminder of our common humanity.  And at the end of our visit, as we stood outside the place where his father and so many other souls had perished, Elie spoke these words -- he said:  “Memory has become a sacred duty of all people of goodwill.”  Memory has become a sacred duty of all people of goodwill.

And that’s what brings us here tonight.  That’s the duty that Steven and all of you embrace -- the sacred duty of memory.

Now, just a few decades ago, many survivors of the Shoah were reluctant to share their stories.  But one survivor living here in Los Angeles, a leather goods merchant named Poldek Pfefferberg insisted on telling anybody who would listen about the man who had saved his life -- a man named Oskar Schindler.  And thanks to Poldek’s persistence, Schindler’s story was published as a novel, and the world eventually came to see and understand the Holocaust like never before -- in Steven’s remarkable film, Schindler’s List, brought to life in a masterful way by Liam Neeson.  And we were reminded that the Holocaust was not a matter of distant history or abstract horror.  The voices  -- the memories -- of survivors became immediate, and intimate, became a part of all of us. 

I loved what the teacher said in the video about how it entered into our DNA.  That's what stories do.  We're story-telling animals.  That's what Steven does.  That's what Bruce does -- tells a story that stitches up our fates with the fates of others.  And that film gave us each a stake in that terrible history, and a stake in ensuring such atrocities never happen again. 

Now, if the story had ended there, it would have been enough -- dayenu.  But Steven didn’t stop with Schindler’s List, because there were too many other stories to tell.  So he created this foundation to undertake what he called “a rescue mission” -- preserving the memories that would otherwise be lost to time. 

Over the past two decades, you’ve recorded tens of thousands of interviews in dozens of countries and languages; documented the experience not only of the Holocaust, but of atrocities before and since.  As you heard tonight with Celina’s incredible eloquence, you freed voices that could tell their own story in their own way.  And as Michelle Clark described so powerfully this evening, you’ve turned that testimony into tools that can be used by scholars and students all around the world. 

Now, Steven, I know that for you -- like so many here -- this is deeply personal.  You lost distant relatives in the Holocaust, and heard your mother pass on stories told by survivors.  And as you said just a few days ago, the story of the Shoah is the story that you were put on this Earth to tell.  So, to you, to everybody at the Shoah Foundation -- and for all that you’ve done, for setting alight an eternal flame of testimony that can’t be extinguished and cannot be denied, we express our deepest gratitude.  (Applause.) 

Of course, none of these stories could be preserved without the men and women with the courage to tell them.  And I think sometimes how hard it must be to return to those moments, to remember those darkest of days, to recount how loved ones -- husbands, wives, sons, daughters -- were taken away.  And as Steven mentioned, my great-uncle was a soldier in the 89th Infantry Division, helping to liberate Ohrdruf, a part of Buchenwald.  And what he saw during the war left him so shaken that, upon his return to the States, he could not speak of his memories for years to come.  We didn’t have a word for it back then, but he returned and closed himself off for months, so shaken was he just to witness what had happened, much less experience it.

So I want to say a special word to the survivors who are with us this evening -- not just to the Holocaust, but as Steve noted, survivors of other unimaginable crimes.  Every day that you have lived, every child and grandchild that your families have brought into this world has served as the ultimate rebuke to evil, and the ultimate expression of love and hope.  And you are an inspiration to every single one of us.  And on behalf of all of us, thank you for the example of your lives, and sharing your stories with us and the world.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  We are grateful to you.   

Now, let me add that, as Americans, we’re proud to be a country that welcomed so many Holocaust survivors in the wake of World War II.  As President, I’m proud that we’re doing more, as Steven noted, to stand with Holocaust survivors in America.  We announced Aviva Sufian as our first-ever special envoy to help support Holocaust survivors living in the United States.  I’m pleased that Aviva is here tonight.  (Applause.)  We’ve proposed a new Survivor Assistance Fund to help Holocaust survivors in our country live in dignity and free from poverty.  We’re already working with members of Congress and many of your organizations on this project, and tonight I invite more of you to join us.  We need to keep faith with these survivors who already have given so much.

The work of this foundation, the testimonies of survivors like those with us tonight, also remind us that the purpose of memory is not simply to preserve the past; it is to protect the future.  (Applause.)  We tell stories -- we're compelled to tell stories -- they’re stories that bring out the best of us, and they’re stories that bring out the worst.  The voices of those recorded and unrecorded, those who survived and those who perished, call upon us -- implore us and challenge us -- to turn “Never Forget” into “Never Again.” 

We only need to look at today’s headlines -- the devastation of Syria, the murders and kidnappings in Nigeria, sectarian conflict, the tribal conflicts -- to see that we have not yet extinguished man’s darkest impulses.  There are some bad stories out there that are being told to children, and they’re learning to hate early.  They’re learning to fear those who are not like them early. 

And none of the tragedies that we see today may rise to the full horror of the Holocaust -- the individuals who are the victims of such unspeakable cruelty, they make a claim on our conscience.  They demand our attention, that we not turn away, that we choose empathy over indifference and that our empathy leads to action.  And that's not always easy.  One of the powerful things about Schindler’s story was recognizing that we have to act even where there is sometimes ambiguity; even when the path is not always clearly lit, we have to try.   

And that includes confronting a rising tide of anti-Semitism around the world.  We’ve seen attacks on Jews in the streets of major Western cities, public places marred by swastikas.  From some foreign governments we hear the worst kinds of anti-Semitic scapegoating.  In Ukraine, as Steven mentioned, we saw those disgusting pamphlets from masked men calling on Jews to register. And tragically, we saw a shooting here at home, in Overland Park in Kansas. 

And it would be tempting to dismiss these as isolated incidents, but if the memories of the Shoah survivors teach us anything, it is that silence is evil’s greatest co-conspirator.  And it’s up to us -- each of us, every one of us -- to forcefully condemn any denial of the Holocaust.  It’s up to us to combat not only anti-Semitism, but racism and bigotry and intolerance in all their forms, here and around the world.  It’s up to us to speak out against rhetoric that threatens the existence of a Jewish homeland and to sustain America’s unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security.  (Applause.)  And it is up to us to search our own hearts -- to search ourselves -- for those stories that have no place in this world.  Because it's easy sometimes to project out and worry about others and their hatreds and their bigotries and their blind spots.  It's not always as easy for us to examine ourselves.    

Standing up to anti-Semitism is not simply about protecting one community or one religious group.  There is no such thing as “targeted” hatred.  In Overland Park, a man went to a Jewish Community Center and a nursing home named “Village Shalom” and started shooting -- and none of the people he murdered were Jewish.  Two were Methodist.  One was Catholic.  All were innocent.

We cannot eliminate evil from every heart, or hatred from every mind.  But what we can do, and what we must do, is make sure our children and their children learn their history so that they might not repeat it.  (Applause.)  We can teach our children the hazards of tribalism.  We can teach our children to speak out against the casual slur.  We can teach them there is no “them,” there’s only “us.”  And here in America, we can celebrate a nation in which Christians and Muslims go to Jewish community centers, and where Jews go to Church vigils -- a nation where, through fits and starts, through sacrifice and individual courage, we have struggled to hear the truth and live out the truth that Dr. King described -- that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, that we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”

By keeping the memories alive, by telling stories, by hearing those stories, we can do our part to fulfill the mitzvah, the commandment of saving a life.  I think of Pinchas Gutter, a man who lived through the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and survived the Majdanek death camp.  Today he serves as a volunteer educator at the Shoah Foundation.  “I tell my story,” he says, “for the purpose of improving humanity, drop by drop by drop.  Like a drop of water falls on a stone and erodes it, so, hopefully, by telling my story over and over again I will achieve the purpose of making the world a better place to live in.” 

Those are the words of one survivor -- performing that “sacred duty” of memory -- that will echo throughout eternity.  Those are good words for all of us to live by.

I have this remarkable title right now -- President of the United States -- and yet every day when I wake up, and I think about young girls in Nigeria or children caught up in the conflict in Syria -- when there are times in which I want to reach out and save those kids -- and having to think through what levers, what power do we have at any given moment, I think, “drop by drop by drop,” that we can erode and wear down these forces that are so destructive; that we can tell a different story.

And because of your work -- because of your work, Steven, and the work of all who supported you -- our children, and their children, and their children’s children will hear from the survivors, but they’ll also hear from the liberators, the Righteous Among the Nations.  And because of your work, their stories, years and decades from now, will still be wearing down bigotry, and eroding apathy, and opening hearts, drop by drop by drop. 

And as those hearts open, that empowers those of us in positions of power -- because even the President can't do these things alone.  Drop by drop by drop.  That's the power of stories.  And as a consequence, the world will be a better place and the souls will be bound up in the bonds of eternal life.  Their memories will be a blessing and they will help us make real our solemn vow:  Never Forget.  Never Again.

So thank you, Steven, for your incredible work.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
9:55 P.M. PDT 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Remarks by the President at DCCC Dinner -- L.A., CA

Private Residence
Los Angeles, California

6:52 P.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Everybody have a seat.  Thank you so much.  Well, let me start by thanking Cindy and Alan for the incredible hospitality.  (Applause.)  We are so grateful to you -- and arranging this nice weather.  It’s a little cool for L.A.  I know we've got some folks in blankets here -- (laughter) -- but for a Chicagoan, it feels pretty good.  It's pretty balmy. (Laughter.)

Let me also acknowledge two outstanding leaders who are doing great work every single day -- from the Senate, the head of the Democratic Senate Committee, Michael Bennet, the great Senator from Colorado.  (Applause.)  We appreciate him.  And California’s own former speaker and soon to be speaker again -- Nancy Pelosi is in the house.  (Applause.)  Nancy Pelosi!  We love Nancy. 

I'm going to make my remarks at the top real brief because I want to spend most of the time in a conversation, and it's a small enough group that I can spend some time on questions.  I'm in trouble at home.  And the reason is, is because I told Michelle back in 2012 I had run my last campaign, but a couple months ago, I had to let her in on a secret, and that is, honey, I got one more campaign I got to run.  (Laughter.)  I need to make sure we continue to have a Democratic Senate, and I need a Democratic House of Representatives in Washington.  (Applause.)  And I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen. 

Now, let me describe to you why this is so important, just in case you guys did not get the memo.  (Laughter.)  Over the last five and a half years, as Cindy said, we've made enormous progress on a whole range of issues.  We were losing 800,000 jobs a month; we've now created 9.2 million jobs.  The unemployment rate is the lowest it's been since 2007.  The financial sector has obviously recovered.  People have recovered the values of their pensions and 401(k)s that they had lost, so trillions of dollars of wealth restored.  The housing market has rebounded.

On the energy front, we have increased our production of wind energy threefold, solar energy by tenfold.  We've actually reduced our carbon emissions faster than any other country in the world, even as we are also producing more energy generally, doubling our production of clean energy.  Increased fuel efficiency standards on cars; saved an auto industry that was on the verge of collapse; provided health insurance to millions of Americans all across the country, including right here in California, and made the protections of those of us who already had insurance that much more sturdy.

We've expanded access for young people to go to college -- millions of young people are able to go to college that weren’t going before.  We actually have the highest college enrollment rates in our history.  We've reduced the dropout rate for Latino students; we've cut it in half since 2000.

And yet, despite all that, despite ending two wars, despite the progress that we've made on issues that are important to everybody here, there’s still disquiet around the country.  There’s an anxiety and sense of frustration.  And the reason is, is because people understand that for all that we've done, the challenges out there remain daunting and we have a Washington that's not working.

And for families, in particular, even with the recovery, they still have not seen an increase in wages, an increase in incomes.  They’re still worried that they’re not going to be able to retire when they plan to retire.  They worry about the prospects for their kids, whether they’re going to be able to live out their American Dream the same way that they did.

And we can debate a lot about whether the Senate rules need to be changed and are there problems with our media and campaign finance and there are a whole bunch of structural reasons why Washington isn’t working as well as it should.  But the principal reason is that there is just a fundamental difference in what we as Democrats believe and what this particular brand of Republicans that we’ve got in Congress believes. 

We believe in pay equity; they say, no.  We believe in a higher minimum wage; they say, no.  We believe in making sure that we’re investing in our infrastructure and putting people back to work, and investing in innovation and basic research that can unlock cures for things like Alzheimer’s; their budget takes us in the opposite direction.  We believe in early childhood education to make sure that opportunity for all actually means something, that it’s not just a slogan; they say, no.  We think climate change is real.  Some of them say it’s a hoax, that we’re fabricating it. 

And the biggest challenge we have is not just that there’s a fundamental difference in vision and where we want to take the country, not just the fact that they continue to subscribe to a top-down approach to economic growth and opportunity and we believe that the economy works better when it works for everybody and that real growth happens from the bottom up and the middle out -- (a car alarm goes off.)  Sound the alarm, because there’s a problem.  (Laughter.)  Let’s see if we can cut that.  Whose car is that?  You recognize that one?  (Laughter.)  There you go.  (Laughter.)  

But here’s what’s more disconcerting.  Their willingness to say no to everything -- the fact that since 2007, they have filibustered about 500 pieces of legislation that would help the middle class just gives you a sense of how opposed they are to any progress -- has actually led to an increase in cynicism and discouragement among the people who were counting on us to fight for them.  The conclusion is, well, nothing works.  And the problem is, is that for the folks worth fighting for -- for the person who’s cleaning up that house or hotel, for the guy who used to work on construction but now has been laid off -- they need us.  Not because they want a handout, but because they know that government can serve an important function in unleashing the power of our private sector.

And when they get discouraged, they don't vote.  And the congenital problem that Democrats have is in midterms especially, we don't vote.  Our voters are younger, they’re more likely to be minority.  And because they’re more likely to be struggling, they’re not always paying attention when the President -- presidential candidate isn't on the ballot.  And so you’ve got a self-fulfilling prophesy -- people who have the most at stake in a government that works opt out of the system; those who don't believe that government can do anything are empowered; gridlock reigns and we get this downward spiral of even more cynicism and more dysfunction.

And we have to break out of that cycle.  And that's what this election is about.  Because I am optimistic about America’s prospects.  I've been traveling a lot over the last couple months, and I go all around the world -- I go to Europe, I go to Asia -- and everywhere I go -- do not buy this notion perpetrated here that somehow America is on a downward trajectory.  By every indicator, we are better positioned than any country on Earth to succeed in this knowledge economy in the 21st century.  But what is absolutely true is if we don't make good choices, we could decline.

And we're not going to make good choices unless we break out of this cycle in which dysfunction breeds cynicism, and cynicism then breeds more dysfunction.  We've got to break out of it.  And that happens during midterms.  That does not happen during presidential elections.

A lot of people here are already excited about 2016.  You guys were excited about 2008.  You got geared up for 2012.  I am grateful.  But I need some partners.  I've got to have a Democratic Senate.  And when you think about everything I was able to accomplish with Nancy Pelosi at the helm in the House, all the issues that you care about that we were able to advance when she was the leader, I think you’ve got a big stake in making sure that we've got a Democratic House as well.

So my main message to all of you is feel a sense of urgency about this election.  This is my last campaign, and I'm going to put everything I've got into it, but I need you to feel that this is just as important -- because we can't afford to wait until 2016.  And nothing is going to happen magically, by the way, that changes in 2016 if we still have the same kind of voting patterns and the same dysfunction that we've got right now in Congress.  We'll be stymied all over again. 

The good news is we've got public opinion on our side if people actually turn out -- on every issue.  On minimum wage, on pay equity, on clean energy, on immigration reform -- there’s not an issue in which we do not possess a majority in this country.  But it has to manifest itself during election time, and especially during midterms.

So I hope you guys get fired up -- because I'm fired up.  (Laughter.)  And I continue to be ready to go.  Thank you, everybody.  Appreciate it.  (Applause.)

END
7:05 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Remarks by the President After Surveying Tornado Damage

Vilonia, Arkansas

2:30 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, good afternoon, everybody.  Obviously we just had a chance to tour some of the areas that were devastated by last week’s tornadoes, and had a chance to meet with some of the families who lost loved ones.  I also had a chance to thank some of the first responders and the recovery workers and members of the National Guard who have been working nonstop to help families and businesses pick up the pieces after this devastating tornado. 

I want to express my deep appreciation for Governor Beebe and his outstanding leadership; Senator Pryor, Congressman Griffin, Mayor Firestone.  They all showed great leadership and were here, hands-on, on the ground throughout these difficult days.  And I’m here to make sure that they know, and that everybody who’s been affected knows, that the federal government is going to be right here until we get these communities rebuilt.  Because when something like this happens to a wonderful community like this one, it happens to all of us, and we’ve got to be there for them.

After the tornadoes touched down, I immediately approved a major disaster declaration to make sure every federal resource was available to help folks in Faulkner County and other areas affected by the tornadoes.  At my direction, FEMA deployed Incident Management Assistance Teams to support local recovery efforts.  Craig Fugate was down here the day after the storm, and a team of the Army Corps of Engineers has been helping search through the debris. 

Here in Vilonia, the recovery process is just beginning.  It’s especially difficult because this town has seen more than its fair share of tragedy.  Almost exactly three years ago, another tornado leveled parts of Vilonia, and some families and businesses had just finished rebuilding when they were forced to start all over.  But folks here are tough.  They look out for one another, and that’s been especially clear over the past week.

Immediately after the tornado hit, about 200 people, including fire crews from other counties, were ready to go house to house searching for injured neighbors.  Some survivors were driven to the hospital by complete strangers, and in the days that followed, thousands of volunteers showed up to help remove debris and hunt for belongings, pick up trash, deliver supplies and water.  And one volunteer, 16-year-old Casey Williams did such a good job coordinating relief efforts that Arkansas state troopers started taking orders from her.  I had a chance to meet her and she is extraordinarily impressive.  So I don’t know what she’s going to be doing in the future, but I know it’s going to be something great. 

More than any disaster, it is that dedication and that commitment to each other that truly defines this town.  As one resident said, “We just say a prayer, and then get to work.”  So the people of Vilonia and all the other towns devastated by the storm understand there’s a lot of work that remains to be done.  But I’m here to remind them that they’re not doing this work alone, that your country is going to be here for you.  We’re going to support you every step of the way.  You are in our thoughts and prayers, Mr. Mayor.  Thank you for the great leadership that you’ve shown.  I know that you can count on your governor and your senator and your congressman here to make sure that every resource that we have available to you is going to be there. 

And one of the things that the Mayor expressed to me that we’ve got some concerns about is when this happens in a town like this, it’s not just the infrastructure and the buildings that are torn down.  You also lose part of your sales tax base.  And so we’re going to have to figure out how they can make sure that they get back on their feet.  And I’ll be sure to work with Congressman Griffin, Senator Pryor and Governor Beebe to see if we can do something on that front as well.  But I could not be more impressed by the spirit of community that’s here. 

We’ve got this gentleman right here I just had a chance to meet, who was in one of these homes where he lives just when the storm hit.  Thankfully, he and his 16-year-old son and wife are okay.  It’s a reminder, obviously, that as important as possessions are, nothing is more important than family.  Those families that I had a chance to meet with, they’re still mourning those they lost.  But they couldn’t be more grateful and thankful for the way the community has responded.  So this is a testament to the strength of this community, the strength of Arkansas and the strength of America.  And I could not be more proud of everybody who has participated in the recovery process. 

Thank you very much.    

END
2:35 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on the President’s Notification to Remove Certain Trade Benefits from Russia

The President notified Congress today that he intends to withdraw Russia’s eligibility for trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program because Russia is sufficiently advanced economically that it no longer warrants preferential treatment reserved for less advanced developing countries, consistent with the requirements of the GSP program.  Once Russia’s eligibility is withdrawn, which would be effected via a presidential proclamation, U.S. imports of GSP-eligible goods from Russia will be subject to normal, non-preferential rates of duty.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Message to the Congress -- With respect to Russia’s status under the Generalized System of Preferences

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Consistent with section 502(f)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 (the "1974 Act") (19 U.S.C. 2462(f)(2)), I am providing notice of my intent to withdraw the designation of Russia as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

Sections 501(1) and (4) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2461(1) and (4)), provide that, in affording duty-free treatment under the GSP, the President shall have due regard for, among other factors, the effect such action will have on furthering the economic development of a beneficiary developing country through the expansion of its exports and the extent of the beneficiary developing country's competitiveness with respect to eligible articles.

Section 502(c) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(c)) provides that, in determining whether to designate any country as a beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP, the President shall take into account various factors, including the country's level of economic development, the country's per capita gross national product, the living standards of its inhabitants, and any other economic factors he deems appropriate.

Having considered the factors set forth in sections 501 and 502(c) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that it is appropriate to withdraw Russia's designation as a beneficiary developing country under the GSP program because Russia is sufficiently advanced in economic development and improved in trade competitiveness that continued preferential treatment under the GSP is not warranted. I intend to issue a proclamation withdrawing Russia's designation consistent with section 502(f)(2) of the 1974 Act.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest en route Little Rock, AR

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Little Rock, Arkansas

12:06 P.M. EDT

MR. EARNEST:  I do have a few things at the top that I just wanted to make you aware of.  So I want to start with mentioning the President’s last trip to California.  It included a stop at a farm in the Central Valley, where the President talked about efforts underway by the federal government, in coordination with state and local officials, to help local residents deal with the drought.  So there’s a couple of statistics I want to read off about this. 
    
Over the last few months, the United States Department of Agriculture has declared 57 countries in California as primary natural disaster areas due to drought, making farmers and ranchers in those communities eligible for assistance through emergency loans.  The USDA has announced $15 million in funding to help farmers and ranchers in the most extreme and exceptional drought areas implement conservation practices that conserves scarce water resources, reduce wind erosion on drought-impacted fields, and improve livestock access to water; $100 million in the livestock disaster assistance for California producers.
    
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also making $3 million in grants available to help rural communities that are experiencing a significant decline in the quality or quantity of drinking water due to the drought.  $60 million has been made available to food banks in the state of California to help families that may be negatively affected by the drought. 
    
In addition to all of that, the White House, the governor’s office, federal agencies and California state agencies are coordinating in real time with weekly meetings on water operations and the economic impacts of the drought.  In addition to that, the Bureau of Reclamation is coordinating daily with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fishery Service, the California Departments of Water Resources and Fish and Wildlife, federal and state water contractors, and the California State Water Resources Board to manage scarce water resources through the remainder of 2014.
    
I only mention all of this to underscore to you that the federal government and the Obama administration in particular remains committed to working closely with state and local officials in California to help them deal with the drought. 
    
You saw the President talk yesterday about the National Climate Assessment that warned that incidents like the drought that is currently being experienced by communities throughout the West, that droughts like this are likely to be longer and more severe as carbon pollution increases and the impact of climate change is felt all across the globe.
    
So I wanted to make sure that you guys were aware of all that was ongoing on this.  For those of you that are interested in more details -- about three weeks ago, the Department of Agriculture put out -- or through their Economic Research Service provided a report on the potential implications of the drought for California farms, crop and livestock production, and consumer food prices.  So there’s some more details available for you to assess firsthand what kind of impact the drought is having on the economy and on communities throughout California.
    
Now, separately, I also want to mention -- give you a little preview of what we’re looking at for our first stop today.  As you know, that first stop is in central Arkansas where the President will visit just one of several Arkansas communities that was hit by a series of severe storms, including one that spawned an EF-4 tornado last month.  The President will view some of the damage from Marine One as we travel to the area from Little Rock.
    
He’ll then meet with first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to rescue their fellow citizens.  He’ll also meet with the families of those who lost loved ones in the storm.  Then, the President will visit firsthand one of the communities -- or one of the neighborhoods that sustained severe damage from the tornado.  At that point, you’ll have the opportunity to hear directly from the President and get a better sense of his reaction to what he observed in this community.  He’ll be joined on the tour by Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, United States Senator Mark Pryor, and United States Congressman Tim Griffin.
    
Strong coordination between federal, state and local officials is critical to the recovery of communities that have been struck by devastating disasters like this one.  That’s why the President declared a major disaster shortly after the storm hit to streamline federal assistance to affected communities. 

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate visited the area within a couple of days of the storm, and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson visited the area a week or so ago.  All told, there are more than 400 FEMA staff on the ground throughout the mid-south and the southeast regions of the country where these damaging storms occurred late last month.

I also want to mention that there are about 150 AmeriCorps volunteers throughout the southeast who are assisting with the recovery effort.  Many of you saw AmeriCorps volunteers in Oso, Washington when the President visited that community that was devastated by a mudslide.  These AmeriCorps volunteers play a critical role in helping communities like this one recover.  They can do a range of important tasks, including debris removal, facilitating client casework, and helping people apply for disaster assistance.  They can also play an important role in just managing volunteers who are working to rebuild their communities.

Now, I mention all of this because, today, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that’s responsible for service and volunteering, is announcing more than $205 million in AmeriCorps grants to over 280 organizations across the country, including Teach for America, Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, Catholic charities and many others.  These grants will support more than 43,000 AmeriCorps members, tackling critical issues in their communities like education, health, economic opportunity, disaster recovery and other things.  You can get more details about that grant announcement at NationalService.gov.

That was a long windup, but I have one last thing that I want to point out to you.  Shortly after we took off, the National Security Advisor, Susan Rice, who is traveling in Israel, announced that Israeli President Shimon Peres would be visiting the White House the last week of June.  So I wanted to make sure that all of you were aware of that announcement.  That was an announcement that was put out broadly from Israel, but I believe it was right as we were taking off, so I want to make sure you’d seen it.
 
Q    Do you have a date for that?
 
MR. EARNEST:  I believe it’s June 25th.
 
Q    Has that been announced back home? 
 
MR. EARNEST:  Yes. 
 
Q    Is he just -- for logistical purposes, is this an EF-4 neighborhood that he’s visiting today, do you know?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Let’s see if we can get you some more information about the neighborhood.  I believe that that’s the case.  But we’ll see if we can get you some more information from the folks on the ground who are dealing with this a little bit more closely than I am.
 
Q    Do you have any details on the families he’s meeting with?  Obviously there have been some that have gotten a fair amount of attention.
 
MR. EARNEST:  I don’t know if we will have more information about the families or not.  This will be an opportunity for the President to meet with them privately and offer his sympathies on behalf of the country to those who have lost so much in these terrible storms.
 
Q    Are these families, though, that have lost family members as well?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Yes. 
 
Q    And on Friday, the energy speech, is that tied into the climate at all?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Yes.  This will be related to some of our ongoing efforts to coordinate with the private sector to boost efficiency efforts.  
 
Q    There’s a solar component?
 
MR. EARNEST:  We’ll save the details for Friday.  But there is an ongoing effort in the private sector to make the buildings that they inhabit more energy efficient.  That’s good for our climate; it reduces carbon pollution.  It also makes good economic sense for these companies that see a benefit to their bottom line when they’re putting in place measures that will make the buildings they inhabit more energy efficient.  But we’ll have more on that on Friday.
 
Q    Jay, on -- Josh, on others -- sorry.  (Laughter.)  Putin today is saying that he’s pulling troops away from the Ukrainian border and also calling on Ukrainians to delay the May 11th referendum on autonomy.  And I wondered if there's a White House reaction. 
 
MR. EARNEST:  I do have a reaction to that.  You’ve heard the United States and other leaders from the international community expressing our concern for some time now that Russian forces had been deployed to a newly constructed forward deployment area along the Ukrainian border.  This deployment was not for a typical training exercise, but rather was intended to foment instability in the region, and in Ukraine specifically, I should say.
 
We would certainly welcome a meaningful and transparent withdrawal of military -- of Russian military forces from the border.  That’s something that we have sought for quite some time.  I will say that, to date, there’s been no evidence that such a withdrawal has taken place.
 
In terms of President Putin’s comments about the May 11th referendum, we’ve said repeatedly that this referendum is illegitimate, illegal.  Secretary of State Kerry yesterday referred to this referendum as “bogus.”  So we don’t believe that this referendum should just be postponed, we believe it should be cancelled. 
 
What we would also like to see is greater support for the ongoing effort by the Ukrainian government to hold free and fair elections on May 25th.  We would like to see the Russians contribute to the effort to encourage all Ukrainians to participate in that election.  That is the best way for the people of Ukraine to determine the future of their country.
 
What we would also like to see is the Russian government live up to the commitments that they made in Geneva to use their influence with pro-Russian separatists in eastern and southern Ukraine to encourage them to lay down their arms and vacate the buildings that they have taken over; that there is an opportunity for Russia to contribute positively to the environment in Ukraine.  Thus far, they have not done that.  But we’ll see.
 
Q    So Putin says he’s withdrawn the troops; you have absolutely no evidence that they’ve moved any troops at all.  What evidence do you have?
    
     MR. EARNEST:  Well, what I can tell you is that there is no evidence to date that there has been a meaningful and transparent withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border.  Previously, the Russian government has suggested that these Russian troops are deployed for a training exercise. 
 
But the fact of the matter is this is a forward deployment area that was newly constructed right near the border with Ukraine that served only to promote instability and to agitate the communities in that region along the border -- that the destabilizing impact was a bad one.  And that is why we have urged for a few months now for the Russians to withdraw their forces from that region.  But at this point, there has been no  -- there’s no evidence that that withdrawal has taken place.
 
Q    Are you guys detecting at least a change in tone in how Putin is discussing Ukraine right now when he says these kinds of things?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, I’ll say, Jim, that what we’re focused on most right now are actions.  And President Putin committed to a few important actions in Geneva.  So these actions included withdrawing troops from the border.  These actions included strong support for the election that’s planned in Ukraine for May 25th.  And this included the Russians using their influence in eastern and southern Ukraine to encourage separatists to lay down their arms and to put an end to the violence in that region.
 
We have not seen the Russians take those actions yet.  Their refusal to take some of those actions has caused them to sustain some costs that have been imposed by the international community.  We would like to see the Russians play a constructive role in deescalating the situation in Ukraine.  So what we’re focused on are not their words related to that effort, but concrete, tangible, transparent steps that they can take to contribute to a deescalation of tensions in Ukraine.  That’s what we’re looking for.
 
Q    Josh, on Nigeria, do you have any more details on the announcement yesterday that the President, Goodluck Jonathan, has agreed to have U.S. support be sent to the country?  Are there teams on the ground now or do you have any timing on when teams will be on the ground?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Let me try to provide you some more details.  Here’s what I have for you.  The first is to remind you that the assistance that we’re -- that President Obama has committed to provide are military assistance, law enforcement assistance and information-sharing assistance.  The President has said -- and you heard him say in his interviews with a couple of television networks yesterday -- that he is committed to doing all that we can here in the United States to support the effort of the Nigerian government to find these girls that have been kidnapped and return them home safely, as soon as possible.
 
So part of that effort will include this assistance that we’re providing.  And further into that assistance, the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria today is meeting with the Nigerian national security advisor to talk about coordinating the assistance that will be provided by the U.S.  The legal attaché at the embassy is meeting with his counterparts in Nigerian law enforcement.  The Department of Justice and the FBI stand ready to provide a range of technical assistance to include help with pursuing an investigation, including some forensics assistance and expertise that they can bring to this effort.  They also have some expertise and knowledge in hostage negotiations that we can bring to bear to assist the Nigerian government.
 
USAID is preparing assistance for the families of those who have had girls kidnapped, and stand ready to provide assistance to those girls when they return home.  So there are a whole range of things that we can do and are doing.  I also know that AFRICOM, the Africa command of our military structure, is conducting a review to see what kind of supplies they could offer up, again, in support of a Nigerian effort to find the girls who have been kidnapped. 
 
Q    You’re talking mostly in future tense than about the capabilities that we can lend.  Is Nigeria accepting those offers right now?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, there are -- I was speaking in the present tense when I was talking about the ongoing efforts related to coordination between -- with the discussions that the Ambassador is having, discussions that the attaché is conducting as well.  There is a team on the ground at the embassy right now that can provide the kind of support and assistance that we’re talking about.  So I guess I was using multiple tenses in talking, some of which was current tense in terms of what we’re actively doing to support this effort.  But if there is additional assistance that can be provided, we will provide it.
 
Q    On the Arkansas trip, it seems like the President keeps having to do these things where he meets families and it’s very sad.  I guess that’s part of the job.  How does he feel about that part of the job? 
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, as the elected leader of the country, it is the responsibility of the President to convey a couple of important messages to the people of Arkansas and to people in communities throughout the southeast that have been affected by these terrible storms.  On the one hand, the President is traveling to the area to see firsthand the damage and to demonstrate a commitment not just on behalf of his administration, but on behalf of the American people, to stand with the people of Arkansas and other communities throughout the southeast as they recover and rebuild from these storms.  You’ll hear an expression of that commitment from the President today. 
 
There’s also a responsibility of the President to offer his condolences to people in these communities who have lost so much.  In some cases, there are individuals who have lost -- families who have lost all of their worldly possessions in this storm.  In other cases, the losses that families have sustained have been even worse -- they’ve lost loved ones in these storms.  It’s an important job of any United States President to offer condolences to these families on behalf of the country.
 
So the President will certainly be carrying his sympathies and condolences on behalf of the Obama family, but also on behalf of the entire country.  And this is something that previous Presidents have had to do, and tragically this is something that President Obama has had to do all too frequently as well.
 
Other things?
 
Q    Do you have any other details about the security breach yesterday?  The car that followed the daughter’s motorcade into the -- the Secret Service said it was a Treasury employee, and I didn’t know if the administration is taking any administrative or punitive actions against the employee.
 
MR. EARNEST:  I saw those reports, Adam, but I don’t have any additional information for you at this point.  You might check -- I think what I would do is recommend that you touch base with Secret Service to see if they have additional details that they can provide. 
 
I saw that that individual was in custody for a while.  I don’t know if they are right now, but Secret Service should be able to provide you some additional information about that. 
 
Q    So no sort of formal administrative response in the fact that it might have been an employee who was responsible for that?
 
MR. EARNEST:  I saw some reports that the individual that you’re talking about may have been a Treasury employee.  I’m not in a position to confirm that.  You may be able to check with the Treasury Department to see if they can.
 
Q    Josh, rebels are leaving from the city of Homs in Syria; it was kind of their last big stronghold.  What does it say about what the situation is in Syria?  Does Assad clearly have the upper hand right now?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, I’m not in a position to offer that assessment.  I think I would just say that we continue to be concerned about the terrible violence that has racked Syria for a few years now.  It has divided that country.  It has caused a huge flow of refugees into other countries in that region.  That’s had a terribly destabilizing effect on a region that was already pretty volatile. 
 
We continue to be concerned with the ongoing violence there.  It is a terrible tragedy that the leader of a country is using the armed forces of that country to exact a terrible toll on the citizens of that country.  We have said for quite some time that there is a not a military solution to this problem; that this is going to require all of the parties to come to the table and try to resolve this diplomatically and usher in the kind of political transition that’s required to ensure that the people of Syria have a government that reflects their will, and that will, at a bare minimum, put an end to the terrible violence that we’ve seen there over the last few years.
 
Q    On Benghazi and the special panel -- Democrats are insisting on parity representation on the panel; it doesn’t look like they would get that.  Would that be the kind of situation that the White House would consider illegitimizes the panel and therefore would make it one that you would not cooperate with?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, let me answer that question this way, Jim.  As you know, we have cooperated with a number of inquiries related to Benghazi.  Some of those have been rather partisan in nature, but have still enjoyed remarkable cooperation from the administration.  I have some new statistics here:  Five different congressional reports have been issues on this topic.  Seven different congressional investigations have been conducted.  Eight different subpoenas have been issued.  Thirteen hearings have been held.  Twenty-five transcribed interviews have been conducted.  Fifty different briefings for staff and members; 25,000 pages of documents have been produced by the administration.  There has been remarkable cooperation from the administration, with Congress, who have been looking into this. 
 
I do think that we have some new evidence today about the way that this panel can be judged.  Relatively early this morning we saw one of the Republican campaign committees issue a fundraising email encouraging their donors to contribute to the party in support of the Benghazi investigation.  I think that tells you just about all you need to know when it comes to assessing the political motivations of those who are leading the effort to form this committee.
 
Q    So you’re saying you’ve cooperated enough, then, over Benghazi.
 
MR. EARNEST:  I think I’m saying that there has been -- I think the adjective that I used was a “remarkable” amount of cooperation.  And if you look at the statistics, there’s been a remarkable expenditure of resources from Congress related to this investigation, and a remarkable level of cooperation that you’ve seen in terms of witnesses participating in hearings, and transcribed interviews, and in terms of documents that have been provided to members of Congress on this issue. 
 
So the other thing I’ll say about this is the President’s concern as it relates to this issue has been has been bringing to justice those who perpetrated this terrible act.  There is an active, ongoing FBI investigation on that right now. 
 
The President is also concerned with making sure that the recommendations forwarded by the Accountability Review Board -- an impartial panel that was chaired by Ambassador Pickering and Admiral Mike Mullen -- those recommendations are being implemented.  And just as importantly, the President is committed to making sure that we’re doing every single thing that we can to beef up diplomatic security at U.S. facilities all across the world.  We have not seen cooperation from Republicans in Congress on that effort.  And it’s unfortunate that they seem more interested in these kinds of investigations than working with the administration to actually make sure that we’re doing all that we can to keep our diplomats safe.
 
I mean, the fact of the matter is we have diplomats all around the world right now, as we speak, who are putting themselves in harm’s way to represent our country’s interests in remote corners of the globe.  And they deserve to have a government that is devoting all the necessary resources to allow them to do their jobs as safely and effectively and efficiently as possible.  The President is determined in pursuit of that effort.  And, frankly, we’d like to see a little bit more of Republican cooperation when it comes to that.
 
Q    So how do you determine whether this investigation is legitimate?  Is there like a way of determining that?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, I’ll say a couple of things about that.  I think that the fact that the National Republican Congressional Committee is raising money off the creation of this committee is a pretty good indication of the political motivation that’s at work here.  That said, the panel has not yet been created.  The members have not yet been appointed.  And the investigatory tactics that they are planning to employ have not yet been disclosed.  So I’m going to reserve judgment on that.  But I’m reserving judgment knowing that we have already produced extensive materials to support a wide range of other investigations that have already been conducted, and noting the political motivation that seems rather obvious at this point.
 
Q    So are you saying that when a party raises money off an event, committee, policy for political purposes, it’s politically motivated?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, I think I’m saying that I’ll let you be the judge of that.  And I’ll be interested to hear what you conclude.
 
Q    On the climate report that was released yesterday, it’s being criticized by opponents, saying that if the policies that are expected to come out of the data do, it will cost U.S. jobs.  Obviously, the White House has been focused on job creation.  So how do you respond to critics on that charge?
 
MR. EARNEST:  Well, I’ll respond to it in this way.  There are serious challenges that we face as a result of climate change caused by carbon pollution.  One thing we can do is try to reduce our contribution to that carbon pollution.  There are a couple of ways we can do that. 
 
One that we’ll talk about a little bit more on Friday is making buildings a little bit more efficient.  Retrofitting buildings and modernizing them is one way to create jobs.  It saves companies money in terms of their energy costs, but it also creates jobs in terms of people who are installing updated lighting, modern heating and cooling systems, and other things that make buildings more efficient.  The President has put in place a range of efficiency measures that govern the manufacturing of appliances and automobiles and trucks.  All of that saves consumers money in terms of energy costs, but it also creates good manufacturing jobs here in this country. 
 
This is a leading trend that we’re going to see all across the world that other countries and other markets are going to turn to more energy-efficient products to try to deal with carbon pollution.  So there is an opportunity that exists for American businesses right now to get ahead of the curve; that if we can develop an expertise in manufacturing energy-efficient appliances and energy-efficient cars, that will open up export markets all around the globe.  This is also true when it comes to manufacturing for wind turbines and solar panels, that there’s an opportunity for the United States to assert dominance in this market.
 
We’re seeing other countries that are mobilizing their resources to try to get a toehold on all this.  But there is an opportunity for us, for this country, to do the right thing when it comes to the economy -- I mean, when it comes to the environment and climate change, and also do the right thing when it comes to job creation and economic growth. 
 
And that’s what we’re focused on, and that’s why you hear the President talk so frequently about how important investments in clean energy like wind and solar are to his list of economic priorities.  But, again, we’ll hear the President talk about this a little bit more on Friday. 
 
END          
12:36 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Message to the Congress -- Continuation of the National Emergency with respect to Syria

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency, unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria declared in Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004 -- as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, Executive Order 13460 of February 13, 2008, Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011, Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012, and Executive Order 13608 of May 1, 2012 -- is to continue in effect beyond May 11, 2014.

The regime's brutal war on the Syrian people, who have been calling for freedom and a representative government, endangers not only the Syrian people themselves, but could yield greater instability throughout the region. The Syrian regime's actions and policies, including supporting terrorist organizations and impeding the Lebanese government's ability to function effectively, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect the national emergency declared with respect to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions to address this national emergency.

In addition, the United States condemns the Asad regime's use of brutal violence and human rights abuses and calls on the Asad regime to stop its violent war and allow a political transition in Syria that will forge a credible path to a future of greater freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice.

The United States will consider changes in the composition, policies, and actions of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or terminate this national emergency in the future.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Notice-- Continuation of the National Emergency with respect to Syria

NOTICE

- - - - - - -

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT

TO THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SYRIA

On May 11, 2004, pursuant to his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-1706, and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, Public Law 108-175, the President issued Executive Order 13338, in which he declared a national emergency with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria. To deal with this national emergency, Executive Order 13338 authorized the blocking of property of certain persons and prohibited the exportation or re-exportation of certain goods to Syria. The national emergency was modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, Executive Order 13460 of February 13, 2008, Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011, Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012, and Executive Order 13608 of May 1, 2012.

The President took these actions to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the actions of the Government of Syria in supporting terrorism, maintaining its then-existing occupation of Lebanon, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and undermining U.S. and international efforts with respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq.

The regime's brutal war on the Syrian people, who have been calling for freedom and a representative government, endangers not only the Syrian people themselves but also is generating instability throughout the region. The Syrian regime's actions and policies, including the use of chemical weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and impeding the Lebanese government's ability to function effectively, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. As a result, the national emergency declared on May 11, 2004, and the measures to deal with that emergency adopted on that date in Executive Order 13338; on April 25, 2006, in Executive Order 13399; on February 13, 2008, in Executive Order 13460; on April 29, 2011, in Executive Order 13572; on May 18, 2011, in Executive Order 13573; on August 17, 2011, in Executive Order 13582; on April 22, 2012, in Executive Order 13606; and on May 1, 2012, in Executive Order 13608; must continue in effect beyond May 11, 2014. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria.

In addition, the United States condemns the Asad regime's use of brutal violence and human rights abuses and calls on the Asad regime to stop its violent war and allow a political transition in Syria that will forge a credible path to a future of greater freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice.

The United States will consider changes in the composition, policies, and actions of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or terminate this national emergency in the future.

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

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2014

Presidential Transmittal Message -- To the Senate on the Protocol Amending the Convention between the US and Spain for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES:

I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to its ratification, the Protocol Amending the Convention between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and its Protocol, signed at Madrid on February 22, 1990, and a related Memorandum of Understanding signed on January 14, 2013, at Madrid, together with correcting notes dated July 23, 2013, and January 31, 2014 (together the "proposed protocol"). I also transmit for the information of the Senate the report of the Department of State, which includes an overview of the proposed protocol.

The proposed protocol was negotiated to bring United States-Spain tax treaty relations into closer conformity with U.S. tax treaty policy. The proposed protocol exempts from source-country withholding cross-border payments of certain direct dividends, interest, royalties, and capital gains, and updates the provisions of the existing convention with respect to preventing abuse by third-country investors and the exchanges of information between revenue authorities. The proposed protocol also updates the mutual agreement procedure by requiring binding arbitration of certain cases that the competent authorities of the United States and Spain have been unable to resolve after a reasonable period of time.

I recommend the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the proposed protocol and give its advice and consent to its ratification.

BARACK OBAMA