CAT | Energy & Environment
Last fall, President Obama asked all Federal and military personnel to join in the GreenGov Challenge to share their ideas on how we can lead by example, green the government, and meet the goals of the Executive Order on Federal Sustainability. Today, the President is calling on us to turn those ideas into action to put the Federal Government on the path to a clean energy future, and to meet our greenhouse gas pollution reduction target of 28% by 2020.
The GreenGov Challenge gathered more than 5,300 ideas and 165,000 votes from thousands of our colleagues in the Federal and military community from every agency, across America and around the globe.
The top ideas are summarized in the GreenGov Final Report. Among the most popular ones were expanding teleworking, landscaping with native plants that require less watering, making use of digital signatures to reduce printing documents, replacing non-recyclable materials with biobased cups and other service items in Federal cafeterias, and installing solar panels of Federal buildings. An initial summary of the GreenGov Challenge was presented to the Steering Committee on Federal Sustainability at a recent meeting, and each Federal Agency’s Senior Sustainability Officer is already working to incorporate your suggestions into their annual Sustainability Plans.
Today President Obama is issuing a new challenge to Federal and military personnel to put these ideas to work. To get started, check out the GreenGov Challenge Final Report and pick an idea you can champion in your workplace. Then sign up for the GreenGov Collaborative to work with colleagues across the government to put your ideas into action. You’ll be able to share your strategies, ask questions, and create a “green team” in this online community.
You answered the GreenGov challenge, now be part of the GreenGov transformation.
Nancy Sutley is the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality
Earlier today in Maryland, President Obama spoke about the importance of clean energy for the country’s future.
Whether it’s nuclear energy, or solar or wind energy, if we fail to invest in the technologies of tomorrow, then we’re going to be importing those technologies instead of exporting them. We will fall behind. Jobs will be produced overseas, instead of here in the United States of America. And that’s not a future that I accept.
As one plank of that future, he announced loan guarantees through the Department of Energy to operate two new nuclear reactors at a plant in Burke, Georgia. It will be the first new nuclear power plant in nearly three decades. The plant is expected to create approximately 3500 construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs. When the nuclear reactors come online, they will provide reliable electricity for 1.4 million people in Georgia.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks on new investments by the administration to create energy jobs during his visit to International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Md., Feb. 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the plants will be held to strict standards to find ways of disposing waste safely, and avoid or reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The President discussed the need to increase the supply of nuclear power to meet growing energy needs and prevent the worst consequences of climate change. The plant is expected to cut carbon pollution by 16 million tons each year. "That’s like taking 3.5 million cars off the road," he explained.
President Obama called for a bipartisan energy and climate legislation to create incentives that will make clean energy profitable.
What I hope is that with this announcement, we’re underscoring both our seriousness in meeting the energy challenge and our willingness to look at this challenge not as a partisan issue but as a matter that’s far more important than politics – because the choices we make will affect not just the next generation but many generations to come.
Project sponsors include Georgia Power Company (GPC), Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC), the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) and the City of Dalton, Georgia (Dalton).
Sean Myers points out a feature on a Motor Control Panel to President Barack Obama during a tour of the jobs training center at the International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Md., Feb. 16, 2010. Looking on at left are Chuck Graham, Business Manager of IBEW Local Union 26 and Energy Secretary Steven Chu. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)
Yesterday I had the opportunity to co-convene a meeting with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and leaders from across the Federal community who are helping to make sustainability a reality for the Federal government. Following up from President Obama’s announcement on Friday when he set a government-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 28 percent by 2020, I can speak for all who were there when I say there is a lot of excitement in the air!
So what does this goal mean? Achieving this 28 percent reduction will reduce Federal energy use by 646 trillion BTUs, which is equal to 205 million barrels of oil, or taking 17 million cars off the road for one year. And this is also equivalent to a cumulative total of $8 to $11 billion in avoided energy costs through 2020 based on current energy prices. Now that is impressive.
The next step towards Federal Sustainability is an important one: each agency is developing a “Sustainability Plan” that defines how they’ll meet their GreenGov goals, reduce energy use, drive long-term savings, save taxpayer dollars, and help create local clean energy jobs.
Cities, states, and American businesses have helped to forge the way by showing that greening their operations is not only good for the environment, but good for business; we have ample best practices and lessons to look to from our colleagues around the country.
And Federal Departments and Agencies are already taking actions to achieve greenhouse gas pollution reductions, such as installing solar arrays at military installations, tapping landfills for renewable energy, putting energy management systems in Federal buildings, and replacing older vehicles with more fuel efficient hybrid models. You can view examples of projects that are underway here.
The 28% Federal target announced on Friday is the aggregate of 35 Federal Agency self-reported targets. For example, the Department of Defense announced it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from non-combat activities by 34% by 2020 and the Department of the Treasury will reduce its emissions by 33%.
We are very excited by the progress that is already occurring, and will continue to watch these developments in the future. Moving forward, implementation of the Executive Order will focus on integrating achievement of sustainability goals with agency mission and strategic planning. The goal is to optimize performance and minimize costs.
You will all be able to chart the Federal government’s progress through “scorecards” that will grade each agency on how well it is meeting its performance targets. And to ensure transparency and accountability, annual progress will be reported online to the public. I’m looking forward to sharing more updates in the months ahead!
Nancy Sutley is the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality
In his State of the Union Address last month, the President promised that this Administration would move aggressively to catalyze American innovation and economic growth, especially in a competitive global environment — and he pointed out that, "no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy."
Today, at a meeting with a bipartisan group of Governors from around the country, the President announced actions to accelerate the development of biofuels and clean coal technologies, two critical components of his comprehensive plan for transitioning to a clean energy economy.
President Barack Obama listens to a question from Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa. during the Senate Democratic Policy Committee Issues Conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Feb. 3, 2010. Watching, from left are, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
On biofuels, three complementary actions will help create new opportunities for job growth, infrastructure development, and technological innovation, encouraging Americans to produce clean, homegrown energy.
Renewable Fuel Standard: The Environmental Protection Agency issued its final rule setting a new renewable fuel standard, which will create a market for advanced biofuel producers in the U.S. and help America fulfill the renewable energy mandate set by Congress. By 2022, the new fuel standard is projected to increase farmers’ incomes by $13 billion annually, create a stabilizing effect for prices at the pump, and increase our energy independence.
Biomass Crop Assistance Program: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which will provide financial incentives to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who invest in and establish production of biomass for energy and other purposes. The program will reduce the financial risk to these entrepreneurs, helping kick-start this new industry and spurring the economic recovery of rural America.
Biofuels Report: The President’s Biofuels Interagency Working Group released its first report – Growing America’s Fuel, which lays out a strategy to advance the development and commercialization of a sustainable biofuels industry to meet or exceed the nation’s biofuels targets.
Presidential Memorandum for a Comprehensive Federal Strategy on Carbon Capture and Storage: The President established a new interagency task force on Carbon, Capture and Sequestration (CCS). CCS technologies aim to collect heat-trapping gases released during the burning of coal and to sequester them so that they do not contribute to climate change. The President has consistently emphasized the need to invest in advanced technology as it is a critical part of the transition to a clean energy economy.
Whether we’re talking about coal states or coastal states – urban states or rural – we can all agree these investments in clean energy mean progress for all Americans. Even if you disagree with the need to take action on climate change, investing in the promise of a new clean energy economy is the right thing to do to secure American competitiveness and ensure future prosperity. The President said it best:
China’s not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany’s not waiting. India’s not waiting. These nations aren’t standing still. These nations aren’t playing for second place. They’re putting more emphasis on math and science. They’re rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.
This is about strengthening our country to compete in the global market. And that’s why the President is committed to passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation for our economy, for our security and for our future.
It’s not often that the President and the Vice President get together for a town hall, but the occasion yesterday was something special for Vice President Biden. They were in Florida, one of the sites just announced for a massive down payment on high-speed rail, the future of transportation, and a great source of jobs in the here-and-now. See a map of the full web of high-speed rail, and emerging high-speed rail projects being funded by the nearly $8 billion investment in the Recovery Act.
View the Full Interactive Map of Rail Grants
You can also read more from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in his blog post from yesterday. It’s probably fair to say that both he and the Vice President, were fired up and ready to go:
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, we’re determined to restore America to its rightful place at the leading edge of innovation, with bold ideas that will create jobs immediately and serve as the foundation, a new platform — (applause) — a new platform to build this economy on that will serve not just our immediate needs but future generations; ideas like wind power, solar energy, a smart grid, broadband — (applause) — and high-speed rail. And that’s why we’re here today. (Applause.)
Having made over 7,900 round trips, literally, on Amtrak, 250 miles a day, I am very familiar with rail. (Laughter.) And today you have no idea how pleased I am to talk about the announcement that we made yesterday awarding — in total, nationwide — nearly $8 billion from the Recovery Act, funding to move us in the direction of developing a high-speed rail service in 13 travel corridors covering 31 states all across this country. (Applause.)
Ladies and gentlemen, these investments — these investments have several goals: first, to improve existing rail lines to make train service faster, more reliable; two, to pull cars off the road, reducing congestion, cutting pollution, and increasing productivity; and three, to begin to develop new corridors for high-speed trains that will go from 169 to 230 miles an hour. (Applause.)
Ladies and gentlemen, like a corridor, right here from Tampa to Orlando — (applause) — so you’ll be able to get on a train here to Orlando in less than an hour, without battling traffic and congestion, arrive at your destination. Ladies and gentlemen, this single investment is not going to solve all our transportation issues overnight. Instead, with more than $55 billion of proposals from 50 states all across the country, we’re providing $8 billion in seed money. And today’s awards provide only initial funding for the rail system. Like Tampa and Orlando route, more funding is going to come in the future as progress is made.
We have committed to another $5 billion in funding over the next five years. It’s a down payment on a truly national program that’s going to reshape the way we travel. It will change the way which we go from place to place, change the ways we work and live, and will connect communities to each other in a way that in the past was impossible. Just like the Interstate Highway structure did back in the mid-’50s, it will have far-reaching consequences.
Let me ask you a question: How can we, the leading nation in the world, be in a position where China, Spain, France — and name all the other countries who have rail systems that are far superior to ours?
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s about time we move. But this time — but this time, we’re not only going to be providing a better way to transport; we’re going to be taking cars off of congested highways, reducing carbon emissions, and saving billions of dollars in human productivity lost just sitting in traffic jams, as studies point out.
Most important, we’re creating jobs — good jobs. (Applause.) Construction jobs. Manufacturing jobs. And we’re going to be creating them right now. We’re going to spur economic development in the future and we’re making our communities more livable all in the process.
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden take part in a town hall meeting at the Bob Martinez Sports Center at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla.
President Barack Obama listens to a question at the town hall meeting at the University of Tampa Bob Martinez Sports Center in Tampa, Fla.
Cross-posted from the DOT’s Fast Lane blog.
I have looked forward to this day for a long time.
It is a great honor–a great honor–to have President Obama and Vice President Biden in Tampa, Florida, to announce our American Recovery and Reinvestment Act High-Speed and Inter-city Passenger Rail grants.
The investments we announce today make rail a viable transportation alternative in many regions. With this historic $8 billion investment by President Obama, we are jump-starting American High-Speed rail.
The bulk of today’s awards go to new, large-scale high-speed rail programs–projects such as Florida, with $1.25 billion to develop a high-speed rail corridor between Tampa and Orlando with trains running up to 168 miles per hour–and California, with $2.25 billion to connect Los Angeles to San Francisco and points in between with trains running up to 220 miles per hour.
In total, 31 states and the District of Columbia will receive awards. In addition to 13 corridor investments, we are also awarding several grants for improvement projects and planning. These efforts on existing routes and emerging corridors will lay the groundwork for future high-speed and intercity rail development.
I’ve said it before, and I believe it even more today: this is an absolute game-changer for American transportation.
We will make passenger rail more efficient, providing better service in travel markets across the country.
High-speed rail travel offers competitive door-to-door trip times
It reduces congestion on key routes between cities
It reduces transportation emissions
And, most of all, it creates the jobs of the future, the jobs America needs right now
Ed. Note: You can watch video of each Cabinet member describing what his or her department or agency has accomplished this year and what to expect in the year ahead at our The President’s Cabinet Reporting to You page.
In his first year in office, President Obama crafted an ambitious agenda that called on all Federal agencies to change the way government works and provide an unprecedented amount of support to the American people. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) took this call to action as an opportunity to provide leadership in areas such as sustainable building design, online citizen engagement, and green IT alternatives.
As the business arm of the government, GSA is responsible for laying the foundation on which other Federal agencies can build. For example, just this week GSA’s Office of Citizen Services made available an online public dialog tool for government agencies to use in order to engage community members and meet President Obama’s Open Government Directive.
Moving forward, GSA will continue to support the Federal agenda with innovative business solutions, quality acquisition services, superior workplaces and effective government-wide policies.
Stephen Leeds is the Acting Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA)
Ed. note: Also watch shorter video clips from the speech, broken down by topic.
In his State of the Union Address tonight, the President laid out an agenda attempting to attack one problem from every conceivable angle: the terrible squeeze felt by America’s middle class. Fundamentally, that means prying government away from special interests and dedicating it to measures that put Americans to work and lay the foundation for a stronger economy for our country – lowering health care and tuition costs, spurring creation of the next generation of clean energy jobs. It also means putting a cop on the beat on Wall Street, so major banks can no longer take advantage of families and taxpayers.
To do all that, though, we need to change the way Washington works. Already the President has taken unprecedented steps in this direction, from releasing the names of all visitors to the White House for the first time ever to clamping down on the revolving door between government and lobbying. But as much progress was made on this front in this first year, it was still only the first year, and the President will keep pushing forward, whether that’s shining sunlight on any contact between lobbyists and the White House, or pushing Congress to disclose all earmark requests in one place for Americans to see.
This was the vision that shaped the President’s address, but this is not just a matter of rhetoric. The President made clear that there is tremendously busy agenda ahead for his second year – the policies and proposals below are just examples of the plans the President laid out in his address to put government to work for the middle class.
Here are a few initiatives you might have missed in the course of the speech:
The President called on the Senate to pass a financial reform package. “A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.” Essential reforms include measures to protect consumers and investors from financial abuse; close loopholes, raise standards, and create accountability for supervision of major financial firms; restrict the size and scope of financial institutions to reign in excesses and protect taxpayers and address the ‘too big to fail’ problem; and establish comprehensive supervision of financial markets.
A vision for a clean energy economy. “…to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives.” We will build on the historic $80 billion investment made through the Recovery Act. The President’s vision includes investments in important technologies to diversity our energy sources and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, including: the renewal of our nation’s nuclear energy industry after a 30-year hiatus, cutting edge biofuel and clean coal technologies, and additional offshore oil and gas drilling. To fully transition to a clean energy economy and create millions of new American jobs, we must pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation to promote energy independence and address climate change.
The President will continue his push to invest in the skills and education of our people. “This year, we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. And the idea here is simple: instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success… In this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.” The Obama Administration supports a new vision for increasing student achievement, delivering opportunity, and supporting excellence in America’s public schools. The President’s 2011 budget supports a new framework for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that will foster innovation, reward excellence, and promote reform in our schools, as well as invests an additional $1.35 billion to continue the historic Race to the Top program to open it up to districts in order to spur innovation and additional progress. At the same time, the Administration is moving to consolidate ineffective policies and practices. The President’s Budget eliminates six programs and consolidates 38 others into 11 new programs that emphasize using competition to allocate funds, giving communities more choices around activities, and using rigorous evidence to fund what works.
The President is committed to making college affordable for all Americans. “(I)n this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job.” To increase college access and completion, the Administration will make student loans more affordable by limiting a borrower’s payments to 10 percent of his/her income and forgives remaining debt after 20 years – 10 years for public service works. We will also make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit. The President urges the Senate to pass the American Graduation Initiative, which invests more than $10 billion over the next decade in reforming our nation’s community colleges, promoting college completion, and moving toward the President’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. The President is also asking colleges and universities to do their share to make college affordable for all Americans cutting their own costs.
The President is making investments to ensure that the middle class benefits from this economic recovery. “(T)he price of college tuition is just one of the burdens facing the middle class. That’s why last year I asked Vice President Biden to chair a task force on middle-class families.” The President has outlined immediate steps to reduce the strain on family budgets and help middle class families manage their child and elder care responsibilities, save for retirement and pay for college. He will double the child tax credit this year, make it easier to save for retirement with automatic IRAs for workers without access to existing retirement plans, provide larger tax credits to match retirement savings for millions of additional workers, and provide new safeguards to protect retirement savings.
Changing the way we do business. “To close that credibility gap we have to take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; to give our people the government they deserve.” The President has called for additional new lobbyist reforms, including enhanced disclosure of lobbyist contacts, strict campaign contribution limits by lobbyists, and a single earmark database, so American taxpayers find out what earmarks are being requested, and where their money is going.
Countering Citizens United. “I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities.” Last week’s Supreme Court Citizen’s United decision opens the floodgates to special interests and foreign countries and companies bankrolling national campaigns. The President called for bipartisan support for legislation that will remedy the Supreme Court’s unprecedented and troubling decision.
The President stands by military families. “Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform…have to know that they have our respect, our gratitude, our full support.” The President’s 2011 budget announces significant new investments, totaling more than $8 billion, and protections for our nation’s military families, including increased military pay and housing allowances, increased funding for family support programs, expanded availability of affordable, high-quality child care, the renovation or replacement of schools, and expanded and improved care for wounded, ill and injured service members.
The President is establishing a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force. “We’re going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws -– so that women get equal pay for an equal day’s work.” To make sure we uphold our nation’s core commitment to equality of opportunity, the Obama Administration is implementing an Equal Pay initiative to improve compliance, public education, and enforcement of equal pay laws. The Task Force will ensure that the agencies with responsibility for equal pay enforcement are coordinating efforts and limiting potential gaps in enforcement. The Administration also continues to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, and is increasing funding for the agencies enforcing equal pay laws and other key civil rights statutes.
Immigration reform. “And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system – to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.” The President is pleased Congress is taking steps forward on immigration reform that includes effective border security measures with a path for legalization for those who are willing to pay taxes and abide by the law. He is committed to confronting this problem in practical, effective ways, using the current tools at our disposal while we work with Congress to enact comprehensive reform.
And here are still more initiatives the President spoke to just tonight:
The President will fight to recover the money American taxpayers spent to bailout the banks. “To recover the rest, I’ve proposed a fee on the biggest banks. Now, I know Wall Street isn’t keen on this idea. But if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need.” The President has proposed the Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee, which will require the largest and most highly leveraged Wall Street firms to pay back taxpayers and provide a deterrent against excessive leverage for the largest firms. The conservative estimate for the cost of TARP in the budget is $117 billion, but the Treasury Department expects it to be much less and the fee will be in place for a minimum of ten years or however long it takes to recoup every last penny to the American taxpayer.
The President recognizes that Small Businesses will be key to our nation’s economic recovery. “I’m proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. I’m also proposing a new small business tax credit – one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages.” To get small businesses growing again, and growing our economy, the President has proposed a range of provisions that include tax incentives to spur investment; expanded access to capital and growth opportunities to create jobs; and increased support for entrepreneurship to foster innovation. He is proposing an employment tax credit for small businesses to encourage hiring, eliminating capital gains taxes on small business investments, extending enhanced small business expensing, and transferring $30 billion in resources from TARP to a new program to help community and smaller banks give small businesses the credit they need. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming weeks.
The President reiterates his support for continued investment in our nation’s infrastructure. “Tomorrow, I’ll visit Tampa, Florida, where workers will soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the Recovery Act. There are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help move our nation’s goods, services, and information.” Through the Recovery Act, we made the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure since President Eisenhower called for the creation of our national highway system over half a century ago. In his speech, the President announced funding to make a down-payment on a new nationwide high-speed rail system being built in-part with ARRA dollars.
Tax breaks to keep jobs at home. “(I)t’s time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.” The President has called for an end for tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas to help fund tax cuts – like making the R & E credit permanent – that reward companies for investing and creating jobs in the United States.
The President also called on the Senate to pass a jobs bill that he can sign. “The House has passed a jobs bill…. As the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same, and I know they will. People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.” The bold and difficult steps the President took to stabilize the financial system have reduced the cost of TARP by more than $200 billion, providing additional resources for job creation and for deficit reduction. In December, the President outlined a package of targeted measures to help further stimulate private sector hiring, including measures to facilitate small business growth, green jobs and infrastructure. The House has passed strong legislation – it is time for the Senate to do the same.
We must invest in American ingenuity and innovation. “We need to encourage American innovation.” The Obama Innovation Agenda will get us closer to the President’s long-term goal of increasing combined private and public R&D investment to three percent of GDP. The Obama 2011 budget will move us closer to restoring America to first in the world in college completion; and invest in the next generation of scientists so we will not lag behind countries like China in science and engineering graduates. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
We need to export more of our goods around the world. “We will double our exports over the next five years, an increase that will support two million jobs in America.” To meet this goal, we’re launching a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports and expand their markets. Details will be announced in the coming weeks, but the NEI includes the creation of the President’s Export Promotion Cabinet and an enhancement of funding for key export promotion programs. We will work to shape a Doha trade agreement that opens markets and will continue to work with key allies like South Korea, Panama, and Colombia on trade agreements that provide real benefits to our workers. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming week.
The President remains committed to helping Americans stay in their homes and help their homes retain their value. “… we’re working to lift the value of a family’s single largest investment – their home.” Last year, we took steps allowing millions of Americans to take out new loans and save an average of $1,500 per family on mortgage payments. This year, we will step up programs that encourage re-financing so that homeowners can move into more affordable and sustainable mortgages. In addition to the changes proposed last week to ensure sound risk management, the FHA is continuing to evaluate its mortgage insurance underwriting standards and its measures to help distressed and underwater borrowers through other FHA initiatives going forward. In order to ensure American families receive the same consideration American corporations do, the Obama Administration remains supportive of efforts to allow bankruptcy proceedings to renegotiate all debts, including home mortgages.
As Americans are getting their budgets in order, the President is getting the nation’s financial house in order. “Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don’t.” The President has announced the three year, non-security discretionary spending freeze, and also called for a bipartisan Fiscal Commissionto identify policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run. The President and members of his Administration will announce additional details in the coming weeks.
The President’s focus on national security includes rooting out terrorists where they hide. “Since the day I took office, we have renewed our focus on the terrorists who threaten our nation.” In the last year, hundreds of Al Qaeda’s fighters and affiliates have been captured or killed – far more than in 2008.
The President’s commitment to Non-Proliferation results. “Even as we prosecute two wars, we’re also confronting perhaps the greatest danger to the American people – the threat of nuclear weapons.” The United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly twenty years. He will also host a Nuclear Security Summit in April, which will bring forty-four nations together behind a clear goal: to secure all loose nuclear materials around the world in four years, so that they never fall into the hands of terrorists.
The President is launching a bioterror and pandemic threat initiative. “We are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster and more effectively to bioterrorism or an infectious disease - a plan that will counter threats at home and strengthen public health abroad.” The President called to action key U.S. Government leaders to re-design our medical countermeasure enterprise to protect Americans from bioterror or infectious health threats. We will pursue a business model that leverages market forces and reduces risk to attract pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry collaboration with the U.S. Government.
The President announced that he will work this year to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” “I will work with Congress and the military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.”
Mona Sutphen is Deputy Chief of Staff
When President Obama and his Cabinet took office a year ago, they faced an array of historic challenges: an economy in freefall; job losses averaging almost 700,000 a month; a middle class under assault; two wars and badly frayed global alliances; and a staggering $1.3 trillion budget deficit.
Faced with these unparalleled challenges, the President and his Cabinet went straight to work. The Administration took bold steps to: rescue the country from a potential second Great Depression; rebuild the economy for the long-term by creating good-paying jobs, improving education, reducing health care costs, and promoting energy independence; and restore America’s standing and leadership in the world.
Over the past year, the Administration has made real progress towards these goals. Today, I’m pleased to announce a new interactive online feature, "The President’s Cabinet Reporting to You." Through short videos, members of the President’s Cabinet describe their agencies’ accomplishments over the past year, as well as their plans for moving the country forward.
For example:
Energy Secretary Chu highlights the thousands of green jobs that have been created through Recovery Act dollars;
Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius talks about the success in helping to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus;
Secretary of State Clinton describes her department’s efforts to restore our global partnerships; and
Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag discusses the President’s initiative to streamline government programs that work and eliminate those that don’t.
This Friday morning, President Obama will convene the fifth Cabinet Meeting of his Administration and continue his discussions with the Cabinet about their efforts to create more jobs, rebuild the middle class, and transform our economy for the 21st Century.
Chris Lu is Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary
When President Obama and his Cabinet took office a year ago, they faced an array of historic challenges: an economy in freefall; job losses averaging almost 700,000 a month; a middle class under assault; two wars and badly frayed global alliances; and a staggering $1.3 trillion budget deficit.
Faced with these unparalleled challenges, the President and his Cabinet went straight to work. The Administration took bold steps to: rescue the country from a potential second Great Depression; rebuild the economy for the long-term by creating good-paying jobs, improving education, reducing health care costs, and promoting energy independence; and restore America’s standing and leadership in the world.
Over the past year, the Administration has made real progress towards these goals. Today, I’m pleased to announce a new interactive online feature, "The President’s Cabinet Reporting to You." Through short videos, members of the President’s Cabinet describe their agencies’ accomplishments over the past year, as well as their plans for moving the country forward.
For example:
Energy Secretary Chu highlights the thousands of green jobs that have been created through Recovery Act dollars;
Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius talks about the success in helping to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus;
Secretary of State Clinton describes her department’s efforts to restore our global partnerships; and
Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag discusses the President’s initiative to streamline government programs that work and eliminate those that don’t.
This Friday morning, President Obama will convene the fifth Cabinet Meeting of his Administration and continue his discussions with the Cabinet about their efforts to create more jobs, rebuild the middle class, and transform our economy for the 21st Century.
Chris Lu is Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary