CAT | Women
What an exhilarating start for the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team! I sat in the stands yesterday at the University of British Columbia’s Thunderbird Arena as the U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team defeated China 12-1 in their first game this Olympics. At the moment the team took the ice, the crowd broke out in wild applause, and that was just the beginning.
Going into the Games, I had heard the buzz about Team USA – how impressive and dedicated they are on the ice – but it was even more exciting for me to see the strength of our team in person. Not only does the team have a great coach, Mark Johnson from the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team, but they seem to be thriving with talent, perseverance and the experience of Olympic veterans like team captain Natalie Darwitz, Angela Ruggiero and Jenny Potter. They have trained for these Games for months, even years. It was fun to be there for this blow-out game, to hear American fans cheer and watch as the stars and stripes waved in the stands.
Vice President Joe Biden congratulates Team USA Women’s Ice Hockey players after their win against the Peoples Republic of China at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada
Asked about the game, Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and one of the Olympic champions on our delegation, said, "the U.S. had a great performance today, and they’re on their way to a gold medal."
I couldn’t agree more.
Valerie Jarrett is a senior advisor to the President, and heads the White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic, and Youth Sport
The 24th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day was celebrated on February 3rd. Ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunities to be strong and healthy is a priority for the Obama Administration. National Girls and Women in Sports Day reminds us of the hard work that has and must continue to go into providing women equal opportunities to participate and excel in sports. We also take this day to celebrate the accomplishments of all female athletes, from girls running their first races to the athletes participating in this year’s XXI Olympic Winter Games.
President Obama and Secretary Sebelius have stated their support for National Girls and Women in Sports Day. You can read the President’s statement here and the Secretary’s statement here.
Maude Baggetto is Staff Assistant in the Office of Public Engagement and the Council on Women and Girls
Following up on the U.S.-led Security Council session on preventing sexual violence in conflict, the United Nations has appointed Margot Wallstrom as the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. This is a newly created position to lead, coordinate, and advocate for efforts to end conflict-related sexual violence against women and children and bring more attention and action on this critical issue. Ms. Wallstrom brings important experience to this job and has been a long time advocate for women’s rights. She said about her appointment, “The challenge is enormous. I intend to bring all of my energy and political experience to bear on it. This is an issue which I regard as one of the most important and yet one of the most overlooked and ignored in modern conflicts. Violence against women is the most common but least punished crime in the world. In recent years, it has been sickening to see sexual violence become a tool of modern warfare. In far too many parts of the world, women are excluded from the decision-making process and from conflict resolution and peacekeeping. This absolutely has to change and I am determined to play my part in making that change happen.”
The Obama Administration is committed to strengthening international action to stop the atrocious targeting of women and girls in conflict. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, an average of 36 women and girls are raped every day. Many of those surviving such vicious attacks – which often involve mutilation – are children, mostly girls. We must do more. This appointment of the new Special Representative is a further step in the right direction, and we commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for it. We welcome Ms. Wallstrom to her role and look forward to working with her and her team to protect women and children from sexual violence.
Jennifer Simon is a Senior Advisor to Ambassador Susan Rice and serves as her liaison to the White House Council on Women and Girls
The best ideas are those that make you say “I can’t believe we don’t already have this.”
Today, I am happy to report a historic collaboration between industry, the health community and government to bring you something you can’t believe we don’t already have: a free (yes, free) mobile health service for pregnant women and new mothers giving them useful tips timed to their pregnancy or age of baby.
The service is called text4baby, and it is an educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition.
As a parent of two young children, I can tell you that my family would have signed up for text4baby in a instant. My wife and I wanted to learn as much as possible about pregnancy and the first year of our baby’s life. I’m thrilled that this service provides a convenient way for moms all over the country to learn this information. This is particularly important for moms who may not already have access to health information or care.
Here’s how it works: women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish) receive three free SMS text messages each week timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. Text4baby messages also connect women to local clinics and support services for prenatal and infant care.
Here are some things I find most exciting about this program and why it shows that the President’s focus on public-private partnerships is already paying off for the American people:
By using text messaging on cell phones, this partnership uses a technology that has already been widely adopted. Research shows that 90 percent of Americans have a mobile phone, and texting is more prevalent among women of childbearing age and minority populations who face higher infant mortality rates.
It provides the information moms need to keep themselves and their babies healthy. These are short messages, but incredibly important. The messages focus on topics critical to the health of moms and babies, including immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health, smoking and alcohol, oral health, and safe sleep.
It represents an extraordinary public private partnership – a true “all-hands-on-deck” approach. There are more than 100 entitites participating in this partnership, so I can’t possibly list them all here. Founding partners include the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, mobile health platform provider Voxiva, the CTIA Wireless Foundation and wireless providers, Grey Health Group, and Johnson & Johnson. This program has now attracted private sector media partners, health care plans, academic evaluators, health professional associations, and government partners at every level – local, state, and national. It’s an incredible partnership.
It could help save lives and reduce the number of premature births in America. More than 500,000 babies – 1 in every 8 – are born prematurely each year in the US. Premature babies can face lifelong health and intellectual development problems. The risk of premature birth can be reduced if moms take care of themselves and their babies during pregnancy (e.g. don’t smoke!) and seek prenatal care. Text4Baby can help by giving moms information and connecting them to care.
It could save America money on health care costs. This free service could save us money by ensuring moms are connected to health knowledge and services as early as possible. Catching problems early can help avoid expensive and potentially harmful complications at birth and in the first year of life. This helps families as well – the average first year medical costs for premature babies are about 10 times greater than for full-term babies.
This is an exciting opportunity for moms and babies, and for our nation. For more information on text4baby, please visit text4baby.org.
Aneesh Chopra is the Federal Chief Technology Officer.
For six months now, I have held the first-ever White House position dedicated to combating violence and sexual assault against women and continuing the important work of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Every morning when I’ve walked into the White House, I’ve brought with me the stories of the many survivors I have worked with over the years. I’ve focused on raising the profile of violence against women issues across Federal Agencies, states, tribal communities, and localities; coordinating interagency collaboration on these issues; implementing victim assistance programs; and integrating these issues into Administration-wide programs such as the White House Fatherhood Initiative, the White House Council on Women and Girls, HUD’s fight against homelessness, and the Justice Department’s recent effort to better combat disproportionate violence in tribal communities.
Yesterday, I met with a group of 16 leaders of organizations that combat violence against women, provide resources for women who face domestic violence and sexual assault, and advocate for victims. During this meeting, I shared with these leaders the same information I am sharing with you — information on how the White House, through the President’s FY 2011 budget, is making combating violence against women a real priority.
Violence Against Women Act as a Budget Priority
The FY 2011 budget will provide a record total of $730 million to combat violence against women — a $130.5 million increase in funding from the previous fiscal year. The VAWA, passed in 1994, already provides thousands of victims with life-saving services, improvements in the criminal justice system and increased public awareness. The President’s FY 2011 budget not only continues this strong response, but bolsters current funding and responds to the emerging needs of communities.
Crime Victims Fund
The budget provides a $100 million increase from the Crime Victims Fund, specifically for emergency shelter, transitional housing, and other local services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. By focusing on both immediate safety and long-term housing assistance, we can help ensure that victims don’t have to choose between living with abuse or becoming homeless. Furthermore, the Crime Victims Fund does not consist of a single taxpayer dollar; it is self-sustaining and supported by criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, and penalties for Federal offenders. In addition to a fund increase from the Crime Victims Fund, the FY 2011 budget provides $140 million for battered women’s shelters and services, an increase of $10 million from the previous fiscal year.
Victim Resources and Legal Support
The $730 million also provides vital funding for victim resources. The National Domestic Violence Hotline and Teen Dating Violence Helpline are receiving increased funding of $4.5 million to ensure every call is answered. The budget also provides $30 million in VAWA funding for victims of sexual assault — a $15 million increase from the previous year — which will be utilized by the Sexual Assault Services Program to provide crisis intervention, advocacy within the criminal justice system, support during forensic exams, and other related assistance.
The FY 2011 budget bolsters legal support for domestic violence and sexual assault victims by providing $50 million in VAWA funding for legal assistance for victims, a $9 million increase from the previous year. The Civil Legal Assistance Program will use this funding to help victims more easily obtain protective orders and other assistance available through the court system.
To build upon the above improvements in the criminal justice system, the budget also provides $188 million in STOP grants that provide better training, improved data collection, specialized law enforcement and prosecution units, and courts specialized for domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
Support Across the Board
Ending domestic violence and sexual assault is a priority for President Obama and Vice President Biden. I’ve written about numerous fund increases and initiatives that are testaments to this fact. In my meeting yesterday, the White House’s commitment to violence against women issues was clear — we are increasing support for women across the board.
Read more about our efforts in the President’s FY 2011 budget.
Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women
[Ed. note: Learn more about the Educate to Innovate campaign]
Two remarkable young women sat with First Lady Michelle Obama during the President’s State of the Union address, representing President Obama’s commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM).
Li Boynton, an 18-year-old senior from Bellaire, Texas, developed a new, and possibly groundbreaking, method for testing the quality of drinking water.
Li Boynton, an 18-year-old senior from Bellaire, Texas, was a winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair last year for developing a new and potentially ground-breaking method for testing the quality of drinking water, an accomplishment that could someday help the one billion people around the world lacking potable water. Having learned about the limitations and significant expense of conventional chemical-specific tests, Boynton saw a need for a broader, more efficient assay for testing — and developed a bacterial bio-sensor. Li’s work has the potential to improve public health worldwide.
Li’s passion for science and innovation can be traced back to fifth grade, when she designed a solar-distillation device after reading Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a novel involving a shipwreck. The device would come in handy, she reasoned, if she ever got stranded in the middle of the ocean.
Gabriela Farfan, a 19-year-old Stanford University freshman, conducted independent research describing why certain gemstones appear to change color when viewed from different angles.
Also sitting with the First Lady was Gabriela Farfan, a 19-year-old Stanford University freshman and geology major from Madison, Wisconsin, who won one of the top awards in the Intel Science Talent Search for her independent research describing why certain gemstones appear to change color when viewed from different angles—work that has potential applications in nanotechnology and materials science. Gabriela is also a Hispanic Scholar awardee.
After getting an invitation from the White House last week, the two young women flew to Washington on Wednesday and were immediately swept up in a whirlwind of activities leading up to the State of the Union address last night.
That included a behind-the-scenes tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History, where Gabriela and Li learned about weird life forms known as foraminifera and how to calculate climate temperatures from the ancient fossil record. They also learned about the process of bone fossilization and what fossils can tell us about human-animal interaction in ancient Africa.
After the museum visit, they met with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Then it was onward to the White House, where they were greeted by OSTP Director and Presidential science advisor John Holdren and First Lady Michelle Obama. Finally the two joined other special guests to travel by motorcade to the Capitol, where they listened to the President’s speech from their prime perch in the Presidential box seats.
Even though Wednesday’s schedule left Gabriela and Li exhausted (not to mention their 5 a.m. television news gig on Thursday), they took the time Wednesday night to write a little bit about their brief and exhilarating experience here in the Nation’s capital. By Friday they will be back at their respective schools, continuing to hit the books hard to remain outstanding young leaders in the scientific community.
By Gabriela Farfan:
I am still trying to calm down from the adrenaline rush of tonight’s events. I feel deeply honored to have been invited to sit with the First Lady in her box at the State of the Union Address. I think that President Obama’s speech was inspirational and moving. It was a forceful reminder of how far we have come this year and how much more we have to go. I was particularly happy at how he stressed the importance of science and math education as the key to our future and a competitive society. I believe that government encouragement and funding of science education is essential. But it is ultimately up to the students and their parents to make the real difference. As a student, it is important to take your interests seriously and ask questions. There are so many resources out there waiting for you to grab them. As for the parents, I can say that it was my parents’ (and many other friends’) support of my interest in geology that fueled my enthusiasm and success.
As for the experience of the State of the Union itself, the room was freezing! However, everyone is packed into a room that is much smaller than what it appears to be on TV, so it warmed up quickly. Before the President took the podium, it was incredible to see the faces of people I had learned about in high school – Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Biden, Supreme Court Justices and many more. They were all in front of me at once, milling around like normal people! During the speech it was very interesting to observe the different reactions. Sometimes everyone cheered, sometimes only the Democrats and sometimes it was random. Every few sentences, we would all stand up and clap, especially when the First Lady rose. I found the entire process fascinating and truly gratifying. Sitting in the First Lady’s box made it feel like we were participating in history and democracy. After the Address, I got a picture with both Barack and Michelle Obama. The President shook my hand and the First Lady gave me a hug. I thanked Michelle Obama for being such a great role model and told the President that he did an amazing job on his speech. I could not have asked for a better evening.
By Li Boynton:
Being in the Capitol for the State of the Union Address was completely surreal. When Michelle Obama walked in the room, I was stunned. I was so used to seeing her on TV, I expected a glass screen to be right in front of me! But Michelle was so warm, down-to-earth, and inviting that I began to feel at home in the White House theater. Later on, when we met in the Presidential Box at the Capitol, she shook my hand and told me she was proud of me. I was so star-struck I whispered, “I just touched Michelle Obama!” to the guest next to me.
Even more so, I loved Obama’s speech. I think he executed his first State of the Union Address very powerfully. I probably clapped the hardest when he talked about education reform that supports students excelling in math and science, since I knew I was a role model for that. He also spent a lot of time emphasizing the need to revamp our energy infrastructure towards one of clean energy, which I believe is vital to the state of our nation and economy. His relentless belief and optimism in our nation, despite status quo hardships, was really inspiring.
But what really inspired me was all the support from people in my community, my state, and even the world. A couple days ago, a family friend from Chicago emailed me and told me he and his kids were going to have a “little watch party and pop popcorn” for me. He said his kids were also aspiring scientists and looked to me as a role model. I realized then that what inspires me most is inspiring other people. Before all the opportunities and awards Intel provided me with, I was following in the footsteps of scientists I could only dream to be. Now I realize that not only am I capable, but also I set an example for others. This is what really inspires me to keep achieving and solving problems in the world around me with science and real-life applications.
I must admit that I rarely watched the State of the Union Address before. But after tonight, I’m sure I’ll watch it every year. However, it certainly can’t compare to watching it live next to Michelle Obama!
Phillip Larson is a student volunteer in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
One year ago today, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restores the law to where it was before the Supreme Court’s decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. by clarifying that a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice that is unlawful under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 occurs each time compensation is paid.
In signing the bill, President Obama said, "equal pay is by no means just a women’s issue—it’s a family issue… And in this economy, when so many folks are already working harder for less and struggling to get by, the last thing they can afford is losing part of each month’s paychecks to simple discrimination."
One year later, the law has already been applied to court cases involving allegations of wage discrimination; however, an earnings gap still remains, as does wage discrimination, as attested to by wage discrimination complaints filed and court decisions.
Women earn only about 80 cents for every dollar that a man earns, and the gap is even greater for African American women and Latinas, who earn only 70 cents and 63 cents, respectively, for every dollar a man earns.
The wage gap has significant consequences to the economic security of women and families. Today, families are increasingly dependent on women’s wages. In married couple families, wives’ earnings account for 36 percent of family income, and approximately 2 million women have now become the sole breadwinner, supporting families with just over one-third of the usual family income.
Reducing or eliminating the earnings gap will require action on many fronts, including moving more women into non-traditional jobs, creating opportunities for occupational mobility, and addressing wage discrimination.
While women have made strides in increasing their numbers in male-dominated occupations, among the 20 leading occupations of employed women, women are the majority among all but first line managers/supervisors of retail sales workers; managers, all others; and cooks.
My vision of "Good Jobs for Everyone" includes, among other things, increasing workers’ incomes and narrowing wage and income inequality and helping workers who are in low-wage jobs find a path into middle class jobs. Among the steps the Labor Department will be taking to deal with wage discrimination is a renewed emphasis on the identification and elimination of gender-based compensation discrimination at the worksites of Federal contractors. In addition, the Women’s Bureau has been engaging in and will increase its outreach to stakeholders and its education efforts to its customers to apprise them of their employment rights in furtherance of my vision.
Hilda Solis is Secretary of Labor
Last Friday, I had the opportunity to help break ground on a transitional housing facility for homeless women veterans in Cocoa, Florida. Named Operation Home Front and run by the Center for Drug-Free Living, the new facility will provide integrated services to help residents address warfare trauma and substance abuse, gain employment, and transition to permanent housing. Operation Home Front will foster a safe, supportive community by housing 28 homeless female veterans and their children together. At a time when an estimated 13,000 women veterans are homeless, Operation Home Front is an example of the comprehensive strategies we need to help this group build strong families and become self-sufficient.
I attended the groundbreaking with Tammy Duckworth, Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy. (You can read Director Kerlikowske’s Op-Ed on this project.)
In the afternoon, Director Kerlikowske and I had the privilege of visiting a treatment program where the Center for Drug-Free Living serves women and their children. We were able to meet with the women there and hear first-hand their stories of struggle, perseverance, and love for their children. The strength and courage of these women as they work to overcome their addictions was inspiring.
It was clear how important it is to provide treatment programs where women and their children can stay together – it’s better for these families, and it works. Studies show that 60% of the mothers in family-based treatment remain substance-free six months after discharge. Also, 88% of children treated in these programs remain stabilized and living with their mothers six months after discharge. This approach is also cost-effective: the costs of family-based treatment are offset three to four times by savings from reduced costs of crime, foster care, and adverse birth outcomes.
However, a mere 5% of treatment programs offer family-based services for both parents and children. These programs need to be replicated and expanded; public-private partnerships, like the one that funds Operation Home Front, can help make these lifesaving services available to more families.
Tina M. Tchen is the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls
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