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NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: William Ward Nooter, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years, vice A. Franklin Burgess, retiring.

Today, Vice President Biden spoke separately with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani.  He congratulated both Prime Minister Maliki and President Barzani on their recent exchange of visits, which marked an important warming in relations between Baghdad and Erbil.  He spoke with both leaders about the prospects for further…

The President met today with China’s Special Representatives to the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.  The President underscored the importance of increasing practical cooperation on regional and global challenges while constructively managing our differences and areas of competition.  The President discussed the economic reforms underway in…

We are pleased that the Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of Todd Jones to serve as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Despite its crucial role in protecting our communities from dangerous criminals, gun violence, and terrorism, ATF has been without a confirmed director for seven years because Senate…

“So if we’re truly committed to strengthening our middle class and providing more ladders of opportunity to those who are willing to work hard to make it into the middle class, we’ve got to fix the system. We have to make sure that every business and every worker in America is playing by the same…

The President welcomes the bipartisan approval of S. 815, The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) of 2013, by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today.  He thanks Committee Chairman Harkin, Senator Merkley, and Senator Kirk for their leadership on this important issue.  The President has long supported an inclusive ENDA, which would enshrine into…

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Montana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by flooding during the period of May 19 to June 3, 2013. Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations…

This morning, President Obama met with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) at the White House to discuss the Administration’s efforts to urge the House to take action and pass commonsense immigration reform. Last month, the Senate passed historic legislation with a strong bipartisan vote and the President encouraged the CHC to enlist their…

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: Matthew Winthrop Barzun, of Kentucky, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Margaret Louise Cummisky, of Hawaii, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, vice April S. Boyd, resigned. John Hoover, of Massachusetts, a Career…

This morning, President Obama met with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) at the White House to discuss the Administration’s efforts to urge the House to take action and pass commonsense immigration reform. Last month, the Senate passed historic legislation with a strong bipartisan vote and the President encouraged the CHC to enlist their…