Everything You Need to Know: President Obama's Blueprint for American-Made Energy
In his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, and again today at a UPS facility in Las Vegas, President Obama said that the country needs an “all-out, all of the above strategy that develops every available source of American energy - a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.” We’ve taken steps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and today, American oil production is at its highest level in eight years. In 2011, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past 16 years.
With less than 2 percent of the world’s oils reserves, however, the United States must find new ways to produce the energy we need. We’ve nearly doubled our use of renewable energy in the past few years, and are back on top as the world’s leading investor in clean energy. But more can and must be done to further develop our own energy resources and transition to cleaner sources of energy.
President Obama has laid out a Blueprint for an energy strategy that does just that. His plan, which relies on American-made energy and the skills of American workers, will improve our national security, grow our economy, and create jobs, while making sure our environment and the health of our citizens aren’t put at risk.
COMMITTING TO CLEAN ENERGY
Implementing a clean energy standard: The centerpiece of President Obama’s plan to develop and use more clean energy calls for establishing a “clean energy standard," which would require utility companies to produce a larger percentage of their electricity from clean energy sources over time - including renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, and nuclear, among others. With this requirement in place, clean sources would account for 80 percent of our electricity by 2035. Besides reducing carbon emissions, implementing a standard would create a larger domestic market for developing new, innovative energy technologies - and the many jobs that would come along with it.
Targeted tax incentives: To further support a growing clean energy industry, President Obama’s Blueprint calls for renewing and extending a number of already successful tax incentives. This includes tax incentives for clean energy manufacturing, which could create up to 100,000 jobs, and the Production Tax Credit to support investment in the deployment of clean energy technologies.
Opening public lands: Developing the new technologies we need is only one part of the clean energy equation. The other part requires putting the new technologies to use. To answer this call, the Department of the Interior has committed to issuing permits on public lands that will enable the generation of 10 gigawatts of renewable generation capacity – enough to power 3 million homes.
Powering the U.S. military with renewable energy: Just because Congress hasn’t moved forward with establishing a clean energy economy doesn’t prevent all progress toward using more renewable energy. To this end, President Obama announced that the Department of the Navy will make a 1 gigawatt renewable energy purchase - the largest purchase of its kind in history, and enough energy to power 250,000 homes.
Additionally, the Air Force is installing solar panels on its bases and developing cleaner, more efficient ways to fuel the military’s aircraft. In 2010, the Air Force flew an A-10 Thunderbolt entirely on alternative fuels, a first for the military.
SAFELY DEVELOPING AMERICAN OIL AND GAS RESOURCES
Natural gas: The United States is the world’s leading producer of natural gas, and we have a nearly 100-year supply of it. President Obama has directed his administration to safely develop this gas, called shale gas, in a way that will create up to 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade, according to independent experts. He also called for new rules requiring companies to disclose the chemicals they use when accessing and removing shale gas on public lands to make sure public health is protected.
To find ways to harness this abundant supply of natural gas once it’s out of the ground, President Obama’s plan proposes incentives to encourage greater use of natural gas to power our cars, trucks, and busses such as developing transportation corridors that allow trucks fueled by liquefied natural gas to transport goods. In addition, the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy is planning a research competition that asks our country’s brightest scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to develop new technologies that will put natural gas to good use. This includes searching for new ways to convert and store natural gas, new technologies that use natural gas to power our vehicles, and better ways to protect the air we breathe.
Offshore oil and gas: President Obama directed the Department of Interior to finalize a national offshore energy plan that makes 75 percent of our potential offshore resources available for development by opening new areas for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska. Today, the President took a concrete step forward to develop our offshore oil and gas resources by directing the Department of Interior to hold a lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, which could lead to the production of 1 billion barrels of oil and 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Firman Allah Taala: Dan Kami pecah-pecahkan mereka (kaum Yahudi dari bani Israel itu) berpuak-puak (yang bertaburan di merata-rata) dunia ini. Di antara mereka ada yang soleh dan di antaranya juga yang tidak demikian. Dan kami uji mereka dengan nikmat pemberian yang baik-baik dan bala bencana yang buruk, supaya mereka kembali (bertaubat). (Surah 7: Ayat 168)(God Almighty says in the Holy Quran: And We divided them (Jews) throughout the earth into nations. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good (times) and bad that perhaps they would return (to obedience) (Surah 7 Al-A'raf: verse 168)
Posted oleh Josh Earnest pada January 20, 2012 @2:58 PM EST
Semalam, Presiden Obama mengembara ke Disney World untuk mengumumkan inisiatif baru untuk meningkatkan pelancongan dan pelancongan di Amerika Syarikat dengan ketara. Hakikatnya, setiap tahun, puluhan juta orang dari seluruh dunia melawat Amerika Syarikat Pada tahun 2010, industri perjalanan dan pelancongan yang dihasilkan lebih $ 134 bilion dolar untuk ekonomi Amerika. Ia menyokong 7.5 juta pekerjaan pada tahun 2010. Presiden mahu nombor ini untuk berkembang.
Beliau mengembara ke Magic Kingdom hari ini untuk menyampaikan satu mesej: Amerika dibuka untuk perniagaan.
Presiden mahu Amerika Syarikat untuk menjadi destinasi pelancongan nombor satu di dunia. Ia baik untuk perniagaan dan ia baik untuk ekonomi secara keseluruhannya. Lebih ramai pelancong bermakna lebih banyak wang yang dibelanjakan di bandar-bandar dan pekan di seluruh negara. Ini bermakna lebih ramai orang akan menyewa kereta, makan di luar, memeriksa ke hotel dan check-out pemandangan dan bunyi Amerika. Ini bermakna lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan.
Yang Dipertua akan terus melakukan setiap benda yang ada untuk membina semula ekonomi di mana kerja keras berbaloi, di mana tanggungjawab diberi ganjaran, dan di mana sesiapa sahaja boleh membuat jika mereka cuba. Dia mahu memulihkan keselamatan ekonomi bagi rakyat kelas pertengahan dan mereka yang cuba untuk mencapai. Pengumuman semalam adalah satu langkah yang penting untuk meletakkan masyarakat kembali bekerja, dan dia akan terus dan terus melakukan setiap benda yang ada untuk mengukuhkan ekonomi.
Pengumuman Presiden akan mempunyai kesan ke atas masyarakat di seluruh Amerika Syarikat. Mari kita lihat di liputan dari media tempatan di seluruh negara: Orlando Sentinel - Obama di Disney: 'Amerika dibuka untuk perniagaan'
Presiden Barack Obama menjanjikan industri pelancongan Florida Khamis bahawa beliau bercadang untuk membuka pintu yang lebih luas kepada pelancong antarabangsa dan disambut dengan sorakan dalam keadaan di mana pelawat asing meningkat dilihat sebagai salah satu harapan terbaik untuk kerja masa depan.
Even Obama pengkritik AS Perwakilan John Mica, R-Winter Park, mengalu-alukan arahan presiden, jika hanya dengan "apa yang membawanya sekian lama?" putaran.
Arizona Republic - Obama pelancongan touting untuk kerja-kerja
Presiden Barack Obama berkata Khamis bahawa beliau mahu mewujudkan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan dengan menarik lebih ramai pelancong antarabangsa ke Amerika Syarikat, pegawai-pegawai pelan White House berkata terutamanya akan memberi manfaat kepada negeri-negeri seperti Arizona, Grand Canyon dan lain-lain taman negara.
Mewujudkan pekerjaan telah menjadi sebahagian pusat kempen Obama dipilih semula. Pada hari Rabu, Obama akan melawat Lembah sebagai sebahagian daripada lawatan 5 negeri untuk membina apabila tema pekerjaan mungkin dan pembangunan ekonomi - bahawa dia akan memberi penekanan Selasa alamat tahunan kepada Kongres.
Posted oleh Colleen Curtis pada January 20, 2012 @11:45 AM EST
Tandakan kalendar anda! Selasa depan 24 Januari, Presiden Obama akan membentangkan Negeri tahunan Alamat Kesatuan pada 09:00 EST, dan seminggu sepanjang, White House mahu mendengar daripada warganegara yang prihatin pada topik-topik yang paling penting kepada anda.
Sekali lagi, kita akan streaming versi dipertingkatkan ucapan bahawa ciri grafik, data dan statistik yang mengetengahkan isu-isu yang Presiden berbincang pada Whitehouse.gov/sotu. Kami juga akan hidup aliran yang disiarkan melalui App Live White House + laman Facebook, YouTube dan Google baru kami.
Bermula dengan serta-merta selepas ucapan dan berterusan melalui sepanjang minggu, pegawai kanan White House akan mendengar daripada anda tentang keadaan kesatuan kita. Presiden Obama komited untuk mewujudkan sistem ketelusan, penyertaan awam, dan kerjasama yang menggunakan media sosial dan lain-lain sumber dalam talian untuk melibatkan rakyat di seluruh Amerika keutamaan tertinggi.
Sejurus selepas ucapan itu, kita akan penstriman panel dalam talian secara langsung dari Rumah Putih. Panel penasihat kanan - Mark Zuckerman, White House Timbalan Pengarah Majlis Dasar Dalam Negeri; Roberto Rodriguez, Pembantu Khas kepada Presiden bagi Dasar Pendidikan; Brian Deese, Timbalan Pengarah Majlis Ekonomi Negara; Ben Rhodes, Timbalan NSA untuk Komunikasi Strategik dan Speechwriting dan Jen Palmieri, Timbalan Pengarah Komunikasi White House - akan menjawab soalan-soalan mengenai alamat yang dikemukakan oleh rakyat melalui twitter (# WHChat & # SOTU), Google, Facebook dan penonton orang peserta tweetup Presiden.
Pegawai pentadbiran akan menghabiskan Rabu mengambil soalan di atas Negeri Kesatuan Waktu marathon Pejabat sehari, soalan online dan sesi soal jawab melalui Twitter. Earnest Josh, White House Pengetua Timbalan Setiausaha Akhbar, akan disediakan sepanjang hari, dan Mark Zuckerman, White House Timbalan Pengarah Majlis Dasar Dalam Negeri akan mengambil soalan pada pukul 1 petang EST. Dan Pfeiffer, Pengarah Komunikasi White House, juga akan mengambil bahagian.
Waktu Pejabat Khamis akan menampilkan komuniti tertumpu kepada perbincangan dengan penasihat dasar dan pakar-pakar dan Jumaat akan ditumpukan ke arah isu-isu tertentu.
Mengkaji semula jadual penuh acara di bawah untuk mempelajari bagaimana anda boleh menyertai. Kami berharap anda akan menyertai kami pada satu masa nanti minggu depan.
Posted oleh Megan Slack pada January 20, 2012 @10:59 AM EST
Pada hari ini pada tahun 2009, Barack Obama mengangkat sumpah jawatan sebagai Presiden Amerika Syarikat 44. Watch dia mengangkat sumpah dan menyampaikan ucapan sulungnya di bawah, dan membaca transkrip penuh di sini.
Pada 12:01 hari itu, jawatan yang pertama di blog White House naik. Baca di sini sekarang: Perubahan Telah Tiba untuk WhiteHouse.gov.
The White House Joins Google +
Posted oleh Kori Schulman pada January 20, 2012 @10:43 AM EST
Bermula hari ini, kami sangat gembira untuk mengumumkan bahawa anda boleh mengikuti White House di Google. Pada satu hari, Presiden Obama yang jelas bahawa Pentadbiran ini komited kepada penglibatan dan penyertaan awam.
Itulah sebabnya kita melancarkan Kami orang-orang yang membuat rayuan kepada alat dan mengapa anda boleh mencari White House pada Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn dan tempat-tempat lain di seluruh web. Ini hanya beberapa cara yang kita bertujuan untuk melibatkan diri dengan Amerika mengenai isu-isu bahawa perkara yang paling - dan kini, kami gembira untuk menambah Google ke dalam senarai ini.
Pada halaman White House Google, anda akan dapati berita dari blog, di sebalik gambar-gambar dan video tabir, ditambah peluang untuk mengambil bahagian. Kami berharap anda akan menambah suara anda untuk perbincangan dan berkongsi perkara yang anda rasa menarik dengan orang-orang di kalangan anda.
Salah satu ciri yang kami benar-benar teruja Hangouts, secara langsung multi-sembang video dengan sepuluh peserta. Presiden dan Wanita Pertama sering memanggil White House "Dewan Rakyat", ini merupakan satu lagi cara kita membuka pintu kita (hampir) kepada rakyat di seluruh negara.
Pada halaman Google kami, kami akan menjadi tuan rumah tetap "Hangouts White House" dengan pegawai-pegawai pentadbiran di pelbagai isu dan topik. Sesetengah pengguna Google akan dijemput untuk menyertai melepak dengan White House dan mengadakan perbualan dengan pakar-pakar dasar. Tetapi yang lebih menarik ialah bahawa walaupun anda tidak "dalam" melepak, anda boleh melihat segala-galanya hidup di WhiteHouse.gov, pada halaman Google kami atau White House YouTube saluran.
Untuk menendang perkara-perkara di luar, kita mahu mendengar daripada anda mengenai laman baru kami. Apa lagi yang anda ingin untuk melihat dari White House di Google? Mempunyai idea yang hebat untuk melepak White House atau pemikiran mengenai jenis-jenis update yang paling menarik? Marilah kita tahu pada halaman Google baru kami.
Jadi, apa yang anda tunggu? Tambah White House kepada bulatan anda. Kami berharap untuk melepak!
Minggu West Wing: 01/20/12 atau "Masa Sentiasa Betul untuk buat Apa yang betul"
Posted oleh Matt Compton pada January 20, 2012 @12:00 AM EST
Minggu ini, Presiden yang dipanggil untuk reformasi kerajaan melalui penyusunan semula dan kedudukan Kabinet yang baru, yang diberi penghormatan Martin Luther King, Jr., Mengalu-alukan juruterbang Tuskegee, Raja Jordan, dan Champs Siri Dunia 2011 dan mengembara ke Kerajaan ajaib untuk memperkenalkan terbaru tindakan "Kita tidak Tunggu".
Idea Anda Untuk Meletakkan Amerika Kembali Bekerja
Posted oleh Erin Lindsay pada January 19, 2012 @5:44 PM EST
Kembali pada bulan November, bagi ansuran yang terkini yang White House. Menasihati yang siri Penasihat, Timbalan Ketua Staf Dasar Nancy-Ann DeParle meminta Amerika untuk idea-idea mereka untuk tindakan eksekutif atau langkah-langkah yang Presiden Obama boleh mengambil, tanpa menunggu untuk Kongres untuk bertindak,untuk membantu keluarga kelas menengah dan perniagaan kecil dan meletakkan rakyat Amerika kembali bekerja.
Lebih 18,000 orang dihantar dalam idea-idea mereka, kedua-duanya untuk tindakan bahawa Pentadbiran boleh mengambil, serta idea-idea untuk tindakan masyarakat yang bukan-keuntungan, negeri dan kerajaan tempatan, syarikat dan individu yang boleh diambil untuk membantu mengembangkan ekonomi.
Untuk beberapa bulan yang lalu satu pasukan rakyat di White House telah disikat melalui komen-komen. Walau bagaimanapun, kita tidak hanya membaca penyerahan ini dan file mereka.
Malah, Nancy-Ann DeParle dipanggil Ira dari Glastonbury, Connecticut untuk membincangkan idea untuk menggalakkan perniagaan untuk turut terlibat dalam mentor belia dan program latihan. Berikut adalah melihat panggilan:
Ramai orang-orang seperti Ira yang mahu kita lakukan lebih untuk menggalakkan perniagaan untuk mengupah dan mentor belia, dan minggu ini, Presiden mengumumkan Pekerjaan Summer +, satu panggilan untuk bertindak bagi perniagaan, bukan-keuntungan dan kerajaan bekerjasama untuk memberi laluan kepadapekerjaan untuk belia berpendapatan rendah dan diputuskan pada musim panas tahun 2012.
Pekerjaan musim panas + termasuk komitmen sektor Kerajaan Persekutuan dan swasta untuk mewujudkan 180,000 peluang pekerjaan, dengan matlamat sebanyak 250,000 komitmen oleh permulaan musim panas.
Posted oleh Colleen Curtis pada January 19, 2012 @11:49 AM EST
Apakah tempat yang terbaik di dunia untuk pergi bercuti?
Mengapa Amerika Syarikat, sudah tentu. Presiden Obama hari ini melancarkan pelan yang bercita-cita tinggi untuk menjadikan negara ini destinasi # 1 pelancong di dunia. Yang Dipertua berkata demikian di Walt Disney WORLD di Florida, yang merupakan salah satu tarikan paling popular di Amerika, tetapi dia mahu memastikan orang berfikir tentang semua tempat-tempat lain yang hebat bernilai melawat - terutama khazanah Sistem Taman Negara.
Dan dia bercakap dari pengalaman, kerana sejak beberapa tahun yang lalu Family First telah bernasib baik untuk melawat banyak destinasi yang paling indah di negara ini:
Acacia State Park, Maine
President Barack Obama and his family hike on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park in Maine, July 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Grand Canyon, Arizona
President Barack Obama looks at the Grand Canyon in Arizona on Aug. 16, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Doktor haiwan Turun di Washington untuk Career Fair dan Expo
Posted oleh Alex Horton pada January 19, 2012 @11:11 AM EST
Veterans and Servicemembers line up to apply for thousands of public and private sector job opportunities at a major career fair hosted by VA. January 18, 2012.
Peluang pekerjaan untuk dimenangi pada hari Rabu jam Veteran Kerjaya Fair dan Expo di Washington, DC Majikan yang mewakili syarikat-syarikat di seluruh sektor swasta, serta beberapa agensi-agensi kerajaan, yang berada di lokasi untuk membincangkan kerjaya dan peluang pekerjaan kepada beribu-ribu Veteran dari pertengahan-Atlantic rantau.
Pameran kerjaya adalah sebahagian daripada Rumah Putih "Menyertai Angkatan" inisiatif untuk meletakkan Veteran berkelayakan ke dalam pekerjaan yang bermakna. VA Setiausaha Eric Shinseki telah membuat pekerjaan Veteran keutamaan yang tinggi, dan telah bergerak untuk memastikan program-program seperti VA untuk doktor haiwan boleh membantu bekas anggota perkhidmatan menterjemahkan kemahiran ketenteraan mereka untuk tenaga kerja awam.
Apabila saya bertanya Recruiter dari National Science Foundation mengapa dia merasakan Veteran dibuat pekerja yang baik, beliau melihat saya seperti saya bertanya soalan bodoh. "Anda tidak boleh menyewa lebih baik daripada vet sesiapa," katanya.
Posted oleh Heather Zichal pada January 18, 2012 @4:32 PM EST
Nota Ed: Bacaeditorial Heather Zichal dalam USA Today pada Pengumuman Pentadbiran di Keystone XL Paip
Terdapat banyak perbincangan baru-baru ini mengenai pengeluaran tenaga dalam negeri dan keselamatan tenaga Amerika. Bagi Pentadbiran Obama, yang bergerak ke arah matlamat kemerdekaan tenaga telah menjadi keutamaan yang jelas sejak satu hari.
Apabila Presiden Obama mengambil alih jawatan, Amerika Syarikat mengimport 11 juta tong minyak sehari. Yang Dipertua telah dikemukakan rancangan untuk memotong bahawa oleh satu pertiga pada tahun 2025 dengan mengukuhkan pengeluaran domestik sumber tenaga kita, menjadikan rumah-rumah dan bangunan kami yang lebih cekap, dan beralih kepada pelbagai teknologi tenaga bersih.
Apabila ia datang untuk pengeluaran tenaga dalam negeri, nombor bercakap untuk diri mereka sendiri. Sejak 2008, Amerika Syarikat minyak dan gas asli telah meningkat, manakala import minyak asing telah berkurangan. Berikut adalah fakta-fakta:
Pada tahun 2011, pengeluaran minyak mentah Amerika Syarikat mencapai tahap tertinggi sejak tahun 2003, meningkat sebanyak 1 90,000 tong anggaran setiap hari (bbl/d) sejak 2010 peringkat 5,57 juta tong/d.
AS pengeluaran gas asli meningkat sebanyak 7,4 peratus yang dianggarkan pada tahun 2011 - terbesar isipadu peningkatan tahun ke tahun - dan mudah berlaku gerhana rekod pengeluaran sebelumnya masa yang ditetapkan pada tahun 1973.
Secara keseluruhan, import minyak telah jatuh sejak tahun 2008, dan import bersih sebagai bahagian dari keseluruhan penggunaan menurun daripada 57 peratus pada tahun 2008 kepada 45 peratus pada tahun 2011 - paras terendah sejak tahun 1995.
Pada bulan Mei tahun lepas, Presiden Obama menggariskan satu siri langkah-langkah tambahan untuk mengembangkan pengeluaran minyak domestik dan gas sebagai sebahagian daripada pelan jangka panjang untuk mengurangkan pergantungan kita terhadap minyak luar.
Lebih khusus lagi, Presiden mengarahkan itu Jabatan Interior (DOI) untuk menjalankan jualan pajakan tahunan di Alaska National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), mempercepatkan penilaian sumber-sumber minyak dan gas yang insentif pertengahan-dan selatan-Atlantik, membangunkan baru bagi industri untuk membangunkan pajakan yang tidak digunakan kedua-dua negeri dan luar pesisir, melanjutkan pajakan penggerudian di kawasan Teluk terjejas oleh penangguhan sementara berikutan tumpahan minyak Deepwater Horizon, dan pajakan kawasan-kawasan baru di Teluk Mexico.
Kemajuan yang ketara telah dibuat di kebanyakan kawasan-kawasan ini. Sebagai contoh, pada bulan Disember 2011, DOI diadakan pajakan jualan minyak pertama dan gas asli di Teluk Mexico sejak tumpahan minyak. Penjualan, yang meliputi lebih daripada 1 juta ekar, telah menarik lebih daripada $ 338 juta dalam tawaran jumlah - kira-kira AS $ 100 juta lebih daripada purata jualan bagi Western Teluk berbanding dekad sebelumnya. Pada bulan yang sama, DOI mengadakan jualan pajakan Alaska NPR-A bahawa menjana memenangi tawaran lebih daripada $ 3.6 juta dan dilindungi 17 kawasan lebih 140,000 ekar.
Pentadbiran juga telah mengambil tindakan yang bersejarah untuk mengurangkan pergantungan terhadap minyak dengan membuat kereta dan trak kami lebih cekap. Pada bulan Julai tahun lalu, Presiden mengumumkan fasa seterusnya dalam program Pentadbiran untuk meningkatkan ekonomi bahan api, yang akan memerlukan bersamaan prestasi kepada 54.5 batu segelen untuk model kenderaan penumpang tahun 2017-2025.
Diambil bersama-sama, piawaian yang ditubuhkan di bawah ini Tahun Pentadbiran span Model 2011 untuk 2025. Mereka akan menjimatkan wang keluarga Amerika di pam, bagi sejumlah AS $ 1.7 trilion dalam simpanan bahan api sepanjang hayat program. Mereka akan membersihkan persekitaran kita, memotong pelepasan gas rumah hijau oleh lebih daripada 6 bilion tan metrik sepanjang hayat program, di samping mengurangkan bahan pencemar seperti udara toksik, jelaga menyebabkan, dan smog.
Standard bahan api ekonomi baru ini akan memotong secara mendadak bergantung kepada minyak kami, mengurangkan penggunaan oleh dianggarkan 2.2 juta tong sehari pada tahun 2025 (akhirnya mencecah lebih daripada 4 juta tong sehari sebagai armada bertukar berakhir), dan menyimpan 12 bilion tong jumlah lebih jangka hayat program ini. Untuk meletakkan bahawa dalam perspektif, ia akan mengambil saluran paip yang membawa 700,000 tong sehari hampir 47 tahun untuk mengangkut jumlah minyak yang kita menyelamatkan terima kasih kepada piawaian ekonomi baru bahan api ini.
Sudah tentu, Pentadbiran juga telah berniat untuk membangun dan menempatkan teknologi tenaga bersih dan kedudukan Amerika Syarikat sebagai pemimpin global dalam perlumbaan tenaga bersih.
Akta Pemulihan melabur lebih AS $ 90 bilion dalam tenaga bersih, pelaburan terbesar dalam sejarah Amerika. Pelaburan tersebut telah mencipta beratus-ratus ribu pekerjaan dan mendorong beribu-ribu projek-projek tenaga bersih di seluruh negara. Sebagai contoh, Jabatan Program (JAS) Jaminan Tenaga Pinjaman telah disokong lebih daripada 40 projek tenaga bersih yang akhirnya akan menggunakan lebih daripada 60,000 rakyat Amerika.
Dan kerana pelaburan Akta Pemulihan, kita berada di landasan yang betul untuk menggandakan generasi bukan hidro elektrik boleh diperbaharui dari 2008 peringkat tahun ini.
Pendek kata, pendekatan Pentadbiran Obama untuk mencapai kemerdekaan tenaga Amerika telah usaha yang menyeluruh dan berterusan, dengan penekanan kepada meningkatkan pengeluaran tenaga domestik, meningkatkan kecekapan, dan beralih kepada sumber tenaga yang lebih bersih.
Tetapi apa yang jelas ialah bahawa tidak ada peluru perak apabila ia datang kepada cabaran ini. Dan idea, seperti di Washington telah cuba untuk mencadangkan, bahawa membina saluran paip adalah jawapan muktamad untuk soalan keselamatan tenaga Amerika Syarikat dan mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan adalah tidak lebih daripada angan-angan.
Kebenaran bahawa hanya dua program Pentadbiran - yang Pinjaman JAS Jaminan Program dan yang EPA, Utarid dan Air Toksik Standard - akan mewujudkan lebih daripada 10 kali itu jumlah pekerjaan yang dijana oleh itu Keystone XL saluran paip, yang hanya akan menjana beberapa ribu sementara pekerjaan.
Dari segi mengurangkan pergantungan Amerika pada minyak, standard ekonomi bahan api Pentadbiran sahaja akan menjimatkan lebih daripada dua kali ganda jumlah minyak saluran paip Keystone akan menyampaikan.
By the Numbers: 103,785
Posted oleh Megan Slack pada January 18, 2012 @4:15 PM EST
Sejumlah 103.785 orang yang ditandatangani Kami petisyen Orang yang meminta Pentadbiran Obama untuk melindungi internet yang terbuka dan inovatif. Satu petisyen yang meminta Presiden Obama untuk veto Akta Cetak Rompak Stop Online (SOPA) 51.689 tandatangan, manakala 52.096 orang menandatangani petisyen "Hentikan Akta E-PARSITE".
Kongres membahaskan beberapa bil, termasuk kedua-dua, yang berurusan dengan isu cetak rompak dalam talian. Hari ini, beberapa laman web menyertai bersama-sama dalam mogok maya terhadap SOPA dan undang-undang cetak rompak yang lain dengan menutup atau akan gelap.
Pada hujung minggu, Rumah Putih bertindak balas kepada petisyen menjelaskan bahawa sementara cetak rompak dalam talian dengan laman web asing adalah masalah yang serius yang memerlukan tindak balas perundangan yang serius, cuba untuk memerangi ia tidak perlu mengurangkan kebebasan bersuara, meningkatkan risiko keselamatan siber, atau melemahkan dinamik, Internet global yang inovatif:
Melangkah ke hadapan, kami akan terus bekerjasama dengan Kongres di atas asas kedua-dua parti pada undang-undang yang menyediakan alat-alat baru yang diperlukan dalam perang global terhadap cetak rompak dan pemalsuan, manakala bersungguh-sungguh mempertahankan Internet terbuka yang berdasarkan nilai-nilai kebebasan bersuara, privasi, keselamatan dan inovasi.
Baca sambutan petisyen penuh di sini, atau mengetahui lebih lanjut mengenai Kita Rakyat, satu platform baru yang membolehkan orang ramai untuk membuat dan menandatangani petisyen yang memanggil Pentadbiran Obama untuk mengambil tindakan ke atas pelbagai isu-isu penting yang dihadapi negara kita.
Melangkah ke Hadapan dan Melaksanakan Pembaharuan Kesihatan
Posted oleh Nancy-Ann DeParle pada January 18, 2012 @9:26 AM EST
Sudah hampir dua tahun sejak Presiden Obama menandatangani Akta Penjagaan Mampu ke dalam undang-undang. Dalam masa itu, undang-undang telah membuat perbezaan yang luar biasa untuk berjuta-juta rakyat Amerika:
2.5 juta orang dewasa yang lebih muda mempunyai insurans kesihatan.
Sehingga Oktober 2011, lebih daripada 2.65 juta warga tua mendapat diskaun 50 peratus ke atas ubat-ubatan preskripsi mereka apabila mereka memukul lubang donat.
Syarikat-syarikat insurans tidak lagi boleh menggugurkan perlindungan anda apabila anda jatuh sakit atau meletakkan topi sepanjang hayat ke atas jumlah penjagaan anda boleh menerima.
Sudah tentu, terdapat lebih banyak datang pada tahun-tahun yang akan datang. Bermula pada tahun 2014, pengguna di setiap negeri akan mempunyai akses kepada Bursa Insurans Mampu - Negeri pasar berasaskan sehenti di mana pengguna boleh memilih pelan insurans kesihatan swasta yang sesuai dengan keperluan kesihatan mereka.
Bursa akan menawarkan pengguna jenis yang sama pilihan insurans bahawa ahli-ahli Kongres kini mempunyai. Dan berjuta-juta keluarga kelas menengah akan mendapat kredit cukai untuk membuat ia lebih mudah untuk membeli insurans di Bursa.
Di bawah undang-undang reformasi kesihatan, Syarikat mempunyai peluang pertama untuk menubuhkan dan menguruskan Exchange dan negeri-negeri mengambil tindakan.
Hari ini, kami mengeluarkan satu laporan baru yang mendapati 28 Negeri telah mengambil langkah-langkah penting ke arah mewujudkan Bursa mereka sendiri. Antara contoh-contoh dalam laporan termasuk:
Alabama Gabenor Robert Bentley, doktor, mengeluarkan Perintah Eksekutif yang menciptakan Alabama Insuran Kesihatan Exchange Study Suruhanjaya pada 2 Jun, 2011, yang mencadangkan bahawa Alabama menubuhkan Bursa sendiri yang dikenali sebagai "Insurans Kesihatan Alabama Marketplace.
Badan perundangan, yang bermesyuarat pada bulan Februari, dijangka mengambil undang-undang untuk menubuhkan Bursa, dengan pemimpin-pemimpin undang-undang telah menunjukkan sokongan mereka.
Colorado meluluskan rang undang-undang kedua-dua parti untuk menubuhkan Bursa Insurans Kesihatan Colorado bebas, yang telah ditandatangani ke dalam undang-undang pada 1 Jun, 2011. Pertukaran Colorado telah memulakan pendidikan awam mengenai reformasi kesihatan dan Bursa laman web, di www.getcoveredco.org. Organisasi-organisasi seperti cawangan Colorado Persekutuan Kebangsaan Perniagaan Bebas (NFIB) dan Persatuan Colorado Perdagangan dan Industri telah peserta yang aktif dalam mewujudkan komponen perniagaan kecil Bursa.
Di Nevada, sebulat suara, undang-undang kedua-dua parti yang diberi kuasa Insuran Kesihatan Negeri Perak Exchange, yang telah ditandatangani ke dalam undang-undang oleh Gabenor Brian Sandoval pada 16 Jun, 2011. Lembaga telah dilantik, pengarah eksekutif yang dinamakan, dan permohonan yang dikemukakan untuk pusingan pembiayaan untuk membina Bursa.
Laporan hari ini juga menggariskan beberapa langkah-langkah yang yang Jabatan Kesihatan dan Perkhidmatan Manusia telah diambil untuk memastikan semua rakyat Amerika mempunyai akses ke permulaan Exchange pada tahun 2014. Ini termasuk membangunkan teknologi maklumat dan sistem perniagaan yang perlu untuk memudahkan Bursa di negeri-negeri berbilang. Tidak kira di mana anda tinggal, pada 1 Januari, 2014, Penukaran akan berjalan dengan lancar dan.
Seperti yang kita bergerak ke hadapan, kami akan terus membina di atas kerjasama yang kuat dengan pemimpin-pemimpin Negeri di seluruh negara dan membantu memastikan semua rakyat Amerika boleh mengakses berkualiti tinggi, penjagaan kesihatan yang mampu dimiliki dan mempunyai keselamatan yang mereka perlu dan layak.
Nancy-Ann DeParle adalah Penolong kepada Presiden dan Timbalan Ketua Staf
Presiden dan Wanita Pertama Selamat Datang St Louis Cardinals ke White House
Posted oleh Megan Slack pada January 17, 2012 @9:26 PM EST
First Lady Michelle Obama bertindak balas kepada bahan jenaka oleh Presiden Barack Obama sebagai Presiden dan Puan Obama mengalu-alukan 2011 World Series Champion St Louis Cardinals ke Rumah Putih untuk menghormati pasukan dan 2011 Dunia kemenangan Siri mereka, di dalam Bilik Timur, Jan17, 2012. (Rasmi White House Foto oleh Lawrence Jackson)
Hari ini, Presiden dan Wanita Pertama menjadi tuan rumah kepada St. Louis Cardinals di White House mengucapkan tahniah kepada pasukan itu pada Siri Dunia memenangi tahun lepas.
Kardinal, yang Presiden Obama yang dipanggil "pasukan kembali semula terbesar dalam sejarah besbol," pertandingan selepas rali dari sepuluh dan defisit permainan setengah dengan hanya 31 permainan yang ditinggalkan dalam musim biasa. Pada satu ketika, pasukan itu mempunyai kurang daripada 4 peratus peluang walaupun membuat pertandingan.
Siri itu sendiri adalah salah satu yang tidak dapat dilupakan, Presiden berkata:
Sudah tentu, momen paling diingati ialah Permainan Enam Siri Dunia. Saya pun ada berkata, yang telah menjadi salah satu daripada permainan besbol yang terbaik sepanjang zaman. Permainan luar biasa. Saya akan memberitahu anda semua, saya mempunyai sekumpulan barangan awal pagi keesokan harinya, dan anda terus saya. Ia menyakitkan bangun pada keesokan harinya. Tetapi apa permainan yang luar biasa.
Presiden Obama Bertemu dengan Raja Abdullah II dari Jordan di White House
Posted oleh Colleen Curtis pada January 17, 2012 @6:14 PM EST
Presiden Obama hari ini memuji Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Abdullah Jordan bagi kepimpinan beliau dalam menggalakkan keamanan dan kemakmuran di seluruh Timur Tengah semasa Presiden digambarkan sebagai "masa yang luar biasa."
Perkembangan sejak kedua-dua pemimpin terakhir bertemu termasuk kerajaan baru yang muncul di Mesir, Libya dan Tunisia dan peralihan yang mengambil tempat di Yaman, serta ketidaktentuan semasa di Syria. Perbualan hari ini termasuk topik-topik, dan juga kepentingan kedua-dua negara yang terus menggalakkan rakyat Palestin dan Israel secara serius berunding cara damai ke hadapan.
Yang Dipertua menekankan usaha-usaha yang telah dibuat oleh Raja Abdullah dan Perdana Menteri Jordan dalam membimbing reformasi politik di dalam negara mereka. "Saya fikir Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda telah di hadapan keluk dalam usaha untuk bertindak balas terhadap kebimbangan dan aspirasi yang sah, kedua-dua politik dan ekonomi, penduduk Jordan," katanya. Presiden Obama berkata, isu yang paling mendesak pada masa ini keadaan di Syria:
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda adalah pemimpin Arab pertama untuk memanggil Presiden Assad untuk meletak jawatan, dalam berhadapan dengan kekejaman yang dahsyat yang kita telah melihat di dalam Syria.
Saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada beliau untuk kesanggupan untuk berdiri. Akibatnya, Jordan telah sebahagian daripada usaha keseluruhan Liga Arab untuk menggalakkan ini seperti dalam peralihan damai Syria yang diperlukan.
Malangnya, kami terus melihat tahap keganasan yang tidak boleh diterima di dalam negara itu, dan dengan itu kita akan terus berunding dengan sangat rapat dengan Jordan untuk mewujudkan jenis tekanan antarabangsa dan persekitaran yang menggalakkan rejim semasa Syria untuk berundur supaya yang lebih demokratik proses peralihan boleh berlaku di dalam Syria.
Presiden Obama Bertemu dengan Majlis Pekerjaan dan Daya Saing
Posted oleh Megan Slack pada January 17, 2012 @4:07 PM EST
Presiden Barack Obama bertemu dengan Majlis pada Pekerjaan dan Daya Saing di Bilik Makan Negeri White House, Jan 17, 2012. Majlis yang dibuat cadangan untuk pembaharuan sistem cukai korporat, memperluas dan mempercepatkan pengeluaran domestik bahan api fosil, dan pembaharuan pengawalseliaan baru bagi perniagaan. 17 Januari, 2012. (Rasmi White House Photo)
Hari ini, Presiden Obama telah diadakan satu mesyuarat Majlis Pekerjaan dan Daya Saing, sekumpulan 27 pemimpin dari perniagaan, buruh dan ahli akademik yang ditugaskan untuk menyediakan nasihat Presiden pada pengukuhan ekonomi negara kita.
Sejak mesyuarat pertama kira-kira setahun yang lalu, Majlis telah mengemukakan pelbagai cadangan bahawa pertumbuhan angkat, daya saing, inovasi, dan mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan, kedua-dua sekarang dan untuk masa depan.
Daripada 35 cadangan khusus Majlis telah dibuat yang tidak memerlukan tindakan perundangan, Presiden Obama telah mengambil tindakan ke atas 33 daripada mereka dan Pentadbiran telah dilaksanakan 16.
Antara cadangan yang dilaksanakan termasuk mencadangkan kaedah-kaedah cukai baru yang menggalakkan perniagaan untuk melabur dan mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan di Amerika Syarikat dan bukannya di luar negara, mempercepatkan kerja-Mewujudkan infrastruktur projectsacross negara, menghapuskan peraturan-peraturan persekutuan yang tidak cekap dan membebankan, dan memperkemas kerajaan.
Pada mesyuarat hari ini, Presiden Obama memuji Majlis Pekerjaan untuk kerja-kerja yang mereka lakukan untuk membantu negara kita maju ke hadapan.
Saya sedar banyak isu-isu ini adalah sukar. Mereka telah membuktikan mencabar selama beberapa dekad. Berita baik kepada setiap bidang ini yang kita telah mencapai kemajuan tahun ini.
Saya berasa yakin dapat mengatakan bahawa tiap-tiap satu daripada agensi-agensi dalam kerajaan ini telah memberi tumpuan kepada bagaimana mereka memperbaiki, mendapatkan lebih bijak, menjadi lebih baik, dapatkan lebih cepat, menjadi lebih fokus kepada penyampaian nilai yang baik kepada pengguna akhir.
Dan saya percaya bahawa kita telah mencapai kemajuan yang tulen di semua bidang ini. Kita tidak akan mencapai kemajuan ini tanpa ini Majlis Pekerjaan.
Majlis Pekerjaan mengeluarkan satu laporan baru terlebih dahulu mesyuarat hari ini bahawa butir-butir cadangan untuk meningkatkan daya saing jangka panjang negara kita dengan melabur dalam sistem pendidikan kita, membina kekuatan dalam sektor pembuatan dan tenaga, dan memperbaharui sistem cukai kita kawal selia dan korporat. Baca laporan penuh di sini.
Mengumumkan Negeri Kesatuan Tweetup di White House
Posted oleh Kori Schulman pada January 17, 2012 @11:57 AM EST
Pada hari Selasa, Januari ke-24, Presiden Obama akan menyampaikan Negeri Alamat Kesatuan dari Capitol Hill. Kembali di White House, kami menganjurkan satu Tweetup di mana beberapa pengikut Twitter kami akan dijemput untuk menonton alamat Presiden hidup, menghadiri panel dengan pegawai-pegawai Pentadbiran selepas ucapan, dan tweet kursus!
Berminat untuk menyertai? Daftar bagi peluang anda untuk menyertai pengikut Whitehouse @ lain untuk menonton alamat tahunan Presiden kepada negara.
Gunakan hari ini! Pendaftaran ditutup pada jam 11:59 EST pada hari Selasa, Januari ke-17 pada http://www.wh.gov/tweetup. Selepas anda mendaftar, menyebarkan berita! Biarlah pengikut anda tahu bahawa anda mendaftar untuk # WHTweetup dan memberitahu kami Whitehouse @.
Related: posting blog dari beberapa Tweetups Rumah Putih kami sebelum ini, termasuk Rumah Terbuka Percutian Tweetup dan Republik Korea Tweetup Kedatangan Majlis.
Watch: First Lady Michelle Obama Pratonton "iCarly" Khas
Posted oleh Colleen Curtis pada January 16, 2012 @4:49 PM EST
First Lady Michelle Obama di Sekolah Hayfield Menengah di Alexandria, Virginia pada hari Jumaat untuk pratonton penampilan khas di rancangan TV hit "iCarly". Rumah Putih bergabung dengan pasukan Nickelodeon untuk mengajar anak-anak bagaimana persahabatan dan sokongan yang penting kepada anak-anak tentera yang ibu bapa dikerahkan untuk tempoh masa yang lama.
Ciri-ciri utama menunjukkan, Carly Shay (dimainkan oleh Miranda Cosgrove), adalah anak perempuan seorang Kolonel Tentera Udara sedang berkhidmat di luar negara dalam tentera, dan dua anggota cast membesar dalam keluarga tentera.
Debut "Lady iMeet Pertama" pada hari Isnin Januari 16 telah didahului oleh dedikasi khas dari cast iCarly dan Puan Obama kepada keluarga tentera. Sebaik sahaja perdana, Nickelodeon memulakan kerjaya PSA yang mempunyai cara-cara kanak-kanak boleh menunjukkan terima kasih dan sokongan mereka. Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila layari laman web www.thebighelp.com.
Posted by Josh Earnest on January 20, 2012 at 2:58 PM EST
Yesterday, President Obama traveled to Disney World to announce new initiatives to significantly increase travel and tourism in the United States. The fact is, each year, tens of millions of people from around the world visit the U.S. In 2010, the travel and tourism industry generated over $134 billion dollars for the American economy. It supported 7.5 million jobs in 2010. The President wants these numbers to grow.
He traveled down to the Magic Kingdom yesterday to deliver one message: America is open for business.
The President wants the United States to be the number one tourist destination in the world. It’s good for businesses and it’s good for the economy as a whole. More tourists means more money spent in our cities and towns across the nation. It means more people will be renting cars, dining out, checking into hotels and checking out the sights and sounds of America. That means more jobs.
The President will continue to do everything he can to rebuild an economy where hard work pays off, where responsibility is rewarded, and where anyone can make it if they try. He wants to restore the economic security for the middle class and those trying to reach it. Yesterday’s announcement was an important step to put folks back to work, and he’ll keep at it and continue to do everything he can to strengthen the economy.
The President’s announcement will have an impact on communities all over the United States. Let’s take a look at the coverage from local media outlets across the country:
President Barack Obama promised Florida's tourism industry Thursday that he intends to open the door wider to international tourists and was greeted with cheers in a state where increased foreign visitors are seen as one of the best hopes for future jobs.
Even Obama critic U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, welcomed the presidential directives, if only with a "what took him so long?" spin.
President Barack Obama said Thursday that he wants to create more jobs by drawing more international tourists to the United States, a plan White House officials said would especially benefit states like Arizona, home to the Grand Canyon and other national parks.
Creating jobs has become a central part of Obama's re-election campaign. On Wednesday, Obama will visit the Valley as part of a five-state tour to build upon themes -- likely jobs and economic development -- that he will emphasize Tuesday in his annual address to Congress.
Posted by Colleen Curtis on January 20, 2012 at 11:45 AM EST
Mark your calendars! Next Tuesday January 24, President Obama will present the annual State of the Union Address at 9 pm EST, and all week long, the White House wants to hear from concerned citizens on the topics that most matter to you.
Once again, we will be streaming an enhanced version of the speech that features graphics, data and stats that highlight the issues the President is discussing on Whitehouse.gov/sotu. We will also live stream that broadcast through the White House Live App on Facebook, YouTube and our new Google+ page.
Starting immediately after the speech and continuing through the rest of the week, senior White House officials will hear from you about the state of our union. President Obama is committed to creating a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration using social media and other online resources to engage citizens across America on your highest priorities.
Immediately following the speech, we’ll be streaming an online panel live from the White House. The panel of senior advisors -- Mark Zuckerman, White House Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council; Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy; Brian Deese, Deputy Director National Economic Council; Ben Rhodes, Deputy NSA for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting and Jen Palmieri, Deputy White House Communications Director – will be answering questions about the President’s address submitted by citizens via twitter (#WHChat & #SOTU), Google+, Facebook and the in-person audience of tweetup participants.
Administration officials will spend Wednesday taking questions on the State of the Union in a day-long Office Hours marathon, an online question and answer session through Twitter. Josh Earnest, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, will be available throughout the day, and Mark Zuckerman, White House Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council will be taking questions at 1 pm EST. Dan Pfeiffer, the White House Communications Director, will also participate.
Thursday’s Office Hours will feature community-focused discussions with policy advisors and experts and Friday will be directed towards specific issues.
Review the full schedule of events below to learn how you can participate. We hope you will join us at some point next week.
Posted by Megan Slack on January 20, 2012 at 10:59 AM EST
On this day in 2009, Barack Obama was sworn into office as the 44th President of the United States. Watch him take the oath and deliver his inaugural address below, and read the full transcript here.
Posted by Kori Schulman on January 20, 2012 at 10:43 AM EST
Starting today, we’re excited to announce that you can follow the White House on Google+. On day one, President Obama made clear that this Administration is committed to public engagement and participation. That’s why we launched the We the People petitioning tool and why you can find the White House on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other places around the web. These are just some of the ways that we aim to engage with Americans on the issues that matter the most -- and now, we're pleased to add Google+ to this list.
On the White House Google+ page, you’ll find news from the blog, behind the scenes photos and videos, plus chances to participate. We hope you’ll add your voice to the discussion and share the things you find interesting with people in your circles.
One feature we’re really excited about are Hangouts, a live multi-person video chat with up to ten participants. The President and First Lady often call the White House “The People’s House.” Well, this is another way we’re opening our doors (virtually) to citizens around the country. On our Google+ page, we’ll host regular “White House Hangouts” with administration officials on a range of issues and topics. Some Google+ users will be invited to join the Hangout with the White House and have a conversation with policy experts. But the best part is that even if you’re not “in” the Hangout, you can watch the whole thing live on WhiteHouse.gov, on our Google+ page or on the White House YouTube channel.
To kick things off, we want to hear from you about our new page. What else would you like to see from the White House on Google+? Have a great idea for a White House Hangout or thoughts on the types of updates that are most interesting? Let us know on our new Google+ page.
So, what are you waiting for? Add the White House to your circles. We’re looking forward to hanging out!
Posted by Matt Compton on January 20, 2012 at 12:00 AM EST
This week, the President called for government reform through reorganization and a new Cabinet position, honored Martin Luther King, Jr., welcomed the Tuskegee airmen, the King of Jordan, and the 2011 World Series Champs, and traveled to the Magic Kingdom to unveil the latest “We Can’t Wait” action.
Posted by Erin Lindsay on January 19, 2012 at 5:44 PM EST
Back in November, for the latest installment of the White House’s Advise the Advisor series, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Nancy-Ann DeParle asked Americans for their ideas for executive actions or steps that President Obama could take, without waiting for Congress to act, to help out middle class families and small business and put Americans back to work.
Over 18,000 people sent in their ideas, both for actions that the Administration can take, as well as ideas for community actions that non-profits, state and local governments, companies and individuals can take to help grow the economy. For the past few months a team of folks at the White House have combed through the comments. However, we didn’t just read these submissions and file them away.
In fact, Nancy-Ann DeParle called Ira from Glastonbury, Connecticut to discuss his idea to encourage businesses to get involved in youth mentoring and internship programs. Here's a look at the call:
A lot of people like Ira wanted to see us do more to encourage businesses to hire and mentor youth, and this week, the President announced Summer Jobs+, a call to action for businesses, non-profits and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012. Summer Jobs+ includes Federal Government and private sector commitments to create 180,000 employment opportunities, with the goal of 250,000 commitments by the start of the summer.
Posted by Colleen Curtis on January 19, 2012 at 11:49 AM EST
What's the best place in the world to go on vacation?
Why the United States, of course. President Obama today unveiled an ambitious plan to make this country the #1 tourist destination in the world. The President was speaking at Walt Disney World in Florida, which is one of the most popular attractions in America, but he wanted to make sure people think about all the other great places worth visiting -- especially the national treasure of our National Parks System. And he speaks from experience, because over the past few years the First Family have been privileged to visit many of this country's most beautiful destinations:
Acacia State Park, Maine
President Barack Obama and his family hike on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park in Maine, July 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Grand Canyon, Arizona
President Barack Obama looks at the Grand Canyon in Arizona on Aug. 16, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Posted by Alex Horton on January 19, 2012 at 11:11 AM EST
Veterans and Servicemembers line up to apply for thousands of public and private sector job opportunities at a major career fair hosted by VA. January 18, 2012.
Job opportunities were up for grabs on Wednesday at the Veterans Career Fair and Expo in Washington, D.C. Employers representing companies across the private sector, as well as several government agencies, were on site to discuss career and job opportunities to thousands of Veterans from the mid-Atlantic region.
The career fair is part of the White House “Joining Forces” initiative to put qualified Veterans into meaningful employment. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has made Veteran employment a high priority, and has moved to ensure programs like VA for Vets can help former service members translate their military skills to the civilian workforce.
When I asked a recruiter from the National Science Foundation why he felt Veterans made good employees, he looked at me like I asked a silly question. “You can’t hire anyone better than a Vet,” he said.
Posted by Heather Zichal on January 18, 2012 at 4:32 PM EST
Ed Note: Read Heather Zichal’s editorial in USA Today on the Administration’s Announcement on the Keystone XL Pipeline
There is a lot of discussion lately about domestic energy production and American energy security. For the Obama Administration, moving towards the goal of energy independence has been a clear priority since day one. When President Obama took office, the United States imported 11 million barrels of oil a day. The President has put forward a plan to cut that by one-third by 2025 by strengthening domestic production of our energy resources, making our homes and buildings more efficient, and transitioning to a wide range of clean energy technologies.
When it comes to domestic energy production, the numbers speak for themselves. Since 2008, U.S. oil and natural gas production has increased, while imports of foreign oil have decreased. Here are the facts:
In 2011, U.S. crude oil production reached its highest level since 2003, increasing by an estimated 90,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) over 2010 levels to 5.57 million bbl/d.
U.S. natural gas production grew by an estimated 7.4 percent in 2011– the largest year-over-year volumetric increase – and easily eclipsed the previous all-time production record set in 1973.
Overall, oil imports have been falling since 2008, and net imports as a share of total consumption declined from 57 percent in 2008 to 45 percent in 2011 – the lowest level since 1995.
In May of last year, President Obama outlined a series of additional steps to expand domestic oil and gas production as part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. More specifically, the President directed the Department of Interior (DOI) to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid- and south-Atlantic, develop new incentives for industry to develop unused leases both onshore and offshore, extend drilling leases in the areas of the Gulf impacted by the temporary moratorium following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and lease new areas in the Gulf of Mexico.
Significant progress has been made in many of these areas. For instance, in December 2011, DOI held the first oil and natural gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico since the oil spill. The sale, which covered over 1 million acres, attracted more than $338 million in total bids – about $100 million more than average for Western Gulf sales over the previous decade. During the same month, DOI held a lease sale in Alaska’s NPR-A that generated winning bids of over $3.6 million and covered 17 tracts on over 140,000 acres.
The Administration has also taken historic action to reduce our dependence on oil by making our cars and trucks more efficient. In July of last year, the President announced the next phase in the Administration’s program to increase fuel economy, which will require a performance equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon for model year 2017-2025 passenger vehicles. Taken together, the standards established under this Administration span Model Years 2011 to 2025. They will save American families money at the pump, for a total of $1.7 trillion in fuel savings over the life of the program. They will clean up our environment, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6 billion metric tons over the life of the program, while reducing pollutants like air toxics, cause soot, and smog.
These new fuel economy standards will dramatically cut our oil dependence, reducing consumption by an estimated 2.2 million barrels a day in 2025 (eventually reaching more than 4 million barrels a day as the fleet turns over), and saving 12 billion barrels in total over the lifetime of the program. To put that in perspective, it would take a pipeline that carried 700,000 barrels a day nearly 47 years to transport the amount of oil we are saving thanks to these new fuel economy standards.
Of course, the Administration has also been intent on developing and deploying clean energy technologies and positioning the United States as the global leader in the clean energy race. The Recovery Act invested more than $90 billion in clean energy, the largest such investment in America’s history. Those investments have created hundreds of thousands of jobs and spurred thousands of clean energy projects across the country. For example, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program has already supported more than 40 clean energy projects that will ultimately employ more than 60,000 Americans. And because of Recovery Act investments, we are on track to double non-hydro renewable electricity generation from 2008 levels this year.
In short, the Obama Administration’s approach to achieving American energy independence has been a comprehensive and sustained effort, with emphasis on boosting domestic energy production, increasing efficiency, and transitioning to cleaner energy sources.
But what’s abundantly clear is that there are no silver bullets when it comes to this challenge. And the idea, as some in Washington have tried to suggest, that building a pipeline is the ultimate answer to the question of American energy security and job creation is nothing more than a pipe dream. The truth is that just two of the Administration’s programs – the DOE Loan Guarantee Program and the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards – will create more than 10 times the amount of jobs generated by the Keystone XL pipeline, which will only generate a few thousand temporary jobs. In terms of reducing America’s dependence on oil, the Administration’s fuel economy standards alone will save more than twice the amount of oil the Keystone pipeline would deliver.
Posted by Megan Slack on January 18, 2012 at 4:15 PM EST
A total of 103,785 people signed We the People petitions asking the Obama Administration to protect an open and innovative internet. A petition asking President Obama to veto the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) got 51,689 signatures, while 52,096 people signed the “Stop the E-PARSITE Act” petition.
Congress is debating a number of bills, including these two, that deal with the issue of online piracy. Today, several web sites joined together in a virtual strike against SOPA and other piracy legislation by shutting down or going dark.
Over the weekend, the White House responded to the petitions explaining that while online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, attempts to combat it must not reduce freedom of expression, increase cybersecurity risk, or undermine the dynamic, innovative global Internet:
Moving forward, we will continue to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis on legislation that provides new tools needed in the global fight against piracy and counterfeiting, while vigorously defending an open Internet based on the values of free expression, privacy, security and innovation.
Read the full petition response here, or learn more about We the People, a new platform that allows people to create and sign petitions calling for the Obama Administration to take action on a range of important issues facing our nation.
Posted by Nancy-Ann DeParle on January 18, 2012 at 9:26 AM EST
It’s been nearly two years since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. In that time, the law has already made an incredible difference to millions of Americans:
2.5 million more young adults have health insurance.
As of October 2011, more than 2.65 million seniors got a 50 percent discount on their prescription drugs when they hit the donut hole.
Insurance companies can no longer drop your coverage when you get sick or put a lifetime cap on the amount of care you can receive.
Of course, there is more to come in the years ahead. Starting in 2014, consumers in every state will have access to Affordable Insurance Exchanges – State-based one-stop marketplaces where consumers can choose a private health insurance plan that fits their health needs. Exchanges will offer consumers the same kinds of insurance choices that members of Congress now have. And millions of middle class families will get tax credits to make it easier to buy insurance in the Exchanges.
Under the health reform law, States have the first opportunity to set up and manage an Exchange and States are taking action. Today, we released a new report which finds 28 States have taken important steps toward establishing their own Exchanges. Some of the examples in the report include:
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, a physician, issued an Executive Order that created the Alabama Health Insurance Exchange Study Commission on June 2, 2011, which recommended that Alabama establish its own Exchange called the “Alabama Health Insurance Marketplace. The legislature, which meets in February, is expected to take up legislation to establish an Exchange, with legislative leaders already indicating their support.
Colorado passed a bipartisan bill to establish the independent Colorado Health Insurance Exchange, which was signed into law on June 1, 2011. The Colorado Exchange has started public education about health reform and the Exchange at its website, www.getcoveredco.org. Organizations such as the Colorado branch of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry have been active participants in creating the small business component of the Exchange.
In Nevada, unanimous, bipartisan legislation authorized the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange, which was signed into law by Governor Brian Sandoval on June 16, 2011. Its board has been appointed, executive director named, and application submitted for its next round of funding for building the Exchange.
Today’s report also outlines some of the steps the Department of Health and Human Services has taken to ensure all Americans have access to an Exchange beginning in 2014. These include developing the information technology and business systems necessary to facilitate Exchanges in multiple States. No matter where you live, on January 1, 2014, an Exchange will be up and running.
As we move forward, we’ll continue to build on our strong partnerships with State leaders nationwide and help ensure all Americans can access high quality, affordable health care and have the security they need and deserve.
Nancy-Ann DeParle is Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff
Posted by Megan Slack on January 17, 2012 at 9:26 PM EST
First Lady Michelle Obama reacts to a joke by President Barack Obama as the President and Mrs. Obama welcome the 2011 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals to the White House to honor the team and their 2011 World Series victory, in the East Room, Jan. 17, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
Today, the President and First Lady hosted the St. Louis Cardinals at the White House to congratulate the team on its World Series win last year.
The Cardinals, who President Obama called “the greatest comeback team in the history of baseball,” made the playoffs after rallying from a ten and a half game deficit with just 31 games left in the regular season. At one point, the team had less than a 4 percent chance of even making the playoffs.
The Series itself was an unforgettable one, the President said:
Of course, the most memorable moment was Game Six of the World Series. I’ve got to say, that has to be one of the best baseball games of all time. Unbelievable game. I will tell you guys, I had a bunch of early-morning stuff the next day, and you kept me up. It was painful waking up the next morning. But what an incredible game.
Posted by Colleen Curtis on January 17, 2012 at 6:14 PM EST
President Obama today praised His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan for his leadership in encouraging peace and prosperity throughout the Middle East during what the President described as "an extraordinary time."
Developments since the two leaders last met include new governments emerging in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and a transition taking place in Yemen, as well as the current volatility in Syria. Today's conversation included those topics, and also the importance of both countries continuing to encourage the Palestinians and the Israelis to seriously negotiate a peaceful way forward.
The President highlighted the efforts that have been made by King Abdullah and Jordan's Prime Minister in guiding political reform inside their country. "I think His Majesty has been ahead of the curve in trying to respond to the legitimate concerns and aspirations, both politically and economically, of the Jordanian population," he said. President Obama said the most pressing issue at the moment is the situation in Syria:
His Majesty was the first Arab leader to publicly call on President Assad to step down, in the face of the terrible brutality we’ve been seeing inside of Syria.
I want to thank him for his willingness to stand up. As a consequence, Jordan has been part of an overall Arab League effort to encourage this sort of peaceful transition inside of Syria that is needed.
Unfortunately, we’re continuing to see unacceptable levels of violence inside that country, and so we will continue to consult very closely with Jordan to create the kind of international pressure and environment that encourages the current Syrian regime to step aside so that a more democratic process of transition can take place inside of Syria.
Posted by Megan Slack on January 17, 2012 at 4:07 PM EST
President Barack Obama meets with the Council on Jobs and Competitiveness in the State Dining Room of the White House, Jan. 17, 2012. The council made suggestions for reform of the corporate tax system, expanding and expediting the domestic production of fossil fuels, and new regulatory reforms for business. January 17, 2012. (Official White House Photo)
Today, President Obama convened a meeting of the Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, a group of 27 leaders from business, labor and academia tasked with providing the President advice on strengthening our nation’s economy.
Since its first meeting about a year ago, the Council has put forward a host of recommendations that foster growth, competitiveness, innovation, and job creation, both now and for the future. Of the 35 specific recommendations the Council has made that don’t require legislative action, President Obama has taken action on 33 of them and his Administration has already implemented 16.
At today’s meeting, President Obama praised the Jobs Council for the work they are doing to help our country move forward.
I recognize a lot of these issues are difficult. They’ve proven challenging for decades. The good news is on each of these fronts we’ve made progress this year. I feel confident in being able to say that every one of the agencies in this government has been focused on how do they improve, get smarter, get better, get faster, become more focused on delivering good value to the end user. And I believe that we’ve made genuine progress on all these fronts. We would not have made this progress without this Jobs Council.
The Jobs Council released a new report in advance of today's meeting that details recommendations to improve our nation's long-term competitiveness by investing in our education system, building on our strengths in manufacturing and energy, and reforming our regulatory and corporate tax systems. Read the full report here.
Posted by Kori Schulman on January 17, 2012 at 11:57 AM EST
On Tuesday, January 24th, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union Address from Capitol Hill. Back at the White House, we’re hosting a Tweetup where some of our Twitter followers will be invited to watch the President’s address live, attend a panel with Administration officials after the speech, and of course tweet!
Interested in joining? Sign up for your chance to join other @WhiteHouse followers to watch the President’s annual address to the nation.
Apply today! Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 17th at http://www.wh.gov/tweetup. After you sign up, spread the word! Let your followers know that you signed up for the #WHTweetup and tell us @WhiteHouse.
Posted by Colleen Curtis on January 16, 2012 at 4:49 PM EST
First Lady Michelle Obama was at the Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday to preview her special appearance on the hit TV show "iCarly". The White House joined forces with the Nickelodeon team to teach kids how important friendship and support are to military kids whose parents are deployed for long periods. The show's lead character, Carly Shay (played by Miranda Cosgrove), is the daughter of an Air Force Colonel currently serving overseas in the military, and two of the cast members grew up in military families.
The debut of "iMeet the First Lady" on Monday January 16 was preceded by a special dedication from the iCarly cast and Mrs. Obama to military families. Immediately following the premiere, Nickelodeon debuted a PSA that features ways kids can show their thanks and support. For more information, visit www.thebighelp.com.
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