Category: December 2011

Today, as the National Endowment for Democracy awards the Democracy Service Medal posthumously to Laura Pollán, the founder of Las Damas de Blanco, we honor and celebrate her life by recognizing her significant contributions to the struggle to defend human rights in Cuba. Laura Pollán and the quiet dignity of the Ladies in White have…

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts: Sharon Block– Member, National Labor Relations Board Richard Griffin– Member, National Labor Relations Board Michael A. Raynor – Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Department of State Jacob Walles – Ambassador to the Tunisian Republic, Department…

The President continues to have significant concerns about a number of provisions that have been reported to be in the Republican agreement on the omnibus.  This includes provisions that would undermine Wall Street reforms, enact extreme social and ideological riders, undercut environmental protections, and threaten the foreign policy prerogatives of the President.  Given the magnitude…

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. 12:05 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Love you guys.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  All right, everybody have a seat.  I don’t want to milk this too much here.  (Laughter.) To Matthew, thank you for your extraordinary leadership.  We…

Department of Health and Human Services Takes New Steps to Prevent Medicare Fraud As part of the Obama Administration’s Campaign to Cut Waste, Vice President Biden today announced the U.S. Mint would suspend the production of Presidential dollar coins for circulation. Today, nearly 1.4 billion surplus dollar coins are sitting in Federal Reserve vaults due…

Latest Step by Administration to Deliver on Goals for Expanded, Responsible Production Announced by President Obama WASHINGTON, DC — Tomorrow, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will travel to New Orleans to hold a major oil and gas lease sale covering more than 21 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico that are currently not…

On Tuesday, December 13, 2011, the President signed into law: H.R. 2192, the “National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act of 2011,” which exempts, for an additional four years through December 18, 2015, members of the Armed Forces reserves and the National Guard from a means-test presumption of abuse in determining eligibility for Chapter…

This Congress needs to do its job and stop the tax hike that’s scheduled to affect 160 million Americans in 18 days.  This is not a time for Washington Republicans to score political points against the President.  It’s not a time to refight old ideological battles.  And it’s not a time to break last summer’s…

South Court Auditorium 12:24 P.M. EST PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Please have a seat.  Good afternoon, everyone. When I took office, nearly 150,000 American troops were deployed in Iraq, and I pledged to end this war, responsibly.  Today, only several thousand troops remain there, and more are coming home every day. This is a season of homecomings,…

Good afternoon, everyone.  Thank you, Angie, for your kind introduction.  I always say that I admire my students and you are a perfect example of some of the amazing people who not only choose community college, but excel there. First of all:  Congratulations to all the Aspen Prize finalists!  Today is a celebration of all…