White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

November 2, 2009 -- MR. GIBBS: Take us away, Ben.

Q Thanks, Robert. A few questions about Afghanistan. Can you tell us, first generally speaking, what's the President's reaction to the end of this election? And is he in any way relieved that this sort of messy process is over?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think by all accounts, this has been a difficult process. This is the first election run by the Afghans. But I think the President, the embassy there, and everyone can take heart in the notion that the laws of Afghanistan and the institutions of Afghanistan prevailed in both instances.    » read more »

November 3, 2009 -- NEW YORK, N.Y.—Today, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter R. Orszag delivered a speech at New York University entitled "Rescue, Recovery, and Reining in the Deficit." Director Orszag’s appearance is sponsored by New York University and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at NYU. His prepared remarks are below.

Thank you for that kind introduction; thank you, President Sexton, for the invitation to come speak here today, and thank you all for your warm welcome.    » read more »

November 2, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today hosted a Clean Energy Economy Forum with stakeholders from 39 states across the country at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Deputy Secretary David Hayes and other top Department of the Interior officials spoke about the importance of renewable energy and job creation, climate impact and adaptation, and efforts to support and maintain the treasured landscapes of America in the emerging clean energy economy.    » read more »

October 31, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama said that while times are still too difficult for too many American families, this week saw real evidence of progress in the economy. On Thursday, we learned that in the third quarter the GDP grew for the first time in over a year, and grew faster than it has in the previous two years.

And on Friday, reports from across the country made it clear that Recovery Act has now created or saved over one million jobs. The American people are still hurting, but these are signs that we are starting to move in the right direction.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
Saturday, October 31, 2009    » read more »

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

October 30, 2009 -- MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon. We'll try to do this quickly so we can get to afternoon meetings with the Joint Chiefs. But let me start out with giving you guys a quick rundown of the week ahead.

On Saturday, tomorrow, the First Family will welcome more than 2,000 local area children from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia schools, and their families for trick-or-treating at the North Portico for Halloween. In addition, the President and First Lady and the Vice President and Dr. Biden will host a Halloween reception for military families and children of White House and White House residence staff.

Q What are they coming as?

MR. GIBBS: All sorts of things.    » read more »

640,329 Direct Jobs Reported on Approximately Half of Spending To-Date

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration today reported that recipients of Recovery Act funds have informed the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board that they have created or saved 640,329 direct jobs in reports covering approximately $160 billion, which represents a little less than half of the funds put to work through September 30, 2009.    » read more »

Bill, Supported By White House and Media; Organizations, Addresses National Security Concerns and Creates a Legal Protection for Journalists Guarding Sources' Anonymity

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Arlen Specter (D-PA) today released a revised version of the Free Flow of Information Act which has received backing from the White House and the newspaper industry. The bill includes new provisions that further protect national security interests while providing legal protection for journalists guarding the anonymity of their sources.    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet joined their Senate colleagues late Thursday in passing the conference report for the Interior Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010, and sending the legislation containing key funding for Colorado's national parks, forests and public lands to the President's desk. The bill passed by a vote of 72-28.    » read more »

South Court, Eisenhower Executive Office Building

October 29, 2009 -- THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Please, have a seat. Before I begin, I want to just acknowledge two people who are working extraordinarily hard on behalf of small businesses. First of all, the administrator of our Small Business Administration, Karen Mills, is here. (Applause.)    » read more »

October 28, 2009 -- THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please, everybody be seated.

Good afternoon. I have often said that meeting our greatest challenges would require not only changing policies in Washington but changing the way business is done in Washington; that it would require a government that's more efficient and effective and less influenced by lobbyists and parochial politics. And I'm pleased to say that when it comes to the defense bill I'm about to sign into law, we've taken some important steps towards that goal.    » read more »

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

October 28, 2009 -- Q Payments to President Karzai's brother by the CIA -- what can you tell us about how that -- or if that has caused any consternation here at the White House?

MR. GIBBS: I would refer questions about that story to the CIA.

Q So it's not true?

MR. GIBBS: The best person to ask that to is somebody at the CIA.

Q And what's the reaction here to the attack in Kabul today?    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

• Suresh Kumar, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, Department of Commerce
• James P. Lynch, Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these individuals will bring their energy and expertise to my administration and look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

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

October 29, 2009 -- “I congratulate the House of Representatives on the introduction of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, another critical milestone in the effort to reform our health care system.

"This legislation is the product of unprecedented cooperation and countless hours of hard work by Speaker Pelosi, Chairmen Waxman, Rangel, and Miller, Congressman Dingell, and scores of House members who share my conviction that we can’t wait another year for health insurance reform. They have forged a strong consensus that represents a historic step forward.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

* Philip E. Coyle III, Associate Director for National Security and International Affairs, Office of Science and Technology Policy
* Lawrence G. Romo, Director, Selective Service System

President Obama said, “These talented public servants will make valuable additions to my administration as we work to bring real change to the American people. I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

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

Rolls Royce will keep making Joint Strike Fighter engine; bill preserves 300 Indianapolis jobs, up to $1.7 billion for state economic development

October 28, 2009 -- Washington – Senator Evan Bayh today praised President Obama’s signing of a defense spending bill that includes full funding for an alternate Joint Strike Fighter aircraft engine made in Indianapolis.

Bayh led the fight on the Senate floor to secure funding for Rolls Royce North America to develop and produce the military fighter engine at its Indianapolis facility. When funding for the program was stripped out of the legislation this summer, Bayh successfully fought to have it reinstated in a joint Senate-House conference committee.    » read more »