Daily Snapshot From Barack’s House

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

 
By Jueseppi B.

 

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Photo of the Day: A St. Patrick’s Day Lunch

 

Yesterday, President Obama held a bilateral meeting with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny at the White House before the two leaders traveled to the Capitol for a St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon. In their Oval Office meeting — the fifth since President Obama took office — the President and Taoiseach reaffirmed the incredible bond between the United States and Ireland.

 

See more from the President’s meeting with Enda Kenny.

 

 

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President Barack Obama, Taoiseach Enda Kenny of Ireland, and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, talk together during a St. Patrick’s Day lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 19, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

In Case You Missed It

 

Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:

 

President Obama’s Bracket for the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament 
President Obama makes his picks for the 2013 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. He has Louisville, Ohio State, Florida, and Indiana headed to the Final Four.

 

 

Affordable Care Act at 3: Holding Insurance Companies Accountable 
The Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating the 3rd anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.

 

 

Encouraging Young Women to Become the Leaders and Advocates of Tomorrow 
In honor of Women’s History Month, the White House welcomes a group of high school students to participate in a conversation with a mentoring panel featuring women from a diverse range of fields and backgrounds.

 

 

Today’s Schedule:

 

All times are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

 

6:25 AM: The President arrives Tel Aviv, Israel.

 

 

6:30 AM: The President takes part in an official arrival ceremony.

 

 

7:30 AM: The President views an Iron Dome Battery.

 

 

8:00 AM: The Vice President hosts a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in honor of Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.

 

 

10:00 AM: The President arrives at the residence of President Peres and signs the guest book.

 

 

10:10 AM: The President participates in a tree planting ceremony.

 

 

10:15 AM: The President and his delegation participate in a photo with President Peres and his delegation.

 

 

10:25 AM: The President and President Peres of Israel hold a restricted bilateral meeting.

 

 

11:05 AM: The President and President Peres of Israel deliver statements to the press.

 

 

11:30 AM: The President arrives at the residence of Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and signs the guest book.

 

 

11:45 AM: The President and Prime Minister Netanyahu hold a restricted bilateral meeting.

 

 

2:05 PM: The President and Prime Minister Netanyahu hold a press conference.

 

 

2:50 PM: The President and Prime Minister Netanyahu meet for a working dinner.

 

 

 

Dr. Jill Biden
Dr. Jill Biden

March 19, 2013
04:40 PM EDT

 

As a community college teacher, I know that excellence happens every day in community college classrooms and campuses across this country. Both in my classroom and when I’m on the road visiting community colleges, I am fortunate to see firsthand the tremendous impact these schools have on so many students.  I see students striving, teachers inspiring, and administrators innovating – each doing their best to make the community college experience richer and more meaningful. President Obama has made community colleges a centerpiece of his goal to have the best-educated, most competitive workforce in the world.

 

Earlier today at the Newseum in Washington, DC, leaders in education and business congratulated Santa Barbara City College from California and Walla Walla Community College from Washington for being selected as co-winners of the 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Kingsborough Community College – CUNY from New York and Lake Area Technical Institute from South Dakota were honored as finalists-with-distinction.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Megan Slack
Megan Slack

March 19, 2013
05:20 PM EDT

 

 

President Barack Obama welcomes Taoiseach Enda Kenny of Ireland and the Irish delegation to the Oval OfficePresident Barack Obama welcomes Taoiseach Enda Kenny of Ireland and the Irish delegation to the Oval Office, March 19, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

 

 

Today, President Obama held a bilateral meeting with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny at the White House before the two leaders traveled to the Capitol for a St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon.

In their Oval Office meeting — the fifth since President Obama took office — the President and Taoiseach reaffirmed the incredible bond between the United States and Ireland. 

“We have an incredibly strong partnership on economic issues, on security issues,” President Obama said. “The Taoiseach has shown great leadership during difficult times in Ireland. And we’re seeing progress in the Irish economy.”

Noting one example of this progress, President Obama mentioned a deal to sell American-made planes to Ireland that will help businesses here in the U.S create jobs. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Matt Compton
Matt Compton

March 20, 2013
10:00 AM EDT

 

Yesterday President Obama continued what’s become a March tradition: For the fifth time, he sat down to fill out his brackets for the NCAA men and women’s basketball tournaments — and shared his picks with ESPN.

 

The President has Louisville, Ohio State, Florida, and Indiana headed to Atlanta for the Final Four.

 

He picked the Hoosiers to top the Cardinals in the National Championship game on April 8.

 

 

President Obama's 2013 NCAA Tournament Bracket 

 

Download the full predictions here.

We’ll share the President’s pick for the women’s tournament on Friday. Be sure to check back!

 

 

 

Colleen Curtis
Colleen Curtis

March 20, 2013
10:29 AM EDT

 

This week, President Obama is making the first trip of his second term, visiting Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. We will be posting regular updates from the road and livestreaming several of the President’s events on whitehouse.gov/live.

 

  • Wednesday, March 20 (2:05 PM ET) — President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu hold a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem
  • Thursday March 21 (11:00 AM ET) — President Obama delivers a speech at the Jerusalem Convention Center
  • Friday March 22 (11:45 AM ET) — President Obama and King Abdullah II of Jordan hold a press conference in Amman, Jordan

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

March 20, 2013
11:30 AM EDT

 

 

Ed. note: This post was first published on the official blog of healthcare.gov. You can see the original post here.

 

For decades before the passage of the Affordable Care Act, health care costs outstripped inflation, without corresponding improvements in health care quality. Our system didn’t incentivize quality or efficiency. We paid providers for the quantity of care, not the quality of care delivered. And we were not using technology to deliver smarter care.

 

The Affordable Care Act includes steps to improve the quality of health care and lower costs for you and for our nation as a whole. This means avoiding costly mistakes and readmissions, keeping patients healthy, rewarding quality instead of quantity, and creating the health information technology infrastructure that enables new payment and delivery models to work.

 

Here are just a few ways that the health care law builds a smarter health care system and incentivizes quality – not quantity of care – to drive down costs and save you money.

 

 

We’re Shifting the Focus to Quality, Not Quantity

The health care law creates new Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) that incentivize doctors and other providers to work together to provide more coordinated care to their patients. ACOs agree to take responsibility for the cost and quality of their patients and to improve care coordination, safety, and to promote appropriate use of preventive health services. And when this new care model saves the Medicare program money, that savings is shared with the ACO. Over 250 organizations are participating in Medicare ACOs, giving more than 4 million Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality coordinated care throughout the nation. ACOs are estimated to save the Medicare program up to $940 million in the first four years.

 

The Affordable Care Act also ties Medicare Advantage bonus payments to the quality of coverage these private plans offer. This gives seniors a broader range of higher quality Medicare Advantage plans from which to choose. As a result, in 2013, the 14 million Medicare beneficiaries currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage have access to 127 four and five star plans, which is 21 more high-quality plans than were available in the previous year.

 

 

Keeping You Out of The Hospital

Every year, about 2.6 million seniors – or nearly one in five hospitalized Medicare enrollees – are readmitted within 30 days of discharge, at a cost of more than $26 billion to the Medicare program. Many of these readmissions stem from preventable problems. These rates can be drastically reduced if we do a better job coordinating care and support. The health care law’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program reduces Medicare payments to hospitals with relatively high rates of potentially preventable readmissions to encourage them to focus on this key indicator of patient safety and care quality.

 

We’re starting to see results. Medicare readmissions rates have remained stuck near 19 percent over the five years that the data has been collected (and likely for decades prior to that), but in 2012 the nationwide rate of hospital readmissions of Medicare patients declined to about 17.8 per cent. This translates to over 70,000 fewer preventable hospital readmissions.

 

 

Lowering Costs

Taken together these improvements are providing more value for your health care dollar and helping to fuel historically low cost growth rates in Medicare and Medicaid. Last year, Medicare cost growth increased by only 0.4 percent, continuing the historically low Medicare growth we saw in 2011 and 2010. Spending in Medicaid actually decreased 1.9 percent from 2011 to 2012.

 

And a recent report found that health care price inflation in January dropped to 1.5 percent, one of the smallest increases on record.

 

As the nation’s largest insurer, Medicare can lead the way in effective practices like this that deliver better care and drive down costs. Our goal is that these reforms and investments build a health care system that will ensure quality care for generations to come.

 

Learn more about key features of the Affordable Care Act:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Filed under: Affordable Health Care Act, Basketball, Black History, Business, Causes, Celebrity, Daily White House Schedule, Democrats/Democratic, Economy, Education, Event, Finance, Foreign Polocy, Good News, GOPukes/RepubliCANTS, Joy & Happiness, Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security, News, Obama Week In Review, Photographs, Politics, POTUS Obama, Religion, Speech, Stories, The White House, The White House Daily Snapshot, War & the Military, White House Blog, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Productive Day At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: POTUS Obama Signs The Violence Against Women Act

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

 

By Jueseppi B.

 

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White House Office Hours: The Violence Against Women Act

 

Kori Schulman
Kori Schulman

March 07, 2013
 
 
 
 

Today, President Obama signed a bill that both strengthened and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).  Thanks to the bipartisan agreement, thousands of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking will be able to access resources they need in their communities to help heal from their trauma.

 

 

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Do you have questions about the Violence Against Women Act? On Friday, March 8th at 3:45 p.m. ET, we’re holding a session of White House Office Hours on Twitter with Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, and Lynn Rosenthal, White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, to answer your questions.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

To learn more, you can check out a fact sheet on key provisionsin the law and read the President’s remarks. Be sure to follow @WhiteHouse for the latest updates and more opportunities to engage.

 
 
 
 
 
 

No One Should Have to Live in Fear of Violence

 

 

 

President Obama Signs Violence Against Women Act – Full Video

 

Published on Mar 7, 2013

President Obama signs the Violence Against Women Act. He made passing the bill reauthorizing the lapsed law one of his top priorities in his State of The Union Address at the beginning of his second term. Republicans in Congress responded by rising up to prevent further blocking of the bill’s passage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valerie Jarrett
Valerie Jarrett

March 07, 2013
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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President Barack Obama signs S. 47, the “Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013,” (VAWA), which reauthorizes several Violence Against Women Act grant programs through FY 2018; and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 through FY 2017, in the Sidney R. Yates Auditorium at the U.S. Department of Interior in Washington, D.C., March 7, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
 
 
 
 

Ed. note: This article by Valerie Jarrett was first published on the Huffington Post. You can read it here. On Friday, March 8th at 3:45 p.m. ET, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, will participate in a session of White House Office Hours to answers your questions about the Violence Against Women Act on Twitter. Ask questions now with #WHChat, and then follow the Q&A live.

 

 

Today, President Obama signed a bill that both strengthened and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).  Thanks to this bipartisan agreement, thousands of women and men across the country who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking will be able to access resources they need in their communities to help heal from their trauma. In addition, thousands of law enforcement officers will be better equipped to stop violence before it starts, and respond to calls of help when they are needed.

 

 

President Obama and Vice President Biden have steadfastly supported reauthorization—it’s what’s right for our country. We thank Senators Patrick Leahy, Mike Crapo, and Patty Murray and Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Gwen Moore for guiding this legislation to passage.

 

 

For the past 18 years, since Vice President Biden initially wrote the Act in 1994, VAWA has helped to decrease the rates of domestic violence across the country. Three years ago, our federal interagency group on violence against women began meeting to consider gaps in our country’s response to this violence and make recommendations to Congress to fill those gaps. We are proud that many of these recommendations were included in the final bill. Now, we will be better equipped to recognize violence in its early stages, and help to reduce the number of domestic violence homicides.

 

 

The reauthorization also makes a strong effort to address the extraordinarily high rates of violence among our young people. Last week, in honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness month, I had the opportunity to speak, along with Vice President Biden, at an event with families of victims of dating violence, and youth and organizations. It was incredibly encouraging to see people of all ages united in the fight against teen dating violence.

 

 

I am proud to say that now, teens and young adults will have better access to prevention and intervention programs to help break the cycle of violence aground the country. Studies have shown that one in five women will be the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault while they are in college. We need to find a way to help these young scholars be able to focus on growing and learning, instead of being fearful of being assaulted on campus. This Act will help by requiring colleges and universities to provide information to students about dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and improve data collection about these crimes. We call on all of our colleges and universities to make ending sexual assault a top priority.

 

In addition, the bill removes barriers faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) victims, whose needs are often overlooked by law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and victim service providers. 

 

 

We are also thrilled that Congress held the line and maintained protections for battered immigrants and took the important step of also reauthorizing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in this same legislation.

 

 

Finally and very importantly, VAWA will bring justice for Native American victims. Rates of domestic violence perpetrated on Native American women are among the highest in the country. VAWA will help to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the tribal justice system and bring perpetrators of violence to justice.

 

 

No one should have to live in fear of violence, especially in her home, and VAWA affirms that belief. Today’s signing ensures that victims and survivors can continue to be provided the vital resources they deserve. Our country is better off for it.

 
 
 
 
 

Doubling Down on the Fight against Human Trafficking

 

Luis CdeBaca, Thomas E. Perez
March 07, 2013

 

 

Today President Obama signed into law a renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, a reaffirmation of our nation’s commitment to putting a stop to violence against women and other vulnerable groups.  Since the Violence Against Women Act first became law in 1994, domestic violence in the United States has dropped by 64%. Today’s reauthorization will bring to bear new tools to aid law enforcement and provide support to victims.  Congress passed the law with bipartisan support, and it’s something that all Americans should be proud of.

 

 

And there is even more good news to report.

 

 

Because as part of the bill reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, today President Obama also signed into law the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), which reauthorizes the landmark legislation that provides critical support to law enforcement, victims support providers, and U.S. diplomats to fight modern slavery at home and abroad. On September 25, 2012, the President declared in a speech dedicated to human trafficking that the fight against modern slavery is “one of the great human rights causes of our time” and pledged that the United States would continue to lead the global effort to eradicate this crime.  In that speech, the President called on Congress to renew the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.  Thanks to the leadership of key Members of Congress, including Senator Patrick Leahy, Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Gwen Moore, this goal became a reality. 

 

 

Under President Obama’s leadership, and in coordination with state and local authorities, the U.S. government is making the fight against modern slavery a new priority. We’re working with stakeholders at every level of government, with NGOs and faith leaders, and with the private sector on increasing outreach, protections, and services for child victims, focusing attention on supply chains to curb labor trafficking, and leveraging technology to stop traffickers and protect the innocent.

 

 

The TVPRA will provide additional means to forward this agenda at home and around the world. 

 

 

On the global stage, the TVPRA will offer increased support to the State Department’s diplomatic engagement—work that has been critical to building awareness around the world for the anti-trafficking movement over the last decade.  At the same time, the law bolsters protections for vulnerable children and domestic workers.  It seeks to reward effective partnerships that bring services to survivors and put traffickers behind bars.  And it supports the development of effective laws by partner countries to hold accountable anyone who robs another of their freedom, whether that trafficker is a pimp, a corrupt labor recruiter, or even a diplomat.

 

 

Here at home, the TVPRA will enhance the protections we’ve long offered immigrant victims of trafficking.  It will enable agencies across the federal government to better share information, and to get that information out to those who need it most—victims, survivors, and those at risk.  The new TVPRA also increases support for investigations and prosecutions.  Law enforcement and justice officials will now be able to use organized crime provisions to crack down on fraudulent foreign labor recruiters, and new provisions will make it easier to pursue cases in which traffickers have confiscated immigration documents from foreign victims.

 

 

The TVPRA will allow the Department of Justice and its partners to continue and build on existing programs, such as specialized Anti-Trafficking Coordination Teams currently at work in select pilot districts around the country.  It will also further the development of a federal strategic action plan to strengthen services for trafficking victims and help to preserve and protect the human rights of children and adults in the United States and around the world.

 

 

And as the global anti-trafficking movement continues to grow, the TVPRA will enable innovative new programs.  Those of us in the government will work to develop the tools and techniques that will carry this effort forward for years to come, whether changing the way we deliver support to child victims or harnessing new technologies to improve trafficking investigations and prosecutions.  The key to these innovations will be partnerships—among governments, the private sector, civil society, the faith community, and any other stakeholder committed to putting a stop to modern slavery. 

 

 

These partnerships will be essential moving forward.  Bringing more groups and individuals into the struggle for freedom is key to our future success. All of us share a responsibility to combat slavery, no matter what form it takes.  The TVPRA signed into law today is a call for all Americans to take up that responsibility, and to continue the work of building a world free from slavery.

 

 

Luis CdeBaca is Ambassador-at-Large, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking at the U.S. Department of State. Thomas E. Perez is Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.

 
 
 
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President Barack Obama gives a thumbs up after signing the Violence Against Women Act as he is joined by Vice President Joe Biden and members of women’s organizations, law enforcement officials, tribal leaders, survivors, advocates and members of Congress, at the Interior Department on March 7, 2013. The law strengthens the criminal justice system’s response to crimes against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Violence Against Women Act

 

While tremendous progress has been made since the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was first enacted, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are still significant problems facing women, families, and communities.The new VAWA bill signed into law by President Obama March 7, 2013 will continue effective programs, make targeted expansions to address the needs of especially vulnerable populations, and help prevent violence in future generations.

 

 

 

Dating Violence Resources

If you are having an emergency, please call 911. If you have been abused and need help, please reach out to the Dating Abuse Helpline by phone call (1-866-331-9474), text (text “loveis” to 77054) or online chat.

 

 

Teens/Young Adults

 

  • Understanding Teen Dating Violence: Fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control explaining what dating violence is; how dating violence affects health; who is at risk for dating violence; and how to prevent dating violence.

 

 

  • Relationship Safety: Questions and answers from GirlsHealth.gov to help understand how to spot an unhealthy relationship and what to do if you or a friend is in an unhealthy or abusive relationship.

 

  • What is Rape?: Information from GirlsHealth.gov about what rape and sexual assault are, what you should know about date rape drugs, who you can call for help, and tips on how to protect yourself.

 

 

 

  • Sexual Assault Fact Sheet: Information from WomensHealth.gov on what sexual assault is, what to do if you’ve been sexually assaulted, where to go for help, how to lower your risk of sexual assault, and how to help someone who has been sexually assaulted.

 

Parents

 

 

  • Break the Silence: Stop the Violence: Video from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in which parents talk with teens about developing healthy, respectful relationships before they start dating.

 

Schools

 

  • Dating Matters: Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention: Free online course from VetoViolence.org available to educators and others working with teens. The 60 minute training video includes information on how to: understand teen dating violence and its consequences; identify factors that can place teens at risk for dating violence; and communicate with teens about the importance of healthy relationships;

 

 

  • Campus Sexual Assault Guidance: Guidance from the Department of Education explaining that the requirements of Title IX cover sexual violence and reminds of their responsibilities to take immediate and effective steps to respond to sexual violence in accordance with the requirements of Title IX.

 

 

Community

 

 

 

  • Outreach Posters: Outreach posters from the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime promote community awareness of victims’ rights, including posters on violence against women, stalking, and domestic abuse.

 

Latest Research

 

  • CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): On December 14, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010 Summary Report.  The findings show that, on average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States.  Over the course of a year, that equals more than 12 million women and men. Those numbers only tell part of the story –1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped in their lifetimes, the vast majority before the age of 25.These findings demonstrate that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are important and widespread public health problems in the United States.  The report underscores the heavy toll of this violence, particularly on women; the immediate impacts of victimization; and the lifelong health consequences of these forms of violence. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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The Daily Word From Barack’s House

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

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Watch: Signing the Violence Against Women Act

 

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Today, President Obama will sign legislation to strengthen and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The new law will provide resources for thousands of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault — and better equip law enforcement officials to stop violence before it starts.

 

 

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Tune in to WhiteHouse.gov/Live at 1:55 p.m. ET to watch.

 

 

Photo of the Day: New Secretary of the Treasury……

 

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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in the Oval Office, March 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

In Case You Missed It

 

Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:

 

Senate Delays Negatively Impacting our Judicial System 
An infographic illustrates the unprecedented delays in the judicial confirmation process: 78 percent of President Obama’s circuit court judges have waited more than 100 days for a vote, compared to 15 of President Bush’s nominees.

 

President Obama Holds First Cabinet Meeting of Second Term 
The President welcomed new Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew and new Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to his Cabinet.

 

The Changing Face of Veteran Reintegration 
Team Rubicon works to engage our returning veterans so they can continue their service by providing aid in disaster relief.

 

 

Today’s Schedule

 

All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).

 

9:30 AM: The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing.

 

 

12:25 PM: The President meets for lunch with Representatives Chris Van Hollen and Paul Ryan.

 

 

12:30 PM: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney.

 

 

1:55 PM: The President signs the Violence Against Women Act; The President and the Vice President deliver remarks.

 

 

 

Obama ‘Dinner Dates’ The Very GOP Lunatics Who Want To Topple Him

 

 

Talking Points Memo: President Obama has invited House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to lunch Thursday at the White House. Rep. Chris Van Hollen has also been invited…

 

 

 

 

Talking Points Memo: President Obama dined with 12 Republican senators at Jefferson Hotel in Washington on Wednesday night. In attendance, per the White House:

 

Senators Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker, Kelly Ayotte, John McCain, Dan Coats, Tom Coburn, Richard Burr, Mike Johanns, Pat Toomey, Ron Johnson, John Hoeven and Saxby Chambliss.

 

 

Read More From Talking Points Memo.      

 

 

Partnering with the People of Yemen

 

Rashad Hussain
March 07, 2013

 

 

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Editor’s Note:  On March 7, Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns led the U.S. delegation to the Friends of Yemen ministerial meeting in London, United Kingdom. This meeting reaffirmed the international community’s continued support for the people of Yemen during their historic transition process, including the upcoming National Dialogue and, ultimately, national elections in early 2014.  The United States is committed to the Friends of Yemen process and its goal of supporting Yemen as it endeavors to achieve meaningful political, economic, and security sector reform. As part of this commitment, Rashad Hussain, Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic States, recently traveled to Yemen. (by USAID)

 

 

As a part of our on-going efforts to deepen and expand partnerships with Muslim communities around the world, I recently visited Sana’a, Yemen. I heard first-hand from Yemeni government officials, civil society, and religious leaders about a variety of issues, including the country’s political transition and National Dialogue, U.S.-Yemen cooperation, and U.S. engagement with Muslim communities around the world. I was impressed by the passion and optimism of Yemen’s vibrant civil society, and by the determination and sincerity of its people. There is so much more happening in Yemen than what is conveyed in news headlines that I wanted to share some of my observations.
 
Just before my arrival, the government announced that the National Dialogue would officially begin on March 18. I spoke with a broad array of civil society activists about their goals and concerns about the National Dialogue.  I encouraged the full and active participation of all parts of Yemeni society in the National Dialogue, and highlighted the important role that civil society plays in ensuring the Dialogue’s success. 

 

I also met with a group of influential religious leaders and discussed a range of issues, including violent extremism, protecting human rights, and U.S. policies in the region. Religious leaders play a vital role in Yemeni society, and I emphasized their importance in ensuring the health, protection, and prosperity of their communities. We discussed efforts to promote humanitarian assistance and the protection of religious freedom, especially for minority groups. In discussions regarding violent extremism, I highlighted the importance of discrediting the destructive ideology of terrorism, and noted that no grievance justifies the killing of innocent people. I also questioned the idea that terrorism occurs as a response to certain policies, asking what foreign policy grievance could drive someone to bomb a religious center or a Friday prayer.

 

The leaders showed a clear understanding of their responsibilities, and expressed their willingness to partner with the United States on these and other initiatives. The Foreign Minister and officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs also welcomed our interest in expanding partnerships with Yemen and suggested various areas of potential cooperation, including in addressing the challenges facing Yemeni youth. 

 
 
In all of my meetings, I emphasized the U.S. commitment to continued assistance in addressing these critical needs and in partnering with the people of Yemen. The U.S. government gave Yemen over $119 million in humanitarian aid last fiscal year, and plans to provide significant support this year given the severity of the crisis.  The international community needs to do its part to help Yemen address its humanitarian challenges, and I will continue to urge our partners to support the UN’s Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan.

 
 
What struck me the most by my visit was the enthusiasm and hope in the eyes and voices of the people I met. Yemenis are working to build a democratic and prosperous Yemen, and we are honored to be able to support their efforts.

 

Rashad Hussain is the U.S. Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Monday’s 411 From Barack’s Blog. Yes, I Know, It’s Very Late.

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

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Senate Confirms Robert Bacharach to the United States Court of Appeals

 

Jennifer Palmieri
Jennifer Palmieri

February 25, 2013
 
 

This evening the Senate confirmed Robert Bacharach to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Oklahoma. Judge Bacharach waited 263 days for a Senate floor vote, only to be approved overwhelmingly, by a vote of 93-0. Not only was Judge Bacharach supported by the two Republican Senators from Oklahoma, he was recommended to the White House for this judgeship by Senator Coburn in October 2011. Yet, early last summer, Senate Republicans blocked Judge Bacharach from even getting an up or down vote – the first successful filibuster of a judicial nominee who had bipartisan support in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

In short, Republicans recommended Robert Bacharach for this important position, endorsed him publicly, supported him nearly unanimously out of the Judiciary Committee, then blocked him from getting a vote – and now, after almost a year of pointless delay, joined in unanimously confirming him. Even Senator Coburn, himself a participant in this partisan chicanery, called this “stupid.”  

 

Unfortunately this is not a unique case. On February 13, the Senate confirmed William Kayatta for the First Circuit from Maine. His nomination languished for 300 days, yet he was easily confirmed with 88 Senators supporting him. And next up is Richard Taranto for the Federal Circuit, whose nomination has been pending for 333 days.

 

To put this obstruction in some perspective, the average wait time for President George W. Bush’s federal appellate judicial nominees, from Committee vote to confirmation, at this point in his presidency was 35 days. By contrast, the average wait time for President Obama’s federal appellate judicial nominees has been 147 days.

 

Today, there are 14 judicial nominees pending before the Senate, most of whom were approved by the Judiciary Committee unanimously and several of whom would fill judicial emergency seats.  An additional 21 nominees are pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee. These 35, highly-qualified nominees signify the President’s unprecedented commitment to a judiciary that reflects the nation it serves: 17 are women; 6 are African American; 6 are Hispanic; 4 are Asian American; and 5 are openly gay. 

 

The Senate should move to confirm all of the judicial nominees pending before it. These nominees deserve immediate consideration by the full Senate, and the interest of justice demands it.

 

 

 

 

President Obama: I Look Forward to Working with Governors to Reignite America’s Economic Engine

 

 

Colleen Curtis
Colleen Curtis

February 25, 2013
 
 
 
 
 
 
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President Barack Obama delivers remarks and participates in a Q&A during a meeting with the National Governors Association (NGA) in the State Dining Room of the White House, Feb. 25, 2013 (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
 
 
 
 
 

In a meeting with the National Governors Association today at the White House, President Obama stressed the need for bipartisan cooperation, and pressed the leaders in attendance to work together with their partners in Washington to put the focus back on the next generation, rather than the next election.

 

All of us are elected officials. All of us are concerned about our politics, both in our own party’s as well as the other party’s. But at some point, we’ve got to do some governing. And certainly what we can’t do is keep careening from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. As I said in the State of the Union, the American people have worked hard and long to dig themselves out of one crisis; they don’t need us creating another one. And unfortunately, that’s what we’ve been seeing too much out there.

 

The American people are out there every single day, meeting their responsibilities, giving it their all to provide for their families and their communities.  A lot of you are doing the same things in your respective states. Well, we need that same kind of attitude here in Washington. At the very least, the American people have a right to expect that from their representatives.  

 

 

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President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the National Governors Association Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House, Feb. 24, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

The President and First Lady hosted a dinner for the governors on Sunday at the White House, and on Monday the leaders gathered again to hear from Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden, as well as the President and Vice President. At both events, the focus was on the progress we can and do make when elected officials work together to find smart, common-sense solutions to the challenges that face us as a nation, from recovering from national disasters like Hurricane Sandy to continuing to rebuild our economy after the 2008 crash.

 

Both Vice President Biden and President Obama discussed the need for Congress to take action to prevent painful automatic budget that will be felt on the ground in states across the nation beginning March 1. The President also talked about some important areas where governors are making strides that can be replicated across the country, including infrastructure and education:

I know that one of the biggest hurdles that you face when it comes to fixing infrastructure is red tape. And oftentimes, that comes out of Washington with regulations.  In my first term, we started to take some steps to address that.  And we’ve shaved months — in some cases, even years — off the timeline of infrastructure projects across America.

 

So today, I’m accelerating that effort. We’re setting up regional teams that will focus on some of the unique needs each of you have in various parts of the country. We’re going to help the Pacific Northwest move faster on renewable energy projects.  We’re going to help the Northeast Corridor move faster on high-speed rail service.  We’re going to help the Midwest and other states, like Colorado, move faster on projects that help farmers deal with worsening drought.  We’re going to help states like North Dakota and South Dakota and Montana move faster on oil and gas production. All of these projects will get more Americans back to work faster. And we can do even more if we can get Congress to act.    

 

The second priority that I want to talk about is education  — and in particular, education that starts at the earliest age. I want to partner with each of you to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America.  

 

Now, this is an area where we’ve already seen great bipartisan work at the state level. I was just in Governor Deal’s state to highlight this issue because Georgia has made it a priority to educate our youngest kids. And in the school district where I visited in Decatur, Georgia, you’re already seeing closing of the achievement gap. Kids who are poor are leveling up. And everybody is seeing real improvement, because it’s high-quality, early childhood education.

 

Study after study shows that the sooner children begin to learn in these high-quality settings, the better he or she does down the road, and we all end up saving money. Unfortunately, today fewer than three in 10 four-year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. Most middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week in additional income for these kinds of preschool programs. And poor kids, who need it most, lack access. And that lack of access can shadow them for the rest of their lives.  We all pay a price for that.  

 

Every dollar we invest in early childhood education can save more than seven dollars later on — boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing incidents of violent crime.  

 

 

 

 

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President Barack Obama talks with Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vt., center, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and Gov. Mike Spence, R-Ind., after a meeting with the NGA in the State Dining Room of the White House, Feb. 25, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

President Obama Speaks to National Governors Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Official portrait of Vice President Joe Biden in his West Wing Office at the White House, Jan. 10, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

 

 

 

Vice President Biden Speaks to National Governors Association

 

Published on Feb 25, 2013

Vice President Biden speaks to governors about the need to strengthen the economy and the middle class. February 25, 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The First Lady and Dr. Biden Speak to the National Governors Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

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President Obama Speaks at National Governors Association Dinner

 

Published on Feb 25, 2013

President Obama delivers remarks at a dinner for the National Governors Association. February 24, 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statements and Releases

 

 

February 25, 2013

Renewing the National Commitment to Putting America’s Heroes Back to Work

 

 

 

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OBAMA RE ELECTED

 

 

 

Filed under: Black History, Business, Causes, Celebrity, Celebs & Fame, Congress, Democrats/Democratic, Economy, Education, Finance, Foreign Polocy, Good News, Gun Control, Gun Violence, Health, History, Jill Biden, Joy & Happiness, Michelle Obama, News, Obama Week In Review, Photographs, Politics, POTUS Obama, Speech, Stories, The White House, The White House Daily Snapshot, Vice President Joseph Biden, Videos, War & the Military, White House Blog, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Wednesday’s Potpourri: Barack’s Blog & The “Expert Pundits” Speak

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

 

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White House Schedule – February 20, 2013

 

 

10:30 AM: The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing

 
 
 
 
12:30 PM: The President and the Vice President meet for lunch
 
Private Dining Room
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2:20 PM: The President is interviewed by regional television outlets
 
Diplomatic Room
 
 
 
 
4:00 PM: The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary of State Kerry

 
Oval Office
 
 
 
 
 
From The Whiter House Blog:
 

Statements and Releases

 

February 20, 2013

Fact Sheet: The President’s Plan to Make America a Magnet for Jobs by Investing in Infrastructure

 

 

February 20, 2013

Background on Medal of Valor Ceremony

 

 

February 19, 2013

Statement from the President on General John Allen

 

 

 

Speeches and Remarks

 

February 19, 2013

Remarks by the President on the Sequester

 

 

Setting the Record Straight About the Sequester

 

Dan Pfeiffer
                       By Dan Pfeiffer February 19, 2013

 

 

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In less than two weeks, dangerous across the board budget cuts are slated to take effect, potentially threatening hundreds of thousands of jobs, our national security and our economic recovery. The President has laid out a specific plan with detailed cuts to avoid the sequester and reduce the deficit in a balanced way by cutting spending, reforming entitlements and closing tax loopholes for the wealthiest and big corporations – loopholes not available to the middle class — and Congressional Democrats have put forward a balanced approach as well.

 

The only party unwilling to compromise to avoid these devastating cuts are Congressional Republicans, who would rather see our recovery and middle class economic security be put at risk than close one tax loophole for big corporations and the wealthiest.

 

Tonight, in an effort to distract from this reality, the Leader of the Republican party took to the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal to engage in an amazing act of revisionist history. Instead of communicating with the American people – who support a balanced approach to reduce the deficit – about finding a compromise, the Republican Leadership once again launched a series of false attacks instead of putting forward ways to resolve this issue in a bipartisan way.

 

So let’s set the record straight.

  1. Speaker Boehner asked “What spending are you willing to cut to replace it?” Here they are: The fact is, the President has a detailed, balanced plan with spending cuts. He is willing to make tough choices. Now it’s time for the Speaker to do the same. The Speaker has yet to name one tax loophole he’s willing to close. Not one.
  2. The Speaker said the sequester is “an ugly and dangerous way” to cut spending. We agree. But in the past he’s led Congressional Republicans to threaten the sequester as a political tool. In the Wall Street Journal on January 6, 2013: “Mr. Boehner says he has significant Republican support, including GOP defense hawks, on his side for letting the sequester do its work. ‘I got that in my back pocket,’ the speaker says.”
  3. In that same article in the Wall Street Journal Speaker Boehner boasts about using the sequester as leverage. “Republican willingness to support the sequester, Mr. Boehner says, is ‘as much leverage as we’re going to get.’ That leverage, he reasons, is what will force Democrats to the table on entitlements.”
  4. It’s time for Speaker Boehner to explain to the American people what he actually meant. The Speaker claims the sequester was a last minute agreement to resolve the debt limit increase the President wanted. Simply not true. In fact, it was the Speaker who praised the sequester at the time. Following the deal, he said “When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I’m pretty happy.” In fact, the final vote count was 269-161 – with 174 Republicans in favor. Speaker Boehner, Rep. Cantor and Rep. Ryan all voted yes.
  5. Speaker Boehner argues the President has “put forth no detailed plan that can pass Congress”. Here’s the plan.  It’s balanced and it includes spending cuts. The President is willing to make tough choices. It’s time for Speaker Boehner and Congressional Republicans to do the same.
  6. Speaker Boehner claims we haven’t been serious about entitlement reform. The opposite is true: Here’s the plan. It’s on the table. Now it’s time for Congressional Republicans to come to the table and take a balanced approach to avoid these devastating cuts.
  7. Where is the Republican plan? The GOP bill expired. If they’re confident the draconian cuts will win support in Congress and more importantly – with the American people — they should bring it up for a vote.

 

 

 

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President Obama Speaks on the Sequester

 

 

 

 

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Photo Gallery: Behind the Scenes in January 2013

 

Megan Slack
                        By  Megan Slack  February 19, 2013

 

The White House Photo Office just released a set of behind the scenes photos from January 2013. Images include scenes from the Inaugural swearing-in and festivities, meetings around the White House and more. 

Check out the gallery below, and see all the images on Flickr.

 

 

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President Barack Obama works on his inaugural address with Jon Favreau, Director of Speechwriting, not pictured, in the Oval Office, Jan. 16, 2013 (Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

 

A Moment With Joseph Robinette “Joey B.” Biden, Jr.:

 

Open for Questions: Vice President Biden on Reducing Gun Violence

 

 

 

 

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Now a word, or two, from “Our Expert Pundits”:

 

 

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The Potential Effect of The Sequester Budget Cuts

 

 

 

 

The Republican ‘Low Taxes’ Myth Debunked

 

 

 

 

Dr. Maya Angelou on Activism and GOP Disrespect For President Obama

 

 

 

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