BREAKING NEWS: President Obama Signs New Initiative to Improve Educational Outcomes for African Americans
President Obama Signs New Initiative to Improve Educational Outcomes for African Americans
Executive Order Establishes the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans
On Wednesday, during his remarks at the National Urban League conference in New Orleans, LA, President Obama announced he would sign an Executive Order today to improve outcomes and advance educational opportunities for African Americans. The President has made providing a complete and competitive education for all Americans – from cradle to career – a top priority.
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans will work across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students. The Initiative aims to ensure that all African American students receive an education that fully prepares them for high school graduation, college completion, and productive careers.
In the less than 60 years since the Brown v. Board of Education decision put America on a path toward equal educational opportunity, America’s educational system has undergone a remarkable transformation. Many African American children who attended substandard, segregated schools in the 1950s have grown up to see their children attend integrated and effective elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities. Nonetheless, substantial obstacles to equal educational opportunity still remain in America’s educational system. African American students lack equal access to highly effective teachers and principals, safe schools, and challenging college-preparatory classes, and they disproportionately experience school discipline and referrals to special education.
Significantly improving the educational outcomes of African Americans will provide substantial benefits for our country by advancing important outcomes, like increasing college completion rates, employment rates, and the number of African American teachers. Enhanced educational outcomes for African Americans will lead to more productive careers, improved economic mobility and security, and greater social well-being for all Americans.
Advancing Educational Achievement of African American Students
The President has set the goal for America to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. To reach this ambitious goal, and to ensure equality of access and opportunity in education for all Americans, the Obama Administration is dedicating new resources, through rigorous and well-rounded academic and support services, to enable African American students to improve their educational achievement and prepare for college and career.
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, housed within the Department of Education, will work with the Executive Office of the President and Cabinet agencies to identify evidence-based best practices to improve African American student achievement in school and college, and to develop a national network of individuals, organizations, and communities that will share and implement these practices.
It will also help ensure that Federal programs and initiatives administered by the Department of Education and other Federal agencies maintain a focus on serving and meeting the educational needs of African Americans. The Initiative will complement the existing White House Initiative that strengthens the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by working with Federal agencies and partners nationwide to provide all African American students with a more effective continuum of education programs.
To deliver a complete and competitive education for all African Americans, the Initiative will promote, encourage, and undertake efforts designed to meet several objectives, including:
· Increasing the percentage of African American children who enter kindergarten ready for success by improving access to high-quality early learning and development programs;
· Ensuring that all African American students have access to high-level, rigorous course work and support services that will prepare them for college, a career, and civic participation;
· Providing African American students with equitable access to effective teachers and principals in pursuit of a high-quality education, and supporting efforts to improve the recruitment, preparation, development, and retention of successful African American teachers and principals;
· Promoting a positive school climate that does not rely on methods that result in disparate use of disciplinary tools, and decreasing the disproportionate number of referrals to special education by addressing root causes of the referrals;
· Reducing the dropout rate of African American students and increasing the proportion of African American students who graduate from high school prepared for college and career;
· Increasing college access, college persistence, and college attainment for African American students; · Strengthening the capacity of institutions of higher education that serve large numbers of African American students, including community colleges, HBCUs, Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and other institutions; and
· Improving the quality of, and expanding access to, adult education, literacy, and career and technical education. The Presidential Advisory Commission and Federal Interagency Working Group to Enhance Educational Outcomes for African American Students The Executive Order also creates the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans, to aid and advise the work of the Initiative.
The Commission will advise President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan on matters pertaining to the educational attainment of the African American community, including the development, implementation, and coordination of resources aimed at improving educational opportunities and outcomes for African Americans of all ages.
The Commission will also engage the philanthropic, business, nonprofit, and education communities in a national dialogue on African American student achievement, and work with the Initiative to establish partnerships with stakeholders from these sectors to achieve the objectives of this Executive Order. The Executive Order also establishes a Federal Interagency Working Group on Educational Excellence for African Americans.
The Working Group will be chaired by the Initiative’s Executive Director, and will convene senior officials from the Executive Office of the President and several Cabinet and sub-Cabinet agencies to coordinate the Federal investment in education programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing outcomes for African Americans in early childhood education; elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; career and technical education; and adult education.
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICYS. 3414 – Cybersecurity Act of 2012
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICYS. 3414 – Cybersecurity Act of 2012
(Sen. Lieberman, I-CT, and 4 cosponsors)
The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of S. 3414, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012. While lacking some of the key provisions of earlier bills, the revised legislation will provide important tools to strengthen the Nation’s response to cybersecurity risks. The legislation also reflects many of the priorities included in the Administration’s legislative proposal.
The Administration particularly appreciates the bill’s strong protections for privacy and civil liberties and would not support amendments that weaken these protections. The Administration agrees that it is essential that the collection, use, and disclosure of such information remain closely tied to the purposes of detecting and mitigating cybersecurity threats, while still allowing law enforcement to investigate and prosecute serious crimes. All entities – public and private – must be accountable for how they handle such data.
The bill should take care not to duplicate existing domestic or international law enforcement frameworks. The bill also must protect the confidentiality of statistical data and honor the statutory confidentiality pledges made to respondents. The Administration is confident that S. 3414 can improve the Nation’s cybersecurity while protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and civil liberties that are central to American values.
The revised bill contains critical-infrastructure protection measures that are less robust than in earlier drafts, but would still produce meaningful cybersecurity improvements.
However, the Administration would not support amendments that would weaken the critical infrastructure protection measures in the legislation, including: (1) reducing the Federal Government’s existing roles and responsibilities in coordinating and endorsing the outcome-based cybersecurity practices; (2) weakening the statutory authorities of the Department of Homeland Security to accomplish its critical infrastructure protection mission; or (3) substantially expanding the narrowly-tailored liability protections for private sector entities.
While liability limitations are necessary to encourage information sharing, overly broad immunities from legal obligations would undermine the very trust that the bill seeks to strengthen.
S. 3414 would create an interagency National Cybersecurity Council to coordinate the identification of voluntary cybersecurity practices for critical cyber infrastructure. As currently drafted, the structure of the National Cybersecurity Council raises constitutional concerns and should be amended to employ an administrative structure similar to that of other recently established councils.
Further, the bill contains provisions purporting to prescribe the Executive branch’s responsibilities in coordinating with foreign governments and conducting diplomatic negotiations. These provisions should be clarified so as to maintain the President’s exclusive constitutional authority to conduct diplomacy. The Administration also believes that to ensure consistency with existing law, processes, and Presidential directives, certain provisions must be addressed in the final bill regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods, as well as information sharing and policy coordination.The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to ensure that cybersecurity legislation is sufficiently comprehensive to address the growing cyber threats facing the Nation.
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICYS. 3412 – Middle Class Tax Cut Act
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICYS. 3412 – Middle Class Tax Cut Act
(Sen. Reid, D-NV)
The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of S. 3412 to prevent income taxes from going up at the start of next year on millions of middle-class Americans.
If the Congress does not act, a typical middle-class family of four will see its taxes rise next year by $2,200 – a sizable financial hit for middle-class families that could hardly come at a worse time. By extending middle-class income tax relief for an additional year, S. 3412 will provide certainty to the 98 percent of Americans with incomes of less than $250,000 (for married couples) that their income taxes will not go up next year – strengthening the recovery by helping spur economic growth and job creation.
Extending middle-class tax cuts means continuing the temporary income tax relief currently scheduled to expire at the end of the year for the first $250,000 of income for married couples. If this temporary tax relief is not extended, over 35 million families will receive a smaller Child Tax Credit, while millions of low- and moderate-income working families will lose access to the credit altogether; 11 million middle-class families will no longer get help paying for college from the American Opportunity Tax Credit; married couples will see a tax increase of up to $890 from the expiration of the 10 percent tax bracket; and nearly 38 million middle-class couples will lose the temporary relief they are receiving from marriage penalties. Under the legislation, 97 percent of small businesses owners would continue to receive tax cuts on their business income, and small businesses that are investing in the economy will be able to claim immediate tax deductions for $250,000, rather than just $25,000, of new investments.
While preventing any income tax increases on 114 million American families earning less than $250,000, acceptable middle-class tax relief would not extend the tax cuts on income above that amount. But households at all income levels would benefit from middle-class tax relief. S. 3412 is similar to the President’s proposal to extend the middle-class tax relief. Under the President’s proposal, even households with incomes over $1 million will continue to receive tax cuts averaging more than $10,000 from lower tax rates on their first $250,000 of income. In contrast, if all of the tax cuts were extended, including those that go only to the top 2 percent of households, tax cuts for households with incomes over $1 million would average about $160,000.
Rather than continuing the unaffordable and unneeded tax cuts for the highest-income 2 percent of Americans, middle-class tax relief, such as S. 3412, asks the best off to contribute to deficit reduction by paying income taxes at the same rates as during the 1990s, when the economy created nearly 23 million new jobs and the largest budget surplus in American history. Relative to S. 3412, continuing all of the income tax cuts for the top 2 percent of households for just one more year would add about $50 billion to the deficit. Making the high-income tax cuts permanent would add about $850 billion to deficits over the next 10 years, or nearly $1 trillion if the cost of proposed estate tax cuts is included as well. Allowing these tax cuts to expire is an essential component of the President’s plan for balanced deficit reduction.
The Administration believes that the Nation’s prosperity has always come from an economy that is built on a strong and growing middle class. All sides agree on the need to extend the tax cuts for the middle class – this legislation reflects that consensus, and should not be held hostage while debating the merits of another tax cut for the wealthy
Fact Sheet: Creating Pathways to the Middle Class for All Americans
Fact Sheet: Creating Pathways to the Middle Class for All Americans
On Wednesday, June 25th, President Obama addressed the National Urban League and discussed his Administration’s work strengthening our communities by investing in manufacturers and small businesses, cutting taxes for middle-class families, reforming education by raising standards, and ensuring millions more Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.
As the President has said many times, there’s a basic bargain in America. It says that no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you’re willing to work hard and play by the rules you should be able to find a good job, feel secure in your community, and support a family. There are times when this bargain is tested. Economic crisis is one of those times. When President Obama took office, the United States economy was losing over 800,000 jobs a month.
That’s why during his first months in office, President Obama took swift action to stop the rapid loss of jobs–giving tax cuts to working families, keeping teachers in the classroom, and investing in clean energy and manufacturing. President Obama has acted to prevent millions from slipping into poverty and helped build a path to the middle class.
There is more work to do, but President Obama is moving our country forward. He believes that your success should not be determined by your background or your zip code; that everyone should get a fair shot, everyone should do their fair share, and everyone should play by the same set of rules. The President’s Commitment to Strong Communities that Attract Jobs and Promote Economic Growth · Providing tax relief for all Americans, with refundable tax credits focused on working families.
The Recovery Act expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). The EITC expansion allowed families with three or more children to receive up to $640 more than they otherwise would this year. The expansion of the CTC gave many families access to thousands of dollars in additional tax benefits that would have otherwise been lost. As part of the 2010 tax deal these expansions were extended through the end of 2012.
An estimated 2.2 million African American families are benefiting from the expansion of the EITC and CTC. These credits help roughly 4.7 million African American children or almost half of all African American children. In his budget the President has called for making these expansions permanent. ·
Creating opportunity and mobility for children by reforming K-12 and early education. The President has devoted more than $4 billion to turning around our lowest performing schools, and some of them are making encouraging gains in reading and math proficiency. And the President has invested in early childhood education, including Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care assistance, benefiting tens of thousands of low income children. The Administration also has invested in new child nutrition programs, to make sure fewer young people go hungry.
· Putting the cost of college within reach for more families, including the largest investment in higher education since the G.I. Bill. Since the beginning of the Administration, the President has dramatically increased Pell Grant funding, helping make college affordable for an additional 200,000 African American students, created the American Opportunity Tax Credit to ease college costs for over 9 million families, and championed bold and comprehensive reform of student loans that will save taxpayers $68 billion over the next decade. Together, these represent the largest investments in higher education since the G.I. Bill. The Administration has also dramatically increased investments in historically black colleges and universities.
· Secure, affordable health care coverage. Within a month of taking office, the President signed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act into law, expanding health coverage to more than 4 million children who would otherwise go uninsured. And the historic Affordable Care Act will extend coverage to millions of uninsured African Americans by 2016, and prevent insurance companies from charging women more than men and discriminating against those with preexisting conditions such as diabetes or cancer.
· Helping responsible homeowners feel secure in the homes. The Administration’s programs, both through their direct and indirect impact on the market, have helped more than 4 million families permanently modify their mortgages so they can stay in their homes. And the President, as part of the American Jobs Act, has proposed a $15 billion investment in Project Rebuild, which would put construction workers back on the job repurposing and rehabilitating vacant properties.
· Creating Pathways Back to Work. Through the Recovery Act, over 260,000 low-income adults and youth were placed in subsidized jobs and an additional 367,000 low-income youth received summer employment. Building on these successful strategies, the President has proposed a new Pathways Back to Work Fund to support summer and year-round employment opportunities for low-income youth and adults and for the long-term unemployed. In addition, recognizing that we can’t wait for Congress to act, President Obama has announced nearly 300,000 summer jobs and other employment opportunities for youth and new online tools to help youth access opportunities.
· Building stronger cities and communities. Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) is an interagency pilot initiative to strengthen the capacity of local governments by partnering with them to execute their economic visions. The Obama Administration has deployed interagency teams of Federal officials to work with the Mayor’s office in six pilot cities – Fresno, Memphis, Detroit, New Orleans, Chester, and Cleveland – helping to leverage Federal investments, advance specific economic development projects and build collaboration to encourage economic growth. In addition to SC2, the Obama Administration has created the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, which has invested more than $345 million in the nation’s persistent pockets of poverty since 2009—reaching 68 communities with an interdisciplinary, place-based, and data-driven approach to holistic community change.
Fact Sheet: Administration Releases Final Version of Financial Aid Shopping Sheet
Fact Sheet: Administration Releases Final Version of Financial Aid Shopping Sheet
Earlier this year, at the University of Michigan, President Obama outlined the steps that his Administration is taking to make college more affordable and to ensure that students “know before they owe.” Today, as part of that ongoing effort, the Administration unveiled the final version of the model financial aid award letter, or “Shopping Sheet” — an individualized standard financial aid letter that will help students understand their costs before making the final decision on where to enroll.
The shopping sheet will allow students to easily compare aid packages offered by different institutions. To develop the Shopping Sheet, the U.S. Department of Education partnered with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new independent agency established in the wake of the financial crisis. Too often, students and families face the daunting task of deciding where to enroll, whether to write a check, or whether to sign for a student loan, without a clear explanation of what the costs mean, or how these costs compare to other colleges they are considering. As a result, too many students leave college with debt that they didn’t understand at the time that they entered school.
While many financial aid award letters provide this information, some can be confusing, lacking clear distinctions between grants and loans, as well information about post-graduate outcomes associated with the institution. These obscurities make the task of comparison-shopping for the most affordable and appropriate college even more difficult. The Shopping Sheet makes clear the costs and responsibilities of student loans upfront – before students have enrolled – outlining their total estimated annual costs, institutional rates of completion and default, and information about a student’s potential monthly loan payments after graduation.
Ultimately, this tool provides students and their families with useful information that can help them make a more informed decision about where to attend college and to help them better understand the debt burdens that may be face after graduation. Secretary Duncan today will publish an open letter to college and university presidents, asking them to adopt the Shopping Sheet as part of their financial aid awards starting in the 2013-14 school year.
Additionally, colleges who agree to the Principles of Excellence for Serving Military and Veterans will begin using this form during the 2013-14 school year. Institutions of higher education interested in adopting the Shopping Sheet may contact the Department of Education at ShoppingSheet@ed.gov for additional information.
While states and colleges share responsibility to keep down the rising cost of college, improved consumer disclosures can ensure that students and families make wise decisions when investing in higher education. To learn more about President Obama’s comprehensive proposal to make college more affordable, please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/27/fact-sheet-president-obama-s-blueprint-keeping-college-affordable-and-wi
Rail Industry Joins Forces with Secretary LaHood and First Lady’s Initiative to Hire Veterans: 500 rail industry companies to hire over 5,000 veterans in 2012
Rail Industry Joins Forces with Secretary LaHood and First Lady’s Initiative to Hire Veterans
500 rail industry companies to hire over 5,000 veterans in 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ed Hamberger and Joining Forces Executive Director Brad Cooper announced that the railroad industry will hire more than 5,000 veterans in 2012. Five hundred companies and organizations including freight, inter-city passenger and commuter railroads, as well as rail supply companies represented by AAR are making today’s significant commitment.
“As a result of their service, veterans have the right skills and training for successful careers in transportation,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “Helping our veterans find work strengthening America’s transportation system is a commitment we are proud to fulfill.”
The rail industry joins the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative launched last year to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and take action to support veterans and military families as they serve our country and throughout their lives. More than 1,600 companies have hired more than 90,000 veterans and military spouses in the last year through Joining Forces. These same companies have committed to hire 170,000 veterans and military spouses in the coming years.
“The commitment from AAR and companies in the railway industry to veteran hiring is exactly the type of effort we hoped to see when the First Lady and Dr. Biden launched Joining Forces last year – companies stepping up to hire our nation’s veterans. The railway industry clearly recognizes that hiring veterans is good for their companies’ bottom line and we are appreciative of their efforts to serve veterans as well as they have served this country,” Joining Forces Executive Director Brad Cooper said.
Railroad companies have hired military men and women for almost two centuries and today 25 percent of the industry’s workforce has military service. This is because of the natural link between military service skills and railroad careers. Servicemen and women gain experience working with heavy machinery, managing safety operations, conducting their work in challenging conditions, promoting teamwork and being adaptable. Knowing that these skills are easily translatable, the rail industry is looking to veterans to fill jobs that have become available due to waves of retirements occurring every year. Today, roughly 23 percent of the railroad workforce is eligible to retire by 2015.
“Railroads offer people the chance to have true life-long careers in well-paying jobs,” said Hamberger. “We are proud to offer our heroes transitioning from military service the opportunity for another career in service to our country.”
Key Commitments and Opportunities in the Rail Industry Include:
- · Freight Railroads: the nation’s freight railroads, including the country’s major Class I and shortline railroads, will hire at least 4,700 veterans in 2012. This year’s aggressive hiring target is in line with the industry’s sizable hiring trend kicked off in 2011 in the face of a significant wave of retirements.
- · Passenger Railroads: the nation’s inter-city passenger and commuter railroads will hire approximately 500 veterans in 2012, based on the significant need to fill positions being made vacant through retirements as well as through typical attrition. Passenger railroads also estimate 12 to 14 percent of new hires will be veterans.
- · Rail Supply Companies: dozens of the nation’s rail supply companies represented by AAR have committed to hire at least 200 veterans in 2012. These companies are responsible for supplying materials and equipment, including rail components, cars and locomotives and cutting edge technology.
To connect veterans with employment opportunities available today, AAR is also collaborating with the Department of Transportation to list available rail industry jobs on the newly established “Veteran Transportation Career Center” website at: http://www.dot.gov/veteranstransportationcareers/ To learn more about the companies participating in the Joining Forces commitment, please visitwww.aar.org, or to learn about the rail industry’s history of hiring veterans, please visitwww.aar.org/jobs. For more information on Joining Forces, please visit www.JoiningForces.gov.
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY S. 2237 – Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act (Sen. Reid, D-NV, and 6 cosponsors)
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
S. 2237 – Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act
(Sen. Reid, D-NV, and 6 cosponsors)
The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of S. 2237 to give small businesses a tax break for increasing wages, creating new jobs, and making new investments. By providing targeted tax relief to the businesses that are expanding their workforce and making new investments in capital, S. 2237 will help spur economic growth and job creation and strengthen the recovery. Targeted tax relief for small businesses is one of the five to-do items the President has called on the Congress to pass as part of a concrete plan that creates jobs and helps restore middle class security.
Under S. 2237, nearly two million companies that make new hires or increase wages would receive a 10 percent income tax credit on their new payroll, encouraging over $200 billion in new hiring and pay raises. Because the credit is limited to $5 million in new wages (for a credit of up to $500,000 per firm), S. 2237 is particularly beneficial to small businesses. S. 2237 is also focused on middle class workers. Because the credit is based on the Social Security wage base, companies would receive no credit for increasing wages above $110,100. The Congressional Budget Office recently found this type of targeted tax relief to be the single most effective business tax option for boosting hiring and spurring economic growth.
S. 2237 would also put an additional $50 billion in the hands of businesses over this year and the next by extending the 100 percent expensing provision that the President signed into law in December 2010, which rewards firms for making new investments by allowing them to immediately deduct the full value of those investments in calculating their taxable earnings. S. 2237 provides a direct incentive for companies to hire workers and make the sorts of investments that will boost economic growth. In addition, this legislation ensures that companies that are actively cutting their workforce or that offer raises only to already well-paid executives would be ineligible for the tax relief.
The President believes that entrepreneurs and small businesses are engines of innovation and economic growth and are currently at the forefront of the Nation’s economic recovery. The proposals in S. 2237 build on the 18 small business tax cuts that the President has already signed into law, ranging from the small business health tax credit to the temporary tax exclusion of capital gains from key small business investments. Congress should act now to help American small businesses hire and grow with targeted tax relief designed to boost jobs, rather than enacting additional costly tax cuts for the most fortunate.
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY H.R. 6079 – Repealing the Affordable Care Act (Rep. Cantor, R-VA)
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 6079 – Repealing the Affordable Care Act
(Rep. Cantor, R-VA)
The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 6079 because it would cost millions of hard-working middle class families the security of affordable health coverage and care they deserve. It would increase the deficit and detract from the work the Congress needs to do to focus on the economy and create jobs.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act would mean that marketplaces where Americans could compare private insurance plans and get tax credits to purchase them would not open. Tax credits for small business owners who cover their employees would be eliminated. States would lose substantial Federal assistance under Medicaid to provide coverage for the neediest Americans.
But repealing the health care law would have implications far beyond the estimated 30 million Americans without insurance who would lose the health coverage they were going to receive.
More than 250 million Americans with insurance – private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid – would lose the benefits and protections they receive under the health care law. Insurance companies would be able to go back to some of their worst practices. They would no longer have to cover as dependents the 6.6 million young adults who have been able to sign up on their parents’ plans. They would be able to impose lifetime limits and restrictive annual limits on coverage. They could go back to denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions. And, they would likely turn away the nearly 70,000 Americans who had gained insurance through Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans, which would have to shut down. Insurance companies would no longer be held accountable for double-digit premium increases. Strict rules that prevent insurance companies from spending too much on administrative costs or CEO bonuses would be erased.
Reforms that strengthen Medicare’s long-term finances would also be repealed. Seniors would lose the more generous prescription drug coverage provided under the health care law, as well as free preventive care. And Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Trust Fund would become insolvent up to eight years earlier.
Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office indicate that repealing the health care law would add more than $100 billion to the deficit over the next decade, and more than $1 trillion in the following decade.
The last thing the Congress should do is refight old political battles and take a massive step backward by repealing basic protections that provide security for the middle class. Right now, the Congress needs to work together to focus on the economy and creating jobs. Congress should act on the President’s concrete plans to create an economy built to last by reducing the deficit in a balanced way and investing in education, clean energy, innovation, and infrastructure.
If the President were presented with H.R. 6079, he would veto it.
Federal Partners Continue to Support Response Efforts Combating Western Wildfires
Federal Partners Continue to Support Response Efforts Combating Western Wildfires
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2012 -The U.S. Forest Service, Department of the Interior, Department of Defense and FEMA continue to support efforts to protect life, public safety and aid in community recovery from wildfires and subsequent flash flooding in multiple Western states. On June 28, President Obama approved a disaster declaration for Colorado providing additional support to state and local officials responding to the fires, as well as federal assistance for individuals affected by the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is in Colorado Springs today to see the wildfire response efforts firsthand and thank firefighters, first responders and volunteers for their efforts to battle the fires and support the communities that have been impacted. While in Colorado Springs, Secretary Salazar is attending a briefing with Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa, Incident Commander Troy Nelson, and Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team Leader Marc Stamer regarding the federal, state and local response to the Waldo Canyon Fire. Salazar is also touring the Mountain Shadows subdivision with members of the BAER team who are on site to assess damage.
Six Department of Defense (DoD) C-130 aircraft equipped with U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) and under the command and control of U.S. Northern Command continue to assist in the efforts to control fires in the Rocky Mountain region and western United States at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho. As of Sunday, DoD aircraft have conducted 145 air drops and discharged more than 380,100 gallons of retardant.
The 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard will hold a private memorial service tomorrow for the four Airmen killed in the crash of a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) equipped C-130. The men died July 1, when their plane went down while fighting a forest fire near Edgemont, S.D.
Currently, 20 large airtankers, including six MAFFS-equipped C-130s, as well as 71 Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) are available nationally to combat fires burning in a number of Western states. More than 8,500 personnel, more than 530 fire engines and more than 65 helicopters are also fighting wildfires around the U.S., supporting state and local efforts.
As federal partners continue to support state and local officials battling the Waldo Canyon fire with more than 80 federal, state and local firefighters, eight fire engines and three helicopters today fighting the fire in the hillsides west of Colorado Springs, the U.S. Forest Service today reported that as the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado was 98 percent contained after burning more than 18,000 acres west of Colorado Springs and destroying over 300 homes. Officials expect the fire to be fully contained in a few days as some firefighters and suppression resources are being redirected to other fires in the West.
The State of Alaska has sent 10 crews to support wildfire suppression efforts in the Western states, predominantly made up of Alaska Natives from the communities of Nondalton, Kenai, Copper River, Venetie, Fort Yukon, St. Michael, Koyuk, Selawik, Shageluk, Scammon Bay.
In Colorado, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has designated all counties as primary Secretarially designated natural disaster counties, except Delta and San Juan which are contiguous disaster counties, due to the damage caused by drought, excessive heat, and high winds. This designation makes all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provided that eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.
As part of heightened efforts, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior have completed training of two Army battalions at Fort Carson, located near Colorado Springs, Colo., to potentially serve as ground firefighters to boost the number of firefighters available for wildfire suppression throughout the nation. The training involves one day of classroom training and two days of field training. During the classroom training, soldiers learn about wildfire suppression including fire behavior and fireline safety. During field training, soldiers receive instruction in fire suppression methods and procedures.
Since the beginning of the Waldo Canyon fire, Fort Carson units and services have committed more than 120 soldiers, 10 bulldozers and other equipment and resources to provide assistance to ongoing fire containment operations and interagency support to the Greater Colorado Springs community.
On July 3, FEMA approved two additional Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) for the Shingle fire in Kane County, Utah and for the Oil Creek fire in Weston County, Wyoming. This brings the overall total number of FMAGs approved for states during this fire season to 24. Other states that have received these important grants include Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas.
FMAGs are provided through the Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in covering 75 percent of the eligible state and local costs of fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.
On July 1, the NIFC released its latest National Wildland Significant Fire Potential Outlook for July-October 2012, which provides coordinated federal, state, local and tribal government agencies, first responders and the public with information about the likelihood that wildland fire events will require mobilization of additional resources from outside the area in which the fire situation originates. Updated outlooks are released by NIFC on the first of every month.
The major disaster declaration for Colorado, approved by President Obama on June 28, makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for El Paso and Larimer Counties impacted by the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires. Federal funding is also available for Crisis Counseling and Disaster Unemployment Assistance for affected individuals in El Paso and Larimer Counties impacted by the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires. Additional forms of assistance may be designated as part of the disaster declaration once joint federal, state and local damage assessments are fully completed.
Overall, federal partners have deployed 14 Incident Management Teams (IMT), including four Type 1 IMTs, and eight Type 2 IMTs, to help provide a coordinated and aggressive response to wildfires across the country. These teams have been strategically assigned to highly complex wildfires such as, the Waldo Canyon Fire near Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Dahl and Ash Creek fires in Montana, the Seeley and Fontenelle Fires in Wyoming, and others.
To further address the severity of current wildland fire activity across the western states, Secretary Salazar and Secretary Vilsack have directed federal land managers to take additional measures to help reduce the risks of new wildfires, ensure the highest possible level of coordination among federal land management agencies, and continue to prioritize safety for firefighters and communities. Additional measures include prohibiting new prescribed fires in geographic areas where Preparedness Level is at 4 or 5 – which currently includes the Rocky Mountain Area, Eastern Great Basin Area, and Southwest Area – and requiring regional or state level approval to initiate any new prescribed fire in all other geographic areas. These measures will remain in effect until the National Multi-Agency Coordinating (NMAC) group determines a national Preparedness Level 3 or below. On June 27th, NMAC raised the preparedness level to 4, on a scale of 1-5.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior, in partnerships with states and local agencies, have developed a cohesive strategy to respond to the increase in wildfires in recent years by focusing on:
- Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes. Through forest and rangeland restoration activities such as mechanical thinning and controlled burns, officials can make forests and rangelands healthier and less susceptible to catastrophic fire.
- Creating fire-adapted communities. The Forest Service, the Department of the Interior and their partners are working with communities to reduce fire hazards around houses to make them more resistant to wildfire threats.
- Responding to Wildfires. This element considers the full spectrum of fire management activities and recognizes the differences in missions among local, state, tribal and Federal agencies.
There is increased risk of flash flooding in burn areas as a result of fires, and with the traditional summer rain season beginning, it’s important communities remain aware of this potential hazard. Flash floods can occur very rapidly, without warning or even any visible signs of rain, making it important to follow the direction of state and local officials.
To learn about flood risks in your area and for information on flood insurance, visit www.floodsmart.gov. For more information on flood preparedness tips and ways you can protect your family before, during and after a flood visit www.ready.gov/floods.
On average, the USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior bureaus respond to about 16,500 wildfires per year that occur on land under their jurisdiction and assist state and local agencies in responding to a significant number of the approximately 60,000 wildfires per year that occur on land under their jurisdiction. Federal firefighters, aircraft, and ground equipment are strategically assigned to parts of the country as the fire season shifts across the nation. Firefighting experts will continuously monitor conditions and move these assets as necessary to be best positioned and increase initial response capabilities. In addition, federal agencies are conducting accelerated restoration activities nationwide aimed at healthier forests and reduced fire risks in the years to come.
Federal land managers are also helping communities prepare for wildfire. Federal partnerships with state, tribal and local agencies strengthen preparedness programs, such as Firewise http://www.firewise.org/ and Ready Set Go!http://www.iafc.org/readySetGo that help families and communities prepare for and survive wildfire. You can also visit FEMA’sReady.gov http://www.ready.gov, to learn more about steps you and your family can take now to be prepared for an emergency.
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 33, H.R. 2297, and S. 3187
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 33, H.R. 2297, and S. 3187
On Monday, July 9, 2012, the President signed into law:
H.R. 33, the “Church Plan Investment Clarification Act,” which amends the Securities Act of 1933 to provide specifically for an exemption from SEC requirements in connection with church pension plans participating in collective trust funds;
H.R. 2297, which makes technical amendments to the District of Columbia Code to facilitate development of the Southwest Waterfront in the District of Columbia; and
S. 3187, the “Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act,” which reauthorizes a number of FDA user fee programs, including the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act, and increases FDA’s ability to provide timely and expedited review and approval of applications for prescription drugs and medical devices; authorizes new user fee programs for generic drugs and biosimilar biological products; extends and modifies FDA authorities related to drugs intended for use by children; and improves the drug approval process and helps to reduce drug shortages.
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 33, H.R. 2297, and S. 3187
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 33, H.R. 2297, and S. 3187
On Monday, July 9, 2012, the President signed into law:
H.R. 33, the “Church Plan Investment Clarification Act,” which amends the Securities Act of 1933 to provide specifically for an exemption from SEC requirements in connection with church pension plans participating in collective trust funds;
H.R. 2297, which makes technical amendments to the District of Columbia Code to facilitate development of the Southwest Waterfront in the District of Columbia; and
S. 3187, the “Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act,” which reauthorizes a number of FDA user fee programs, including the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act, and increases FDA’s ability to provide timely and expedited review and approval of applications for prescription drugs and medical devices; authorizes new user fee programs for generic drugs and biosimilar biological products; extends and modifies FDA authorities related to drugs intended for use by children; and improves the drug approval process and helps to reduce drug shortages.
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT SIGNING OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATE BILL
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT SIGNING OF THE
TRANSPORTATION AND STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATE BILL
East Room
5:25 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. I apologize for keeping you waiting a little bit, and I hope everybody is staying hydrated — (laughter) — because it is hot.
Welcome to the White House. We wouldn’t normally keep you this late on a Friday afternoon unless we had a good reason — and the bill that I’m about to sign is a pretty good reason.
I want to very much thank the members of Congress who are here. We got a number in the front row, but, in particular, I want to recognize Senator Boxer and Congressman Mica, whose leadership made this bill a reality. And although Barbara couldn’t make it, we want to make sure that everybody acknowledges the hard work that John did on this on bill. (Applause.)
Now, we’re doing this late on Friday afternoon because I just got back from spending the past two days talking with folks in Ohio and Pennsylvania about how our challenge as a country isn’t just to reclaim all the jobs that were lost to the recession — although obviously that’s job number one. It’s also to reclaim the economic security that so many Americans have lost over the past decade.
And I believe with every fiber of my being that a strong economy comes not from the top down but from a strong middle class. That means having a good job that pays a good wage; a home to call your own; health care, retirement savings that are there when you need them; a good education for your kids so that they can do even better than you did.
And that’s why — for months — I’ve been calling on Congress to pass several common-sense ideas that will have an immediate impact on the economic security of American families. I’m pleased that they’ve finally acted. And the bill I’m about to sign will accomplish two ideas that are very important for the American people.
First of all, this bill will keep thousands of construction workers on the job rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. Second, this bill will keep interest rates on federal student loans from doubling this year — which would have hit nearly 7.5 million students with an average of a thousand dollars more on their loan payments.
These steps will make a real difference in the lives of millions of Americans — some of whom are standing with us here today. But make no mistake — we’ve got a lot more to do. The construction industry, for example, was hit brutally hard when the housing bubble burst. So it’s not enough just to keep construction workers on the job doing projects that were already underway. We’ve got Mayor Villaraigosa and Governor O’Malley here as representatives of organizations of mayors and governors who know how desperate we need to do some of this work.
And for months, I’ve been calling on Congress to take half the money we’re no longer spending on war and use it to do some nation-building here at home. There’s work to be done building roads and bridges and wireless networks. There are hundreds of thousands of construction workers that are ready to do it.
The same thing is true for our students. The bill I’m about to sign is vital for millions of students and their families. But it’s not enough just to keep interest rates from doubling.
I’ve asked Congress to reform and expand the financial aid that’s offered to students. And I’ve been asking them to help us give 2 million Americans the opportunity to learn the skills that businesses in their areas are looking for right now through partnerships between community colleges and employers.
In today’s economy, a higher education is the surest path to finding a good job and earning a good salary, and making it into the middle class. So it can’t be a luxury reserved for just a privileged few. It’s an economic necessity that every American family should be able to afford.
So this is an outstanding piece of business. And I’m very appreciative of the hard work that Congress has done on it. My hope is, is that this bipartisan spirit spills over into the next phase, that we can start putting more construction workers back to work — not just those that were already on existing projects who were threatened to be laid off, but also getting some new projects done that are vitally important to communities all across the nation and that will improve our economy, as well as making sure that now that we’ve prevented a doubling of student loan rates, we actually start doing more to reduce the debt burden that our young people are experiencing.
I want to thank all the Americans — the young or the young at heart — who took the time to sit down and write a letter or type out an email or make a phone call or send a tweet, hoping that your voice would be heard on these issues. I promise you, your voices have been heard. Any of you who believed your voice could make a difference — I want to reaffirm your belief. You made this happen.
So I’m very pleased that Congress got this done. I’m grateful to members of both parties who came together and put the interests of the American people first. And my message to Congress is what I’ve been saying for months now — let’s keep going. Let’s keep moving forward. Let’s keep finding ways to work together to grow the economy and to help put more folks back to work. There is no excuse for inaction when there are so many Americans still trying to get back on their feet.
With that, let me sign this bill. And let’s make sure that we are keeping folks on the job and we’re keeping our students in school.
Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)
(The bill is signed.)
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 4348
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 4348
H.R. 4348, the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” or “MAP-21″, which reauthorizes taxes that support the Highway Trust Fund through September 30, 2016, and authority to make expenditures from that Fund through September 30, 2014, and makes major reforms to surface transportation programs; reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 30, 2017, and makes major reforms to the NFIP; and extends for one year, until July 1, 2013, the current interest rate of 3.4 percent on all new subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans for undergraduate students.
President Obama…
President Obama Signs Minnesota Disaster Declaration
The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Minnesota and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of June 14-21, 2012.
Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in the counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Crow Wing,Dakota, Goodhue, Kandiyohi, Lake, Meeker, Pine, Rice, Sibley, St. Louis, and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and Indian Tribes within the State.
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Mark A. Neveau as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT: FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV
Statement by President Obama on Libya
Statement by the President on Libya
On behalf of the American people, I extend my congratulations to the people of Libya for another milestone on their extraordinary transition to democracy. After more than 40 years in which Libya was in the grip of a dictator, today’s historic election underscores that the future of Libya is in the hands of the Libyan people. Across Libya today, voters turned out to exercise their hard-earned freedoms, most participating in an election for the first time in their lives. They cast ballots for representatives of a National Congress that will lead the next stage of Libya’s transition.
The United States is proud of the role that we played in supporting the Libyan revolution and protecting the Libyan people, and we look forward to working closely with the new Libya – including the elected Congress and Libya’s new leaders. We will engage as partners as the Libyan people work to build open and transparent institutions, establish security and the rule of law, advance opportunity, and promote unity and national reconciliation. There are still difficult challenges ahead and voting needs to be completed in some areas. As they begin this new chapter, the Libyan people can count on the continued friendship and support of the United States.
Statement by the Press Secretary on European Union Actions on Iranian Oil
Statement by the Press Secretary on European Union Actions on Iranian Oil
The United States welcomes the European Union’s prohibition of all Iranian crude oil imports and other sanctions on Iran’s oil industry, which go into full effect today. This collective decision of the 27 countries of the European Union represents a substantial additional commitment on the part of our European allies and partners to seek a peaceful resolution that addresses the international community’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. The United States and the European Union are committed to holding Iran accountable for failing to meet its international obligations. With this decision, our partners in the EU have underscored the seriousness with which the international community views the challenge of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
This action is an essential part of our concerted diplomatic efforts to present Iran with a clear choice between isolation or meetings its obligations. Iran has an opportunity to pursue substantive negotiations, beginning with expert level talks this week in Istanbul, and must take concrete steps toward a comprehensive resolution of the international community’s concerns with Iran’s nuclear activities.
FEMA AND FEDERAL PARTNERS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT STORM RESPONSE IN AFFECTED STATES IN THE MIDWEST AND MID-ATLANTIC REGIONS
FEMA AND FEDERAL PARTNERS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT STORM RESPONSE IN AFFECTED STATES IN THE MIDWEST AND MID-ATLANTIC REGIONS
Individuals in Affected States Urged to Listen to Local Officials and Take Precautions Due to Severe Weather Forecast for the Ohio Valley and Extreme Hot Weather Along the East Coast
WASHINGTON – At the direction of President Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners continue to work closely with states affected this weekend by severe storms in parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.
Yesterday, the President issued emergency disaster declarations for all counties within the states of West Virginia and Ohio in response to requests from the Governors of those states and directed FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts in those states.
FEMA is strategically positioning supplies closer to impacted areas of West Virginia and Ohio. Emergency generators, needed to supply critical infrastructure such as shelters, and water are positioned in staging areas in Morgantown and Charleston, West Virginia and Columbus, Ohio to support state and local response needs.
In addition, FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., and the Regional Response Coordination Centers in Chicago, Ill., and Philadelphia, Pa., continue to be activated to support state requests for assistance. FEMA has deployed incident management assistance teams and liaison officers to the state emergency operations centers in Ohio and West Virginia. A Mobile Emergency Response Support team and mobile communication office vehicles are en route to West Virginia to provide secure and non-secure voice, video, and information services, operations, and logistics support to state response operations.
FEMA also remains in close contact with our federal partners including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service forecast offices. In coordination with FEMA, DOE has deployed experts to West Virginia and FEMA Headquarters in Washington D.C., and is supporting FEMA’s regional offices in Chicago, Ill., and Philadelphia, Pa. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has deployed personnel to Ohio to support assessments and generator installations for emergency power. The West Virginia National Guard is also actively engaged in a generator mission for emergency power.
Yesterday, the President spoke with the governors of Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia, to express his condolences for the loss of life and his concern for individuals and first responders still confronting the destruction and loss of power that is impacting communities as a result. Over the weekend, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano also spoke with the governors of Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia, and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate spoke with the District of Columbia Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. The President has directed FEMA to ensure that state and local officials in impacted areas have the support necessary to respond to the severe weather events.
“The threat of severe weather and heat continues to be a risk in many affected areas, and we urge individuals to continue to follow the instructions of state and local officials,” said Fugate. “People should monitor conditions and check on family, friends, and neighbors who may be impacted by the heat and loss of power. FEMA continues to stay in close contact with state and local officials on the ground, and is supporting response efforts led by those teams.”
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the potential exists for another round of scattered thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds across parts of the Dakotas through the Midwest to the Ohio Valley and Delmarva Sunday night and Monday. This is an evolving situation and weather developments will be constantly monitored. NWS has issued Heat Advisories in many areas that have been affected by the severe weather and may be without power, and urges everyone to take safety precautions due to the high temperatures.
FEMA continues to work closely with our state and local partners in impacted areas to ensure there are no unmet needs as they continue to respond.
For information on the latest Energy situation reports, visit http://www.oe.netl.doe.gov/emergency_sit_rpt.aspx.
More information on severe weather preparedness is available at www.ready.gov, www.listo.gov, and for other languages at www.ready.gov/translations.
Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Federal Partners Continue to Support Response Efforts Combating Western Wildfires FEMA provides two additional Fire Management Assistance Grants for Utah, Wyoming
Federal Partners Continue to Support Response Efforts Combating Western Wildfires
FEMA provides two additional Fire Management Assistance Grants for Utah, Wyoming
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2012 -The U.S. Forest Service, Department of the Interior, Department of Defense and FEMA continue to ramp up efforts to protect life, public safety and aid in community recovery. Yesterday, President Obama approved a disaster declaration for Colorado providing additional support to state and local officials responding to the fires, as well as federal assistance for individuals affected by the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires. President Obama also traveled to Colorado to view the damage, meet with state and local officials and thank the responders bravely battling the fires in Colorado and other western states.
The Forest Service yesterday mobilized the remaining four Department of Defense C-130s equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS). The airtankers will be available beginning Saturday to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in Colorado and elsewhere. They will be based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., along with the four MAFFS that have already been mobilized. To date, the MAFFS aircraft have conducted 70 sorties, 61 air drops and dropped 160,011 gallons of retardant in the Rocky Mountain Region with a primary focus on the Waldo Canyon fire.
This total of eight MAFFs is in addition to the nineteen airtankers currently available nationally to combat fires. More than 11,000 personnel, more than 700 fire engines and more than 110 helicopters are also fighting wildfires around the U.S., supporting state and local efforts.
As part of heightened efforts, the Forest Service yesterday began training an Army battalion at Fort Carson, located near Colorado Springs, Colo., to potentially serve as ground firefighters to boost the number of firefighters available for wildfire suppression throughout the nation. The training involves one day of classroom training and one to two days of field training. During the classroom training, soldiers learn about wildfire suppression including fire behavior and fireline safety. During field training, soldiers will receive instruction in fire suppression methods and procedures. This effort will ensure there are additional resources available should the U.S. Forest Service require them.
Since the beginning of the fire, Fort Carson units and services have committed more than 120 soldiers, 10 bulldozers and other equipment and resources to provide assistance to ongoing fire containment operations and interagency support to the Greater Colorado Springs community.
Firefighters, in the face of adverse weather and difficult terrain, continue to combat the Waldo Canyon fire and more than 1,200 federal, state and local firefighters, over 90 fire engines and ten helicopters are fighting the fire today in the hillsides west of Colorado Springs.
To ensure that all military resources brought to bear to support Forest Service efforts are fully coordinated and leveraged most affectively across DOD, on Friday, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper announced he had selected a Dual-Status Commander, in agreement with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, to support wildfire response and relief efforts in Colorado. Air Force Col. Peter J. Byrne, a Colorado resident and Citizen-Airman – Director of the Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters-Colorado – was appointed Dual-Status Commander (T10 and T32) and will work with fire incident commanders.
Joint Federal, state and local damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated as part of the disaster declaration after the assessments are fully completed.
The major disaster declaration for Colorado, approved by President Obama early Friday morning, makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for El Paso and Larimer Counties impacted by the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires. Federal funding is also available for Crisis Counseling and Disaster Unemployment Assistance for affected individuals in El Paso and Larimer Counties impacted by the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires.
Overnight, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved two additional Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) for the Rosecrest Fire in Salt Lake County, Utah; for the Arapaho Fire in Albany County, Wyoming. This brings the overall total number of FMAGs approved for western states during this fire season to 21. Other states that have received these important grants include Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Nevada.
FMAGs are provided through the Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.
Overall, federal partners have deployed 22 Incident Management Teams (IMT), including six Type 1 IMTs, to help provide a coordinated and aggressive response to wildfires across the country, including at the Flagstaff Fire near Boulder, Colorado, the Dahl and Ash Creek fires in Montana, the Seeley and Fontenelle Fires in Utah, the Neighbor Mountain Fire in Virginia, and others.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior, in partnerships with states and local agencies, have developed a cohesive strategy to respond to the increase in wildfires in recent years by focusing on:
- Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes. Through forest restoration activities such as mechanical thinning and controlled burns, officials can make forests healthier and less susceptible to catastrophic fire.
- Creating fire-adapted communities. The Forest Service, the Department of the Interior and their partners are working with communities to reduce fire hazards around houses to make them more resistant to wildfire threats.
- Responding to Wildfires. This element considers the full spectrum of fire management activities and recognizes the differences in missions among local, state, tribal and Federal agencies.
On average, the USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior bureaus respond to about 16,500 wildfires per year that occur on land under their jurisdiction and assist state and local agencies in responding to a significant number of the approximately 60,000 wildfires per year that occur on land under their jurisdiction. Federal firefighters, aircraft, and ground equipment are strategically assigned to parts of the country as the fire season shifts across the nation. Firefighting experts will continuously monitor conditions and move these assets as necessary to be best positioned and increase initial response capabilities. In addition, federal agencies are conducting accelerated restoration activities nationwide aimed at healthier forests and reduced fire risks in the years to come.
Federal land managers are also helping communities prepare for wildfire. Federal partnerships with state, tribal and local agencies strengthen preparedness programs, such as Firewise http://www.firewise.org/ and Ready Set Go!http://www.iafc.org/readySetGo that help families and communities prepare for and survive wildfire. You can also visit FEMA’s Ready.gov http://www.ready.gov, to learn more about steps you and your family can take now to be prepared for an emergency.
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 6064, The Temporary Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 6064
On Friday, June 29, 2012, the President signed into law:
H.R. 6064, the Temporary Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, which provides funding for programs funded from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for the period June 30, 2012, through July 6, 2012; extends the authority to make expenditures from the HTF for HTF-financed programs through July 6, 2012; authorizes the Secretary of Education to delay the origination and disbursement of Federal Direct Stafford loans until the date of enactment of MAP-21 but only until July 6, 2012.
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