-
The President looks back at a week where we honored those who serve on Veterans Day, and mourned those we lost at Fort Hood. He discusses the review he has ordered into the Fort Hood incident, and pledges to stand by our servicemen and women, as well as our veterans, as his most profound responsibility.
-
On Sunday, I joined a group of young Arab women at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss the importance of educational opportunities and the value of public service for women in countries around the world.
I stressed the benefits to the security and development of every society that come from the advancement and equality of women around the globe. I told them that President Obama and the United States are committed to working with our international partners to help ensure that all women have opportunities in education, public service and the global economy -- a big part of the reason why we formed the White House Council on Women and Girls.
The students at Zayed University responded with questions about everything from U.S. foreign policy to the challenges and excitement of running for office. They were especially interested in what it was like to become the first female U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. I told them it was an honor to serve alongside the numerous extraordinary women who serve the Obama administration in Cabinet-level positions.
I also had a chance to learn from the students. They told me about the progress the UAE has made in advancing educational opportunities for women, encouraging public service and expanding the roles of women in society and government. My hosts told me that, in recent years, the UAE has undertaken extensive education reform efforts in order to enhance the nation’s growing economy and culture and provide young Emiratis with a competitive option to complete their studies at home rather than abroad.
After working to advance equal opportunities for women throughout my career, seeing the progress women have made in UAE firsthand was exciting. These young women are poised to become the world’s next generation of leaders, and their success -- whether in economics, security, or public service -- will benefit us all.
Janet Napolitano is Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
-
"Well, we have come to call each other Barack and Yukio," said Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan in a joint press conference after the first meetings of President Obama's trip to Asia.
The Prime Minister went on to discuss the almost infinite range of issues on which our two countries are aligned and working together. President Obama also gave full recognition to the importance of the relationship:
We have to understand that the future of the United States and Asia is inextricably linked. The issues that matter most to our people -- issues of economic growth and job creation, non-proliferation, clean energy -- these are all issues that have to be part of a joint agenda. And we had very productive discussions about these issues this evening.
It's true that because of the strength of our economic ties, that was not the first item on our agenda, but we are fortunately going to have the opportunity to spend a lot of time discussing that in Singapore in the coming days. As the world's two leading economies, we have spent a lot of time working together in the G20 to help bring the world back from the brink of financial crisis, and we're going to continue to work to strengthen our efforts so that we can expand job growth in the future. And we will be discussing with our APEC partners how to rebalance our deep economic cooperation with this region to strengthen our recovery.
The Prime Minister and I discussed our cooperation on Afghanistan and Pakistan. And I did thank the people of Japan and the Prime Minister for the powerful commitment of a $5 billion over the next five years to support our shared civilian efforts in Afghanistan, as well as the commitment of a billion dollars to Pakistan.
This underscores Japan's prominent role within a broad international coalition that is advancing the cause of stability and opportunity in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And I shared with the Prime Minister our efforts in refining our approach to make it more successful in the coming year.
We discussed our shared commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and ultimately seeking a world without them. Since I laid out a comprehensive agenda in Prague to pursue these goals Japan has been an outstanding partner in those efforts. And together we passed a historic resolution in the Security Council last September. We are building a new international consensus to secure loose nuclear materials and strengthen the nonproliferation regime.
And to that end, we discussed both North Korea and the situation in Iran, recognizing that it's absolutely vital that both countries meet their international obligations. If they do, then they can open the door to a better future. If not, we will remain united in implementing U.N. resolutions that are in place and continuing to work in an international context to move towards an agenda of nonproliferation.
Finally, we discussed our partnership on energy issues and climate change. The United States and Japan share a commitment to developing the clean energy of the future and we're focused on combating the threat of climate change. This is an important priority for us; I know it's an important priority for the people of Japan. And we discussed how we can work together to pave the way for a successful outcome in Copenhagen next month.
So I believe that we are off to a very successful start. I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation during dinner, as well as as we both travel to Singapore. And I am confident that we will continue to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance so that it serves future generations.
-
En route to Tokyo, the President made a special stop to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska—"America’s Last Frontier." In his first visit to the state, against a stunning backdrop of snow-covered mountains, the President pledged his support to the brave men and women who sacrifice every day and outlined what he and his Administration have been working on to ensure active servicemembers, their families, and veterans are well taken care of both at home and on foreign soil:
There are no words that are strong enough and no tribute worthy enough to match the magnitude of such service. But to you and all who serve, I say this: The American people thank you. We honor you. And just as you have fulfilled your responsibilities to your nation, your nation will fulfill its responsibilities to you.
So as your Commander-in-Chief, here’s the commitment I make to you. We’ll make sure you can meet the missions we ask of you. That’s why we’re increasing the defense budget, including spending on the Air Force and the Army. (Applause.) We’ll make sure we have the right force structure. So we’ve halted reductions in the Air Force, increased the size of the Army ahead of schedule and also approved a temporary increase in the Army.
We’ll spend our defense dollars wisely. So we’re cutting tens of billions of dollars in waste and projects that even the Pentagon says it doesn’t need -- money that's better spent on taking care of you and your families and building the 21st century military that we do need.
I want you guys to understand I will never hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests. (Applause.) But I also make you this promise: I will not risk your lives unless it is necessary to America's vital interest. (Applause.)
And if it is necessary, the United States of America will have your back. We will give you the strategy and the clear mission you deserve. We will give you the equipment and support that you need to get the job done. And that includes public support back home. That is a promise that I make to you. (Applause.)
-
Today's report from the Business Roundtable (pdf) – an association representing leading U.S. companies with more than 12 million employees – confirms that the health care spending path we’re on is unsustainable, and that the bills working their way through Congress are moving us toward cost containment and greater fiscal responsibility.
The Business Roundtable (BRT) report adds to a growing body of evidence that workers with employer-sponsored health insurance coverage will see lower cost growth and lower premiums from health insurance reform as supported by the President and as contained in the bills being considered in Congress. Health insurance reform not only contains cost growth for the government and so reduces the long-run budget deficit, it will also lower premiums and expenses in the private sector and throughout the health care system – for businesses, workers, and their families.
As documented in the BRT report, rising health care costs are placing an ever-increasing burden on employers and on the millions of Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance. In the absence of reform, the BRT projects that rapidly rising health care spending will restrain job growth and reduce the growth of employee wages. Without reform, the report projects that average per-employee health care costs at large employers will triple over the next decade. The report estimates that health insurance reform as currently proposed in Congress, when fully implemented, would reduce the overall health care cost trend for employer-sponsored health insurance by 15 to 20 percent over the next ten years. This would reduce per-employee health insurance costs by $3,095 in 2019, relative to what they otherwise would have been.
This is consistent with the findings of the Council of Economic Advisers report, "The Economic Case for Health Care Reform," which finds that reform could increase income for a typical family of four by $2,600 in 2020, and increase the nation’s real GDP by nearly 2 percent in 2020, and 8 percent in 2030.
The BRT report estimates that the delivery system reforms that are included in current draft legislation have the potential to spread beyond Medicare and Medicaid to private insurance plans. In this way, they can substantially reduce the growth rate of overall health care spending, which eats into the take-home wages of workers with employer-sponsored coverage every year. The BRT report finds that delivery system reforms have the potential to make health care more efficient without compromising on quality.
For example, the BRT report points out that the House and Senate reform proposals contain provisions to encourage Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), which are groups of doctors working together through joint decision making to coordinate care for patients. The report "find[s] that private-sector savings from initiatives such as these can be very positive."
The report also describes how the House and Senate reform proposals encourage payment bundling for Medicare, where doctors and hospitals are paid for an episode of care, rather than individual treatments. Bundling payment gives providers incentives to provide quality care for an overall condition or hospital stay, improving efficiency and reducing costs over the long run.
Finally, the report highlights many other reforms that improve efficiency and quality while reducing costs – such as paying providers based on their performance through Value-Based Purchasing, preventing hospital readmissions, and an independent commission to consider reforms to make Medicare spending sustainable and fiscally responsible over the long run.
Christina Romer is Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
-
Earlier today, the President left for Asia, stopping over in Alaska before heading to Tokyo, Japan.
During this trip, we’re going to try something new. To offer an inside perspective to everyone back here in the U.S., Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, will provide frequent updates on the trip.
Watch his first video, and be sure to check back for new faces and stories:
-
President Obama announced the creation of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships on the 17th day of the President’s new Administration. Since then, our Office has been pretty busy! I thought it'd be helpful to give you a little context on what we've been up to.
- Our office is situated within the Domestic Policy Council. This placement allows our office to have close interaction with governmental leadership on issues of importance to nonprofit organizations, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the President’s Budget.
- The President has tasked this office with focusing on four special priorities: involving faith-based and neighborhood groups in the economic recovery, promoting responsible fatherhood, fostering interfaith cooperation and building common ground to reduce unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion, along with the White House Council on Women and Girls.
- The Office also coordinates the President's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This Advisory Council is a group of 25 leaders from both faith-based and non-sectarian organizations, each serving 1-year terms. The Advisory Council forms recommendations on how the Federal Government can more effectively partner with faith-based and neighborhood organizations.
- The White House Office also coordinates and works with 11 Centers and 1 Strategic Advisor placed in Departments throughout government to implement the President’s priorities for this office. Each Center works to connect its own agency to local faith-based and neighborhood organizations. For example, our Center at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) connects local organizations and groups preparing to respond to disaster situations to the ongoing activities at DHS and FEMA. Our Center at the Department of Education works to connect that Department with local organizations to provide after-school programs. So each Center is an important link between the federal government and local neighborhood organizations.
Our Office has been active on numerous fronts, from coordinating President Obama’s fatherhood initiative to working with the National Security Council on President Obama’s ‘New Beginnings’ speech given in Cairo, Egypt to Muslim communities around the world. We also engage faith-based and neighborhood organizations on a range of issues, from the upcoming 2010 Census through our office at the Department of Commerce to foreclosure counseling at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Our job is to make sure that the Federal Government is coming into responsible interaction with local nonprofit organizations. We look forward to working with you on these priorities!
-
November 12, 2009
01:00 PM ESTEd. Note: Learn more about Darienne's work here at the White House in a New York Times audio slideshow.
In my family, military service is tradition. My grandfathers were infantry and airmen. My mother is a Gulf War veteran; my father was a Noncommissioned Officer. Among my siblings, three of us are Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
We serve this country out of a profound sense of duty, with the knowledge that the freedom we enjoy today was secured for us on the backs of generations who were willing to go forward and fight for it. We serve out of commitment to the values of dedication and sacrifice. We serve because it is an honor. Veterans Day is a day we call each other to give thanks for one another and for the time we have together; to pay tribute to those we have lost, and to say prayers for those serving in foreign lands.
This Veterans Day took on a new meaning. The day prior, I had the honor of traveling to Texas with the President and First Lady, where we attended the memorial service for the soldiers and civilians that were killed at Ft. Hood. I watched as they individually addressed and embraced the families that had lost their loved ones, the soldiers who were wounded, and the first responders who provided aid. I witnessed the First Family grieving with our larger military family, and I was moved to tears.
It reminded me, once again, why I joined Barack Obama's presidential campaign in the first place – a sense of duty. I wanted more for my country, and saw that he did too. I wanted more for our Veterans, and I see progress for them every day thanks to the tireless efforts of our Veterans and Wounded Warrior team. I wanted more for my family and my future, and I'm watching that become a reality through improved veteran’s education benefits. I see new laws and executive orders that help veterans find jobs and reliable health services. I see our Commander-in-Chief fighting for these policies, for people like me, the members of my family, and our troops – and I am proud to have served him and our country as a civilian and as a soldier.
Darienne Page is the West Wing Receptionist
-
As the President was preparing to leave for his trip to Asia this morning, he took a moment to discuss the economy, which will of course have a central role in his discussions with leaders throughout the trip. He made clear that while we have come back from the brink of what many predicted would be a depression, he will not be satisfied until robust job growth returns. Towards that end, he announced that in December he will bring minds and stakeholders together for an intensive jobs forum:
As I've said from the start of this crisis, hiring often takes time to catch up to economic growth. And given the magnitude of the economic turmoil that we've experienced, employers are reluctant to hire.
Small businesses and large firms are demanding more of their employees, their increasing their hours, and adding temporary workers -- but these companies have not yet been willing to take the steps necessary to hire again. Meanwhile, millions of Americans -- our friends, our neighbors, our family members -- are desperately searching for jobs. This is one of the great challenges that remains in our economy -- a challenge that my administration is absolutely determined to meet.
We all know that there are limits to what government can and should do, even during such difficult times. But we have an obligation to consider every additional, responsible step that we can [take] to encourage and accelerate job creation in this country. And that's why, in December, we'll be holding a forum at the White House on jobs and economic growth. We’ll gather CEOs and small business owners, economists and financial experts, as well as representatives from labor unions and nonprofit groups, to talk about how we can work together to create jobs and get this economy moving again.
It's important that we don't make any ill-considered decisions -- even with the best intentions -- particularly at a time when our resources are so limited. But it's just as important that we are open to any demonstrably good idea to supplement the steps we’ve already taken to put America back to work. That’s what this forum is about.
-
It's no secret that institutions of all stripes focus their communications on certain messages day to day. We thought it would all be a little more open and transparent if we went ahead and published what our focus will be for the day, along with any related articles, documents, or reports.
Supporting report: "Health Care Reform: Creating a Sustainable Health Care Marketplace," Business Roundtable, November 2009 (pdf)
Talking Points: Business Roundtable Hewitt Report "Health Care Reform: Creating a Sustainable Market"
The BRT report confirms that the status quo is unsustainable. The BRT report finds that without health reform, costs will continue to rise at the same trend they have for the last ten years. The report concludes that without reform, by 2019, employment-based spending on health care for large employers will be 166% higher than today on a per-employee basis.
The BRT report confirms that Congress is moving in the right direction on both fiscal responsibility and cost containment. The BRT-Hewitt report finds that many of the delivery system reform policies that are currently in health reform legislation will make important contributions to cost reduction, when implemented effectively. As the report explains, "[a] number of the proposed reforms offer real promise, not only to save federal dollars, but also to reduce the rate of increase in private sector spending if adopted and implemented appropriately."
- These policies include: value-based purchasing, a new CMS Innovation Center, "accountable care organizations" and reducing preventable hospital re-admissions. The BRT report also notes that with additional steps such as administrative simplification, electronic medical records, and increased information transparency for better decision-making, even more savings could be reached. Some of these additional policies were included in ARRA and many others are included in health reform legislation currently pending in Congress.
- With health reform, as much as $3,000 could be saved by 2019. The BRT-Hewitt study finds that with many of the legislative reforms currently in the health reform bills, costs could be reduced by as much as $3,000 per employee.
-
Last week Vice President Biden hosted a panel of experts to highlight the unique challenges facing the middle class in our 21st century global economy. One thing we heard over and over again is that work-family balance is a real challenge for most middle class Americans.
For the millions of American workers who lack paid sick leave, personal leave or family leave, being able to take time off is a matter of economic security. This is especially true for the 3.7 million working adults with children under 14 and no other adult or older child to share child care responsibilities.
The stakes are even higher when the worker or a family member is coping with a contagious illness – like 2009 H1N1 - given that the consequences of an employee’s decision to go to work when ill or to send a sick child to school can adversely affect many others.
Unfortunately, current law does not protect the economic security of workers in these situations. Full economic security requires two assurances. First, workers who take leave because they or their children become sick must not lose their jobs or risk some other form of disciplinary action by their employers. Second, workers must have a source of income while they are temporarily on leave.
The Department of Labor testified on Capitol Hill Tuesday in support of the Healthy Families Act, which would provide the security that workers need, allowing millions more working Americans to earn up to 56 hours per year of paid sick time to care for themselves or their families. It assures them job security when they take leave and provides short-term continuation of workers’ incomes while they recuperate from illness or provide needed care to a family member.
At the Department of Labor, we are striving for good jobs for everyone. And one of the key components of a good job is having the flexibility to meet caregiving as well as workplace responsibilities. We believe that work-life balance includes policies such as paid leave, flexible work schedules and telework options, employee assistance programs, and access to child care and elder care support.
Thanks to the leadership of Vice President Biden we are proud to work with our colleagues in the Cabinet and the Middle Class Task Force to improve work-life policies, and efforts are underway to see how we can better meet the needs of modern working families. The Department’s testimony in support of the Healthy Families Act pointed to one important step in that direction.
Hilda Solis is the Secretary of Labor
-
On Veterans Day, Vice President Joe Biden joins all Americans in honoring those who have fought and died for our country. Yesterday, in recognition of the seven soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan last month, the Vice President visited Fort Lewis military base in Washington, where he spoke to a crowd of 500 people, recognizing the bravery and sacrifices of the fallen soldiers:
It's that valiance that we remember here today at Fort Lewis. It's that valiance that we honor today at Fort Hood. And it's that valiance that we'll celebrate tomorrow, our nation's 91st Veterans Day.
Today, these seven men take their place on the rolls of the greatest American heroes. And the rest of us -- all the rest of America -- should once again be reminded and rededicate ourselves to a simple proposition: The only sacred responsibility we have as a nation -- the only sacred responsibility we have as a nation -- is to give all those we send all they need, and care for them and their families when they come home. That's the only truly sacred obligation our government has.
Meriwether Lewis -- soldier, explorer, a leader of men -- when speaking of his historic expedition, said of those under his command, "With such men I have everything to hope, but little to fear."
Well, I say to all Americans today: Knowing these seven men are watching over us now, and that our military is filled with thousands upon thousands of women and men like them -- I think we can believe that, even as we struggle with tragedy, even as we grapple with the profound loss and devastating grief, we can look up at the heavens, think of those heroes, and know with certainty that we have everything to hope, but little to fear, thanks to them.
Today, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden hosted a luncheon at the Naval Observatory for Veterans and active duty servicemembers along with their families. The Bidens, whose son Beau recently returned from Iraq, were joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
-
In a cold but light drizzle today, after breakfast with veterans in the East Room of the White House, the President and the First Lady along with the Vice President and Dr. Biden went to Arlington National Cemetery. The President took part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, then spoke at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
The President began his remarks extending his thanks to VA Secretary Shinseki, and to the Bidens and their son Beau, who just returned from Iraq. He expressed humility to be speaking to the veterans in the audience, and spoke in awe of the “determination” he saw in the eyes of those grieving yesterday at Fort Hood. Noting that there have been times in the past when America did not stand by our veterans, the President pledged that this would never happen again:
That is my message to all veterans today. That is my message to all who serve in harm's way. To the husbands and wives back home doing the parenting of two. To the parents who watch their sons and daughters go off to war, and the children who wonder when mom and dad is coming home. To all our wounded warriors, and to the families who laid a loved one to rest. America will not let you down. We will take care of our own.
And to those who are serving in far-flung places today, when your tour ends, when you see our flag, when you touch our soil, you will be home in an America that is forever here for you just as you've been there for us. That is my promise -- our nation's promise -- to you.
Ninety-one years ago today, the battlefields of Europe fell quiet as World War I came to a close. But we don't mark this day each year as a celebration of victory, as proud of that victory as we are. We mark this day as a celebration of those who made victory possible. It's a day we keep in our minds the brave men and women of this young nation -- generations of them -- who above all else believed in and fought for a set of ideals. Because they did, our country still stands; our founding principles still shine; nations around the world that once knew nothing but fear now know the blessings of freedom.
That is why we fight -- in hopes of a day when we no longer need to. And that is why we gather at these solemn remembrances and reminders of war -- to recommit ourselves to the hard work of peace.
There will be a day before long when this generation of servicemen and women step out of uniform. They will build families and lives of their own. God willing, they will grow old. And someday, their children, and their children's children, will gather here to honor them.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
---------------------------------------------------
Mensaje del Presidente sobre el Día de los Veteranos
Ayer, en un día frío y lluvioso, luego de desayunar con veteranos en el ala este de la Casa Blanca, el Presidente y la Primera Dama en compañía del Vicepresidente y la Dra. Biden se dirigieron al Cementerio Nacional de Arlington. El Presidente participó en la ceremonia de colocación de la corona en la tumba de los soldados desconocidos, luego dio su discurso en el Anfiteatro Conmemorativo del Cementerio Nacional de Arlington.
El Presidente comenzó sus declaraciones dándole gracias alSecretario de Asuntos para Veteranos Shinseki y a los Biden y a su hijo Beau, quien recientemente regresó de Irak. Expresó humildad al hablarle a los veteranos en la audiencia y habló en admiración a la “determinación” que vio ayer en los ojos de aquellos afligidos en Fort Hood. Haciendo notar que ha habido veces en el pasado cuando los Estados Unidos no ha apoyado a nuestros veteranos, el Presidente prometió que esto no volverá a pasar.:
Ése es mi mensaje a los veteranos hoy. Ése es mi mensaje a todos los que prestan servicios bajo condiciones peligrosas. A los esposos y esposas en casa que hacen la labor de dos padres. A los padres que ven a sus hijos e hijas irse a la guerra, y a los hijos que se preguntan si mamá y papá regresarán. A todos los combatientes heridos y a las familias que han enterrado a un ser querido. Estados Unidos no los defraudará. Velaremos por los nuestros.
Y a los militares en lugares lejanos hoy, cuando su campaña concluya, cuando vean nuestra bandera, cuando toquen nuestra tierra, estarán en casa, en un Estados Unidos que estará a su disposición para siempre, así como ustedes lo estuvieron para nosotros. Ésa es la promesa que yo y la promesa que nuestra nación les hacemos.
Hace exactamente noventa y un años, los campos de batalla de Europa quedaron silenciosos al finalizar la Primera Guerra Mundial. Pero no conmemoramos este día, año tras año, como una celebración de la victoria, por más orgullo que sintamos por esa victoria. Conmemoramos este día como un homenaje a quienes hicieron posible la victoria. Es un día para recordar a los valientes hombres y mujeres de esta joven nación –muchas generaciones de ellos– quienes por encima de todo creyeron y lucharon por un conjunto de ideales. Debido a lo que hicieron, nuestro país aún existe; los principios de nuestra fundación aún brillan; países por todo el mundo que alguna vez conocían solamente el temor ahora conocen los frutos de la libertad.
Es por eso que luchamos, con la esperanza de que algún día ya no tengamos que hacerlo. Y es por eso que nos congregamos en estas conmemoraciones y recordatorios de guerra: para volver a comprometernos con el arduo trabajo de la paz.
Pronto llegará el día en que esta generación de hombres y mujeres de las Fuerzas Armadas dejen el uniforme. Se dedicarán a sus familias y a su propia vida. Dios mediante, llegarán a la vejez. Y algún día, sus hijos y los hijos de sus hijos se congregarán aquí para rendirles homenaje.
Gracias. Que Dios los bendiga. Y que Dios bendiga a Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. (Aplausos.)
-
In Washington D.C., each government agency is proud to count veterans among their workforce. Everyone from the Department of Homeland to Security to those at the Department of Agriculture observes this day of remembrance in a unique way. And of course this is as big a day as their is for the VA.
For the Department of Veterans Affairs, Secretary Eric Shinseki and Assistant Secretary Tammy Duckworth attended the traditional White House Veterans Day breakfast this morning, they then headed to Arlington National Cemetery for the wreath-laying and ceremony, where Assistant Secretary Duckworth led the Pledge of Allegiance. Assistant Secretary Duckworth then headed towards the National Observatory for the Vice President's luncheon for Veterans, while Secretary Shinseki is scheduled to attend a reception at the Mayflower Hotel hosted by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Read an excellent profile of Secretary Shinseki out of the New York Times today. In addition, the Department is expanding its ability communicate online with Veterans and their families with the first phase of a larger web renovation project by redesigning the look and feel of the department's website and improving usability. The VA has also begun embracing new media by launching Facebook and Twitter pages for the department and each of its three primary administrations, along with a central YouTube page and a secon channel for its Health Administration. Over the coming months, the department has ambitious plans for what it hopes will eventually become a single online communications platform capable of supporting a central VA blog, individual and group employee field-based blogs, as well as entries submitted by users—from VA’s top leadership, to student-Veterans, to family members. The Department is convinced that reaching out using these techniques will greatly enhance their ability to both disseminate information and receive feedback from veterans effectively.
For those of you enjoying nicer weather than we are here in DC, know that the Department of the Interior has announced that areas managed by the department will not charge entrance fees today. As Secretary Ken Salazar put it, "The Department of the Interior is honored to offer this fee free day to thank our nation’s service men and women. The sacrifices and achievements of the brave men and women of our armed forces can never be understated. We invite all of our visitors to enjoy this fee free day and take time out on this national holiday to remember our service men and women who are currently serving overseas in harms way."
The Department of Homeland Security employs 47,000 veterans—25% of all civilian employees--in a number of capacities. Visit their site to learn more about the Department's efforts to engage the talents and dedication of our nation's veteran community. Also available is the press release introducing the new veterans website, designed to highlight veteran employment and contracting opportunities. Secretary Napolitano said the new website "reflects the shared commitment across the Department to hiring American veterans. Veterans play a vital role in the Department of Homeland Security's mission to protect the nation, and this website will help us build our veteran workforce to more than 50,000 Department-wide by 2012."
A moving slideshow currently headlines the Department of Defense website, highlighting the President's trip to Fort Hood, where he honored the 13 brave men and women killed in last week's shooting along with Defense Secretary Gates, Army Secretary John McHugh, left, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey Jr. amongst others. During the somber ceremony, President Obama and the First Lady comforted survivors and families. You can also read Defense Secretary Robert Gates' annual message commemorating the holiday, excerpted here:
Our nation cannot fully repay the debt owed our veterans and their families, but we can use this opportunity to reflect and remember what these brave Americans have done. David Lloyd George, speaking during the opening months of World War I, the conflict that began this day of remembrance, said: "The stern hand of fate has scourged us to an elevation where we can see the everlasting things that matter for a nation – the great peaks we had forgotten, of Honor, Duty, Patriotism, and clad in glittering white, the towering pinnacle of sacrifice pointing like a rugged finger to Heaven."
Visit the Department of Justice blog to learn about The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, which works to protect the rights of those who have protected us – America's veterans – by enforcing laws that defend their employment, voting and financial security rights. Tracy Russo of DOJ writes, "The Department of Justice is proud to serve our Nation's service men and women. Through enforcement of veteran-specific statutes as well as state and local support offered in conjunction with our partners, we salute these Americans."
-
Today the President and the First Lady travelled to Killeen, Texas. They met with families of the fallen and with wounded soldiers and their families at III Corps Headquarters, Fort Hood.
Afterwards, the President spoke to the entire Fort Hood community during a memorial service for the soldiers and civilians killed on November 5th:
We come together filled with sorrow for the thirteen Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.
This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible.
For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that has been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.
But here is what you must also know: your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life’s work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that is their legacy.
Neither this country – nor the values that we were founded upon – could exist without men and women like these thirteen Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories.
Read the rest of the President's remarks as he honors them individually.
-
Every two weeks or so, there seems to be a story ringing the alarm bells over the fiscal dimension of health reform.
As I've said time and again, the President is committed to signing a health reform bill that is deficit neutral in the first decade – and deficit reducing thereafter. The legislation under consideration in the Senate and the bill passed Saturday by the House both meet these tests.
But health reform effort must go beyond simply being deficit neutral over the first decade and deficit reducing thereafter; it must also begin the process of transforming the health care system so that it delivers better care, not just more care. Building the health care system of the future requires information technology; cutting-edge research into what works and what doesn’t; incentives for doctors and hospitals to focus on the quality of care; prevention and wellness; and a process that allows policy to adapt flexibly to changes in the health care marketplace over time.
The House and Senate versions of reform share a variety of measures that will help create this health care system of the future, which will help to contain health care cost growth while also providing Americans with higher quality care. In addition to historic investments in health information technology, research into what works and what doesn't, and prevention and wellness investments that were included in the Recovery Act, some of the key provisions under consideration in the health reform bills include:
- Changing the way we pay hospitals, to discourage mistakes and unnecessary readmissions.
- Creating incentives in the payment system to reward quality of care rather than just the quantity of procedures.
- Giving physicians incentives to collaborate in the coordination of patient care.
- Investing in research into what works and what doesn’t in health care.
- Reducing hospital-acquired infections and other avoidable health-center acquired conditions through rigorous reporting and transparency.
- Imposing a fee on insurance companies offering high-premium plans — which would create a strong incentive for more efficient plans that would help reduce the growth of premiums.
- Establishing a Medicare commission — which would develop and submit proposals to Congress aimed at extending the solvency of Medicare, slowing Medicare cost growth, and improving the quality of care delivered to Medicare beneficiaries.
As we approach the final stages of this health reform process, we have on the table a robust set of options that represent some of the most auspicious reforms we can take to transform our health care system and rein in health care cost growth. But don’t take my word for it. A bipartisan group of experts recently wrote that health reform legislation under discussion "offers many promising ideas to improve the overall performance of the U.S. health care system. In addition to steps that would reduce the number of Americans without insurance coverage, the plan includes ways to slow long-term spending growth while building the high-value health care system our nation urgently needs." Or read what a group of some of the most prominent health care and budget experts wrote in an open letter (pdf) released last week.
As we go through the rest of the process, the Administration will remain focused on ensuring that reform is fiscally responsible and helps to build the health care system of the future.
Peter Orszag Is Director of the Office of Management and Budget
-
It's no secret that institutions of all stripes focus their communications on certain messages day to day. We thought it would all be a little more open and transparent if we went ahead and published what our focus will be for the day, along with any related articles, documents, or reports.
Supporting blog post: "Bending the Curve in More Ways Than One," OMB Blog, OMB Director Peter Orszag, 10/13/09
Talking Points: Controlling Costs for Families, Small Businesses, and the Government
- From the beginning of this process, President Obama has been clear that health insurance reform must not only provide security and stability for Americans with insurance and affordable options for uninsured Americans, but also slow the unsustainable cost growth that is burdening families, threatening businesses' viability, and exploding our national deficit.
- Fortunately, the House and Senate versions of reform share a variety of measures that will reduce the rapid growth in health care costs while also providing Americans with higher quality care including:
- Changing the way we handle hospitalizations, to prevent mistakes and to prevent unnecessary readmissions.
- Creating incentives in the payment system to reward quality of care rather than just the quantity of procedures.
- Giving physicians incentives to collaborate in the coordination of patient care.
- Investing in research into what works and what doesn't in health care.
- Reducing hospital-acquired infections and other avoidable health-center acquired conditions through rigorous reporting and transparency.
- Putting prevention first, rewarding care that focuses on wellness and treating the whole patient in an integrated and coordinated delivery system.
- Tackling the insurance bureaucracy, streamlining the payment system to save time and money that is now spent processing claims and navigating through the byzantine insurance system.
- Establishing a health insurance exchange with a public insurance option, where individuals and small businesses can buy lower-cost insurance that will spur competition and put downward pressure on costs.
- These measures build upon the significant down payment we already made in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to begin switching from paper records to computerized records; to strengthen preventive care; to invest in patient-centered health research; and to build up the workforce of primary care providers.
- And there are also ideas that will further control cost growth that have been proposed and are being looked at as the legislative process continues, such as:
- A fee on insurance companies offering high-premium plans — which would create a strong incentive for more efficient plans that would help reduce the growth of premiums.
- Establishing a Medicare commission — which would develop and submit proposals to Congress aimed at extending the solvency of Medicare, slowing Medicare cost growth, and improving the quality of care delivered to Medicare beneficiaries.
-
Last night the President signed an Executive Order creating an interagency Council on Veterans Employment to advise the President and Administration on how to set the bar for hiring and employing veterans. The Council will be chaired by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, with Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry serving as the Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer of the Council.
In statements prior to the signing, all involved gave their reasons for why the initiative is so important to them. The 'also about continuing to fill the ranks of federal employees with men and women who possess the skills, dedication, and sense of duty that Americans deserve from their public servants. And few embody those qualities like our nation's veterans."
Secretary Shinseki also looked forward to integrating the unparalleled leadership and technical skills our veterans hold when they join the workforce, and noted that in terms of working in government in particular, "veterans have shown unmatched dedication to public service." Director Berry echoed that sentiment, noting that "the strong sense of patriotism and public service held by members of our armed forces doesn't leave them when they exit from active duty." For her part, Secretary Solis saw the initiative as part of an enduring relationship between the federal government and vets: "Veterans are an important part of our nation's past, present and future. They deserve our full support as they reintegrate into the civilian workforce."
-
Friends,
It’s my pleasure to welcome you to the Partnerships blog, the blog of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships!
President Obama established the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to connect the Federal government to local nonprofit organizations and community leaders – both faith-based and secular – that are serving individuals, families and communities in need. We form partnerships between government and nonprofits on a range of issues, from public health to disaster response and everything in between, in order to better serve all Americans.
This blog will highlight the work of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, along with the activity at Centers for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships that we coordinate at several Federal agencies.
But we don't just want to focus on what government is doing. We also want to highlight the efforts of local nonprofits in communities across the country. So we’ll be spotlighting local organizations and leaders that are meeting community needs, in order to learn from their great work.
In the coming days, you can expect this blog to:
- Provide more information about the day-to-day work of the White House Office and Centers at Federal agencies;
- Highlight the latest work of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships;
- Point nonprofits to federal resources that can help them implement effective programs; and
- Spotlight innovative local organizations that are strengthening our communities
I’m looking forward to using this blog to communicate important information to local organizations and community leaders.
And I’m even more excited about working with you to make an impact on our communities together, as the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships implements this important element of President Obama’s vision for our country.
Warmly,
Joshua DuBoisJoshua DuBois is the Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
-
November 09, 2009
05:54 PM ESTLast Wednesday, the White House welcomed 120 middle and high school music students from all over the country to participate in four different engaging workshops. From the Blue Room to the Map Room and the East Room to the Diplomatic Reception Room, beautiful music and instructors' guiding voices echoed through the halls of this historic home. Aspiring students plucked their bows and strummed the strings of their guitars, while picking up tips and queues from their instructors, renowned classical musicians Awadagin Pratt on the piano, Joshua Bell on violin, Sharon Isbin with classical guitar, and Alisa Weilerstein on cello.
In her session, Ms. Weilerstein posed a question to her students. "How do we get someone excited about classical music?" she asked. Bright young minds quickly offered up a number of ideas. "Use classical instruments to play modern pieces," said one young lady. "Play Classical music for people who've never heard it," said another. As the students listened to each other’s ideas, they also talked about the opportunities they had to discover magic through music; they discussed the importance of keeping music education in schools and communities, where all children would have an opportunity to discover these great art forms just like they did.
As the workshops concluded, everyone gathered in the historic East Room for a concert put on by their four instructors. First Lady Michelle Obama made a special visit, and told the students that through music, "You'll learn that if you believe in yourself and put in your best effort, that there's nothing you can't achieve; and those aren't just lessons about music, these are really lessons about life."
It was a privilege to welcome so many young musicians living such talented and full lives on a beautiful fall day at the people's house. The White House is honored to share these experiences with all students. Check out all the video:
Classical guitarist Sharon Isbin performs Isaac Albeniz's Asturias and Agustin Barrios Mangoré's Waltz Op. 8, No. 4:
Concert pianist Awadagin Pratt performs J.S. Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582:
Cellist Alisa Weilerstein performs Zoltán Kodály’s Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8 and III. Allegro molto vivace:
Cellists Alisa Weilerstein and 8 year-old Sujari Britt perform Luigi Boccherini's Sonata for Two Cellos in C Major, 1st movement: Allegro moderato:
Cellist Alisa Weilerstein and 16 year-old percussionist Jason Yoder perform Camille Saint Saëns' The Swan:
Joshua Bell and Awadagin Pratt perform Maurice Ravel's Tzigane:
Joshua Bell and Sharon Isbin perform Niccolò Paganini's Cantabile:
Joshua Bell, Awadagin Pratt, and Alisa Weilerstein Perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 and the finale, Allegro assai appassionato:
Kalpen Modi and James Schuelke are with the Office of Public Engagement
- &lsaquo previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- …
- next &rsaquo