By Jueseppi B.

 

 

 

 

From The White House Blog:

 

Announcing the State of the Union White House Social

 

                          By  Kasie Coccaro  February 05, 2013

 

On Tuesday, February 12th, President Obama will deliver his fourth State of the Union Address from the Capitol. Over at the White House, we’ll be hosting our second State of the Union Social event. The White House Social program invites people that engage with us online to attend in-person events, and then share their experience with their own online networks in real time.

 

We’re excited to announce that the first White House Social of the second term will be a unique opportunity for our followers on social media to watch President Obama’s State of the Union Address live from the White House, and then participate in a panel discussion with Administration officials about the vision and policies presented during the speech. 

 

Interested in joining? Apply for the White House social today! Registration closes at 6:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 6th at http://www.wh.gov/social. After you sign up, spread the word. Let your followers know that you signed up for a #WHSocial.

 

If you plan on watching from home, we will be streaming an enhanced version of the speech on WhiteHouse.gov that features graphics, data and charts that help explain policies and the issues. You can also tune in live onFacebook, YouTube, Google+ and through our mobile apps. 

 

After the speech, stay tuned for a chance to ask White House officials your questions about the issues that were highlighted in President’s address. Before, during and after the speech, you can submit your questions for the panel here, or on Twitter using the hashtags (#WHChat & #SOTU).

 

Take a look back at the 2012 State of the Union:

• Watch the enhanced version of the 2012 State of the Union
• Go behind the scenes as the President prepared his 2012 State of the Union speech

 

 

President Obama Makes a Statement on the Sequester

 

                        By  Megan Slack  February 05, 2013

 

 

 

 

In a statement from the briefing room today, President Obama explained that while our economy is headed in the right direction, looming automatic budget cuts will cost jobs and slow down our recovery. 

 

But, those deep, indiscriminate cuts to job-creating investments and defense spending, also known as the sequester, don’t have to happen, the President said. He’s already worked with Democrats and Republicans in Congress to cut the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion through a balanced mix of spending cuts and higher tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, but there’s more to be done to meet the $4 trillion in deficit reduction needed to stabilize our debt.

 

“I think this balanced mix of spending cuts and tax reform is the best way to finish the job of deficit reduction,” the President said.

 

The reforms to Medicare and other entitlements the President proposed during the fiscal cliff negotiations are still on the table, he said. “These reforms would reduce our government’s bills by reducing the cost of health care, not shifting all those costs on to middle-class seniors, or the working poor, or children with disabilities, but nevertheless, achieving the kinds of savings that we’re looking for”  

 

“But in order to achieve the full $4 trillion in deficit reductions that is the stated goal of economists and our elected leaders, these modest reforms in our social insurance programs have to go hand-in-hand with a process of tax reform, so that the wealthiest individuals and corporations can’t take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren’t available to most Americans,” President Obama said. 

 

If Congress can’t finish a full budget by March 1, when the sequester is scheduled to take effect, President Obama called on lawmakers to at least pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms that would delay the the economically damaging effects of the automatic cuts.

 

 

“There is no reason that the jobs of thousands of Americans who work in national security or education or clean energy, not to mention the growth of the entire economy should be put in jeopardy just because folks in Washington couldn’t come together to eliminate a few special interest tax loopholes or government programs that we agree need some reform,” he said. 

 

 

 

President Barack Obama meets with Cody Keenan, Deputy Director of Speechwriting, left, and Jon Favreau, Director of Speechwriting, in the Oval Office, Feb. 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

 

 

Speeches and Remarks

 

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at Wounded Warriors Reception at Winfield House

 

 

 

Statements and Releases

 

Readout of the President’s Call with Baltimore Ravens Coach Harbaugh and General Manager Newsome

 

 

Statement by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan on Bulgaria’s Announcement of Hizballah’s Role in the 2012 Burgas Terrorist Attack

 

 

Statement by the President on the Twentieth Anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Memoriam. We Will Never Forget:

 

CT Post: The six Newtown teachers and administrators who died protecting their students at Sandy Hook Elementary School will be the posthumous recipients of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal.

 

President Obama will make the presentations to surviving family members during a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 15 in the White House….

 

More here

 

The medals will go to the families of:

 

Dawn Hochsprung, the principal, Mary Sherlach, the school psychologist and teachers Rachel D’Avino, Lauren Rousseau, Anne Murphy and Victoria Soto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justice Dept. document justifies killing Americans overseas if they pose ‘imminent threat’

 

 

 

 

Attorney General Eric Holder’s press conference today:

 

Eric Holder Addresses Questions Regarding DOJ Memo Making Legal Case for Drone Strikes on Americans   

 

 

 

 

The Violence Against Women Act:

 

Here’s a telling stat: Since the Violence Against Women Act was enacted in 1994, incidents of domestic violence have fallen by more than 50 percent.

But now VAWA has expired — and House Republicans refuse to reauthorize it. Here’s the bottom line: Programs to protect women can’t be expanded or improved until VAWA is reauthorized:

 

 

ADD YOUR NAME: Help us reach 100,000 strong telling Eric Cantor and House Republicans to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

 

 

 

 

 

Later this week, the Senate is set to approve an updated version of the measure.

Let’s make sure there’s plenty of pressure — at least 100,000 signatures — telling House Republicans to do the right thing and reauthorize VAWA:

 

http://dccc.org/VAWA

 

Thanks for standing with us,

Kelly

Kelly Ward
DCCC Executive Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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