Help Senator Elizabeth Warren Fight For Students Loan Rates.

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

The biggest banks in the country—the ones that wrecked our economy and cost millions of Americans their jobs—pay next to nothing on the debt they owe the government, while students pay nine times as much. That isn’t right.

That’s why I’ve introduced the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act to let students take advantage of the same low rates offered to banks for one year while Congress finds a fair, long-term solution on student loan interest rates.

Will you add your voice in support of giving students the same deal as big banks? Click here to sign the petition.

The interest rate on federal subsidized Stafford student loans is set to increase from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1st. If Congress doesn’t act soon, millions of college students will see their student loan payments jump.

Some argue that it’s too expensive to keep government loans at low interest rates, but the federal government makes low interest loans all the time—just not to everyone. Big banks can borrow money through the Federal Reserve discount window at a rate of about 0.75%.

That’s why I started a petition on MoveOn‘s petition site which says:

Wall Street banks—the ones that wrecked our economy—should not be getting a better interest rate on their government loans than young people trying to go to college.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Unlike the big banks, students don’t have armies of lobbyists and lawyers. But they do have us.

Let’s do what’s right and bank on students.

Thanks!

–Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator

This petition was created on MoveOn’s online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Senator Elizabeth Warren didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

Wall Street banks should not be getting a better interest rate on their government loans than young people trying to go to college.

Sign the petition

Incredible! More than 325,000 MoveOn members have signed on in support of Senator Elizabeth Warren’s first bill—the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act. Will you join them? Click here to sign.

Filed under: "BARACK" The Vote, 2014 Mid Term Elections, Business, Causes, Congress, Democrats/Democratic, Economy, Education, Event, Finance, Good News, Information & Links, News, Petitions, Politics, Stories, The White House, World News | Tagged: Elizabeth Warren, Federal Reserve System, Interest rate, Student loan, United States, United States Congress, United States Senate, Wall Street | 4 Comments »

Commencement Season Continues: First Lady Michelle Obama Speaks At MLK H.S. In Nashville, Tenn.

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

First lady Michelle Obama delivers the commencement address to graduates of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Michelle Obama tells high school grads in Nashville to live their dreams, learn from failure

From The Republic:

By ERIK SCHELZIG Associated Press May 18, 2013

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — First lady Michelle Obama has some advice for some Tennessee high school graduates: Strike your own path in college and life and work to overcome inevitable failures with determination and grit.

Mrs. Obama spoke for 22 minutes to the graduates of Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday in her only high school commencement address this year. The ceremony took place in the gymnasium of nearby Tennessee State University.

The first lady told the 170 graduates that she spent too much of her own time in college focusing on academic achievements. While her success in college and law school led to a high-profile job, she said, she ended up leaving to focus on public service.

“My message to all of you today is this: Do not waste a minute living someone else’s dream,” she said. “It takes a lot of real work to discover what brings you joy … and you won’t find what you love simply by checking boxes or padding your GPA.”

Mrs. Obama lauded the school — it’s on the site of one of the city’s first to educate African-Americans — for its graduation rate, spirit of volunteerism and healthy food programs. She noted that each graduate was going on to either higher education or the military.

She said MLK reminded her of her own high school experience in Chicago.

“My No. 1 goal was to go to a high school that would push me and challenge me,” she said. “I wanted to go somewhere that would celebrate achievement. A place where academic success wouldn’t make me a target of teasing or bullying, but instead would be a badge of honor.”

PHOTO: First lady Michelle Obama delivers the commencement address to graduates of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama delivers the commencement address to graduates of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

But Mrs. Obama lamented that not all students have the same opportunities.

“Unfortunately, schools like this don’t exist for every kid,” she said. “You are blessed.”

The first lady told graduates that failure may be a part of their college lives and careers, and that how they respond to any pitfalls will define them.

“That’s when you find out what you’re really made of in those hard times,” she said. “But you can only do that if you’re willing to put yourself in a position where you might fail.”

Overcoming adversity has been the hallmark of many great people, she said.

“Oprah was demoted from her first job as a news anchor, and now she doesn’t even need a last name,” she said of media giant Oprah Winfrey. “And then there’s this guy Barack Obama … he lost his first race for Congress, and now he gets to call himself my husband.”

Mrs. Obama later presented graduate diplomas on stage and posed for photos with graduates.

“We didn’t know we would get to hug her,” said graduate Natey Kinzounza, 18. “She’s got a great sense of humor. She’s like my mom, she’s just a very real person.”

Thank you The Republic.

First lady Michelle Obama jokes with a student as she hands out diplomas during the graduation ceremony for Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama hugs Jenika Headley-Greene as Obama hands out diplomas during the graduation ceremony for Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School, Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama hugs a student as she hands out diplomas at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School graduation on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama, second from right, hands out diplomas at the graduation ceremony for Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama, right, talks with Dr. Jesse Register, left, director of Nashville schools, and Schunn Turner, principal, center, on stage for the commencement ceremony of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama, right, applauds as students enter the arena for the commencement ceremony of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. With her are Dr. Jesse Register, left, director of Nashville schools, and Schunn Turner, principal, center. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama is introduced to deliver the commencement address to graduates of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. At right is teacher Carmen Mullins. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

First lady Michelle Obama delivers the commencement address to graduates of Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Filed under: "BARACK" The Vote, 2014 Mid Term Elections, Awards, Black History, Breaking News, Campaign Ads, Causes, Celebrity, Daily White House Schedule, Democrats/Democratic, Education, Event, Fun & Games, Good News, History, Information & Links, Michelle Obama, News, Photographs, Speech, Stories, The White House, The White House Daily Snapshot, White House Blog | Tagged: Academic Magnet High School, BarackObama, Commencement Season Continues: First Lady Michelle Obama Speaks At MLK H.S. In Nashville, First Lady Michelle Obama, Martin Luther King, Michelle Obama, nashville, Nashville Tennessee, Oprah Winfrey, Tennessee | 2 Comments »

Stand With Victims Of Military Sexual Assault

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

Stand with Victims of Military Sexual Assault Add your name to join the fight to fix the military’s response to sexual assaults.

Will you step up and add your name in support of the Military Justice Improvement Act?

http://dccc.org/Stand-With-The-Victims

This month, a shocking Department of Defense report estimated that 26,000 sexual assaults took place in the military last year. This is disgraceful: one sexual assault is too many.

But still thousands of rapes in the military are never reported, let alone brought to trial. There is a dangerous deafness to sexual assault in the military and many survivors suffer in silence.

Stand with Victims of Military Sexual Assault: Add your name to join the fight to fix the military’s response to sexual assaults.

Democrats in Congress are taking a stand to better protect our service men and women — but they need our support to ensure that independent prosecutors are deciding whether to prosecute sexual assault cases.

Will you step up and add your name in support of the Military Justice Improvement Act?

http://dccc.org/Stand-With-The-Victims

Thank you for being a part of this.

Kelly

Kelly Ward
DCCC Executive Director

The Invisible War: New Film Exposes Rape, Sexual Assault Epidemic in U.S. Military

Uploaded on Jan 30, 2012

democracynow.org – On the heels of a new military survey that the number of reported violent sex crimes jumped 30 percent 2011, with active-duty female soldiers ages 18 to 21 accounting for more than half of the of the victims, we speak with Trina McDonald and Kori Cioca, two subjects of “The Invisible War,” a new documentary that examines the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the U.S. military, which won the Audience Award for U.S. Documentary at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

“Not only was I astounded by the numbers, but when I started talking to the women and men who had experienced this, I was just so devastated by their stories,” says the film’s Academy Award-nominated director, Kirby Dick. “These are women and men who are very idealistic, they joined the military because they wanted to serve their country, they were incredible soldiers and then, when they were assaulted, they had the courage to come forward — even though many people advised them not to,” Dick says.

The Invisible War Trailer 2 – Trailer (HD)

Published on May 25, 2012

http://TrailerObsessed.com

A groundbreaking investigative documentary about one of America‘s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. The film paints a startling picture of the extent of the problem–today, a female soldier in combat zones is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire. The Department of Defense estimates there were a staggering 19,000 violent sex crimes in the military in 2010. Twenty percent of all active-duty female soldiers are sexually assaulted. The Invisible War exposes the epidemic, breaking open one of the most under-reported stories of our generation, to the nation and the world.

The Invisible War Part 1

Published on Jan 10, 2013

An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.

The Invisible War is a 2012 documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick about sexual assault in the United States military. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the U.S. Documentary Audience Award.

The Invisible War Part 2

Published on Jan 16, 2013

An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.

The Invisible War – Interview with Directors Kirby Dick & Amy Ziering on BYOD

Published on May 22, 2012

Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering from the documentary “The Invisible War,” which sheds light on the endemic problem of sexual assault in the US military.

The film has been shaking viewers into action with it’s heart wrenching illumination of the great military shame of sexual violence in its ranks.

Kirby Dick – is an Academy Award-nominated documentary director, one of the most prolific and eclectic filmmakers working in the field today. Dick has been a regular contributor at Sundance Film Festival over the years. His films have screened at the Venice, Berlin, Toronto, San Sebastian, Locarno, Edinburgh, Yamagata Film Festivals and many others as well. His latest film “The Invisible War” received this year’s coveted Audience Award: Documentary at Sundance 2012. Dick is also one of the founders and creative directors of Chain Camera Pictures, a Los Angeles-based company that produces critically acclaimed documentaries for international theatrical and television release.

BYOD is co-hosted by Ondi Timoner, director of “DIG!,” “JOIN US” and “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC,” and has the rare distinction of winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance twice, and Vladimir Radovanov, entertainment attorney, and executive producer of “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC.” Each week the show explores a different documentary filmmaker or aspect of filmmaking, with special guests and a live Q&A– diving deep into creative process and the business realities of producing and distributing films. Ondi and Vladimir share their insider views, opinions, and personal stories, welcoming audience participation. BYOD aims to entertain, inform, and elevate documentaries in general by bringing attention to films and film makers that deserve exposure.

FACT SHEET ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ANNUAL REPORT ON
SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY FOR FISCAL 2011

APRIL 13, 2012
The men and women of the U.S. military deserve an environment that is free from the
threat of sexual assault. Service members and their families must feel secure enough to
report this crime without fear of retribution and commanders must hold offenders
appropriately accountable. Under the leadership of the secretary of defense and the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the department is actively pursuing additional
policy and training changes to help address this challenging issue.

The Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 requires the
Department of Defense to submit to the Committees on Armed Services an annual report
on sexual assaults involving members of the armed forces. The report ensures
transparency on sexual assault reports, investigations, and case dispositions of those
accused of the crime. It also provides department and Congressional leadership with
information to evaluate and help address the problem. The reporting period spans from
Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011.

Reporting Data
The military services received a total of 3,192 reports of sexual assault during fiscal
2011. Of the 3,192 reports of sexual assault, 2,439 were unrestricted reports and 753
were restricted reports. This represents a one percent increase since fiscal 2010, when
there were 3,158 reports of sexual assault, consisting of 2,410 unrestricted reports and
748 restricted reports.

The department uses the term “sexual assault” to address a range of crimes including
rape, aggravated sexual assault, wrongful sexual contact, non-consensual sodomy,
abusive sexual contact, aggravated sexual contact, and indecent assault. The annual
report includes case synopses, case dispositions, and punishments imposed in cases
involving unrestricted reports.

Unrestricted reports result in notification to the victim’s command, the initiation of a law
enforcement investigation, and the provision of care and services to the victim.
Restricted reports of sexual assaults are made to specific parties within the department
(e.g., a sexual assault response coordinator, victim advocate, or medical personnel) and
allow the victim to receive care and services; however, at the victim’s request, these
reports are not investigated because of the victim’s desire for confidentiality. A restricted
report, however, may later be changed by the victim to an unrestricted report.

Investigation Data
The military criminal investigative organizations (MCIOs) such as Criminal Investigation
Division, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, completed a total of 2,449 investigations involving 2,933 individuals in fiscal
2011. Of the 2,933 subjects of investigations, case outcomes were completed and
reported on 2,353 subjects during the fiscal year. Case dispositions for the remaining
subjects will be reported in forthcoming years.

Based on the completed investigations, the MCIOs provided cases on 1,518 subjects to
commanders to review for possible disciplinary action. The remaining 486 subjects were
found to be outside of the department’s legal authority (e.g., U.S. civilians, foreign
nationals, military subjects prosecuted by civilian or foreign authority, or unidentified
subjects). During the investigation process, the MCIOs determined that allegations
against 349 subjects were unfounded.

Disciplinary Actions
Commanders had sufficient evidence to take disciplinary action against 989 of the 1,518
subjects. Of these, 791 were disciplined for a sexual assault offense: 489 subjects had
courts-martial charges preferred against them, 187 subjects received non-judicial
punishment, 48 subjects were administratively discharged, and 67 subjects received other
adverse administrative actions. In addition, commanders took action against 198 subjects
for non-sexual assault offenses discovered during the investigation.

The remaining subjects were involved in cases that could not go forward because the
victim declined to participate, there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, the statute of
limitations expired, or the cases were determined by the commander to be unfounded.
Non-judicial punishment and administrative action remain important forms of discipline
in cases where the available evidence or nature of the offense would not warrant criminal
charges in a civilian setting.

DoD Safe Helpline
In April 2011, the department launched the DoD Safe Helpline as a crisis support service
for victims of sexual assault. For the first time, the annual report on sexual assault
includes usage statistics of this important service. The helpline is available 24 hours a
day via web, phone, or text message and is operated by the non-profit Rape, Abuse, and
Incest National Network through a contractual agreement with the department. Between
its launch in April 2011 through Sept. 2011, the Safe Helpline assisted more than 770
individuals.

The helpline can be reached at 877-995-5247 or

http://www.safehelpline.org .

The complete report is available at http://www.sapr.mil .

Filed under: Abuse/Domestic Violence/VAWA, Bad News, Breaking News, Causes, Congress, Court Room/Legal, Crime, Democrats/Democratic, Disaster, DOJ, Domestic Violence, Dumb Shit, Education, GOPukes/RepubliCANTS, Information & Links, Movie Reviews, News, Petitions, Photographs, Politics, Stories, The White House, Thoughts Opinions & Ideas, Videos, War & the Military, Women's Causes, World News | Tagged: 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Amy Ziering, Invisible War, Kirby Dick, Military Rape And Assault, Sexual assault, Sexual assault in the United States military, United States, United States Armed Forces | Leave a Comment »

It’s Saturday And That Means The Weekly Address From Barack’s House

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

Weekly Address: The President Talks About How to Build a Rising, Thriving Middle Class

Megan Slack

May 18, 2013
06:00 AM EDT

President Obama talks about his belief that a rising, thriving middle class is the true engine of economic growth, and that to reignite that engine and continue to build on the progress we’ve made over the last four years, we need to invest in three areas: jobs, skills and opportunity.

Weekly Address: The President Talks About How to Build a Rising, Thriving Middle Class

A Stronger and Sustainable Military for the 21st Century

Heather Zichal

May 17, 2013
05:50 PM EDT

As the single largest consumer of energy in the United States, the Department of Defense (DOD) knows that improving efficiency and harnessing new energy technologies is imperative– not only to achieve significant cost savings, but to give our troops better energy options on the battlefield, at sea, in the air, and at home.

At DOD’s fixed installations alone – including, barracks, offices, and hospitals – energy bills come in around $4 billion each year. Given this large footprint as well as the importance of safe, secure, and affordable energy sources to mission readiness, the Department has made one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history, by developing a goal to deploy three gigawatts of renewable energy – including solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal – on Army, Navy, and Air Force installations by 2025 – enough to power 750,000 homes.

When it comes specifically to solar power, a new report today from the Solar Energy Industries Association underscores the progress that DOD is making towards its goals.

“Enlisting the Sun: Powering the U.S. Military with Solar Energy” highlights solar energy’s growing role in powering military installations and military homes across America. According to the report, as of early 2013, there are more than 130 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems powering Navy, Army, and Air Force bases in at least 31 states and the District of Columbia. Combined, these installations provide enough clean energy to power more than 20,000 American homes.

President Obama Nominates Four Distinguished Women to Serve as Federal Judges

Chris Kang
May 17, 2013
04:14 PM EDT

Yesterday, President Obama demonstrated his continued commitment to increasing the diversity of our federal judiciary, so that it better reflects the nation it serves. He nominated four distinguished women to serve on four different courts—women who not only have the necessary intellect, integrity and fair-mindedness to serve as federal judges, but whose nominations also represent important “firsts” in their state or district:

If confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Judge Carolyn McHugh would be the first woman from Utah to serve on that court. Currently, the Tenth Circuit only has one woman judge serving among its nine active members.
Pamela Reeves and Elizabeth Wolford would be the first women to serve as district court judges in the Eastern District of Tennessee and Western District of New York, respectively, if confirmed.
Debra Brown would be the first African-American district court judge to serve in the Northern District of Mississippi and the first African-American woman to serve as an Article III judge in the entire state of Mississippi, if confirmed.

President Obama’s judicial nominees already have broken the gender barrier in circuit courts in six states, as well as nine district courts, and have shattered dozens of glass ceilings for minorities. And on Monday, the Senate will consider the nomination of Michael McShane to be a district court judge in Oregon; if confirmed, he would be the fifth openly gay judge appointed by President Obama, compared to only one in history before.

Weekly Wrap Up: “What Our Families Deserve”

Christopher Sponn
May 17, 2013

West Wing Week: 05/17/13 or “We the Geeks”

Obama Cares: On the Friday before Mother’s Day, President Obama explained how the Affordable Care Act is helping women. For example, the law prevents insurance companies from charging women more than men and requires insurance companies to cover preventive services like mammograms free of charge.

Thanks to the women in this room and people all across the country, we worked really hard — and it’s now been more than three years since Congress passed the Affordable Care Act and I signed it into law. It’s been nearly a year since the Supreme Court upheld the law under the Constitution. And, by the way, six months ago, the American people went to the polls and decided to keep going in this direction. So the law is here to stay.

The President asked Americans to learn the facts about the Affordable Care Act and the wide array of benefits the law is already providing. You can visit WhiteHouse.gov/HealthReformand HealthCare.gov to see what the law does for your family.

Make sure you know what the actual facts are, because you stand to benefit if you’re not already benefiting from this thing. Don’t let people confuse you. Don’t let them run the okiedoke on you. Don’t be bamboozled.

The nearly 85% of Americans who have health insurance are already benefiting from the Affordable Care Act. Now the White House is asking Americans from across the country to speak now in support of health care reform. Lend your name, share your story, and be part of making the law a success here.

Review of IRS: On Wednesday, the President delivered remarks on the Treasury Department’s review of the Internal Revenue Service and said the “misconduct that it uncovered is inexcusable.” The President said he will hold the responsible parties accountable, put in place new safeguards to make sure this does not happen again, and work with Congress as it performs its oversight role.

I’ll do everything in my power to make sure nothing like this happens again by holding the responsible parties accountable, by putting in place new checks and new safeguards, and going forward, by making sure that the law is applied as it should be — in a fair and impartial way.

Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey: On Thursday, President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan held a press conference at the Rose Garden. The leaders discussed U.S. – Turkey relations such as trade and investment, mutual security, and the conflict in Syria.

In the last four years, bilateral trade between our two countries has grown 75 percent to nearly $20 billion, and U.S. exports to Turkey have more than doubled. The United States and Turkey promised to remain committed to strengthening their economic partnership.

Prime Minister Cameron of Great Britain: On Tuesday, thePresident welcomed British Prime Minister David Cameron to the White House. The global partners spoke about the upcoming Group of Eight summit, sustaining the global economy, and the conflict in Syria.

As we’ve said before, the great alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom is rooted in shared interests and shared values, and it’s indispensable to global security and prosperity.

National Peace Officers Memorial Service: On Wednesday, the President headed to the U.S. Capitol for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. The event paid respect to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty the last year. The 143 fallen officers were recognized for their courage on the front lines and their dedication to our community.

They exemplified the very idea of citizenship — that with our God-given rights come responsibilities and obligations to ourselves and to others. They embodied that idea. That’s the way they died. That’s how we must remember them. And that’s how we must live.

TOP COPS: On Saturday, the President honored the 2013 National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS award winners. The TOP COPS were chosen by the National Association of Police Organizations and were nominated by their colleagues for noteworthy service.

So I’d ask all Americans — everybody who is watching all across the country — when you see a police officer, you meet an officer’s family, let them know how much you appreciate it. It’s the least we can do for the men and women who give us so much and help keep us safe.

#WeTheGeeks: On Thursday, the White House launched “We the Geeks,” a new series of Google+ Hangouts highlighting the future of science, technology, and innovation in America. The first “We the Geeks” Hangout covered Grand Challenges, which are “ambitious goals on a national or global scale that capture the imagination and demand advances in innovation and breakthroughs in science and technology.”

An example of a Grand Challenge is the BRAIN Initiative. This research effort seeks to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and find new ways to treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, autism, and traumatic brain injury.

We The Geeks: Grand Challenges

Published on May 16, 2013

The White House kicks off “We the Geeks,” a new series of Google+ Hangouts to highlight the future of science, technology, and innovation here in the U.S.

Our first hangout included an extraordinary panel of innovators from around the country who will discuss the elements of an “all hands on deck” effort to pursue Grand Challenges. Learn more:http://wh.gov/JuJI

Coming Together to Stop Slavery

Valerie Jarrett

May 17, 2013
05:28 PM EDT

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Valerie B. Jarrett is a Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversees the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and chairs the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Today at the White House, we convened the 10th annual meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Secretary of State Kerry led the meeting, which was attended by Cabinet secretaries and representatives from agencies including State, Justice, Defense, Labor, Human and Health Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, as well as USAID, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office of Management and Budget, and White House policy offices.

Each department, agency, and office shared their strategies to prevent trafficking, protect victims, prosecute offenders, and partner with civil society— both at home and around the world.

We reflected on the significant progress we have made over the last year, as well as the work left to do.

Meeting of President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

Cabinet secretaries, senior agency officials, and senior White House staff met at the White House as part of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons on May 17, 2013. (Photo by Avra Siegel)

Last September, during his speech on human trafficking at the Clinton Global Initiative, President Obama announced several initiatives that build off the strong record of this task force.

These initiatives cover a wide range of areas, from government contracting regulation, to more coordinated responses to trafficking, to better victim services, to innovative public-private partnerships that will create technology tools for survivors and law enforcement.

The meeting today follows the first-ever White House Forum on Human Trafficking last month, as well as the convening of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships that focus its entire report on human trafficking the next day. Furthermore, we celebrated the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in March.

Today, we each committed to specific goals to combat trafficking.

First, we will implement our existing commitments, such as finalizing the victim services strategy, finalizing the T-Visa regulations, and implementing appropriate recommendations from the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Second, we’ll continue to promote the rule of law to hold traffickers accountable. We will do this by ensuring law enforcement has the tools it needs at the state, local, federal and international levels. We will also seek to launch pilot technology projects that aid law enforcement and reach out to survivors.

Third, we will continue to make sure that our entire federal supply chain is free of trafficked labor. We’ll do this by implementing the Executive Order both at home and abroad.

And finally, we will develop a simple, straightforward way forcitizens to report possible instances of human trafficking. We will reach out to schools and the general public to make sure everyone has the resources they need to stay vigilant and prevent their classmates, students, and neighbors from being trafficked.

Our goal is to finish these next steps by this coming September, which marks the one year anniversary of President Obama’s speech at the Clinton Global Initiative.

Today’s meeting was another step forward in our fight to end human trafficking. Together, we can create a future free of slavery.

National Women’s Health Week: Re-Committing Ourselves to Healthy Women and Girls

Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen
May 17, 2013
02:45 PM EDT

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Valerie B. Jarrett is a Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversees the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and chairs the White House Council on Women and Girls. Tina Tchen is Chief of Staff for First Lady Michelle Obama and Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls.

President Barack Obama delivers a statement on the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House, May 10, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

They are our daughters. Our sisters. Our mothers.

These are some of the most important people in our lives. And asNational Women’s Health Week comes to a close, we recommit ourselves to improving opportunities for women and girls by expanding access to affordable and accessible health care.

Just before Mother’s Day (the official start of National Women’s Health Week), President Obama invited a number of women and men to the White House to talk about women, families, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

We know that the ACA has already ushered in a new era of access and savings for people all over the country. 47 million women have gained access to preventive services at no out-of-pocket expense, including well-woman visits, domestic violence screenings and counseling, and contraceptive care.

But women aren’t just numbers, we’re people. We are neighbors, aunts, co-workers, and daughters. We are people like Carol, who introduced the President at the event in the East Room last week.

Carol’s son, a 22-year-old college grad and traumatic brain injury survivor with a rare genetic lung disease, was able to stay on his family’s health insurance policy instead of being kicked off the plan this year. Finding coverage on his own would have been nearly impossible, as Carol wrote in a letter to the President: “Given his history, he would be virtually uninsurable under the old set of ‘rules.’ Instead of contemplating law school, all of his resources would have been channeled into somehow, somewhere, finding health insurance.”

Helping Carol and her son are why the Affordable Care Act lets young people stay on their parents’ plan until they turn 26, President Obama said.

Carol made her voice heard, and so can you. Let us know if you’re one of the nearly 85% of Americans who have already benefitted from “Obamacare.”

Lend your voice to protect the 6.6 million young adults who currently have the option of staying on their parent’s health insurance, the over 34 million seniors who pay less for preventive care like mammograms and colonoscopies, and the 18 million middle-class families who have the opportunity to save money on their monthly premiums starting in 2014.

In a proclamation this week, President Obama stated that this is a time to “reflect on how far we have come in the fight to provide Americans with the care they deserve,” and “renew our commitment to empowering all women with the chance to live strong, healthy lives.”

Our daughters, sisters, and mothers deserve nothing less.

To learn more, or to share your story, please click here.

President Obama Talks Early Childhood Education, Infrastructure and Strong Communities in Baltimore

Megan Slack

May 17, 2013
02:00 PM EDT

Ed. note: Watch the video below to learn more about what the President is doing in Baltimore, and check back on this post for updates from the trip – we’ll post them all here together.

Previewing the President’s trip to Baltimore

Published on May 16, 2013

On Friday, May 17, the President will travel to Baltimore, Maryland in his second Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour. While in Baltimore, the President will visit an elementary school that provides comprehensive early childhood services. Then, the President will visit Ellicott Dredges, which manufactures innovative dredges and dredge equipment being sold for infrastructure projects across the country and around the world. He will also be visiting a community center that helps families by ensuring parents have the skills they need to earn a decent living.

Today, President Obama is headed to Baltimore, Maryland to talk early childhood education, infrastructure and ensuring hard work leads to a decent living.

The President’s first stop today was at Moravia Park Elementary School, where he took part in a literacy lesson with pre-k students. The students are part of the school’s Judy Center, which provides comprehensive early childhood services including Head Start, child care, intervention services and family engagement. (Learn more about President Obama’s plan to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America)

The next item on the itinerary was a visit to Ellicot Dredges, which manufactures innovative dredges and dredge equipment being sold for infrastructure projects across the country and around the world. The President toured the facilities, and delivered remarks about creating jobs by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. (Read more about what he’s doing on the infrastructure front)

President Obama Speaks on Rebuilding Our Nation’s Infrastructure

Published on May 17, 2013

President Obama delivers remarks at Ellicot Dredges about growing the economy, creating jobs, and improving U.S. competitiveness by investing in 21st century infrastructure.

President Obama ended the trip with a visit to the Center for Urban Families, a non-profit that works to strengthen urban communities by helping fathers and families achieve stability and economic success.

President Barack Obama participates in a literacy lesson with children while visiting a pre-kindergarten classroom at Moravia Elementary School in Baltimore, Md., May 17, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)