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Farmers in Iowa are among those struggling with the fallout from the historic drought. Almost half of the corn crop is in poor or very poor condition. The same is true for more than a third of the soy bean crop. Disappointing yields are in turn driving up feed prices, and farmers and ranchers are having trouble feeding livestock. And there are similar stories throughout the nation's heartland.
Today President Obama saw the damage first-hand and described a new effort to help livestock producers.
Touring McIntosh Family Farms in Missouri Valley, Iowa, the President announced that the Department of Agriculture will begin to buy up to $170 million worth of pork, chicken, lamb, and catfish. And the President is directing the Department of Defense -- which purchased more than 150,000 million pounds of beef and pork in the last year alone -- to encourage its vendors to accelerate meat purchases for the military and freeze it for future use.
The goal is to give farmers and ranchers an opportunity to sell more of what they produce and save taxpayers money on food the government would have purchased for military bases, hospitals, schools, and food banks anyway.
"Understand this won't solve the problem. We can't make it rain," the President said. "But this will help families like the McIntoshes in states across the country, including here in Iowa. And we're going to keep doing what we can to help because that's what we do. We are Americans. We take care of each other."
To deliver more expansive aid for those hit by the drought, President Obama said that Congress needs to act.
"They need to pass a farm bill that not only helps farmers and ranchers respond to natural disasters, but also makes necessary reforms and gives them some long-term certainty," he said.
But in the meantime, the President won't wait for lawmakers to begin helping those struggling with the high temperatures and the lack of rain.
Learn more:
- The Department of Agriculture is collecting resources for farmers, ranchers, and small businesses wrestling with this crisis at USDA.gov/drought.
- President Obama discusses his administration's all-hands-on-deck approach to the drought in the Weekly Address.
- More information still is available at WhiteHouse.gov/drought.
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August 13, 2012
07:02 PM EDTAs President Obama said in a recent Weekly Address, Americans could not be prouder of the men and women representing our country in London, in both the recently concluded Olympics and in the upcoming Paralympics. And this year, Team USA included a record number of soldier athletes, both active duty and members of our reserves. The servicemen and women competing in these games represent the best of our military, and the best of our nation.
Learn more:
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It's been one week since NASA's Curiosity rover touched down on the surface of Mars and began peeling back the mysteries of the red planet.
Today, President Obama called the team responsible for that success to praise their ingenuity and urge them to continue the good work. "Through your dedicated efforts, "Curiosity" stuck her landing and captured the attention and imagination of millions of people not just across our country, but people all around the world, including Times Square," he said. "And being able to get that whole landing sequence to work the way you did is a testimony to your team."
The goal of Curiosity is to do more than just deepen our understanding of our closest planetary neighbor -- it's to pave the way for future missions, including a man-led visit to Mars by 2030. The rover is currently undergoing a software update that will allow it to launch into its two-year exploration in earnest.
The President made a special point to congratulate some of the leaders of the effort, including Charles Elachi, the head of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Adam Steltzner, who helped to design the sky crane that lowered the 1-ton rover to the Martian surface.
But another NASA staffer got a special shout out -- flight director Bobak Ferdowsi, whose Mohawk helped to launch an instant Internet meme.
"[I], in the past, thought about getting a Mohawk myself," the President joked. "But my team keeps on discouraging me. And now that [Ferdowsi has] received marriage proposals and thousands of new Twitter followers, I think I'm going to go back to my team and see if it makes sense."
Read the full remarks here.
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Like people all over the world, the White House has been using Twitter to celebrate the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
As head of the Delegation in London, First Lady Michelle Obama represented the White House at the Opening Ceremonies. While in London, she also met with Team USA to wish them luck, hosted a Let's Move event for over 1,000 American military children and British students, and cheered our Olympians as they competed. All along the way, she documented her travels on Twitter at @LetsMove.
On August 4th, President Obama dedicated his Weekly Address to letting our Olympic and Paralympic athletes know that that the American people could not be more proud of them, and thanked them for reminding us that we are one people, and by working together we can achieve great things.
Additionally, throughout the Olympics, the President, First Lady, Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden took to Twitter to cheer on and congratulate Team USA.
You can check out all of these moments and more below and over on Storify.
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This morning, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty appeared on ABC and discussed the letter he signed (pdf) along with 28 other Republican Governors asking for more flexibility administering programs that move Americans from welfare to work. Here’s what he said:
“Governors like me and other Republican governors wanted more flexibility generally, but no -- none of us wanted to waive or dismantle the work requirement within the landmark welfare reform legislation of the 1990s. And it would be very easy for the president to clear up this controversy. If he's saying he's not as part of his directive going to rescind or undermine the work requirements, then just clarify that part of it…”
We agree with Governor Pawlenty: no one wants to waive or dismantle the work requirement within the landmark welfare reform legislation of the 1990s. Secretary Sebelius made clear in a letter to Congressional leaders that Governors could have more flexibility operating their welfare programs only if their plans move more people from welfare to a job. And she reiterated that any proposals from Governors that undermine the work requirement would be rejected. Here’s what she said:
“The Department is providing a very limited waiver opportunity for states that develop a plan to measurably increase the number of beneficiaries who find and hold down a job. Specifically, Governors must commit that their proposals will move at least 20% more people from welfare to work compared to the state's past performance. States must also demonstrate clear progress toward that goal no later than one year after their programs take effect. If they fail, their waiver will be rescinded. And if a Governor proposes a plan that undercuts the work requirements established in welfare reform, that plan will be rejected.”
Moving more Americans from welfare to work is a goal we all share and the Administration’s proposal will maintain a strong work requirement while giving Governors the chance to implement programs that put more Americans back to work.
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Last night, President Obama hosted his fourth Iftar dinner as President in the State Dining Room of the White House. The Iftar is the meal that breaks the day of fasting during Ramadan, when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset.
During his remarks at the dinner, the President reflected on the importance of religious freedom and the important role Muslims have played throughout our country’s history.
Of all the freedoms we cherish as Americans, of all the rights that we hold sacred, foremost among them is freedom of religion, the right to worship as we choose. It’s enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution -- the law of the land, always and forever. It beats in our heart -- in the soul of the people who know that our liberty and our equality is endowed by our Creator. And it runs through the history of this house, a place where Americans of many faiths can come together and celebrate their holiest of days -- and that includes Ramadan.
As I’ve noted before, Thomas Jefferson once held a sunset dinner here with an envoy from Tunisia -- perhaps the first Iftar at the White House, more than 200 years ago. And some of you, as you arrived tonight, may have seen our special display, courtesy of our friends at the Library of Congress -- the Koran that belonged to Thomas Jefferson. And that's a reminder, along with the generations of patriotic Muslims in America, that Islam -- like so many faiths -- is part of our national story.
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President Obama discusses the Administration’s all-hands-on-deck approach to one of the worst droughts in more than fifty years.
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Eqlima is a young girl from Afghanistan. She lived with an abusive father and stepmother who often beat her. They even set her hair on fire. She escaped to a U.S. State Department-supported women’s shelter. The staff helped move her away from her father and stepmother, and now is helping her move in with her older brother.
Stories like these are all too common. From beatings, to “honor” killings, to sexual violence as a tactic of war, from intimate partner violence to human trafficking-- the forms of gender-based violence are varied, but their scope, and their impact are devastating. Globally, an estimated one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.
When women and girls are denied the chance to fully contribute to society because of the violence or fear they face, our entire world suffers. That’s why President Obama has made the treatment of women an essential part of our global vision for democracy and human rights. A key part of that effort is stopping violence against women and girls.
Last December, President Obama released the first ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security and signed an Executive Order directing the Plan’s implementation. This action signaled a key commitment of the Obama Administration: to put gender equality and the advancement of women and girls at the forefront of our foreign policy.
Today, I am proud to announce that the President has taken another important step to prioritize and protect the rights of women and girls. President Obama issued an Executive Order on Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls Globally. The Executive Order requires enhanced coordination of the United States’ efforts through the creation of an interagency working group, co-chaired by Secretary of State Clinton and USAID Administrator Shah, designed to leverage our country’s tremendous expertise and capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence globally as well as establish a coordinated, government-wide approach to address this terrible reality.
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August 10, 2012
12:32 PM EDTThe White House Photo Office just released their latest batch of behind-the-scenes photos, including the Independence Day celebrations at the White House, President Obama meeting with Team USA before the Olympics, and the First Lady in London. Check out a few of the images below, then head over to Flickr to see all 50 images in the gallery.
See more recent photo galleries
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Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President continued to push for middle class tax cuts, spoke with both the AAPD Summer interns with disabilities and with the White House Summer Interns of 2012, signed the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act, and convened his Rural Council to discuss ways to ease the burden of drought. That’s August 3rd to August 9th or “We Have A Moral, Sacred Duty.”
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Unless the House of Representatives takes action before January 1, 2013, taxes will go up on 114 million middle-class families. Nearly everyone in Washington agrees that’s a bad idea. That’s why President Obama is calling for -- and the Senate has already passed -- legislation that will keep the middle class from paying thousands of extra dollars next year.
Republicans in the House of Representatives, however, are refusing to extend middle-class tax cuts without also giving massive tax cuts to the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. In fact, House Republicans have proposed their own tax plan that would actually raise taxes on 25 million families making less than $250,000, while giving families making more than $1 million an average tax cut of $160,000 next year.
We’ve put together an infographic to help you understand some of the details behind the tax cut extension President Obama is asking Congress to pass, and how it differs with the House Republican proposal. Check it out, and if you agree with President Obama that extending middle-class tax cuts is the right thing to do, share it on your social networks and pass it on to your friends and family.
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To fulfill its functions, the federal government asks people to fill out a lot of forms. To get permits and licenses, to pay taxes, and to qualify for benefits and grants, forms are often required. Too often, however, those forms are too confusing and complicated, especially for individuals and small businesses. Today we are doing something about that problem.
From now on, agencies will be asked to test complex or lengthy forms in advance, by seeing if people can actually understand them. Advance testing can take many forms. Agencies might use focus groups. They might use web-based experiments. They might try in-person observations of how users understand the forms. From those tests, agencies will be better able to identify the likely burdens on members of the public and to find ways to increase simplification and ease of comprehension.
Here’s an example from a closely related area: labeling. In 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation unveiled new and improved fuel economy labels. The new labels promote informed choices by telling consumers, clearly and simply, about annual fuel costs and about the likely five-year savings or costs of particular cars (compared to the average vehicle). The new labels followed an extensive process of testing, to see what really would be most useful for consumers. In the future, we will be engaging in similar testing for forms, increasing simplicity, reducing confusion, and saving time.
In recent years, we have made a lot of progress in reducing red tape, increasing plain language, and eliminating complexity. Today’s action is a significant further step in this direction.
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President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India aboard Air Force One during a flight to Colorado, Aug. 8, 2012. The President called Prime Minister Singh to express condolences for victims of the attack at the gurdwara in Wisconsin, which took the lives of Indian nationals as well as Americans, and to convey the solidarity of the American people. Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, is seated at right. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The two leaders discussed the shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and the President expressed his condolences for the senseless attack.According to a readout of that conversation, "Prime Minister Singh expressed his gratitude for the many messages and gestures of support from the United States, and for the prompt reaction and heroism of the local police department."To learn more about the call, check out the full readout here.In the United States, the American flag remain at half-staff until sunset tomorrow to honor the victims of the shooting. -
Yesterday I had the pleasure of participating in a policy conversation held at the Center for American Progress on ensuring that the ladder of opportunity remains strong for the Latino community. In conjunction with that event we released a report, “An America Built to Last: President Obama’s Agenda and the Hispanic Community,” that takes a close look at the President’s agenda and how the Administration’s policies have made a difference for Hispanics and all Americans as we work to move our country forward out of the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression.
The need for this report is simple. Latinos will account for 60 percent of the nation’s population growth in the coming decades, and in turn will be an increasingly larger share of our nation’s workforce. If our nation is going to be successful, we need a strong and well prepared workforce, so the success of our nation is tied directly to the success of the Hispanic community. That’s something President Obama understands, and why he has made it a priority that his Administration is not only reflective of America’s great diversity, but that we’re being open and responsive to the needs of all Americans.
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As you may have already heard, this Friday we will welcome over 150 PTA leaders from 41 states, DC and US military bases overseas to the White House for a day-long briefing. Made up of millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders, the PTA promotes parent involvement in schools and works every day towards the success of every student. Local PTAs across the country are also some of the most effective advocates for making education a priority.
We'll honor 12 PTA leaders as Champions of Change, a program created to honor ordinary Americans doing great work in their communities. The PTA Champions have collaborated with school administrators and community leaders, launched innovative advocacy campaigns, and worked tirelessly to grow their local PTA organizations to involve more parents in their children’s education. You can learn more about our PTA Champions here.
But this Friday isn't just for PTA leaders joining us at the White House, it's also to engage with millions of moms and dads who can’t make it to Washington. So, we're hoping you'll tune-in live and join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #WHPTA. Join us live at WhiteHouse.gov/Champions for PTA Day, including:
- 9:30 a.m. EDT: PTA leaders briefing with Administration officials
- 12:00 p.m. EDT: “Open for Questions” online Q&A with Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Munoz moderated by National PTA President Betsy Landers. PTA members around the country are invited to watch live and submit questions at PTA.org or on Twitter using the hashtag #WHPTA
- 2:00 p.m. EDT: “Champions of Change" event honoring 12 PTA members
The President knows how important parent involvement is to successfully educating our kids, and that is why we’re excited to welcome PTA leaders who are setting such great examples in their communities to the White House.
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Yesterday, Cynthia Germanotta and I had the opportunity to discuss how to empower young people and end bullying at the Third Annual Bullying Prevention Summit in Washington, D.C. Cynthia and her daughter, Lady Gaga, recently founded the Born This Way Foundation to empower young people with the skills and opportunities they need to build a kinder, braver world.
As moms, both Cynthia and I realize the impact that bullying—and kindness—can have on young people. We both agreed that we must all stay focused on ending bullying because no young person, or their loved ones, should have to endure the pain, agony, and loss to our families, schools, and communities that can come with bullying.
We also agreed that we need to reinforce positive behavior and motivate everyone, particularly young people, to get engaged.
President Obama believes that together, we can end bullying. The President and his Administration are committed to developing a comprehensive policy, and all of us have a vital role to play: students, parents, and school administrators, as well as political, business, community, and faith leaders.
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Watch the White House white board here.
Since taking office, President Obama has been committed to eliminating red tape and ensuring that when rules are issued to protect safety and health, they are sensitive to the economic situation and attuned to the importance of job creation and economic growth.
As this White House White Board shows, the net benefits, or the benefits minus the costs, of regulations issued through the third fiscal year of the Obama Administration have exceeded $91 billion. This amount, including not only monetary savings but also thousands of lives saved and tens of thousands of illnesses and injuries prevented,is over 25 times the net benefits through the third fiscal year of the previous Administration. What are the ingredients of these benefits?
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Throughout much of the country, communities are struggling with one of the worst droughts to strike the U.S. in decades. The lack of rain and high temperatures have done considerable damage to crops -- particularly those in the Midwest.
Today, President Obama met with the White House Rural Council to discuss the steps being taken to help farmers, ranchers, and small businesses wrestling with this crisis.
As part of that response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it will provide millions of dollars in assistance to restore livestock lands affected by the drought. The USDA will spend $16 million on technical and financial assistance for those whose crops or herds have suffered.
The USDA has also reduced interest rates on its emergency loan program and worked with the major crop insurers to allow farmers to forego interest payments on unpaid premiums until November. The National Credit Union Administration also announced that more than 1,000 credit unions are increasing their lending to small businesses -- including farmers.
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Earlier this year, President Obama celebrated the one year anniversary of the Champions of Change program by bringing together a group of Champions to hear about the work they are doing to advance their communities.
The White House created the Champions of Change program to identify and engage everyday Americans who are leading extraordinary initiatives to strengthen their communities. Their work spans across areas such as renewable energy, innovative technology, youth and domestic violence, immigration integration, infrastructure, education, equal rights and healthcare. This program recognizes their successes and efforts toward the development of – and diplomacy with – their communities. In sharing the incredible stories of these Champions, I hope others find in them a source of inspiration and innovation as I have. Check out this video for a quick snapshot of the program:
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August 07, 2012
10:19 AM EDTSaturday, Vice President Biden spoke with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) at their 91st National Convention in Las Vegas.
The 1.2 million-member DAV is made up exclusively of men and women that have been wounded while defending the nation. This group is dedicated to one, single purpose – building better lives for all our nation’s disabled veterans and their families.
The Vice President thanked the men and women for their service and sacrifices and for continuing to serve by supporting their fellow disabled veterans. He also encouraged them to continue fighting for the benefits that they have earned, need and deserve.
During his address to a crowd of almost 4,000 disabled veterans, Vice President Biden stressed, “Let me be crystal, absolutely crystal clear: we’re going to keep our commitment to American veterans, no matter what happens.”
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