Category: Dec-2014

President Obama spoke by phone today with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to discuss the political and security situation in Iraq and the progress of Iraqi Security Forces in their efforts to counter ISIL.  The President commended the steps that Prime Minister al-Abadi has taken in the first three months of his administration to govern…

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the President signed an Executive Order to create the Task Force on 21st Century Policing and announce its members.  The Task Force is part of the Administration’s efforts to strengthen community policing and strengthen trust among law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.  The Task Force will examine, among other…

Today, I have the pleasure of naming Avril Haines as my Deputy National Security Advisor.  Avril has been a key member of my national security team since early in the Administration, including in her previous role as the National Security Council’s Legal Advisor and in her current capacity as Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence…

I am thrilled to welcome Avril back to the National Security Council (NSC) to serve as my principal deputy.  Previously at the State Department, NSC and Central Intelligence Agency, Avril has been indispensable in implementing the Administration’s strategy to address the full range of threats and challenges to our national security. Anyone who has worked…

I have respected and admired Avril Haines ever since she first served as my counsel on the Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate. I saw then that she had a first-rate mind and keen insight into the biggest national security challenges we face. Avril has served with distinction under Democrats and Republicans, at…

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Brasilia to attend the Inauguration of Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil on January 1, 2015. The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United States, will lead the delegation. Members of the Presidential Delegation:…

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Mr. President:) Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the “order”) that takes additional steps to address the Russian occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.  These steps have been taken with respect to the…

Today, I issued an Executive Order taking further steps with respect to the situation in Ukraine.  The E.O. prohibits the export of goods, technology, or services to Crimea and prohibits the import of goods, technology, or services from Crimea, as well as new investments in Crimea.  The E.O. also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury…

On Friday, December 19, 2014, the President signed into law: H.R. 1068, which consolidates and restates National Park Service and related programs statutes of the United States as Title 54, United States Code; H.R. 2754, the “Collectible Coin Protection Act,” which expands current law to provide additional protections to collectors as to the genuineness of political…

Twenty-five years ago, Romanian citizens joined in a movement for freedom that swept across Central Europe and liberated millions of people from behind the Iron Curtain.  Brave men and women rose against a repressive regime and demanded their freedom.  Over a thousand Romanians lost their lives in December 1989, but their sacrifice began the ouster…