Tropical Storm Debby tracked eastward today, dropping as much as 20 inches of rain over parts of northern Florida. Local officials have closed portions of Interstate 10 due to flooding, and thousands have been left without power.

Earlier today, President Obama called Florida Governor Rick Scott to ensure that the state is receiving the kind of assistance it needs.

A FEMA liaison officer is currently onsite at the Florida emergency operations center to help coordinate if state emergency officialis determine they need additional support.

For more information including tips for staying safe if you're in the path of the storm, check out the FEMA blog or learn how to prepare for tropical storms at Ready.gov/hurricanes.

Today my office is starting the process of gathering input for the Administration’s new strategy for intellectual property enforcement. The overarching objective of the Strategy is to improve the effectiveness of the U.S. Government’s efforts to protect our intellectual property here and overseas. I want to make sure as many people as possible are aware that we are working on this so we can get the very best thoughts and recommendations possible. Part of the process of gathering public input is to publish a “Federal Register Notice” where we formally ask the public to give us their ideas. We will read all of your submissions – and we will make them publicly available so everyone can see them.

Ed. Note: This is cross-posted from the FEMA blog.

Today’s 5:00 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center has officially marked the development of Tropical Storm Debby in the Gulf of Mexico with estimated winds speed of 50 MPH and moving slowly in a northerly direction. We’re continuing to monitor the weather situation in the tropics through our regional offices in both Atlanta, Ga., and Denton, Texas, and here at headquarters. We are prepared to support our state, local, tribal and territorial partners as necessary.

The storm is located 220 miles South-Southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Coast of Louisiana from the mouth of the Pearl River westward to Morgan City.

Since there is some uncertainty in the storm’s speed and motion we urge all residents of the Gulf Coast to pay close attention to weather developments over the next several days – especially those living along the northern Gulf Coast.

Chances are you know someone who wouldn’t have gone to college without the help of a Pell Grant. Since 1972, more than 60 million Americans have received financial assistance to earn their degree.   

As President Obama said in a message commemorating the 40^th anniversary of the enactment of this program:

Forty years ago, our Nation codified a commitment to bringing higher education within reach for every American by creating the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant—later renamed the Federal Pell Grant after Senator Claiborne Pell, to honor his efforts in creating the program.  On this anniversary, we reflect on four decades of progress toward fulfilling that fundamental promise and rededicate ourselves to making college affordable for all.

Federal Pell Grants have helped millions of Americans achieve their fullest potential by not only opening the doors to college, but also providing students the financial support necessary to complete their studies and prosper in today’s economy.  That is why my Administration has prioritized Pell Grants as a source of funding they can count on each and every year.  We have provided resources to support a 50 percent increase in Pell Grant recipients, giving college access to millions of additional students across our country; aggressively raised the maximum Pell Grant award to keep pace with rising costs; and strengthened the Pell Grant Program by cutting banks out of Federal student lending and delivering financial aid directly to students.  By continuing to provide grants that extend educational opportunity to students, we make critical investments both in their personal success and in America’s success in the 21st century.

As we mark the 40th Anniversary of the Federal Pell Grant Program, we also celebrate the individuals and organizations who have worked to widen the circle of opportunity for countless Americans through higher education.  Today and tomorrow, let us recommit to empowering the next generation with the tools and resources they need to achieve their dreams.  I am confident that, through programs like Pell Grants, our Nation will reach our goal of once again leading the world in college completion by the year 2020.

Here's a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

G-20 Summit: Earlier this week, the President attended the G-20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico. There, he and other world leaders met to discuss the world's economy and how best to promote growth, and a large focus of the conference was spent on the Euro Zone economic crisis. Outside the official sessions of the Summit, the President also met in bilateral meetings with world meetings, including President Putin of Russia.

Down to the Wire: Unless Congress takes action before July 1, interest rates on federal student loans are set to double. This will mean an additional $1,000 of student loan debt for more than 7 million students, which is why the President has called on Congress once again to step up in favor of America's young people and the economy overall. The President also asked Americans to help urge Congress to act, asking people to use the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate to show their support.

As I travel the country and visit people in their homes, schools, workplaces and health centers, I am reminded just how much our lives are shaped by the places we occupy.  Oftentimes, our opportunities are defined by the homes and communities in which we live. 

Thirteen years ago, on June 22, 1999, people with disabilities moved closer to choosing where they live when the Supreme Court handed down the Olmstead v LC decision. This ruling established that people with disabilities have the right to live in the community with the proper services and supports, rather than being unnecessarily institutionalized.   

Building on the President’s Year of Community Living, this spring the Obama Administration created the Administration for Community Living (ACL) at the Department of Health and Human Services, bringing together its experts charged with developing policies and improving supports for seniors as well as people with disabilities. Among other activities, ACL promotes the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act: to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. 

Watch this video about the 40th anniversary of Title IX here:

Yesterday, June 20^th, the White House Council on Women and Girls hosted a great event celebrating the 40^th anniversary of Title IX with dozens of advocates and leaders who are continuing the fight for gender equity in our schools. We were also lucky to have some impressive young women from the Girl Scouts and Girls Inc. in audience, who also participated in mentoring sessions with some of the amazing women leaders in attendance after the formal program.

It was so much fun to spend the afternoon having a conversation about the many achievements that women and girls have made over the last forty years.  We heard from Billie Jean King and others on the impact of Title IX in athletics. And Benita Fitzgerald-Mosley, an Olympic track and field gold medalist, engineer and current Chief of Sport Performance for USA Track and Field, led a panel about advancing our commitment to Title IX in education, which included astronaut Mae Jemison, among others. We were also honored to have Senator Birch Bayh, “The Father” of Title IX there with us to deliver remarks about the inception of this landmark legislation, as well as our Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan to talk about the administration’s commitment to strengthening and expanding the reach of Title IX.

President Barack Obama, with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, delivers a statement on college affordability and interest rates on student loans, in the East Room of the White House, June 21, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Time is running out for Congress to take actions to stop the rates on federal student loans from doubling on July 1.

That's why President Obama spoke today from the East Room of the White House about the importance of keeping college affordable.

"If Congress does not get this done in a week, the average student with federal student loans will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt over the coming year," he said. "If Congress fails to act, more than 7 million students will suddenly be hit with the equivalent of a $1,000 tax hike. And that’s not something that you can afford right now."

In his remarks, the President also stressed the importance of taking this step for the broader economy. It's not just that those students will suddenly have less money to spend -- it's that we need to have the best educated workforce in the world, and keeping higher education affordable helps to make that possible.

After the event with the President, Mark Zuckerman, the deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council, took to Twitter to answer your questions about student loans and college affordability in a White House Office Hours.

You can see that discussion on Storify.

Learn More

• President Obama Asks Students to Tell Congress: #DontDoubleMyRate
   

Ed. Note: This was originally published on Healthcare.gov

Annie Neasman, a nurse and chief executive of the Jessie Trice Community Health Center in Miami, FL., recently shared with us her thoughts as she walks the hallways of the community health center and sees the people who are cared for there. Jessie Trice serves more than 30,000 people, who made more than 120,000 visits to the center last year. From pre-natal care to primary care for adults to special services for the elderly, the Jessie Trice Center provides care regardless of a person’s ability to pay.

Watch Annie's story here:

Annie is proud of the health center’s efforts in keeping the residents of the community well. She says the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law, has made it possible for so many more of them to get the preventive care they need to maintain their health and avoid worsening conditions.