Category: Oct 2015

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: Pursuant to section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95-216, 42 U.S.C. 433(e)(1)), I transmit herewith the Supplementary Agreement Amending the Agreement on Social Security between the United States of America and the Czech Republic (the “Supplementary Agreement”).  The Supplementary Agreement,…

Thursday, October 8, 2015 The White House * 11:00 AM ET – The First Lady will honor the 2015 class of the National Student Poets Program (NSPP), the nation’s highest honor for youth poets. This award celebrates the exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise of this generation of leaders. As honorary chairman of the…

Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 12:02 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Well, yesterday we announced a new trade agreement across the Asia Pacific region that reflects American values and gives our working families and American businesses a fair shot, creates a level playing field.  The Trans-Pacific Partnership took five years to negotiate, and I wanted to…

President Obama is committed to protecting the ocean and its marine ecosystems. The Administration has launched landmark initiatives and policies to protect and preserve some of our country’s most special places and introduce a new generation of Americans to our national lands and waters. Today, in a video message to the “Our Ocean” conference participants…

I’ve spent every day of my presidency fighting to grow our economy and strengthen our middle class. That means making sure our workers have a fair shot to get ahead here at home, and a fair chance to compete around the world. My approach to trade has been guided by a unifying principle: leveling the…

Today, the United States reached agreement with its eleven partner countries, concluding negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a new, high-standard trade agreement that levels the playing field for American workers and American businesses, supporting more Made in America exports and higher-paying American jobs. By eliminating over 18,000 taxes – in…

Tuesday, October 6, 2015 REMINDER TO RSVP: The White House * 2:30 PM ET – The First Lady will welcome local students for the annual fall harvest of the White House Kitchen Garden. In 2009, Mrs. Obama planted a vegetable garden on the South Lawn to initiate a national conversation around the health and wellbeing of…

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of South Carolina and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding beginning on October 1, 2015, and continuing. The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties…

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: Todd C. Chapman, of Texas, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Ecuador. Steven Michael Haro, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, vice Margaret Louise Cummisky, resigned.…

Michelle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of author, philosopher, and activist Grace Lee Boggs. Grace dedicated her life to serving and advocating for the rights of others – from her community activism in Detroit, to her leadership in the civil rights movement, to her ideas that challenged us all to lead…