Barack Obama

November 15, 2009 -- On November 15, President Obama participated in the 17th Annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ meeting in Singapore. APEC members account for 53% of global GDP, purchase 58% of U.S. goods exports, and represent a market of 2.7 billion consumers. In 2008, U.S. goods exports to the Asia-Pacific totaled $747 billion, an increase of 8.3% over 2007. During that same period, U.S. services exports to the region totaled $186.5 billion, up 7.7 percent.    » read more »

November 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – With the investigation into the tragedy at Fort Hood ongoing, President Barack Obama used his weekly address to call for a careful and complete review of what happened before the tragedy.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
November 14, 2009

This was a week for honoring the extraordinary service and profound sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

Every fall, we set aside a special day to pay tribute to our veterans. But this year, Veteran’s Day took on even greater poignancy and meaning because of the tragic events at Fort Hood.    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

• Walter Crawford Jones, United States Executive Director, African Development Bank
• Leocadia I. Zak, Director, United States Trade and Development Agency

President Obama will also appoint Olivia Morgan to serve on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these exceptional individuals will serve in these important positions, and their experience will be valued in my administration. I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals today:    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Japan welcome the renewed international attention and commitment to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons and confirm their determination to realize such a world.

They welcome, in this context, the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament and UNSC Resolutions 1540 and 1887, as well as the resolution of the Government of Japan, co-sponsored by the Government of the United States, to the United Nations General Assembly entitled "Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons."    » read more »

November 12, 2009 -- “A new report released today by the Business Roundtable underscores what experts and businesspeople have told us all along – comprehensive health insurance reform is one of the most important investments we can make in American competitiveness.

"It finds, for example, that if reform passes this year, businesses could see health care costs reduced by as much as $3,000 per employee in 2019. And that means more than savings for businesses: it will be vital boost to American competitiveness. The report also echoes widespread support for the cost-containment and fiscal responsibility provisions in current legislation, such as a new CMS Innovation Center, accountable care organizations, and reducing preventable hospital re-admissions.    » read more »

Washington, DC--Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) released the following statement of Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger on President Obama's call for a jobs forum in December:

Said Burger, "We are now 22 months into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. In those 22 months we have lost 8.1 million jobs, and 17.5 percent of the workforce - 27.4 million workers - are unemployed, underemployed, or have given up looking for work. The scale of our problems is simply staggering.

"We need swift, bold action to create millions of jobs. In order to build long-term sustainable economic growth, we need a comprehensive approach that deals with our immediate jobs crisis and makes strategic investments to create the jobs that Americans will need in the future.    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Citing an urgent need to create jobs, infuse the economy and address our crumbling infrastructure, Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has written to President Barack Obama calling on his Administration to swiftly move forward with a long-term, comprehensive reauthorization of surface transportation and transit programs. The current authorization expired on September 30, 2009, and Congress has passed a temporary extension of the programs until December 18, 2009.    » read more »

November 11, 2009 -- Arlington National Cemetery -- THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. Thank you. Please, be seated.

Thank you, Secretary Shinseki, for the generous introduction -- more importantly, the extraordinary bravery in service to our country, both on and off the battlefield. I want to thank our outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden, and his wonderful wife, Dr. Jill Biden, for being here today. We want to thank the Bidens for their son, Beau's, service as well; we're glad he just got back from Iraq.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, November 10, 2009 — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is applauding the president's new executive order for helping more military veterans get federal and private employment.

"The president is serious about helping veterans get a job, and he is making sure the federal government is at the top of the hiring line," said VFW Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Richard L, Eubank, a Vietnam veteran from Eugene, Ore., who is in Washington to represent the organization at different national Veterans Day events.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- Fort Hood - III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas -- THE PRESIDENT: To the Fort Hood community; to Admiral Mullen; General Casey; General Cone; Secretary McHugh; Secretary Gates; most importantly, to family, friends and members of our Armed Forces. We come together filled with sorrow for the 13 Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.

This is a time of war. Yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great state and the heart of this great American community. This is the fact that makes the tragedy even more painful, even more incomprehensible.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

* Erin C. Conaton, Under Secretary of the Air Force, Department of Defense
* Cynthia Attwood, Member, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
* Sandford Blitz, Federal Co-Chair, Northern Border Regional Commission
* Douglas A. Criscitello, Chief Financial Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development

President Obama will also appoint two individuals to serve on the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. Their names and bios are below.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Rajiv Shah as Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

President Obama said, “The mission of USAID is to advance America’s interests by strengthening our relationships abroad. Rajiv brings fresh ideas and the dedication and impressive background necessary to help guide USAID as it works to achieve this important goal.    » read more »

Includes State-Specific Modifications to Date

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, the Obama Administration released the next monthly report for the Making Home Affordable (MHA) loan modification program. As part of an ongoing commitment to transparency, the report includes for the first time state-specific trial modification numbers. With more than 650,000 modifications under way across the country, the program is on track to meet its goals over the next several years.    » read more »

Executive Order: Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government

November 9, 2009 -- By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby order as follows:    » read more »

November 09, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

* Joshua Gotbaum, Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
* Raul Perea-Henze, Assistant Secretary of Policy and Planning, Department of Veterans Affairs
* Carrie Hessler Radelet, Deputy Director of the United States Peace Corps
* Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, Representative of the United States Representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council, with rank of Ambassador, United States Mission to the United Nations
* Laura Kennedy, Representative of the United States to the Conference on Disarmament, with the rank of Ambassador, Department of State    » read more »