Statement by the President on the Passing of Ray Bradbury

For many Americans, the news of Ray Bradbury’s death immediately brought to mind images from his work, imprinted in our minds, often from a young age.  His gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world.  But Ray also understood that our imaginations could be used as a tool for better understanding, a vehicle for change, and an expression of our most cherished values.  There is no doubt that Ray will continue to inspire many more generations with his writing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

FIRST LADY JOINS THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TO ANNOUNCE NEW STANDARDS FOR FOOD ADVERTISING TO KIDS

FIRST LADY JOINS THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TO ANNOUNCE NEW STANDARDS FOR FOOD ADVERTISING TO KIDS

 

First Lady Michelle Obama today joined The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger to announce that Disney will become the first major media company to introduce new standards for food advertising on programming targeting kids and families. Under Disney’s new standards, all food and beverage products advertised, sponsored, or promoted on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, and Disney-owned online destinations oriented to families with younger children will be required by 2015 to meet Disney’s nutrition guidelines.   The nutrition guidelines are aligned to federal standards, promote fruit and vegetable consumption and call for limiting calories and reducing saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. American children see an estimated $1.6 billion a year worth of food and beverage marketing, and many of those ads are food food that are high in calories and sugar, but low in nutrition. The First Lady has been focusing on these issues since launching her Let’s Move! initiative, and in 2010 called on the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association to retool their advertising to market healthy foods and habits to children.

 

“This new initiative is truly a game changer for the health of our children,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This is a major American company – a global brand – that is literally changing the way it does business so that our kids can lead healthier lives.  With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S. – and what I hope every company will do going forward.  When it comes to the ads they show and the food they sell, they are asking themselves one simple question: ‘Is this good for our kids?’”

 

“We’re proud of the impact we’ve had over the last six years,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company.  “We’ve taken steps across our company to support better choices for families, and now we’re taking the next important step forward by setting new food advertising standards for kids.  The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories gives us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives.”

 

Disney Magic of Healthy Living On-Air

Disney’s iconic characters, creativity, and family entertainment platforms offer a unique position from which Disney can help make nutritious eating and physical activity fun and rewarding. Disney Magic of Healthy Living includes online resources for families, live events, as well as informative short-form programming.  The on-air spots, which today reach almost 100 million households in the U.S. on Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, inspire and encourage kids and families to live healthier lifestyles through better eating habits and fun activities.

            Disney’s 2006 nutrition policy stipulated that promotions aimed at children 12 years old and under – most notably for films — would meet specific guidelines.  Since then, Disney kid-targeted film promotional campaigns feature only healthier food and beverage products.

 

“Mickey Check” Tool

In addition to its new advertising standards, Disney today introduced the “Mickey Check” tool, an icon that calls out nutritious food and menu items sold in stores, online, and at restaurants and food venues at its U.S. Parks and Resorts.  By the end of 2012 the “Mickey Check” will appear on licensed foods products, on qualified recipes on Disney.com and Family.com, and on menus and select products at Disney’s Parks and Resorts.

 

Disney Magic of Healthy Living on Vacation

In 2006, Disney pioneered new, well-balanced kids’ meals served at its Parks and Resorts, which automatically include nutritious sides and beverages such as carrots and low-fat milk, unless parents opt out.  Of the more than 12 million kids’ meals served last year at Disney Parks and Resorts in the U.S., parents stuck with the healthier options 6 out of 10 times.  Now, Disney will enhance its efforts by further reducing sodium in kids’ meals and introducing new well-balanced kids’ breakfast meals.

 

Disney Magic of Healthy Living at Retail

Since 2006, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) has sold more than two billion servings of Disney licensed fruits and vegetables in North America, and has transformed its food offerings resulting in 85 percent of all U.S. licensed products meeting the company’s nutrition guidelines and only 15 percent reserved for special occasion treats.  Additionally, Disney will further reduce sugar and sodium in all licensed foods.

 

About Disney Magic of Healthy Living

Disney Magic of Healthy Living partners with parents and inspires kids and families to lead healthier lifestyles.  This initiative includes engaging content, useful tools, as well as nutrition guidelines that pair the fun of Disney’s stories and characters with a well-balanced portfolio of foods and healthier lifestyle choices. Disney’s nutrition guidelines, which were first introduced in 2006, were developed with the help of experts and align to federal standards. For more information, please visit:www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/mohl

 

FIRST LADY JOINS THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TO ANNOUNCE NEW STANDARDS FOR FOOD ADVERTISING TO KIDS

FIRST LADY JOINS THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TO ANNOUNCE NEW STANDARDS FOR FOOD ADVERTISING TO KIDS

 

First Lady Michelle Obama today joined The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger to announce that Disney will become the first major media company to introduce new standards for food advertising on programming targeting kids and families. Under Disney’s new standards, all food and beverage products advertised, sponsored, or promoted on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, and Disney-owned online destinations oriented to families with younger children will be required by 2015 to meet Disney’s nutrition guidelines.   The nutrition guidelines are aligned to federal standards, promote fruit and vegetable consumption and call for limiting calories and reducing saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. American children see an estimated $1.6 billion a year worth of food and beverage marketing, and many of those ads are food food that are high in calories and sugar, but low in nutrition. The First Lady has been focusing on these issues since launching her Let’s Move! initiative, and in 2010 called on the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association to retool their advertising to market healthy foods and habits to children.

 

“This new initiative is truly a game changer for the health of our children,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This is a major American company – a global brand – that is literally changing the way it does business so that our kids can lead healthier lives.  With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S. – and what I hope every company will do going forward.  When it comes to the ads they show and the food they sell, they are asking themselves one simple question: ‘Is this good for our kids?’”

 

“We’re proud of the impact we’ve had over the last six years,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company.  “We’ve taken steps across our company to support better choices for families, and now we’re taking the next important step forward by setting new food advertising standards for kids.  The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories gives us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives.”

 

Disney Magic of Healthy Living On-Air

Disney’s iconic characters, creativity, and family entertainment platforms offer a unique position from which Disney can help make nutritious eating and physical activity fun and rewarding. Disney Magic of Healthy Living includes online resources for families, live events, as well as informative short-form programming.  The on-air spots, which today reach almost 100 million households in the U.S. on Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, inspire and encourage kids and families to live healthier lifestyles through better eating habits and fun activities.

            Disney’s 2006 nutrition policy stipulated that promotions aimed at children 12 years old and under – most notably for films — would meet specific guidelines.  Since then, Disney kid-targeted film promotional campaigns feature only healthier food and beverage products.

 

“Mickey Check” Tool

In addition to its new advertising standards, Disney today introduced the “Mickey Check” tool, an icon that calls out nutritious food and menu items sold in stores, online, and at restaurants and food venues at its U.S. Parks and Resorts.  By the end of 2012 the “Mickey Check” will appear on licensed foods products, on qualified recipes on Disney.com and Family.com, and on menus and select products at Disney’s Parks and Resorts.

 

Disney Magic of Healthy Living on Vacation

In 2006, Disney pioneered new, well-balanced kids’ meals served at its Parks and Resorts, which automatically include nutritious sides and beverages such as carrots and low-fat milk, unless parents opt out.  Of the more than 12 million kids’ meals served last year at Disney Parks and Resorts in the U.S., parents stuck with the healthier options 6 out of 10 times.  Now, Disney will enhance its efforts by further reducing sodium in kids’ meals and introducing new well-balanced kids’ breakfast meals.

 

Disney Magic of Healthy Living at Retail

Since 2006, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) has sold more than two billion servings of Disney licensed fruits and vegetables in North America, and has transformed its food offerings resulting in 85 percent of all U.S. licensed products meeting the company’s nutrition guidelines and only 15 percent reserved for special occasion treats.  Additionally, Disney will further reduce sugar and sodium in all licensed foods.

 

About Disney Magic of Healthy Living

Disney Magic of Healthy Living partners with parents and inspires kids and families to lead healthier lifestyles.  This initiative includes engaging content, useful tools, as well as nutrition guidelines that pair the fun of Disney’s stories and characters with a well-balanced portfolio of foods and healthier lifestyle choices. Disney’s nutrition guidelines, which were first introduced in 2006, were developed with the help of experts and align to federal standards. For more information, please visit:www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/mohl

 

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY AT DISNEY PRESS CONFERENCE

 

Newseum

Washington, D.C.

 

11:13 A.M. EDT

 

 

     MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everyone.  Good morning.  Oh my goodness.  I am so thrilled to be with all of you today, and I want to start by thanking Bob for that very kind introduction and for his tremendous leadership at Disney. 

 

I’d also like to thank Leslie for all of her hard work in this effort.  Also, everyone from the Newseum for hosting us today, and also to all of the parents and advocates who are here today who have been working so hard for so many years on these issues.  And finally, I want to thank everyone at Disney for making this day possible. 

 

This new initiative is truly a game changer for the health of our children.  See, for years people told us that no matter what we did to get our kids to eat well and exercise, we would never solve our childhood obesity crisis until companies changed the way they sell food to our children.  And we all know the conventional wisdom about that.  We’ve heard all the cynics who say that we simply can’t change the market, or that concerned parents are no match for corporate bottom lines, or that companies will never change their business model for the good of our kids.

 

But truly, today, Disney has turned that conventional wisdom on its head.  This is a major American company, a global brand that is literally changing the way it does business so that our kids can lead healthier lives.  With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the United States.  And what I hope every company will do going forward when it comes to the ads they show and the food they sell they’re asking themselves one simple question:  Is this good for our kids? 

 

And make no mistake about it — this is huge.  That’s why I’m here.  It’s huge.  Just think about it.  Just a few years ago if you had told me or any other mom or dad in America that our kids wouldn’t see a single ad for junk food while they watched their favorite cartoons on a major TV network, we wouldn’t have believed you because parents know better than anyone else just how effective and pervasive those advertisements have become — Bob mentioned it. 

 

Our kids see an estimated $1.6 billion a year worth of food and beverage marketing, and many of those ads are for foods that are high in calories and sugar but low in nutrition.  So our kids are constantly bombarded with sophisticated messages designed to sell them foods that simply aren’t good for them.  And let me tell you, we know it works, right?

 

As parents, we know that whatever is on TV is what our kids are going to want.  I remember, as Bob has discussed, going to the grocery store with the kids, and the minute you walk down the aisle the kids are singing some jingle, or they’re pulling on your leg begging you, pleading you for whatever they saw on TV.  And as a mom, I know how that makes it even harder for us to keep our kids healthy.

 

So many parents are working so hard to serve their kids a balanced diet.  We’re preparing those nutritious meals and snacks, and we’re doing our best to teach our kids healthy habits.  But when the kids turn on the TV to watch their favorite shows and — all that hard work is undermined whenever there is a commercial break.  I mean, it’s a constant battle, and it’s a tough one.  And so many parents are left feeling like the deck is stacked against them. 

 

     And, truly, that’s really what today is all about.  In fact, that’s what our entire Let’s Move initiative is about.  It’s about empowering parents, because we know that government doesn’t have all the answers and there’s no one-size solution to this problem.  This is about what all of us can do as moms and dads, as CEOs and school superintendents, as mayors and doctors, and, yes, even Mickey Mouse.  It’s about all of us doing what we can with the tools we have to help parents make healthier choices for their kids. 

 

And that’s why I am so thrilled about today’s announcements.  I am thrilled that Disney is stepping forward in such a big way to stand alongside America’s parents.  I am thrilled that they’re raising their nutrition standards and introducing the Mickey Check and making it easier for moms and dads to make those decisions.

 

     And I’m thrilled that over the next couple of years, when our kids tune into their favorite shows on Disney channels or they log onto the Disney web site, they will no longer be bombarded with unhealthy messages during those commercial breaks.  Instead, they will see ads for foods that we might actually want them to eat — ads that can reinforce healthy habits and teach kids very important lessons. 

 

     And as you heard from Bob and Leslie, Disney has been taking steps to help our kids lead healthier lives for many years.  Their Magic of Healthy Living campaign is helping kids eat healthy, get active, and have fun while doing it.  They’ve helped build playgrounds and community gardens in neighborhoods all across this country.  And even earlier this year, they got me to do the platypus walk.  (Laughter.)  Yes, dancing with about 1,500 kids down in Disney World. 

 

So we’re all willing to do our part.  And leaders at Disney are doing all of this not just as parents and as grandparents who care about the health and well-being of their kids and the future of this nation, but, as Bob said, they’re also doing it as corporate leaders who care about the bottom line.  And that’s a very important point to make. 

 

     They have listened to parents who are more and more concerned about what their kids are eating.  They’ve seen the market shifting as folks are increasingly interested in buying healthier food, and they’ve seen the momentum building all across this country on behalf of our children’s health.  And they’ve realized that what is good for our children can also be good business. 

 

So I hope that businesses all across this country will understand this as well, and, even more importantly, I hope that parents will take notice when companies like Disney do the right thing for our kids.  Because as parents, it isn’t enough to just ask for change.  It’s not enough just to make the right choices for our kids.  We also need to support those companies who are listening to us, because if we do that as parents and consumers, if we make a statement not just with our voices but also with our feet and with our wallets, then we will keep seeing the changes that we hope for.  We will keep seeing more choices available for our kids. 

 

We’re going to keep seeing more days like today, which is what we’re working for.  And that is what is going to take us to the finish line and get us where we want to go on this issue.  That’s what it’s going to take to ensure that our children can grow up healthy and reach their full potential. 

 

And I say this all time — we know it won’t be easy, but everything that I have seen since we started Let’s Move gives me hope.  Every day I am hearing from someone who wants to get involved — school districts revamping their menus; communities planting gardens; food companies reducing the sugar, salt and fat in their foods; nationwide chains building grocery stores in underserved communities; leaders from both parties in Congress coming together to fund healthy school lunches. 

 

And more importantly, every day I am getting wonderful letters from kids who tell me about how they’re eating healthier — the same things that Bob is seeing in his research, I’m seeing it anecdotally.  Kids telling me about how they’re getting more exercise and how they’re loving every minute of it.  They want to be healthy.  They’re excited about improving their lives.  That is the change that all of us are making together.  That’s why every day I am more hopeful.  Every day I’m more confident than ever that we can get this done and we can give all of our kids the healthy futures they deserve.

 

     So today, again, I want to once again thank Disney for taking this monumental step forward and setting the bar very high.  And I look forward to standing with even more businesses and partners who support the health of America’s families in the months and years ahead.  And I can’t wait to see the difference that it makes for our children and for our country.

 

     So thank you all.  Thank you, Bob.  Congratulations and God bless.  (Applause.)

 

Obama Administration Announces Clean Coal Research Awards for Universities Across the Country

 

Obama Administration Announces Clean Coal Research Awards for Universities Across the Country

 

Awards Latest Step by Administration to Leverage a Broad Range of Domestic Resources, Advancing Cheaper Technologies for Coal-Fired Energy Plants and Training the Next Generation of Clean Coal Scientists and Engineers

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy, the Energy Department announced that nine universities have won awards for research projects that will continue to support innovation and development of clean coal technologies. The awards, which will leverage student-led teams across the country as they continue research and development of new technologies and materials that will advance clean coal energy production, are part of the Administration’s focus on ensuring we can rely on a broad range of energy sources as we move towards a clean energy economy.

 

“Advancing the development of clean coal technologies is an important part of President Obama’s strategy to develop every source of American energy and ensure the United States leads the world in the global clean energy race and continues to take advantage of domestic resources here at home,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.  “These university research projects will help build on extensive progressive made by this Administration to promote innovative technologies that help make coal-fired energy cleaner and more cost-competitive, while training the next generation of scientists and engineers in cutting-edge clean coal technologies.”

 

The projects announced today at the nine universities will each receive approximately $300,000 to spur the next generation of trained scientists and engineers from universities across the nation to focus on the development of high-temperature, high-pressure corrosion-resistant alloys, protective coatings, and structural materials for advanced coal-fired power plants and gas turbines. Research projects will also develop new processes and computational design methods to develop these materials, improve efficiency and reduce the costs of cleaner power generation systems. The Energy Department’s $2.7 million investment will be leveraged with additional funds from the universities to support $3.1 million in total projects.

 

Today’s awards are part of a more than $5 billion investment strategy by the Obama Administration in clean coal technologies and R&D. This strategy, which has attracted over $10 billion in additional private capital investment, is designed to accelerate commercial deployment of clean coal technologies – particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS) – and to position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.

 

Thanks in part to this strategy, the United States is currently leading the world in CCS technologies. In fact, last week, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, in its semi-annual “Race to First” ranking of the world’s most advanced large‐scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects, announced that the United States was in first place. Topping the list was a project led by Pennsylvania‐based Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. – an effort spurred by investments made by the Energy Department in 2010.

 

This announcement shows growing momentum for CCS in the U.S. For example, earlier this year, CPS Energy of San Antonio – the largest municipally owned utility in the United States – signed the first agreement in the country to purchase low-carbon power from a commercial-scale coal-based power plant with carbon capture.  The Midland-Odessa- based project – the Texas Clean Energy Project – will be the cleanest coal power plant in the world when it becomes operational in 2015.

 

In addition, the Energy Department is leveraging investments in clean coal technologies to study and demonstrate ways to continue improving the economics of clean coal projects through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects.  With EOR, companies can use captured carbon to help develop marginal oil wells and further increase domestic oil production.

 

President Obama’s sustained all-out, all-of-the-above commitment to American energy also includes the safe and responsible production of our oil and natural gas alongside the development of clean, renewable American energy resources. Today, American oil production is at the highest level in eight years, and last year the U.S. relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past 16 years. And over the past few years, renewable energy use has nearly doubled, with the U.S. reclaiming the position as the world’s leading investor in clean energy in 2011.

 

The projects selected for awards include:

 

• ·         Brown University (Providence, R.I.)
• ·         Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.)
• ·         Indiana University, in partnership with Purdue University and Praxair Surface Technologies (Indianapolis, Ind.)
• ·         Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)
• ·         Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, Ill.)
• ·         Texas Engineering Experiment Station (College Station, Texas)
• ·         University of North Texas (Denton, Texas), in partnership with University of Idaho (Moscow, Idaho)
• ·         University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
• ·         University of Toledo (Toledo, Ohio)

 

Complete project descriptions can be found HERE.

 

FACT SHEET: Helping Americans Manage Student Loan Debt with Improvements to Repayment Options

FACT SHEET: Helping Americans Manage Student Loan Debt with Improvements to Repayment Options

 

WASHINGTON, DC – In today’s economy, higher education is not a luxury – it’s an imperative that leads to better jobs and a strong middle class. The President believes in creating an economy built to last that gives every hard working student a fair shot at developing the skills they need to find a good job by attending college, university, community college, or job training programs. To help put the cost of higher education within reach for more Americans, the President has taken action to cap monthly payments on student loans for responsible graduates who make their payments on time. Tomorrow, the President will act again by issuing a Presidential Memorandum to the Secretaries of Education and the Treasury to streamline the process and improve information available to responsible borrowers about student loan repayment options.

 

The President has helped make higher education more affordable by extending Pell Grants to 3 million more students and signing a tax credit worth up to $10,000 to help middle class families cover the cost of tuition. However, prospects of high debt may discourage some potential students from enrolling at all and gaining the skills they need to compete in the global economy.  Additionally, some graduates may choose to put off starting a new job-creating business or entering a teaching or another public service career because they feel held back by debt.

 

Over the past several years, the Administration has worked to improve repayment options available to responsible student loan borrowers. Since 2007, former students have been able to enroll in an “Income Based Repayment” (IBR) plan to cap their student loan payments at 15 percent of their current discretionary income if they make their payments on time. Legislation signed by President Obama in 2009 lowered this cap to 10% for borrowers beginning in 2014.  In October, the President announced a “We Can’t Wait” executive action to make that lower cap available to more borrowers by the end of 2012, which will reduce monthly student loan payments for more than 1.6 million responsible student borrowers.

 

Despite these opportunities and policy improvements to help graduates make their monthly payments, too few responsible borrowers are aware of their repayment options.  Even among borrowers who are aware of their options, too many have had difficulties navigating and completing the application process. For many, the most significant challenge in completing the application has been the income-verification process, which, until recently, required borrowers to provide a signed copy of their income tax return.  Although the Department of Education has recently removed some of the hurdles to completing the process, too many borrowers are still struggling to access this important repayment option due to difficulty in applying. That is why tomorrow’s Presidential Memorandum:

 

• ·         Streamlines the IBR Application Process: The Department of Education, in collaboration with the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service, will create a streamlined online application process for IBR that allows student loan borrowers with federally held loans to import their IRS tax return income data directly into the IBR application. This process will allow income information to be seamlessly transmitted so that borrowers can complete the application at one sitting.  Federal direct student loan borrowers will no longer be required to contact their loan servicer as the first step to apply.

 

• ·         Enhances Online and Mobile Resources for Loan Repayment Options and Debt Management: The Department of Education will create integrated online and mobile resources for students and former students to use in learning about Federal student aid, including an explanation of the various options to cap monthly payments based on income. The Department will also develop and make available to borrowers an online tool to help students make better financial decisions, including understanding their loan debt and its impact on their everyday lives. This tool would incorporate key elements of best practices in financial literacy and link to students’ actual Federal loan data to help them understand their individual circumstances and options for repayment.

 

• ·         Increases Awareness of IBR: The Department of Education will instruct Federal direct student loan servicers to make borrowers aware of the option to participate in IBR before a student leaves school and upon entering repayment. The Department of Education will make available for institutions of higher education a model exit counseling module that will enable students to understand their repayment options before leaving school and to choose a repayment plan for their student loans that best meets their needs.

 

The President will direct Secretary Duncan, and Commissioner Shulman to implement the first two improvements in the coming months (enhancing online and mobile content by mid-July, and streamlining the application with IRS data by the end of September). The model exit loan counseling tool will be available by this time next year.

 

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY H.R. 436 – Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

H.R. 436 – Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012
(Rep. Camp, R-Michigan, and 240 cosponsors)

 

The Affordable Care Act made significant improvements to the Nation’s health care system that are helping to improve individuals’ health and give American families and small business owners more control of their own health care.  These important changes include: ending the worst practices of insurance companies; giving uninsured individuals and small business owners the same kind of choice of private health insurance that Members of Congress have; and bringing down the cost of health care for families and businesses while also reducing Federal budget deficits.

 

H.R. 436, which would repeal the medical device excise tax, does not advance these goals.  The medical device industry, like others, will benefit from an additional 30 million potential consumers who will gain health coverage under the Affordable Care Act starting in 2014.  This excise tax is one of several designed so that industries that gain from the coverage expansion will help offset the cost of that expansion.

 

This tax break, as well as other provisions in the legislation relating to tax-favored health spending arrangements, would be funded by increased repayments of the Affordable Care Act’s advance premium tax credits, which would raise taxes on middle-class and low-income families, in many cases totaling thousands of dollars, notwithstanding that they followed the rules.  This legislation would also increase the number of uninsured Americans.

 

In sum, H.R. 436 would fund tax breaks for industry by raising taxes on middle-class and low-income families.  Instead of working together to reduce health care costs, H.R. 436 chooses to refight old political battles over health care.  If the President were presented with H.R. 436, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY H.R. 5855 — Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

H.R. 5855 — Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013

(Rep. Rogers, R-KY)

 

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 5855, making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year (FY) ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes. 

 

Last summer, the Congress and the President came to a bipartisan agreement to put the Nation on a sustainable fiscal course in enacting the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA).  The BCA created a framework for more than $2 trillion in deficit reduction and provided tight spending caps that would bring discretionary spending to a minimum level needed to preserve critical national priorities.  Departing from the bipartisan agreement reached in the BCA and departing from these caps, the House of Representatives put forward a topline discretionary funding level for FY 2013 that, for example, would cost jobs and hurt average Americans, especially seniors, veterans, and children – as well as degrade many of the basic Government services on which the American people rely such as air traffic control and law enforcement.  In addition, these cuts were made in the context of a budget that fails the test of balance, fairness, and shared responsibility by giving millionaires and billionaires a tax cut and paying for it through deep cuts, including to discretionary programs.

 

Taking this into account, passing H.R. 5855 at its current funding level would mean that when the Congress constructs other appropriations bills, it would necessitate significant and harmful cuts to critical national priorities such as education, research and development, job training, and health care.  Furthermore, the bill undermines key investments in homeland security, including cuts to aviation security activities, reductions to critical grant programs, and elimination of key consolidation efforts to improve operations across Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enterprise operations.  Investing in these areas is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, security, and global competitiveness.  The Administration also strongly objects to the inclusion of ideological and political provisions that are beyond the scope of funding legislation.

 

If the President were presented with H.R. 5855, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

 

The Administration would like to take this opportunity to share additional views regarding the Committee’s version of the bill.

 

Transportation Security Administration.  The Administration objects to the bill’s failure to reform the aviation passenger security fee as proposed in the FY 2013 Budget.  The Administration is also concerned that funding for the Federal Air Marshals is cut by $50 million below the FY 2013 Budget request, which will result in reduced coverage on high-risk flights.

 

State and Local Grant Programs.  The Administration objects to the Committee’s failure to include the proposedNational Preparedness Grant Program (NPGP).  NPGP is designed to develop, sustain, and leverage core capabilities across the United States in support of national preparedness, prevention, and response.  The Administration appreciates that the bill continues the flexibility provided to the Secretary of Homeland Security to award grants, as authorized in FY 2012.

 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  The Administration opposes the Committee’s decision to fund 1,200 unrequested detention beds while reducing funds requested for ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program, which helps ensure that low-risk individuals in removal proceedings appear for hearings and comply with removal orders, all at a lower per-day cost than detention.  The Administration objects to the funding provided above the FY 2013 Budget request for the 287(g) program, since Secure Communities is more consistent, efficient, and cost-effective in identifying and removing criminal and other priority aliens than the 287(g) program.  The Administration also objects to a statutory funding floor for worksite enforcement, which would limit ICE’s ability to address emerging criminal trends and prevent ICE from reallocating investigatory resources based on threat and risk.

 

Departmental Management Initiatives.  The Administration opposes the lack of funding for two key management initiatives at DHS: continued investments for the St. Elizabeths Headquarters Consolidation project; and funding for DHS Data Center Consolidation.  Both of these initiatives are necessary to strengthen DHS operations and increase efficiency in future years.

 

Cybersecurity.  The Administration appreciates the support the bill provides for cybersecurity initiatives including the EINSTEIN program and a new initiative to continuously monitor Federal networks for malicious cyber activity.

 

Incremental Funding.  The Administration opposes the use of incremental funding for the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutter program.  Although the Administration supports the underlying shipbuilding programs, the use of incremental funding rather than the full funding requested for FY 2013 undermines program stability and long-term cost discipline.

 

Transfer of US-VISIT.  The Administration is concerned that the bill does not include the Administration’s proposal to transfer portions of the US-VISIT program to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  Currently CBP operates numerous screening and targeting systems, and integrating US-VISIT activities within CBP would strengthen the Department’s overall vetting capability while also realizing efficiencies and savings.  The bill instead places US-VISIT within the National Protection and Programs Directorate without achieving operational efficiencies or cost savings, hampering the Department’s efforts to improve program effectiveness.

 

Disaster Relief Fund.  The Administration appreciates the funding level provided in the bill for the Disaster Relief Fund, including $608 million for base program activity and $5.5 billion provided as a disaster relief cap adjustment made pursuant to the BCA.  This funding should be sufficient to support the Nation’s response to emergencies and major disasters and to provide ongoing aid to disaster survivors.

Immigrant Integration Grants.  The Administration appreciates the $9.2 million in fee-based funding provided to administer the citizenship and immigrant integration grant program at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and encourages the Congress to fund these efforts through discretionary appropriations, as requested in the FY 2013 Budget.    

 

Civilian Pay Freeze.  The Administration objects to efforts to reduce pay for civilian personnel that would effectively extend the freeze on civilian pay through FY 2013.  As the President stated in his FY 2013 Budget, a permanent pay freeze is neither sustainable nor desirable.  The Administration encourages the Congress to support the proposed 0.5 percent pay raise.

 

Facilitating Trade and Travel.  The Administration underscores its concern that the bill does not include the Administration’s proposal for additional authority for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to enter into public-private partnerships, which would enable CBP to expand and expedite the throughput of travelers and cargo to and from the United States.  The Administration proposed this authority to provide additional flexibility for augmenting safe and secure processing capacity to increase travel and trade to the United States.

 

Riders

 

The Administration strongly opposes problematic policy and language riders that have no place in funding legislation, including, but not limited to, the following provisions in this bill:

 

Abortion-Related Provisions.  Sections 566, 567, and 568 purport to limit the use of Federal funds for providing or facilitating abortion services.  Longstanding Federal policy prohibits Federal funds from being used for these services, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered.  Current DHS practice does not compel employees to perform or facilitate them, or permit Federal funds to be used to acquire these services except in cases where a pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, or threatens the life of the woman.

 

Constitutional Concerns

 

The Administration strongly objects to and has constitutional concerns about the provisions of section 533 that limit the use of funds to transfer detainees and otherwise restrict detainee transfers.  Although the Administration opposes the release of detainees within the United States, section 533 undermines our national security and raises significant separation of powers concerns.  This provision unnecessarily constrains the Nation’s counterterrorism efforts, particularly where Federal courts are the best – or even the only – option for incapacitating dangerous terrorists.  For decades, presidents of both political parties have leveraged the flexibility and strength of this country’s Federal courts to incapacitate dangerous terrorists and gather critical intelligence.  The continuedprosecution of terrorists in Federal court is an essential element of counterterrorism efforts – a powerful tool that must remain an available option.  Such restrictions or interferences would, in certain circumstances, violate constitutional separation of powers principles.  

 

Additionally, Section 512 purports to prevent funds from being used to exercise supervisory control over preparation of certain reports by the Privacy Officer of the Department of Homeland Security.  This provision implicates separation of powers concerns by imposing a potentially material practical burden on the President’s effective supervision and management of the Executive Branch.  The Administration urges that it be deleted.  Finally, Sections 547 and 550 both raise concerns under the Recommendations Clause, because they purport to constrain the substance of the President’s or other executive officers’ budget proposals. The Administration also urges that these provisions be deleted.

 

The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress as the FY 2013 appropriations process moves forward.