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President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Honor to Dakota Meyer during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Sept. 15, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama today awarded the Medal of Honor to Dakota Meyer, a former active duty Marine Corps Corporal from Kentucky. Sergeant Meyer was recognized for his courageous actions at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on September 8, 2009. He is the third living recipient - and the first Marine - to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. And at 23, he is also one of the youngest recipients in decades.
The President, who first met Meyer when they shared a beer at the White House on Wednesday evening, said that, “in Sergeant Dakota Meyer, we see the best of a generation that has served through a decade of war. “
Meyer saved 36 lives during a Taliban ambush in repeated acts of bravery, tales of which the President noted, “will be told for generations:”
I want you to imagine it’s September 8, 2009, just before dawn. A patrol of Afghan forces and their American trainers is on foot, making their way up a narrow valley, heading into a village to meet with elders. And suddenly, all over the village, the lights go out. And that’s when it happens. About a mile away, Dakota, who was then a corporal, and Staff Sergeant Juan Rodriguez-Chavez, could hear the ambush over the radio. It was as if the whole valley was exploding. Taliban fighters were unleashing a firestorm from the hills, from the stone houses, even from the local school.
And soon, the patrol was pinned down, taking ferocious fire from three sides. Men were being wounded and killed, and four Americans -- Dakota’s friends -- were surrounded. Four times, Dakota and Juan asked permission to go in; four times they were denied. It was, they were told, too dangerous. But one of the teachers in his high school once said, “When you tell Dakota he can’t do something, he’s is going to do it.” And as Dakota said of his trapped teammates, “Those were my brothers, and I couldn’t just sit back and watch.”
The story of what Dakota did next will be told for generations. He told Juan they were going in. Juan jumped into a Humvee and took the wheel; Dakota climbed into the turret and manned the gun. They were defying orders, but they were doing what they thought was right. So they drove straight into a killing zone, Dakota’s upper body and head exposed to a blizzard of fire from AK-47s and machine guns, from mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.
Coming upon wounded Afghan soldiers, Dakota jumped out and loaded each of the wounded into the Humvee, each time exposing himself to all that enemy fire. They turned around and drove those wounded back to safety. Those who were there called it the most intense combat they’d ever seen. Dakota and Juan would have been forgiven for not going back in. But as Dakota says, you don’t leave anyone behind.
For a second time, they went back -- back into the inferno; Juan at the wheel, swerving to avoid the explosions all around them; Dakota up in the turret -- when one gun jammed, grabbing another, going through gun after gun. Again they came across wounded Afghans. Again Dakota jumped out, loaded them up and brought them back to safety.
For a third time, they went back -- insurgents running right up to the Humvee, Dakota fighting them off. Up ahead, a group of Americans, some wounded, were desperately trying to escape the bullets raining down. Juan wedged the Humvee right into the line of fire, using the vehicle as a shield. With Dakota on the guns, they helped those Americans back to safety as well.
For a fourth time, they went back. Dakota was now wounded in the arm. Their vehicle was riddled with bullets and shrapnel. Dakota later confessed, “I didn’t think I was going to die. I knew I was.” But still they pushed on, finding the wounded, delivering them to safety.
And then, for a fifth time, they went back -- into the fury of that village, under fire that seemed to come from every window, every doorway, every alley. And when they finally got to those trapped Americans, Dakota jumped out. And he ran toward them. Drawing all those enemy guns on himself. Bullets kicking up the dirt all around him. He kept going until he came upon those four Americans, laying where they fell, together as one team.
Dakota and the others who had joined him knelt down, picked up their comrades and -- through all those bullets, all the smoke, all the chaos -- carried them out, one by one. Because, as Dakota says, “That’s what you do for a brother.”
Dakota says he’ll accept this medal in their name. So today, we remember the husband who loved the outdoors --Lieutenant Michael Johnson. The husband and father they called “Gunny J” -- Gunnery Sergeant Edwin Johnson. The determined Marine who fought to get on that team -- Staff Sergeant Aaron Kenefick. The medic who gave his life tending to his teammates -- Hospitalman Third Class James Layton. And a soldier wounded in that battle who never recovered -- Sergeant First Class Kenneth Westbrook.
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September 15, 2011
11:06 AM EDTEd note: This has been cross posted from energy.gov
The Washington Post’s assertions today about the Department of Energy’s loan programs today are both incomplete and inaccurate.
Here are the facts: over the past two years, the Department of Energy’s Loan Program has supported a robust, diverse portfolio of more than 40 projects that are investing in pioneering companies as we work to regain American leadership in the global race for clean energy jobs. These projects include major advances for our renewable power industry including the world’s largest wind farm, several of the world’s largest solar generation facilities, and one of the country’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants. Collectively, the projects plan to employ more than 60,000 Americans, create tens of thousands more indirect jobs, provide clean electricity to power three million homes, and save more than 300 million gallons of gasoline a year, all while investing in American competitiveness. What matters to the men and women who have those jobs is that the investments that this Administration is making are helping to keep factories open and running.
When the Washington Post claims that the program has created 3,500 jobs, here is what the reporters are excluding:
- 33,000 American auto jobs saved at Ford: The Post article does acknowledge that the program enabled Ford to modernize its factories to produce more fuel efficient vehicles, which a Ford spokeswoman credits for “helping retain the 33,000 jobs by ensuring our employees can build the fuel-efficient cars people want to drive.”
- More than 7,300 construction jobs: Many of the projects funded by the program are wind and solar power plants, which create significant numbers of construction jobs but once built can be operated inexpensively without a large workforce. But the Washington Post chose to ignore all of those jobs. If a community built a new highway or a bridge that employed 200 workers directly during construction – and many more in the supply chain -- and that also strengthened the local economy by making it faster to transport goods, would anyone say that the project created zero jobs?
- Supply chain jobs: While these jobs aren’t reflected in official government estimates because of the difficulty in obtaining a precisely accurate count, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. When a company spends $100 million or $200 million building a wind farm or a solar power plant, most of that economic value actually goes into the supply chain – creating huge manufacturing opportunities for the United States.
In fact, when you look at the Washington Post’s graphic, you can see that the program has already created or saved roughly 44,000 jobs. Many of the projects it has funded are just getting going, and many of the loans won’t even go out the door until the next few weeks. Others have not ramped fully up to scale. But we are on pace to achieve more than 60,000 direct jobs – and many more in the supply chain.
Here’s a simple example:
Last year, the Department awarded a loan guarantee to build the Kahuku wind farm in Hawaii. It employed 200 workers during construction. Those wind turbines were built in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The project also features a state of the art energy storage system supplied by a company in Texas. The supply chain reached 104 U.S. businesses in 21 states. But by the Washington Post’s count, none of those jobs – not even the 200 direct construction jobs – should count.
What’s critically important and completely ignored by the Washington Post, is that the value of this program can’t be measured in operating jobs alone. The investments are helping to build a new clean energy industry here in America. We are now on pace to double renewable energy generation from wind and solar from the time the President took office. Yet we are still in danger of falling behind China and other nations that are competing aggressively for leadership in these technologies. This is a race we can and will win, but only if we make these investments today. These investments will pay dividends not just in today’s jobs but in entire industries and supply chains – and in cleaner air and water for our children and grandchildren.
One of the goals of the program is to create projects that will encourage the private sector to take the financing risk on other, similar projects on its own. If we can show, for example, that a commercial scale cellulosic biofuel plant in Iowa can succeed, the private sector will likely finance many more of them around the country.
America’s economic strength has been built on technological leadership. The next great technological revolution is the clean energy revolution, and this Administration is committed to making sure that America will continue to lead the world.
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Today, Stephanie Cutter, Assistant to the President and Deputy Senior Advisor, answered your questions on the American Jobs Act during a session of White House Office Hours. See a transcript of the question and answer below, or over on Storify.
If you didn't have a chance to join us live, there are more Office Hours focused on the American Jobs Act this week. Take a look at the schedule and be sure to follow @WHLive for more chances to engage.
Assistant to the President and Deputy Senior Advisor Stephanie Cutter answers Twitter questions on the American Jobs Act during a session of White House Office Hours. September 14th, 2011 (Photo by Mori Rothman)
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Last night, Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden held a reception at the Naval Observatory to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) being signed into law, as well as call on a new generation to take action to reduce the high rates of violence and assault that continues to threaten young men and women across the country.
Speaking before a crowd that included many of the men and women who supported the Vice President’s efforts to see the Act become law on September 13, 1994, the Vice President remarked on how it was VAWA that exposed a “flaw that lay as part of the fabric of American society”– the fact that the mere discussion of violence and abuse being committed against women was considered by many to be taboo.
Beyond shattering this notion, the law redefined the way domestic violence is handled through changes in law enforcement, improvements in the criminal justice system and the establishment of shelters and services for victims.
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Ed note: this article has been cross-posted from the OMB blog
When he launched the Campaign to Cut Waste in June, President Obama asked the Vice President to take on a new role holding the Cabinet accountable for cutting waste in their agencies to help make government more efficient and responsive to the American people. As a part of that effort, the Vice President today convened the first Cabinet waste reduction meeting and announced over $2 billion in anti-waste measures.
In these challenging budgetary times, ensuring that every agency is rooting out waste and saving taxpayer dollars is more important than ever. We have made great strides in the last two years – shrinking contract spending for the first time in 13 years, identifying $3 billion in cost reductions from IT projects across government, and getting rid of property we no longer need and working aggressively to realize the President’s goal of saving $3 billion in real estate costs by the year 2012 – but we must continue to be vigilant and innovative about driving efficiency. That’s why the President and Vice President have made the Campaign to Cut Waste an Administration-wide priority.
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President Barack Obama is shown a piece of cut aluminum during a tour of WestStar Precision, a small business that will benefit from the proposed American Jobs Act, in Apex, N.C., Sept. 14, 2011. With President Obama are, from left, employee Barry Blackman, co-owners, Ervin and Susan Portman, and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
While in North Carolina today, President Obama met with Erv Portman, the owner of WestStar Precision, a company that creates parts for airplanes and one of the 170,000 small businesses in North Carolina alone that would benefit from the American Jobs Act. The jobs bill that President Obama sent to Congress this week will help companies like Erv's by cutting taxes when they hire new employees and raise the salaries of their current employees and by cutting their payroll taxes in half. The President also announced a new policy that will accelerate payments to small business government contractors so they can reinvest that money in the economy and drive job growth.
After talking with employees at WestStar Precision, President Obama headed over to North Carolina State University where he was greeted by over 9,000 people who are ready to get the economy moving again, including many students. Here's what the President said:
I came to talk about how America can get back to a place where we’re creating good middle-class jobs again -– jobs that pay well; jobs that offer some security; jobs that are available for all the young people who are going to be graduating from N.C. State. Because I know that’s what the students are thinking about. And we can do that if we can finally get Washington to act -– if we can get folks to stop worrying so much about their jobs and start worrying a little more about your jobs.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the American Jobs Act in the William Neal Reynolds Coliseum at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., Sept. 14, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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September 14, 2011
03:02 PM EDTToday, the President announced a new policy that will accelerate payments to small business contractors so they can reinvest that money in the economy and drive job growth.
Small businesses are the primary engine of job creation and job growth across the country. However, in today’s economic climate many face tight budgets and limited resources. With these challenges in mind, last week in his address to Congress the President emphasized the need to take common sense steps to give small businesses the flexibility they need to invest and hire. And that is what we are doing today.
The Federal Government pays small businesses nearly $100 billion each year for goods and services. By taking actions that will enable these payments to be made as promptly as possible, we will improve cash flow for small businesses and provide them with a more predictable stream of resources.
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When he launched the Campaign to Cut Waste in June, President Obama asked the Vice President to take on a new role holding the Cabinet accountable for cutting waste in their agencies to help make government more efficient and responsive to the American people. As a part of that effort, the Vice President today convened the first Cabinet waste reduction meeting and announced over $2 billion in anti-waste measures.
In these challenging budgetary times, ensuring that every agency is rooting out waste and saving taxpayer dollars is more important than ever. We have made great strides in the last two years – shrinking contract spending for the first time in 13 years, identifying $3 billion in cost reductions from IT projects across government, and getting rid of property we no longer need and working aggressively to realize the President’s goal of saving $3 billion in real estate costs by the year 2012 – but we must continue to be vigilant and innovative about driving efficiency. That’s why the President and Vice President have made the Campaign to Cut Waste an Administration-wide priority.
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I’m writing today about a very special project, the Joining Forces Community Challenge.
In that past few years, the First Lady and I have seen incredible examples of people and organizations reaching out to our military families in creative and meaningful ways. Individuals and groups are coming together in communities all across this country to make a difference in the lives of our service members by hosting baby showers, providing free accounting help during tax season, or recognizing military families during community events. As an Army mom, I am especially grateful for this outreach.
To recognize and celebrate these individuals and organizations, the First Lady and I launched the Joining Forces Community Challenge earlier this summer. The challenge will award several national prizes later this year that recognize citizens and organizations for their efforts in support of military families.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden greet people while visiting the Warrior and Family Support Center in San Antonio, Texas, April 13, 2011. The First Lady and Dr. Biden met with service members and their families during their visit to the facility, which helps care for family members of Wounded Warriors whose recovery is expected to last a long period of time. The center was built with private donations and is run by volunteers from the surrounding community. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
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September 14, 2011
11:46 AM EDTEd. Note: The event has now ended. Watch video and see photos from the event.
Today, President Obama will visit Raleigh, North Carolina to continue the conversation with Americans on why Congress needs to pass the American Jobs Act to put workers back to work. Watch the President live beginning at 12:55 p.m. EDT at WhiteHouse.gov/live.
In advance of the President’s visit, Governor Beverly Perdue and mayors across North Carolina explained the importance of passing the American Jobs Act. Governor Beverly Perdue said, "My top priority is creating jobs. I'm pleased that the President put forward the American Jobs Act. Congress should pass a plan quickly that encourages companies to hire, helps unemployed people get back to work, and puts more money in the pockets of working families."
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September 14, 2011
11:35 AM EDTEd note: This post has been cross-posted from treasury.gov
Foreclosure can have a devastating effect on families and communities. According to recent data, roughly one in 11 homeowners has missed two or more mortgage payments. As many Americans struggle with their mortgage payments and don’t know where to turn for help, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have joined forces with the Ad Council to launch a new phase of the Foreclosure Prevention Assistance Public Service Advertising (PSA) Campaign.
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The purpose of the American Jobs Act, which President Obama sent to Congress this week, is simple: put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans. The President's plan will rebuild the economy the American way -- based on balance, fairness and the same set of rules for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street.
The American Jobs Act reflects a commitment to strengthen the recovery and help increase access to jobs for all Americans. To see what impact the Jobs Act will have on your community, click on the link below.
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President Barack Obama delivers remarks to students, faculty and staff at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 13, 2011. The President highlights his American Jobs Act proposal to put workers back on the job by rebuilding and modernizing schools across the country. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
It was a hot afternoon in Columbus, Ohio today when President Obama spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of over 3,000 people at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School. He laid out how the American Jobs Act will put teachers back in the classroom and get construction workers, carpenters and electricians back on the job modernizing America's schools.
Even though the September sun felt more like midsummer, students are back in school at Fort Hayes and on days like today they’re glad to have air-conditioning, one of many recent renovations to buildings on campus that were originally built during the Civil War. The American Jobs Act would make it possible to renovate at least 35,000 schools like Fort Hayes across the country. As the President said, putting construction workers back on the job rebuilding schools is just common sense for the economy and for the education of our kids:
When buildings are that old, they start falling apart. They start leaking, and ceiling tiles start to cave in, and there’s no heat in the winter or air-conditioning in the summer. Some of the schools the ventilation is so poor it can make students sick.
How do we expect our kids to do their very best in a situation like that? The answer is we can’t. Every child deserves a great school, and we can give it to them, but we got to pass this bill.
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Today, David Plouffe, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, answered your questions on the American Jobs Act during a special session of White House Office Hours. See a recap of the Twitter Q&A below, or over on Storify.
If you didn't have a chance to join us live, there are more Office Hours focused on the American Jobs Act this week. Take a look at the schedule and be sure to follow @WHLive for more chances to engage.
Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor David Plouffe responds to questions on Twitter during a session of White House Office Hours focused on the American Jobs Act. September 13, 2011.
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Yesterday, President Obama sent The American Jobs Act to Congress and urged Congress to pass the bill right away to get the economy moving. Organizations and businesses continue to respond to the President’s call to put partisanship aside and do what is right for the American people. Here is what organizations around the country are saying about the American Jobs Act:
UNITE HERE, John W. Wilhelm, President
On behalf of UNITE HERE’s 250,000 members who work in the hotel, food service, gaming and manufacturing industries, I applaud the President’s vigorous and inspired push to put America back to work. We join him in calling for the Congress to act and to act now!
Public Transportation Association (APTA), William Millar, President
On behalf of the more than 1,500 members of the American Public Transportation Association I commend President Obama for his remarks last night that highlighted creating and supporting jobs through investing in transportation infrastructure. The $50 billion in direct funding proposed in the American Jobs Act will go a long way to jump start needed transportation investments. Every $1 billion in public transportation investment supports or creates 36,000 jobs. Also, for every $1 invested in public transportation, $4 is generated in economic returns.
International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Gregory J. Junemann, President
The President’s plan is needed now, more than ever, and we encourage all Americans and every member of Congress to get on board in pushing this plan into law. President Obama made a great speech in outlining his plan for the restoration of the nation’s economy. And he called on all of us—each and every one of us—to support him. We must answer his call with meaningful action. Reach out to every member of Congress and demand the swift passage of the American Jobs Act.
Fraternal Order of Police, Chuck Caterbury, National President
President Obama has presented us with a sound, no nonsense, blueprint for getting Americans back to work and jumpstarting the economy. We support and applaud this effort and will work to ensure its passage by Congress.
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September 13, 2011
03:50 PM EDTEd. Note: Cross-posted from the Department of Justice blog. Learn how you can take action to stop violence against women at WhiteHouse.gov/1is2many.
Marking the 17th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) helps us both appreciate the great strides that have been made in addressing all types of violence against women and recognize the fact that more needs to be done to create a society free from domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) remains committed to addressing these crimes in a broad and comprehensive manner.
The concept of a coordinated community response is one of the most critical and visible achievements of VAWA. In the years since VAWA’s enactment by Congress in 1994, we have witnessed a sea-change in the ways that communities respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. VAWA encourages communities to bring together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to share information and to use their distinct roles to improve our responses to and prevention of violence against women. These groups include, but are not limited to: victim advocates, police officers, prosecutors, judges, probation and corrections officials, health care professionals, leaders within faith communities, and survivors of violence. New programs and amendments have strengthened the law and enhanced our work.
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First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards luncheon in the East Room of the White House, Sept. 13, 2011. Standing behind Mrs. Obama is Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
Some of the nation’s leading design talents joined First Lady Michelle Obama today to help educate Washington DC teens about career opportunities in their field. The designers, who are being honored by the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum for their extraordinary contributions to design in 10 different categories, took part in a Teen Design Fair before attending a luncheon at the White House, which was hosted by Mrs. Obama.
During her remarks at the luncheon, the First Lady praised the winners for breathing “new life into our homes and our workplaces, the clothes we wear, the products we use every day, and even the most basic ways we process information. A trip to the park is just a bit more refreshing. A book or a chart more readable.” She also addressed the aspiring designers in the room, and emphasized the hard work that goes into great design:
I want you young folks, and as you look around the room, understand that you see some of the sharpest minds alive, some of the most accomplished designers in the world. But understand that none of these people came here ready-made -- all right? They’re here today because they hatched an idea or they followed a dream -- and more importantly, they worked every day, they worked hard every day, to get here.
So to the young people here, I want you to realize that you can share a meal with some of our nation’s greatest talent, you can walk on the same floors as Presidents and as heads of state. And if you work hard enough, if you believe in yourself, you can earn an award just like this in a few decades...
The 2011 National Design Awards recipients are:
- Lifetime Achievement: Matthew Carter
- Design Mind: Steven Heller
- Corporate and Institutional Achievement: Knoll
- Architecture Design: Architecture Research Office
- Communication Design: Rick Valicenti
- Fashion Design: J. Mendel
- Interaction Design: Ben Fry
- Interior Design: Shelton, Mindel & Associates
- Landscape Architecture: Gustafson Guthrie Nichol
- Product Design: Continuum
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President Barack Obama drops by an Interactive One panel discussion in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Sept. 12, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Yesterday, the White House hosted an "Open for Questions" event with InteractiveOne, a network of sites that includes NewsOne.com, TheGrio.com, TheUrbanDaily.com, HelloBeautiful.com, and BlackPlanet.com. During the discussion, President Obama made a surprise appearance to speak about the American Jobs Act that he sent to Congress earlier in the day and to answer questions.
Administration officials including Melody Barnes, Director of the Domestic Policy Council; Shaun Donovan, US Secretary for Housing and Urban Development; Jason Furman, Principal Deputy Director of the National Economic Council; Marie Johns, Deputy Administrator of the US Small Business Administration; and Ambassador Ron Kirk, US Trade Representative answered questions on a range of topics submitted by InteractiveOne readers, as well as questions from a live audience and from Twitter.
Watch the video of President Obama's surprise visit or check out the full panel discussion below:
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On Thursday, September 15th at 2:00PM EDT, the White House will host a special “Open for Questions” event.
Last week, President Obama unveiled the American Jobs Act before a Joint Session of Congress and yesterday the President sent the American Jobs Act to Congress. This plan puts more people back to work and puts more money in the pockets of working Americans. On Thursday, September 15th at 2:00PM EDT Obama Administration officials will answer questions submitted through Facebook, Twitter, and the White House website during a live event that you won’t want to miss.
Participating Obama Administration include:
- Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
- Jon Carson, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Right now, you can submit questions through:
- Ask questions in advance on the White House facebook wall
- Ask us through a form on WhiteHouse.gov
On September 15th at 2:00 p.m. EDT, you can watch and engage live:
- Ask the panel questions on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat
- Ask question through the White House Live facebook app
- Watch the event on WhiteHouse.gov/live
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On Saturday, I visited the Port of Miami to see firsthand the success story of American agriculture and the jobs it is creating. Despite historic natural disasters, our agriculture business is booming.
Last year, almost $920 million in agricultural goods moved through the port, nearly double the amount from 2006. And this year it’s on pace to exceed that total by 8.5 percent. Those exports alone are helping support nearly 8,400 American jobs.
At the same time, the port is beginning work on a major tunnel and a deep-dredge project that will provide jobs for construction workers to keep it among the busiest in the nation. These are steps - much like those proposed by President Obama in the American Jobs Act – that are already underway to grow the economy and create jobs.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks at the Port of Miami on Saturday, September 10, 2011 after meeting with leaders from agriculture and business industries. (Photo by Ryan Holloway in Miami-Dade County)
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