The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 23, 2011

Statement by the President on the Tornado in Missouri and the Severe Storms Across the Midwest

Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in the tornadoes and severe weather that struck Joplin, Missouri as well as communities across the Midwest today.  We commend the heroic efforts by those who have responded and who are working to help their friends and neighbors at this very difficult time. At my direction, FEMA is working with the affected areas' state and local officials to support response and recovery efforts, and the federal government stands ready to help our fellow Americans as needed.

Weekly Wrap Up: A Moment of Opportunity

tmiller
May 20, 2011
05:54 PM EDT

 Your quick look at the week of May 16th to May 20th on WhiteHouse.gov:

President Obama Surprises Students at Booker T. Washington

President Barack Obama surprises Booker T. Washington students before their commencement ceremony at Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn., May 16, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Graduation Season: This week, the President and First Lady spoke at commencements around the country. President Obama addressed graduating seniors at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, TN -- the winners of the 2011 Commencement Challenge. The First Lady spoke at Spelman College in Atlanta and delivered a historic address to graduating Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Moment of Opportunity: President Obama laid out his vision for a new chapter in American diplomacy as calls for reform and democracy spread across the Middle East and North Africa. After the speech, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes answered questions from all over the world via Twitter.

Do You Know Someone Like This?: Nominate an everyday hero for the 2011 Presidential Citizens Medal. 

Huskies at the White House: President Obama honored the NCAA champions the UConn Huskies in a ceremony at the White House. Watch a video of the team's basketball clinic with local kids.

Related Topics: Defense, Education, Energy and Environment, Foreign Policy, Homeland Security, Technology, Additional Issues, Tennessee

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 20, 2011

President Obama Signs Idaho Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Idaho and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, Tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of March 31 to April 11, 2011.

Federal funding is available to State, Tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding, landslides, and mudslides in Bonner, Clearwater, Idaho, Nez Perce, and Shoshone Counties and the Nez Perce Tribe.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and Tribes within the State.

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

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 20, 2011

President Obama Signs North Dakota Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Dakota and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm during the period of April 29 to May 1, 2011. 

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm in the counties of Bottineau, Burke, Divide, Dunn, McKenzie, Mountrail, Renville, Ward, and Williams.

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

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

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


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

Launching the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace

Howard A. Schmidt
Howard A. Schmidt
May 16, 2011
03:46 PM EDT

Today, I am proud to announce the United States’ first, comprehensive International Strategy for Cyberspace (pdf). The International Strategy is a historic policy document for the 21st Century — one that explains, for audiences at home and abroad, what the U.S. stands for internationally in cyberspace, and how we plan to build prosperity, enhance security, and safeguard openness in our increasingly networked world.

Today, Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan and I were joined by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Deputy Secretary of Defense Bill Lynn in announcing this landmark document’s release, here at the White House. The event was streamed live on WhiteHouse.gov, and you can view it here starting this evening.

The International Strategy lays out the President’s vision for the future of the Internet, and sets an agenda for partnering with other nations and peoples to achieve that vision. It begins by recognizing the successes networked technologies have brought us, in large part due to the spirit of freedom and innovation that has characterized the Internet from its early days as a research project. While the strategy is realistic about the challenges we face, it nonetheless emphasizes that our policies must continue to be grounded in our core principles of fundamental freedoms, privacy, and the free flow of information.

Howard A. Schmidt is the White House Cybersecurity Coordinator.
Related Topics: Cybersecurity, Foreign Policy, Homeland Security

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 13, 2011

President Obama Signs Oklahoma Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Oklahoma and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of January 31 to February 5, 2011.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm and snowstorm in the counties of Craig, Creek, Jefferson, Logan, Mayes, Nowata, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Stephens, Tulsa, Wagoner, and Washington.

In addition, assistance is available to the State and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including snow assistance, for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Craig, Creek, Jefferson, Logan, Mayes, Nowata, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Stephens, Wagoner, and Washington Counties.  This assistance will be provided for a period of 72 hours for Rogers and Tulsa Counties.

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

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

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


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 13, 2011

President Obama Signs South Dakota Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of South Dakota and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding beginning on March 11, 2011, and continuing.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding in the counties of Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Buffalo, Clark, Codington, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Marshall, Miner, Moody, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, and Sully.

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

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

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

The President on TOP COPS: "It Wasn’t Talk; It Was What They Did"

Jesse Lee
Jesse Lee
May 12, 2011
03:59 PM EDT

Watch the President's and the Vice President's full remarks here.

It was a beautiful day in the Rose Garden to honor the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) TOP COPS.  The Vice President spoke first, reiterating the commitment that he and the President have to supporting America's law enforcement, from giving states the funding they need to keep them on the job, to better communication resources, to supporting their rights as workers.  The President spoke to that commitment as well, and also commended the outstanding officers who had earned this year's title of "Top Cops":

Related Topics: Homeland Security

The Administration Unveils its Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal

Howard A. Schmidt
Howard A. Schmidt
May 12, 2011
02:00 PM EDT

Today I am happy to announce that the Administration has transmitted a cybersecurity legislative proposal to Capitol Hill in response to Congress’ call for assistance on how best to address the cybersecurity needs of our Nation.  This is a milestone in our national effort to ensure secure and reliable networks for Americans, businesses, and government; fundamentally, this proposal strikes a critical balance between maintaining the government’s role and providing industry with the capacity to innovatively tackle threats to national cybersecurity.  Just as importantly, it does so while providing a robust framework to protect civil liberties and privacy.

When the President released his Cyberspace Policy Review (pdf) almost two years ago, he declared cyberspace as a key strategic asset for the United States and its security just as vital.  This legislative proposal is the latest achievement in the steady stream of progress we are making in securing cyberspace and completes another near-term action item (pdf) identified in the Cyberspace Policy Review.

Related Topics: Cybersecurity, Foreign Policy, Homeland Security

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 11, 2011

President Obama Signs Mississippi Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding beginning on May 3, 2011, and continuing.
 
The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Adams, Bolivar, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Humphreys, Issaquena, , Jefferson, Sharkey, Tunica, Warren, Washington, Wilkinson, and Yazoo Counties.
 
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
 
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
 
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.
 
FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.
 
FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.